Log for The Artist Shop IRC Chat with The California Guitar Trio on September 6, 1998

 

Session Start: Sunday, September 6, 1998

<WotanCCC> And we are indeed ready to begin.

<cgtrio> ready

<GaryA> Hi, guys.

<WotanCCC> Ok, here we go

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Welcome to today's
Artist Shop Featured Artist Conference
An afternoon with DGM Recording Artists
The California Guitar Trio
Presented by @Music and TalkCity

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<WotanCCC> The California Guitar Trio - Hideyo Moriya, Bert Lams and Paul Richards have just released a new studio album on DGM called Pathways.  They've done a few dates this summer and are now planning their fall tour. Pathways is The third album from the California Guitar Trio.  Fresh from recent tours with King Crimson and John McLaughlin, they have recorded a heady brew of well known classics and contemporary material.  Everything from Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, the theme tune to Pulp Fiction, through to newly-commisioned avante garde pieces all impossibly played on three acoustic guitars. Gentlemen, thank you for joining us today.

<cgtrio> thanks for having us!

<GaryA> The Trio are actually joining us from Salt Lake City where their tour has just started. The Trio are all at one computer, so they will preface their responses with the name of the person who is replying.If they don't preface their answer, I suppose we can assume it's a group response ;-)

<WotanCCC> LOL. Thanks Gary.

<cgtrio> Yes!

<GaryA> Greetings Paul, Bert and Hideyo!

<cgtrio> Greetings! Hello everyone.

<GaryA> I understand you had your first gig of the fall tour last night. How did it go?

<cgtrio> Paul - Excellent, It was our best gig in Salt Lake City by far.
Bert - Very supportive audience - about 400 people

<WotanCCC> And now a question from our audience.....

<AskCGT> readmytyping says: How did you guys get together and start the band?

<cgtrio> Paul - We met while studing with Robert Fripp in Europe Bert - We joined the league of Crafty Guitarists, after the last tour of the league in 1990 we decided to continue as a trio and began our work together in Los Angeles in 1991.

<GaryA> So, which League CD's would we find you on?

<cgtrio> League CD's ... Show of Hands, Intergallactic Boogie Express, Live in Victoriaville (coming soon).

<WotanCCC> How is "Pathways" different from your previous two releases?

<cgtrio> Paul - Better sounding guitars. Hideyo - Better playing. Bert - More mature trio.

<WotanCCC> Are you using different guitars now? No more ovations?

<cgtrio> Paul - Yes, we are using custom made guitars from Ervin Somogyi made in Oakland, CA.  No more ovations!

<WotanCCC> And another audience question...

<AskCGT> anderson says: Were any of you in other bands before this one?

<cgtrio> Bert - In Belgium I played in a band called Tube Screamer and I did some session work with Jo Bogaert and Luc Van Acker. Hideyo - I played in Tokyo rock band called the Teddy Boys. Paul - I did some club touring with a band called Dean and The Romancers... terrible stuff!

<GaryA> LOL!

<WotanCCC> LOL

<GaryA> Much happier now, I presume.

<AskCGT> spumoni says: I've seen you perform with King Crimson on several occasions. Are there plans for you to continue touring and opening for them?   We missed you opening at the Greek a couple of summers ago.

<cgtrio> Paul - We are doing more things on our own right now, although we really enjoyed touring with Crimson. Bert - We need to focus on our own shows right now, especially because of our new album.

<WotanCCC> I thought both groups complimented each other very well. Finding a suitable opening act for either of your must be difficult.

<cgtrio> Paul - Last night we had a classical guitarist named Stan Funicelli open for us. He does some arranging for us on our last two CDs.
Hideyo - Tony Geballe is going to be our opening act for this up-coming tour.

<AskCGT> funkyspice says: What made you come up with the title "PathWays"??

<WotanCCC> Good question, funkyspice.

<cgtrio> It has to do with the different types of music we are playing, each leading us down a different path.

<GaryA> The new CD, Pathways, has a number of straight classical selections - Beethoven, Barber and Bach - as do your previous DGM releases. Do you find yourself drawing any from the classical crossover and straight classical fans who may be totally unaware of Fripp or King Crimson?

<cgtrio> Yes, very much so. Paul - last night there were very few Crimson fans in the audience.

<AskCGT> spumoni says: How do you go about selecting which classical pieces you're going to record on your CD's?

<WotanCCC> For more information on "Pathways" and other California Guitar Trio recordings, please visit the Artist Shop web site at: http://www.artist-shop.com/discipln   Or at the guitar trio's web site at http://www.cgtrio.com

<cgtrio> Bert - We play the material live, if it works well live then we consider it for our recordings.

<AskCGT> juno says: How often do you meet in studio for sessions?

<cgtrio> Recording sessions? Or rehearsals?

<WotanCCC> Both, either.

<cgtrio> This past year we had two main recording sessions for the new album each for about 2 weeks.

<WotanCCC> Is that more or less time than the previous two recordings?

<cgtrio> Less time in general. We are getting a bit faster at our recording sessions. For rehearsals we are meeting for a few days before each tour.

<GaryA> Have you ever considered releasing a collection of the classical pieces from your last three albums to be aimed directly at the straight classical and classical crossover markets?

<cgtrio> yes!

<WotanCCC> Good idea. Would DGM put that out?

<GaryA> Would that require an label other than DGM since they aren't really aimed at that market?

<cgtrio> Paul - We are talking about doing more project oriented albums... like a classical album or an all original album or maybe an all surf guitar hit album.

<WotanCCC> Outstanding idea!

<cgtrio> Bert - We did three albums now, that seems like we completed a cycle of work we don't really know what the next one will be.

<AskCGT> funkyspice says: Who are some of your idols?

<cgtrio> Bert - Bach, Beethoven, Stan Funicelli.
Hideyo - Madonna

<WotanCCC> I can see that.

<cgtrio> Paul - Bill Frissel

<AskCGT> jimmy says: How long have you been together?

<WotanCCC> We sort of addressed that earlier...How long has it been?

<GaryA> Hideyo - I don't believe you (LOL)

<cgtrio> About 7 years now, but we have known each other for about 10 years.

<GaryA> Is there anything in the future for the Fripp String Quintet (Robert Fripp + CGT + Trey Gunn), or was The Bridge Between and the video just a one time thing?

<cgtrio> We have recently talked about doing it again, there is a promoter in Canada who want to bring us in for a festival. Robert and Trey are so busy with the KC projects... we don't know if this is possible now but maybe in the future?

<AskCGT> funkyspice says: My friends and I would like to start a band we sing well but the only instrument they know how to play is the flute and I know how to play the flute and congas and bongos. What do you suggest?

<cgtrio> Do the best you can with what you have!

<WotanCCC> An interesting combo.

<GaryA> I would just add to that that if you and your friends sing well as a unit... that is not a common thing and you should play on such a strength.

<WotanCCC> Have you ever worked with a record company other than DGM, and how does the DGM experience differ?

<cgtrio> Paul - We were offered a record deal on Point Records/polygram. It was a tough decision, but we decided to stay with DGM mainly because Polygram wanted to keep our copyrights. This is a very tough thing for a musicain to do, give up their copyrights.

<WotanCCC> As sheet music or a collection of works?

<cgtrio> It is giving up what is really yours...selling your soul...

<GaryA> But that is frequently what most artists are, unfairly, asked to do.  Correct?

<cgtrio> Paul-Yes, but there are several artist who are attempting to change this.

<GaryA> Do you feel that DGM's method of operation (and most significantly allowing the artist to retain the copyright on his work) is making any ripples in the recording industry at large?

<cgtrio> DGM is a company that is very artist supportive and lets the artist keep the copyright to all their work. We are sure it is... there was recently an article in Billboard magazine on Robert and DGM label.

<GaryA> Yes, I saw that article.

<cgtrio> That article addressed this issue directly.

<AskCGT> spumoni says: Is there any chance of your music being published as sheet music or a collection of works?

<WotanCCC> I've wondered why Guitar Craft doesn't publish lesson books.

<cgtrio> Yamanashi Blues has been notated and published. Bert has scores of all the classical pieces.

<WotanCCC> What publisher? Where can it be purchased?

<cgtrio> Perhaps we will release a book of arrangements. Yamanashi Blues came out in an Italian Guitar Magazine.

<WotanCCC> What are some of your favorite all time recordings? From any time, or style.

<cgtrio> Hideyo - Beatles (all of them),

<WotanCCC> Hard to top the Beatles.

<cgtrio> Bert - I don't have an all time favorite, there is a lot of things I like.
Paul - My favorites change all the time. I have recently been listening to Hildegard von Bingen.

<WotanCCC> Oh yeah...Hildegard.

<GaryA> Since your tour has just started, perhaps it would be a good idea to share with our audience where they can expect to catch your performances.

<cgtrio> Please check our website for a complete schedule of our upcoming shows: cgtrio.com --there are too many to list right here.

<WotanCCC> Sounds good...bookmark that one.

<AskCGT> spumoni says: okay...dumb question but...which one of you wears the cool hat? ;-)

<GaryA> LOL

<WotanCCC> Does that mean theres an uncool hat in the group? Or perhaps an alternative hat.

<cgtrio> Bert - I sometimes wear it, especially when it gets a little bit cold or when the spot lights are shinning in my face. I like my hat.

<WotanCCC> LOL You're the one in the middle then? Spumoni says she likes the hat too.

<cgtrio> Bert - No sit on stage right... you wanna buy my hat?

<WotanCCC> rofl

<GaryA> You did an independent release before joining up with DGM. Can fans get that CD, or did most of it show up on the later DGM releases?

<cgtrio> Paul- That CD is basically "Yamanashi Blues CD" without a few pieces. You can get Yamanashi Blues at the artist shop.

<WotanCCC> Great plug

<GaryA> Yeah, yeah! LOL

<WotanCCC> Do you have any favorite songs you like to perform live?

<cgtrio> Bert - It changes all the time, the improvisation that we are doing is my current favorite.
Hideyo - all of them.
Paul - I am enjoying the Beethoven pieces very much!
Hideyo - yes, the first movement of the moonlight sonata.

<WotanCCC> Is there anything else you would like to mention before we conclude today?

<GaryA> Do you guys have an e-mail newsletter your fans can sign up for to keep abreast of your activities?

<cgtrio> we have new page on our site called "Yamanashi News" that we will be updating with photos and diary form the road.
paul - I just bought a new digital camera especially for this! Check it out today.

<WotanCCC> Looks like our time is up...I'd like to thank everyone for joining us tonight. Gentlemen, we appreciate your taking the time to come and chat with us today, and hope youšll come back to Talk City again soon!

<WotanCCC> To purchase The California Guitar Trio's "Pathways", or for information on other DGM Artist offerings, please visit The Artist Shop Online at: http://www.artist-shop.com/discipln -- Finally, thanks to the Artist Shop for working with us on this conference. We especially appreciate the efforts of Gary Davis in giving us the opportunity to speak with The California Guitar Trio. http://www.artist-shop.com   Thanks guys, great talking with you.

<GaryA> You're very welcome.

<cgtrio> Thanks to you all, nice chatting!

<GaryA> Thanks to you, Bert, Paul & Hideyo.

<cgtrio> Thanks Gary!

<WotanCCC> Good luck on your tour.

<cgtrio> thank you!

<WotanCCC> And thanks to everyone for coming today.

<GaryA> Thanks.

 

 

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