Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Mike Burwell is the consummate musician. - Guitarist, singer, songwriter, band director, engineer, mixer, event planner, there are few roles Mike has not held within the music Industry. Beginning at age 13 Mike has racked up some 5 years as an amateur and 22 years as a pro, that has seen him travel internationally with music. Now, 40, Mike is currently the Worship Pastor at Mountain Springs Church located in Colorado Springs. Having released the very successful ‘Worship 2’ live recording Fall 2007, Mike sat down with us to share his thoughts on guitar and music in general

Mike Burwell will now take our questions.......

Q1 - Looking through musical history, we see that the guitar is no doubt the most popular instrument today. Do you see the guitars role changing/shifting in your lifetime?

[Mike] The amazing thing about guitar is that it didn't exist for thousands of years and yet people were able to express themselves musically without it in a satisfactory way. But since 1850 or so, we essentially cannot live without it in popular music. In the 1980's folks predicted the death of the electric guitar in pop music with the advent of the synth. But the guitar persevered to the point where in the late 80's and early 90's unheralded guitar excess was ushered in. Grunge killed the guitar solo, and that has stood the test of the last 17 years. I believe that with younger generations interest in classic rock (AC/DC, Aerosmith) will likely usher the guitar solo back into vogue. I do not think the guitar will ever go away. I believe the guitar was God-inspired because of its ergonomic genius.

Q2 - What have you found so appealing with guitar, that your time on the instrument is counted in decades, not just months or years?

[Mike] First, the guitar is more expressive than piano or other stringed instruments. Piano players are jealous of guitar players being able to do things like bend strings. Second, the guitar can be played unaccompanied and create a symphony of sound, which cannot be said for

say, the trumpet or violin. Thirdly, it is portable. I can take my guitar into an arena or into the mountains, or on a plane or hang out in my bedroom writing music. Drummers and piano players cannot do that. The guitar is basically the world's best instrument.

Q3 - What gear do you currently use, and why those models?

[Mike] My primary electric guitar is a Fender Stratocaster 62' reissue (made in 82’) I  switched out two of the pickups. I own an 82' Gibson Les Paul, and an 87' Gibson ES335. I primarily use the Strat because a) playability and b) tone. I have a 25th anniversary Marshall 2x12 combo amp. All tube is, in my opinion, the only way to achieve perfect tone. I run it into a 4x12 1969 tweed face Marshall cabinet. It's loaded with original greenback speakers so the sound is quite amazing. I use Dunlop CryBaby Classic Wah, RAT distortion, Ibanez Tube Screamer. My effects loop runs a Quadraverb for all reverb, flange, chorus, and delay effects run remotely with a MIDI floor board. I also have a secondary rig which I use every single week to play for our church services (I pastor at a church of 3,000). I use a Tom Anderson Crowdster Plus which is a hybrid guitar that runs both electric and acoustic outputs. I run the electric into a Line 6 Pod XT Live and the acoustic side into a Boss AD-5. This guitar is the best live reproduced acoustic sound I have ever heard. We run this thing with almost no EQ modification. Finally, I own two acoustics, a Taylor 614ce for live use and a Taylor 810 for songwriting and playing for small groups.

Q4 - Ask the average person what they think of when you say 'Church music' they traditionally think of a pipe organ or perhaps a choir. Your role at your church, Mountain Springs, sees you playing guitar. Primarily. how has the guitar impacted today's church?

[Mike] Preconceived ideas about what kind of sounds are glorifying and acceptable to God have led us down ridiculous paths in the past. That kind of thinking kept drums and electric guitars out of the church. Times have changed though and we finally have arrived in a place where almost any kind of expression of worship is valid. In the Bible we read commands to worship God with singing, shouting, clapping, dancing, drums, lyres, harps, tambourines, trumpets, etc. In other words, whatever they had invented up until that point in time they were supposed to pull out all the stops when they held a church service. I believe that we should do the same today. Drums, bass, keys, and guitar are all valid tools to use to express love to our God. Therefore we leverage all we can in our church. I believe that this kind of modern, culturally relevant thinking has put us in a place where more people are impacted positively by "church music" than ever before. Also, this opens up new possibilities in expressions rather than limiting ourselves to the old way of doing things.

Q5 - You have played guitar in bands, and Churches, is there a difference?

[Mike] Yes. In my old bands, I really did not carry any kind of moral responsibility for my actions. But in the church I need to lead people into a real experience with a living God. I had some good times in my old bands, but at the end of the day I always felt empty and depressed, like I wasn't actually accomplishing anything. Playing with my band in a church setting, I feel that I am doing some good in the world. Some might see it as a bit limiting. But that is short sighted; honestly, it's actually more fun.

Q6 - Any guitarist or band that you see today as truly cutting edge, redefining the genre as Hendrix and Van Halen have done so already?

[Mike] Those are the two modern-day watermarks aren't they? When a guy shows up, plugs in, and the whole guitar community world-wide is turned on its ear, well yeah, that's genre redefining. The short answer is no. I have not heard anything in the last 20 years that has changed the landscape of modern guitar. Wait, you cannot have this conversation without acknowledging Nirvana as a shot heard round the world. That said, we've had 15 years of the same ol' same ol'. So the next great shock to guitar just might be one of your students.

Q7 - You have no doubt seen countless musical products over the years, any gear lately caught your interest?

[Mike] Well I think Line 6 got it right with the POD XT Live. It's a great combination of pedal board type feel and digital flexibility. I am also quite taken by this new Cry Baby Classic I picked up with the new Fasel inductor in it. I'm also experimenting with the Keeley Compressor pedal.

Q8 - Who has made the most impact on guitar in your opinion, and why?

[Mike] All the kids who pick up an instrument thinking they can change the world with a power chord. I'm serious.

Q9 - Some people think guitar is a 'noise'  instrument. What do you think God thinks about it?

[Mike] I believe the invention of the electric guitar was inspired by God. I believe it should be used for God's glory. I have seen people moved to tears. They end up praising our Creator in a radical way that would never happen with another instrument. Therefore I think God is happy with the electric guitar as long as it's being used to bring him glory.

Q10 - You can jam with one individual or band for a day, who would it be, and why choose them?

[Mike] Well jamming with the angels in heaven would be cool, but I know that's what I'll be doing when I die so in this hypothetical situation I'd say, Led Zeppelin at their peak in 74' would be just about the most amazing experience I can think of. The synergy of those 4 guys was incredible. I pray those guys get to know Jesus before they die and can come with me to heaven to jam with those angels.

BONUS Q - In the broad sense where is the modern music heading?

[Mike] I think about this seriously, and often. Because as a songwriter and producer of music CD's that are designed to help people connect with God I desperately want to be in touch with the next wave of musical expression. In recent years we have seen music become more complex, and production more complex. I wonder if what we have today is a result of our collective attention deficit disorder as a society. I believe we will see a turnabout and lyrics and musical expression will become more simplistic as a way of reflecting, or mirroring, our souls. Music will become a deeper, more valid expression of who we are.