Zak And His Unhappy Guitar
Special Rider Blues Download
In a world where fancy home studios and software plugins reign supreme, the sound of Zak & His Unhappy Guitar is a breath of fresh vacuum-tube analog air. When he’s not the resident electric guitar virtuoso for the gleefully perverted rockabilly band The Alley Dukes or tremolo picking in the surf-rock group The Treblemakers, Zak conjures up the voodoo magic of prewar blues with just his voice and an acoustic guitar.
Zak generates his raw analog sound by capturing his live performances with authentic vintage instruments and recording gear, just like they did in the days when the idea of “multitracking” was decades away from invention. “I see this as no-frills music,” he says, “and I feel that it should be recorded live, the way it is intended to be performed.” All of Zak’s gear is much older than he is, often by over 50 years. His main axe is a National Duolian acoustic guitar from 1931, but some of the other guitars in his arsenal date to the 20s or even earlier. Zak finds vintage instruments incredibly inspiring to play because “these old guitars have a soul and there is so much music in ‘em waiting to be unlocked.”
Performing as a solo artist presents Zak with unique challenges. “With a band it’s easy to make people pay attention; sometimes all you need is volume and an outrageous stage act, but as a solo acoustic act it is definitely a different world, especially when faced with an audience that is completely unfamiliar with the pre-WWII blues idiom,” he says. However, Zak relishes the chance to display the kind of music he loves to people who might not have encountered it before. “If I manage to turn just one person on to Fred McDowell or Bukka White or Charley Patton or whatever, I’m happy.”
Such reverence for his musical forefathers is characteristic for Zak & His Unhappy Guitar: “Humility would stop me from comparing myself to any of my influences. I don’t pretend to be the torchbearer of some extinct tradition,” he states when asked to compare himself to other artists. Listening to a tune like “Special Rider Blues,” you hear that veneration for history committed to tape. The brash, metallic tones of the guitar and Zak’s soulful growl of a voice conspire to create a timeless sound that could have been recorded any time between the 1920s and yesterday.
Be on the lookout for a full-length solo CD with accompanying shows from Zak & His Unhappy Guitar in the near future.
January 7th, 2009 at 1:49 pm
zak is rubbish
January 7th, 2009 at 6:34 pm
guitar virtuoso?!!!!!!-you kidding-superlatives are thrown around far too easily nowadays-now danny gatton-that`s a rockabilly virtuoso-not some link wray wannabe
September 3rd, 2009 at 6:56 pm
I would say he is a pretty accomplished guitar player, can’t knock him on that. The one thing I can say is that he is not the least bit original. I didn’t recognize everything, but I did hear some Bukka White riffs, Son House licks, and all the lyrics seem to be garbled or altered songs from the pre- WWII era, as stated. And I KNOW “You Gotta Move” from “From Blues to Gospel”.
Admittedly, it is never claimed that he is an original artist, but it is never suggested that he is a cover artist. Zak has a respectable philosophy, hoping to turn people on to the classic blues. But you can’t just let it slide, and promote this guy selling “his” blues music when it doesn’t belong to him.
Congrats to Zak for learning some cover songs, but he had better stick to rockabilly to make a living.
February 25th, 2010 at 2:42 pm
I too am a country/delta blues player of some 32 years. I have been a working musician for some 25 years. My main two and favorite guitars are also National Duolians (the real deal guitars!).
Because I live and breath this music as well as play it, I consider myself to be very well versed in it. I cannot speak for Zac’s other bands/music but as for his blues music I find Zac to be one of the best there is at portraying this old style and sound.
With an ever growing array of interest in resonator guitars (just look at National guitar sales as well as the many knock off resonator guitar builders) which in turn has created a growing interest in this old music there are more and more people playing this music. Zac IS one of the best there is in recreating this old style and sound. If you don’t agree with me, then just take a look at Zac’s fan base which includes many of the best modern day musicians in the business. They wouldn’t be fans if he wasn’t good at what he does!
I commend him for his contribution of keeping this music alive and bringing it to the attention of the rest of the world. I find Zac to be a great inspiration to all of us who love and play this music. I personally cannot get enough of Zac’s blues music and would like to hear more from him both music and video.
God bless Zac and keep up the good work!!