Why is it called the Signifier, you ask? Tim says “Signifyin'” is a slang word developed from a folk trickster character in African-American culture called the Signifying Monkey. It can mean bragging, boasting, or gossiping, and Wikipedia (via Gena Dagel Caponi) says it can also mean “a way of demonstrating respect for, goading, or poking fun at a musical style, process, or practice.” Guitar Gabe used that word so often that it really was the only choice for a blog name. Read our first posts here!