I came across the very sad news while randomly surfing tonight that Rod Poole had been killed in some altercation in Hollywood, Sunday last.. More details here...
Rod was born in England and moved to the U.S.A. in 1989. He started off as an acoustic guitarist with an interest in free improvisation and after his move to America studied 'just intonation' with Ervin Wilson. The application of which was to take his guitar playing into new and fascinating directions... As someone who splits his guitar playing between electric and the acoustic where I started from and still have a deep affection for, the adventure of his playing is a bright inspiration... Condolences to his wife and family...
As a small tribute I have taken a couple of extracts from his long piece 'The Death Adder' – the first fairly brief, the latter consisting of the last six minutes or so...
... and there is a Quicktime stream here of Rod Poole doing some mesmeric bowed guitar (scroll down)...
Rod Poole (g)
Extract from 'The Death Adder'
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Extract from 'The Death Adder.' (Last Section)
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12 comments:
knew & loved Rod,
had the unique opportunity to create with the man via percussive sound sources!
Rod was not keen on pulsing to ridged drum/percussion expressions, however, with the suggestion from his beloved Lisa that we attempt some experimentation 2gether he opened his ever improvisational world to the possibility....it was a hit.
we even performed a "bowed guitar" with odd-percussion, a one-off.
i then arranged a chance-ensemble.
based on john zorn's "cobra" technique, the line-up was; Rod Poole, Anna Homler, Chris Heenan, Cheryl Banks-Smith, Michael Interier & myself. the ensemble was named ZebraLogic (new configurations are performing now).
Rod & I went on to trio with Walter Griesham (sp! sorry Walter) performing in ChinaTown's bowery for a SanFran's AltFilmShort of incredible live improvised creations.
This trio recorded studio improvisations that raced the tension/compassion of acoustic & electronic; looping, distorting et al.
I recall after a session rough mix with Rod on Les Paul twistings, him saying, "I may never play electonically again"...I beg to differ, the session yeilded some quite unusual experimentation from the artist.
Aside from Rod's utmost respected musical genius which means more to me as an outsider (L.A.) musician; Rod used to say to me "what if you passed by someone who you might connect with, just because he or she is an Angelino!!?
This motto served me well, bless you my brother Rod.
In the years of Rod's emotional (totally understood transition from European mindset to our harsh/ego-driven U.S.ways of existence) transition, he would tell me (I lived in England & Denmark for several years) of how he couldn't, wouldn't accept the "oh-well' attitude of us "yanks", which I could relate to as an American living outside this space/place (it is a completely different way of exisiting, to put it mildly).
Rod was an extremely compassionate individual, which our world could benefit greatly from more individuals like Master Poole. The delima is that in the world as we know it . . . 2007 . . . media rules, the moment does NOT relate to reality! Realism and compassion for each other doesn't mean ANYTHING within the mind of LOSTsouls driven by violentME-MY-NOW mentality!
No One will allow themselves the respect to assess the practial, common sense, compassionate, realistic manner of approaching ANY in-the-moment situation that arises on a daily basis...we live in a world of an extreme MASS
Rod's finite approach to his craft and his life were NOT in vain.....he remained true to the complete compassionate realist that flowed pure from his very SOUL.
Bless you Rod Poole and on to your next chapter . . . YOU are a C H A M P I O N
love...........Stephen'Breeze'Smith
...thank you for that heart felt appreciation of a friend... I only know of him through his recorded music but he struck me as someone with strong resolve and great integrity... reminiscent of the also sadly passed Derek Bailey but with a different road of his own to travel... I also have an interest as an improvising guitarist who set out originally on the acoustic instrument , the purity of which I still love to wrangle with...
Tribute to Rod Poole
By Brent Bloom
My fondest memories of Rod Poole were back in the music business days of Hollywood, California. I was living at 801 N Las Palmas in Waring Manor and eventually met Rod in the late 90s, who lived downstairs. We became friends that shared optimater, incense, and hours of very late night music in my apartment upstairs. We listened to “Jump on Top of Me, Baby” by the Stones many of times, and Rod would always say, “That is the real band!” The time spent listening was a great experience because Rod showed me so many new historical perspectives of Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac, The Flying Burrito Brothers/Gram Parsons, Sun Ra, true old school Ska/Reggae (Lee Perry), Prince Buster, John Fahey, Leo Kothe—simply 6- and 12-string guitar!
I was always knocking on his door, seeing him in his plush blue robe with the kettle always going off, food being prepared or the empty can of baked beans, and talking and listening to “Live at Leeds” – vinyl versus new extensions on CD! The days of Rhino Records, Saturday vinyl sales, or conquering Aarons! Those days are memories that a monetary state will never understand, and we barely got by, but money could be found for music and fine German malt liquor beer. Seeing him perform at that old, tiny Hollywood theatre or in his apartment –we both had problems dealing with the outside noise of Las Palmas and Waring. Discussing Hendrix, Zeppelin, Zappa, the blues in general, was amazing. As a friend, Rob helped me survive in Hollywood when I was preparing to leave the music business back before MP3, downloading, early DVD. Rod was there for me, and all that was on our brains was vinyl, books, and historical perspectives of all avenues!
One of the last people I said goodbye to was Rod—we drank a few beers on top of Waring Manor and my road was back home. It has been nine years since the departure, but our friendship continued on a phone level that I will deeply miss. My regret is that the last time we talked was in September, when I returned from a Blues festival in Grafton, Wisconsin. Paramount recorded some historical 78rpm discs there. We conversed for awhile and, as friends, always shared stories together.
A week before Rod’s death, Les Paul was in his hometown of Waukesha, Wisconsin. Now I regret not sharing this experience with Rod. Rod, you will be greatly missed by the world because you were an original in a not-so-original place called Hollywood. To have shared so many conversations together on the lost land line phone concept of meaningful exchange of ideas, history, philosophy, and life in general will be a void for many worldwide!
And I can’t forget our vinyl outings of “Exile on Main Street” many a late night, and Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac historical film on VHS. Those guys are loaded – no real playing, no real vocals – Hollywood. Not to mention Rainbow Bridge and sharing my dad’s copy of “The Monterey Pops Festival Program”, and “Gimme Shelter” (they hit Marty).
Garcia responds, “Bummer, man!”
Your laugh,
I raise my wine glass to a true original that made so much happen. You will be missed by me.
Cheers, mate,
Your friend,
Brent
...wow...
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