I'm trying to play more guitar these days. I'm trying to eat healthier too but mostly I'm trying to play more guitar. The acoustic has been slumbering like a bear in hibernation as my shiny new/used Fender Jazzmaster is getting all the attention. I can't help it. I'm in love with it. The funny thing is my roommate/ bandmate Aaron Riswick had it in the house for six months before I even picked it up. Bill Priddle (of Treble Charger) lent it to Aaron to mess around with over the winter. He was going to sell it. I was in the market for a new electric. I wanted a Gibson though. Les Paul. Black. Like Neil Young's. For six months I let ol' red sit in the basement while I searched. I went into guitar shops and looked at the new stock. I played a few. I went on Kijijijijijiji. A lot. I even went around telling friends to let me know if they knew of anyone selling a decent guitar. But I didn't want a Fender.

Ahh, but the Jazzmaster is a specific brand of Fender, elongated and massive compared to the Tele's or Strats. It's less popular but guys like Elvis Costello, Thurston Moore and Lee Ronaldo of Sonic Youth, Nels Cline of Wilco and Kevin Shields of My Bloody Valentine are all Jazzmaster freaks. They swear by them. Played clean or with heavy gain they sound strong and confident, but not pushy. They can create a layer of sound of feedback melodies or go surf rock with the best of them. I just love it now, I couldn't imagine playing another guitar, and a lot of other musicians say the same. Once you go jazzmaster, you never go back. I'm posting a vid of us playing a Mazzy Star cover called Blue Flowers. We were just jamming a little but I like to document our practices and I thought this was a good take so I made it into a video for fun. I get a kick out of it anyway. I painted that picture of the Pope in grade ten.