Live on the Double Planet
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Behind the Album
Released in the fall of 1987, Live on the Double Planet captures Hedges’s engaging live performances which were as innovative and unique as his guitar playing—from his enormous live guitar sound, to his entertaining song introductions, to his raw kinetic energy on stage.
Live on the Double Planet was recorded live on beta tape at various concert venues during 1986-1987. The album contains revitalized versions of five Hedges tunes from previous releases (“Breakfast in the Field” and “Watching My Life Go By”), four new tunes, and several covers.
The title track, “The Double Planet,” and “Because It’s There” are the first harp guitar performances on a Hedges album (both were previously released on soundtrack projects). Hedges was a master at reinterpreting his favorite songs into fresh and original covers. On this album he covered the Beatles (“Come Together”), Prince/Sheila E. (“Love Bizarre”), and opened the record with a powerful reimagining of Bob Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower”—a crowd favorite that he performed as an encore for most of his career.
This album was Michael’s clearest break from the emerging New Age label of the time, and it demonstrated his dynamism and limitless talent.
Words by Jake White, biographer
Photo credit: unknown
Liner Notes
Tracks
- “All Along the Watchtower” (Bob Dylan)
- Because It’s There
- Silent Anticipations
- Ready or Not
- A Love Bizarre (Prince, Sheila E.)
- Breakfast in the Field
- Rikki’s Shuffle
- Woman of the World
- The Double Planet
- The Funky Avocado
- Come Together (John Lennon, Paul McCartney)
- Two Days Old
Album Credits
Michael Hedges: guitar, vocals, harp guitar
Michael Manring: fretless bass on “Rikki’s Shuffle”
Produced by Michael Hedges
Recorded live by Hilleary Burgess April/May 1987
“Woman of the World” recorded by Harry Andronis and David Bianco July 1986
Mixed at The Speech and Hearing Clinic by Michael Hedges
Mastered by Bernie Grundman at Bernie Grundman Mastering, Hollywood, CA
Design by Anne Robinson
Photography by Chris Beirne
All compositions written by Michael Hedges and published by Naked Ear Music, except “Woman of the World” published by Windham Hill Music/Naked Ear Music; “Because It’s There” published by Windham Hill Music/1980 Music; “All Along the Watchtower” by Bob Dylan; “A Love Bizarre” by Sheila E. and Prince; and “Come Together” by John Lennon and Paul McCartney.
“This album was Michael’s clearest break from the emerging New Age label of the time, and it demonstrated his dynamism and limitless talent.”
Album Stories
“The Double Planet” available from Stropes Editions, Ltd.
In August 1987, I was delighted to welcome Michael Hedges back to Milwaukee for the second American Finger-Style Festival. His career was burgeoning and there was a palpable excitement in the air both for his concert and teaching. And he was ready...
Michael Hedges & the Harp Guitar
In 1984, Michael Hedges walked into a San Francisco guitar shop and discovered his next musical pursuit: an acoustic relic from the 1920s called a harp guitar.
...
Titles/Tunings Database by Stropes Editions Ltd.
A new tuning database for several artists, including Michael Hedges. Search by title, album or tuning, and use tones to tune up your guitar, right on the page!
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Transcriptions by Stropes Editions ltd.
Browse transcriptions of Michael’s music by John Stropes. “Because It’s There” “Hot Type” “Ragamuffin” “Ready or Not” “The Happy Couple” and “Two Days Old”
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Michael Hedges & the Harp Guitar
In 1984, Michael Hedges walked into a San Francisco guitar shop and discovered his next musical pursuit: an acoustic relic from the 1920s called a harp guitar.
Michael Hedges & the Harp Guitar
In 1984, Michael Hedges walked into a San Francisco guitar shop and discovered his next musical pursuit: an acoustic relic from the 1920s called a harp guitar.
