The Days of Lore

It might, possibly, perhaps get loud(ish)

Thursday, February 25th, 2010 | fliX, musiX

I recently watched Davis Guggenheim’s It Might Get Loud, the documentary that takes a gander at the electric guitar by way of the calloused fingers of David Evans, James Page and John Gillis. Yeah, I’ve never heard of ‘em, either.

And I really liked it (save for maybe the trio’s flimsy rendition of The Band’s “The Weight” at the end)—especially the backstories of Jimmy Page and The Edge (Page’s early days as a young virtuoso skiffle player, and The Edge barely knowing what to do with that old Explorer). Seeing/hearing that old footage again of U2 before the members had probably ever touched razors to their faces was fun. And the smile on the (then) 64-year-old Page’s face as he played air-guitar to a crackly 45 of Link Wray’s “Rumble” was pure gold.

When I first heard about the film—and who was being featured—my immediate thought was, “Jack White?” Don’t get me wrong, I love White’s Detroit punk and R&B background (especially his love of Son House and cheap Montgomery Ward guitars), and I’m probably more in tune with his philosophy on music than I am his elders in the movie. BUT (there’s always a but) while Page and The Edge define styles that can’t be duplicated, White is more of an encyclopedia of blues licks with a stomp box.

That said, I found his thread in the movie the most interesting. He’s definitely the most charismatic of the three … I mean he had a younger version of himself following him around fer chrissakes. And in all honesty, when asked by Poor Old Dirt Farmer, I was unable to come up with another guitarist that could replace him (at least one that I could stomach).

Of course, it could also be argued that Page and The Edge could have been replaced—hell, it would probably be easier. Townshend? Clapton? Johnny Marr? Eddie Van Halen? So, let me ask you this: If you could remake It Might Get Loud, who would you feature in the film?

Post your ideas in the comments section, along with a full script (just kidding). Keep in mind this is about the electric guitar and that each guitarist represents a different era. This is not a test, although you will receive bonus points for not choosing Yngwie Malmsteen.

Tags: Davis Guggenheim, It Might Get Loud, Jack White, Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin, Son House, The Edge, U2, White Stripes

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