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Jonny Greenwood says modern guitar bands play their “grandparents’ instruments”

Jonny Greenwood has accused modern guitar bands of playing their "grandparents instruments".

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Jonny Greenwood has accused modern guitar bands of playing their “grandparents instruments”.

Speaking to NME in a new interview, which you can read in full by clicking here, Greenwood was asked about the challenges facing guitars players in 2014. “Guitar bands forming now are often playing the instruments of their grandparents’ generation – and often in the same style,” he commented. “The Beatles didn’t pick up banjos when they started, after all…”.

Greenwood, who plays Wapping Hydraulic Power Station this Sunday (February 23) with London Contemporary Orchestra soloists, added: “I guess, looked at in the right way, things like 808 drum machines are now very old, but still ubiquitous. So maybe it’s better to think of all these things as being as current – or as retro – as anything else. I enjoy there being lots of technology to play with, however old it is.”

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Speaking about his plans for this weekend’s show, he said he’ll be playing new material, including “A few short pieces – hopefully one with guitar and strings, if it’s sounding OK in rehearsals.” He will also be performing his soundtrack material from There Will Be Blood, Norwegian Wood and The Master.

It was recently revealed that Greenwood will score the soundtrack to the new Thomas Anderson film, Inherent Vice. The guitarist worked on the music for the director’s last two films – There Will Be Blood and The Master – and has now signed up to write the score for the upcoming crime movie, with London’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Next month (March 3), Greenwood will release a split album of orchestral compositions with The National‘s Bryce Dessner. The LP, entitled St. Carolyn By The Sea/Suite From There Will Be Blood will feature Dessner’s 2011 work St. Carolyn By The Sea – on which Dessner’s brother, The National’s Aaron Dessner plays electric guitar – 2012’s Lachrimae and 2007’s Raphael alongside Greenwood’s There Will Be Blood score.

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