The concert went on. I went on photographing. Made mistakes. Learned from them. Live music has always inspired me. It’s the energy that volleys back and forth between the audience and the band that you take in when you’re at live shows. This one had no shortage of that.    

The Expendables is a Santa Cruz based surf rock band currently opening for 311’s Untiy 2009 tour. The band is promoting its self-titled album.  

The Expendables:  Site  +  MySpace  +  Albums  +  Tour + Videos

June 6, 2009. Central Park Summerstage.

RENMINBI:   Site +  MySpace +   Twitter +  Surface EP link +   Tour

Q& A with Lisa Liu

G: Do you come from a musical family? Who were your early musical influences?

L: Not really. My folks didn’t play music, but they made me take classical piano lessons like every other Chinese-American kid! My early musical influences were Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine, Pavement, Stereolab, Nirvana, old U2, Debussy, Thelonious Monk, and Sonny Rollins.

G: Do you remember the album that had the biggest impact on you?

L: When I was a kid first learning guitar it was “The Joshua Tree”  by U2. That was the first CD I ever bought and it blew me away. The Edge was brilliant.

G: What is your primary guitar now? What effects/pedals do you use?

L: Live, I mostly use a Fender Jaguar ‘62 reissue. Here’s my usual pedal chain: Boss tuner, Buddha Bud Wah, Ibanez TS-9, Frantone Brooklyn Overdrive, Line 6 DL4, Boss RV-3

G: How would you describe your band’s sound? Can you talk a little bit about your band’s history and its motto?

L: It’s not all that easy to categorize, but I think “experimental indie rock” is probably the closest you can come. It’s got elements of punk, post-punk, no-wave, noise rock, a touch here or there of electronica, and even a touch of pop. Someone recently called it “noise with a melody.”

Our name comes from the name of the money in China and literally translates as “The People’s Currency.” I went to China for the first time in the fall of 2002 and it was a really emotional trip for me. When I got back, I decided my next band would be named in honor of my time there. Renminbi formed in early 2003. We put out two EP’s in our first two years, then took a long break after our first drummer left the band. We started rehearsing again in fall 2006 and recorded our first LP in May ‘07, which came out a year later. Our new EP “Surface,” which comes out July 7, is the follow-up to that album .

G: What one tip, each, would you give to beginners on

a) practice: Practice every day to build muscle memory.  Listen to records you love and try to recreate what they’re doing.
b) songwriting: Demo and record yourself so you know what you sound like. Keep editing until it’s perfect!
c) recording: Make sure you and your band are well rehearsed. Don’t think when you’re in the studio — you’ve got to FEEL when you’re tracking
d) performing live: Playing live is all about being in the moment. Charlie Parker puts it best: Master your music and then “forget all that shit and just play.”

G: Recommend 3 essential albums all guitar players should listen to.

L: 1) Sonic Youth “Daydream Nation”
2) John Fahey “The Legend of Blind Joe Death”
3) Wes Montgomery “Smokin’ at the Half Note”

Also check out: Mass Appeal Ukulele , RENMINBI, &  Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra,

Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra:  Site      MySpace

I wanted to check out Mass Appeal, where musicians who play the same instrument gather and jam/play. The Ukulele group, organized by Gregg,  was the first of two Mass Appeals I shot that day. I have a fascination with the Ukulele [one] [two] [three], if you have been with me a while. [full set on Flickr]

Tomorrow: Mass Appeal - Guitars!

Bonus:
Liked this video by Simon Bush, who’s a musician/Ukulele designer from the U.K. 

I’ll let you in on a secret. Ever since I’d started reaching out to musicians and interviewing them last year, I had been wishing that one day I’d interview MJ and only talk music. Over the years I had been pretty pissed at all the interviews on television that focused on nothing but stupid scandals. Even those big ‘journalists’, they wanted a piece of him. No one asked ‘What’s your favorite new record?’ or ‘What songs are you working on?’ ‘What is your advice for new songwriters?’ No. They’d all focus on the one or two things he didn’t want to talk about. I hope they feel some shame now. Imagine Bill Clinton being asked about the blow job every single interview he gave, and asked in every possible combination. Well, fuck them now - trying to act all sad!

I was about 7 when I heard ‘Thriller.’ It’s a part of my childhood. That and ‘Off the Wall’ we (me +brother) played over and over and over. When I did my musical DNA series back in February, guess whose video I started with?  About a month ago, I started to obsessively listen to MJ songs on my iPod. It took me back to when we were little, in Libya, looking out the window and watching shooting stars with MJ tracks playing on a cassette player. The songs were associated with other memories too - the color of our car, our backyard, dad’s voice, mom’s sunglasses, sister’s smile, brother’s bicycle and the MJ posters he cherished like gold. 

I’m pretty emotional about this. Perhaps another time would be right to correctly express what MJ’s music has meant to me. When people say his music was a soundtrack to their childhood, I know exactly what they mean.

I’ll end by saying that it is very sad that the man who’s given so much to so many, left misunderstood, and with a broken heart. 

The best way to connect is by following and sending me a message at my twitter account (@guitarkadia) and let me know where and when you’re playing. If you’re not into the whole Twitter thing, email me at guitarkadia@gmail.com 

Optional connect: MySpace   OR  Facebook

If you’re not in a band but are headed out to check some music, let me know who to check out. Would be cool to meet you all, exchange cards/info, and stay in touch. 

Looking forward! 

p.s. Mass Appeal event looks especially awesome!

Liz Longley -   Site MySpace

Today’s non-guitar dosage comes from a drummer who…well, just watch this video I shot last year.

Gaida - MySpace

The Bloodsugars:   Site MySpace

Regret not getting good shots of the drummer. I’ll make up for it at a future gig.

The first one features a list of who’s who of Bluegrass in one place - Chet Atkins, Bela Fleck, Jerry Douglas, Tony Rice, Mark O’Connor, David Grisman, & Rob Wasserman. That’s a bluegrass dream team!

Here is a two and a half minute great-balls-of-fire piece with Jerry Douglas and Bela Fleck.

Craig Greenberg - MySpace