Like Andres Segovia, John Fahey started a genre and inspired generations of musicians to take up his instrument and play it in a new way. This could have made him proud. Yet one thing always nagged at him. 90% of the people who claimed to be influenced by him were making pathetic, overly-sweet acoustic guitar ditties that bore little or no resemblance to the dark & mysterious depths he brought out of the guitar. And of those 10% that did actually incorporate his ideas and not just skim his style, most of them sounded like imitations of him (Peter Lang, etc.).
However, a few guitarists took the flame he had lit and brought it to new places, discovering new territories for the guitar just as he had. One of those was Peter Finger. With about 85 pounds of technique in his namesakes, this man could play the shit out of the guitar. And such a restless spirit, continually challenging himself and looking for new sounds to draw out of the guitar. This is his third album, and it's totally fantastic. Sounds nothing like Fahey, but is just as probing, unrepentant, steeled, and fascinating.
Biography
by Greg Prato
Acoustic guitarist Peter Finger was born in Weimar, Germany, in 1954 (his father was a conductor). Before beginning guitar lessons at the age of 13, Finger studied both violin and piano. Since the mid-'70s, Finger has been issuing albums (1975's Detlef & Finger and Bottleneck Guitar Solos, plus 1977's Acoustic Rock Guitar), and toured the world on a regular basis, including shows in his native Germany, as well as the U.S.A., Canada, Japan, England, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg, France, Italy, Finland, Poland, Estonia, and Russia. The guitarist then branched out into other areas, including producing music for both TV, radio, and film, plus composing for orchestras. In 1988, Finger founded his own publishing company and record label (Acoustic Music Records), and in 1995, he became the publisher of Akustik Gitarre magazine. The '90s also saw further solo releases from Finger, including such titles as 1990's The Colors of the Night, 1995's Innenleben and Solo, 1999's Open Strings, and a ten-track 2001 compilation, The Collection.
Peter Finger - The Elf King: Acoustic Rock Guitar
Year: 1977
Label: Kicking Mule
Tracks:
1 Wishbone Ash
2 Hope & Memory
3 Just A One Man Band
4 A Berryman's Tune
5 Elf King, the
6 Sabine
7 For Ladies I Couldn't Get
8 Petermann's Polka
9 Magicians's Apprentice, the
10 Shepherd's Pie
Biography
by Greg Prato
Acoustic guitarist Peter Finger was born in Weimar, Germany, in 1954 (his father was a conductor). Before beginning guitar lessons at the age of 13, Finger studied both violin and piano. Since the mid-'70s, Finger has been issuing albums (1975's Detlef & Finger and Bottleneck Guitar Solos, plus 1977's Acoustic Rock Guitar), and toured the world on a regular basis, including shows in his native Germany, as well as the U.S.A., Canada, Japan, England, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg, France, Italy, Finland, Poland, Estonia, and Russia. The guitarist then branched out into other areas, including producing music for both TV, radio, and film, plus composing for orchestras. In 1988, Finger founded his own publishing company and record label (Acoustic Music Records), and in 1995, he became the publisher of Akustik Gitarre magazine. The '90s also saw further solo releases from Finger, including such titles as 1990's The Colors of the Night, 1995's Innenleben and Solo, 1999's Open Strings, and a ten-track 2001 compilation, The Collection.
Year: 1977
Label: Kicking Mule
Tracks:
1 Wishbone Ash
2 Hope & Memory
3 Just A One Man Band
4 A Berryman's Tune
5 Elf King, the
6 Sabine
7 For Ladies I Couldn't Get
8 Petermann's Polka
9 Magicians's Apprentice, the
10 Shepherd's Pie
Habañera in Valhalla.
mp3 320kbps | w/ cover
mp3 320kbps | w/ cover
oh, and I'd really love to hear some of his other albums:
Peter Finger - Bottleneck Guitar Solos (Kicking Mule)
Detlef & Finger - Guitar Instrumentals (Kicking Mule)
Peter Finger - Innenleben (Beachwood Records)
Peter Finger - Dream Dancer (Acoustic Music)
Peter Finger & Florian Poser - Best of Peter Finger & Florian Poser (Acoustic Music)
Peter Finger - The Collection (Solid Air Records)
thanks!
2 comments:
I have to disagree with your opinion of Peter Lang. He has produced much very original and very good material. He's a lot more than a Fahey imitator.
I do like Peter Finger...have several of his albums. This is one I'd never heard of.
Ok, I suppose that's fair. He's more like a cross between Fahey and Kottke. I actually do like him a lot and didn't intend to slant him, I was just reaching for a name to illustrate a point and his was the most applicable one to be in arms-reach of my mind.
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