Welcome to Episode 3 of Life on the Fretboard: A series of face-to-face conversations between British guitarist, writer and filmmaker Michael Watts and exceptionally talented individuals who live a life on the fretboard. 

For this episode, Michael’s guest is the frighteningly gifted Australian fingerstyle guitarist Alan Gogoll, whose gentle, whimsical music is given voice via one of the most intriguing, perplexing and musical techniques developed for the acoustic guitar in recent years...bell harmonics. 

With an audience that numbers over a million subscribers worldwide and celebrity fans clamoring for the chance to collaborate with him, Alan Gogoll decided to start a new chapter in his life by moving to Berlin for inspiration and a new and calmer state of mind. 

This podcast was recorded in Alan’s apartment - some six weeks after he made this leap of faith. He discusses the joy of luthier-made guitars, those trademark bell harmonics, protecting innovation and creativity from the acceptance of plagiarism in other cultures, the writing process, and how to add other artistic disciplines to a guitar piece...as well as his recent ban from the social media platform TikTok. Scandal right here! 

To contribute directly to Life on the Fretboard please use this Tip Jar link https://michaelwattsguitar.com/tip-jars/4745

This episode of Life on the Fretboard is brought to you by the kind sponsorship of Microtech Gefell Microphones https://www.microtechgefell.de/ and the Fretboard Journal magazine https://www.fretboardjournal.com/. 

Thank you to Alan Gogoll - please do visit alangogoll.com and enjoy his music on YouTube, Spotify and Instagram. (But not TikTok.) 

https://www.youtube.com/@AlanGogoll

https://www.instagram.com/alangogoll/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/7MOxmVjcx5HWoEu9pBWXT3?si=-BhBJIbrRjKHkL7uoh1bGg

Next month’s guest is legendary guitarist and founder of Windham Hill Records Will Ackerman - it’s an astonishing conversation that we look forward to sharing with you.