I started playing on an old beat up acoustic and soon found out, that sound I liked was an electric guitar. I had to have it. Not long after a friend of mine had me over at his place. He had an old Sears electric guitar and amp. That was my new hang out. It didn’t take long for us to do some trading for it. First thing I did was take it apart and see how it worked and give it some Eddie Van Halen stripes. I was now obsessed with everything guitar. I began building my first electric guitars at 17 in High School wood shop class. The teacher just let me run with it as he had no idea about guitars. This was just before the internet, we had some books in the library, I got them all but still nothing on how to make guitars. This was a well keep secret I had to unravel. I would hang out at the music store when I could get out of the country and into town, I was shy and would peak into the repair shop. I was so fascinated. If only I could know what he knew. He was nice, answered some of my questions and sold me some fret wire.
For my senior project I made an electric guitar and wrote a report on the history of rock and roll. This also included a performance of a song I had written. Soon after, I had responded to an add in wood working magazine for a CNC operator at Warmoth Guitars in Washington State. I had no Idea what that was but I wanted to build guitar. They were very nice to me but of course declined. The rejection hit hard though. I was willing to do what ever it took, but I just didn’t understand they wanted a guy to push buttons and do math. Maybe I should have tried to get a scholarship to play basked ball. Later I found out from my coach I could have, but fuck that man. I wanted to rock! I had also been a roadie for guitar lessons at the time from my soon to be mentor Rodney Johnston. He played a 68 Les Paul Black Beauty. His style and tone unmatched to this day. I like to think I have some of that in me. Thank you Rod! Sadly he passed at age 51 from cancer. It’s strange to think that now I’m only 3 years younger then him at the age he passed. He said I’m not going to mess around with the other stuff, “I’m going to teach you how to rock and roll”. He also told me, “don’t be a punk rocker” play the blues. He would always say, “It’s not who you know It’s who you blow”. I would always think yeah yeah, I’ve heard that one before. I get it. But I really didn’t tell a few years later. Love you Rod! Rest in peace. Fast forward 30 years and dozen or more bands later my obsession with recording music building and playing guitar is unchanged. In fact it is strengthened. The music business is brutal. If you don’t wear more then one hat and have thick skin you wont last long. The question is not are you popular or famous? The question is are you happy? The music business will make you mentally ill if you let it. So I wear more then one hat and center myself with love and people who love me. For real! Most important keep creating and having fun. Say yes. But know when to say no. “AKA” drugs, scammers, time wasters. Take the gig Work hard. Just be you! That’s the only thing I can figure out so far.
Cheer!
Jamie Rust
Egregore Records & Stjernegitar 