This makes me want to share my story of how I learned of Michael, b.c let's face it, it wasn't through a radio. Anyways I was born in '89, so I missed out entirely. So one day like 7 years ago I'm sitting w.an ex doing the usual, tolerating some b.s. she was into..this time it was a shabby crime solved series called "bones" , I'll never forget watching this corny end of the episode, and this song w.two guitarists just killing it, sounded like nothing is heard before..so I went to the internet and found out it was Arial boundaries..and it was one guitarists, and it wasn't multiple parts dubed over each other..so I go UA-cam and get to see it played live by one man, completely how I heard it on tv. it blew my mind, and continued to as I listened to everything of his that was preserved here.
Like most of his fans, I am angry and frustrated that the vaults have not been opened and that his music seems to be lost to the ages. He should be remembered as one of the great 20th century composers for guitar but it seems that is not happening with mediocre players selling more and making more inroads in the contemporary landscape. (continued in next post)
thank you so much for taking the time to post your letter. mike was an incredibly wonderful guy, and keeping his memory alive for future generations is important. it sounds like your students have figured that out as well.
But your video postings are like a bit of sunshine and an amazing look into the past that only you could have given. On behalf of myself and all my guitar students past and present, I extend to you my deepest gratitude for decision to share this with the world. And thank you especially for this video as I have never seen him perform this song. It made me realize again why he blew me away and changed the way I approach music.
🤍Saturday, Feb 25,1987 ♡date of this show!! 🎅🏻🐻The next tune was written for a soundtrack of a children's video called the "Santabear's First Christmas. " "i was working on a suite for harp guitar ~ space theme ~ 10 tunes= 9 planets + sun ~ so i worked this out ~ concept album ~ But after i got done with the first tune, i was made a very nice offer for some music for the children's video and this tune for harp guitar just happened to work out- just great. But i still kept the planetary title. It's called The Double Planet."
This is a letter of gratitude to thank you for taking the time to put the work of Michael Hedges up on the web as it has been so long neglected by his estate. I met him about five times and cannot articulate the profound effect his music had on my creative life as well as that of many of my guitar students. One student who just graduated from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia wrote a piece called "Homage" and dedicated it to him. It was amazing. (continued on next post)
I was lucky enough to live in Palo Alto from 1977 to around the 1984, so I got to see Micheal many times, from when he first showed up at the New Varsity, playing outside for the people waiting in line, to his stage performances years later. I remember I was in Gryphon stringed instruments one day and he burst in with this outrageous looking instrument, called a Harp Guitar. He was really excited about it and played a few riffs on it for the owner and all the patrons who happened to be there. His music lives on , like a stone thrown into a still pond, the waves reaching forever outward
This is such a treasure. Thank you so much for posting it. The Double Planet is one of my favorites, and I had despaired of ever seeing Michael play it.
I've only just discovered this wonderful artist today - I guess that here in England we didn't get much exposure to his music which is a shame. I found out about him from a weekly record shop newsletter letting me know that his 1984 Aerial Boundaries album has just been re-released on vinyl over here. His work sounds stunning and I shall be buying a copy of this very shortly. Thanks to Randy and everybody else who has uploaded his material to YT - what a shame that Michael isn't around to entertain us more.
skidco1 I am forever humbled by Michael's mention of me in the liner notes, thank you section on Aerial Boundaries. Some of the tunes he played for me (Rickover's Dream) just as he finished them. Halcyon Days. Glad to hear you have discovered this huge talent.
Randy Lutge Hi Randy and thanks for your message. You knew Michael - can you tell us any more about this, ie how you met etc. To hear material first hand as it is completed must be sensational. The closest I have been to a great acoustic guitarist is Gordon Giltrap, literally about six feet from him as he played - no need for amplification that night!!
skidco1 I was lucky to be a partner, and the music producer, at The New Varsity in Palo Alto, California when Michael moved to California and came round to our place, playing there regularly for 7 years, from busking to the 800 seat concert stage. We became friends. I shot, or produced, all the videos on this site.
Love Michael Hedges..a gifted musician very much so..! Love this composition on Harp guitar his techniques are unique. Does anybody know the tuning on this song.Thank you for this post greatly appreciated 🙏. RIP 🙏 Michael Hedges.
Been looking at MH stuff on here for two or so years, though perhaps not in a concerted way. Been a fan since his first album, which I owned. Along with the second, and third.... Was just listening to The Double Planet on my lovely speakers, gazing out the window from my 2nd home in northern Newfoundland on two grounded icebergs from Greenland and several drift ice pinnacles from the Lab coast. I wondered if there were other versions of The Double Planet, and so I searched. I thought I'd found every extraordinary example of Hedges playing harp guitar. This is another stunning example of his musicianship. Thank you Randy for giving us more excellence and joy. There's a lot of stress in the world right now, in part caused by bad politics and bad people. This gives me some hope.
Let's share a drink in his memory if you ever visit his home town of Mendocino, where I live, though Northern Newfoundland sounds like a kind of place one doesn't leave often...
Okay so this isn't one of my favorite MH songs but it is still pretty awesome. Maybe a few more hearings and it will grow on me. What incredible talent and we can still revisit him in this way.
2:24 ..... he slightly reluctantly surrendered a work in progress tune for a commercial contract ...... like Paul Simon and Mrs (Roosevelt) Robinson ?!!
This makes me want to share my story of how I learned of Michael, b.c let's face it, it wasn't through a radio. Anyways I was born in '89, so I missed out entirely. So one day like 7 years ago I'm sitting w.an ex doing the usual, tolerating some b.s. she was into..this time it was a shabby crime solved series called "bones" , I'll never forget watching this corny end of the episode, and this song w.two guitarists just killing it, sounded like nothing is heard before..so I went to the internet and found out it was Arial boundaries..and it was one guitarists, and it wasn't multiple parts dubed over each other..so I go UA-cam and get to see it played live by one man, completely how I heard it on tv. it blew my mind, and continued to as I listened to everything of his that was preserved here.
Like most of his fans, I am angry and frustrated that the vaults have not been opened and that his music seems to be lost to the ages. He should be remembered as one of the great 20th century composers for guitar but it seems that is not happening with mediocre players selling more and making more inroads in the contemporary landscape.
(continued in next post)
Michael Kovacs I couldn't agree more.
thank you so much for taking the time to post your letter. mike was an incredibly wonderful guy, and keeping his memory alive for future generations is important. it sounds like your students have figured that out as well.
But your video postings are like a bit of sunshine and an amazing look into the past that only you could have given. On behalf of myself and all my guitar students past and present, I extend to you my deepest gratitude for decision to share this with the world.
And thank you especially for this video as I have never seen him perform this song. It made me realize again why he blew me away and changed the way I approach music.
🤍Saturday, Feb 25,1987 ♡date of this show!! 🎅🏻🐻The next tune was written for a soundtrack of a children's video called the "Santabear's First Christmas. " "i was working on a suite for harp guitar ~ space theme ~ 10 tunes= 9 planets + sun ~ so i worked this out ~ concept album ~ But after i got done with the first tune, i was made a very nice offer for some music for the children's video and this tune for harp guitar just happened to work out- just great. But i still kept the planetary title. It's called The Double Planet."
This is a letter of gratitude to thank you for taking the time to put the work of Michael Hedges up on the web as it has been so long neglected by his estate. I met him about five times and cannot articulate the profound effect his music had on my creative life as well as that of many of my guitar students. One student who just graduated from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia wrote a piece called "Homage" and dedicated it to him. It was amazing. (continued on next post)
Michael was a generational talent.
really nice to have an up close and personal vid of this
I was lucky enough to live in Palo Alto from 1977 to around the 1984, so I got to see Micheal many times, from when he first showed up at the New Varsity, playing outside for the people waiting in line, to his stage performances years later. I remember I was in Gryphon stringed instruments one day and he burst in with this outrageous looking instrument, called a Harp Guitar. He was really excited about it and played a few riffs on it for the owner and all the patrons who happened to be there. His music lives on , like a stone thrown into a still pond, the waves reaching forever outward
This is such a treasure. Thank you so much for posting it. The Double Planet is one of my favorites, and I had despaired of ever seeing Michael play it.
Holy shit i just realized his harmonics trick. YEYEYEYYYE
Thank you Randy for having the courage to put this up.
I've only just discovered this wonderful artist today - I guess that here in England we didn't get much exposure to his music which is a shame. I found out about him from a weekly record shop newsletter letting me know that his 1984 Aerial Boundaries album has just been re-released on vinyl over here. His work sounds stunning and I shall be buying a copy of this very shortly. Thanks to Randy and everybody else who has uploaded his material to YT - what a shame that Michael isn't around to entertain us more.
skidco1 I am forever humbled by Michael's mention of me in the liner notes, thank you section on Aerial Boundaries. Some of the tunes he played for me (Rickover's Dream) just as he finished them. Halcyon Days. Glad to hear you have discovered this huge talent.
Randy Lutge Hi Randy and thanks for your message. You knew Michael - can you tell us any more about this, ie how you met etc. To hear material first hand as it is completed must be sensational. The closest I have been to a great acoustic guitarist is Gordon Giltrap, literally about six feet from him as he played - no need for amplification that night!!
skidco1 I was lucky to be a partner, and the music producer, at The New Varsity in Palo Alto, California when Michael moved to California and came round to our place, playing there regularly for 7 years, from busking to the 800 seat concert stage. We became friends. I shot, or produced, all the videos on this site.
Randy Lutge Hi Randy, you lucky person! I wish I'd had a job like that. Thanks for the further background which is really interesting to read about.
skidco1 : )
Love Michael Hedges..a gifted musician very much so..! Love this composition on Harp guitar his techniques are unique. Does anybody know the tuning on this song.Thank you for this post greatly appreciated 🙏. RIP 🙏 Michael Hedges.
he is and was all that.....I grew up around his following . now I'm thankfull for this ...
Been looking at MH stuff on here for two or so years, though perhaps not in a concerted way. Been a fan since his first album, which I owned. Along with the second, and third.... Was just listening to The Double Planet on my lovely speakers, gazing out the window from my 2nd home in northern Newfoundland on two grounded icebergs from Greenland and several drift ice pinnacles from the Lab coast. I wondered if there were other versions of The Double Planet, and so I searched. I thought I'd found every extraordinary example of Hedges playing harp guitar. This is another stunning example of his musicianship. Thank you Randy for giving us more excellence and joy. There's a lot of stress in the world right now, in part caused by bad politics and bad people. This gives me some hope.
Let's share a drink in his memory if you ever visit his home town of Mendocino, where I live, though Northern Newfoundland sounds like a kind of place one doesn't leave often...
Okay so this isn't one of my favorite MH songs but it is still pretty awesome. Maybe a few more hearings and it will grow on me. What incredible talent and we can still revisit him in this way.
2:24
..... he slightly reluctantly surrendered a work in progress tune for a commercial contract ......
like Paul Simon and Mrs (Roosevelt) Robinson ?!!
cool. i wish the audio balance was a little better.
whatup coke