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Thursday, September 13, 2007
Reynolds' Rap by Sean Corbett

Reynolds' Rap
Tim Reynolds: inter-dimensional traveler, Dennis Kucinich supporter, ace guitarist

By Sean Corbett

Tim Reynolds
Fairfield Theatre Company, 70 Sanford St., Fairfield. Sept. 14. 7:30 p.m. $42 non-members, $32 members. (203) 259-1036, www.fairfieldtheatre.org

It's been about eight years and countless sold-out Tim Reynolds shows since the widely acclaimed Dave and Tim CD Live at Luther College was released and some people still have no idea who that little guy is sitting next to Dave. The one who can make an acoustic guitar sound like a UFO landing in your backyard. They just know Dave has a friend named Tim.

Truth is, Dave Matthews wishes he was Tim Reynolds. In certain circles Reynolds is considered a visionary, a master, a living legend. And if you pick up one of his 15 solo CDs, you'll find yourself right there in those circles.

I've been listening to Reynolds since hearing Luther College in '99 and while my interest in his acoustic style led me to other musicians like Leo Kottke and Keller Williams, I've still never heard anything as true and honest as a Tim Reynolds song. The improvisation, the bizarre intricacies, the emotion (raw)—it's mysterious and beautiful in a way you've always hoped music can be.

Once I found out that he's coming to Fairfield Theater's StageOne on Friday, I needed to talk to him. And in a mind-blowing hour-long phone conversation, we covered topics ranging from inter-dimensional travel to campaigning with Dennis Kucinich in 2004, and from his fan site to his new DVD with Dave Matthews, Live at Radio City Music Hall.

Tim on the new Dave & Tim DVD:

"I watched it at a friend's house last week in full sound, on a huge projection screen. It was actually really overwhelming and I had to leave," he says with a laugh. "But Dave is fucking kickin' on that thing! It really blew me away."

Tim on the guitar:

"I've been doing electric for a while and I did it a few times earlier this year. Mostly I've been playing acoustic, and it complements me really digging writing, and just realizing that you never know enough on any instrument. I just want to learn more."

Tim on the blues:

"Yesterday I started playing the old blues guys again and revisiting some of that. Revisiting and reeducating myself on the way to play one note and make it very subtly different for a long time. Studying a very simple form like blues and then seeing how complex a blues tune by one of the old masters is. If you listen to every little thing they do, it's like, you can't write that shit down. It's so raw and authentic. Like John Hammond, I just think he's the shit. The man can get down. He's just bringin' it. That motherfucker is rockin' like some bands wish they could."

Tim on his fan site, TimReynolds.com:

"It's just a whole different world, I don't even relate to it in a way. Although I really appreciate that people like it."

Tim on inter-dimensional travel:

"I just try to keep it in my head that it's all about the music for me and I should just keep making music. And as I get older, I almost feel like it controls me to be that way. And it almost feels like at some point it happens, and I'm in outer space and I'm flying into this what-music-is dimension that's on earth, but it's also in other dimensions simultaneously that you really can't even put into words, but you can put it into music.

"I think there's inter-dimensional traveling because physics demands it in a way, and I feel that through music that's real. I don't really go for the aliens hanging out and visiting us. I think there's inter-dimensional consciousness visiting us. But the whole Roswell thing is a totally different story."

Tim on meditation:

"When you're breathing quiet and you quiet your mind, once you can really do that for even five seconds, [it's] a totally different dimension that's completely ongoing, everywhere all the time. It's like musical inspiration; it's just waiting for us to tap into. As I get older, that sense of truth, you can't even put certain things into words or reason and I think it just comes out in music, I just give myself to that.

Tim on the '08 presidential election:

He started to laugh. "I'm gonna say 'fuck' a lot. I'm still in a dark, black widow mode from the last election.

"What [Dennis] Kucinich did [in '04] was brave and I still think he's the shit and he should be president. After going all over the country seeing how things are in the country, the whole system—media, government—they're so fixed on image and anti-substance. Something is going to have to unite us that isn't based on fear, because our country is really a giant ego of fear.

"Part of me wants to get wild with [campaigning with Kucinich again], but part of me just feels like the whole government system needs to blow its fascist wad and get over itself. Maybe Bush will be the first one to wake up and say, 'This is bullshit, I ain't workin' for you guys anymore.'"

http://fairfieldweekly.com/article.cfm?aid=2964