Will Markwardt of Minneapolis' The Absent Arch started playing music about five years ago with Jonathan Waldo (viola) and Brian Voerding (keyboard, guitars) in a band called Crown the Clouds -- an electronic project. After his band mates left Minneapolis Markward began a solo project to keep himself occupied while the other two members were absent.

"It was me with an acoustic guitar, loop pedal and a Roland JX-305 synthesizer. They both moved back about a year ago, and we started playing music together again. Our sound had changed -- no more drum machines!" he says. "So instead of using the Crown the Clouds moniker, we kept The Absent Arch. We brought in Will Garrison (bass) and Anthony Poretti (drums) to fill out the sound."

Markwardt says that in the past he has jumped from instrument to instrument but mostly used the acoustic guitar to write songs. Playing live, now that the band has five members, he has been able to focus more on guitars and vocals in that setting.

"My stage guitar is a 1991 Gibson Hummingbird acoustic, which has just got back from the shop in stellar shape. It really took a beating during our summer tour, and I finally got around to getting it back into acceptable shape (thank you, stimulus check and Marty at the Podium!). I also use a 1952 National arch-top acoustic and a Gretsch Synchromatic," says Markwardt. "The National's intonation is a little ornery, so it's not great for the stage, and the Gretsch, with its ridiculous sustain, is a situational kind of guitar. I've stuck with acoustic guitar because it's what I've always been most comfortable with. I find the rich, full tones of acoustics more appropriate for the sound of The Absent Arch. That makes it sound like I should take up work as a wine connoisseur, huh? 'Free wine, rich and full, just like an acoustic guitar.' I would be drunk, real drunk. They would fire me immediately. But the thing about acoustic guitars is true."

Three members of the band all owned a Roland JX-305 -- the keyboard Markwardt first used to work on the solo Absent Arch material.

"We joked about bringing them all on stage together, but Jonathan's broke a few years ago, and we scavenged the parts to build up the remaining two, and that was that." he says.

Markwardt says that if he could have any other guitars he wanted he would stay with his current set up.

"I think I would stick with what I have, believe it or not; mainly because I have fallen in love with my Hummingbird, and the National has a wonderful story to it," he says. "We were in Louisville last fall on tour and had a day to kill, so we went to this wonderful guitar shop called Guitar Emporium. I had purchased my Hummingbird only a few months before and was still making payments on that one, so I really didn't even want to step foot in the store and be tempted into anything. Brian had found this National up on the wall and handed it to me. I ended up sitting there for about an hour, even after everyone had left, just listening to it. I had never actually played a National before, let alone a National without a resonator. At this point I pretty much had to have it so I ended up selling my backup guitar (Takamine, you will not be missed) and scrounged up enough cash to take it home with me."

The Absent Arch have been recording their soon to be released first record for the past five months. Once it is released they plan to do significant touring in 2009. In the meantime shows and festivals in the Minneapolis area will abound.

More with The Absent Arch soon.