recommended music and broken commandments
There’s nothing on TV and it is pouring with rain outside, so I’ve put on a bit of music: “Time (The Revelator)” by Gillian Welch.
I love the opening song from this album, the title track. The recorded song has Gillian singing and strumming her acoustic guitar, and David Rawlings playing lead on his 1935 Epiphone Olympic archtop acoustic guitar. There is no other instrumentation. It is a simple and beautiful sound. The guitar that David Rawlings plays has the sweetest, warmest tone that I have ever come across. It is worth buying the record simply to hear the end of this song, where Gillian quietly strums the chords and David picks out the most delicate melody on his guitar. The microphone is so sensitive that you feel really close to the music. You can hear his fingers moving on the strings and the rap of his hand against the body of the guitar. Wonderful stuff.
I know it breaks the tenth commandment*, but I covet that guitar. I wonder where one can buy a 1935 Epiphone Olympic archtop. This fellow found one knocking around in his parent’s attic. The lucky bugger.
* Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor most particularly his guitar. Exodus 20:17.
David says:
Great description of a great album. And now I covet that same guitar, what a bad influence you are. Coincidentally [plugging-own-website alert!], a couple of friends of mine covered Gillian Welch’s One More Dollar just yesterday.
David spoke at 13:47 UTC on September 2nd, 2006 link
Iain says:
Just stumbled across this when looking for info about my guitar.
It’s not a 1935, but it is a 1939 Epiphone Olympic. I bought it long before I’d heard of Welch and Rawlings, came across them when looking for info ages ago. Nice way to discover some incredible music.
Iain spoke at 17:11 UTC on September 9th, 2006 link
norman hudson says:
I have just found my fathers guitar in my mothers attic and guess what ? It is a 1935 epiphone olympic.If anyone has any more info on it I would be grateful.Thanks
norman hudson spoke at 11:17 UTC on December 14th, 2006 link
Richard says:
You’re a lucky man Norman. I reckon that you can find out all you need to know about the epiphone olympic by listening to David Rawlings play it on Gillian Welch’s records. It is a lovely sounding guitar.
Richard spoke at 23:04 UTC on December 19th, 2006 link
Keith says:
I just bought a ‘35 Epiphone Olympic. From the original owner! (Well, actually, his daughter - he passed) It’s a dream! Extremely loud, by the way, but the sound is phenomenal. And if you ever get the chance to see Gillian and David live - Go! They’re fantastic.
Keith spoke at 08:15 UTC on April 27th, 2007 link