11 ("Eleven") for 9 electric guitars and 2 electric basses

"11" (Eleven) was commissioned by Vancouver Pro Musica and first performed on May 28, 2000 at the Granville Island Theatre in Vancouver, Canada. The Sonic Boom Guitar Ensemble conducted by the composer. Duration: approximately 7:10.

My friends and I all grew up with the electric guitar as the instrument of pop culture worship. I wrote this piece for my friends. The great players were gods to us and everything about the instrument and how it was played created a buzz, from Townsend's powerchords and guitar smashing, to Hendrix's chewing and burning. The electric guitar was more than an instrument: it was a talking stick capable of possessing those who dared to plug it in. I spun this piece out of a few little insignificant guitar licks. Rock guitar gods (and wannabes) always set their amplifiers to "11". Long hair and a big attitude is not a requirement to play this piece, but it helps.