The Left-Handed Guitar Players That Changed Music By John Engel
Press
HERE IS WHAT JOURNALISTS AND EXPERTS ARE SAYING ABOUT THE BOOK:
"'Uncommon Sound' is beautifully written, presented and conceived and a fascinating insight into why left-handed guitar players are a bit more special... I don't think I've ever read anything about Thunder that puts what we do as well as this. An amazing piece of work."
Luke Morley (Thunder)
"One of the most wonderful books I have ever read.
(...) The articles are fascinating, and you can spend hours just browsing through one book or the other, jumping from here to there, just enjoying the pictures. (...) The book is fairly pricey (over $300) but Christmas is coming. Included is a CD featuring 20 of the musicians from the book. At over 900 pages and 2500 pictures, it's the perfect gift for the local southpaw pickers and strummers in your neighborhood. But you don't have to be left-handed to enjoy it. There's such a treasure trove of information and images that anyone with a heart for guitars will be thrilled to find this under the tree. Just don't drop it on your toes! [Excellence in Writing Award-winning review]"
greenmanreview.com November 2007 - Download
"A lush book-reading experience. Engel’s massive tomes offer an incredible series of portraits of some of popular music’s most influential players. Although the focus is left-handed players, this is more a book about personal paths – about musicians breaking new ground, creating new sounds and in some cases changing the course of musical history. As it covers just about every non-classical style, you also get first-hand accounts of the rise of folk-rock, the demise of soul and some of the genuine talents behind the punk explosion.
Uncommon Sound is a book to dip into for a clearer idea of what a musician’s life really is."
THE BULLETIN magazine, September 28, 2006.
"All the info you could ever need (and more) on left-handed guitar players and guitars from the world’s foremost authority on the lefty."
GUITARIST magazine, July 2006.
"BOOK OF THE MONTH. Every now and then a person's love and knowledge of a subject combine to produce something that is altogether unique. The word 'unique' pre-empts comparative adjectives and often, as in this case, falls straight into the realm of the superlative."
MI-PRO magazine, May 2006.
“Vast, insightful, beautifully researched, and *fun*! This book is essential reading for all guitarists (righties included!) and their fans.”
- Jas Obrecht, former editor of GUITAR PLAYER magazine, author of Rollin' and Tumblin’ and My Son Jimi.
"A must-read for anyone who loves any kind of music.
“Already by holding their guitar the ‘wrong’ way, these musicians epitomize the unbridled, non-conformist spirit of popular music. Engel has tapped into probably the broadest range of musicians to ever find themselves in the same book; and their uncommon sound is a tribute to all music makers. Engel’s detailed accounts bring us on a series of personal journeys to the very heart of the music that shaped a century.”
- Michael Leahy, editor, A-LYRIC.COM.
“John Engel has written what certainly will be the definitive book on left-handed guitarists. John takes the reader on a surprising tour of the history and impact left-handed players have had. An amazing amount of research combined with a beautiful layout.”
- Bill Piburn, editor, FINGERSTYLE GUITAR magazine.
“This book should be subtitled ‘not just for lefties.’ While it’s fascinating to discover how much of our music culture has been shaped by the left hand, each of these profiles, like the musicians themselves, stands on its own merits. Whether you play lefty or righty, you’ll enjoy the experience of this book.”
- Walter Carter, author of works such as Acoustic Guitars and Other Fretted Instruments.
“As a proud cack-hander, it’s always seemed obvious to me that all lefties are creative geniuses. Now John Engel’s remarkable book confirms my suspicions. Left-handed guitarists are clearly a special breed apart, although as Sylvia Tyson, one of Engel’s many featured musicians, reminds us: ‘Any instrument you play, you play with both hands. And what you lack in one hand, you make up in the other.’ ”
- Tony Bacon, editor and co-founder of Backbeat UK, author of works such as Electric Guitars: The Illustrated Encyclopedia.
“Neuroscientists know that right hemisphere of the brain controls the left side of the body. And that means the amazing guitarists that John Engel has assembled show the power of the right side of the brain. These musicians are trailblazers – and Engel tells their stories with skill, verve, and panache. Whether you're left-handed, right-handed, or ambidextrous, you should read this book.”
- Dan Pink, acclaimed social trend analyst and bestselling author of works such as A Whole New Mind.
AND HERE ARE A FEW TEASERS:
Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Those Contrary Six-String Wizards and Renegades, But Didn't Know Who To Ask...
Jimi Hendrix (rock)
Was he actually left-handed or right-handed? Why did he really get discharged from the Army? What did he do before he turned into the greatest rock guitarist of all time?
Dave Wakeling (rock)
If the leader of The English Beat and General Public is in fact right-handed, then why does he play guitar the way he does? Wakeling reveals his personal mix of reggae-rock and zen meditation.
Mark Knopfler (rock)
Why did he end up playing right-handed? Formerly synonymous with Dire Straits, the world-renowned Knopfler offers a candid glimpse into his working style, tastes, and aspirations.
Paul McCartney (rock)
How the Fab Four’s dandy tunesmith was in fact the daring experimentalist. How he writes painterly songs and paints music. A different aesthetic assessment.
Dick Dale (rock)
Discover the spiritual seeker behind the uzi-guitar player / rock pioneer.
Matt Beck (rock)
How a child prodigy on piano, admitted at Juilliard at age 7, gave up championship tennis to become a professional left-handed upside-down guitarist!
Americo Jacomino Canhoto (world)
Separate fact from fiction: no, Canhoto was not the devil and no, he did not play two guitars at once while one was still in its case. But he was the King of the Brazilian Guitar.
Lefty Bates (blues)
Anyone familiar with Jimmy Reed and Chicago blues has seen his name. But did you know there were TWO LEFTY BATESES, not one???
Albert King (blues)
How the blues legend really tuned his guitar.
Little Jimmy King (blues)
Was the Memphis blues sensation Albert King’s son, nephew, grandson or none of the above?
Bobby Womack (R&B)
The ultimate Soul Survivor tells all: the ups, downs, pains, fights, and thrills. One of the classic Stax/Muscle Shoals guitarists, Womack wrote major R&B songs, revealing with his moving raspy voice the rocky life that defined it. Plus, he wrote the song, “Left-Handed Upside Down”!!!
Harry J. Boyle (rock)
A non-stop 50-year career, or, how a so-called one-hit wonder continues life as a professional musician.
Rusty Burns (rock)
What near-death experiences the former leader of Point Blank overcame to be such a powerful, emotional player – the definitive “rock’n’roll soldier.”
Doyle Bramhall II (rock)
The young man who was hailed as SRV’s heir to the throne before he had even turned 20, left drug abuse behind and reinvented himself as a soulful singer-songwriter-guitarist. He is now a respected artist and one of Eric Clapton’s closest collaborators.
Gregg Wright (rock)
How quickly a dedicated, gigging musician can find himself homeless one minute and at the top of the business the next.
"'Uncommon Sound' is beautifully written, presented and conceived and a fascinating insight into why left-handed guitar players are a bit more special... I don't think I've ever read anything about Thunder that puts what we do as well as this. An amazing piece of work."
Luke Morley (Thunder)
"One of the most wonderful books I have ever read.
(...) The articles are fascinating, and you can spend hours just browsing through one book or the other, jumping from here to there, just enjoying the pictures. (...) The book is fairly pricey (over $300) but Christmas is coming. Included is a CD featuring 20 of the musicians from the book. At over 900 pages and 2500 pictures, it's the perfect gift for the local southpaw pickers and strummers in your neighborhood. But you don't have to be left-handed to enjoy it. There's such a treasure trove of information and images that anyone with a heart for guitars will be thrilled to find this under the tree. Just don't drop it on your toes! [Excellence in Writing Award-winning review]"
greenmanreview.com November 2007 - Download
"
Peerless!
Housed in a sturdy, glossy outer case, the two sumptuous volumes of this guitaraholics' set are packed with reams of info, 2500 photos, some 1500 album sleeves and enough left-handed guitars to fill 150 pages (the equivalent toilet-reading time to learning Stairway To Heaven backwards) ... The mix of legends and overlooked heroes makes for an enlightening and always enjoyable read."
RECORD COLLECTOR magazine, January 2007
"A lush book-reading experience. Engel’s massive tomes offer an incredible series of portraits of some of popular music’s most influential players. Although the focus is left-handed players, this is more a book about personal paths – about musicians breaking new ground, creating new sounds and in some cases changing the course of musical history. As it covers just about every non-classical style, you also get first-hand accounts of the rise of folk-rock, the demise of soul and some of the genuine talents behind the punk explosion.
Uncommon Sound is a book to dip into for a clearer idea of what a musician’s life really is."
THE BULLETIN magazine, September 28, 2006.
"All the info you could ever need (and more) on left-handed guitar players and guitars from the world’s foremost authority on the lefty."
GUITARIST magazine, July 2006.
"BOOK OF THE MONTH. Every now and then a person's love and knowledge of a subject combine to produce something that is altogether unique. The word 'unique' pre-empts comparative adjectives and often, as in this case, falls straight into the realm of the superlative."
MI-PRO magazine, May 2006.
“Vast, insightful, beautifully researched, and *fun*! This book is essential reading for all guitarists (righties included!) and their fans.”
- Jas Obrecht, former editor of GUITAR PLAYER magazine, author of Rollin' and Tumblin’ and My Son Jimi.
"A must-read for anyone who loves any kind of music.
“Already by holding their guitar the ‘wrong’ way, these musicians epitomize the unbridled, non-conformist spirit of popular music. Engel has tapped into probably the broadest range of musicians to ever find themselves in the same book; and their uncommon sound is a tribute to all music makers. Engel’s detailed accounts bring us on a series of personal journeys to the very heart of the music that shaped a century.”
- Michael Leahy, editor, A-LYRIC.COM.
“John Engel has written what certainly will be the definitive book on left-handed guitarists. John takes the reader on a surprising tour of the history and impact left-handed players have had. An amazing amount of research combined with a beautiful layout.”
- Bill Piburn, editor, FINGERSTYLE GUITAR magazine.
“This book should be subtitled ‘not just for lefties.’ While it’s fascinating to discover how much of our music culture has been shaped by the left hand, each of these profiles, like the musicians themselves, stands on its own merits. Whether you play lefty or righty, you’ll enjoy the experience of this book.”
- Walter Carter, author of works such as Acoustic Guitars and Other Fretted Instruments.
“As a proud cack-hander, it’s always seemed obvious to me that all lefties are creative geniuses. Now John Engel’s remarkable book confirms my suspicions. Left-handed guitarists are clearly a special breed apart, although as Sylvia Tyson, one of Engel’s many featured musicians, reminds us: ‘Any instrument you play, you play with both hands. And what you lack in one hand, you make up in the other.’ ”
- Tony Bacon, editor and co-founder of Backbeat UK, author of works such as Electric Guitars: The Illustrated Encyclopedia.
“Neuroscientists know that right hemisphere of the brain controls the left side of the body. And that means the amazing guitarists that John Engel has assembled show the power of the right side of the brain. These musicians are trailblazers – and Engel tells their stories with skill, verve, and panache. Whether you're left-handed, right-handed, or ambidextrous, you should read this book.”
- Dan Pink, acclaimed social trend analyst and bestselling author of works such as A Whole New Mind.
AND HERE ARE A FEW TEASERS:
Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Those Contrary Six-String Wizards and Renegades, But Didn't Know Who To Ask...
Jimi Hendrix (rock)
Was he actually left-handed or right-handed? Why did he really get discharged from the Army? What did he do before he turned into the greatest rock guitarist of all time?
Dave Wakeling (rock)
If the leader of The English Beat and General Public is in fact right-handed, then why does he play guitar the way he does? Wakeling reveals his personal mix of reggae-rock and zen meditation.
Mark Knopfler (rock)
Why did he end up playing right-handed? Formerly synonymous with Dire Straits, the world-renowned Knopfler offers a candid glimpse into his working style, tastes, and aspirations.
Paul McCartney (rock)
How the Fab Four’s dandy tunesmith was in fact the daring experimentalist. How he writes painterly songs and paints music. A different aesthetic assessment.
Dick Dale (rock)
Discover the spiritual seeker behind the uzi-guitar player / rock pioneer.
Matt Beck (rock)
How a child prodigy on piano, admitted at Juilliard at age 7, gave up championship tennis to become a professional left-handed upside-down guitarist!
Americo Jacomino Canhoto (world)
Separate fact from fiction: no, Canhoto was not the devil and no, he did not play two guitars at once while one was still in its case. But he was the King of the Brazilian Guitar.
Lefty Bates (blues)
Anyone familiar with Jimmy Reed and Chicago blues has seen his name. But did you know there were TWO LEFTY BATESES, not one???
Albert King (blues)
How the blues legend really tuned his guitar.
Little Jimmy King (blues)
Was the Memphis blues sensation Albert King’s son, nephew, grandson or none of the above?
Bobby Womack (R&B)
The ultimate Soul Survivor tells all: the ups, downs, pains, fights, and thrills. One of the classic Stax/Muscle Shoals guitarists, Womack wrote major R&B songs, revealing with his moving raspy voice the rocky life that defined it. Plus, he wrote the song, “Left-Handed Upside Down”!!!
Harry J. Boyle (rock)
A non-stop 50-year career, or, how a so-called one-hit wonder continues life as a professional musician.
Rusty Burns (rock)
What near-death experiences the former leader of Point Blank overcame to be such a powerful, emotional player – the definitive “rock’n’roll soldier.”
Doyle Bramhall II (rock)
The young man who was hailed as SRV’s heir to the throne before he had even turned 20, left drug abuse behind and reinvented himself as a soulful singer-songwriter-guitarist. He is now a respected artist and one of Eric Clapton’s closest collaborators.
Gregg Wright (rock)
How quickly a dedicated, gigging musician can find himself homeless one minute and at the top of the business the next.