An Air Guitar General, Commissioned to Rock

Will a new world star be discovered this week in Washington? Tim "Six String General" Granlund would like to think so.

On Wednesday at the 9:30 club, the 23-year-old will don leather pants and try to achieve air guitar glory in the D.C. round of the U.S. Air Guitar Championships ( http://www.usairguitar.com/).

The show's concept is simple: After paying a $20 entrance fee, up to 25 aspiring air strummers have 60 seconds to do their frenetic picking and windmilling best for a panel of judges. The winner heads to New York in August to jam and gyrate for the national title and a $1,000 prize, competing against 13 others who were tops at similar face-offs across the country. The journey doesn't end in New York: The U.S. champ then travels to Oulu, Finland, in September to compete in the Air Guitar World Championships ( http://www.airguitarworldchampionships.com/).

At first glance, Granlund's Charlottesville apartment doesn't appear to be the dwelling of an aspiring air guitar legend. A fluffy calico cat named Nissa lounges on a velvety blue couch, offering up her belly for a rub with a meek mew. A white oval coffee table sits atop white carpeting, and a mountain bike leans on a balcony that faces the Blue Ridge Mountains. It's a surprising setting considering the first thing Granlund asked when approached for this interview was if this reporter was "ready to have [her] face rocked off?"

Of course, an air guitarist -- unlike a "there" guitarist -- lives free from the clutter of tangible amps and sound equipment. Keeping that in mind, we quizzed the C-Ville Weekly advertising assistant about his upcoming quest.

When did your air guitar career begin?

When I was born! Literally, as long as I can remember. I just didn't know I could do anything useful with it, like win a competition, until now.

Most babies come out crying. You came out crying and air guitaring?

It wasn't so much a cry; it was more like an Axl Rose wail: "Yeeeaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

So is '80s rock your forte?

Oh, yeah, it's definitely my specialty. I'm a master of Motley Crue, AC/DC, Guns N' Roses -- all those cats. That's just what gets me pumped up.

Do you have any songs in mind?

Right now it's looking like "Rock You Like a Hurricane" [by the Scorpions] is the front-runner for my performance. I have a couple AC/DC things I'm looking at.

Do you have a signature move yet?

I'm working on a "hump jump" thing right now.

Hump jump?

It's like a little leap, and as you do the leap you kind of thrust the pelvis forward, but you've got to do it with a guitar simultaneously, and you've got to do that across the room or the stage. I've just got to practice my timing really good and make sure I'm hitting all of those notes in time with the music -- that's key.

Are you landing okay?

I'm trying to get used to doing it in the leather pants, which is turning up the difficulty just a notch. I'm a pretty limber fellow. I do my deep-knee rock squats. I do my running. I've got everything warmed up and ready to go. Stretching is crucial; you must stretch before all rock-outs.

Have you stuck with the same air guitar over the years?

Oh, yeah, absolutely. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

What's the make and model?

[Laughs.] I don't really know. It's hard to describe. It's a vintage thing. . . . It's got one of those triangular-looking deals going on. It's pink, totally wild and crazy. I've got to admit: I'm not an equipment expert. I'm all about the looks, and this one's a beaut. I can't take my eyes off it.

Are you afraid of getting carpal tunnel?

Nah. I do hand stretches. I take breaks every 15 minutes and walk a lap, shake it out, rest the arms. I have my groupies massage my arms after pretty intense performances.

So what do you have planned with your look so far?

I've got my tight leather pants, black. A nice sleeveless T-shirt that has "Sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll" emblazoned on it. I've got a military jacket right now, and I'm working on really rocking it out -- adding some flash, some bling, some glitter and shiny objects. I'm going to have a wicked guitar mural on the back, and you gotta rock the sunglasses onstage. And [I'll have] a military officer's cap. So I've got that military theme going on. I defeat terrorists with rock. Not with bombs or guns. I spread peace through music.

Why do you think you'll win D.C.?

Huh! I have extensively studied the masters, so I think I have a good knowledge of what's good to do. I've been unofficially practicing my whole life. I was born ready. I have been practicing and refining my technique, but I just think I'm naturally a pretty raw and awesome talent. I think I'm going to bring a level of showmanship that few others can match.

The D.C. round of the U.S. Air Guitar Championships is Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at the 9:30 club, 815 V St. NW. $10. 202-265-0930.