|
 For this month’s feature of Guitar Star of the Month, we will focus in on the art of playing rhythm guitar. And with the exception of Keith Richards and Malcolm Young, I couldn’t think of anyone more deserving than Morgan Lander of Kittie for this feature. That’s right, the hot chick from Kittie!!! Who said that girls can’t rock???? Don’t tell that to Morgan because she would likely shove her guitar neck down your throat.
For those of you snickering about my choice, you obviously have not listened to Morgan’s work over the last eight years with Kittie. At the age of only 25, Morgan has come up with a career full of killer heavy riffs and infectious hooks. On the most recent Kittie CD entitled “Funeral for Yesterday,” Morgan is at the top of her game. Take a listen to “Summer Dies” or “Witch Hunt” from that aforementioned CD and you’ll hear it for yourself. Morgan’s was born to be a star, she’s a very talented musician and an amazing vocalist who can sing like an angel and then roar like a possessed demon.
So with out further adieu here is our Guitar Star of the Month for May 2007-Morgan Lander!!!(photos by Gus Griesinger)
How many guitars do you own?
I honestly have so many that I have lost track! I would say somewhere in the 15 to 20 range though, they pretty much fill up a couple closets.
What was your very first guitar?
My very first guitar was a hand me down acoustic that my Aunt had when she was a teenager. The action was so horrible on it so I didn’t enjoy playing it very much. My very first electric guitar was a strat copy guitar called an El Degas…It was black and I payed $90 for it from some hesher dude I contacted through an add in the classifieds.
 |
What is your most favorite guitar that you have ever owned and what makes it so great?
I would say the guitars I love the most are the ones I play regularly live. My Hamer custom Vectors. They are the perfect size for me, and there is just something about the V shape that I am so comfortable with and am drawn to. It also doesn’t hurt that there are a couple of EMG 81’s in there that sound great through a Mesa Boogie turned up to 10 J
What kind of Petals and effects do you use when playing live?
I actually am really low maintenance when it comes to my guitar set up live. Straight amp distortion is what I love best! Our lead guitar player uses a few effects, like a Cry Baby Wah, but I like to leave the effects thing to her.
What kind of amp do you use?
Mesa Boogie Triple Rectifier with a 4x10 cabinet
At what age did you start playing guitar?
I believe I began taking lessons at around age 8 or 9. It was mostly theory and I learned  on a rented acoustic guitar.
What inspired you to start?
While other little girls wanted to learn how to play the piano, I wanted to be a rocker and learn how to play guitar!
How long do you use to practice when you first started ?
I used to hate to practice when I first began lessons around age 8. But when I rediscovered guitar around the age of 13, I can remember just sitting by my CD player in my bedroom pretty much all day trying to figure out song after song and making up stuff of my own as well.
And what did you practice? (Songs, scales, ect…)
I mostly learned by ear, although I did have a little theory when I was younger. I honestly just wanted to learn how to play songs I enjoyed and rock out.
Do you still practice often, if so how often and what do you play when practicing?
As a band we practice everyday that we are not on tour, and when I get time of my own to practice, I mostly just try to figure new stuff out and write songs.
Who were some of your favorite guitarists ?
Dimebag, Ted Nugent, Eddie Van Halen, guys that are so amazing and all have groundbreaking, innovative styles.
Did you learn how to read music? If no, can you read music now?
Initially I learned how to play guitar note for note from theory books, so to a certain degree yes I can read music. But as a songwriter that ability doesn’t really come into play for me, so I have sort of just thrown it out the window.
At one point where you able to play by ear?
I’ve always been pretty quick at picking stuff up that I hear, but I am definitely more of a visual learner. I would say that once I had gained a certain comfort and level of guitar comprehension (about 2 or 3 years after I began playing) I was able to play stuff by ear.
What advice would you give someone who is struggling playing by ear?
Just keep at it! Some people (like myself) are more visual learners and sometimes it takes a bit more time for people like us to get the hang of things. Start off easy and once you understand the basics you’ll discover how quickly you can pick up stuff! If that doesn’t work out for you there are plenty of really great instructional DVDs that can help you out!
How do you go about composing a solo for a song?
I like to leave the noodling to our lead guitar player Tara, but writing a full song for me is a process that involves Mercedes (our drummer) and I getting together and exchanging ideas about a song. We have this amazing unspoken bond and when its time to write, we both usually know what each others next move musically will be. Things happen so quickly its unbelievable!
Do you ever write in alternate tunings?
We have in the past, but for the most part we like to keep things simple and write all of our songs in our drop C tuning.
 |
What other styles of music are you competent in?
You know, metal is where my heart lies, so I have never really explored other genres too extensively. This band is all I have ever known since I was 14 years old, so it has been hard to get away from that. But My playing is influenced by all different types of music that I think my particular style is a little bit of a lot of things, not just straight up metal.
What other instruments can you play?
I can play piano, a little bass and I learned trumpet in school! I also sing, and I think the voice is also an instrument in its own right!
When playing live if you hit the wrong note, what do you do?
You just keep on playing! Most of the time people don’t notice anyways, and that’s the beauty of playing live! You get your shot night after night to perfect your art…
 |
Gigs
You’ve played so many amazing gigs over your career. Please tell us your five most memorable.
Ozzfest Detroit 2000
Kids were shimmying up trees just to get a glimpse of our set. It was amazing to play to that many people!
San Antonio 2004
I specifically remember this show not only for the amazing Texas crowd, but for the fact that this was the hottest show we have ever played! The 800 capacity club was packed to the brim, it was the middle of summer, and even stepping inside meant that you would be drenched in your own sweat in a matter of minutes.
Abilene Texas 2004
This show was memorable simply because the police showed up half way through our set and proceeded to pull the power on us because we were using expletives on stage and there were 500 kids in the club (too many by Abilene standards). We were told to cut our set short or face a night in jail.
Ozzfest Donnington 2002
This show was amazing because it was our first trip back to England in years and we received such a warm welcome. Kids were absolutely crazy and rushed the orderly line to the second stage whist we were setting up to play!
Mexico City 2003
Our first trip to Mexico to play! We felt like Metallica! A crush of hundreds of kids were pulling at our clothes and our hair as we tried to casually hang outside and talk to people and sign autographs. There were some points where things got life-threateningly scary, but looking back it was amazing.
www.myspace.com/officialkittie
|
