The great unknown

By Fateema Sayani, Citizen Special January 15, 2009

Robert Farrell would be happy to lose the title of ‘greatest undiscovered guitarist in Canada.’

Photograph by: Wayne Cuddington, The Ottawa Citizen, Citizen Special

Robert Farrell has spent the past 25 years studying, teaching and playing the guitar. He knows the ins and outs of the thing and is often heralded for his inventive techniques such as the double slide.

Six years ago, Billboard described him as “arguably the greatest undiscovered guitarist in Canada.” It’s an accolade, but a trying one –“undiscovered” has cachet, but it’s only fun to be that way for so long. As such, frontman Farrell wears the frown of frustration.

We meet one afternoon at the Elmdale Tavern. A regular patron stuffs coins into the CD jukebox, trying to hear most of Exile on Main Street. Paperbacks line the wall and the titles bring to mind classic-rock songs: Behind Closed Doors, Bastard Son, and Dance With the Devil.”Give us the cool look,” the photographer prompts. Farrell and his bandmates flinch in response. Drummer Andrew Lamarche (Artificial Joy Club, David Gogo) and bass player Stephen Clarke (Lister) provide the comic relief — gesturing, joking and launching out random musical trivia to chew over. They, along with Farrell, have successful careers as session players.

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