12/1/2006

Willie G Moseley

Traditional instruments, used non-traditionally

For all its simplicity, God's Tattoos, the latest album from Memphis-based singer/guitarist/songwriter William Lee Ellis, may often cause listeners to scratch their heads and ask, "How did he do that?" Primarily utilizing three vintage acoustic instruments and interpolating other instruments and players, Ellis, aided by veteran producer Jim Dickinson, conjures up a unique and innovative album that will impress most guitar aficionados.

Ellis comes from a musical family; his father played banjo and his godfather was none other then Bill Monroe. The guitarist remembers sitting on Monroe's knee at the age of five, aboard the bluegrass legends tour bus. But Ellis' own musical style hasn't been particularly influenced by bluegrass music.

"I started playing guitar when I was 12 or 13," Ellis told VG. "And while I did start off playing bluegrass, as I got older, I started learning things like Neil Young songs. And as I was finishing my undergraduate degree, I heard the music of Rev. Gary Davis, done by a guy named Andy Cohen, who ended up being my mentor. He'd studied with Davis. It was one of those epiphany-type of moments where the clouds parted! For the next five years or so, I immersed myself in the music of Davis, Lonnie Johnson, Blind Willie McTell, and others. They were folk musicians who played with the technique of classical musicians.

"I made my first album in 1987, on a small label called Merimac. Then I made and album with Andy and a mutual friend named Eleanor Ellis - no relation - which also came out on Merimac, right before I moved to Japan."

Following a five-and-a-half-year residence in the Far East, Ellis returned, moving to Memphis, where he signed with Yellow Dog Records. His most recent effort, is his third for that label, and the first produced by Dickinson, whose sons comprise two-thirds of the North Mississippi All-Stars.

"I got a hankering to make this record last fall," noted Ellis. "I kinda wanted to make it something of a gospel record more then a blues record. Dickinson was into the approach I was thinking about, and we had a blast. We were in and out in six days."

Recorded at Dickinson's Zebra Ranch Studio in north Mississippi, the songs on God's Tattoos may have sparse and intriguing arrangements, but many also defy categorization in a manner that deftly hooks a listener's attention. While Ellis plays acoustic Guitar exclusively, his fingerpicking, slide-guitar, and other "expected" sounds meld with numerous tunings, as well as an E-bow, distortion, tremolo, and other off-the-wall (but very appropriate) sonic embellishments.

Ellis concentrated on three guitars while recording God's Tattoos. As for is 1942 Gibson J-45, the guitarist averred, "That's my main instrument. It has the 'Only Gibson Is Good Enough' logo on it. It's equipped with a Sunrise pickup, which I had installed in the '90s, while I was living in Japan. I really love its sound. A Japanese luthier had brought some back to America; I think I hears Richard Thompson raving about them, and they are really hard to get."

The J-45 is heard twice on the album's title track, a reflective "rhumba" (for lack of a better term) and what's more, the featured instrument on the song is an accordion. One of the two trackings of the J-45 has a tremolo effect that is also heard on "Perfect Ones Who Break."

A mid-'30s National single-resonator steel body guitar is "…either a 1934 or "36," Ellis noted. "I've had people look at it, and they can't really pinpoint it. Everything's original; it's even got the original cone in it, and it has a 14-fret neck. I had a National pickup installed in it, but I didn't do any damage to it - I went through an f-hole, so if I ever decide to take (the pickup) out, the guitar will be fine."

The National is heard conveying the blistering side licks of God's Tattoos' opening track, "Snakes in My Garden," and Ellis reports "I wasn't using the pickup, but I use it when I play live."

The third instrument is an early-'20s Gibson L-1, which Ellis is seen holding on the CD cover. He described it as "…just a beautiful little guitar, I also used some other guitars, like a Gibson J-60 on one song; it's not exactly vintage - it's a '97!"

The J-60 is the instrument on a unique instrumental titled "When Leadbelly Walks The River Like Christ," a solo piece in a open D tuning that utilizes an E-bow sustainer (and sounds almost like reverse tracking). Ellis wrote the song when he lived in Japan.

"I thought it was too weird for the record," Ellis recalled. "But I played it for Dickinson and he loved it. I recorded it live, in one take, on one guitar, and I do it the same way in concert."

The 12-string heard on "Search My Heart" is a '90s Martin DM12. The lead guitar break is the J-45 running into a Boss Overdrive pedal.

"By and large, almost everything on this record was done through a microphone." Ellis summarized. "We also have bass and drums, but it's acoustic bass. I could play all of the songs solo, and I already had the guitar arrangements in my mind, but I was Dickinson's idea to match them up with bass and drums. Some of the effects sound 'electric', but it's all coming from the J-45 and the National. When I look for things to use, it's always to serve the song."

God's Tattoos is eclectic, uncluttered, highly listenable, and is a real treat for guitar lovers who enjoy hearing classic guitars being utilized in a unique manner.