Turn It Up! A Celebration of the Electric Guitar

Robert Radler spent eight years working on Turn It Up!, an informative if also scattershot documentary exploring all things related to the electric guitar. Actor Kevin Bacon, a guitarist in the Bacon Brothers, proves an affable host who helps to tie the disparate parts together. The more successful segments include his overview of the history of the instrument from the 1940s to today, footage of greats like Freddie King and Mike Bloomfield, and demonstrations of various techniques and models, including the famed Fender Stratocaster. Les Paul, in one of his last interviews, talks about his own instrumental innovations, such as the Gibson Les Paul. Other notable speakers include B.B. King, Robbie Krieger (the Doors), Steve Lukather (Toto), and Nancy Wilson (Heart). To Paul Stanley of KISS, the electric guitar is “an instrument that will always win, because you can always crank it up.” Radler also profiles up-and-coming players, like Kristen Capolino, a nimble-fingered young virtuoso. But excerpts from guitar conventions, band competitions, and rock and roll fantasy camps are not as interesting. Nor is the input from a few well-heeled hobbyists, such as former Hungarian Ambassador András Simonyi and former New Hampshire Congressman Paul Hodes, who share the professionals' enthusiasm for the guitar, but have little to offer. Hodes acknowledges as much when he references King and Eric Clapton while talking about the difficulty of developing a unique tone, concluding, “Tone is the reason they're rock stars, and I'm a congressman.” Extras include extended interviews. A strong optional purchase. (K. Fennessy)