Guitarelay: Improv En Masse

This Sunday, 19 guitarists – from Beaches’ Gill Tucker to Karl Scullin of Kes Band fame – will join forces for Guitarelay, a unique improvisational performance that’s part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival. RENÉ SCHAEFER, a participant, talks to founder Dan Rogers about the event’s aims.

Give me some background on the Guitarelay performance. What is the concept and what inspired you to stage it?
The idea came from experiencing the performance of a LaMonte Young piece called ‘Arabic Numeral’. In that piece each musician played one short “utterance” repeatedly. A lot of different musicians were involved in that performance. The undetermined element of that performance was very appealing. There are guitar orchestras – Rhys Chatham and Glenn Branca overseas, The Wall Of E in Australia – but they are centered on executing scripted pieces of music, whereby everyone is playing the same thing. With GUITARELAY the idea is to have a performance piece that is “instantly composed” by the performers, within which each individual plays a unique part contributing to the whole.

It was also at the ‘Arabic Numeral’ performance that I first saw the astounding live manipulated visuals of Hugh McSpedden. On that night he took images of the performers playing and projected them back over the stage through prisms, using some of the amazing palette of effects at his fingertips. His contribution to Guitarelay will give the performance a visually unified feel. I personally love the interaction of music and visuals and I’m very excited about this aspect of the event.

Will there be any direction for performers, or are you going to remain completely “hands off”?
The intention is to be hands off with regards to directing players’ performances. Guitarists received one instruction, that is to play when they want and to continue for as long as they want.

Improvised music performers have experimented with many instruments and new technologies over the years. Why does the electric guitar still hold such a fascination?
The ready availability and iconoclastic popularity of the guitar means it has a certain mass culture appeal but also a genuine credibility. It has held such a prominent position in popular culture for so long that it’s a symbol beyond its use. In this respect its traditional role can be comfortably questioned and redefined by generations of musicians, and non-musicians alike. This reinvention of the guitar often makes it the first musical port of call for beginning musicians.

There is also a physicality to the instrument which lends it to satisfying some very primal expressions within people – both listener and player, but I guess that could be said of drums too.

You’ve invited a wide range of guitarists from different musical fields to participate in Guitarelay. How did you select them?
Most names suggested themselves through familiarity and knowledge of the projects/bands that they’re involved with. Some are practitioners in noise and improv, others are more indie oriented. All were open to the idea of participating in this group performance. The invitation process took place over a few months and there was a sense that each individual would welcome the challenge of participation in the performance and creating a unique piece of music for the accompanying CD. It’s amazing to see how open Melbourne musicians are to participating in an event such as this. People are still offering to play in Guitarelay even though this line up has been locked in for some time now.

There certainly seems to be a wider interest in improvised music these days, both from musicians and audiences. Do you have any theories why that is?
It’s a very pure form of expression. For some experienced musicians chords, riffs and melodies can often be reminiscent of music they’ve heard. For many this is fine and can sound great, but to those searching for originality in expression, improvised music offers unique opportunities to explore new sounds.

“I think the absence of a 'lead' person directing a gaze or performance at an audience puts the musicians on just about the same level as the audience, creating a very inclusive experience.”

There is a freedom of thought watching and listening to performances of improv/noise music. Often this music connects with things that are not otherwise articulated. I think the absence of a “lead” person directing a gaze or performance at an audience puts the musicians on just about the same level as the audience, creating a very inclusive experience. There’s something quite amazing about being a couple of meters away from someone who’s creating, where there is no need to have a hero/fan relationship, but an appreciation of the piece of music that both are experiencing for the first time.

Guitarelay is part of the 2009 Melbourne Fringe Festival. How did this come about? Did you have to present a proposal?
The process is fairly straightforward, basically it’s like booking a gig by filling out an online questionnaire. The Fringe organisation itself is very supportive of presenting performances and they really do everything to help make things happen. In this instance, the host venue [Bar Open] has also been outstandingly supportive well beyond what’s to be expected. If someone reading this has an idea, I highly recommend exploring Fringe as a way of doing something special in the inner Melbourne community.

You are promoting the event with a CD featuring the works of some of the performers. Will the eventual performance be documented as well?
I’m open to that but don’t have the skills/equipment to ensure that it happens.

Considering the unpredictable nature of the gig, how will you measure its “success”?
Every performance has an unpredictable element, whether it uses formal song structures or not. That’s one of the things that makes live music so compelling. That these 19 seasoned musicians have engaged in the idea says that the event is already a success for that commitment. That said, I am hoping the guitarists will forge a thread through the performance that will lend it to being one piece of music. That’s the challenge.

Are there any plans to make Guitarelay an annual event?
This question has been asked by quite a few people now, wanting another even before this one’s happened. Whatever becomes of such talk, this lineup will definitely never be repeated, I can guarantee that.

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Guitarelay takes place at Bar Open on October 11, 8.30pm. Entry is free.