I rojessor s book pays tribute to legendary guitar
Tom Wheelers new 'The Stratocaster
Chronicles' explores the cultural histoiy
of the Fender Stratocastei'
TOSHIO SUZUKI
FREELANCE REPORTER
Eric Clapton recorded Layla" on one. Jimi Hendrix lit one on
fire using lighter fluid, and played The Star Spangled Banner" at
Woodstock on another. The energy and spirit of these historic per
formances were captured on a Clarence Leo Lender invention, the
Lender Stratocaster guitar.
The 50th anniversary of this iconic electric guitar is upon us,
and the event is being marked by the recent debut ofTom Wheel
er's new book The Stratocaster Chronicles." With this book
adding to his ongoing portfolio, Wheeler is bringing guitar
prestige to the University of Oregon and the School of Journal
ism and Communication, in which he is an associate professor.
Wheeler, himself a musician, seems to be the perfect author for
_such a book. He was a longtime editor of Gui
tar Player Magazine and is the author of other
books about guitar such as "The Guitar Book:
A Handbook for Electric and Acoustic Gui
tarists" and "American Guitars: An Illustrated
History."
BOOK
REVIEW
Looking past Wheeler's qualifications, the story of the Strat is
not as simple as knowing Stevie Ray Vaughn created a form of
electric blues playing one. The prestige and adoration for this gui
tar, especially in America, demands attention to detail.
It is Wheeler's journalistic approach to detail that allows "The
Stratocaster Chronicles" to be interesting for most audiences. No
aspect of the Strat s history is sidestepped, however it is the
stories and anecdotes that make this book special.
TheStrat has come a long way since its debut in 1954. Initially a
dismissed new guitar that was labeled as trendy and impractical
guitarists soon found it to epitomize practicality while providing a
sleek and sexy new style. Leo Fender, a facilitator of ingenuity, pri
marily sought to make an electric guitar that provided universal
functionality.
Wheeler documents every adjustment and transition the Strat
made in the past 50 years. There are almost 300 pages of pictures
and text dedicated to precise accounts of the Strat's evolution. The
authenticity of the documentation lies within first-hand stories
told by Fender administrators, designers and builders. This wealth
of information comes from three decades of interviews conducted
by Wheeler. The question-and-answer format not only tells the
Please see GUITAR, page 10
HEINL
continued from page 7
me. We re hooked up with City Hall
Records, which is a international dis
tribution company, so you can type
my name into any computer and the
CD will come up. They recently put
me on the cover of their catalog and
because of that we sold about 600
CDs in two days. All those record
stores decided they should have a
couple Tom Heinl CDs. Not that that
means any customers are buying
them, but the record stores are, so
that's good.
Emerald: What was recording the
album like?
TH: I laid down some scratch
tracks, sort of guide vocals, with just
me and a guitar. Then a parade of mu
sicians came through and recorded
the album, then when that was done I
came back and recorded over what
they had done in a karaoke style. 1 got
to learn about being in a studio and
how everything works. A lot of eating
doughnuts and watching other peo
ple play instruments for me. Normal
ly I'm in my basement recording on a
four-track.
Emerald: You have a heavy country
influence on the album. Do you con
sider that your primary style?
TH: 1 would say that. Certain peo
ple are attracted to certain kinds of
music. 1 love polka music and I love
country music. I love all kinds of mu
sic, but those two get me excited and
make me want to drink beer. I've
always been attracted to country. 1 was
just in Nashville and it was like heav
en there. All the musicians who play
there are studio musicians and they're
all really good. You don't have any
thing like that in Eugene, there are no
country bars or anything. 1 was really
enjoying myself there. You can go out
to the gift shops and buy Hank
Williams Jr. playing cards and George
Jones drinking water.
Emerald: What first attracted you
to country music?
TH: I don't know how to describe
that. 1 like truck-driving songs, CB
songs. 1 like to follow the story in a
song. Country music tells a story. I like
to follow that story. Some kinds of
music is based on bass or drums, but
country requires a story. That's why
I'm so lyrically oriented.
Emerald: Speaking of your lyrics,
what sort of events inspire your
songs?
TH: Basically, I'm at work and I
think of something, or I'm walking
down the street and hear somebody
say something and I think, “That
would be a good line in a
country song."
Emerald: Let's take the song
"Three-Way." Comedic invention or
real experience?
TH: That song is a combination of
truth and fantasy. It's a metaphor
from reality. Let's just be safe and put
it that way.
Emerald: What seems to be your
most popular song?
TH: Well, "Three-Way" seems to
grab people. Also, *1 Love" is popular.
With that song everyone has their
own favorite line.
Emerald: So you're coming back to
Eugene on Saturday. Are you looking
forward to coming back home for
your show?
TH: 1 have only one mistress, and
it is Eugene, Oregon. My sweet
lady. Yeah, I'm looking forward to
coming back.
Tom Heinl will be performing at
Sam Bond's Garage this Saturday
with Bobby Bare Jr. The show starts
at 9 p.m. and there is a $5 cover
charge. Sam Bonds is located at 407
Blair Blvd.
rynnnyburg@dailyemerald.cotn
FAIR
continued from page 7
demonstrating innovative ways to
understand power needs. Work
shops will feature topics on fuel cells
and the reuse of gray water. Another
section of the fair, the Community
Village, is a place to learn about the
environment and social-profit or
ganizations and opportunities.
Tayla Biehler, a Eugene native, has
attended the Oregon Country Fair for
the last eight years. She said it is the
eclectic variety of food that brings her
back each year.
"You can get food here that you
can't find anywhere else," Biehler said.
The fair boasts more than 70 food
stands ranging from falafels and arti
chokes on a stick to vegan desserts.
"My favorite treat is Oregon berry
juice," Biehler said. "I drink that all
day long."
The fair began as a fundraiser in
1969 to benefit a local alternative
school in Hawkins Heights. A year lat
er, the fair moved to its current wood
ed 350-acre site in Veneta, 13 miles
outside of Eugene.
In its 35-year history, the Oregon
Country Fair has maintained a strong
relationship with both the communi
ty and the environment.
.#»f “«•
• * to toio «s la omi- a***©*'0
““O'O •'»">« '1 ei(„ t»t«« ***r'*«•'* 0 w
PURCHASE THE NEW 3-DAY TICKET FOR S40 AND HAVE 3-TIMES THE FUNI
ADVANCE: Fri. S13 * Sal. SIS * Sun. $13 * DAT OF EVENT: Fri. $16 * Sal. $18 * Sun. SIS
There it t $1 TicketsWest service charge on ill tickets sold. Parking IS / das on-site
Absolutely No Tickets will be sold on-site. Take the tree shuttle bus Iron Eugene. ■new.IM.org
Tickets on sale May 15 at all TicketsWest locations including most Safeway Stores.
Charge by phone: 1-800-992-8499 * Order online at: twwtN.tlcfcetsiWMt.CMi
-u for more info: www.eragenceimtrytair.erg
'tvus weeKevof
"The fair is not a non-profit organi
zation," Newtson said. "It is a social
profit organization."
In the last decade, the Fair donated
more than a quarter of a million dol
lars to public organizations including
arts programs, health care and low
budget schools.
Newtson said the Oregon Country
Fair is a "waste-free event" and an
award-winning recycler. Last year, the
fair composted or recycled 15 tons of
waste, which is more than it threw
away. Newtson said the cooperation
of the Recycling Crew, the food
booths and the visitors, who might
find themselves eating with
r rentier 1 ravel «
1011 Harlow
1747-0909^^
^Student Travel Experts
disposable cornstarch silverware, is es
sential for a waste-free event.
"That's the fair way," Newtson says.
Lane Transit District provides a
shuttle service to and from the fair.
Angie Sifuentez of LTD said that last
year, more than 23,000 fairgoers used
the shuttle and she anticipates as least
as many this year.
"We encourage people to use the
bus because the one-lane highway
out to the fair gets backed up," Si
fuentez said.
The service begins Friday at 10 a.m.
at both the Eugene Station and the
Valley River Center and runs every 15
minutes until 5 p.m. on all three days.
Each day, the last shuttle leaves the
fairgrounds at 7:30 p.m.
1'ickets for the fair are available
through TicketsWest or at the Valley
River Center shuttle pick up. Tickets
are not available at the fairgrounds.
Ticket prices range from $13 to $18
depending on time of purchase.
"Whatever you are trying to find,
you just might stumble upon it here,"
Newtson said. "There is something for
everyone. 1 love the surprises like see
ing people on stilts in mosquito cos
tumes. They have no other reason but
the pursuit of joy."
Kenneth Mendribil is a freelance
reporter for the Emerald.
019324,
towes mm
Restaurant and Lounge
Authentic Chinese Cuisine
Fresh, Quality Ingredients
947 Franklin Blvd. (near UO) • 343-4480
Individual, Family Style, Banquets to 100, Take Out
Tues.-Thurs. 11-10:30, Fri. 11-11 Sat. 12-11, Sun. 11:30-10
World domination
Here s just a tew ot the many reasons to come to
Hi Ah priestess
piercinA
o
"Meets and exceeds state requirements
Provides consultations tor parents and minors
Over 30 years combined experience with Liglily
trained male and female professional piercers
"Willamette valley s only APP members and
studios (www.safepiercing.org)
Open 7 day a week, 360+ days a year with free parking
675 LINCOLN 5T. 342-6585
one piercing at a time