Andy Summers guitar.com chat transcript May 21, 2000
guitar_marco: Hi Guys! We're ready to go! Submit those questions!
Andy: Hi, Live from Chicago, It's Andy Summers. Hi everyone, let's get deep.
KMEshorty: When is ur next tour????
Andy: My next tour, big tour, is October in Europe but I am playing in NY at Birdland for three nights: 22, 23, 24th of June in NY.
shro0mz: how did u get into the business?
Andy: I was dropped by parachute.
cosmiccharlie2001: Andy, what music or artists do you listen to?
Andy: Well, cosmic, I listen to the spirit within but.. seriously, a lot of people, different fields of music particularly people from the Jazz field that I admire: Thelonius Monk, Miles Davis, Dexter Gordon guitar players.. Also a fan of a lot of classical music the list is endless :)
rattman_98: any chance of the police playing together again..
Andy: yes. it's a roll of the dice :)
BE_M: Do you Think that if the police got together that they would be capable of producing the same kind of energy?
Andy: absolutely
boohkey: What is your favorite song that you have recorded to date
Andy: tough one.. (deep in thought) Piece of Time. I received a Grammy nomination for that one.
alfredaE: how long have you been playing the guitar?
Andy: Three months, seven hours fifty one minutes and nineteen seconds .. I started playing in the 60's more than 30 years now.
fredberthelot: Are you moving away from writing original material and focusing on covers? Green Chimneys is a fantastic album btw!
Andy: Thank you I appreciate that. Actually, my next record is the music of somebody else in this case, the music of Charles Mingus, to be released in September. It's called "Myself When I Am Real" but after that I will be returning to original compositions.
tv_music: Andy, what kind of amp and guitar are you using these days? Are you still fond of the big "floating cloud" chorusy sound?
Andy: Favoring a much more direct, guitar to amp setup I use a little bit of effect from time to time. Generally I play through a Mesa Boogie triaxis setup with a TC Chorus which is used sometimes. A taurus distortion unit.
slq2112: Rumor had it that u were part of the original Animals..........comments?
Andy: Don't believe everything you read..:)
Mindmixer_1990: Have you noticed any particular trends in current music that you think will make for changes in the music we listen to?
Andy: That's a difficult question… a good one a lot of different kinds of music can coexist now trance, hiphop, rap, punk, rock and espanol you name it. I think there is going to be a lot of electronic music in the future but at the same time I don't think that the guitar will go away.
bigshane2001: Did you teach yourself to play guitar?
Andy: Essentially, yes but at different points in life I have studied with some very good musicians. I studied jazz piano for five years, also classical. All part of building yourself as a musician.
henryw_2000: what is your favorite guitar
Andy: Well, I have several "favorite" guitars - it's a bit like being a Mormon and having 12 wives..well.. I'm not going down that path but..:) I currently favor a 1960 Gibson 335 which seems to cover my onstage needs at the current time. But I have some beautiful old arch tops, strats. You really need to love all your guitars.
cosmiccharlie2001: Who is an artist that you would love to play with, but haven't yet?
Andy: Prince, Sting :)
chiefl: do you still play your telecaster from your police days?
Andy: Occasionally, but it's generally not my touring guitar now because of its historic association. I'm a little afraid to take it out on the road.
lenny_b3: What was it like playing with Deborah Harry?
Andy: We were only together for a short time to record the track, but it was a good experience and I thought we worked well together. We'll see what happens in the future.
Alucard_CVPSX: what are your feelings on napster and downloadable music?
Andy: I think this is an interesting area. I like the idea that music can be so communal and fluid. I suppose the question is .. undermining the old system. The main question for me would be for instance if you are a musician and you want to survive my making music and selling records, then royalties are no longer being paid because of these systems. How does that affect being a musician in the future? It seems to me that eventually there will have to be a system in place where people share, but the artist gets paid for his/her work.
bluesxxxsplosionman: who inspired you to pick up the guitar?
Andy: I don't know exactly, I was given a guitar when I was about 13 and the instrument itself was the inspiration. It was at a time when guitar was starting to become part of the world and I liked the sound of electric rock guitar: Bill Haley and the Comets. It was around at the time, but fairly quickly I was inspired by a lot of great American jazz guitar players.
sumnerphile: Do you ever find yourself going back to classical genre for inspiration?
Andy: Yeah, yes I do. Listening to classical music is definitely a part of my life. I enjoy being intimate and having knowledge of the "classical" repertoire, particularly classical piano.
postmodern_jerk: Will you make another instructional video? - last one was great.
Andy: Thank you. Possibly. I haven't worked up to one yet. Keep checking.
sumnerphile: How do you still keep it fresh live after all these years? Are you ritualistic about what you do before/after shows, etc.?
Andy: I think natural curiosity about music and always wanting to get better at what I do to extend the parameters. I also love showing off in front of an audience :)
antonin_67: who were some of the bands you played with prior to the police?
Andy: Soft Machine, Dantalians Chariot, Zoot Money's Big Roll Band.
cbarrett_10020: What prompted the Police to re-unite in '86 for the Amnesty International Tour?
Andy: We reunited for that because Sting was involved with Amnesty at the time. I can't remember exactly.. :), the whole thing was kinda weird.
xphilegirl07: Are you planning on releasing another book of your photography?
Andy: Yes I am, but it's a bit of a long time in coming. I have a huge back catalog of work I'd like to organize into something.
burningyen: Andy, 1st of all I look forward to your June gigs in NYC. 2nd of all, what do you look for in producers for your recording projects?
Andy: Lots of drugs, three or four hookers and a bottle of Champaign oh.. oops :)
jrozzelle_2000: Andy, have you used any of the Line 6 products? If so, what do you think of them?
Andy: In fact I was playing through a Pod today. I love the new Line 6 product with the looping device, it's brilliant and we've waited many years to have such a thing but as a general comment on amp modeling, it always sounds a little fake to me. It is a substitute.
antonin_67: any rock singers (past or present)that you admire?
Andy: Jack Bruce. Yes, I have played with both of them but I am the best guitarist :)
andymanfan: What gauge strings do you use for acoustic and electric guitars??
Andy: I have to ask my roadies.. I think 12 through 50 on the electric now.
almondrec: Does your album "World Gone Strange" reflect in any way your love for photography???
Andy: interesting connection. umm.. I don't think that particular album relates to photography but I think there are definitely parallels between music and photography, one informs the other.
sumnerphile: Is there an instrument you don't know how to play, but would love to learn?
Andy: Cello possibly..
antonin_67: Do you prefer to still record in analog, or is digital just easier and convenient?
Andy: Well, at this point, digital is so great sounding that it seems a little retro to go back to analog. But, for instance on the album I just finished, where it was appropriate, we put a couple tracks through an analog converter. You get the best of both worlds.
policefanatic5: Why did you decide to pursue a solo career after so many years as a sessionist and band member?
Andy: I've never really been a session man. That's a mistaken piece of history. Post-police, I could have been in many bands, having then been in the best band of all time :), I thought I would captain my own ship. A band is a band is a band...
Neonhymn: do you think there's still a place for big bands (like U2, the Rolling Stones, etc) in the music world? What are the challenges you think they'll face?
Andy: How do you define big band? I thought it was Count Basie :) People need heroes and as long as people don't change, I think yeah, we need our heroes. So, Yes, the big bands will remain.
mamamaryr: What comes first for you, music or lyrics?
Andy: music, definitely music
ainboden: What's your opinion on The Edge's playing, past and present?
Andy: He's effective in his context.
jimmiejaz: How did you feel about puff daddy and his remix? would you call what he does theft or creative?
Andy: I thought it sucked. I am actually pretty pissed off about it. He make a ton of money off it and that was based on my riff.
Mindmixer_1990: Do you have any new experiments or ideas that you want to bring forward in your music?
Andy: I'm in a period of gestation.
bluesxxxsplosionman: What is the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to you?
Andy: You don't want to know...
policefanatic5: Why did you and Zoot Money stop working together?
Andy: We just went our different ways, times changes..changed.
antonin_67: who are your favorite classical composers?
Andy: Bach, Revelle, Elgar, Rachmaninoff, Stravinsky, Arvo Part.
tv_music: Why did you return to your jazz roots? A natural progression (no pun intended)?
Andy: I just felt that it was a way forward. It was music I really loved to play and I think instrumental rock is pretty boring. I'm not a fan of instrumental rock guitar. Jazz is much deeper and harmonically rich. I feel you can go on exploring it for the rest of your life. To me it's more like real music.
flteng2002: Do you find there's a lack of creativity in today's music scene?
Andy: Not necessarily. I think there is some very good stuff coming out, I think there's been a lot of creativity in rap records in the last few years but generally in pop music I think all the archetypes for rock bands were set in the 60's. So I don't think any new models are being created. Everything that we hear now is a variant of something that was done 30 or 40 years ago, even trance music. Bbut nevertheless there is some very good stuff around. Particularly Brittany Spears, Jennifer Lopez, outstanding artists in their fields.
policefanatic5: You've done a lot of duos with guitarists. Why not one with, say, a pianist?
Andy: I think that's a good idea. Got any ideas?
xphilegirl07: Hi Andy. I think you are brilliant. What do you do in your spare time?
Andy: I think about what I should be doing in my spare time :)
fredberthelot: Would you ever consider getting a corporate sponsor like Compaq?!!!
Andy: I would love a corporate sponsor. I am open to suggestions :)
antonin_67: what's your opinion on Hendrix? Was he an influence at all?
Andy: Well, hmm.. he was a brilliant, brilliant innovator and I think rock guitar playing was definitely different after his arrival on the scene. I don't know that it was a great influence on me because I felt that his thing was so strong there was no point in going there. I heard another kind of thing on the guitar.
jrozzelle_2000: What was so strong about the 60'2 that created such innovative bands?
Andy: I think it was an historical moment, a loaded moment that came after two world wars. The world was then ready. The fruit takes a long time to ripen, and then suddenly drops. This was what happened in the 60s: R&B, blues, primitive rock was already coming out of the states via Elvis, etc. But it all came of age in the 60s. Everything was allowed and the new archetypes of rock bands were set then.
james_maslin: do u use the internet much if so what sites do u visit?
Andy: well, I visit andysummers.com every day :) Yeah, I use it alot and get around although I'm not somebody who sits there for hours every day surfing the net. I have too much playing of music to be involved with..
andymanfan: How did Clapton get one of your guitars?
Andy: I'm surprised that you know this little piece of arcane knowledge :) Well, at the time we were hanging out together quite a bit. Eric's Les Paul got stolen (one which incidentally I turned him onto in the first place). I had the other one and basically he pursued me for it for a while until I finally gave in and sold it to him, much to my long lasting regret :) It was a 58 flame top sunburst Les Paul, probably worth $80k.
inxs_sting_nes: Andy, were you the person who generally kept the peace between Sting and Stewart?
Andy: No, that's bullshit. I have probably got the most pugnacious personality out of the three of us. That was waived around as a flag of convenience but it's not the real truth. I used to beat the shit out of them on a daily basis.
dcsting39: Andy, will the Police ever release a set like the Beatles Anthology, with demo's and un-released versions?
Andy: It's sort of been done already with the box set.
mrs_sally_x: Do you plan on writing an autobiography? And what did you think of "Groupie"?
Andy: I was a bit shocked when I read groupie (which incidentally is now available again) because it was like a non-fiction account of my life at that time and I have actually had several offers to write an autobiography and I've made notes towards that but haven't gotten around to it.
andymanfan: What was your David Essex project like ?? I am dying to know!!
Andy: I remember it being fun at the time, but I felt a bit uncomfortable with it because I knew there was more for me than being in a situation like that.
fredberthelot: You've collaborated with Sting recently, but you and Stewart haven't worked together in a while. Do you have plans to play with him?
Andy: Nothing in the immediate future.
mtrman64: andy is chorus your favorite effect?
Andy: I'm growing tired of chorus. It sounds a bit dated to me now. Generally I avoid it. Particularly on my new album there is no chorus. It sounds like the 80's to me..:)
fredberthelot: What is your favorite riff that's you've written?
Andy: I think more in terms of songs, writing whole pieces of music. One of my favorite was Strange Earth which was on Last Dance of Mister X. also a piece called Somewhere in the West from World Gone Strange album.
Neonhymn: Does Sting know your opinions on the Puffy theft?
Andy: No, I don't think we've discussed it.
mrs_sally_x: Didn't you record an album for Virgin a million years ago (pre-Police)? Will that ever see the light of day?
Andy: No, I don't so, but I recorded with somebody called Kevin Coyne, about four albums, before I was with the Police.
antonin_67: would you consider doing a classical record, maybe something as a trio or quartet?
Andy: interesting question. The title track of my next album, I recorded with the Krons Quartet (very famous classical string quartet).
james_maslin: do u intend doing anymore work with john etheridge
Andy: Yes, probably at some point. We've actually talked about touring together in January of next year but I'm not sure if we will pull it off.
burningyen: What do you think of the "free jazz" movement (e.g. Ornette Coleman)? You seem to gravitate to more traditional harmonic structures in your own music.
Andy: Yeah, I think this is an important moment in Jazz but there are not very many people playing just free jazz anymore. It's an interesting question because it brings up certain philosophies: you want to play free, within certain structures. If you are just free with no structure then after all it gets pointless and turns into a cul-de-sac of sorts. You have to abstract from something.
terry_r_53126: What was one of your most difficult challenges of being a member of the Police
Andy: Keeping my mouth shut.
JarlHelspar: Andy, what amp setup doe you use for live performances
Andy: Mesa Boogie triaxis amp, two mesa boogie speakers and three or four glasses of red wine :)
postmodern_jerk: What do you like on a pizza?
Andy: Seventeen year old Swedish girl with no clothes on.
antonin_67: what 20th century music do you think will really stand the test of time ?
fredberthelot: Are you still friends with Henri Padovani?
Andy: In theory.. I haven't seen him in a long time. Last time I saw him was about five years' ago, we had a nice chat.
inxs_sting_nes: Any plans for a guest appearance (in Dallas Aug 25) on Sting's Brand New Day tour?
Andy: No, not unless he invites me :) He's playing in LA just before that. No, he doesn't know enough chords.
dcsting39: How did you end up working with Debbie Harry on your last album
Andy: She had me hanging on the telephone :)
mtrman64: andy what type of effects are you using now?
Andy: Not much. A little echo, a little fuzz, mostly straight amp. Very big strings.
JarlHelspar: Did you know that the johnson millennium amp has an andy summers preset?
Andy: No, but I think I'll sue in that case! :)
jea52_2000: Are you planning on being in any movies; I think you'd make a great actor!
Andy: I agree with you. I was born to act. Yeah, I will be in the remake of the Excorsist, playing the part of the priest.
xphilegirl07: How was it working with Q-Tip?
Andy: It was a sweet moment. I hope we can do more.
inxs_sting_nes: Okay, once and for all, did The Police start off as a Punk band? Was there a Punk War going on in England?
Andy: Yeah, we were a sort of fake punk band, but yeah..
starkiss_clear: What's the best thing about being famous?
Andy: huge amounts of sex on a daily basis.
ilovethecoca_1999: plans for touring latianmerica?
Andy: Yeah, always have plans for that.. I love being in Latin America. I have played there a lot, particularly in Brazil the last few years. I hope to be back soon.
mtrman64: any sound tracks in the works?
Andy: Two hovering at the moment. let you know later.
andymanfan: Do you EVER give individual guitar lessons?????
Andy: Only to .... coming soon on Guitar.com though!
fredberthelot: Are you tired of Police questions?
Andy: right word = YAWN
themayor_37205: What are you reading these days? Any favorite authors?
Andy: Yeah, I never stop reading. I like alot of contemporary British writers and some American as well: Paul Auster and T. Corregan Boyle, Cormack McArthy. But I also like history, science and books about pet grooming.
mtrman64: where do you call home now?
Andy: Home is in my head, but I live in Santa Monica, CA. Actually, England will always be my home.
starkiss_clear: Who is your favorite new band?
Andy: 311
maralston_007: Do you have any pets?
Andy: I have a goldfish and an ant.
beardragon2: What is your opinion of the album Bewitched?
Andy: Probably one of the most brilliant albums ever made. It's interesting listening to it now as an indication of where I was then.. I think it holds up well.
JarlHelspar: Andy, do you think that fast solo playing ( shredding) has pretty much run it's course, or do you think their is still unexplored musical territories for players like eric johnson and the lot?
Andy: I think the ear gets very tired of shredding in a very short time. It's a bit emotionally sterile. I think as you spend more time with music, that terrain becomes arid. You need to get into more interesting melodic statements, deeper harmonic sensibilities, etc.
mtrman64: andy any advice on writing your own music?
Andy: Always difficult to give advice. Don't be afraid of just starting. Most people don't do well because they think they can't think of anything and they don't know where to start. But it's very important to get started and to get something on tape and proceed on from there. Because that way, at least you will have something you don't like so now you have some knowledge. Sometimes we call this "procedure by negation". In other words, when you know what it is that you don't like, you will be left with something you do like. Therein lies the starting point. Don't be afraid of committing something.
burningyen: Do you have a religious view of music (like Bach, John McLaughlin, Chick Corea, Nusrat Fateh Ali Kahn...)?
Andy: I wouldn't use the word religious, but I suppose on the deepest level I do think that's what it's all about. I certainly know, and these things are hard to express in words, that in your best moments in playing you experience something that might be termed as G-o-d. Good night everybody :)
guitar_marco: Thanks for coming everybody! We've had a great chat. Keep coming back for more Guitar.com chats!
