The Guitar Player's Resource
If you're looking for guitar music where you'll be searching for a stylistic reference point, but will come up empty handed, check out Ted Killian's CD Flux Aeterna. Imagine an Uli Jon Roth or Jimi Hendrix within a sonic landscape not cohabited by bass and drums, but simply with guitars and amps set to feedback mercilessly (oh yeah, and add a heaping helping of samples, loops and other sonic mayhem). Creativity with a capital 'C' is what we've got here, but it won't peak everyone's interest of course. That may not be the artist's desire though. Killian is walking his own path with these ten instrumentals; within the structure of what he's established however, he does do his job with conviction, tenacity and confidence, which are important elements to have in order to enjoy work that's constantly breaking down your preconceptions and shattering barriers. The highly overdriven tones on songs such as "Cauterant Baptism" and "Hubble" may frighten children and small rodents, but others will find it just what Dr. Ted Nugent ordered (if this reference escapes you, look for late '70s footage of Nugent bowing before a wildly out-of-control amp).
Born and raised in sunny Southern California, Ted has played guitar for over 38 years and has never managed to learn how to do it correctly. But, as it turns out, this may have turned out to be a pretty good thing. Without necessarily having set out to do so, Ted has found his own unique "voice" on an instrument that is nearly ubiquitous in modern popular music. Killian began playing and experimenting early on, but (in terms of public performance) bloomed late. Beginning in the late 1980s, he began performing his original music in conjunction with the Ventura New Music Concert Series (Southern California) - aided by close friend and colleague, avant-jazz trumpeter, Jeff Kaiser. So began a long series of ever-changing concerts and presentations all around Southern California. Ted has been interviewed as a featured composer on "Music of the Americas" on KPFK radio in Los Angeles. Since the debut of Flux Aeterna his music has been played on literally dozens of radio stations around the globe and has garnered critical praise in as many publications internationally.
In recent years, Killian has composed music for ballet, "fixed" gallery installations, multi-disciplinary art performances, large ensembles and small groups. And, after all of this, he has still somehow managed to avoid having ever been in anything resembling a "band."
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United States
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