Surf's Up in Newport and Monaco: Scott Totten Checks in from the Beach (Boys)

Today brought a nice email and some photos from my old friend Scott Totten. Scott is a mega-talented journeyman guitarist and is currently the musical director for The Beach Boys. Yep, for real. Can't you just hear his Newport 12 string on "Help Me Rhonda"? 

Or maybe the jangly tones of his Monaco III on "Surfin' USA''  all while singing five-part harmonies (without auto-tune)!

Here's what Scott had to say:

Hey Jol, The top on my Newport 12 string is about the most beautiful I've ever seen.  It plays every bit as easy as a 6-string! The Monaco III is an incredibly versatile guitar, there are so many tones it can get.  And plays so smoothly, I actually use heavier gauge strings and it still feels great.  All that PLUS a great Bigsby! 

Scott

This is all pretty cool stuff for those of us in the shop who grew up on that surf stuff. 

But Scott isn't just about surf music; he's a true guitarist's guitarist. He paid his dues playing every night on Broadway for shows like Rent and Les Miserables. One of the first times I got to hang out with Scott, he was in the touring band for Tommy  and he got to play some of the best power chord songs ever written, under the direction of Pete Townshend himself! 

Here we are with fellow Tommy band member and Hamer player, Rick Molina in the orchestra pit in San Francisco in the mid 1990s. So if you want to know every chord in every Beatles, Beach Boys or Who song, Scott's your guy. Thanks for checking in Scott.

Comments

[Dirk]

Quite a lesson on how to bend a 12-String. Impressive, the movement of a ton of steel on a finger tip.

[Steve Haynie]

I remember seeing Tommy back in the early 90's and noticing that the guitar player in the orchestra pit was playing a Hamer Special with P-90's. Thanks for putting a name with the memory.

[Outie 315]

Scott's Got Blisters on his fingas!

[Outie]

Check out the steel guitar:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3a5FdteMIq4&feature=related