Nels Cline

[on working with Julian Lage] His virtuosity kicked my ass, but it also inspired me to start working on new music. I initially presented Julian with what I was calling 'squibs', very small cells of information that would be connected by free improvisation or that would suggest a way to improvise. And gradually songs came together that were more traditional. Show less «

[observation, 2014] I have to be less physical than I was, because I ended up getting old and hurting myself. I'm trying to be less cavalier in my movements and actions. But I have this odd propensity for doing hideous things to my instrument, and then meticulously cleaning it and caressing it later. I can't help it. But I'm more careful than I used to be. Show less «

My interests are varied. And the nature of the electric guitar is quite flexible.This sort of polyglot sensibility and the electric guitar go well together, so I end up doing lots of different things, which I like. Bear in kind, with some of these records I'm only on a couple of tracks. And some are accidental releases. I'll go out and play with some people, and we're improvising and somebody records it and it comes out sounding good. And somebody says, 'Can I put this out?' And I say, 'Sure'. Show less «