“Hladno pivo” or “Cold beer” is a punk rock band from Zagreb, Croatia. Currently they are playing in all of the biggest concert halls in former Yugoslavia on their new tour ”This Glamorous World”. Vintageandrare.com got a chance to talk to Stipe, one of the band members, about how he connected his trumpet with rock music, what rock means to him and what plans they have for future gigs.

Could you please tell us a bit about how you got into playing music in the first place? Do you remember any specific moment that sparked your interest in music?

I come from the family where song, especially Dalmatian acapella was primarily the music everybody listened to. Dalmatian people are known as great musicians and they have always been living with music. Since my early childhood music has been around me and became a very important part of my life. The first moment I fell in love with the trumpet was after watching a western called ”The Alamo” or ”The battle for the Alamo fort”, I am not even sure about the name. But I remember the trumpet was dominant and that was the first kiss between the two of us.

What musicians or bands have had the most impact on you and why?

Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden … the complete 90′s grunge scene and all that Seattle movement, but mostly Pearl Jam. They where the inception of my R ‘n’ R steps. During the war time in Croatia I had many friends in the USA, mostly from Seattle, LA, but also some from Europe, Zürich, who were sending me all the latest records from the founders of grunge: Green river, Mother Love Bone and later on the first Pearl Jam and Nirvana albums. I was the first grunger in my hometown – Makarska. I looked weird to others, my clothes where torn, I wore plaid shirts and black boots. But still I was an excellent student.

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This reaction may most likely occur when someone sees the nyckelharpa, which is probably one of the most unique instruments in Europe. This article will give a short overview about the history of the nyckelharpa, its construction and its relevance today.

The Nyckelharpa (Swedish: keyed fiddle) can be seen as Sweden’s number one folk instrument. You can still find it today on the backside of every Swedish 50 krone banknote. It is played with the bow in the right hand like a normal fiddle, but instead of pressing down the strings with the left-hand fingers, you use the keys, which are attached to “tangents”. These tangents serve as frets and generate the melody.

Contemporary nyckelharpas are chromatic and have 3 or 4 rows of keys (and 4 melody strings), which were invented by August Bohlin in 1926. Historic types like the “Moraharpa” had just one row of keys and one or two “drones”. The sound of the nyckelharpa can be compared with a viola, but through the use of resonance strings (about 12) the instrument has also a very dense and unique sound.

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Vlatko Stefanovski is an incredible guitar player that was born in Prilep, Macedonia. There he formed the group LEB i SOL, one of the biggest in former Yugoslavia. The band played a particular style of fusion music, a blend of Macedonian traditional irregular rhythms and contemporary rock. While he is preparing for a new solo tour, he found some time to talk to V&R.

Could you please tell us a bit about how you got into playing music?

Most probably, those were my teenage years, when I was interested in everything exciting like basketball, photography, music, guitars etc. Forming local bands was so popular at that time, so I was one of those who had tried everything. I was listening to the records of my older brother, and was deeply impressed by the whole new word of rock’n'rol

Could you explain to us, why you initially got into the type of music and genre you’re playing?

I was not thinking too much of any genre. I was improving pretty fast with my playing, and some things just came to me naturally. I got into the fusion thing in the mid seventies, and started to play some traditional Macedonian stuff in a new and unusual way. I learned and composed just by endless improvisations. Of course that term is heavily overused, and very often misused, but that is how I work even today.

What musicians and bands have inspired you and why?

The Beatles of course, Bob Dylan, Jimmy Hendrix, Alvin Lee, Jan Akkerman, John McLaughlin, Allan Holdsworth, Joni Mitchell and many others, because there is a certain magic in their music, and image that they create around.

What do you prefer, playing solo and/or with your band? For me everything is fine and exciting, playing solo, in an acoustic duo, trio, electric, bigger bands.But recently I discovered the beauty and the luxury of playing with symphony orchestras. I have already had such an experience, and I really love it!

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Like most Vintage & Rare fans, Lindsay Morrison, one of our guest bloggers, has tried out a few different instruments over his career. Here is his very honest guitar history, where he describes the good, the bad and the plain dangers.

Back in the 60′s, when I started playing in Canada, we had Grestch, Fender, Rickenbacker and Gibson with a number minor player. I remember well that Stratocasters, SG, Telecaster, ES-335 models were what we lusted after mostly, but we would find the odd Stratocaster that we didn’t like. The reason was that they were much more handmade back then, and there where some that just didn’t play well.

I had a friend that had a 1962 or 1963 black Stratocaster that nobody wanted. It was awful, the neck was not comfortable and it sounded dull and lifeless. There was also another one that I wasn’t super keen to play. Another friend had a Gibson ES-175 with P90 pickups that was just horrible, and again it was not a nice guitar, it played like a truck. Les Paul jr. was another guitar nobody really wanted, and we could get those used for $75 bucks all day long. Telecasters were nice for the most part, but Mustangs were not great.

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Maybe those people under the impression that traditional record sales are doomed, because of the Internet, are wrong. It seems that what we know about vintage and rare instruments, it also applies for vintage and rare vinyl records. People like the collectability appreciate fine work and the need and desire for personal ownership is still strong amongst music fans. We are proud to introduce you to a new V&R guest blogger from the United Kingdom, Sylvia from vinylrecordsearch.com. She gives us a great guide on how to find Vintage and Rare Vinyl Records.

Finding Vintage and Rare Vinyl Records

Finding vintage and rare vinyl records these days requires some research. Although in the UK there was a remarkable small revival in record stores last year (http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/apr/15/independent-record-store-increase), overall record shops have been at a slow decline for the last decade or more. This has meant that record lovers sometimes have to turn to other sources for those vinyl gems. For many collectors, the hunt is as much fun as the find, and finding a rare record in a used book store or thrift and consignment shops can bring great excitement. Alternatively, if you are looking for the true international market price for a record, then it can be better to look online.

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Patrick Hufschmid, December 2011

Hi Patrick, thank you for taking your time to speak to us. Could you tell us a little bit about how and when you started Hufschmid Guitars

Hufschmid Guitars started when I returned from studying Lutherie at the celebrated Red Wing Technical College, Minnesota, USA, back in 1996. I’d been playing guitars since the age of 14 and had become fascinated by the instrument. I was 20 when I left Switzerland to study what would become my main passion and motivation in life. That is, to bring the player a practical, great sounding and comfortable guitar!

Your shop is set in a cellar beneath a 19th century winegrower’s house close to the beautiful Aigle castle. To what degree are you inspired by your surroundings when crafting a new piece?

Actually the surroundings inspire me for my photography, but it’s nice to work in such a gorgeous place, I admit.

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On the west coast of Finland you can find a very unique guitar builder called Ari-Jukka Luomaranta. Starting at the very young age of 11, Ari has been building guitars for more than 30 years. In 2002 Ari started his own company called AJL-Guitars. Making exclusive handmade guitars, his specialty lies in the building of the so-called Gypsy guitar.

Getting excited about Gypsy jazz or hot jazz, invented by the two-fingered jazz pioneer Django Reinhardt, Ari started building Gypsy guitars in 1994 and hasn’t stopped since. The Vintage and Rare team got in touch with him and he graciously granted us an interview.

Hi Ari, thank you for taking the time to speak to us. Could you tell us a little bit about how and when did you start and where are you located?

- I’m located in Europe, Finland. West coast, about 500km up North from our capital, Helsinki.

- I built my first guitar when I was 13, so I started my career 31 years ago,..;) I’ve been doing this more or less since then. I have an education in healthcare, and worked 11 years, doing guitar building & playing on a side in that period. I made mostly electric guitars.  Then I got excited about this gypsy jazz  and in 1994 made my first gypsy guitar. I started my company officially in 2002.

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Paganini Il Cannone Guarnerious

Paganini is often described as the world’s first virtuoso and is still widely recognized as one of the greatest ever. While the story of Paganini’s life story is fascinating reading the story of his favorite violin – his “Il Cannone” (The Canon) is no less so.

Niccoló Paganini (1782-1840) achieved massive fame throughout Europe and was the most celebrated virtuosi of his time, and today he is considered the father of modern day violin techniques. Sadly he lived before the time of recordings, but this rendition of one of his most famous pieces – his Caprice No. 24 – should give you an idea of what his musical and technical prowess could produce. The artist seen is Alexander Markov. Read the rest of this entry »

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Hi Frank, thank you for taking your time to speak to us. Could you please tell as a little bit about Thunder Road Guitars? Where are you located?

Hello Vintage and Rare! Thunder Road Guitars is an online-based guitar shop by musicians for musicians. We buy, sell, trade and cosign guitars and amplifiers with folks all over the globe. We opened our doors January of 2012 and have loved every moment of it since. We are located in Seattle, Washington, USA.

What initially motivated you to set up a music store, and when was that?

I’ve worked in music shops since I was old enough to have a job and have always had a love and passion for great guitars. I have managed a well-known Seattle vintage guitar shop and have also worked for a US chain store. I learned a lot working for both companies and eventually decided to open my own store this January. My favorite thing about independent music stores is the “shop culture” – the things that happen day to day, the guitars that come in and go and the interesting folks you meet. I love it! At Thunder Road we try and give our customers that same experience online by offering great customer service and a very personal approach. I’m very hands on and if you are buying a guitar from us more than likely you will speak to me directly. Read the rest of this entry »

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From time to time the unthinkable happens. We all know somebody who knows somebody it has happened to. And we all retell the story to friends and familiars with quacking voices, shivering hands and fear painted in our eyes. I’m talking about a musician’s ultimate nightmare: The losing of your favorite instrument. This was exactly what happened to guitar legend Peter Frampton in November 1980 when a cargo plane carrying his precious 1954 Gibson Les Paul crashed during takeoff in Caracas, Venezuela tragically killing the pilot and co-pilot.

The master piece seen on the picture to the left was presumed lost for 31 years until it finally reemerged last month having spent just over three decades on a little Dutch Caribbean Island called Curaçao. So what happened?

In 2010 (before the reemerging) Frampton gave an interview to rumerz.com as his Gibson signature model of the very same guitar hit the market. Frampton traces the history of how he came in possession of his ’54 Les Paul and it’s clear that he was still dealing with the loss at this point:

[rumerz.com] What is it about your black Gibson Les Paul that you love so much? How did it come about for you to release a signature model with Gibson? Read the rest of this entry »

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