Bob Beal, guitarist for The Screen, interviews Telecaster legend Jim Weider to prepare for his appearance at the Stone Church this week.

Jim Weider has woven himself deep into the fabric of American musical history. Most acclaimed for his long tenure (1985-2000) as lead guitarist (replacing Robbie Robertson) for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees The Band, Weider has also kept very busy playing or recording with artists like Bob Dylan, Los Lobos, Robbie Dupree, Doctor John, Taj Mahal, Mavis Staples, Paul Butterfield, Scotty Moore, Keith Richards, Hot Tuna, Bob Weir, Kim Wilson, Paul Burlison, Lee Rocker and Graham Parker. Weider’s latest release, “Percolator,” is a very groove-oriented instrumental record. Guitar laden and moody, it features guest performances by Tony Levin (King Crimson, Peter Gabriel), John Medeski (Medeski, Martin and Wood), Rodney Holmes, Carlos Valdez and John Holbrook. Weider’s live lineup consists of Randy Ciarlante (The Band) on drums, Jesse Gress (Todd Rundgren, Tony Levin Band) on guitar and Daniel Grimsland, the young bass phenomenon Jim affectionately calls “Tony Levin Jr.”
At the top of our conversation, I felt compelled to introduce myself as a fellow “professional” guitar player who has somehow figured out how make a job of my passion. “Great! It’s a long uphill fight, but it’s worth it!” he responded with rock ’n’ roll patriotism.
 
You’re best known for your role as lead guitarist for The Band, but you’ve also played with a long list of musical greats. You’re an excellent guitar player, but aside from guitar prowess, what characteristics or abilities allowed you to ascend into the pro field and stay busy with so many heavy hitters?
That’s a good question. I’m a “feel” player. Since the ’60s I’ve learned how to play a lot of different styles. From rhythm and blues to country to rock to groove stuff. I’ve learned how to play to make a song work… to play melodically behind the song, and to get the right tone. The right tone for the recording to complement the vocalist and fit the song is very important.
 
Can you give us a brief chronology of your music education? Lessons, self-teaching, college music programs, the road, etc.?
Mostly self-taught. In the old days I’d put a nickel on the record to slow it down and learn the licks. Along the way I got to meet a lot of great players. In Woodstock I grew up watching Buzzy Feeden and Paul Butterfield. Paul’s attack on the harp was a huge influence on me. Roy Buchanan was of course a huge influence.
 
Yeah. I love Roy.
I loved James Burton and Steve Cropper when I was a young kid. I was a huge fan of Jesse Ed Davis of Taj Mahal’s band and Robbie Robertson of The Band. But when I heard Roy, and heard how he stretched out and got those tones…. (Pauses for a minute as if to savor something delicious.) I guess the culmination of all those influences shaped my way of thinking. Luckily I’ve got to work, record and play with a lot of those guys down the line. It’s been a nice long run of great influences, and over the many years I’ve got to soak it all up and play with the many people who influenced me.
 
Have you ever covered Roy Buchanan’s “A Messiah Will Come”?
No, but when we were headlining the Empire Blues Festival in Albany, the chairman of the festival asked me, “Would you ever learn that tune and play it?” Maybe I should do that. Yeah, I should definitely cover a Roy Buchanan tune.
 
The music industry and record companies are in a state of flux. Companies claim music downloading is killing the music business. Music fans claim that the industry is killing itself by cranking out cookie-cutter crap. What are your thoughts on downloading music, and what do you think has caused the industry to hit its current low point?   
I’m personally into people downloading my music because it goes out to more fans. We invite tapers to record shows and pass our live shows around. I don’t have my whole new album available for download because I’d like people to buy it, but I have a bunch of tracks available for free download.
Because record companies don’t want to sign older artists, or people playing roots music, or really great music, there are a lot of great artists out there who don’t have a deal. There’s a long list of guys who’ve been out there forever who can’t get a deal, and surely deserve it. And fans would buy their music, but the companies are not supporting great music. So now a lot of guys are doing it themselves and doing it grassroots. Steve Kimmock, for example, is an excellent player who has beat the system. They’re a great band that doesn’t have a deal, but they’re filling theaters and big clubs. Why does he pack ’em? He doesn’t have a record deal. It’s the music that’s doing it. He’s playing really great music.
I can’t wait for the record companies to come around to supporting great artists in America again. They’re taking most of the money and charging way too much for CDs. I’d like to see the big record companies bring prices down and start really supporting the great artists again. Until then, let’s just do it on our own and work it grassroots.
 
What’s your current
guitar rig, pedals and all?
A 1952 Telecaster that I’ve had since 1971. I was looking for a guitar like Roy Buchanan’s. I got it for about $340. I’ve got another Tele with two humbuckers that I used a lot on the new record, “Percolator.” My amp is usually an old Fender Black Face Deluxe, but I’ll be taking the Fargen prototype of my new signature amplifier. The tone we were searching for was inspired by an old Hybrid Deluxe that was modified by Caesar Diaz. (The late Caesar Diaz was the Yoda of guitar tone and worked on amps for legends like Stevie Ray Vaughn.—BB) I’m also using an old Vox wah wah pedal, and a T-Rex replica delay pedal with tap tempo, and a King of Tone pedal that I helped develop with Analog Man. And I may also be using an Analog Man Fuzz Face Pedal.

In your numerous live and session endeavors, who was the most pleasant artist to work for?
Oh man. I’d have to think about that. Working with Los Lobos was great. Paul Burlison is just the nicest guy in the world.  

Are there any newer musical acts that you think kick ass?
The Steve Kimmock band. I love them. It’s beautiful music, and it really grooves. I was lucky enough to have John Medeski play drums on the new record. I really like what Medeski, Martin and Wood are doing. And Derek Trucks. I got to record with him and he’s really amazing. His tone and intonation and his feel are awesome. I always love Jeff Beck, though he’s been around forever, but he continues to grow and change.
 
Digital recording media,
analog tape or some of both?
I use digital because that’s what I have at my studio. Though for drums and Hammond, I prefer a Studer analog two-inch machine. On this album, I cut everything down in my basement and recorded to loops, and then got Jon Medeski and Rodney Holmes to overdub the drums to the loops.

Are you using Reason
software to create your loops?
Some of them were created with Reason, and others were some drum grooves my friend put on a CD, and I sampled them with a little cheapo sampler and started writing to them. They really inspired me.

Most memorable live
performance experience?
When The Band played with Ronny Hawkins at the Berlin Wall when it came down. There was about a half a million people. That was pretty awesome. The Carnegie Hall show with The Band in ’95 was pretty awesome. We had a full horn section, and everyone was in really fine form. That was one of my favorite shows, too.
 
What is the worst part of being a pro on the road or in the studio?
On the road, you don’t get any sleep. In the studio, you just want to get back on the road (laughs) because you’re not playing live. I’m a live player, and if it sounds good and it’s a good room, I’m happy and I play my best. (Pauses) Uh… is The Stone Church a nice sounding room?

Yes. It’s a great room. It’s got a great sound system and the Seacoast’s best sound engineer. And it’s rich with musical history.
Fantastic!

Don’t miss Jim Weider at The Stone Church Thursday, July 23 at 9 p.m. Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door. Bob Beal will be crossing his fingers for that Roy Buchanan tune. For more info and free music downloads go to www.jimweider.com.