Solos:
During the filming of "This is Spinal Tap," DiBergi
captured some of Nigels better known solo performances"my
solos are my trademark." In one, he uses a violin as a bow
on his guitar (stopping to tune the violin) and then brings out
horseshoesall techniques that he had perfected by the time
Guitar Player did a cover story on him for its first issue in
1967. "I cant really get into it unless Ive been
playing 12 or 13 minutes. Because, musically, thats where
I start to form a structure. And I usually think of what Ive
had to eat; if its been Indian food, then maybe Id
write a tune later on. Or if I havent had Indian food, if
my trousers are bunchin up in the back. Sometimes they ride
up, during the show. I think, Well, good, because when I
finish playing I can pull them down a little bit. Or I think
sometimes that the roadie, the bloke that changes my cord, doesnt
smell good. Things like that." (GP) During Tap's residency
at the Electric Banana in the late 1960s, Nigel recalls, he played
a solo that lasted 46 minutes. "They had to change my strings
while I was actually playing." (QM) Often his solos are so
long and involved that Derek and David have been known to step
out for dinner or a leg wax and facial. Nigels solo on "Break
Like the Wind""Springtime"has been
compared to both early Steppenwolf and Moby Grape. (IST) His efforts
are not highlighted on "Break Like the Wind," in part
because of the mischievous antics of David and Derek. On the title
track, Nigel was scheduled to share the stage with Jeff Beck,
Slash and Joe Satriani. Nigel explains: "It was a rather
unpleasant surprise. You see, as it is now, I do the first solo,
the Spanish guitar solo. Then I do the first electric solo. Then
the other chaps do their bit. But originally it was to be all
mine. But Derek and David for a birthday surprise erased the rest
of my playing. It came as quite a shock to walk into the studio
and hear this other music and have to say, Wheres
the rest of what I did? And they started singing, Happy
birthday to you... Theyd meant it as a tribute."
(CT) Still, there is no doubt Nigel has the respect of his fellow
band members. As David recently told Guitar World (February 1997):
"No one plays like Nigel. No one even tries." (GW3)
See also Short n' Easy.