Ongoing History Daily: Bands that use unusual instruments

Rock has always been based mainly around guitars, bass, and drums with some keyboards thrown in every once in a while. But some groups have employed—shall we say—unusual instruments in a rock music environment.

For example, Jethro Tull is known for Ian Anderson’s flute playing. the Violent Femmes have used a xylophone in songs like “Gone Daddy Gone.” Eddie Vedder once released an entire album of ukulele music. Indie hero Sufjan Stevens has played something called a “guitarlin,” which is somewhere between a guitar and a mandolin.

And let me throw this in here even though it has to do with jazz guitarist Pat Metheny. He’s performed and recorded using a Pikasso guitar. It has 42 strings. Imagine tuning that thing.