Colin Gawel’s League Bowlers will be performing as a 3-piece Sunday, July 2nd, at Woodlands Tavern.
Showtime is 4 pm with Ricki C. doing a solo set to kick things off. FREE!
Listen While You Read! Click Here For Spotify Playlist Colin Gawel Guitar Highlights?
Sometimes at the coffee shop, customers will ask, “Oh, you play guitar? Do you play rhythm or lead?” To which I always pause, and then stammer out “Uh…..I guess… sorta both?”
On the surface, this shouldn’t be a difficult question to answer. I mean, my band Watershed was a 3-piece for the first 17 years of our existence. I played every guitar part live and (mostly) on every record. We played over one thousand shows before adding a second guitar player. But even then I played all the solos. At least with Watershed.
So technically, I’m a lead guitar player. But to call me that would be like calling me a journalist because I started Pencilstorm, or a writer because I’m writing this. There is a huge gulf between what I do on guitar and what a “real” guitar player is capable of doing.
For example, just last week I played a gig with Willie Phoenix at Comfest. Yes, we were both playing guitars, but there was only one guitar player on that stage and it wasn’t me.
But don’t get me wrong. I’m completely content within my limits. I have no interest in learning fancy scales or copying solos. (Ok, I can do a little of “Eruption.”) I don't buy new guitars or know anything about gear. I always leave gearheads disappointed by my lack of knowledge and enthusiasm for guitar discussions. I haven’t changed my rig since 1992. I haven’t bought a new guitar in 11 years. I use exactly one pedal. A cheap overdrive boost for my leads and feedback on demand. For me, a guitar is just a tool to help get the song across. I’ve been playing since I was so young it’s just an extension of my record collection, original songs, and my voice. I never think of myself as a guitar player. I think of Andy Harrison as a guitar player.
But I ended up playing all the guitars on the Watershed records because it was just easier for me to do it. I mean, I was sitting right there. And let me be clear, I did not write all these parts. Not even close. This is band situation so everyone contributed ideas, I would just be the one who holding the guitar as it was being recorded. When I listen back now I have very, very, very few memories of the guitar parts I’ve laid down. I have lots of other memories, but very few regarding guitars; which is odd because there are so many parts. When I put on my new fancy Airpods it’s like I’m listening to another person. Where did all this come from? It’s a marvel.
Anyway, this Sunday at Woodlands Tavern, our resident guitar hotshot, Rick Kinsinger, has to miss the gig. Normally when this happens I play solo acoustic or with just drummer Dave Masica. However, with Bowlers bassist Andy Hindman only in town on a quick break from his touring duties with The Goo Goo Dolls, the boys are clamoring for some version of a rock show. “Colin, you can just play lead guitar….” Me, “Uh, ok, I guess that sounds good.”
So in honor of revisiting the good old 3-piece days, I thought it might be fun if I took you on a brief tour of some of my personal guitar playing highlights through the years. Don’t worry, this won’t take long.
Twister 1995 - Epic Records
“Twister” - Recording as a lil’ ol 3-piece in the gigantic Studio A of The Power Station in NYC sure made us kids from Ohio feel small. The “King of Birds” (REM) inspired drum track that Herb Schupp laid down is the real hero of this song, but the dark vibe of the guitars says something about our little baby band. There is something happening here but I don’t know what it is.
“How Do You Feel?” - Sure we blew about $10,000 on this track just trying to get a guitar sound, but the solo holds up. It’s a mish-mash of Chuck Berry and Rick Nielsen that only a player with my limitations could have come up with. It’s become a Gary Richrath-esque part of the song. And in my book that’s a compliment. When we play it live, it has to be note for note like the record. No jamming in this one. And in all fairness $2,000 was spent on sushi. And I don’t even eat sushi. Yes, I have tried it.
Star Vehicle (1998 Thunder Creek Records)
“Star Vehicle” - Our most guitar hero-y record. The title track has my trademark feedback burst to announce Watershed’s permanent return to the minor leagues of rock n roll with authority. And the outro thing at the end is our poor man’s attempt at a Dream Police vibe. I love this. But we should all love the bands we are playing in.
“Super Stressed” - Probably 50% of all my career lead playing is this one song. Listening in headphones, it’s kinda badass. Even a wah-wah pedal.
“Consolation Prize” - Notable for the cool feedback break before the final outro. I remember that happening. Sometimes you just get lucky.
The More It Hurts The More It Works (2002 Idol Records)
“Mercurochrome” - Producer Tim Patalan is not a “Colin gets guitar solos” kinda guy so the “Super Stressed” days were over. A wise decision. We had never built a song around an acoustic before, but Tim had a vision of me playing downstrokes through the entire song in one take. My arm was cramping, my eyes were watering. “Tim, I can’t do it, I can’t keep up.”
“I know, that’s what makes it exciting, try again.”
“Romantic Noise” - I can still feel the heartbreak in my hands and heart when I listen to this solo.
“I’ve Been Looking Everywhere” - Tim let me fool around on our “live” track. A good mix of everything I’m capable of playing. I would have run out of ideas if the song was 5 seconds longer.
Fifth of July (2005 Idol Records)
“Lucky Day” - I think Fifth of July is our best record. It also has the least amount of lead guitar. Coincidence? My most blatant attempt to rip off Rick Nielsen. Fun Fact: Tim turned off my headphones when it was time to record this solo so I couldn’t hear the band or anything as I played it. So is it really me? Whatever. It worked.
“I’m Getting Ready” - A very “me” solo and a bunch of guitar parts I have no memory of recording. The only song we haven’t played live since the 5th tour. Probably because I cannot figure out the guitar parts we recorded.
Three Chords and a Cloud of Dust 2 Live (2007 Idol Records)
“Anniversary” - Mark “Pooch” Borror joined Watershed as a touring member during the More it Hurts tour and though I still played everything on the recordings, the band took on a needed dimension with another guitarist. The live ending of this song might be the highpoint of the Watershed catalog. Certainly my most definitive solo. I still get chills every time we play it.
“Suckerpunch” - Extended rave-up solo and rare glimpse of some lead guitar. Chills again. But what can I say? I’m in the band. I’m not a critic. I’m supposed to love it. *I forgot - I do not play on the studio version of “Suckerpunch.” That is John Speck, who is one of those real guitar players I could never hope to be. Once he laid it down, wasn’t much point in me going back in and watering things down his groove with my weak licks.
“The Best Is Yet to Come” - As Keith Richards describes what he and Ron Wood do as the “ancient art of weaving” that’s what Pooch and I are attempting to do on this live outro. Both guitars are so intertwined I cannot exactly tell who is playing what but it’s definitely rock n roll. And evidence of 10,000 hours playing together under fire.
Brick and Mortar (2012 B-Minus Records)
The first record where I do not play all the guitar parts. With Joe Peppercorn (The Whiles, Sgt. Peppercorn’s Marathon) in the fold writing and performing with the band, I’m mostly the right hand and Joe is the left. Or put another way, anything you hear that is interesting is Joe. I’m just laying the Watershed bedrock foundation.
The finger-picking on “Never Gonna Make it On My Own”? - Joe
That sneaky little lead before the final chorus on “Little Mistakes”? - Joe.
Those cool acoustic parts on “Sticky Bomb”? - Joe.
Producer Mike Landolt really caught lightning in a bottle on that record. I wish we had some more live recordings of that tour. There were some nights (DC, NYC) where Peppercorn was dialing up so much amazing stuff I would forget lyrics because I was so tuned into to what he was doing on guitar.
“On a Broken Radio” - The only guitar solo on the whole record is at the very end of the very last song. It was a tune brought in by - you guessed it - Joe Peppercorn, so I am trying to serve the song and I like the nifty Byrds/REM-type lick at the very end.
Superior - The Best of Colin Gawel (2015 B-Minus Records)
“Profile” - People seem surprised I played all the guitars on this track. “That’s you?” I played the bass too, but that’s pretty obvious if you give it a close listen.
“Superior” - “Man, “Superior” sounds amazing.” It sure does. But dig this lineup: recorded & produced by the talented Mike Landolt, with help from Rick Kinsinger, Dave Masica (drums) Jeff Ciampa (bass) Andy Harrison (guitars) Joe Peppercorn (keys) and Megan Palmer on harmony vocals.
That is an all-star lineup that would make Ringo Starr jealous. I played the acoustic guiding track and sang obviously, but when it came time for the solo at the end, I said “Hand me that guitar real quick and hit record.”
I didn’t even tune. One take. My go-to Springsteen rip-off riff. Works every time.
The League Bowlers - Some Balls Deluxe (2018 B-Minus Records)
Every Song.
This is a guitar band through and through. But it’s not me doing the heavy lifting, it’s the late, great Mike Parks showcasing his incredible 6-string skills. Mike was a true guitar hero. When the Bowlers were doing 3-set bar gigs, we would just turn Mike loose on a song like “Swingin’” (Tom Petty) or “Essence” (Lucinda Williams) and he could cover 20 minutes all by himself. And treat yourself to a close examination of this record. So many tasty parts from Mr. Parks. And don’t sleep on that filthy slide guitar he could throw down. The last song, “11th Frame,” was recorded by Rick Kinsinger while Mike was literally in hospice care. Think about that for a moment as you give it a listen.
Extended Player (2020 B-Minus Records)
“Resonate” - It all comes full circle as the original Watershed trio of Joe Oestreich, Herb Schupp and myself return to The Loft in Saline, Michigan to cut some wax with our pal Tim Patalan. “Tim, I think I have an idea for a solo that might work here.” Tim, looks at me skeptically and says “Mmm.” I play the solo and he says, “Mmmm.” But he left it in the track. I like this solo. It’s very me. And it should be noted that while Tim wisely doesn’t turn me loose on lead guitar on every single Watershed track he cuts, for better or worse, it is always me playing. Even if I am struggling with a part for hours and a better player could knock it out in 5 minutes, he never lets me off the hook. That’s what great producers know. Only Watershed sounds like Watershed, for better or for worse. It has to be me. No hired guns. (However, fellow Pencil Stormer Jeremy Porter contributed parts to the song “Hey Lydia” and Tim did not erase them, making him the single exception to the rule.)
Uh-oh, coffee customer walking in so I have got to jump. But I’ll leave you with this clip from Comfest 2023 featuring Willie Phoenix and yours truly. Guess which one of us is the real guitar slinger?