Hear Thurston Moore on His Favorite Guitarists
WXPN, November 16, 2007 - A member of Sonic Youth, which has been challenging and inspiring audiences for more than a quarter-century, guitarist Thurston Moore has always tirelessly championed his musical loves. Whether he's writing liner notes for obscure free-jazz reissues, championing young avant-garde musicians or even unabashedly worshipping pop-culture icons like Madonna, Moore has always had an ear for challenging and era-defining sounds.
Recognizing the acoustic nature of Moore's recent solo album,
Trees Outside the Academy,
World Cafe host David Dye asked him to share some of his favorite acoustic guitarists.
John Fahey
'Sunflower River Blues' "He's so significant, such an amazing personality, such a character, and you really heard it in his approach to his music. He was taking this traditional form of blues and folk and putting an intellectual spin on it without being an egghead. He was kind of academic, but... almost as much a freak as some of these old blues guys."
From
The Best of John Fahey 1959-1977.
Anne Briggs
'Blackwaterside' "She was a folk singer from the U.K. who was involved with Bert Jansch and his whole gang there in the '60s, playing at folk festivals and busking on streets. They took the English traditional form of folk music and gave it a young, contemporary edge. I started finding out a lot about British folk music firstly through Fairport Convention and Pentangle and all its associated players. There's a fantastic history, the deeper and deeper you get.
"She is one of the singers that transcended the traditional songs just by her voice. I know this is about acoustic guitar, but it was that marriage between her playing and her voice that was just astounding."
Originally appeared on
Anne Briggs (1971).
Bert Jansch
'Jack Orion' "I've never met the man, but reading stories about him, he seems like he's really that hard-playing acoustic-guitar guy, and he doesn't take any BS from anybody. He sounds like a swell dude."
From
Jack Orion (1966).