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QUESTION METHOD: NELS CLINE
 Born
in Los Angeles in 1956, Nels Cline
began to play guitar at age 12 when his twin brother
Alex took up the drums. They have recorded and
performed together many times. Cline is known
for his improvisational work and for the diversity
of his musical projects. He has played with jazz
musicians Charlie Haden, Gregg Bendian, Wadada
Leo Smith, Tim Berne, Vinny Golia and the late
bassist Eric Von Essen. Cline has also performed
and recorded with punk rock hero Mike Watt, as
well as with members of Sonic Youth, and country
music legend Willie Nelson.
His most recent work as a leader is The Giant
Pin, by The Nels Cline Singers, released in 2004
on Cryptogramophone Records. He continues to expand
his audience as a member of the Grammy-winning
rock band Wilco, which he joined in early 2004.
1. Which was the first record you bought
with your own money?
I think it was a 7” single of “Rain
on the Roof,” by the Lovin’ Spoonful,
if you can believe that.
2.
Which was the last record you bought with your
own money?
Sonic Youth’s Goo — the deluxe
edition.
3.
What was the first solo you learned from a record
— and can you still play it?
I honestly have no idea. Maybe something by Johnny
Winter? Sorry. Maybe the Jim/Roger McGuinn solo
on “Eight Miles High,” which I still
can only approximate!
4.
Which recording of your own (or as a sideman)
are you most proud of, and why?
As a sideman, probably Mike Watt’s Contemplating
the Engine Room. It was a really creative
and conceptual record, brilliantly realized by
Watt. And to help tell the story of the Minutemen
— and play one of D. Boon’s old Telecasters
on “Boilerman” — was an honor
indeed.
Of my own recordings, I am really proud of Destroy
All Nels Cline, in the sense that it was
kind of created as something I would want to listen
to from time to time, to really have a cathartic
sonic annihilation experience. I do, and it does.
But I’m pleased with The Giant Pin
and The Inkling. In-Store with
Thurston Moore and me is satisfying, as is Scarnella
(with Carla Bozulich) — one of my favorite
records that few have heard. Really great to listen
to!
5.
What's the difference between playing live and
playing in a studio?
The studio experience is inherently completely
different because of the lack of exchange/immediacy
of a ‘live’ environment replete with
audience. In the studio it’s always kind
of like “acting as if” if you’re
trying to capture performances — especially
with improvised music. The studio situation also
seems to drive certain people to amazing heights
of anality and perfectionism. I’m not much
of a believer in perfection. But the plasticity
of the studio can be inspiring if you have enough
time to mess around with sounds, instruments,
approaches. I’m still pretty much a ‘live’
guy, though I love layered guitars!
6.
What's the difference between a good gig and a
bad gig?
I guess the good ones feel good to the combo as
well as seeming to drive the audience wild with
ecstasy. It’s pretty subjective. I try not
to get too freaked out if a gig seems bad because
someone out there always likes it, and it’s
really theirs now, if you know what I mean. Breaking
equipment or rude, unlistening audience members
can make gigs seem pretty bad.
7.
What's the difference between a good guitar and
a bad guitar?
The good ones don’t buzz or twang until
you want them to. The switches and knobs work,
and for me the good ones have strings behind the
bridge for vital sounds. And I do prefer that
a guitar play in tune.
8.
You play electric and acoustic. Do you approach
the two differently?
Well, you know I use a lot of effects pedals and
such. So the electric for me is sonically only
as limited as my imagination, and I can get hideous
expressivity out of it. But I really like the
limitation of playing acoustic, which I used to
mostly do for a while — for example, in
the 11 years I played in Quartet Music and in
duet with Eric von Essen. Also with Charlie Haden
way back when.
9.
Do you sound more like yourself on acoustic or
electric?
Well, probably on electric, since that’s
what I am mostly developing. And that’s
where all those wild sounds are.
10.
Do you sound like yourself on other people's guitars?
God, I hope so.
11.
Which living artist (music, or other arts) would
you like to collaborate with?
Probably Paul Motian. Otomo Yoshihide also comes
to mind. And I still want to do another Scarnella
recording, with Carla Bozulich!
12.
What dead artist (music, or other arts) would
you like to have collaborated with?
Booker Little comes to mind — besides the
more obvious ones like John Coltrane and Miles
Davis.
13.
What's your latest project about?
I’m beginning to work out some arrangements/approaches
for Andrew Hill’s music to feature my trio,
the Nels Cline Singers (with Devin Hoff and Scott
Amendola) along with Bobby Bradford (cornet),
Andrea Parkins (accordion), and Ben Goldberg (clarinets).
I want to do a tribute to a living artist for
whom I have great admiration and who may be a
bit underappreciated. So that’s the next
big thing (for the Cryptogramophone label). Then
there’s new Singers music, and a whole lot
of collaborations with folks like Wally Shoup,
Chris Corsano, Tom Rainey, Jon Brion, Jeff Gauthier,
those Wilco guys, and the long-standing idea of
doing a recording on which I play everything —
a totally sonically obsessive catharsis.
Web
site: http://www.nelscline.com/
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