Welcome to the Acoustic Page

Just to run it down and let you know what's up ... I do more than just rock real hard with iST ... I have been playing solo acoustic shows on a regular basis for years now, through the Toronto scene (with special thanks to my biggest supporters, Lenny Stoute, Donny Blaise, Yvonne Matsell, Laurie Green and everyone who ever came to see me all those snowy winter nights) and also in Los Angeles (thanks Chris Sheridan and Jill Guido, the Coconut Teaszer, Vickie Hamilton) and more recntly in the Napa Valley at the 1351 Lounge (thanks to Paul and Sayle Lynn and all my supporters there). Anyway, to make a long story even longer, I finally got it together and recorded a solo acoustic album (CD actually) to showcase some of my current material, some new stuff, and some of the great iST songs that I do acousticly. The album is called Matinee, and is due to be released throughout Europe on May 25, 2002 on Inbetweens Records. The iST record will also be released concurrently on the same label.

GUITARS AND STRINGS, TUNINGS AND WARNINGS

I played every instrument on the Matinee record, and the arrangements are very simple and sweet. My main axe is my Fender twelve string guitar, not exactly a deluxe model - it's a road-warrior - but it sounds fabulous, and with the help of my brother's amazing guitar-tech, Larry Cragg, it sounds and plays like the sweetest thing on earth. I tune down one full step (sometimes drop-tuned on the top and bottom to what the iST brothers and I call the 'triple threat' - which translates to (from bottom to top): C-G-C-F-A-C) so when you're trying to figure out the tunes at home, you'll want to consider this! Obviouly with this kind of tuning, it changes the tension on the neck and requires a special set of strings. I use only Dean Markley vintage bronze and phosphor bronze strings in mixed gauges, combining a medium 12 string set and a haevier 6 string set. I start with 13's on the top, and go up to a 58 on the bottom. I DO NOT RECCOMMEND THAT YOU TRY THIS ON YOUR TWELVE STRING GUITARS! It is very possible that you will damage the neck irreparably and quite likely that you will void your warranty. The reason it works for me is because I tune down so low, and I also have the guitar set up specifically for the way I play (hard and heavy) and of course, nobody's quite the guitar genius that Larry Cragg is! One of the other reasons that I tune down is that D and C are very good keys for me to sing in. If I end up jamming with other folks, I just Capo up. I use Shubb Capo's exclusively. There isn't a better capo made anywhere by anybody.

If you are interested in ordering the Matinee CD click here

Well, that about sums it up. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.

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