Cigar Box Guitars and A Song About The Moon (MP3s)

[ Two cigar box guitar MP3s in this post, one of them about the moon. ]

From March 2005 through March 2006 the Hand/Eye label sent out a 3" CD-R to subscribers every full moon, each one in a limited edition of 100 copies. The title of the series was The Folklore of the Moon, and the artists (among them Kawabata Makoto, David Tibet, Wooden Wand and the Vanishing Voice, and many more) were given free reign to record their take on the moon.

While it is all great music, one of the releases stands out among all the others, namely the contribution of Shane Speal, King of the Cigar Box Guitar and curator of the National Cigar Box Guitar Museum in York, PA. Considering that Blind Willie Johnson, Lightnin' Hopkins, Charlie Christian, Jimi Hendrix, and countless other guitar heroes got their start on cigar box guitars, this instrument certainly deserves more attention than it currently gets. So here are two selections from Lunatic Howl, Shane's contribution to The Folklore of the Moon, released under the moniker Shane Speal's Head.

Shane Speal's Head - In The Pines (MP3) - Currently my favorite version of this traditional folk song (also known as "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" or "Black Girl"), despite great competition by Lead Belly and Nirvana.
Shane Speal's Head - A Song About The Moon (MP3) - It is what it says it is, and it is undoubtedly the best song ever written about the moon.

By the way, the canjo on the right is another one of Shane's instruments. The next big thing?

Comments

[Shane Speal]

Holy cow! This is the real Shane Speal. Somebody just sent me the link for this page. Thank you!!! I just wanted to let everybody know that we just finished a massive Cigar Box Guitar Concert in Huntsville, AL. that was filmed for a PBS documentary. Info on it can be found at the director's website: www.maxshores.com

Also, I put a link in the URL box for the Insurrection Records eBay store. They have a whole slew of cigar box guitar releases, including the Masters of the Cigar Box Guitar cd. Hey WFMU, I gotta get you guys some of these cds. Look for it in the mail soon, Lukas.

And finally, that Becks beer can banjo was made by Dik Castle of Arizona. It's one of the craziest instruments in my museum. Castle will sell these on eBay from time to time under the eBay name CANJOMAN.

Thanks again!

Shane
ps. Uh, "A Song About The Moon" was recorded as a joke. I'm laughing hysterically that you actually broadcast it!!!

[Krys O.]

Dave Gregory, guitarist extraordinaire and formerly with XTC has a Castrol can guitar featured on his website:
The Can

Other geetar reviews here.

[Dark Holler • Hand/Eye]

Shane Speal's "Stealing the Fire" CD is just about to be released on Hand/Eye...coming very soon, to WFMU and you!

[DaveX]

Here's another of Shane's albums, and a killer one at that: http://startlingmoniker.wordpress.com/2006/11/30/box-set/