Unsung Greats

Our Unsung Greats installment features Loren 'Lo' Woods, an absolutely killer guitarist you just gotta' hear! Loren's "Guitar For Crazy People" is one of the funnest 'musical rides' you'll ever take. The guitar playing is not only excellent and constantly intriguing - but the compositions are top notch as well... constantly twisting, turning, but never boring! . . . Howard Hart

INTERVIEW WITH LOREN 'LO' WOODS

By: Howard Hart

Here's a loaded question - How would you describe your music:

Categories are tough! But if I could invent a new one it would be "Razz Age." It's Rock, Jazz and New Age all combined. But in the end I guess there's a Rock n' Roll morale to it. Most of the music is kind of epic and surreal. I suppose if I was meant to write songs about me and Betsy Lou standing by the record machine or something, things would've been different. And I probably would be wealthier. But that's obviously not the case.

When you first started playing, who were some of your influences:

I must divide that up into several decades. In the beginning it was The Yardbirds, The Birds (Jim McGuinn and the dreaded 12 string), Blues Image, (with Mike Pinera) etc. Then came Jimmy Page, Santana, Leslie West (Mountain) and of course Hendrix. Later it was Iron Butterfly and Captain Beyond (Rhino and Pinera), Also, Iron Butterfly with Rhino and Pinera, Mahavishnu (John McLaughlin), Tommy Bolin (with Billy Cobham, LP: Spectrum). Then there was Dimeola, Holdsworth (when he was with Jean-Luc Ponty), Jan Ackerman (Focus) and Carlton. You might think that Carlton is the odd man out in that group but if you listen to the solos in "Third World Man" by Steely Dan you'll know why I am knocked out by his style. I think that's about where the influences stopped and started to blend into what has become my style.

If I had to single out one it would have to be Jeff Beck. Although Jeff might be the slowest and the least capable of all the guys I mentioned, he has a feel and an intuition about the instrument like no other. He never tries to play beyond his abilities and he's extremely clever and inventive!

Who or what inspires you today:

As far as the current bands and guitar players . . . I'm really not hip. A guitarist will come along once in a great while (Howard) and blow me away. But most of what's out there I don't know about. My 15 year old son is taking guitar lessons (not from me) and he tries to keep me hip.

"Guitar For Crazy People" features some pretty cool guitar tones... any favorite pieces of gear?:

Recordings are like babies, they're all different. The majority of my time in the studio is spent searching for tones. But I do have some tried and true favorites; My 89' Ibanez RG 560 is one of them. It stays in tune and has the volume knob at my little finger for swells. I have a Duncan Holdsworth humbucker at the bridge and 2 Ultrasonic stacked humbuckers in the other 2 positions. I just bought another RG 560 and the only difference is the second one has Duncan Vintage Rails in the middle and neck positions. I'm starting to like my Steinberger quite a bit too, it sounds more like a Les Paul probably because of the mahogany body. I generally use a Synheizer 421 about 2 inches away and off axis from one of the speakers in my Trace Elliot Speed Twin 100 watt tube amp. I use Sovtek 6L6 Plus power tubes and Sovtek WXT Plus preamp tubes because they're glassier than EL 34s. Sometimes I use my Fender Twin 65 reissue and a Rock Man recorded direct for clean playing. I use an antique Yamaha SPX 50 D signal processor for the harmonizer and pitch B in the mix a Boss delay pedal. I bought a Line 6 Pod but haven't had a chance to record with it yet. If it turns out to be anything like it is in the headphones or in front of the amp, it will be awesome.

I'm currently experimenting with the Pod through the Twin all tube amp. I set the amp controls on neutral and let the Line 6 Pod do the coloring.

I use other assorted toys from time to time but never in the same configuration it seems. I'm glad you like the tones.

Like a lot of players; you've been at this a while now - Any advice to younger players who might be interested in going down the road of instrumental guitar:

Learning how to blaze is good. Blazing constantly is bad! Knowing where to blaze is tricky. You have to look at your solos like speaking. If you're to give a successful speech you must have a beginning a middle and an end. You shouldn't be repetitive, redundant, boring or predictable. You must capture their attention and hold it. If you watch some of the T.V. preachers you'll see what I mean. They know when to blaze and they know when to cool it but they always have the ability to blaze when called for.

Charlie Parker talked about the melody within the melody. Melody is the operative word, it must be because I said it twice! First you have to have a melody or a theme . . . then you can cut up in between all that. Don't be too predictable. Surprise 'em once in a while . . . Surprise yourself!

You're obviously an accomplished guitarist, but your compositions are also excellent. What inspires your writing:

People inspire me. The human endeavor inspires me. If I have a situation in mind and can transfer myself emotionally to that situation the playing becomes second nature and the recording marathon begins. For instance, in "Go The Distance (for Muhammad Ali)" I'm trying to duplicate the energy and awe inspiring power and endurance that happened in the ring. Any of the Ali Frazier fights or the Forman fight where Ali sustained the battle a step at a time and eventually did something beyond his own capabilities and expectations. When my band plays Go The Distance live, they need to take a little break before the next tune. I probably should save it for last.

But I can't get started until I have some kind of theme. Sometimes it's a corny melody that will chase me around for days until it catches me. Most of the time I will start with the main theme, go through an adventure of some kind and return to the theme in the end. If I have solitude with my studio and my instruments the music seems to come out of thin air. I hope it always will.

Or a walk in the park will do it sometimes.

Last but not least - Can we expect another instrumental release from you:

I have about 80 more songs on tape that I've composed over the years. Some are classic performances and horrible recordings. A few are the other way around! The answer is yes! I can pick and choose and re-record any of the earlier stuff. Also, as I said, if I get my ass back into the studio, the music will come.

I suppose I will write and record for the rest of my life whether there's an audience or not. But as long as people want to hear it, I'll continue to release it to them.