INTERVIEW DOUBBLE BILL CONCERT WITH JOHN RENBOURN (USA)
By Tucker Petertil for the Olympia Newspaper (WA-USA)

Tucker Petertil:
Will you be using any effects (Loops, etc...) in your Olympia performance?

Pierre Bensusan:
No, I've stopped one year ago to use any effect. Nowadays, my sound is a combo of mic in front of the sound hole and direct pick-up output, and the 2 only effects I use are reverb and volume pedal.I will also use for the first time, the "Pierre Bensusan Signature Lowden Guitar", which is still in its experimental phase, and should come out for the NAMM show in Nashville in July.

Have you played with John Renbourn before? If so when and how did that come about?

PB: Yes, in London about 15 years ago. It was a tripple bill including David Bromberg, and the 3 of us were invited by John Williams, (the classical guitarist) and played together at the end of the show. It was at Queens Elizabeth Hall, during the London Summer Banks Festival. But we have met several times in the past on the concert circuit, work often with the same people and have developp a nice friendship. I remember the first time I meet John in 1975 at the Concarneau Festival in Brittany. I was not booked there and was just visiting my friend Dan Ar Bras. John asked the promoter if I could play before he went on stage with his band. That was very nice and generous of him.

Do you consider his music to be an influence on your own? If so, how ? When did you first hear him?

PB: Absolutly ! Pentangle was the very first English Modern Folk band I have listened to, it was back in 1974. Listening to John's playing was a trip. I remember studying some of his tunes, and there was and still is one of our commun friends, Remy Froissard, who was the main Renbourn specialist in Paris, He had managed to learn to play so many tunes by hear, at a time when hardly any written music by John was available. It was a time when you had to work hard and use both ears to play your favourit pieces. Today you click on your computer and order the music notation and tab. That's different. We were all revering Remy very much for that. John was already a mith to us and a house light. His style was already a bridge bewteen England, Europe and the USA. It was a unique sound. So you can imagine how excited I am to play in Seattle and Olympia as well as 8 other double bill concerts with him on this US tour.

Any others who have inspired or influenced you?

PB: Many. I very rarely sat down and learn other people's tunes or licks, but just listening is plenty. I would name Bert Jansch, Martin Carthy, Nic Jones, Doc Watson, Rev. Gary Davis, Mississippi John Hurt, Big Bill Bronzie, Django Reinhardt, Ry Cooder, Earl Klugh, John Mac Laughlin, Ralph Towner, Jim Hall, Jimmy Hendrix, Eric Schoenberg, Yan Vagh, Jimmy Page, Larry Corryell, Lenny Brau, Pat Metheny, John Abercrombie, Bill Frisel, Andy Timmons, Egberto Gismonti, Cacho Tirao, Roberto Aussel, Leo Brouwer, Paco De Lucia, Vincente Amigo, just to name a few.