Anyone who has ever listened to the early Quicksilver Messenger Service album's will know the amazing effect and power of the late and great John Cipollina's guitar work. The man was a psychedelic powerhouse when it came to grappling with his instrument, and surely went onto inspire generations of fledgling rock guitarists. Recently, Cipollina's birthday came to pass and it has prompted me to celebrate the occasion with the beginning of a rig rundown of this man's influential sound, and an analysis of his playing technique. This will be a series that runs over the course of several weeks and will hopefully keep you engaged throughout. The first chapter will detail his guitars, the second his amps, ect, ect. Michio Kurihara, whom is often cited as sounding like a spiritual successor to Cippolina in technique and feeling, claims that the guitarist's work with QMS was filled with 'Eroticism and lustre' - a very apt description of Cipollina's incredibly expressive musical ability.
