Almanac Music: ‘Medieval to Metal’ – a guitar heaven!

 

 

 

Last week, with some good mates, I enjoyed a ‘boys’ day out with a visit to the Medieval to Metal: The Art & Evolution of the Guitar exhibition at the Art Gallery of Ballarat.

 

Often after our swimming sessions or over a cup of coffee, we sound out and discuss our thoughts about upcoming events that caught our eye and considered worthy of a visit.

 

The guitar exhibition was always going to be an event that would be on our agenda. Tony is a well-known and respected musician around Colac and district having played guitar in bands for many years, anything guitar related was an obvious choice for him. While Stan, Bruce, and myself love our music, we acknowledge and  appreciate the important role the guitar has played in the development of music and modern music in particular.

 

With Ballarat about an hour or so drive from Colac it provided ample opportunity for a chat and discussion of  The Age cryptic crossword clues to solve the puzzle. Unfortunately with my thinking too literal regarding the clues I wasn’t much help solving the puzzle. I’m amazed by people who can think in an abstract non-literal manner. The cryptic was solved by the time we reached Ballarat.

 

 

 

The infamous air guitar

 

As the name of the exhibition suggests actual examples of guitars originating over hundreds of years to modern times are on display with relevant details and history of their development. There are many art works included in the exhibition as well; including paintings, sculptures, and photographs. The opportunity to play some guitars is provided within a specific playing area. As expected Tony let rip , and his sublime sounds echoed throughout the space. As for players lacking the expertise of Tony there was one special guitar that made certain everyone had an equal opportunity to bring out their best Eric Clapton or Jimmy Page licks  –  and yes, there was an air guitar on display! Obviously the organisers have a sense of humour! Lots of fun anyway.

 

During lunch at the Vietnamese restaurant across the road from the gallery we chatted about the various guitars and those we nominated as our favourites. All the well known brands were considered and reasons for their selection given and debated. For me, there were two guitars that stood out. One,  primarily due to the recognisable sounds created by the best known exponent of that guitar and the sound it gave his band; and secondly, a player who helped create a band still playing  after more than sixty years, and who was photographed with this particular guitar many times in their early days.

 

12 String Rickenbacker as played by Roger McGuinn

 

The Byrds and Roger McGuinn have been favourites of mine since I first heard those opening bars of ‘Mr Tambourine Man’ nearly sixty years ago. The jangling sound of McGuinn’s 12 string Rickenbacker guitar resonated a sound to create the new musical genre of ‘folk-rock’ and  cemented a sound still utilised and as popular today.

 

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Roger McGuinn and the distinctive sound of his Rickenbacker guitar

 

 

Teardrop guitar as played by Brian Jones

 

The second guitar was the ‘Teardrop’ guitar newly developed in the early 60s and first used by Brian Jones of The Rolling Stones. With its distinctive shape it was photographed with Brian in many images taken during the early years of the Stones. That guitar reminds me of the early influence of Brian, he was the on who formed the band, was their leader, and it was he who was responsible for the creation and development of their early sounds.

 

 

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Brian Jones playing his teardrop guitar

 

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to the exhibition.

 

If you are visiting Ballarat, don’t miss it!

 

 

More from Col Ritchie can be read Here

 

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