SPOILER ALERT: the electric six-string is alive and well, and you should be excited about what’s on the horizon! Our industry trade show, Summer NAMM 2017, was last week in Nashville and I can tell you that I’m excited about what I saw.
You may have scene an article making the social media rounds last month concerning the “death of the electric six-string.” Take the time to read this article from Washington Post, “Why My Guitar Gently Weeps: The slow, secret death of the electric six-string. And why you should care.” (Here’s the link if you’re lucky enough to get past the paywall: https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2017/lifestyle/the-slow-secret-death-of-the-electric-guitar/?utm_term=.545cd055268c) It’s a really well-written article by The Post’s Geoff Edgers and it makes for interesting reading. Opinions aside, it was refreshing to read an article in a mainstream publication that covered a topic and made observations our industry trade magazines have been writing about for some time now.
The shift from guitar-centric popular music and the dearth of the guitar heroes from decades past are prefaced by George Gruhn’s salient points and the perennial capital woes of Guitar Center. Over-production and the mismanagement of iconic American guitar brands, as opined by those “in-the-know” paint a picture of an industry in decline. But is it really? Those of us paying attention have heard the “death of retail” woes and the warnings of an impending commercial retail real-estate bubble akin to the housing bubble burst of 2008. But, isn’t this reflective of normal trends of expansion and contraction that are typical in any market? The commoditization of guitars, like office products, has long since happened and we’re well into the Big Box retail sales model. For every ending, there’s a new beginning. Maybe it’s time to look forward to some kind of necessary stabilization after years of growth.
I found some validation in Edgers’ article because it’s reminiscent of conversations I’ve had with the people in the industry that I rub shoulders with. When I speak with dealer reps, national sales managers, builders, and at least one fellow whose name is on the headstock of the guitars he makes and is still around to talk to, the overwhelming consensus is that there are challenges to be met but not uncontrollable forces to be dreaded. One thing to consider is that damn near everyone in the business of building and selling guitars is also a guitar player. Going against the grain and bucking trends is kind of our thing. No one keeps playing the guitar for some prize they may get down the road. It’s just what we do. The electric guitar is here to stay because it’s emblematic of the ethos it represents. One person’s electric twanger is another’s axe, sharpened to cut you down if you will.
Guitar players do have a tendency towards nostalgia and sentimentality. This is evidenced by the veneration of vintage instruments, stoic embrasure of specifications that pre-date the concept of ergonomics and the continuing success of retro-chic guitar designs. The state-of-the-art, one-of-a-kind, custom and contemporary guitar designs showcased at Summer NAAM in Nashville, TN and Winter NAMM in Anaheim, CA reveal a love, demand and appreciation for both aesthetics. True, there was a time when Rock-and-Roll was the soundtrack of the counter-cultural revolution, before the corporate dominance of the airways and recording industry and we often wax nostalgic about it. A time when Rock-and-Roll was synonymous with a culture of sex and drugs; when cocaine was cute; when studios could be blocked out; and record companies had A&R departments.
Those halcyon days of yore described in the beginning of Edger’s piece have a dark side that some may feel is better left undisturbed, but how do we learn and grow without an honest reckoning of the past? A basic exploration of the cultural forces behind the inspiration for the guitar-based music that drove this industry, while complex, contributes to an enhanced appreciation of the music. A grasp of historical context brings music to life, makes it “real,” and may be an important part of “The Search for Inspiration” that is the capstone of Geoff Edgers’ article. In the absence of contemporary guitar heroes, perhaps there is a way to make those of the past inspire a new generation by fleshing out these “heroes”. The teen angst, sense of adventure and rebellion are still typical of adolescence. The social commentary at the heart of much of the Rock-and-Roll cannon is still relevant today.
Want to hook teenagers on the guitar? Maybe we should show them how these old fogies were once teens, just like they are now. Look at a photo of The Who: do you see smiley teeny-boppers? No! They were the first band whose group photos looked like they’d leap out of the frame and kick your ass, basically creating the template for every band photo today. Jimi Hendrix was a like bolt of lightning, a real-deal bluesman that the British guitar heroes of the time were inspired and intensely intimidated by and, oh, by the way, Jimi was a Screaming Eagle paratrooper. Eddie Van Halen, his mom, dad, and brother came to America on a boat and his family is a quintessential American immigrant success story. Eric Clapton had his share of demons, looked down into the abyss and came out clean on the other side. I don’t know if this would hook ‘em or scare ‘em off, but at least it’s real and that’s exactly what most teens need.
Maybe we don’t need new guitar heroes; maybe we have to humanize those we already have. The pedestal they’ve been put on keeps them out of reach when “all access” is what teens expect today. Teenagers are fascinated with YouTube personalities that document the minutiae of their daily lives and maybe the aloofness and mystery of guitar heroes is passé. The democratizing forces of social media and YouTube offer a new way to introduce teens to the electric-six string. Last week’s Summer NAMM was attended by a couple of major electric guitar manufactures whose absence was notable just a few years ago. One of them has embraced online instruction as a way to bolster their brand and nurture the next generation of guitar players. Moore Music’s new location and our newly expanded Evansville Music Academy represent our investment in the future. I don’t see a long, slow decline. I see a transformation and a challenge to adapt new ways to connect with and hook teens with the spirit of Rock-and-Roll. For those about to Rock, we salute you.