sleazeroxx.com

Steve Vai Recalls Wild Days With David Lee Roth Robin Milling of spinner.ca reports that guitarist Steve Vai has a new live DVD, 'Where the Wild Things Are,' that highlights his 25 plus years of performing for sold-out audiences. Vai, who is known for his wild guitar licks onstage, was no match for the backstage antics he experienced on tour with Van Halen's David Lee Roth.

"Actually, I was never really wild," he tells Spinner. "I guess back in the '80s when I was touring with Dave Roth, that was pretty wild. I was just a naive kid and I'd been touring with Frank Zappa, which was tough enough but I wasn't ready for the Dave Roth experience. We would pull into town and every night there was this tremendous party backstage because Dave really knew how to do it. There would be food and drinks and a big PA system and lights and there was usually 50 or so chosen girls from the audience that were very happy to be at the party. The techs would go out and invite somebody backstage or if somebody in the band saw a girl in the audience he'd give a cue to the tech or would go out and give them a [backstage] pass. Back then, we were playing those arenas [and] it was 80% girls in their underwear. It was crazy. I was like a bee sitting on the rim of the cup sipping the honey. I just had a taste now and then. It was really an amazing experience."

Vai was just a wide-eyed 24-year-old when he rolled into town with Diamond Dave for the first gig, an experience that he could never have imagined. "I remember the first day on tour with Dave we got in Huntsville, Ala. or something in 1984 or 1985 and we would rent two floors of every hotel because one floor was all for us and the other floor was just a buffer floor so nobody would stay there. When we got there a few days early I was sitting in the executive lounge of the hotel and I see this smoke coming out from underneath this sink and there are two girls dressed like maids who had been sitting there for two days waiting for us to get the floor.

"That night when we came back to the hotel the entire floor was like a circus. I'll never forget -- I came out of my room and looked down the hall and saw one of the notorious techs and he's walking down the hall naked with one of these girls I saw under the sink and she was naked. That was my introduction to day one with David Lee Roth on tour!"

Labels: Guitar News Daily, Steve Vai

nme.com

Arrest papers detailing drug busts involving The Beatles' John Lennon and George Harrison in the 1960s are to be sold at auction.

The first set of papers are from the time when Lennon's London flat was raided in 1968 and police found a quantity of cannabis resin, which resulted in his arrest and a £150 fine.

The second date from the following year when Harrison's home was raided while he was attending Sir Paul McCartney's wedding to first wife Linda. He too was later arrested and fined.

Both were arrested by Detective Sergeant Norman Pilcher, the officer was famed for targeting rock musicians including Mick Jagger and Eric Clapton over their wild lifestyles, but was later convicted of perjury and jailed.

Labels: Guitar News Daily, The Beatles

www.music-news.com

Bruce Springsteen cancelled a concert following the death of his cousin.

The grief-stricken rocker pulled out of an appearance at the Spirit Center in Kansas City, US, last night (26.10.09) following the discovery of Lenny Sullivan’s body in a hotel room earlier in the day.

The death of 36-year-old Lenny – who was assistant road manager to Bruce’s backing group The E Street Band – is not being treated as suspicious.

A statement on 60-year-old Bruce’s website promised the show will go ahead at a later date.

It read: 'A warm and sensitive person, he was beloved by Bruce, the band, the crew, and the entire Thrill Hill family.

'Bruce and the band deeply appreciate the understanding of our Kansas City audience and look forward to returning at the earliest opportunity."

Bruce and the E Street Band were due to perform at part of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concert this Thursday (29.10.09) at New York’s Madison Square Garden, but no statement has been released yet about whether this will still go ahead.

However, fellow music veteran Eric Clapton has pulled out of the show to have gallstones removed.

A statement from the 'Wonderful Tonight’ star said the 64-year-old musician 'will spend time recuperating at home in the UK and is very sorry to disappoint the fans and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.'

Labels: Bruce Springsteen, Guitar News Daily

JOHN PAUL JONES' ZEPPELIN RELIEF

Former Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones claims he is glad the group didn't reunite as it would have prevented him from working with his new band Them Crooked Vultures.

John Paul Jones is "happy" that Led Zeppelin didn't reform.

It had been planned for the veteran group to reunite - possibly without singer Robert Plant - last year, but the idea was later scrapped and the bassist went on to join super-group Them Crooked Vultures with Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl and Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age, a move John Paul admits wouldn't otherwise have been possible.

He said: "Jimmy Page and I rehearsed a bit with Jason Bonham and we couldn't really agree on singers and that fell by the wayside. Then this came along and to be honest, I'm really happy."

The musician admits he was already a big fan of ex-Nirvana drummer Dave's abilities before they decided to work together.

He added to BBC 6 Music: "I immediately recognized that this was a drummer that was a: really good, and b: groovy, and c: listened, all those nice things that bass players like in drummers."

Labels: Guitar News Daily, Led Zeppelin

music-news.com

Bad Lieutenant will be continuing on the back of their sell out Manchester and London shows performing as very special guests on the forthcoming UK leg of the Pet Shop Boys 'Pandemonium' tour in December. This will follow 2 headline shows in Chicago and New York plus playing support on the Pixies 'Doolittle' tour in both cities.

Founder members - New Order’s Bernard Sumner (guitar and vocals), Phil Cunningham (guitar) and Jake Evans (guitar and vocals) will be joined live by former Joy Division/New Order drummer Stephen Morris and bassist Tom Chapman (who also played on the new album 'Cry Another Tear'). According to Sumner, 'The bulk of the set will be Bad Lieutenant songs, but we’ll also play some songs from my past, some New Order songs, some Joy Division and a few other surprises.'

Labels: Bad Lieutenant, Guitar News Daily

thisisfakediy.co.uk


At 2am (UK time) tomorrow morning, Foo Fighters will stream a gig online through Facebook.

They will be performing from their own 606 studio complex to celebrate the release of their new 'Greatest Hits' album, which is out next Monday (2nd November).

If you'd like to get your hands on a copy of the record for free, we're currently running a competition where you could be able to do just that. Go here to enter.

Labels: Foo Fighters, Guitar News Daily

breitbart.com


CINCINNATI, Oct. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- What do country music singer Jonalee White, pop icon Madonna, writer Stephen King and former president Bill Clinton all have in common? They are all proud owners of Taylor Guitars. And now after much anticipation, Jonalee has been presented with her own hot-pink version of the revered guitar maker's craft. Jonalee showcased her new "pink baby" at a charity event with legendary rock band Pure Prairie League as a wrap up for National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October.


Jonalee's 'Perfect Angel' climbs to No. 39

Jonalee's newest single "Perfect Angel" climbed to No. 39 on the Music Row Breakout Chart this week. Listen to Jonalee White's newest single "Perfect Angel" available now for downloading online. Her sophomore album, Sugar, is forthcoming this winter!

Jonalee surpasses the 1 million unique views mark online

Along with the ascent of "Perfect Angel" up the charts, Jonalee's popularity online continues to grow, as she surpasses the 1 million unique views mark. Additionally, her entertainment series "Long Road to Nashville" has just been picked up by iSurfAmerica.com. iSurfAmerica is one of the leading city guides for more than 600 cities across the United States that provides directories, local, national, world news and entertainment.

Jonalee, Pizza Hut and Hollywood ... oh my

Jonalee's show "Long Road to Nashville" was recently signed by 7ate9 Entertainment of Hollywood, Calif., for Pizza Hut's new entertainment network "Hut TV." Pizza Hut is lining up Jonalee alongside programming such as "Wheel of Fortune" and "Entertainment Tonight." 7ate9 Entertainment specializes in branded content and entertainment marketing and has worked with clients such as Disney, 20th Century Fox, MTV and VH1.

Labels: Guitar News Daily, Jonalee White

guardian.co.uk

Forget the copy of Sgt Pepper that features the faces of record executives, these Beatles albums were made with gold vinyl after a pressing-plant employee decided to 'amuse himself'


Beatles album made with gold vinyl

Magical mystery haul ... Beatles album made with gold vinyl

Never mind what we said earlier this week: we've found a new batch of "rarest Beatles albums ever". For years, during the wee small hours, an employee at a Capitol Records pressing plant created a series of magnificent one-of-a-kind LPs. And they are up for auction.

These spectacular, rainbow-coloured records were created by an unnamed former worker at a Capitol plant in Canada. After shifts at the factory, the employee "would amuse himself", according to a pair of Toronto vinyl dealers, "by creating totally unique coloured-vinyl LPs". As an employee of Capitol, this Beatles fan allegedly had access to the "original plates" for several albums. Using these, he would press his own special copies – applying coloured dye and artisanal techniques.

These copies include Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band on bright baby-blue marble vinyl, the 1967-70 greatest hits compilation on swirled blue-and-white vinyl, and a translucent blue LP with side A of Revolver and side B of John Lennon's Plastic Ono Band album.

However, the most beautiful item in the collection is the Beatles' Love Songs anthology, made with gold vinyl. This is streaked with an abstract expressionist rainbow, like an explosion at a paint factory. Unfortunately, the set's second LP is just plain black vinyl.

In addition to the Beatles records, the vinyl guru also pressed special versions of albums by Helen Reddy, Peter Appleyard and a compilation featuring Anne Murray. For most of us, these are ... less compelling. But all will be auctioned from 10 November

Labels: Beatles albums, Guitar News Daily

.bbc.co.uk

A mystery English celebrity living in Monaco has commissioned the ultimate in heavy metal - a classic electric guitar plated in 24-carat gold.

The Fender Stratocaster was sent to a precious metal specialist firm in Glastonbury, Somerset, for plating costing a "four-figure" sum.

Expert Graham Baker, 50, had the job of stripping the aluminium guitar down and layering it with gold plate.

He said: "This guy wants to hang it up on his wall and look at it."

'Unique look'

Bridgwater guitar-maker Kim Webber, 53, had the job of taking the instrument apart and putting it back together after the gold was applied.

He said: "This guitar has generated, without doubt, more interest than anything I have created so far."

But the instrument, although looking spectacular, has one weakness.

Mr Webber added: "It's not the best sounding ever."

Deputy editor of Guitarist magazine Owen Bailey said: "This is definitely the first time we've come across a fully gold-plated guitar.

"It's certainly a unique look, but we're not sure we'd trust ourselves to gig it."

Labels: Fender, Guitar News Daily, Strat Gold

sleazeroxx.com


The search for a missing Virginia Tech student continues.

Metallica has pledged $50,000 to aid in the search for 20-year-old Morgan Dana Harrington, who was last seen Oct. 17 outside the John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, Va., following a concert by the venerable metal band.

The reward for her safe return now stands at $150,000, the bulk of which has been put up by Harrington's parents. On Tuesday, the couple will appear on Today to make a plea for help in finding their daughter. They have also set up a website, FindMorgan.com.

The 20-year-old attended the concert with friends, but after getting separated called them to say she was outside the arena, couldn't get back in and would try to find another way home.

Her phone and purse were found the next day in the parking lot of the venue.

Anyone with information is asked to call 434-352-3467.

Labels: Dana Harrington, Guitar News Daily, Metallica

wirralglobe.co.uk

WIRRAL’S 21st International Guitar Festival opens next week with a tribute to its late co-founder.

Brendan McCormack died earlier this year and will be remembered in two special concerts taking place during the annual event, which runs from this Tuesday, November 3-28.

The first will be staged at Pacific Road Arts Centre in Woodside on Tuesday, featuring performances from the Liverpool Ukulele Orchestra, The Anne Jackson Quintet, and Modjango amongst others.

The second, which focuses on Brendan’s classical side, will be held at the same venue on Sunday November 22.

Among the all-star cast of musicians at this show will be Woody Mann, Stan Yates, Paul Balmer, Galina Vale and The Tivoli Trio, who performed with Brendan at last year’s festival.

It was during a conversation with Rob Smith, Wirral’s head of arts and museums, in 1988 that Brendan formed the idea for an annual music festival.

In recognition of his contribution and commitment to the event over the years he became an honorary ambassador, along with joining Woody Mann, John Williams, John Etheridge, Galina Vale, Lucky Ranku and fellow Wirral musician Gary Murphy.

Paying tribute to his friend, Rob Smith said: "All who knew him will sadly miss Brendan. In future years the festival will contain The Brendan McCormack Concert Series in recognition of his contribution to our Festival, but in this year's programme two special events have been dedicated to celebrate Brendan and his life.

"He was a virtuoso performer, excellent teacher and mentor, genial raconteur and a great friend to many."

As well as the special concerts for Brendan, there will also be performances from bluesman Albert Lee, rock guitarist Andy Fairweather Low and classical guitarist John Williams among many others.

The event will be staged at a number of venues, including Pacific Road Arts Centre, the Floral Pavilion Theatre in New Brighton and Williamson Art Gallery in Birkenhead.

Also appearing as a duo are Lorraine McIntosh and Ricky Ross from multi-million selling Scottish group Deacon Blue, Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings, Catfish Keith, the Dylan Project, Woody Mann, Steve Gibbons, Steve Hackett, Ralph McTell, Georgie Fame, Squeeze co-founder Glenn Tilbrook and Martin Taylor's fraternity.

Rock and roll legend James Burton, who in a career spanning more than 50 years has performed with the likes of Elvis Presley, also returns to the festival stage.

Folk guitarist Nick Harper will also perform at Pacific Road, in a concert sponsored by the Globe.

Festival director Rob Smith said: "We bring the breathtaking wizardry of virtuoso players who will dazzle the most demanding critic, in a series of concerts that deliver the most enjoyable musical experience to those looking for a good time and good company, as well as those technical aficionados."

Tickets are from 0151 666 0000. Full details and tickets are also available online at www.bestguitarfest.com

Labels: Brendan McCormack, Guitar News Daily, WIRRAL’S 21st International Guitar Festival

news24.com



New York - Having suffered more than 15 years of false starts, failures and musical disappointments, singer-songwriter Harper Simon admits he has hardly charted the ideal path to pop stardom like his father, Paul Simon.

The young Simon had always shown musical promise. At age four he sang with his dad on the Sesame Street children's TV show. He also attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Now, at 37, the son of one of America's best known singer-songwriters has finally released his first album.

"Obviously I don't have the ideal career arch," Simon told Reuters in a recent interview, adding, "I'm in the game now."

Critics say it was worth waiting for the younger Simon's self-titled offering, released on October 13.

American Songwriter magazine wrote, "Harper Simon's debut tantalises right now" and called him "a real star in the making." Rolling Stone called "Shooting Star," the first single from the album, "gorgeous." The magazine declared, "It was worth the wait."

Simon admits he was surprised at how long it all took.

"I didn't think this is how long it would take when I was 21 years old. I thought it would all fall into place, but it didn't happen that way," Simon said. "I suppose different kinds of artists find their voices at different times and when it's their moment, it's their moment."

Simon's setbacks began when he dropped out of Berklee after two years without graduating.

"You've got to be a pretty big loser to drop out of a music school," he said.

He did not respect the school, even though it has turned out everyone from Quincy Jones to Diana Krall: "Berklee is really like a trade school, it's how to make a living playing bar mitzvahs."

Returning to New York, Simon toiled to become a star to no avail, saying it was a decade of, "Trying and failing and trying again and failing some more."

He worked in the mid-1990s with Don Fleming, who produced Sonic Youth, Teenage Fanclub, and The Posies, but he never secured a record deal. He scored some movie soundtracks.

He moved to England to escape the pressure of living up to his heritage. He joined the band Menlo Park, which never hit the big time. He recorded with his father's wife, Edie Brickell. The pair released an album in 2008, featuring Brickell on vocals, under the name "The Heavy Circles."

"From every failed project I took away something which contributed to this album being out on the world," he said.

The solo album finds Simon playing with some big names.

Guest musicians

Bob Johnston - famed for producing Bob Dylan's "Highway 61 Revisited" and "Blonde on Blonde," Simon and Garfunkel's "Sound of Silence" and many other legendary records - came out of retirement to co-produce the album.

As a backing band, Simon was joined by a group of session musicians from Nashville who had played with everyone from Dylan and Elvis Presley to Patsy Cline and Aretha Franklin.

Other guest musicians include childhood friend Sean Lennon, drummer Steve Gadd and Simon's father, who plays guitar on one song and contributed lyrics to another.

The record was self-financed, is released on his own record label and was a labour of love which took three years to finish. Diminutive and self-deprecating, Simon joked that the finished work was great, except for his own contributions.

"I am happy with all aspects of it that don't have to do with myself," he said. "I'm just not that much of a pleased-with-myself kind of person."

Labels: Guitar News Daily, Harper Simon, Paul Simon

contactmusic.com

NOEL GALLAGHER has confirmed he's planning to launch a solo career - just two months after he walked away from OASIS.
The Wonderwall hitmaker stunned fans when he quit the Britpop pioneers as they prepared to go onstage at the Rock en Seine festival in Paris, France in August (09), following a fight with his singer brother Liam.
Liam recently confirmed the band will not continue without the guitarist, and Noel has now spoken out about his plans to go solo.
He says, "I'm looking forward to doing my own thing, bringing out my own music. I'm glad that's what people want to hear. I am not thinking about much else, Oasis or Liam, I'm just having a good time."

Labels: Guitar News Daily, Oasis

dose.ca

VANCOUVER - The B.C. Country Music Association elevated the rootsy, traditional Ridley Bent to the top spot in local country on Sunday night.

After taking the Roots/Canadiana award Saturday night at the industry awards show, on Sunday Bent went on to snag the Gaylord Wood Traditional Country Award, the songwriter (Buckles and Boots), single (Buckles and Boots), male vocalist, entertainer and fan's choice awards.

Last year, Bent took home his first trophy, the Ray McAuley Horizon award. A family matter kept Bent from accepting the seven awards in person.

Meanwhile, this year's Ray McAuley Horizon award went to sisters Britt and Carly McKillip, also known as One More Girl.

The female vocalist award went to the ever bubbly Jessie Farrell, while The Higgins took group/duo and their Real Thing video won for director Stephano Barberis.

Aaron Pritchett won the album of the year award.

Curtis Pope of Country 107.1 took on-air personality for the 604 area code and Kelly Moore of Kamloops' Country 103.1 received on-air personality for the 250 area code.

JRfm won for station of the year and there was a tie between Boone Country in Coquitlam and Cactus Annie's in Merritt for country club of the year.

Don Adams, the president of the BCCMA and producer of the Merritt Mountain Music Festival, was inducted into the BCCMA Hall of Fame.

Other winners from Saturday's industry awards show included Ken McCoy, who won country club act of the year, while producer of the year went to John Ellis.

Humanitarian of the year went to Ginette Genereux, website of the year to Maria Higgins for The Higgins, recording studio to Armoury Studios and Nicole Hyette won country music person of the year.

Band winners included Dennis Marcenko for bass, Jerry Adolphe for drums, Jay Buettner for guitar, Mike Norman for keyboard and Mike Sanyshyn for fiddle.

Labels: B.C. Country Music Association, Guitar News Daily

therockradio.com/
Bon Jovi will kick off a two-year-long world tour in February, performing about 135 shows in 30 countries. The outing gets underway February 19th in Seattle and will include a stop at the New Meadowlands Stadium -- future home of the NFL's New York Giants and New York Jets. Bon Jovi will perform the first shows at the new staidum -- a fitting role for the Jersey rockers. Fan club pre-sales for the two Jersey shows begin October 26th at 10 a.m. ET, and general on-sale dates are set for October 31st -- with additional info fo all other dates to be announced on BonJovi.com.

The group broke the news on Thursday (October 22nd) at special event for 5,000 fan club contest winners and construction workers in the parking lot of the new stadium. At the event, Bon Jovi performed a short set with the songs: "Living on a Prayer" "Wanted Dead or Alive," "You Give Love a Bad Name" and the new single, "We Weren't Born To Follow."

Bon Jovi will release a new album, called The Circle, on November 10th.

The new stadium in Jersey will cost about $1.6 billion to contruct.

Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band recently played a few gigs at the current Giants Stadium, which will eventually be demolished.

Labels: Bon Jovi, Guitar News Daily

www.musicradar.com

Microsoft's new operating system goes on sale today

Ben Rogerson, Thu 22 Oct 2009, 10:34 am UTC

luxurylaunches.com

If you were planning to take property on lease in the Caribbean, you might as well move in Eric Clapton's property. The ageing rocker has decided to lease out his 45 acre Antigua Island Estate for a sum of $50,000 a week. He had originally spent $14 million in 2000 for the "Standfast Point". The house consists of a 10,000 square-foot complex and looks out to the islands of Guadeloupe and Montserrat.

With a great view of the Ocean and an equally great interior decor, this house is certainly worth paying $200,000 or more a month. Eric Clapton is always known for his luxurious lifestyle and you might have heard about his Crocodile Skin Guitar Case by Hermes. He also got a shotgun made by Tullio Fabbri for $175,000. Eric is known to have amassed a huge amount of wealth thanks to a successful music career.

Labels: Eric Clapton, Guitar News Daily

sixstringbliss.com

Worldwide Launch - Tuesday, October 27th, 2009

Six String Bliss, the longest-running guitar-centric Podcast on the Internet announces the release of Scales of Horror, a collaborative effort by members of their listening community. This project differs from the past Six String Bliss Albums in that it is comprised entirely of original, Halloween themed music written and performed by various listeners. Scales of Horror will feature 10 songs performed by an international community of artists, with submissions coming from 5 countries. Each of these submissions is the work of members of the Six String Bliss listening community. This is the fourth such project produced by Six String Bliss, the first being 2007's A Blissful Christmas, which was followed up last Fall with Stay Tuned (a collection of TV Themes), then this Spring with Big Screen Bliss (a collection of songs featured prominently in movies). According to PT, co-host of the Podcast: "We weren't sure what to expect when we requested original tracks from our listeners. But what they delivered was beyond our expectations. This album is a true testament to the talent of this community, and I'm sure it will be freaking out trick or treaters worldwide for years to come!"


All guitarists are welcome to join in the fun of the Six String Bliss Forum. Projects like this will continue to thrive so long as there is an active community to make these happen. So please come by, introduce yourself, and join in the next project! Podcast Episode 169 which will feature Scales of Horror will be up on the RSS Feed (http://sixstringbliss.libsyn.com/rss) and on iTunes at 11:00PM (CDT) Tuesday, October 27th, with the show notes added to the website soon hereafter at www.sixstringbliss.com.

About Six String Bliss

Six String Bliss is the longest-running guitar-centric Podcast on the Internet. Co-hosted by guitarists PT and Pipes, the weekly show caters to players of all ages and abilities, and features segments including Email of the Week, Guitarist of the Week, Guitar News and general discussion of all things relating to the guitar. Interviews have featured internationally renowned guitarists as well as luthiers, store owners, and manufacturers of pickups, effects, and recording software. The website includes an active international forum.

Labels: Guitar News Daily, Six String Bliss, www.sixstringbliss.com

bravewords.com



BLACK SABBATH guitar legend Tony Iommi spoke with The Radcliffe & Maconie Show on BBC Radio 2 this week about his recent hand injury. "We're just taking a break now," Iommi says about the brief HEAVEN AND HELL hiatus - the band also featuring singer Ronnie James Dio, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Vinnie Appice.

"I've had this problem with my hand and I'm having stem cell treatment on it," Iommi continues. "I have to wear a guard on my hand to prevent me from banging it. But it's coming along good. The cartilage went out on the joints, so the joints were rubbing on the joints. It was bone on bone and it was getting a bit painful. I've had pain for about 18 months and have been taking anti-inflammatories and pain killers. But I wanted to stop doing it because it upsets your stomach. This is the latest thing, so we'll see if it works."

(Note: stem cell treatments are a type of cell therapy that introduce new cells into damaged tissue in order to treat a disease or injury)

Iommi also chats about the band's vital OZZY OSBOURNE-era catalog reissues that are currently out in the UK. Iommi says that "everything will come out" as a deluxe edition at some point in time.

Regarding the 30th Anniversary of the Heaven & Hell album in 2010, Iommi promises more shows next year.

Labels: Black Sabbath, Guitar News Daily, Tony Iommi

billboard.com

After much speculation, rock supergroup Them Crooked Vultures has announced Nov. 17 as the release date for its debut album.

Bandmates Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters, Nirvana), Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age) and Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) will put the self-produced and self-titled release out on DGC/Interscope Records.

It is rumored that the first single from "Them Crooked Vultures" will be "New Fang," a song slated to hit radio on Monday (Oct. 26). The band's rep would not confirm or deny that report, however.

Them Crooked Vultures emerged as one of the year's most anticipated acts after a debut gig at Chicago's Metro in August. Though details on any recorded output have been scant until now, the band has been releasing small snippets of its studio sessions.

Earlier this month, Them Crooked Vultures played a small series of gigs in the U.S., including the opening night of Austin City Limits. NME has reported that the band will do a short in the U.K. Dec. 10-17, and January tour dates in Australia and New Zealand will be announced in the coming weeks.

Labels: Guitar News Daily, Them Crooked Vultures

recordonline.com


One of only four such events of its kind in the nation, the Woodstock Invitational Luthiers Showcase is specific in its vision.

Baker Rorick, its founder and producer, posts three credentials:

"The instruments must be handmade acoustic only. The luthiers must be established builders. And they must play well with others."

The festival will take place this weekend at the Bearsville Theater, with clinics at neighboring club Alchemy and performances at the Colony Café and the Bearsville lounge.

According to Rorick, luthiers represent "a small corner of a larger community. A lot of these builders don't show at the trade shows, so this is a unique opportunity to see their work. They often work in solitude, so here they get a chance to get together and talk about wood."

Rorick has been in the guitar business for 35 years. As a freelance writer for national guitar magazines, he has etched out a niche as a guitar historian. Obsessed with acoustic finger-style guitar playing, he soon became connected to handmade builders. While working on an article for Guitar Player magazine, Rorick connected with a modern grand master, Ken Parker, whose guitars he described as three-and-a-half pounds, playing like violins and costing $30,000. Parker will be showcasing some of his latest, much-coveted acoustic creations at the festival.

Rorick said the craft is at a high point.

"The best guitars in the world are being made today. The past 20 years in the world of handmade guitars has been called the 'American Steel String Renaissance,'" he said. "The violin took hundreds of years to develop. The guitar is still an evolving thing."

Last year the Showcase featured eight builders, done as a private party, invitation only. This year is sold out at 30 builders. When the Newport Festival moved to Miami, Rorick saw his opportunity.

"Now there's nothing like this on the East Coast."

He was almost immediately rewarded for his concept.

Woodstock luthier Joe Veillette jumped onboard quickly. Veillette is both a builder and a performer whose 12-string acoustic guitars have been gaining increasing recognition, particularly with Dave Matthews as a devout enthusiast. At a recent performance, holding up his signature Veillette 12-string, Matthews commented, "It's like a giant orchestra. And it's such a little guitar."

The oud, a Middle Eastern pear-shaped string instrument, is part of a 650-year-old tradition. Faruk Turunz, one of the best-known oud makers in the world, is coming to display his handiwork. Naturally, Rorick is thrilled at the prospect.

"He's played the White House, he's played for heads of state. The sheiks of Saudi Arabia use his ouds," Rorick said.

The Middle Eastern music community in New York is jazzed about one of its masters coming to town. La Bella Strings in Newburgh, the oldest string manufacturers in the United States, is presenting the performance. Sharon Klein, co-producer of the Woodstock Invitational, will open the night at the Colony Café.

Rorick emphasizes the connection between artisan and artist.

"Any builder can tell you. It's not finished until it's in a musician's hands, inspiring them."

Labels: Guitar News Daily, Luthiers

spinner.com


Johnny Depp has made no secret of his love for Britpop-era band Baby Bird -- the group behind the mid-'90s radio standard 'You're Gorgeous' -- but it seems this time the film star really does intend to put his money where his mouth is.

Reports from the British press hint that the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' actor may take to the stage when the band play a date in London next month.

British papers the Sun and the Guardian have reported that the 46-year-old star is set to play with Baby Bird at the Hoxton Bar and Kitchen in London on Nov. 12. Only 450 of Depp's millions of adoring fans will be allowed in as that's the venue's max capacity.

Depp was recently unveiled as the director for the group's video for their new single, which will be on their forthcoming fifth album 'Ex-Maniac,' which is expected to be out in 2010. Depp also has a guest appearance in the video.

Labels: Babybird, Guitar News Daily, Johnny Depp

nytimes.com

A Halloween Legend has died.

The cause was heart failure, said his daughter Lynn Mizzy Jonas.

In a musical career that stretched over eight decades, from radio shows to “Spider-Man 2,” Mr. Mizzy wrote pop hits, novelty songs and movie scores, but his most enduring compositions were the two humorous theme songs he created in the mid-1960s. Asked in 1964 by his friend David Levy, the head of programming for NBC, to provide music for a new comedy called “The Addams Family,” based on Charles Addams’s sinister cartoons, Mr. Mizzy came up with a da-da-da-dum beat followed by two finger snaps. The parody of beatnik ennui fit with the show’s satirical, proto-hipster humor. The theme, sung by Mr. Mizzy, was so distinctive that it remained popular far beyond the series’s two seasons.
Vic Mizzy, composer of Addams Family theme song, has died

Vic Mizzy, whose infernally catchy themes for the television comedies “The Addams Family” and “Green Acres” are as entrenched in the memories of Americans who grew up in the 1960s as any pop tune or protest anthem, died on Saturday at his home in Los Angeles. He was 93.

The cause was heart failure, said his daughter Lynn Mizzy Jonas.

In a musical career that stretched over eight decades, from radio shows to “Spider-Man 2,” Mr. Mizzy wrote pop hits, novelty songs and movie scores, but his most enduring compositions were the two humorous theme songs he created in the mid-1960s. Asked in 1964 by his friend David Levy, the head of programming for NBC, to provide music for a new comedy called “The Addams Family,” based on Charles Addams’s sinister cartoons, Mr. Mizzy came up with a da-da-da-dum beat followed by two finger snaps. The parody of beatnik ennui fit with the show’s satirical, proto-hipster humor. The theme, sung by Mr. Mizzy, was so distinctive that it remained popular far beyond the series’s two seasons.

Just one year later, Mr. Mizzy wrote the theme song for “Green Acres,” a comedy about Manhattanites returning to the land, which ran from 1965 to 1971. Once again he combined a gallumphing rhythm (similar to the “Addams Family” opening but faster) with lyrics that stayed in the mind:

Green Acres is the place to be

Farm living is the life for me

Land spreading out so far and wide

Keep Manhattan, just give me that countryside.

As with the "Addams Family" theme, Mr. Mizzy was also involved in the direction of the title sequence.

Victor Mizzy was born on Jan. 9, 1916, in Brooklyn and grew up in Crown Heights. He attended Alexander Hamilton High School and New York University, where he wrote songs and sketches for campus shows. He later wrote for radio and Broadway with an early collaborator, Irving Taylor. Their pop songs included "Three Little Sisters" and "Take It Easy." During and after World War II, in which he served in the Navy, Mr. Mizzy and a new partner, Manny Curtis, wrote a succession of songs , including "Pretty Kitty Blue Eyes," "My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time" and "The Whole World Is Singing My Song," that were performed by the top singers of the time.

Mr. Mizzy married the radio singer Mary Small, who performed many of his songs publicly for the first time, and the couple had two children. The marriage ended in divorce, as did a later marriage to Shirley Leeds. Besides his daughter Lynn, he is survived by a brother, Sol Mizzy; and two grandchildren. Another daughter, Patty Mizzy Keeler, died in 1995.

Before he worked on "The Addams Family" and "Green Acres," Mr. Mizzy had written music for other television shows, including "Shirley Temple’s Storybook," "The Richard Boone Show" and "Kentucky Jones." His breakthrough film score was for the William Castle horror movie "The Night Walker" in 1964; his many later scores included those for the popular Don Knotts vehicles "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken," "The Reluctant Astronaut" and "How to Frame a Figg."

Mr. Mizzy continued working well into his 80s, releasing a compilation of his work, "Songs for the Jogging Crowd," on his own label, Vicster Records, in 2003.

The director Sam Raimi asked Mr. Mizzy to write a theme for the 2004 film "Spider-Man 2," which was eventually used on the DVD release.

None of his output, however, could overshadow those snapping fingers in "The Addams Family." And that was fine with Mr. Mizzy. "That’s why I’m living in Bel Air," he said last year on the CBS program "Sunday Morning." "Two finger snaps and you live in Bel Air."

Labels: Guitar News Daily

www.mvpschool.com

Monday October 19 2009

HE'S a rock and roll icon who's as famous for his hedonistic lifestyle as for his innovative guitar playing.

In a fitting tribute to the rock legend, Rolling Stones' guitarist Keith Richards was honoured with a Rock Immortal award at Spike TV's 'Scream 2009' ceremony in LA.

The star-studded event, held on Saturday at the Greek Theatre, honours the best in science fiction, horror, fantasy and comic book-inspired movies and TV shows.

Fans welcomed Richards -- pictured left with his award -- with a standing ovation as Johnny Depp presented him with his honour.

"I liked the living legend, that was all right, but immortal is even better," Richards said before accepting the honour.

Fans voted online for the winners, so some of the year's most popular programmes and big box-office hits took home trophies, including 'Transformers', vampire drama'Twilight', 'True Blood' and 'Star Trek'.

Quentin Tarantino continued the celebration of the immortal as he paid tribute to 'Night of the Living Dead' director George A Romero with the Scream Mastermind award.

Tobey Maguire presented the Comic-Con Icon award to 'Spider-Man' creator Stan Lee, who waved and smiled from his spider-shaped balloon platform on his way to the stage.

The star of the 'Spider-man' movies thanked Spike TV "for creating the Scream awards and for telling the world how cool comic books are".

Labels: Guitar News Daily, Keith Richards, Rolling Stones

spinnermusic.co.uk

Blues guitarist Johnny Jones -- a Nashville legend and an early mentor of Jimi Hendrix -- died last Wednesday, Oct. 14, at the age of 73. The notorious guitar slinger was found dead in his Nashville apartment by exterminators. An autopsy is pending.

Called "a vital piece of Nashville's R&B history" by the Nashville Scene, Jones was featured in the Country Music Hall of Fame's 2004 "Night Train to Nashville: Music City Rhythm & Blues, 1945-1970" exhibit in 2004, and through that project's Grammy-winning CD compilation and its sequel, Jones' 1960s recordings with famed Nashville producer Ted Jarrett were discovered by a new audience of blues enthusiasts.

Jarrett discovered Jones playing in a Clarksville house band backing female impersonators and elevated him to the role of sideman for Nashville R&B favorites Gene Allison and Earl Gaines. "He had enough insight to see my potential," Jones told the Scene in March. "I'm a blues man, had a blues foundation. But Nashville was country, jazz and gospel, and Ted was behind all the local stuff. During this process, man, Ted taught me how to read music and showed me all this other music. Most blues artists my age don't have that kind of background."

Jones first encountered Hendrix after the future guitar giant was discharged from the army, working Nashville R&B clubs after his release from Fort Campbell in Clarksville, Tenn. Jones and Hendrix once faced off in a legendary guitar duel at the city's Club Baron in the early 1960s. Jones replaced Hendrix -- who eventually moved to New York -- in the King Casuals combo, which also counted Hendrix's future Band of Gypsys bassist, Billy Cox. He also appeared alongside Jimi on the regional TV music series 'Night Train,' where Jones played in the House Band.

Rounding out the decade, Jones performed with Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown on the Nashville-produced R&B music TV show 'The Beat' and toured with soul-blues giant Bobby "Blue" Bland. By the 1970s, he had grown tired of the financial struggle in being a musician and retired until the late '90s. Jones returned to performing, supporting local R&B singers and ultimately releasing his first solo album, I Was Raised on the Blues' in 1999. In the past decade he continued to release acclaimed discs like 'Blues Is in the House' and kept an active performance schedule.

Labels: Guitar News Daily, Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Jones

breakingnews.iol.ie


Jack White thinks Britney Spears is "more authentic" than some legendary rockers.

The White Stripes singer and guitarist believes the 'If U Seek Amy' singer is more genuine than some of the world's most respected rock stars, including Bob Dylan, because she does not pretend to be anything other than a pop singer.

He said: "I don't know if Bob Dylan and Tom Waits are as authentic as I think they are."

"Perhaps they're not. Sometimes you start thinking that maybe Britney Spears or someone like that who's doing exactly what they want to do in the way that they best know how, is more authentic than any of those people you could mention."

The 34-year-old guitarist, who was speaking at a guest lecture at Dublin's Trinity College last Sunday night, also revealed he had an "incredible" time working on electric guitar documentary film 'It Might Get Loud' with Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page and U2's The Edge.

He told the audience: "It was a pretty incredible experience to work with those two guys."

Labels: Britney Spears, Guitar News Daily, Jack White

sleazeroxx.com

Kiss' Peter Criss Reveals Breast Cancer Nightmare Former Kiss drummer Peter Criss has revealed that he was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008 but treated the disease before it could spread and is now cancer-free. To help bring awareness to National Breast Cancer Month, Criss talked about his scare with CNN and admitted that he didn't even know that men could get breast cancer until he was diagnosed. "So many people must die from this," Criss said. "Somebody has to step up to the plate and say something to get them aware of how dangerous this is. Lots of men die: They wait, they don't go in, they put it off."

In 2007, Criss noticed a painful lump in his chest while working out. Because his wife was battling another form of cancer at the time, he didn't hesitate to get checked out. In February 2008, doctors removed what they believed was a harmless nodule from Criss' chest, but tests revealed that nodule was breast cancer. "I flipped out. I just couldn't believe it. It's a nightmare," Criss told CNN. Another surgery in March 2008 removed the cancer, and thankfully the cancer had not spread, meaning Criss didn't need to undergo chemotherapy.

Criss now gets monthly mammograms, and the breast cancer hasn't resurfaced. According to the National Cancer Institute, nearly 2,000 American men will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009, resulting in almost 450 deaths. "Don't sit around playing Mr. Tough Guy. Don't say 'It's going to go away.' " Criss tells the Kiss Army and all other men out there. "It's just important, just go get checked out. It's not like you're going to lose your manhood."

Labels: Guitar News Daily, Kiss' Peter Criss

sleazeroxx.com

Def Leppard Cancels Third Leg Of 2009 Tour Due to unforeseen personal matters, the third leg of Def Leppard's North American Tour, set to begin on October 22nd, has been cancelled.

"We know how truly blessed we are to have such committed fans," said the band in a statement. "That's why we've agonized over this decision. Even if just a single concert, we don't take cancelling shows lightly, but unfortunately life's commitments need to be the priority."

Ticket refunds are available at the point of purchase.

Labels: Def Leppard, Guitar News Daily

nme.com

A gossip website is claiming to have more details about the Paris fight that effectively led to Oasis' split.

As previously reported, the band failed to play the Paris Rock en Seine festival on August 28 after a fight between Noel and Liam Gallagher backstage, and now Holymoly.com is claiming to have an account from "a mole" who saw the dispute that triggered the split.

"The papers quite rightly reported the fact that Noel stormed out from their gig in Paris a minute before they were due onstage because Liam smashed his guitar - but the whole five minutes the saga lasted were proper comedy," explained the site.

Allegedly Liam had brought his own acoustic guitar to play in the dressing room and a row erupted when Noel made a "pithy comment about Liam's playing".

"Without thinking, Liam stood up and hurled the guitar at Noel. Naturally it missed and landed next at his feet instead," writes Holymoly.com.

"Realising Liam had mistakenly thrown his own guitar, Noel looked down, shrugged and stamped seven bells of shit out of it until it resembled the bottom of a hamster's cage."

It was then, as reported by NME.COM at the time, that the singer made his way to the stage and smashed up his older brother's guitars. Noel then "flicked the Vs, walked out of the backstage area, got into a taxi and went home".

Labels: Guitar News Daily, Oasis

bbc.co.uk

Sir Paul to play BBC charity gig

Sir Paul McCartney is to join a host of stars including Take That, Lily Allen and Muse for a one-off charity concert for Children in Need next month.

Dame Shirley Bassey, Leona Lewis, Dizzee Rascal and Snow Patrol are also on the line-up for the show, organised by Take That's Gary Barlow.

Radio 1's Chris Moyles will host the show at London's Royal Albert Hall on 12 November.

Tickets for the concert, priced £50 - £100 will be allocated by ballot.

Announcing the line-up on his Radio 2 show, Sir Terry Wogan said: "This concert is helping to make a really special year for Children In Need".

'Night to remember'

Barlow had been due to make the announcement on Friday morning, but cancelled due to a family bereavement.

"Our sympathies are with you Gary and thank you for all you're doing on Children In Need," Sir Terry added.

The Take That singer had earlier said: "I've always wanted to do something like this and I can promise a night to remember, a night that will, I hope, play a small part in changing the lives of disadvantaged children across the UK."

Presenter Fearne Cotton, actor James Corden and Sir Terry will also be on hand at the show to help introduce the stars onto the stage.

Fans will have a chance to buy a maximum of two tickets by registering their details on the Children in Need website between 0700 BST Friday 16 October until 1200 BST on Tuesday 20 October.

They will be allocated through a ballot and successful applicants, drawn at random, will be notified by email the following day.

The show will be broadcast on BBC One in the weekend before the main Children in Need appeal on 20 November. Highlights will be aired on Radio 2 on Thursday, 19 November at 2000.

Labels: Guitar News Daily, Paul McCartney

nytimes.com

A Texas Star Finds End Zone and His Voice

Jordan Shipley has 47 receptions this season. He has also returned two punts for touchdowns.

So Shipley consumed himself with football during high school. He won every wind sprint, did 11 repetitions while lifting weights when 10 were required and always ran to the end zone when catching a ball in practice.

By the time he was finished at Burnet High School, about an hour from Austin, Shipley was Texas’ career leader in catches, receiving yards and touchdown receptions, records that remain intact. Upon arriving at the University of Texas in 2004, he impressed his teammates.

He arrived with the nickname the Great White Hope. Vince Young nicknamed him ESPN for his highlight catches and Cedric Benson, seeing his blazing speed, began calling him White Chocolate.

But Shipley, 23, did not become a complete player and person at Texas until leg injuries kept him off the team in 2004 and 2005, nearly ending his playing days. Facing football mortality, Shipley found himself. On Saturday, he will play in his fourth, and final, Red River Rivalry when No. 3 Texas meets No. 20 Oklahoma at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.

"There just came a defining moment in his life where he made the decision that his commitment to football was not going to define him as a person," Bob Shipley, Jordan's father, who coached Jordan in high school, said in a telephone interview. "And that's really when he really started being successful."

Texas Coach Mack Brown said he considered telling Shipley to give up football.

But Shipley took his time away from the game to develop in other ways. He discovered a passion for music as a guitar player, a singer and a songwriter. When football was taken away, "I had to kind of figure out who I was as a person and what I stood for," he said in a telephone interview.

On the field this season, Shipley has dazzled, prompting talk that he may be a more worthy Heisman Trophy candidate than Longhorns quarterback Colt McCoy, his housemate. While McCoy’s numbers are pedestrian compared to the ones he put up last season, Shipley has soared, catching 47 passes for 583 yards and 3 touchdowns and returning two punts for touchdowns. He is tied for second in the Football Bowl Subdivision in receptions per game and fourth in yards per punt return (18.9).

"He's awesome," Colorado Coach Dan Hawkins said of Shipley in a telephone interview. "He's obviously very talented, but he's got that divine spark."

Shipley's rhythm on the field is in sync with his life off it. Shipley describes his music as a mix of country and Americana, styled after musicians like John Mayer and Jack Johnson. He has stopped watching television because he prefers to play his Alvarez acoustic guitar while singing and writing songs at his house.

He sometimes plays songs by the country singer George Strait on his guitar while McCoy sings. On occasion, McCoy even plays Jimmy Buffett's "Margaritaville." Music, which Shipley calls a "healthy distraction," gives him a release from football and school.

"It really just soothes me," Shipley said.

Shipley recently started playing in a band at Fellowship of Christian Athletes worship meetings at Texas, and has written nearly a dozen songs and recorded a few of them. In July, it only took him a few hours to write his first song, "Moving On," about being stuck in the city and longing to get away.

Shipley did not start playing seriously until he saw his former teammate Buck Burnette play a guitar in a university dormitory.

"Man, I'd love to get better at the guitar," Burnette recalled Shipley telling him.

After that, Shipley and Burnette played together several times a week. When they first started, Shipley only knew a few chords, but he can now listen to songs and play them by ear, Burnette said.

"He's gotten exponentially better," Burnette said in a telephone interview. "He is very talented on the guitar. It tickles me to death because people say, 'Hey, I heard you taught him.' He's self-made. I got him started, but he took off after that."

Shipley and Burnette take their guitars when they and McCoy go fishing and hunting on a 6,000-acre cattle ranch that Burnette's family owns just outside Dripping Springs, Tex.

Burnette, Shipley and McCoy often dash away to the ranch. They have gone twice this season after Texas games. Burnette was dismissed from the team last season for making a racial slur on his Facebook page about Barack Obama's victorious election.

During those trips, Shipley and Burnette usually end up sitting around a campfire for hours, playing their guitars under the stars.

The seeds of Shipley's musical interest were sown when he was a boy. His father, who aspired to be a musician, would take him to Nashville and introduced him to many forms of music. All the while, they listened to music in the car.

"He was like a dictionary of classic rock," Bob Shipley said of his son. Jordan's interest in music has also rekindled his father's songwriting. The two work on songs together by sending sound files to each other.

"Nowadays instead of him being anxious about, 'Oh, can I keep up this pace?" or 'Golly, somebody mentioned my name for the Heisman' or whatever, we never even talk about that," the elder Shipley said. "It's like, 'Hey, Dad, listen to the hook I've got on this song. I think it's really going to be good.' "

Shipley's music has also drawn interest from other musicians. This past summer, the country singer Aaron Watson invited Shipley to his house in Abilene, Tex., and the two sat on the back porch playing acoustic guitars into the early hours of the morning.

"He claims that he hasn't been playing the guitar very long, but he's outpicking me already," Watson said in a telephone interview from a tour stop in Huntsville, Tex. "Maybe I'll be opening up shows for him someday."

For now, Shipley's top priority is football, but someday he plans to make a demo of his songs. He is also hopeful that the rest of this season gives him more material.

"It doesn't have anything about a train or being drunk or his momma or anything like that," Bob Shipley said of his son's career. "So I don't know how much of a county music song it'll make, but then again the final verse hasn't been written yet."

Perhaps a national championship by the Longhorns could provide inspiration for a No. 1 hit.

Labels: Guitar News Daily, Jordan Shipley

thedailynewsonline.com

BUFFALO — AC/DC is about to rock once more.

The hard-rocking band returns to the road this week after taking a break while singer Brian Johnson recovered from a medical ailment.

The global tour, which canceled or postponed six dates earlier this month, resumes Friday in Washington, D.C., and then hits Buffalo for a Sunday night show at HSBC Arena,1 Seymour St.

After 36 years of rock 'n' roll, the band -- featuring gritty guitar riffs from brothers and founders Angus and Malcolm Young -- hardly shows signs of slowing down. The group's latest album, "Black Ice," was released nearly a year ago and topped sales charts in 29 countries, including the U.S. where it sold nearly 800,000 copies its first week. AC/DC's first studio album in eight years has since sold more than 2 million units in the U.S.

And when this leg of the tour -- which started a year ago -- is completed in early 2010, AC/DC will have also hit South America, Australia and New Zealand.

The current tour was originally scheduled to kick off Oct. 1. But that show in Phoenix was postponed, followed by dates in Las Vegas, Louisville, Kansas City, Des Moines and Milwaukee. The dates have not yet been rescheduled.

The late start was a result of doctors' recommendations that Johnson take time to rest.

On the band's official Web site, ACDC.com, Johnson recently posted:

"It's an inside job that forced me to reschedule those upcoming six shows! Inside being the operative word here. My insides were giving me lots of trouble, ulcers and such. They were really uncomfortable and painful, which required me to seek immediate medical attention.

"The doctor's looked me over, poked, scanned and prodded all possible areas. In the end, they gave me a clean bill of health, but insisted that I take a bit of time to recuperate and rest up."

AC/DC forged a new era of rock in the late 1970s and early 1980s, but have continued to remain popular more than 30 years later. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003.

The group's legacy will be celebrated next month when it releases a limited-edition box set. "Backtracks," due Nov. 10 will be available in two packages. The "deluxe" package, housed in a fully operational AC/DC amplifier and in a limited autograph run, will have three Cds of live and studio rarities, two DVDs, a vinyl LP with studio rarities, a 164-page coffee table book, fine art lithographs of rare photos, a reproduction of an early AC/DC concert flyer and other memorabilia, including a button, guitar pick, and more. The standard edition will feature two CDs of live and studio material, a single DVD plus bonus videos. Both sets will be available only through the ACDCBacktracks.com Web site.

While AC / DC is not unaccustomed to topping the charts -- they've sold 70 million records in the United States alone over their decades-long run -- they are enjoying their greatest success, and exposure, in years.

"It's definitely their biggest return to form in many years," Jason Fine, executive editor of Rolling Stone, told The Associated Press last fall.

The group's founding members and leaders, guitar brothers Angus and Malcolm Young crafted the songs for the CD, which sounds like the more rambunctious, carefree rock that made songs such as "You Shook Me All Night Long" enduring classics.

"It's their best record since 'Back in Black,' since 1980," Fine said. "Unlike some of the records that they made over the last 20 years, this one really sounds alive."

Labels: ACDC, Guitar News Daily

blog.cmt.com

"When you get a new guitar, it's like dancing with someone else's wife," Gary Allan said in the middle of his 90-minute show last night (Oct. 14) at Chicago's House of Blues. As he introduced his new guitar to the sold-out crowd of about 1,500 people, he went on to explain how he got it (drove two hours to meet some guy in a Shoney's parking lot) and why (his guitars were crushed when a tornado struck at a show in Canada this summer).

So the fans got to meet his Gibson 1948 J-200, along with a handful of other guitars, over the course of his 20-song set. He opened with a new tune, "Get Off on the Pain," but managed to mix things up with so many of the songs that showcase the gravel in his voice and his rock-heavy sound. (That said, the cry of the steel guitar was the biggest star of the show. Even Allan took the time to sit down and listen to CJ Udeen play at the end of "Learning How to Bend." It was that good.)

Most of Allan's big hits were there, like "Nothing On But the Radio," the piano-laced "Life Ain't Always Beautiful," "Watching Airplanes," "Smoke Rings in the Dark" and "Best I Ever Had." But the standout for me was when the band took a break and he did his soulful "Right Where I Need to Be" with just his acoustic guitar. He closed the show after catching a bottle of Johnnie Walker Black Label tossed onstage from someone in the crowd and sang what he called his favorite whiskey-drinkin' song, "Drinkin' Dark Whiskey."

The tour continues Friday night (Oct. 16) in Houston and runs through New Year's Eve with a show at the House of Blues in Las Vegas.

Labels: Gary Allan, Guitar News Daily

tnawrestling.com

In the two decades since Ozzy Osbourne hired him away from his job at a New Jersey gas station to become his new guitarist, Zakk Wylde has established himself as a guitar icon known and revered the world over. Writing and recording with Osbourne led to multi-platinum success, inspiring him to create the now legendary Black Label Society in 1998.

In the decade since, BLS has turned the notion of what a rock band should be upside down by inspiring legions of fans (known as Berserkers) all over the world to follow the mantra: Strength, Determination, Merciless, Forever. SDMF for short, the Berserkers, along with Wylde have created a heavy metal institution true to his vision of uncompromising, unfiltered and unrestrained rock and roll. Wylde's inspiration comes from not only the fans, but from such notable guitarists including Randy Rhoads, Eddie Van Halen, Frank Marino, Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin and Albert Lee , as well as the vocal stylings of Elton John, Gregg Allman and late Lynyrd Skynyrd frontman Ronnie VanZant. Wylde has won nearly every guitar award imaginable, and is major influence to a new battalion rock guitarists currently popular today. One thing is for certain, wherever Zakk Wylde's Black Label Society travels: brewtality is sure to follow.

Wylde's passion for wrestling dates back to youth, and he's been friends with some of the top wrestlers in the biz for years.

"We are thrilled to have Zakk join us at Bound For Glory", said TNA President Dixie Carter. "Without any question this will be the most memorable event in TNA Wrestling's history and we are certain Zakk will start the show with a performance people will talk about for years to come."

Total Nonstop Action presents the annual "Bound For Glory" extravaganza live and exclusively on Pay-Per-View from Irvine, California, at the UCI Bren Events Center at 8PM ET 5PM/PT with the free pre-show airing starting at 7:30PM ET 4:30PM/PT. The epic event will be available on InDemand, DirecTV, Dish Network, TVN, Viewer's Choice and more. Check your programming guide for availability.

Labels: Guitar News Daily, Zakk Wylde

guitargearheads.com

EL CAJON, Calif. - October 15, 2009 - Taylor Guitars co-founders Bob Taylor and Kurt Listug have announced the appointment of Barbara Wight as Chief Financial Officer. In her new role, Ms. Wight is responsible for the financial, information systems and legal interests of the company and will report to Kurt Listug, CEO.

"We are very grateful for the expertise and leadership that Barbara brings to the table," said Listug. "Not only does she have a proven track record of growing businesses and managing capital structures, but she also has a depth of financial experience that will be invaluable in helping Taylor achieve our continued growth objectives."

Ms. Wight says she is excited to join the company. "From its humble beginnings as a two-man shop, to its present day status as a major manufacturer of one of the world's best selling guitar brands, Taylor is at a very important stage in its evolution," she shared. "I look forward to helping the company achieve its full market potential."

Ms. Wight joins the company from T-Systems International, Inc., a global manufacturer of irrigation solutions, where she was Chief Operating Officer/Chief Financial Officer. During her 18-year tenure, Ms. Wight was responsible for all manufacturing, global supply chain, financial, administrative and legal matters on behalf of the company. She was instrumental in developing operational strategies for product development, quality assurance, human resources and information technologies. In 2008, the company was acquired by John Deere Water Technologies. At this time, Ms. Wight joined the new company as a member of the John Deere Water Technologies Global Executive Leadership Team.

Currently, Ms. Wight represents the City of San Diego as a Director of the San Diego County Water Authority and serves on the Audit Committee, Imported Water Committee, as well as the Administrative and Finance Committee of the Board of Directors.

Ms. Wight is a Certified Public Accountant and a Graduate Fellow of the California Agricultural Leadership Program. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting, magna cum laude, from San Diego State University and a Master's degree in Business Administration from San Diego State University.

About Taylor Guitars
Founded in 1974, Taylor Guitars has evolved into one of the world's leading manufacturers of premium acoustic and electric guitars. Renowned for blending an innovative use of modern technology with a master craftsman's attention to detail, Taylor guitars are widely considered the best sounding and easiest to play in the world. Many of today's leading musicians make Taylor their guitar of choice, including Dave Matthews, Prince, Mick Jagger, Taylor Swift, the Goo Goo Dolls, Sarah McLachlan and more. For additional information, please visit us at www.taylorguitars.com

Labels: Guitar News Daily, Taylor Guitars

minnpost.com

Metallica and Mould: '80s guitar gods play across the street from each other in Minneapolis

Thrash music is about as subtle as a punch in the mouth - or a dozen punches in two seconds. During the 1980s, however, a pair of now-legendary bands, Husker Du and Metallica, transformed thrash into a thing of beauty without sacrificing any of its blunt force or blitzkrieg speed. The not-so secret ingredient in the success of both bands were guitarists capable of shredding heavy metal melodies into chromatic confetti-shrapnel with quicksilver aplomb.

Whipcrack drumbeats and piledriver bass lines aided and abetted this cathartic carnage, of course, and much later it would become de rigueur for thrashers to feature a singer who could sound like he was rolfing up a lung. But the axes were the axis upon which Husker Du and Metallica leveraged a fan base beyond the standard-issue head-bangers, jolting both nihilistic punks and comfortably numb followers of classic rock with this tangier new juice.

It so happens that all three of these guitar gods, Metallica’s Kirk Hammett and James Hetfield and former Husker Du frontman Bob Mould, will be spraying sparks on stages across the street from each other tonight; Metallica at the Target Center and Mould with his latest band at First Avenue.

There is a reason Metallica sold out the cavernous arena in mere hours months ago, while tickets still remain for Mould’s gig at the decidedly more intimate club. Metallica has always operated like the Third Battalion, marshalling stacks of amps, copious pyrotechnics and other accoutrements of a band aiming for, and dependent upon, high-volume sales. They notoriously waged war against file sharing services who they perceived were denying them copywrited profits. By contrast, both Husker Du and later Mould-led ensembles operated like commandoes, their songs a series a quick, surgical strikes and their tours guided by a DIY mentality and lean overheads.

Without question, Hammett’s Metallica is more profitable and more influential than Husker Du, or any of Mould’s subsequent outfits. If you want to be among the masses hearing an unremitting diet of powerhouse thrash, the Target Center is your locality. But if you like your guitar gods up close and personal, lyrically as well as physically, then Mould’s searing confessionals and stylistic variation at First Ave is the ticket. Incidentally, his latest, -Life and Times,- features some of his best guitar churns since his days with Sugar.

Labels: Guitar News Daily, Husker Du, Metallica, Mould

The Lufkin Daily News

When Shari Ratliff put out the word she was looking for a used guitar to send to her son stationed in Afghanistan, she didn't expect such a large response.

And she certainly didn't expect to receive a brand new guitar from an anonymous donor. But thanks to a few generous people, Ratcliff's son, Cliff Meyer, will now have a brand new acoustic guitar to entertain his friends overseas.
Steven Alford/The Lufkin Daily News

"I contacted Luci Burris (of the American Legion Auxiliary) and asked if they might be able to help me put some feelers out for a really good deal on a used guitar to send him for his birthday in November," Ratliff said.

"The next I knew I got a call from Luci, who said she had a donor who had already made arrangements to purchase a guitar for my son, and all I needed to do was go by Sound Techs and pick it out," she said.

Ratcliff said she contacted Burris after reading a previous article in the Lufkin Daily News about a fundraiser for the local American Legion Auxiliary unit.

Burris soon sent an e-mail out through her letter chain that went to more than 150 people associated with the auxiliary, and within just a few days she received several responses from people wanting to help.

"Our troops are so happy to receive something from friends and family back home," said Burris, troop support chairwoman for American Legion Auxiliary Unit No. 113. "It's not really about what's in the box. They just want to know that we are all thinking about them."

Ratcliff said her son left his good guitars at home when he was deployed recently, and that he wanted a used guitar he could leave for other musicians when he left the base.

Now, thanks to the kindness of strangers, Christmas will come early in Afghanistan.

"It's just so neat how this all came together," Ratcliff said. "Because a lot of people can get a blessing out this now."

Tim Sprinkle of Sound Techs said this is the fourth time they've sent a guitar overseas for the troops, and that the store was happy to take part in making a soldier's birthday special. The anonymous donor who purchased the guitar for Meyer said he is part of a group of people at his office that tries to find a good deed to do each month for the community.

"It may sound 'cheesy,' but maybe if one of the locals in Afghanistan sees my son out there with a guitar in his hand instead of a gun, they might think that we aren't there to do harm, but to help," Ratliff said.

Labels: American Soldier Gets Guitar, Guitar News Daily

slipperybrick.com

AC/DC Box Set includes a working guitar ampAC/DC knows how to rock and they have never slowed down. Only a super hard rocking band like them could put out a Box Set like this, which has to be the best Box Set ever. AC/DC’s Backtracks package obviously looks like a guitar amp. But take a closer look.

The top of the box is actually a working 1-watt guitar amplifier. This mini-amp won’t Shake Your Foundations, or even bother the neighbors, but who cares. It’s a real amplifier. You can’t get that on iTunes people. For $199 you get three CDs and two DVDs of rare tracks from the band, a 12-inch vinyl LP, a bunch of memorabilia and a 164-page hardbound book.

On the back of the box it features the original spray-painted AC/DC logo. This one is seriously ringing Hell’s Bells.

Labels: AC/DC Box Set, Guitar News Daily

musicradar.com



The Simon Neil Signature Stratocaster and the James Johnston Jazz Bass

PRESS RELEASE: Squier Guitars are extremely proud to release details of the Biffy Clyro Signature models. The instruments designed in collaboration with Simon Neil and James Johnston from the band will be available from 20 October 20 2009 in Europe only.

The Squier Simon Neil Signature Stratocaster (£359.99) and the Squier James Johnston Jazz Bass (£419.99) are based on their number one instruments. The Stratocaster is colour matched to Simon's '60s Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster and features a custom set of pickups which are a blend of Alnico III & V magnets - Giving classic Biffy Stratocaster tones with great clarity and a full-sounding bridge pickup.

The Squier James Johnston Jazz Bass features a Lake Placid blue finish with matching headstock features a modern radius neck with medium jumbo frets and a set of Custom Jazz Bass Single-Coil Pickups. Both guitars feature a Biffy Clyro logo on the front of the Headstock and the guys' signatures on the back of their respective instruments, both instruments have made appearances on the bands' recent live dates.

Check out the following video in which Simon and James, along with Neil Whitcher from Fender UK, talk to Total Guitar magazine about the guitars:

Formed by Simon Neil (guitar/vocals) and twins James Johnston (bass/vocals), and Ben Johnston (drums/vocals) in the mid '90s, Scottish alternative rock band Biffy Clyro have been entering into the hearts of rock fans all over the globe.

Biffy Clyro are known for complex and interwoven guitar riffs, chord sequences and melodies, and an intense, exciting live show. With the release of Puzzle in 2007 the band gained mainstream success, reaching number two in the UK album charts and a string of successful singles.

In July 2008, the band released a new single entitled Mountains, which reached number five in the UK Singles Chart and are about to release the highly anticipated album Only Revolutions on 14th Floor Records.

Labels: Biffy Clyro, Guitar News Daily

countrystandardtime.com

By now, most Keith Urban fans know that he tries everything he can to make sure everyone who comes to an arena show has a good time. He performs an acoustic set on a stage in the back for those in the nosebleed section, walks around the arena playing his guitar for those on the floor, and even walks into the stands to sing a song or two and show off his axe.

At last night's "All For The Hall" event in Nashville, fans on both sides of the arena got a simultaneous, upclose and personal guitar "lesson" from Brad Paisley and Urban during their "Start A Band" duet.

"This is a song about a couple of guitar geeks," Urban said before ripping into the song's intro. Mid-song, Urban walked into the arena stands to the left of the stage, while Paisley joined fans on the right side of the arena. Flanked by fans (and camera flashes) on either side, the two began duking it out with long and intricate guitar solos, volleying riffs back and forth and pointing at each other as if to say, "Is that all you've got?"

Urban and Paisley weren't the only ace axemen there last night. Vince Gill and Dann Huff also hacked some excellent solos later in the show. For any guitar player wannabes, last night was filled with excellent teachers. Take good notes, kids.

Labels: Brad Paisley, Guitar News Daily, Keith Urban

latimes.com

Inexpensive software is shifting music-recording to the home. Industry experts estimate that up to half of the commercial studios in the L.A. area have closed or been sold to artists for private use.

Tom McCauley didn't plan on making house calls when he started in the music business.

As a recording engineer, McCauley made a good living working out of the many commercial studios that had grown up throughout the Los Angeles area to serve the music, film and television industries.

But with the advent of software that allows high-end recording from a personal computer, the 53-year-old Sherman Oaks resident has traded the quasi-industrial atmosphere of the commercial studio for his customers' garages or living rooms.

On a recent Monday afternoon McCauley opened a wooden gate to the backyard of a Valley Village house, walked past a pool and into a studio converted from a guest house. He sat in front of dual computer monitors, opened up Pro Tools recording software and tested microphones.

"The old days were big budgets, top-of-the-line equipment and 'How do you want your espresso and can I get it for you?' " he said. "I do miss that a bit. And at the time, even just 10 years ago, it didn't seem like that could ever end, ever go away."

Although nobody officially tracks the number of recording studios, the consensus among industry experts is that the big commercial facilities have taken a major hit. They estimate that as many as half of the L.A. area's commercial studios have closed or been sold to artists for private use.

A key reason is that recording software emulates what old studio consoles and tape recorders used to do -- at a fraction of the price. Among the most widely used programs are Avid Technology Inc.'s Pro Tools, Steinberg Media Technologies' Cubase and Apple Inc.'s GarageBand.

"You used to patch everything into a big console. Now you can plug everything into a computer," he said. "And editing music using tape wasn't easy. Now you just click and drag a mouse across the screen."

While sales of recorded music have dropped in recent years, putting even more pressure on recording studios to cut costs, the market for software and other computer-related music equipment has gone way up. The total computer music market went from just under $140 million in sales in 1999 to almost a half-billion dollars in 2008, according to NAMM, the trade group for music retailers and manufacturers.

"In some ways we've come full circle," said Maureen Droney, senior director of the Recording Academy's Producers & Engineers Wing. "We've gone back to being small and entrepreneurial. People still look to commercial studios when they have something to offer that they can't do at home. But, as it is, the recording studio business started with people starting small, funky studios, oftentimes in bedrooms and garages."

And with more artists recording themselves and leaving the commercial studios behind, engineers and other professionals are finding fewer places to work, Droney said.

Some have downsized and built their own home studios. Others, like McCauley, work the circuit of small facilities in bedrooms and garages. Some have left the industry altogether.

"It's sort of sad that a lot of artists feel they have to record their own records when there are people who love the technical side of recording who are being left out," Droney said.

At Clear Lake Audio in North Hollywood, business isn't what it used to be, and owner Brian Levi said part of the reason is the ease of digital recording. When artists do come into the studio, they don't stay as long, he said.

"Going from the analog age to the digital age, going from one song to another on tape used to take 30 minutes, but with Pro Tools software it takes about a minute," Levi said. "So we just lost 28, 29 minutes of time we could bill a client. So you add that up over a year and tell me how much it is."

Ellis Sorkin runs Studio Referral Service of Calabasas, connecting artists to studios that are his clients. In recent years, he said, his list has been getting shorter.

Many of the older, larger studios have been sold to big producers or artists, who use them exclusively for their own projects, he said.

Part of the reason that the free-standing studios are struggling, he said, is their owners incurred high costs building them and installing high-priced equipment. Home studios -- whether owned by artists themselves or by recording engineers working on the cheap -- don't have that kind of overhead.

"Any place that was built as a studio, there's a lot of money that's spent, a couple million dollars maybe," Sorkin said. "People are spending $20,000 to $100,000 on home studios. There's a big difference in cost."

Still, there are drawbacks to home recording that have kept many professional studios in business. One is quality.

"When I walk into a home studio to work, I never really know what I'm walking into," said McCauley, the recording engineer. "It's sort of a crapshoot. The consistency in terms of quality of equipment or tuning or acoustics that the old commercial studios offered just isn't there in home studios."

About one to three hours per project can be spent on just setting up microphones, testing recording software and testing speaker quality, he said.

McCauley has also found work as a consultant on how to set up home studios, and lately he has increased his time spent as a session musician.

Gabriel Dorsey, owner of Affordable Demos studio in Altadena, said his studio is struggling. He averaged five clients a week five years ago, but now he gets just two or three.

With the number of artists seeking studio time down, Dorsey said he's considering opening up his facility as a rehearsal space. He has also started taking on work that in the past he would have turned down. "People bring in stuff they've recorded at home -- I'll mix it for them, make it sound good," he said. "And I get a lot of people calling me asking me how to set up Pro Tools and how to set up Cubase -- I'll go do it."

Labels: Guitar News Daily, Recording Studios

sleazeroxx.com

If you're a fan of heavy rock music at all like Metal or Punk you own a little something to Blue Cheer.


Dickie Peterson, the founding member of Blue Cheer, has passed away October 12th at 5 AM in Germany. Although no cause of death has been given at this time, Dickie had been battling liver cancer. Blue Cheer were often cited as being the pioneers of heavy metal as their debut album 'Vincebus Eruptum' was released in early 1968 and predated releases by Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Deep Purple, etc.

Labels: Blue Cheer, Guitar News Daily

I include this because we here at GND never tire of seeing the class act the is the Cobain family. They gots class out the ass...

canoe.ca

Frances Bean Cobain has waged war against Lindsay Lohan's younger sister ALI - criticizing the teenager for attempting to forge her own career off the back of her sibling's fame.

Cobain, whose parents are Courtney Love and late Nirvana legend Kurt Cobain, is adamant she has never used her mom and dad's celebrity to further her own work.

She has now taken aim at 15-year-old Ali Lohan, after she spotted the teen enjoying VIP treatment at the recent Paris Fashion Week in France.

Cobain has written Lohan an open letter using a series of posts on Twitter.com.

The note reads, "Your (sic) not entitled to anything simply because your sister has a recognizable name. Your idea of fame isn't fame. It's infamy. You want to be famous? Work your ass off and make decisions that could potentially catapult your career into a lasting one. Notoriety for who you are and notoriety (sic) for the work you produce are two completely different things. I understand that you have been brought up in an environment where the idea of fame is easily achievable but, that's not an excuse. You lack the talent, social understanding and credibility to be anything other then infamous."

Cobain adds, "Your career choices, thus far, will transcend a future career as someone who attempted to be famous, but never quite achieved it.

"And if you do, it will be the formality of fame that puts you on the covers of tabloids, while the public idly watches you plummet into the murky abyss shared with the likes of Spencer Pratt & Jon Gosslin who, I'm sure, will steal your money whilst there. I'm ashamed to have to be grouped into the same category of person as you."

Labels: Guitar News Daily, Kurt Cobain

ap.org/

LOS ANGELES An illuminating glove worn by Michael Jackson during the 1984 Victory Tour has brought in $70,800 at an auction of entertainment memorabilia.

A bidder paid $106,200 for a Martin D-28 guitar played by Elvis Presley during his final Las Vegas peformance.

They were among dozens of items from Hollywood and the music industry sold at an auction in Los Angeles by Profiles in History. The auction house says it sold about $5 million in memorabilia Thursday and Friday.

A bullwhip swung by Harrison Ford in "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" went for $56,050 and full-scale Velociraptor model from "Jurassic Park" brought in $76,700.

Labels: Elvis, Guitar News Daily

bbcSports

Giovanni Trapattoni has led the Republic to second place in their World Cup qualifying group Victory over Italy will not silence all the doubters - as Brendan Behan once suggested the Irish race has a propensity for revelling in nationwide splits - but Giovanni Trapattoni will surely feel a little more love from the Emerald Isle if the Azzurri are turned over at Croke Park on Saturday.
Twenty months on from the Football Association of Ireland's appointment of Trapattoni, the statistics suggest that the governing body's suits came up with a masterstroke.
Unbeaten in eight World Cup qualifiers - including an away draw against the world champions in Bari - and on the cusp of a play-off to secure a place at the finals in South Africa, appears an impressive return by the wily Italian.
Particularly given that he is managing arguably the most limited bunch of Republic players for a generation.
But still the suspicion lingers that the relationship between his adopted country and Trapattoni has the potential to turn sour if results go against the 70-year-old and his unspectacular troops over the next six weeks.
As with the majority of Irish sporting controversies, the view on Trapattoni's stewardship of the national team has divided into two voluble camps.
Trapattoni is wringing every last drop of ability from this squad in terms of results
Sunday Tribune football correspondent Ciaran Cronin Advocates of Trapattoni, such as the Sunday Tribune's football correspondent Ciaran Cronin, have marvelled as the Italian's ability to get results from a "handful of Premier League regulars".
"The system he employs may sit close to the Catholic Church on the scale of conservatism but its implementation is the only reason why Ireland find themselves in such a promising position in terms of qualification for the World Cup," insists Cronin.
"Trapattoni is wringing every last drop of ability from this squad in terms of results," he adds.
However, not all opinion formers in the Dublin media are convinced.
Irish Times football correspondent Emmet Malone believes that the jury is still out, adding that the FAI in awarding Trapattoni a new two-year contract before the completion of the qualifiers gave the Italian latitude which they were not prepared to grant Brian Kerr four years ago.
"Brian Kerr was in a virtually identical situation in terms of points garnered from the same amount of games at the same stage of the qualifying campaign," adds Malone.
"On that occasion, the FAI said time and time again, that they were going to wait until the tournament was over and qualification sorted out before they decided to give him another contract.
The new contract might prove a bit rash - if things don't go too well over the next five days or in the play-offs
Irish Times correspondent Emmet Malone "On that occasion, Ireland didn't qualify and Kerr didn't get a new contract.
"This time, the FAI has decided to jump perhaps when they are feeling under a little bit of pressure and that Trapattoni might qualify and would have other options and might walk.
"The new contract might prove a bit rash - especially if things don't go too well over the next five days or in the play-offs.
"But if Ireland qualify for the World Cup, his popularity rating will go through the roof."
Like many journalists, fans and neutrals, the Irish Times correspondent remains baffled by Trapattoni's continuing decision to omit a now slimmed-down Andy Reid from his squad.
Despite going on to achieve near Sainthood in Ireland, Jack Charlton came under fire during his early years of his reign for leaving out David O'Leary from his squad before the Arsenal defender's later rehabilitation at Italia '90.
Reid's exclusion looks even more unjustifiable - especially given Stephen Ireland's self-imposed exile from the Republic midfield.
Suffice to say, Reid has paid a heavy price for his rumoured late night and guitar-accompanied Wiesbaden warblings 13 months ago after the qualifier win over Georgia in Germany.
Andy Reid's omission by Trapattoni is continuing to baffle many The latest indignity handed to the Sunderland midfielder by the Republic manager came this week when he opted to call up QPR's Martin Rowlands as cover on Monday.
A day later, Trapattoni still failed to summon the in-form Reid after the withdrawal of midfielders Damien Duff, Steven Reid and Darron Gibson from the squad.
"There are many reservations about the team selection - particularly in central midfield and his continued omission of Andy Reid and his failure, however beyond his control, to bring Stephen Ireland back into the fold," added Malone.
Certainly, Reid's ability to get on the ball and find colleagues with decent passes was markedly missing as the Irish midfield toiled during the decidedly fortunate 2-1 qualifier win in Nicosia last month.
Cyprus manager Angelos Anatasiades lambasted the Irish team's long-ball tactics after Robbie Keane's late winner and even the normally measured John Giles felt the need to join his RTE pundit Eamon Dunphy in delivering a scathing appraisal of the standard of football served up by Trapattoni's charges.
However, another win, albeit an ugly one, had been fashioned and Trapattoni's supporters will continue to hold the edge in the simmering debate if the Republic keep their qualification hopes alive over the next week.
The odds are that the Irish will clinch a place in next month's play-offs although defeat on Saturday - and a win for Bulgaria in Cyprus - would make for a nervy final group encounter against Montenegro at Croke Park on Wednesday.
Possible opponents in the play-offs include Germany, Russia and France, who all would be huge favourites to advance over the Irish.
But the luck has been with Trapattoni so far in the campaign and he insisted earlier this week that his troops could be competitive against even the best of oppositions.

Labels: Guitar News Daily

mirror.co.uk

The Enemy accuse Radio 1 of snubbing new guitar bands, plus their shock at Oasis split - watch the video By Jody Thompson, Mirror.co.uk 5/10/2009
The Enemy have launched an astonishing attack on BBC Radio 1, saying it has given up on trying to break new guitar bands.
The Coventry band, who won Best New Band at last year's NME Awards, say that believe the playlist is largely ignoring upcoming acts of a more indie or alternative bent.
Frontman Tom Clarke told us: "I think 2009 has been an awful year for music because in England, Radio 1 for some reason have stopped playing anything with a guitar in it.what’s happened, their balls seem to have retracted into their lower abdomen, and they’re playing what can only be described as shi*te. But there’s always Kerrang! and XFM isn’t there?"
Radio 1 has recently rejigged its playlist criteria and schedule in a bid to attract younger listeners.
The move comes after commercial radio executives called for an overhaul of the station, arguing that it had breached its remit by having an average listener age of 33.
In a report made to the BBC Trust, the commercial radio sector's trade body, the RadioCentre, said the station was eating into their audience instead of targeting the 15- to 29-year-old target age range.
The overhaul started last month.
But Tom stormed: "In trying to alienate all the older listeners in playing sh*t, then yes, they’re going about in completely the right way. They’re just presuming that younger listeners want to listen to sh*t. I don’t understand it. I do think that it’s diabolical at the moment. I can’t listen to it.
"It’s a really hard time for new bands. We’re alright ‘cos we’ve been going for years, so it doesn’t affect you that much, you’re just not on Radio1, but for new bands coming through it must make it absolutely impossible.

Labels: Guitar News Daily, The Enemy

(AP)
LANCASTER, Calif. Bluesman Abu Talib, who recorded and toured with Ray Charles and Little Walter under his given name, Freddy Robinson, has died. He was 70.
His daughter, Linda Chaplin, said Talib died of cancer Thursday at a hospital in Lancaster, about 70 miles north of Los Angeles.
Talib was born Fred Robinson in Memphis, Tenn., and changed his name to Abu Talib in the 1970s when he converted to Islam.
Chaplin said her father first heard the blues when her grandfather, Otis Robinson, took him along to a "juke joint." He was too young to go in but he'd watch the musicians through a window.
He was inspired to play and improvised an instrument out of bailing wire attached to the wall of a barn when he was nine, she said.
His former manager, Vernell Jennings, said he saved his money and ordered his second guitar from the Sears catalog at age 13.
"He had that guitar his whole life and still played it. It was called Bessie," Jennings said.
Talib could play well by ear, and he was always in demand at clubs, Chaplin said. When he moved to Chicago, he had to go to school to learn how to read music.
He played with Ray Charles, Howlin' Wolf and pianist Monk Higgins and recorded and wrote several songs including "Black Fox," "At the Drive-In," "Bluesology" and the blues instrumental, "After Hours."
Chaplin said one of her father's favorite songs, "Sister Sharp Eye," was based on a real person he knew from childhood, a friend of his aunt's who used to run a gambling house and tell people that she had eyes in the back of her head to spot cheaters.
Jennings said Talib would tell funny stories between songs and have the audience in stitches.
"He had a song called 'Double Ugly' about his best friend who married an ugly girl, about how they had to hide all the mirrors. He had a great sense of humor," Jennings said.
Recently, he recorded a jingle for Southwest Airlines, and dressed up in a funky suit for the commercial, she said.
He had seven children with his first wife, Mary Robinson, who died, and one daughter with his second wife, Zakiyyah Talib.

Labels: Freddy Robinson, Guitar News Daily

musicianshalloffame.com
CHET ATKINS (MUSICIAN)As a guitarist, musician, producer, record label executive, and mentor, Chet Atkins, was one of the most influential musical pioneers of the last half century. His contributions were pivotal in helping young musicians everywhere. Atkins picking style elevated him in the minds of others and brought him admirers both within and outside of the country music scene, both nationally and internationally. Over the course of his career, he produced records for a variety of artists including Perry Como, Elvis Presley, Eddy Arnold, Jim Reeves, Jerry Reed, Skeeter Davis, Connie Smith, Waylon Jennings, and others. He is well known as the co-creator, along with Owen Bradley, of the "Nashville Sound," that expanded the appeal of Country music to adult pop audiences.

Labels: Chet Atkins, Guitar News Daily

musicianshalloffame.com

DICK DALE (MUSICIAN)Guitar innovator and stylist, Dick Dale, was one of the most influential musicians in the creation of the California surf sounds of the 1960's. From his stage work to his appearance in the beach movies of the early 60's with Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello, Dale made his mark on the guitar. His work with Leo Fender, changed the way guitar amplifiers and speakers were not only used, but also the way they were built. Fender recreated the guitar amplifier in order to meet the demands and power of his playing. His stage presence influenced the name of such amplifiers as "The Fender Showman," appropriately named after Leo Fender witnessed Dale jumping from the amplifier to the floor and sliding on his knees on stage.

Labels: Dick Dale, Guitar News Daily

gulfnews.com

Inmates flee jail using guitar string

Manila: Two crafty inmates at the police detention cell in Iloilo Central Philippines were able to escape detention using a guitar string to saw off the prison grill.

A report reaching Manila said Alberto Doronilla and Mark Cajanding bolted from the Philippine National Police (PNP) detention cell in La Paz town around dawn yesterday without the policeman on guard duty even noticing their departure.

The Bombo Radyo network quoted Senior Inspector Alexander Rosales, chief of the La Paz PNP, as saying that the duo had used the guitar string as a metal saw to cut through the iron bar grills of the prison window.

The report did not mention if there were other inmates staying together in the cell with Doronilla and Cajanding when they made their escape.

Guitars are banned inside Philippine prisons to prevent the possibility of inmates using the taut metallic strings to saw off grills.

Rosales said there is likelihood that Doronilla and Cajanding were able to get access to the guitar string through a visitor who could have hidden it in his or her underwear to get past the tight prison screening.

Rosales said that due to the incident, he has already ordered the suspension of the prison guard on duty. Aside from administrative cases, the prison guard will also be criminally liable for the dawn prison break, he said.

Doronilla has a pending robbery case while Cajandig is facing charges of illegal firearms possession, selling drugs and attempted murder.

Labels: guitar crime, Guitar News Daily

mobiledia.com


T-Mobile is teaming up with guitar maker Fender to launch a wood-grain finished edition of its MyTouch 3G smartphone, complete with 3.5mm audio jack and exclusive audio and video from "iconic" musicians.


T-Mobile, Fender Team Up on Guitar-Inspired Wood-Grain Phone Photo 1

Photo: T-Mobile, Fender Team Up on Guitar-Inspired Wood-Grain Phone Photo 1

The Bellevue, Wash.-based carrier said the handset runs on Google's Android operating system for services such as Google Search by voice, Google Maps with Street View, YouTube and Picasa.

It also comes with "Sherpa," a new application that learns and recommends favorite food, stores, and attractions based a user's preferences.

Additional features include 3.2-megapixel camera, music player and access to social networking sites such as Facebook.

While this is the first time a guitar maker has helped design a phone, luxury brands have teamed up with handset makers in the past.

High-fashion retailers Christian Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Giorgio Armani, Prada, and even Danish audio maker Bang and Olufsen, Swiss watch maker Tag Heuer and Italian sports car maker Ferrari, have all launched devices to add new revenue streams.

Last month, Sony Ericsson announced a tattoo-inspired phone with vintage clothing brand Ed Hardy, while Samsung developed a handset embedded with 126 precision-cut crystals with Swarovski.

T-Mobile did not disclose the price of the MyTouch 3G Fender Edition but said that it will be launched later this year.

Labels: Fender i-phone, Guitar News Daily

jam.canoe.ca


In a world where many would rather play a fake guitar in a video game than rock a genuine six-string, it seems there is little appreciation for the real-life guitar hero.

Axeman extraordinaire Adrian Belew has had his hand in about as many rock 'n roll pies as one possibly can, and yet the 59-year-old has never attained nearly the notoriety of many of the musicians he's shared stages with.

The Adrian Belew Power Trio will hit the Starlite Room tomorrow for an evening of prog-rock wizardry.

Belew's journey as a guitar idol began in 1977, when he was playing with a cover band in Nashville and none other than Frank Zappa came down to check out one of his gigs.

Zappa liked what he saw, and invited Belew to audition for his touring band.

"I was poor, so he gave me a list of songs to learn and I had to borrow the records from my friends," Belew recalls fondly. "I thought, 'Well, I can't spend the money on them 'cause I'm too poor, and if I don't make the audition I'll have spent all that money.' "

He got the spot, and there was no looking back.

From there he caught the ear of David Bowie, and after doing an album and a global stadium tour with the British superstar, it was onto new wave sensations the Talking Heads.

With his own band GaGa also on the go, by 1981 he was one of the most demanded names in rock 'n roll.

"Then came the hard part -- which was King Crimson," he laughs.

Belew pushed his arena rock life aside to join prog-rock innovators King Crimson in '81, a band that had been one of his biggest inspirations. Instead of enlisting the budding star as a hired hand, band founder Robert Fripp offered Belew the frontman role he'd been waiting for.

King Crimson forced Belew to elevate his playing to a new level, and he would go on to release a series of solo albums that were a mish-mash of his previous projects, driven by his oddball pop sensibility and the inventive, skillful guitaring that brought him to the top of the rock world.

"I just find the electric guitar is almost unlimited in its capabilities, the things you can do with it; especially as all the technology has grown over the time that I've been doing this. It's been a really thrilling ride for me," he says.

Originally a drummer, Belew has added countless other instruments to his arsenal along the way and has continued to play with King Crimson as well as his on-again, off-again pop outfit The Bears.

He's toured every year since his first jaunt with Zappa and has remained a highly-sought-after session musician through the years, collaborating with Paul Simon, Cyndi Lauper, Nine Inch Nails and Tori Amos, to name just a few.

Belew formed his Power Trio in 2006 with brother-and-sister team Eric and Julie Slick - who are both just in their early 20s -- and the band recently released its first studio album E, a 43-minute King Crimson-esque instrumental piece that took Belew three years to write.

On the trio's current tour you'll see him play over loops, plug his guitar into keyboards and do all manner of things to get fresh sounds out of the instrument he has dominated for decades.

And he'll be down in the clubs, right where he started, and right where he likes it best.

"I never liked playing in stadiums because it's not much of a musical event," he says. "The sound is usually horrible, the audience can't really see you or feel what you're doing or respond to you. I love playing smaller places because of those very reasons."

Labels: Adrian Belew, Guitar News Daily

candianfreepress.com


NEW YORK — Joe Perry says there's still life in Aerosmith, but after an unlikely turn of events, he focused his energy on his latest solo project, "Have Guitar, Will Travel."

While the record was in the planning stages, it was the cancellation of the Aerosmith's tour because of lead singer Steven Tyler's stage accident that propelled Perry to finish his fifth solo effort, out this week. Perry says it came together in record time, using his other band's latest effort as a measuring stick.

The guitarist was candid in a recent interview on the making of the new album, how he found his singer and his touring plans.

AP: After Steven's accident cancelled the tour, you quickly assembled this band. Tell us about it?

Perry: I knew when he walked by, we're off the road again, and at that point I knew I was going to ... push my record on the way home. And that's what I did. ... so the bottom line is that every hole that Aerosmith left I filled. And I'm still doing it.

AP: Once you got the band together, how long did it to record the album?

Perry: This took place over the course of about a month. It's kind of unheard of in the business these days, when it takes a year to make a record or in Aerosmith's case, five years to make a record, which hasn't been made yet. But it was a lot of fun. We went down there and played, and all the guys were skilled and talented and paid their dues.

AP: How would you describe the record?

Perry: I forget if it was Martin Mull quoting Frank Zappa, or - it sounds like a Frank Zappa line, where he said, "Talking about music is like dancing about architecture." And that's why I named my first solo record, "Let the Music Do the Talking."

AP: Where did you discover your new lead singer, Hagen?

Perry: My wife found him on YouTube, and it was one of those chance things ... she's not in the habit of looking at rock singers on YouTube. We're both conspiracy fans, and we usually look to scratch onto the service for the news. As it turned out, she came across this guy singing on YouTube. His name is Hagen. He's from a small town in Germany. He really, really had the pipes.

AP: What was Hagen's response when you tapped him to be you singer?

Perry: I think he was nervous at first. He's 30. He comes from a small town. I come from a small town near Boston ... that's kind of out in the boondocks. ... Given Hagen being 30 and working in club bands and things like that - if I would have gotten a call from Jimmy Page or from Robert Plant saying I need a guitar player ... I would still be in shock."

AP: What is the single Hagen's on?

Perry: The single is called, "We Got a Long Way to Go," and that was one of the songs that I wrote after I started working with Hagen and realized what he could do."

AP: What about the Aerosmith tour?

Perry: Aerosmith has four gigs that we have to do at the end of October. We were contracted to do those months and months ago. I hope Steven is well enough to do those. Aside from that, it's kind of wide open. My plan - and I hope it works out - is basically to put the record out, promote it and do kind of what we're doing now.

AP: Will you perform any Aerosmith songs on your solo tour?

Perry: We are rehearsing some Aerosmith songs to play in the set and there are some songs that I really want to do from Aerosmith. ... "Walk This Way," is probably one of my most recognizable riffs; why shouldn't I play it if the band can pull it off?

AP: What makes playing live special to you?

Perry: We have an unwritten contract with the fans that we got to deliver. ... What I put into Aerosmith or what I put into the Joe Perry Project, it's the fans that matter and the fans that count.

Labels: Aerosmith, Guitar News Daily, Joe Perry

gear4music.com

Musical Instruments top poll of left items


In a recent survey of the most valuable items left on public transport by The Times, the top four positions were occupied by musical instruments.

At £2 million the 1723 Keisewetter Stradivari that violinist Philippe Quint was borrowing from the Stradivari society is the most expensive item ever left on public transport.

Left in the back of a New York cab, the violin was returned by driver Mohamed Khalil who was rewarded with a spontaneous concert at JFK airport.

Yo-Yo Ma, the internationally acclaimed cellist, left his Stradivari cello in a taxi following a recital at Carnegie Hall in New York.

The £1.6 million cello was tracked by police to the cab firm’s headquarters four hours after it had been lost.

At £380,000 the Pressenda violin left in the back of a cab in New York’s Chinatown is the third most valuable item left on public transport.

22 year old Hahn Bin was reunited with the 18th century violin after the city’s Taxi and Limousine Commission was able to track the vehicle using GPS.

The first UK entry in the list occurred last year when Robert Napier, a retired shipping consultant, left a 1698 violin by Matteo Goffriller on a train at Bedwyn station in Wiltshire.

The instrument had just been valued at £180,000 in London, had once been played by Paganini and is still missing.

Other items to make the list include large cash sums, two rolex watches, a wax work of Sir Paul McCartney and a television.

Labels: Guitar News Daily

gear4music.com

Bad Company fan fails to recognize Paul Rodgers


Paul Rodgers has recalled the time a man busking one of his songs on an acoustic guitar failed to recognize him.

The former Free and Bad Company vocalist was out for a stroll when he saw a man on a bench with an acoustic guitar playing his classic hit Feel Like Makin' Love.

Rodgers starting a singing a few lines of the track and ended up impressing the busker with his vocal abilities.

He said he found this particularly funny as the acoustic guitar player did not recognize him as the man who sang on the original record.

"The guy said 'wow, you're pretty good at singing that song'," Rodgers recalled.

"He didn't really turn around and look at me so he had no idea who I was."

Rodgers made his name in the late-1960s and early 1970s with Free, notching up hits such as All Right Now and Wishing Well.

After splitting from Bad Company, he worked with Led Zeppelin's electric guitar player Jimmy Page in The Firm and recently collaborated with Brian May and Roger Taylor of Queen.

Labels: Bad Company, Free, Paul Rodgers

Billboard.com


Some new material is part of the plan for the Cranberries, but the reunited Irish band will work its way slowly to that point according to singer Dolores O'Riordan.

"It would be nice to come up with a new record. I don't see why not," O'Riordan tells Billboard.com. "They ideas are always there, so hopefully something will come out of it."

O'Riordan -- who instigated the Cranberries hiatus in 2003 and released her second solo album, "No Baggage," in August -- says that Cranberries guitarist Noel Hogan "has been sending me lots of music, and I've been continually writing." But she's cautious about guessing what will come of it. "It's one of those things where we have to see what happens when we get back together and start playing," O'Riordan explains. "There's no point in bringing out a crappy record. You want it to be really good, so hopefully the creative juices are flowing and the energies are right. We're all pumped and excited and we've got that hunger that we had when we first started out."

The Cranberries hit the road for the first time in seven years on Nov. 12 in Baltimore. The group's original lineup of O'Riordan, Hogan, his brother Mike and Fergal Lawler is intact -- "At the height of the Cranberries we made a pact that we'd never play as the Cranberries unless it was the four of us," O'Riordan says -- and will play 19 shows in North America through Dec. 7. O'Riordan says the group is looking at more touring in 2010, including stops in Europe, Russia, South America and other territories.

"A world tour would be really great," she says. "We're gonna give it a good crack. I say tour 'til we drop! We've been sitting on our butts for seven years, so it's exciting we're all into it and we miss it."

As for repertoire, O'Riordan says the Cranberries will play some of her material but fans can expect hits such as "Linger," "Zombie" and "Dreams," as well as some deeper cuts from the group's five-album catalog. "I toured in 2007, and I played the (Cranberries) stuff with those musicians, but the energy was different," she notes. "It didn't sound and feel the same.

"Anyone can play a song, but sometimes the energy people have when they wrote the song has a certain feeling you can only get from them. So I'm looking forward to feeling that energy again, the sound of the Cranberries."

Labels: Cranberries, Guitar News Daily

gibson.com

Next Big Nashville Gets A Little Bigger With Support From Gibson Guitar

Next Big Nashville (NBN), Music City's premier music festival and conference, is getting a little bigger this year with additional support provided by Gibson Guitar, the world’s premier musical instrument maker and leader in music technology.

Held October 7-10, 2009, Next Big Nashville has partnered with Gibson to celebrate the life and legacy of the renowned musician and innovator Les Paul by giving away three Gibson Les Paul guitars and hosting a VIP party at the Gibson Entertainment Relations Showroom on Thursday, October 8th.

All three guitars being given away for Next Big Nashville bare the signature of the late, great Les Paul. Prior to the festival, anyone who purchases a NBN wristband will be automatically entered to win a Gibson Les Paul Junior guitar. The first 100 conference attendees on October 7th and October 8th will be entered to win a Gibson Les Paul Studio guitar, which will be given away at the VIP party at the Gibson Entertainment Relations Showroom on Thursday, October 8th(you do not need to be present to win). And finally, the first 200 people to arrive at the Lucero show at the Cannery Ballroom on Friday, October 9th, will have a chance to win a Gibson Les Paul Studio guitar.

Next Big Nashville Kickoff Night will feature the Nashville Music Awards Opening Night Reception on Wed. Oct. 7. This year the Second Annual NBN Creative Conference will be held at The Martha Rivers Ingram Center for the Performing Arts at Vanderbilt University's Blair School of Music. There will be daily Conference VIP events as well, including the VIP party at the Gibson Entertainment Relations Showroom on Thursday, October 8th.

Artists performing at this year’s Next Big Nashville include: Lucero, Black Angels, Jemina Pearl, Ten Out Of Tenn, Jessica Lea Mayfield, David Vandervelde, Nico Vega, Lord T & Eloise, Heypenny, The Protomen, SONOS, and many more.

Tickets for individual nights as well as Wristbands and VIP badges are currently on sale at www.nextbignashville.net.

Labels: Big Nashville, Guitar News Daily

sleazeroxx.com

Two independent record labels sued U.S. rock band Guns N' Roses for $1 million, claiming the group used portions of two songs by a German musician on their last album "Chinese Democracy."
Guns N' Roses and Universal Music Group's Interscope-Geffen A&M label were sued by British label Independiente and the U.S. arm of Domino Recording Company, who own the licensing rights to songs by German electronic musician Ulrich Schnauss.
Singer Axl Rose and Guns N' Roses band members and album producers copied portions of two of Schnauss' songs -- "Wherever You Are" and "A Strangely Isolated Place" -- for a song used on the band's last album called "Riad N' the Bedouins," according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit, filed on Friday but made available on Monday, seeks $1 million in damages. A spokesperson for Interscope-Geffen A&M, owned by Vivendi's Universal Music Group, was not available for comment.
"Chinese Democracy," the band's first new album in 17 years that was released last November, resulted in disappointing sales.
Besides Rose, the only original member in the band, the other current and former band members named in the suit include guitarist Brian Carroll, better known as "Buckethead," bassist Tommy Stinson, and Robin Finck, who currently plays lead guitar with rock act Nine Inch Nails.

Labels: Guitar News Daily, Guns N' Roses

SignsOnSandiego.com


SAN DIEGO - A Jimi Hendrix Fender Stratocaster guitar is back on the market by Rock Stars Guitars, based in San Diego and England, after the company settled with the late rock star's estate over ownership.

The vintage 1967 electric guitar is a right-handed one that was modified to to accommodate Hendrix, who was left-handed.

It can be yours for $500,000.

The instrument, on display at the Musicians Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tenn., was at the center of a 2001 lawsuit filed in San Diego Superior Court. At dispute were claims by Experience Hendrix LLC that the guitar was stolen shortly after Hendrix's death in 1970, or that the instrument was never owned by Hendrix at all.

After two court trials and appeals, the estate settled with Rock Stars Guitars in January for an undisclosed sum and an agreement that Experience Hendrix will give up its claim to the guitar, the attorney for Rock Stars Guitars said in a statement. Details of the settlement were not available.

As the story goes, Hendrix gave the guitar to roadie James "Tappy" Wright as a gift around 1968.

Rock Stars Guitars owners, Greg Dorsett of San Diego and David Brewis of England, said they bought it from Wright in 1999 for $60,000.

When the company tried to auction it on eBay in 2001, Hendrix's heirs halted the sale by questioning its ownership.

A lawsuit followed, ending with a verdict two years later that ruled in favor of the businessmen. The jury awarded the partners $131,000, saying Hendrix's estate prevented them from getting market value on the guitar.

But after subsequent appeals, the case was finally resolved this year.

"I see this settlement as a complete vindication," Dorsett said in a statement. "Hopefully the litigation experience has only added to this guitar's unique history."

Whoever purchases the guitar will also get a video of Wright describing the guitar and its history. Also included are letters of authenticity from Carmine Appice, drummer for Jeff Beck and Rod Stewart, as well from Norms Rare Guitars and Fleetwood Owen Auctions.

For more information on the guitar or to make an offer, visit rockstarsguitars.com.

Labels: Guitar News Daily, Jimi Henrdix, Strat

undercover.com.au

Metallica will make available single song downloads from every show on their upcoming North American tour.

Full shows can also be downloaded within hours of each show ending but in addition, single songs from each show will also be able to be downloaded for 99c a track.

"This is the next logical step in a process that began back in 1991 when we first implemented the "Taper Section" at our shows, where our fans were encouraged to bring in their own gear to record the show, and then take home their very own 'bootleg' of the concert they had just seen," says Metallica's Lars Ulrich. "This technology will enable our fans to get the best possible recording of the show, without having to hold a microphone in the air for the entire night!"

This next leg of touring will see Metallica heading outside North America to perform the songs from Death Magnetic.

The North American dates start tomorrow, October 3rd in Tampa, Florida.

ohio.com

Stolen guitar found in store

FAIRLAWN: The brown Gibson SG Special hanging on the wall in the Fairlawn Guitar Center was a pleasant find for a Massillon man.

Verne E. Davis, 52, was in the store at 3750 W. Market St. on Monday to replace a similar guitar stolen with two others during a burglary at his home 10 days earlier. He was glad to find the same model to buy as a replacement.

''[The burglar] took three guitars, recording equipment and my laptop,'' Davis said. ''They left some other guitars and an amp.''

Davis took the guitar from the wall to examine it. The serial number was oddly familiar.

''It was my guitar,'' Davis said.

An employee told police a 26-year-old Canton man brought the guitar and case to the store to sell Sept. 17 — the day of the burglary. The suspect said he purchased the guitar a month earlier and didn't like it, according to reports. The man said he tried to pawn it, but the pawnshop wouldn't take it.

''The idiot brought the guitar back to the same store where I bought it,'' Davis said. ''He didn't know enough about guitars to know this model is only sold in certain stores.''

Davis, who has been playing music since he was a teenager, said he bought the guitar about a year ago. He used it to record original songs, which he describes as a ''cross between Bob Dylan and the Sex Pistols.''

Davis still doesn't have the guitar. Fairlawn police are investigating the case and the instrument is in their custody as evidence.

Because his insurance company already has paid the burglary claim, Davis will have to deal with the company if he wants to buy back the guitar.

In the meantime, Davis says he'll continue playing his music on one of the guitars the burglar left behind.

FAIRLAWN: The brown Gibson SG Special hanging on the wall in the Fairlawn Guitar Center was a pleasant find for a Massillon man.

Verne E. Davis, 52, was in the store at 3750 W. Market St. on Monday to replace a similar guitar stolen with two others during a burglary at his home 10 days earlier. He was glad to find the same model to buy as a replacement.

''[The burglar] took three guitars, recording equipment and my laptop,'' Davis said. ''They left some other guitars and an amp.''

Davis took the guitar from the wall to examine it. The serial number was oddly familiar.

''It was my guitar,'' Davis said.

An employee told police a 26-year-old Canton man brought the guitar and case to the store to sell Sept. 17 — the day of the burglary. The suspect said he purchased the guitar a month earlier and didn't like it, according to reports. The man said he tried to pawn it, but the pawnshop wouldn't take it.

''The idiot brought the guitar back to the same store where I bought it,'' Davis said. ''He didn't know enough about guitars to know this model is only sold in certain stores.''

Davis, who has been playing music since he was a teenager, said he bought the guitar about a year ago. He used it to record original songs, which he describes as a ''cross between Bob Dylan and the Sex Pistols.''

Davis still doesn't have the guitar. Fairlawn police are investigating the case and the instrument is in their custody as evidence.

Because his insurance company already has paid the burglary claim, Davis will have to deal with the company if he wants to buy back the guitar.

In the meantime, Davis says he'll continue playing his music on one of the guitars the burglar left behind.

Labels: Gibson SG Special, guitar crime, Guitar News Daily

bbc.com
Indie-folk band Noah And The Whale have vowed to continue a UK tour despite having all of their equipment stolen from a car park in Manchester.

The gear - including vintage guitars, brass instruments and the drum kit - were taken from a car park near the Club Academy venue on Tuesday night.

Lead singer Charlie Fink said he was "unbelievably devastated" but vowed to carry on with borrowed instruments.

Greater Manchester Police said it had yet to receive a report of the theft.

Band members are still trying to put an estimated value on the haul, which was locked in a trailer.

But they hope the unusual nature of the equipment - which includes a number of left-handed guitars - will help track it down.


It's hard to explain the relationship you have with a guitar
Charlie Fink, lead singer

Fink said he was particularly upset about losing his guitar, which he used on latest album The First Days Of Spring.

He said: "None of it's about the money, it's genuinely irreplaceable stuff.

"There aren't replacements of these items. My Fender Jaguar 1963, for example, I've had that for ages and my entire sound is based on that guitar.

"It's very rare, I've only found one of those guitars. But even if there was a duplicate it wouldn't ever sound the same.

"It's hard to explain the relationship you have with a guitar."

The trailer also contained a left-handed Gibson Les Paul Gold Top Deluxe and a left-handed Fender Telecaster in sunburst colour.

Theft 'devastating'

A Gibson Goldtone GA-30 RVS Amp, a Ludwig silver/white oyster finish drum kit and a Fender 66 Precision Bass were also stolen.

Fink added: "The most frustrating thing is whoever's done this has no understanding of what he's done. He has no idea of what it all means to us.

"We load up our own stuff, we carry our own gear. We do it with all our own money - it's devastating."

Fink hopes to borrow equipment for the rest of the tour, which takes them to the US after playing 12 more UK dates.

"We're not going to cancel any shows, we'll find another way to do it," he added.

Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the equipment is asked to contact the band through their website or MySpace page.

Labels: guitar crime, Guitar News Daily, Noah And The Whale