Buck62
噛んでくれ
Source: Guitar Player Magazine - www.guitarplayer.com
Date: June 1, 2003
Survivor's Tale
Michael Gurley
By Robbie Gennet
As guitarist for the alt power trio, Dada - and, more recently, Butterfly Jones - Michael Gurley’s fluid, shimmering Strat lines and rhythmic phrasing have made him an underground hero. He’s also capable of uncorking epic solos that wow concert audiences to the point of hysteria. Gurley may make it look easy now, but, at one time, he almost had to stop playing for good. This is how Gurley survived a guitar player’s worst nightmare: losing the use of his hands.
"The night after a New Year’s gig in 1994, my left index finger was numb and tingling," relates Gurley. "From there, the sensation moved into my left arm, and, pretty soon, both arms were hurting. I didn’t have the guts to take some time off to see what was wrong because I was the only guitarist in the band, and everyone was depending on me to be there."
"I took lots of anti-inflammatory medications, but I was still in so much pain that I couldn’t fall asleep unless I had both wrists in ice. I thought, ‘What am I going to do if I can’t play guitar?’ I was so desperate for a quick fix that I saw five different chiropractors, a couple of surgeons, an acupuncturist, and even a hypnotist! The most radical thing I did was to have Cortisone injections in my carpal tunnel area. The doctor said I might feel relief instantly, but it just caused more pain. Surgery was out of the question because I was getting conflicting opinions about whether it would help."
"I finally found out that my main problem was tendonitis - which you can’t operate on. I was told I had to stop playing guitar. Well, that wasn’t an option, so I started changing some things. I switched to extremely light, .008-gauge string sets - which, for a guitarist, is almost like admitting you wear a toupee - lowered my action, and tuned down a half step. I also take Advil before I play for its anti-inflammatory action, and I ice my arms for 15 minutes immediately after each gig. What has helped me a lot is a super-intense, deep massage called Rolfing. The idea is to break up the scar tissue or inflammation, and, for me, the pain really subsides after each session."
"If you don’t want this to happen you, don’t be macho. If you’re starting to feel pain when you play, just stop. I don’t care if you’re auditioning for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, nothing is worth messing up your hands. Ultimately, you have to face the fact you’re injured, and figure out what to do. Think about it - if I had just taken a break, I would probably be fine today."
_______________________________
Note from the webmaster: You can send feedback on this article to guitplyr@musicplayer.com.
Date: June 1, 2003
Survivor's Tale
Michael Gurley
By Robbie Gennet
As guitarist for the alt power trio, Dada - and, more recently, Butterfly Jones - Michael Gurley’s fluid, shimmering Strat lines and rhythmic phrasing have made him an underground hero. He’s also capable of uncorking epic solos that wow concert audiences to the point of hysteria. Gurley may make it look easy now, but, at one time, he almost had to stop playing for good. This is how Gurley survived a guitar player’s worst nightmare: losing the use of his hands.
"The night after a New Year’s gig in 1994, my left index finger was numb and tingling," relates Gurley. "From there, the sensation moved into my left arm, and, pretty soon, both arms were hurting. I didn’t have the guts to take some time off to see what was wrong because I was the only guitarist in the band, and everyone was depending on me to be there."
"I took lots of anti-inflammatory medications, but I was still in so much pain that I couldn’t fall asleep unless I had both wrists in ice. I thought, ‘What am I going to do if I can’t play guitar?’ I was so desperate for a quick fix that I saw five different chiropractors, a couple of surgeons, an acupuncturist, and even a hypnotist! The most radical thing I did was to have Cortisone injections in my carpal tunnel area. The doctor said I might feel relief instantly, but it just caused more pain. Surgery was out of the question because I was getting conflicting opinions about whether it would help."
"I finally found out that my main problem was tendonitis - which you can’t operate on. I was told I had to stop playing guitar. Well, that wasn’t an option, so I started changing some things. I switched to extremely light, .008-gauge string sets - which, for a guitarist, is almost like admitting you wear a toupee - lowered my action, and tuned down a half step. I also take Advil before I play for its anti-inflammatory action, and I ice my arms for 15 minutes immediately after each gig. What has helped me a lot is a super-intense, deep massage called Rolfing. The idea is to break up the scar tissue or inflammation, and, for me, the pain really subsides after each session."
"If you don’t want this to happen you, don’t be macho. If you’re starting to feel pain when you play, just stop. I don’t care if you’re auditioning for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, nothing is worth messing up your hands. Ultimately, you have to face the fact you’re injured, and figure out what to do. Think about it - if I had just taken a break, I would probably be fine today."
_______________________________
Note from the webmaster: You can send feedback on this article to guitplyr@musicplayer.com.
