Robert Quine

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Robert W. Quine (December 30, 1948 – May 31, 2004) was an American guitarist, known for his innovative guitar solos.

A native of Akron, Ohio, Quine worked with a wide range of musicians, though he himself remained relatively unknown in comparison. Critic Mark Demming writes "Quine's eclectic style embraced influences from jazz, rock, and blues players of all stripes, and his thoughtful technique and uncompromising approach led to rewarding collaborations with a number of visionary musicians."[1]

His collaborators include Richard Hell & the Voidoids, Lou Reed (notably on The Blue Mask), Brian Eno (on Nerve Net), John Zorn, Ikue Mori, Marc Ribot, Marianne Faithfull (Strange Weather), Lloyd Cole, Tom Waits (Rain Dogs), Matthew Sweet, Odds, Jody Harris {Escape}, and many more, including a rare 7" by Lester Bangs.

Rock critic and friend Lester Bangs once said of him:

"Someday Quine will be recognized for the pivotal figure that he is on his instrument — he is the first guitarist to take the breakthroughs of early Lou Reed and James Williamson and work through them to a new, individual vocabulary, driven into odd places by obsessive attention to On the Corner-era Miles Davis."

Quine is number 80 on Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time list.[2]

Quine was a nephew of the philosopher W. V. Quine and cousin of The Black Keys' guitarist/vocalist Dan Auerbach.

Contents

[edit] Biography

After graduating from Earlham College in 1965, and then earning a law degree from Washington University, Quine practiced tax law for several years before abandoning it. Quine was enrolled in the Berklee School of Music for the 1967-68 semester.

In 1969, Quine made a series of amateurish cassette recordings of The Velvet Underground performing live. These saw official release in 2001 by Polydor Records, titled Bootleg Series Volume 1: The Quine Tapes. Though rather lo fi in sound quality, the album is an important document of the group. In the liner notes, Quine writes: "I got a lot of pleasure and inspiration from these performances. As a guitar player, they were an important element in shaping what musical direction I wanted to take."

Quine then worked in a movie memorabilia store in New York City with Richard Hell and Tom Verlaine. Later, he was invited by Hell to join his new band The Voidoids, thus making punk rock history and beginning his musical career. Hell's two Voidoid albums feature Quine's distinctive guitar work; guitarist Marc Ribot once said about Quine that "in terms of punk rock guitar soloing, [Quine] could definitely be called the inventor," [3] while critic Ira Robbins describes his work as "stunning and underrated"[4].

The Voidoids dissolved, and Quine's next recordings were with Lydia Lunch, Jody Harris and Material. From September 1979 to July 1980, Quine and Harris recorded various guitar improvisations with a drum machine. In 1981, some of those experiments were released as the Harris/Quine album, Escape. With Material bandmate Fred Maher, Quine recorded his only other solo album, Basic, released in 1984.

In the early 1980s, former Velvet Underground frontman Lou Reed drafted Quine to join his group. He appeared on Reed's The Blue Mask (1982), acclaimed as one of Reed's best albums. The Reed-Quine guitar work is exemplary -- arguably among the best either man had to offer -- crafting interlocking duels that blur the lines between rhythm and leads. 1983's Legendary Hearts featured most of the same group, but Quine eventually quit the group due to tensions with Reed. Reed persuaded Quine to rejoin for a world tour; Quine disliked touring, but agreed to the tour for financial reasons, ending his partnership with Reed for good in 1985.

Throughout the remainder of the 1980s, Quine made scattered appearances as a session player on records by Tom Waits, John Zorn, Marianne Faithfull and Scritti Politti.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Quine began collaborations with a few musicians who would introduce him to new audiences, and who would raise his profile a bit. Genre-smashing saxophonist/composer John Zorn hired Quine for several experimental projects; while pop songrwiters/singers Lloyd Cole and Matthew Sweet both made good use of Quine's skills. Sweet's biggest hit song, "Girlfriend," is anchored by Quine's frenetic, squealing guitar work.

Depressed after the death of his wife Alice in August 2003, Quine committed suicide by heroin overdose in his New York home on May 31, 2004.

[edit] Quotes

"You gotta hear this new box I got, it creates the most offensive noise ..." (to Lester Bangs)

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ All Music Guide
  2. ^ 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time
  3. ^ Toma Jazz
  4. ^ TrouserPress

[edit] External links