One of four different album covers for Shane Speal & the Snakes "Stay Primal"
The King of the Cigar Box Guitar has just released his first new album in three years... and it's an unplugged jug band feast!
Acoustic cigar box guitars, washboard, washtub basses, homemade percussion and even a real jug fill up the 11 songs on Stay Primal, the latest from Shane Speal & the Snakes.
The album is a celebration of cigar box guitar and homemade music. Speal even sings about building CBG's in the song, "If It's Too Loud (I'll Go and Build Another)!" Another song, "Everybody Get a Rock" is about the infamous Razzy Dazzy Spasm Band from the 1800's, an ensemble that played cigar box guitars and homemade instruments.
"The entire album was inspired by an acoustic cigar box guitar built by G. S. Monroe," says Speal. "It was made with a big, antique cigar box that completely captured the essence of Depression Era jug band. That one instrument made me want to turn off the amplifiers and get back to the roots of the cigar box guitar."
Above: G. S. Monroe Masterworks guitar, the inspiration behind the Stay Primal album. Shane Speal used the instrument on the majority of songs.
Hear the first track, "Drinkin' Beer" and then scroll down for a video lesson from Shane on how to play it!
Replies
Hi Shane, Thanks for the Drinking Beer tutorial. I have a Kurt Schoen 4 string and would love to learn this tune. What strings do you find work best for the open F?
Thanks,
d.b.
That drunken method really did work out for y'all. Love that first track.
LOL...I quit drinking three weeks before we recorded this. My band, however, downed two cases during this session. Not joking... :)