ABSTRACT: 01:47 Kirchen tells how much folks music he got to see thanks to the university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where he grew up. 02:26 Kirchen lists the many blues musicians he saw at Newport, where he’d gone to see Mississippi John Hurt, who he found the most relatable. He found Son House terrifying. 03:37 Kirchen explains that he was not yet playing guitar when he first went to Newport at fifteen, but rather learning the banjo, carrying around one he had been given by his mother, which she used to play. 04:38 Kirchen explains that the guitar felt like the next step after the banjo. Particularly inspired by Hurt, he pursued his technique, with plastic finger picks on an acoustic guitar. 05:09 Demonstration, Hurt’s finger picking style 05:51 Kirchen describes the man primarily responsible for teaching him guitar. 07:26 Kirchen describes how and when he tuned into Dylan, beginning with the purchase of his second album. He saw him live twice consecutively at Newport, including when he went electric, which he remembers liking. 10:03 Kirchen explains that Dylan, particularly “Subterranean Homesick Blues,” influenced him to go in a rock direction, starting with a high school talent show. 11:10 Kirchen tells how he started gigging during his year off after high school, with a band he created called the Seventh Seal. 12:23 Kirchen explains leaving Ann Arbor for California, followed by other members of Commander Cody. 13:59 Kirchen describes their first studio album, Lost in the Ozone, from 1971. 15:30 Demonstration, “Down To Seeds and Stems Again Blues” 16:13 Kirchen reveals that “Down To Seeds” lacks any minor chords because the songwriters took them as a sign of weakness. 17:12 Kirchen explains that one of Cody’s notorious songs, “Hot Rod Lincoln,” was an oldie they re-vamped. 18:18 Kirchen describes how he was originally only the guitarist on the song, but learned the vocals so he could play it independently, adding the flourish of quoting famous guitar players, which has become a trademark. 18:59 Demonstration, “Hot Rod Lincoln” 20:41 Kirchen announces his line-up for his set at the Lagniappe Stage. 21:06 Kirchen gives the timeline of Commander Cody, which broke up in ’76. 21:30 Kirchen describes the band he started afterward, the Moonlighters, who recorded their first album in England. There were two incarnations, one a Western swing seven piece swing band, and the other four-piece new wave. 23:51 Kirchen explains what he got into, starting a trio, which has been his primary set up since, after moving to DC in 1986. 24:58 Kirchen describes moving to Austin seven or eight years ago to be closer to his family. 25:44 Kirchen describes getting into Telecasters after getting into old country and roots music, realizing that was what everyone was playing, and trading his Gibson for one. 27:02 Kirchen attributes Telecasters’ simplicity to their tonality and players’ ability to get their own sound. 27:53 Kirchen explains his guitar’s modifications. 29:31 Kirchen describes the inspiration for “Hammer of the Honky Tonk Gods,” an ode to the Telecaster he wrote. 30:07 Demonstration, “Hammer of the Honky Tonk Gods” 32:09 Kirchen demonstrates what B-Benders do, and acknowledges that they’ve fallen out of favor. 33:43 Though Kirchen admits he doesn’t know why Bruce Springsteen opted for a Tellie, he guesses it relates to his workingman image, and says he gets a nod in “Hammer.” 34:55 Kirchen speaks to his amp preferences. 35:38 Kirchen describes how the price of high quality instruments has gone down. 37:13 Kirchen describes his specific guitar, which is handmade and bought in the Village. 39:19 Demonstration, Dylan 39:40 Kirchen attributes de Lone with emboldening him to dare sing Dylan. 40:16 Kirchen promises to eventually do an album of Dylan tunes.