In 1979, barely into his thirties, Glenn Branca heard his calling. Rushing to prepare for a last-minute gig at New York mainstay Max's Kansas City, he dashed off "Instrumental for Six Guitars," using repeated chords to unlock mesmerizing overtones that blew past his own expectations. "I remember one rehearsal where I actually had to stop and cry," he recalled years later. "I could not believe
This article originally appeared on www.rollingstone.com: Glenn Branca: Remembering the Guitar Hero Who Linked the Symphony to Punk Rock