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Loops

> Ric was also quite personable during and after the show. he's a very nice 
> fellow.
> 
> i much enjoyed his make-it-up-as-you-go-along percussion loops - sure beats 
> DAT tape! very warm and organic sounding, as long as you don't mind the songs 
> taking a little while to rev up.

You know, the best concert I've ever been to was a Phil Keaggy concert.  I
would have never thought it-- I mean, Christian rock just so seldom
*rawks*, but Phil was just this little rockin' elf with a squeaky voice and
he rawked!  But the point is, he had this old piece of equipment that set
up loops similar (I think) to what you're suggesting-- except that it could
loop *over* previous loops.  He would keep us entertained with a slowly
building backing track, looping in his bass, and a fill, and a chord
progression, and a rhythm (beating on his guitar, same as ric).  On a
couple of songs, he even held his guitar up to his lips and sang into the
strings, which picked up his voice fairly accurately and looped them onto
the track for his own backing vocals.  Did I mention he was performing
solo?  With just an acoustic guitar?

Anyway, the appeal of this is similar to the appeal of any slow-build song.
I think it's the principal that made NIN's "Closer" such a monster hit--
measure by measure the sound gets more complex until you can't stand how
cool it is.  And Phil is a *master*.  He even worked in a bass slide by
actually looping himself tuning his low E down about 3 steps.  It was pure
genius, and it just sounded so great.

So, that's what that reminded me of.  Had to spill.

jnf

ps - I think Phil Keaggy is quoted on one of Ric's postcards as praising
Ric's guitar work.
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