Interview with a Ukulele Bigwig - Aldrine Guerrero

Dictionary.com lists the origins of the term "bigwig" as coming from around the years 1725–35 and to mean an important person or more specifically, "person important enough to wear such a wig".  I'm hoping that we'll be able to score a series of interviews with notable ukulele players that are indeed important enough to sport such wigs; let's call them wigs of awesomeness.  So to kick off the first of the series, we have here an interview with Aldrine Guerrero, one third of the team (along with Ryan Esaki and Aaron Nakamura) that brings you Ukulele Underground (www.ukuleleunderground.com), and the face of many ukulele lessons, tutorials, and stellar music performance videos that are to be found on the internet.  If you play the ukulele, you've probably heard of him and may have read lengthy bios about the ukulele wunderkind and his many accomplishments as a musician, teacher, teenage heartthrob, and all around cool dude.  

Let's get started, shall we?


UCB: If you could invent a salty snack, what materials would you use, what would you name it, and how many varieties would you offer?  would there be a shrimp option?

AG: I would call my salty snack "Aldy juniors".  It'd be 2 balls of macadamia nuts covered in dark salty chocolate with small thread-like laces of sea salt all around it. I'd offer it as "plain lumps" or "with seaweed"
Shrimp isn't an option but I heard they go well with a single shrimp in the middle.

UCB: Au natural, more seaweed please!  If you had a chance to play a recurring character in any 80s sitcom, which would it be and why?

AG: The Hogan family. I'd play Hulk Hogan... well... for obvious reasons *flex*
I'd bodyslam the hell out of Mrs. Toole (if you know what I mean... hehe)

UCB: Huh huh, you said "Toole"... Okay so you're walking down the street and approach an intersection.  The light turns red but there are no cars.  Do you cross the street anyway or do you press the button and wait?

AG: The question is invalid, I never "walk" anywhere. That's what chauffeurs are for.

UCB: Point taken, answered like a true ukulele bigwig.  Well done, sir!  
How many marshmallows can you fit in your front left jean pocket before it becomes uncomfortable to walk?  How about the right jean pocket?

AG: On the left, it'd be about 3. I would hate for the marshmallows to ruin perfectly good denim. On the right, 376. Helps me with my pimp walk, WHAT UP?!

UCB: If you were at a zoo and could adopt any animal, which would you adopt and what would you name it?  The catch is, the animal has to live with you in your house and not in a cage or outside in the yard.  oh and you would have to dress it as your twin everyday. Take your time with this question.  It's not to be rushed.

AG: I'd adopt one of those zoo workers (those filthy animals) and name him Eduardo. Dress him up like me and have him clean up after me >:0

UCB: My middle name is Eduardo, will you adopt me?  No? okay fine.

What color are my eyes?

AG: The color of of beautiful (quasihomo)

A rabid fan..... and Pikachu

UCB:  Awww, go on. Well, thanks very much for the interview Aldrine.  Your life is as interesting and colorful as your stack of Pokemon game cartridges.  Thanks also for being such a generous and upstanding member of the ukulele community.

For further reading, please check out the inimitable Aldrine Guerrero and his ukulele prowess at these following websites:


http://www.ukuleleunderground.com
http://www.youtube.com/ukuleleoversoul
http://www.twitter.com/aldrine
http://aldrine.livejournal.com/

Stay tuned for more interviews from other ukulele bigwigs.  Please leave any comments and suggestions for future interview subjects below.