Always wondered how Johnny Marr achieved that head-spinning tremolo on the Smiths' "How Soon Is Now?"
Wonder no longer, friends (and imitators).
Marr explains it all and includes a photo of the '63 Epiphone Casino that he used on the song at his Web site's fabulously rich Guitarchestra gallery. Also cool: His workhorse '83 Rickenbacker 330 and the '63 Jaguar given to him by Modest Mouse bandmate Isaac Brock of Modest Mouse, which is covered with stickers purchased at a Wal-Mart in Oxford, Mis
It's hard to comprehend Modest Mouse's mass appeal. With a few notable exceptions, Seattle group's songs are epically quirky, full of jerky guitar meanderings, odd time signatures, jolting and percussive rather than hooky or catchy. Singer, guitar player (one of several) and front man Isaac Brock's voice is distinctively twangy, and rather than sing, he uses it to hector, bark and chant, like an especially gifted feral child asked by playground bullies, of whom he is not afraid, to justify his
