Compare and contrast… The Ovation Breadwinner: obscure, early 1970s guitar sold at a median price-point. The Klein Electric Guitar: scientifically ergonomic, cutting edge, high-tech, high-price 1980s guitar.

(Breadwinner spotted via Fretboard Journal)

Praise God I’m Satisfied by Blind Willie Johnson (Yazoo/1989) - A collection of late 1920s recordings by this magnificent and haunting gospel-blues artist. A consistently intense vibe and amazingly expressive slide guitar playing. Yes, you do need to hear Dark Was The Night - Cold Was The Ground.

A Third Face: My Tale of Writing, Fighting and Filmmaking by Samuel Fuller, with Christa Lang Fuller and Jerome Henry Rudes (2002) - The autobigraphy of pioneering independent filmmaker, Samuel Fuller (1912-1997). And what a life — newpaper copyboy at 12, crime reporter by 17, freelance journo tramping around Depression-era America, screenwriting in the 30s, infantry duty in WWII and then becoming the prototype indie writer/director in 1950s Hollywood. He seemingly met everyone you ever heard of at some point or another. A good read, though you can sense which parts are truly by him (the growlier parts) and which parts were finished off posthumously by his coauthors. If you don’t read the book, at least watch some of his movies.

The Madcap Laughs by Syd Barrett (Harvest/1970) - Ah, dear old Syd. You’ve got to give him a listen now and then. Such a unique voice, and trapped in a strange position between boomer rock psych relic and genuine outsider expression (talking about his work, not he himself). This was his first solo album — some tracks include overdubs by Pink Floydies and Soft Machinists, but I prefer the unmodified solo guitar and vocal songs. Dark Globe is downright harrowing.

Glass Eye is back. Pass the word, Glass Eye is back.

An interesting, albeit privacy-invading, update on Syd Barrett. From 2002, which makes it a backdated update.

Hey, Narthex got airplay this week on WPRB, Princeton. It only took us 23 years or so. Thanks, Jon. The master plan is finally falling into place.

John Fahey on The Nature of Reality. A long, strange piece, partly about Harry Smith’s Anthology of American Folk Music. And the Great Koonaklaster.

The Official Prisoner Companion by Matthew White and Jaffer Ali (1988) - A book about that eternal candidate for best TV series ever: The Prisoner. The usual deal… an episode guide, background information, a few shooting script excerpts. You see, back in the days before the intarnets, we actually needed books like this.

The Classic Early Recordings In Chronological Order by Django Reinhardt (JSP Records) - An excellent and affordable five CD set compiling Django’s recordings from 1934 to 1939. This is some of the most splendid and life affirming guitar music you can hear. But don’t listen to it all in one sitting — your head will explode.