Source: http://www.sleazeroxx.com/

A very rare Gibson Les Paul guitar made for Slash is being auctioned on eBay.com.

See http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?ff3=4&pub=5574649815&toolid=10001&campid=5335864435&customid=&mpre=http%3A%2F%2Fcgi.ebay.com%2FGIBSON-LES-PAUL-Made-EXCLUSIVELY-for-SLASH-Guns-n-Roses_W0QQitemZ350282081774QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0%3Fhash%3Ditem518e7065ee

This flaming red beauty is one of four Les Pauls made for Guns N'Roses and Velvet Revolver guitarist Slash by J.T. Riboloff of the Gibson Custom Shop. Slash ordered the guitar and its three mates after attending a NAMM show and seeing a slim-necked '59 replica that Riboloff made for guitarist/Marshall amplifier artist rep. Richie Fliegler.

The all-black hardware and screaming yellow binding were Slash's ideas. The tuning machines are specially made black chrome Schaller M6's with Kluson-style buttons. Other personalized features include Dunlop 6100 jumbo frets and a "stripped" look - no pickup covers or pickguard - that shows off the guitar's figured Western maple top. Considerable hand-antiquing went into areas like the binding, says J.T. "I even put the old holly veneer on the headstock - like Gibson used to use in the old days."

Of the four Les Pauls Riboloff made for Slash, three are still in his possession. The fourth, the one being auctioned, he traded for another guitar in the Gibson vault.

The serial numbers on all four instruments make them easy to identify. "I used real oddball stuff, like fractional numbers and X's," says J.T., "and one of the serial numbers is Slash's birthday."

More details, pictures and serial number verification can be found at eBay.com

Source: http://www.altpress.com/

News has surfaced that Sweet Cobra guitarist Matthew Allen Arluck passed away yesterday, Nov. 26. Arluck had spent the past few years battling cancer of an unknown origin. He was 40. Arluck's record label, Seventh Rule Recordings, tweeted the following: "Our hearts are broken. We lost a member of the Seventh Rule family today. RIP Mat Arluck. You will be missed more than you'll ever know."

Arluck, a Chicago punk/metal scene fixture, also played bass in Stabbed By Words, as well as guitar in Deminer. He was also a guitarist in long-running pop-punk band Horace Pinker for a period early this decade, recording on their 2000 album Pop Culture Failure and EP Copper Regret (the latter of which featured ex-Jawbreaker bassist Chris Bauermeister).

Our deepest condolences go out to the family, friends and fans of Mr. Arluck.

Source: http://www.contactmusic.com/

Jimi Hendrix's track Voodoo Child (Slight Return) features the greatest guitar riff of all time, according to a new poll.

The 1970 classic beat competition from Guns N' Roses song Sweet Child O' Mine and Led Zeppelin's Whole Lotta Love, which landed the second and third slots respectively.
Deep Purple's Smoke On The Water and Layla by the Derek and The Dominos rounded out the top five in the MusicRadar.com survey.

The only guitar-led tracks from the last decade featured in the list were Muse's Plug In baby, which came in at number 11, and the White Stripes' Seven Nation Army, voted in at number 15.

Source: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/

Jailhouse Rock is taking on a literal meaning for Billy Bragg.

The British folk legend has founded the initiative Jail Guitar Doors, a program to raise money to purchase instruments for British prisoners.

"The idea is that playing a musical instrument can help to give inmates an ability to confront their frustrations they face in prison and deal with the process of the frustration they face in a non-confrontational way by expressing themselves," Bragg says over the phone from his home in Dorset, England.

Getting involved in social activism is nothing new for the 51-year-old. Over the past 30 years he has fought for workers' rights, delved into British politics by promoting ideas such as tactical voting, and helped found the group Red Wedge, a Rock the Vote-type initiative encouraging young people to vote for the left-wing Labour Party.

In 2006 he laid out his thoughts about the British identity and where the country was headed in the book The Progressive Patriot: A Search for Belonging. He is currently in the process of writing a play based on the book. He wants to have it finished so it will run during next year's national election in England.

"It will be something I've never done before," he says. "It will be out of my comfort zone.

"That's what the book was: it was a sabbatical from music, but the bottom line is, I'm a communicator. All these things are a way to communicate things I believe in. It's basically one urge, and a different way to get out the urge."

He has been dealing with the urge since forming the punk group Riff Raff in the last 1970s. He quit the band and joined the British army's tank regiment in 1981. He got out two years later, picked up a guitar again and went on to record more than a dozen albums that balance his political ideals with intensely personal songs.

He got the idea to start Jail Guitar Doors -- named after a song by the Clash -- in 2007 after receiving a letter from Malcolm Dudley, a drug and alcohol counsellor at a prison in Dorset, who had been trying to teach inmates how to play guitar with the one instrument in the institution. The acoustic guitar belonged to the vicar, and they couldn't use it when he wasn't there, which meant sessions were sporadic. Dudley wondered if Bragg could help him procure more instruments for the prisoners as a means of rehabilitation.

Bragg was so intrigued by the work Dudley was doing he purchased six acoustic guitars, spray-painted them with titles of Clash songs -- including Jail Guitar Doors -- and delivered the instruments to the jail himself.

"It's one of those things that comes across my desk all the time. This seemed to be a thing I could do that has an effect. It was worth doing and I could see that effect immediately," he says.

He announced his intention to create a nationwide Jail Guitar Doors program at the 2007 NME Awards and was approached by Clash guitarist Mick Jones, who offered his help. Jones has since appeared with his ex-Clash bandmate Topper Headon on the album Breaking Rocks, the soundtrack to the documentary of the same name about the program, which so far has donated more than 170 guitars, a half-dozen drum kits, two PAs, a flute and various percussion instruments to 25 prisons in England.

"People are saying, 'What about the victims?' which is fair enough," Bragg says. "I believe in punishment and the punishment should fit the crime. Twenty-five per cent of people, in my experience, in the U.K. should never be released again, but 75 per cent are going to be out again and they are possibly going to live next to you, so shouldn't they be rehabilitated?"

Bragg's initiative has caught the attention of many musicians from around the world, including MC5 guitarist Wayne Kramer, who is gearing up to launch the program in the United States. Kramer's drug troubles are mentioned in the original Jail Guitar Door lyrics and he has worked with Road Recovery in the U.S., a program aimed at battling youth addiction.

Bragg will be spending plenty of time promoting the program, and possibly setting up a Canadian chapter, during his current coast-to-coast tour, which stops in Winnipeg Saturday at the Burton Cummings Theatre (tickets are $35 at Ticketmaster and the Winnipeg Folk Festival Music Store).

He is on the road in support of his latest album, Mr. Love and Justice, a reference to the two types of songs Bragg is known for.

"Most people have picked up on the fact there's more love songs than political songs. The challenge is mixing the two together," he says, adding love songs are easier for him to compose.

"I think with love songs you have more freedom because you're dealing with emotions; you can be more playful with a love song. With a political song, it's more black and white; however, you can mix some love in a political song, but it's harder to put politics in a love song."

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/

In one of this year's loonier lawsuits, Depeche Mode's Martin Gore has been subpoenaed by an American videogamer and asked to testify on the subject of "alienation". Erik Estavillo is suing the makers of World of Warcraft, alleging that the game has alienated him from the real, orc-less world.

According to the San Jose, California resident, World of Warcraft is a "harmful virtual environment" and its developers follow "sneaky and deceitful practices". Despite this, Estavillo admits he "relies on videogames heavily for the little ongoing happiness he can achieve in this life". He just wants World of Warcraft to cost less money. And to stop making him so sad.

Which brings us to Depeche Mode, those purveyors of angst and sorrow. Estavillo's court filings put forward multi-instrumentalist songwriter Martin Gore as an expert witness on melancholy. Gore should be called to Santa Clara county superior court, Estavillio suggests, "since he himself has been known to be sad, lonely, and alienated, as can be seen in the songs he writes".

Should Gore want to car-pool to the courthouse, he can tag along with Winona Ryder. Estavillo has subpoenaed her as well, proposing that the actress's love of JD Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye will have taught her "how alienation in the book can tie to alienation in real live [sic] / videogames such as World of Warcraft."

If Erik Estavillo sounds like he might be an over-litigious, er, nut – well, we're just going to stay mum. The gamer's past grievances, all unsuccessful, include a suit against Microsoft, claiming a broken Xbox 360 caused him undue stress; a claim against Sony, alleging they violated his First Amendment rights by banning him from their network; and a claim against Nintendo, arguing that by blocking certain Wii software they interfered with his inalienable right to seek happiness.

Estavillo's suit was filed in California on Tuesday, GameSpot reports. He seeks $1m (£600,000) in damages and, presumably, a private New Wave serenade.

Source: http://nashville.bizjournals.com/

The U.S. arm of an international environmental organization founded by former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev has joined the chorus of advocacy groups supporting Gibson Guitar Corp.

In a statement posted to Gibson's Web site, Global Green USA said it has worked with the Nashville-based musical instrument manufacturer for several years to promote solutions to global warming, including the construction of green schools.

"Gibson has helped raise public awareness of global warming issues and has been at the forefront of promoting sustainable business practices. We know Gibson will continue to be a leader in promoting environmental practices and look forward to our continuing work together," the statement says.

Global Green USA is the U.S. affiliate of Green Cross International, founded in 1993 by Gorbachev, who still sits on its board.

Global Green spokesman Ruben Aronin said the organization provided the statement at Gibson's request after agents with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service executed a search warrant at Gibson's Nashville guitar plant on Nov. 17.

The raid is believed to be the first enforcement action under a newly expanded provision of the Lacey Act, which bans trade in illegal wood.

Aronin added that the statement is similar to others that Global Green has made in the past about its work with Gibson and Gibson's commitment to the environment.

"While we do not know the details of the investigation, we know that reliably sourcing sustainably certified wood products has been a challenge in general," Aronin said in an e-mail to the Nashville Business Journal. "Hopefully, this unfortunate turn of events can help identify how to better ensure FSC-certified tropical hard woods — and other types — can be assured to be from well-managed forests that encourage ecosystem and forest protection."

FSC-certified refers to wood that the Forest Stewardship Council assures is harvested in an "environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable way." In 1996, Gibson introduced the first-ever guitar to use FSC-certified wood: the Les Paul SmartWood Standard.

Since then, Gibson has worked with environmental groups to increase the amount of FSC-certified wood used in its products. Among those groups is the Rainforest Alliance, which last week issued a statement detailing Gibson's numerous environmental efforts over the last decade.

The National Resource Defense Council has also lent its voice in support, saying in a statement that Gibson's leadership is "committed to and informed about environmental issues." However, an NRDC spokeswoman said the statement, posted to Gibson's Web site last week, is from the past and not in response to the Nov. 17 raid.

Source: http://blog.cmt.com/

The day after Thanksgiving is typically the day when smart shoppers start their holiday shopping. But if you have any country fans on your list (like, say, yourself), you may want to wait until Dec. 3.

That's the day that Christie's is starting their country music sale, which they describe as the first sale dedicated to the creation, history and evolution of country music. And it's not like you need to be there, paddle in hand, to get the auction going.

You can bid on musical instruments, stage outfits and handwritten lyrics from legendary artists like Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, Waylon Jennings, Hank Snow, Hank Williams, Conway Twitty, Bill Monroe, Buddy Holly, Johnny and June Carter Cash, Luther Perkins and John Hartford.

So if you want Johnny Cash's black Fender Malibu guitar with "I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die" hand-written on it, and frankly who doesn't, register to bid early and be ready to pay about $40,000 to $60,000. There's also an iconic Waylon Jennings Fender electric guitar (pictured), circa 1950, with a custom-made white and black, handtooled leather cover and a matching leather strap bearing the name Waylon. It's estimated bid is between $80,000 to $120,000.

If you don't have that kind of cash, maybe the shirt Buck Owens wore on Hee Haw would be a better fit for around $300.

Photo credit: CHRISTIE'S IMAGES LTD. 2009

Source: www.examiner.com

Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry's concert Tuesday night in Hollywood, California at the House of Blues yielded the unpredictable, including a surprise appearance from former Guns N Roses guitarist Slash. The two stood side by side, exchanging leads on their Gibson Les Paul guitars, while playing Aerosmith's classic rocker "Walkin' The Dog." Perry and his band are currently on tour, promoting his recently released fiery solo album, Have Guitar, Will Travel.

Perry, looking dapper in his jet black hair and an intentional grey streak in the front, wore a black vest, shirt, jacket and jeans, as well as glittery black shoes, along with a red piece of fabric tied around his waist, which he humorously explained was part of one of his wife Billie's dresses. "This is all that"s left of it," Perry joked. Perry easily stole the spotlight throughout the show, dazzling the audience with his trademark guitar work, interchanging several guitars throughout the evening, a few of which including a left-handed Fender Stratocaster, strung upside down, several Gibson Les Pauls, a gold glittery Strat, a clear Lucite Dan Armstrong guitar, and a custom painted model, featuring his wife's image painted on it, with the wording "Billie Perry" inscribed on the headstock between its two rows of tuning pegs.

Source: http://www.spiralearth.co.uk/

This Saturday 28th November various folk luminaries will unite in a tribute to Davy Graham at The English Folk Dance and Song Society (EFDSS). The concert will bring together players such as Martin Carthy, Ralph McTell, Wizz Jones, Sam Carter, with many more very special guests to be confirmed.

Davy Graham (1940 to 2008), through a unique and eclectic mixture of folk, blues, jazz, Middle Eastern sounds, and Indian ragas, was one of the most influential figures in the 1960s folk music revival in Britain. Probably best-known for his acoustic instrumental "Anji", Graham inspired many practitioners (and imitators) of the finger style acoustic guitar. Indeed, his influence on musicians such as Bert Jansch, Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin), Ray Davies (The Kinks), Johnny Marr (The Smiths) and Graham Coxon (Blur), to name but a few, highlight the huge debt the British music scene owes to his music.

The timeless Folk Roots, New Routes (1964), in collaboration with EFDSS President and world renowned singer Shirley Collins, is considered by many as a key milestone in British folk music and beyond.

With afternoon and evening events, the day will feature exhibitions, talks and performances for what promises to be a glowing tribute to one of England's greatest.

Guitar fans should look out for a display featuring Davy's very own Fylde 'Falstaff' model that will soon be sold by auction in aid of 'Mind'.

For tickets and information see the EFDSS link. And for a look at Davy's news on the Fylde guitar site www.efdss.org.

And for a look at Davy's news on the Fylde guitar site at www.fyldeguitars.com.

Source: http://www.antimusic.com/

Led Zeppelin site Lemon Squeezings has a speculative article connecting members of Aerosmith with Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page in a new supergroup project. Read and decide for yourself: While nobody knows what's happening with Aerosmith, guitarists Joe Perry and Brad Whitford have apparently been keeping busy, and in good company too.

Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin ) have joined them in recording with engineer Kevin Shirley, the man behind the sound of Led Zeppelin's 21st century releases, How the West Was Won, DVD and the reissue of the soundtrack to The Song Remains The Same.

Shirley says he has been recording these guitarists and "many others." He hints toward some "high profile projects" about which he's been sworn to secrecy.

Writing from Malibu on his online diary today, Shirley spoke of a "supergroup" project. He said that come January he would be "producing what has the promise to be one of the most exciting 'supergroups' to come around in a long time" He adds, "But theory is just that until we see how the dynamics play out in the studio between these superb musicians. And of course the songs will make the real difference."

[Editorial Note: As a general rule, any headline that ends in a question mark can usually be answered "No". - Dave Mac]

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/

U2 will headline next year's Glastonbury festival, it was confirmed today. Bono and co have been slated for the Pyramid stage's top spot on Friday 25 June, in what will be their first ever appearance at the festival. Organiser Michael Eavis had promised something special for Glastonbury's 40th anniversary, and in booking a band who have been rumoured to headline every year since the mid 1980s, he's done just that.

"The 26-year-old rumour has finally come true," Eavis said. "At last, the biggest band in the world are going to play the best festival in the world! Nothing could be better for our 40th anniversary party. And there are even more surprises in the pipeline."

Eavis added: "We've been trying for years ... and now we've finally made it happen. I'm sure they will pull out all the stops to make next year's Glastonbury the most memorable ever."

U2 will fly to the UK to play the Somerset festival in the middle of their North American tour.

Earlier this year, Bono told BBC Radio 1 that U2 had not been confirmed to play the festival in 2010, but was sure they would play Glastonbury at some point. "I know lots of people who love music want us to. It's something we're working up our whole life to do."

Tickets for next year's Glastonbury sold out in October after organisers decided to release them early – a scheme that proved successful last year. The festival will take place between Friday 25 and Sunday 27 June 2010. So far, no other headliners have been confirmed. The Guardian is the official media sponsor of Glastonbury festival.

Source: http://www.aspentimes.com/

By the time of his death, in 1993, Frank Zappa had left his mark in many places. He was perhaps known best for the comedic songs — "Don't Eat That Yellow Snow," "Valley Girl" — that affirmatively answered the question raised by the title to his 1986 album, "Does Humor Belong in Music?" Zappa was a social critic who didn't confine his observations to such songs as "Heavenly Bank Account" and "Trouble Every Day"; he testified before Congress on the subject of labeling music, adding a rare measure of color to the U.S. legislative record, and debated censorship issues on CNN. As a namer of offspring, Zappa and his wife, Gail, were in a league of their own, coming up with Moon Unit, Ahmet Emuukha Rodan and Diva Thin Muffin Pigeen.

Zappa's talents were so diverse that he needed a second name to contain them all. As Francesco Zappa, he composed orchestral works and such pieces as "The Black Page" and "Peaches en Regalia" which have lived on at classical music festivals (including the Aspen Music Festival). Not to be overlooked were Zappa's unique gifts as a guitarist. He played rock, jazz, blues and more, and was rewarded with a No. 45 ranking in Rolling Stone's list of the greatest guitar players.

But if the goal were radio immortality, Zappa might have been better off focusing his energies on one big hit song. Sixteen years after his death, probably as many people are familiar with Dexy's Midnight Runners, for their hit "Come On Eileen," as are acquainted with the breadth of Zappa's musical legacy. Which really irked Frank's second child, Dweezil.

"I just noticed that, in talking to anyone under 30, they didn't know my dad's music," said Dweezil, who was technically born as Ian Donald Calvin Euclid, when the hospital refused to register the name "Dweezil." "And what they did know didn't reflect the totality of what he did. They knew ‘Valley Girl,' ‘Dancin' Fool' — things with a sense of humor. People thought of him like Weird Al Yankovic."

Not able to live with the thought that generations might confuse Zappa with the guy who came up with such parodies as "Like a Surgeon," Dweezil Zappa decided to get his father's music back on stage. Some five years ago, he formed Zappa Plays Zappa, a band that covered Frank's material. The group featured guest appearances by members of Frank's old bands — guitarist Steve Vai, singer Ray White, drummer Terry Bozzio — but ultimately the core of the band was made up of younger players who had, at best, second-hand knowledge of the material.

The latest iteration of the band — a septet known as Dweezil Zappa Plays Zappa, and absent any of Frank's former bandmates — makes its Aspen debut at Belly Up on Tuesday, Nov. 24.

As a musician, Dweezil had only a passing acquaintance with his dad's music. "I've always been a fan of it, and learned little elements from time to time," the 40-year-old Zappa said from his studio, near Hollywood. "But I never did anything like this."

"This" required not only putting a band together and learning the tunes, but essentially re-learning how to play the guitar. Zappa spent two years studying his father's output — not such a far-fetched idea, given that Frank was as prolific as he was diverse, releasing nearly 60 albums during his lifetime, and that his playing was exacting, with little room for flaws. (Frank had little use for hippie culture, and especially the noodling style of guitar work that went with it.)

"It was scrutinizing every version and every note and learning it exactly the way it was intended to be played," Zappa said. "I've got a lot of time in this."

Dweezil had been an accomplished guitarist before he started the Zappa Plays Zappa project, performing under his own name, and with his brother Ahmet in the band, Z. (Dweezil has also been an MTV VJ, an actor, and composer for television.) Learning his dad's material, though, brought him to a new level.

"Most of it is very, very challenging," he said. "From my background, I didn't have the fundamental knowledge or skills."

And Dweezil was determined to pay proper tribute to the material. Frank had a reputation for being a perfectionist and a demanding bandleader, and apparently these traits left their mark on his second child.

"That's why I started out very slowly, so it would be respectful to the work," said Zappa, whose singing voice is remarkably similar to his dad's. "That's why people have enjoyed what we've presented. There's a high level of detail. We don't get up and do with it whatever we want, re-harmonize it. That's not appropriate."

But faithfully re-creating his father's tunes hasn't prevented critics from taking notice. Zappa Plays Zappa won a Grammy earlier this year in the best rock instrumental category for its version of "Peaches en Regalia," from the live CD, "Zappa Plays Zappa." (That matches the number of Grammys Frank won during his lifetime: He earned an award, also in the best rock instrumental category, for 1988's "Jazz From Hell." He also was given a posthumous lifetime achievement award.)

Dweezil is gearing up to get on to his own music. Next year, he plans to record an album of his own material; it would be his first since 2006's "Go With What You Know." But he doesn't feel that the years away from his own material have been an artistic hiatus. Far from it.

"The benefits, musically, of doing [Zappa Plays Zappa] are unsurpassed," he said. "It's a time-consuming job. It's like getting a master's degree in something."

If Dweezil's music doesn't get on the radio, he can take solace in the fact that he's in good company, and furthering the family legacy.

"The reality is, [Frank] was blacklisted from radio in the late '60s," Zappa said. "He was on a do-not-play list. He had strong political views. And other people thought there was material that was inappropriate to be on the airwaves."

Dweezil isn't going to reach a radio audience by playing his father's music. But he is making sure that Frank Zappa's music has a fair shake at reaching new listeners.

"I thought he was overlooked, misunderstood and under-appreciated," he said. "I thought I should do something in my lifetime to change that. People should know what they're missing."

Source: http://soadfans.com/

Last night (20th Nov) Daron Malakian, John Dolmayan and Shavo Odadjian got together to be a part of a benefit auction in Hollywood, CA at The Avalon for a benefit show. This event was to help for Chi Cheng from The Deftones who has been in a coma for a year now. In help, John is auctioning his signed drum kit, Serj is auctioning his signed poetry book, signed poster and a limited edition solo record of his. Daron is auctioning his signed Gibson guitar and signed picks of is.

This week Deftones has launched a benefit auction in support of their bassist and brother Chi Cheng. Chi has been in a semi-conscious state since being involved in a horrific car accident in November 2008, and his family has accumulated an overwhelming amount of medical bills that insurance does not entirely cover.

It is Deftones' mission to raise significant funds to help ensure Chi's recovery by launching this benefit auction in conjunction with their management Velvet Hammer Music and Management Group, and in association with CharityBuzz.com.

In support of this mission, System of a Down have donated Exclusive Autographed Items from Serj Tankian, John Dolmayan, and Daron Malakian on which you can now bid at http://www.charitybuzz.com/

There are more items from System of a Down and other participating bands up for auction being announced November 24th.

Source: http://news.scotsman.com/

AFTER a 20-year hiatus, there's been a steady roll of gigs for reggae rocker Eddy Grant since hitting the road again last year. So why, after such a long absence, did the Electric Avenue hitmaker start touring again?

"It all started last year when I performed at a Mandela Concert, Glastonbury and Womad," smiles the affable singer, who plays a solo show at Studio 24 to warm-up for his forthcoming UK tour with reggae legends UB40.

"As a result [of those gigs], I decided that having sold all of these records all of these years and not having played to a significant number of the people who bought them, I should really go make their acquaintance.

"I've missed the fantastic times of being on the road with the band and stuff," he adds.

Now 61, and with four decades of musical experience, Guyana-born Grant, who first found fame in the late 60s with chart-topping group The Equals, says he has never thought about retiring.

"That time hasn't arrived yet," smiles Grant, whose other big hits include I Don't Want To Dance and Baby Come Back.

"I've got a fairly young outlook on life. I don't think time has been eroding my energy or my need for creating music. I think I've managed a certain balance with my lifestyle, and, therefore, I've had a longer period of creativity."

Swapping band life to become a solo artist, says Grant, has been key to his longevity.

"If you're one member in five, you have your own particular political thoughts and sometimes you want to air them, but it might not be the same beliefs of the other guys," he says.

"I would see that as being slightly unfair to them. That was one reason which precipitated my leaving [The Equals].

"The other reason was just the time, and in 1971 I had become extremely ill with my heart and that prompted me to look at my career. I couldn't continue what I was doing with a dicky heart, so I took my leave of my situation – which turned out was the right thing to happen at that time."

The veteran singer could be said to come from a long line of protest writers, so what issues are important to him at the moment?

"There are many, but I don't write for the sake of writing," he says. "If something happens politically which upsets my sensibilities, eventually that will come out in a song. I don't just sit there and think, 'Oh there's something happening in Afghanistan, I've got to write about that' – I'm not that kind of writer.

"But if there is a particular injustice highlighted in the media which particularly catches my attention, I'll write about it," he adds.

Following his gig at Studio 24 in Edinburgh next week, Grant says he's looking forward to touring with UB40, who famously scored a number one single with his song Baby Come Back.

"UB40 and I have a crossing of paths because we've known each other a long time," he says. "We have a lot of respect for each other."

Source: http://www.chartattack.com/

Daniel Sullivan, the man who was accused of shoving Oasis guitarist/singer Noel Gallagher during the band's performance at Toronto's Virgin Festival last year, pleaded guilty to assault causing bodily harm in a Toronto court on Thursday (Nov. 19).

Ruth Neilson, the Crown attorney, read a statement of facts to Justice Richard Schneider at the Ontario Court Of Justice on Thursday, which stated Sullivan jumped on stage during Oasis' set and shoved Gallagher from behind, according to the Toronto Sun.

"Sullivan managed to make his way up to the main stage area, run past the electrical cords set up along the stage, pass the drum kit and lunge toward Noel Gallagher, shoving him violently from behind with great force," the newspaper reports Neilson said while reading the statement.

Gallagher broke three of his ribs when he fell onto his amplifier after being pushed. That forced Oasis to cancel some of their upcoming gigs.

After he pushed Gallagher over, Sullivan approached singer/guitarist Liam Gallagher, Noel's brother, but was then tackled by security and taken off stage.

The Toronto Sun reports Neilson said Sullivan was "intoxicated" at the time of the attack and has no memory of how he was able to get on stage.

"It appears no one attempted to prevent Sullivan from gaining access to the stage until he was tackled on stage by Oasis," Neilson said, according to the newspaper.

Sullivan is due back in court Feb. 5 for a sentencing hearing.

gibson.com

The passing of the incomparable Les Paul in August 2009 broke the hearts of guitar enthusiasts around the world. What can never be broken, though, is the legacy of innovation and creativity that he built during 94 years of constant musicianship. Though the original guitar he designed in 1952 has informed every Gibson guitar since, our engineers were inspired anew to handcraft a guitar just the way Les demanded it nearly 60 years ago.

Never before has a Les Paul guitar been so completely designed to Les' original specifications. Until now. Anchored by a golden mahogany body, maple top and rosewood fingerboard, the Les Paul Tribute 1952 is equipped with an all-new bridge that's an exact replica of Les' original 1952 patent. Our luthiers have also added historical interest with details like stamping "prototype" into the back of the peg head and staying true to Les' preference for P-90 pickups. The Les Paul Tribute 1952 honors the most important figure in all of guitar history and the guitar he designed and loved.

Labels: Gibson Les Paul, Guitar News Daily

Source: http://www.tennessean.com/

Gibson Guitar Corp's top executive will take a leave of absence from the board of the Rainforest Alliance, an environmental group, in the wake of a federal search for banned wood products at the instrument maker's Nashville factory, officials said Wednesday.

Henry Juszkiewicz, Gibson's CEO and chairman, won't rejoin the board until the investigation ends, the alliance said in a statement.

Federal officials searched the plant Tuesday. An affidavit sought by the U.S. Attorney's Office here that might shed more light on the investigation hasn't been unsealed in federal court.

Some exotic hardwoods traditionally used in making premium guitars have been banned from commercial trade because of environmental concerns under a recently revised federal law known as the Lacey Act. Trading in banned woods from endangered rain forests is a federal offense, punishable by civil and criminal penalties or the seizure of property.

After the federal search, Juszkiewicz called the alliance and offered to take a leave of absence "to avoid conflict or distraction," said President Tensie Whelan. "It's very difficult to know what's happening at this point," Whelan added. "Our hope indeed is there will be no violations of the Lacey Act."

Juszkiewicz has been on the group's board for more than 15 years and has taken a lead role in urging the music instrument industry to use sustainable wood products, the group said.

The federal inquiry raised some eyebrows.

"I think it shows the reach of the Lacey Act, and nobody is immune from its prohibitions," said James Goldberg, Washington-based counsel for NAMM, a trade group that represents music equipment distributors, retailers and instrument makers. "Even if you think you know your suppliers, you may (still) have a problem."

Gibson did not respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.

Source: http://www.wcpo.com/

The guitar that Buddy Holly customized himself as a tribute to Elvis Presley is going to be auctioned. Christie's auction house will sell Holly's Gibson J-45 guitar.

Holly did leatherwork as a hobby and he covered the guitar in leather because
he had seen Presley play a leather-covered guitar in 1955. It's expected to sell for $450,000 to $550,000. Holly's tweed stage jacket will also be sold, and it's expected to go for at least $3,000.

Original 78's of Presley's first five singles for Sun Records will also be on the block. The auction will take place in New York on December 3.

Labels: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; guitar news

Labels: gibson; guitar news

Source: http://www.broadwayworld.com/

On Thursday November 12th in front of a capacity crowd at House of Blues in Hollywood CA, Kirby Kelly of Sherman, Texas beat out more than 4,000 guitarists to be crowned Guitar Center's 2009 King of the Blues. Kelly competed against four other undiscovered blues guitarists from all across the country to a panel of celebrity judges that included Jimmy Vivino of the Tonight Show Band, Elliot Easton of The Cars, accomplished session musician Blues Saraceno, blues legend Hubert Sumlin of Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters, renowned blues guitarist Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Grammy Award winner Pete Anderson, Steve Lukather of Toto, Editor-in-Chief of Guitar World Brad Tolinski, and Dweezil Zappa.

Watch Kirby Kelly's performance at The House of Blues in Los Angeles here!
Hosted by Grammy-Nominated blues guitarist Kenny Wayne Shepherd, the event was a celebration of guitar and the music (The Blues) that has defined and influenced generations of musicians and all of today's popular music. Grammy Award winning producer and guitarist Pete Anderson kicked-off the show with a set of red-hot blues, which was followed by the King of the Blues final competition where each of five contestants fronted a vintage black tuxedo-clad live band lead by Pete Anderson. Performing to a live rendition of 1 of the 25 official King of the Blues backing-tracks, the five contestants also were required to perform a two-minute solo-performance on a Gibson acoustic guitar to display their ability to master two major aspects of the guitar. Following the contestants' performances Guitar Center's King of the Blues Finals culminated with an electrifying performance by blues great Joe Bonamassa, who invited a series of surprise special guest musicians to join him on-stage for an exclusive collaboration which included Hubert Sumlin, Steve Lukather, Jimmy Vivino, Elliot Easton, and Glenn Hughes of Deep Purple and Black Sabbath.

Kelly's victory was his crowning moment on the long road to being named Guitar Center's King of the Blues. A life-long blues player, Kelly has been playing the blues for his family and friends for years. Entered by a friend in the King of the Blues competition, Kelly beat out over 4,000 other guitarists in five rounds of grueling competition. After his victory, Kelly was awarded an impressive package of prizes, including $25,000 cash, along with a Gibson '59 Les Paul reissue guitar, a $2,500 Levi's® shopping spree, a Marshall Vintage Modern 50 watt half stack, a Boss GT-10 Guitar Multi Effects Pedal, a feature in Guitar World magazine, worldwide distribution of their music in iTunes and more, plus endorsement deals from Ernie Ball, Marshall Amplification, VOX Amplification and Gibson. Additional regional, district and local prize packages were also awarded, thanks to the generous support of Gibson Guitar, Levi's®, Ernie Ball, Marshall, Boss, VOX, Guitar World Magazine and TuneCore, all of whom are proud partners of Guitar Center's King of the Blues.
Like Guitar Center's other talent search competitions - the legendary Drum-Off (now in its 21st year), and the recently launched On-Stage, King of the Blues is part of Guitar Center's ongoing mission to provide emerging artists and musicians with career-altering opportunities and vehicles to achieve success. Introduced in 2006, King of the Blues is more than just a competition to find the most technically skilled players. The King of the Blues is designed to seek out the most passionate, innovative and authentic guitar players and give them a shot at stardom. For example, previous King of the Blues Winner, Aaron Loesch, was invited to perform at Eric Clapton's Crossroads Festival in front of over 25,000 attendees.

Some of today's most iconic and groundbreaking artists, including BB King, John Mayer, The Black Crowes, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Hubert Sumlin have participated at past King of the Blues events. With "The Blues" being the foundation for nearly all of today's popular music, the search for the nation's greatest undiscovered blues guitarist is has consistently unearthed a goldmine of unsigned talent, some of whom are destined to become tomorrow's legends.

Source : http://www.guardian.co.uk/

Rock'n'roll legend Wanda Jackson is to record a new album with Jack White. The 72-year-old "Queen of Rockabilly" recently confirmed that she is travelling to Nashville to work with the White Stripes frontman.

"[He's] one of the biggest stars on the planet right now," Jackson told the Oklahoman. While he is best known for his work with the White Stripes, the Raconteurs and the Dead Weather, White is also an experienced producer. Most relevant to Jackson is his work with country singer Loretta Lynn for her 2004 record, Van Lear Rose.

"They had a super album, but he didn't have her do anything different," Jackson said. "She just did her little Loretta Lynn songs. But he told me he's gonna stretch me some."

Jackson has been making records for more than 50 years, since former boyfriend Elvis Presley suggested she might have a voice for rockabilly. Hits like Fujiyama Mama and Let's Have a Party appealed to a wider audience, and she was inducted into the Rock'n'roll Hall of Fame in April 2009.

It was Jackson's website manager, Jon Hensley, who introduced her to White after learning that he was a "big fan". Jackson's most recent album, 2003's Heart Trouble, also featured contemporary artists, including Elvis Costello and the Cramps. With White, Jackson hopes to record a digital single followed by an album.

sleazeroxx.com

Extreme's Nuno Bettencourt To Play Guitar With Rihanna Extreme guitarist Nuno has joined forces with Rihanna and will be her 2010 world tour lead guitarist. Streaming Live from London, November 16, Rihanna and Nuno will be performing tracks from her album, Rated R, to a free online audience. Join in on the largest free music event of the year at http://nowplaying.nokia.com/join-us.

Nuno states, "Hey all.......Nuno.. here. I wanted to share some news with you... A friend and Music Director, Tony Bruno, reached out to me and asked if I would be interested in playing guitar with Rihanna. Rihanna is a regular in the Bettencourt-house playlist... And as much as I dig her as an artist... my first thought was that there isn't a whole lot of guitar in her music and therefore probably not the greatest fit for what I do.

But before I had a chance to verbalize that thought... Tony said, "before you say anything let me play you the direction she wants to go live." And when I heard it... I said wow, this rocks... it's heavy and funky... and it hit me that this is MY shit... this is my style... how I love to play... I got very excited at the possibility of playing some of her great songs with a heavier treatment. When I asked Tony Bruno why?... he told me that Rihanna loves bands like Paramore and Linkin Park and loves to push it up a notch or two live in the rock department. Hmmm... let me think? Touring and sharing the stage with a cool and talented artist like Rihanna... and being able to bring what I do passionately to the table as a musician and performer...? IM IN! And having finished the first round of rehearsals... it did not disappoint. Even better than what I expected because she also has the most incredible band, and I get the privilege to add to their wall of sound. It's gonna be fun. Come see and hear it for yourself!

And BTW... No... this is NOT the end of Extreme. We have a live DVD and CD coming out in early 2010 and we will be writing new material throughout the year. We had a great run across the globe on Saudades do Rock....and we'll be back."

Labels: Extreme, Guitar News Daily, Nuno Bettencourt, Rihanna

Source: http://www.music-news.com/

Bruce Springsteen stole a scene from Spinal Tap on the weekend at his Michigan concert. The Boss kept referring to Ohio.

When Springsteen came on stage in Michigan on Friday night he quickly greeted the crowd with "Hello, Ohio". He was appearing on stage at the Auburn Hills Palace in Michigan.

It didn't stop at the intro either. Springsteen mentioned Ohio a number of times over the next 30 minutes before Steve Van Zandt went over to tell the Boss he was actually in a different city altogether.

"That was every frontman's nightmare," he then said to the crowd. "I've been waiting 40 years to mess that one up".

It wasn't a complete disaster for the 16,000 strong crowd. All was forgiven when Springsteen and the E Street Band performed the classic "Born To Run" album from beginning to end.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/

Rumours of Aerosmith's demise were given a jolt on Tuesday night, when Steven Tyler declared to a New York crowd that he and the band are not parting ways. "I just want you to know, I am not leaving Aerosmith," Tyler announced in a surprise appearance with the Joe Perry Project. The only trouble is - he still hasn't convinced Perry.

Perry, Aerosmith's lead guitarist, is the man leading speculation over Tyler's future. "Steven quit as far as I can tell," he said last weekend, explaining that Tyler doesn't even return his phonecalls. Though the group played together in Abu Dhabi on 1 November, Tyler said he would now be focusing "on Brand Tyler". "Aerosmith is positively looking for a new singer to work with," Perry wrote on Twitter. "You just can't take 40 years of experience and throw it in the bin."

But things became more complicated on Tuesday, after Tyler showed up at New York's Fillmore venue for a Joe Perry Project gig. "There was all this commotion during our encore break and somebody said, 'Steven is here.'" Perry told Rolling Stone. "And I was like, 'What?'" Tyler reportedly asked Perry if he could join in on a rendition of Aerosmith's Walk This Way. "Being an acquaintance of 40 years, I said, 'Why not?'. So he came up and sang and that was the last I saw of him."

Tyler did more than sing. After announcing, "I am not leaving Aerosmith!", he turned to his long-time bandmate. "Joe Perry, you are a man of many colours. But I, motherf*cker, am the rainbow!" This enthusiasm echoed Aerosmith drummer Joey Kramer's comments, made that same night. "The band didn't break up," he emphasised to New Haven's WPLR. "So the band is like a marriage and sometimes you are in different rooms and need some space?" the interviewer asked him. "That is correct. We've gone through a lot of stuff together. It's been a 40-year marriage."

And yet multi-coloured Perry is still not impressed with Tyler's commitment to the band. "He wants to take two years off," Perry told Rolling Stone yesterday. "The rest of the band wants to keep on working." Perry would not rule out the possibility that Aerosmith will find a replacement singer. "We have so many different options to fill up that time. Anything is possible at this point. Basically, any communication that we've had [with Steven] over the last couple of months has been through managers, so that's been pretty strange ... I never won any money trying to second-guess what goes on in Steven's mind."

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/

Liam Gallagher has vowed to be back on stage within two months.

The Oasis singer saw the group plunge into turmoil in August when his brother, guitarist Noel Gallagher, quit the band due to unbearable tensions with the singer but has promised fans he is already planning his next musical move.

He said: "I'll be back doing that, playing live, within a couple of months. I've just done a tour, I always miss singing songs. I miss the people."

Liam, 37, also confirmed he is currently working on new material with Oasis bandmates Gem Archer, Andy Bell and Chris Sharrock.

He said: "We're sort of doing things at the moment. Not Oasis, Oasis is done. But with everyone except for Noel."

Liam also claimed he doesn't believe his fight with Noel - which allegedly saw them damage each other's guitars backstage before a planned performance in Paris, France - was the reason for the guitarist's departure, insisting the musician had it planned.

He explained to Italy's Radio Deejay: "To be quite honest, I think Noel wanted out. But you'll have to ask him when he comes in and does his little solo thing. We had an argument - but we've had bigger ones, about more important people. Basically, I think he wanted out, wanted something different, but he hadn't got the b******s to tell the band or the fans."

Despite admitting to the row, Liam - who is married to former All Saints singer Nicole Appleton - insists he never hurt Noel during their altercation.

He added: "I didn't smash the guitar on him, I wish I had, man. He treated my guitar poorly, which was a present off my wife. So I thought it was only fair to pay the compliment back. So I smashed one of his. It sounds ridiculous, like a pair of old women."

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/

The fabled crossroads where Robert Johnson is supposed to have sold his soul to the devil in exchange for his guitar prowess has not been definitively located, but the musician's birthplace has been determined and plans are in the works to restore it as a tourist attraction, The Associated Press reported.

Mr. Johnson, the blues guitarist of "Sweet Home Chicago" and "Love in Vain," who influenced artists from Muddy Waters to Eric Clapton, was born in 1911 in Hazlehurst, Miss., in a home built by his stepfather.

The birthplace was verified in a letter from his half-sister, according to the cultural affairs office of Copiah County, which is seeking to raise $250,000 to restore the home as a destination for music fans and Johnson acolytes.

"He was so good that he would literally turn his back when they were recording him," said the screenwriter Jimmy White ("Ray"), who is working on a script about Mr. Johnson's life.

"He didn’t want the other musicians to see his fingering technique."

http://www.etrucker.com/

Willie Nelson will perform at Willie's Place at Carl's Corner Truck Stop located off I-35 in Hillsboro, Texas, Dec. 16, Evolution Fuels Inc., announced.

Ray Price and Billy Bob Thornton and his band, The Boxmasters, are also scheduled to perform. Concert updates will be broadcast on "Willie's Place" satellite radio shows, on XM channel 13 and Sirius channel 64.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/

The Who will perform at next year's Super Bowl half-time show - the biggest event in the US TV calendar. Skip related content

The rockers are slated to headline the gig at the NFL showdown in Tampa Bay, Florida in February, following previous performers U2, The Rolling Stones and Bruce Springsteen.

Janet Jackson famously had a wardrobe malfunction at the event in 2004 when she bared a breast while singing alongside Justin Timberlake.

This year's match drew in 90 million viewers in America alone.

canoe.ca


Dave Grohl always knew his Nirvana bandmate Kurt Cobain would die young - so he prepared himself for his pal's early death.

Cobain was found dead in his Seattle, Washington home in 1994, aged 27, and his passing was officially ruled a suicide from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

Grohl tells BBC Radio 1, "There are some people that you meet in life that you just know that they are not going to live to be a hundred years old. In some ways, you kind of prepare yourself emotionally for that to be a reality."

The Foo Fighters frontman insists the tragedy had a positive impact on his own life - because he learned never to take anything for granted.

He adds, "Usually it takes something like that for people to appreciate life as a gift and you have to take advantage of the time that you have. Sometimes you just can't save someone from themselves."

Labels: Dave Grohl, Guitar News Daily, Kurt Cobain, Nirvana

Source: http://www.nme.com/

Red Hot Chili Peppers have announced their first gig together since taking an extended break in 2008.

Playing MusiCares 2010 on January 29, the group will play alongside Wilco, Norah Jones and James Taylor to pay tribute to Neil Young.

Since the hiatus the individual members of the group have been concentrating on their own musical projects, with Flea joining Thom Yorke's super-group being the most eye-catching.

Meanwhile, drummer Chad Smith has recently said that the band are currently working on a follow-up to 2006's 'Stadium Arcadium' album.

From: http://www.music-news.com/

Following the phenomenal success of the 'Crying Lightning’ 7', which was available exclusively through Oxfam shops, Arctic Monkeys are once again teaming up with the charity for follow-up single 'Cornerstone’.

The 'Crying Lightning’ 7' sold approximately 10,000 copies in just a few weeks, making it one of the biggest-selling vinyl singles so far this century. Sales of 'Crying Lightning’ bucked the industry trend for 7' sales, which have more than halved since 2007, and currently command just a 0.4% market share*.

The limited-edition 'Cornerstone’ 10' goes on sale exclusively in Oxfam’s top 50 music shops across the UK on Monday 16 November. The record is the second single from recent number one album Humbug, features new track 'Catapult’ as well as exclusive B-sides 'Sketchead’ and 'Fright Lined Dining Room’.

The 'Cornerstone’ 10' will cost £4.99, and each single will come with a download code allowing fans to get an MP3 version of the songs for free. Oxfam will be giving away pairs of 'golden tickets’ to the band’s forthcoming sold-out UK tour in each area.

Domino and Arctic Monkeys are also calling on music fans to bring in any unwanted albums or singles to their local Oxfam shop when they pick up their copy of the single, to help Oxfam keep turning yesterday’s hits into vital funds for years to come.

The band’s UK tour dates are as follows – selected Oxfam shops in each area will be giving away a pair of tickets to each show:

Friday 13 November Liverpool Echo Arena 0844 8000 400
Saturday 14 Sheffield Arena 0114 256 5656
Monday 16 Newcastle Metro Arena 0844 493 6666
Tuesday 17 Wembley Arena 0844 815 0815
Wednesday 18 Wembley Arena 0844 815 0815
Friday 20 Birmingham NIA 0844 338 8000
Saturday 21 Manchester MEN Arena 0844 847 8000
Sunday 22 Nottingham Trent FM Arena 0844 412 4624
Tuesday 24 Glasgow SECC 0844 499 9990
Wednesday 25 Belfast The Odyssey 02890 739 074
Thursday 26 Dublin The O2 0818 719 300

620wtmj.com

MILWAUKEE - On distant battlefields half a world away, America's fighting men and women serve their country amid a deafening and terrifying cacophony of explosions and gunfire. The hellish fury serves as a constant, unmistakable reminder that death could follow the next sound.

Long after many of these soldiers return home, though, the nightmares still echo in their heads in the form of post-traumatic stress disorder. That's where the Milwaukee-based Guitars For Vets organization steps in.

"Our mission is to put the healing power of music in the hands of heroes," explains co-founder Patrick Nettesheim. "We intend to heal traumatized and wounded veterans with the power of music."

Nettesheim founded the non-profit organization in May of 2007 after giving a guitar lesson to Dan Van Buskirk, a veteran of the Vietnam War who said music helped him work through his pain and gave him a sense of focus and purpose. The two began talking and soon determined that other veterans would benefit from this sort of music therapy.

"Dan suggested that we take it to the Zablocki V.A. here in Milwaukee," Nettesheim recalls. "And it just sort of took off from there."

Veterans from across southeastern Wisconsin began flocking to the group, which provides them with free private lessons and their own acoustic guitar.

"The lessons obviously teach them to play the guitar, but the guitar is really just a catalyst for the positive human interaction between the teacher and the veteran. That's why we start it off with private lessons, because it's very personal when you start playing an instrument can be embarrassing and we try to make it as easy as possible. We find that in these lessons, very often the veteran will open up and start talking about their experiences."

Once they do, the healing process begins and the veterans begin taking group lessons and performing with their comrades.

"Ask any veteran who's served what they miss most, and they'll tell you the teamwork, the camaraderie, the brotherhood, the sisterhood," offers Nettesheim. "The group lessons are like a social group. The veterans come together and can share not only their guitar-playing and what they learned that week, but also their stories and the human experience. This is how we re-establish a sense of belonging and rebuild the community from which they have been divorced because of their pain."

Tonight, on Veterans' Day, that community comes together for a free concert at Mo's Irish Pub in Wauwatosa from 6:00pm until midnight. For more information or to find out how you can help Guitars for Veterans, visit their website at www.GuitarsForVets.org.

Labels: Guitar News Daily, www.GuitarsForVets.org

From www.billboard.com



After reinterpreting his past for "The Kinks Choral Collection," which comes out Nov. 10, Ray Davies says that "my initial instinct is to write some new songs again." And he may well record them with some familiar colleagues.

"I've been in the studio with a couple of the Kinks, actually," Davies tells Billboard.com -- specifically original drummer Mick Avory and later members Jim Rodford on bass and Ian Gibbons on keyboards. "We've got four, five new songs...and I'm just sort of getting them motivated and seeing what they're playing like, because I haven't played with the Kinks for eight or nine years."

Davies says he's not sure when or if his brother, guitarist Dave Davies -- who suffered a stroke in 2004 but continues to make music -- will become part of the proceedings. "We'll see how he reacts to it," Davies says. "If he's physically able to do it is another matter, because he was quite seriously ill. But we're in communication, and we're not disregarding it yet."

Davies isn't putting any sort of time constraint on releasing the new music -- which would be the Kinks' first since "Phobia" in 1993 -- but says he's enjoying having his old bandmates around. "I've discovered there is definitely an interplay between the way Mick plays drums and my vocals," Davies explains. "He waits for the vocal. Most drummers just lay down a backbeat, but Mick feels the songs, so there's a definite continuity there that you wouldn't get with any other player, so it'll be interesting."

The Kinks sessions are currently on the "back burner," however, while Davies prepares for an eight-show U.S. tour that begins Nov. 12 and includes four dates with choirs to recreate "The Kinks Coral Collection's" arrangements -- including hits such as "You Really Got Me," "All Day and All of the Night" and "Waterloo Sunset" and a suite from 1968's "The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society."

"I never thought I'd be doing them like this, in this way," Davies acknowledges. "It's not a re-recording of the Kinks music; it's a reinterpretation. I think it will be interesting for people who have the Kinks catalog...to actually sort of compare and hear the songs more fleshed out and put in this kind of style."

Davies will perform Nov. 18 on CBS' "The Late Show with David Letterman" and says "there's talk of doing something on a larger scale next year, some outside concerts with choirs." He's also considering another volume of choral pieces to "dig deeper into the reservoir of old material to see what else can be done." Also on his docket: a British tour of the musical "Come Dancing" with hopes of eventually opening it in London's West End; and a "collaborations record" that he says may include Metallica, with whom he performed at the recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25th anniversary concerts in New York City.

washingtonpost.com

Michael Pearson loved guitar improvisation

Pfc. Michael Pearson taught himself to play the piano and became a guitar virtuoso long before he joined the Army last year. "He had a little Jimi Hendrix in him," a relative said Friday as the family gathered to grieve in suburban Chicago.
This Story

Before the attack at Fort Hood, Pearson was preparing to deploy to Afghanistan to become a bomb disposal specialist. His family knew he had received a series of inoculations and, when they learned of the shooting, figured that Pearson would be safely elsewhere.


He died Thursday at age 21. A surgeon called with the news.

Pearson graduated from Bolingbrook High School, where his passion was music, said the relative, who asked not to be identified. When he enlisted, he was seeking adventure, educational opportunities and the chance to serve.

"He was very reflective and introspective and wise beyond his years," the relative said. "He knew the importance of things, whether they were pleasant or not."

As a guitarist, improvisation was his joy: "He just sat-in and just jammed away." On his Facebook page, Pearson typed the words to a song of his own. The relative choked up as he read them aloud:

I look only to the future for wisdom.

To rock back and forth in my wooden chair,

Grow out the beard of the earth,

And play my experience through sound.

Not always pleasant, but just as important,

For each note must represent love, pain experience.

Everyone has a place in my story,

And someday I'll play a tune that represents you

And the role you played in my life.

contactmusic.com

AEROSMITH will struggle to continue without frontman STEVEN TYLER, because guitarist JOE PERRY can't imagine performing with anyone else.
The band has been rocked by the news of Tyler's shock departure - and Perry admits the remaining members have considered continuing with another frontman.
But he fears fans won't appreciate a stand-in.
He says, "We've talked about getting someone else to sing in the band... but it can't be Aerosmith; at least not the Aerosmith that we know. For it to be valid and have something real about it, it would have to be somebody that would bring something to the party.
"It would be the four guys that have been playing forever, and using that weapon with somebody that's got (something) to bring in. But I don't know yet. We've really just kind of got knocked back on our heels, and everybody is just kind of settling back and figuring out what's going on."
Perry reveals the band has an album's worth of new material, which just needs lyrics and a voice: "We have a bunch of stuff that's been left over from past records. Some of those (songs

Labels: Aerosmith, Guitar News Daily

sleazeroxx.com

Van Halen In Depth Guitar Instructional DVD Now Available The Van Halen News Desk reports the following: For all you guitar players out there - there's a brand new guitar instructional DVD that is much more in-depth than the Guitar Method In The Style Of Van Halen DVDs that have been out for years. This one is called Phrase By Phrase Guitar Method: Classic Van Halen and it looks like it's the best DVD lesson yet for learning how to play guitar like Eddie Van Halen. Here's the full description:

A five-hour long instructional DVD that breaks down the radical guitar methods of Eddie Van Halen in an easy-to-play format.

In this Phrase By Phrase Guitar Method: Classic Van Halen DVD, you'll learn what it's really like to play guitar like Van Halen. Mark John Sternal at MJS Music Publications dissects Eddie Van Halen's inventive guitar style which redefined how rock guitar was played. Learn to play all of the leads, rhythms, and fills to popular songs from the albums Van Halen, Van Halen II, Women and Children First, Fair Warning, and 1984.

The Phrase By Phrase Guitar Method explores some of the greatest guitarists of all time, breaking their complex styles into simple, recognizable phrases. Thorough, easy-to-understand tutorials teach proper finger placement and techniques, followed by half-speed practice tempos and combined sections that are played at full speed.

Song lessons:
1: Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
2: Runnin' With The Devil
3: Somebody Get Me A Doctor
4: Beautiful Girls
5: Everybody Wants Some!!
6: Romeo Delight
7: Unchained
8: Panama

Bonus guitar solo lessons:
9: Eruption (Complete Guitar Parts)
10: Hot For Teacher (Intro Guitar Solo)

If you're interested in learning to tear up the fretboard like Eddie Van Halen, then this is the DVD for you.

Get The Full DVD
10 Song Lessons - 5 hours!
List price: $24.95 Just $19.95 at Van Halen Store

Labels: Guitar News Daily, Van Halen

harmony-central.com

Brown's Guitar Factory Offers Acoustic MIDI Saddle Conversions for Bass Tremolo Bridges
November 03, 2009


Master Luthier, John Brown of Brown's Guitar Factory has successfully created what many musicians have been asking the industry for over the past 25 years — "Can you make my Kahler piezo/MIDI compatible?" By developing proprietary saddle pieces that integrate Graphtech's Acousti-phonic System, piezo elements and Hexpander Systems; along with the original Kahler saddle set, Brown's Guitar Factory is now ready to provide these retrofits and installations to Retailers, OEM's, custom shops, builders, and players.

As a performing musician himself, John Brown recognized the demand and the potential for such a feature but it took years of research, development, prototyping, trial, and error before he was finally able to share his latest revisions with a select few. Now, fine-tuned and on track, Brown's Guitar Factory will be working with retailers and repair shops to provide the service and installation of the conversion but allow the retailer to capture the sale of the hardware such as the bridge and GraphTech Systems. Likewise, Brown's Guitar Factory is also looking to work with other luthiers, OEMs, and directly with customers. "Our goal is to make sure we can provide this feature to any and all who want it, in a way that everyone can benefit," commented John Brown.

The trick lies in the retrofit of the saddles. This is where the proprietary pieces and shape come into play, maintaining a consistent downward pressure of the string while the bridge device rotates back and forth. This provides uninterrupted tracking and superior tone. With the combination of the three systems, a bass player's palette is now greatly expanded. This conversion system is available for four-, five-, and six-string basses.

MSRP starts at $265.00

Labels: Bass Tremolo, Brown's Guitar Factory, Kahler, MIDI

nme.com

Jack White has turned down the chance to appear on Slash's debut solo album, according to the former Guns N' Roses guitarist.

Slash is due to release 'Slash & Friends' in early 2010, and the album reportedly features a host of guest musicians, including the likes of Flea, Dave Grohl and Alice Cooper.

However, the one artist that Slash says he really wanted to appear was Jack White - however, The White Stripes mainman was apparently reluctant to sing on the record.

"I wanted to get Jack White to sing on something, but he didn't want to sing," Slash told Musicradar.com. "He said I'll play drums, I'll play guitar, but I don't wanna sing. He was one guy that I wanted to work with. Pretty much everyone else that I went after I managed to get."

Labels: Guitar News Daily, Jack White, Slash

chartattack.com

Before he was a pro wrestler, Hulk Hogan used to play bass for varioius Florida-based rock bands. The Hulkster had bigger musical ambitions, though. Specifically, he wanted to play with Metallica and The Rolling Stones.

The Chicago Tribune recently interviewed the wrestler about his recently released autobiography, My Life Outside The Ring. It's his second memoir, following 2003's Hollywood Hulk Hogan. During the interview, he told the newspaper that he would have left wrestling to play bass in the two aforementioned bands - if only someone had taken him seriously.

"I was in England presenting an award with Jerry Hall, Mick Jagger's ex, and she told me the [Rolling] Stones were looking for a bass player," Hogan told The Chicago Tribune. "I sent her a ton of merchandise that she asked for and said, 'Tell Mick I'm a great bass player.' I never heard a word back.

"When Metallica was looking for a bass player, I called and never heard a word back from them either. I would have quit wrestling in a heartbeat to b a bass player for Metallica."

Labels: Hulk Hogan, Metallica

pastemagazine.com

If his behemoth, 10-disc Archives set was any indication, Neil Young's made a lot of music in his day. And he wants you to have it. All of it.

Aside from releasing new albums, Young's also been pumping out his Archives series of classic live performances old and, well, less old. The latest in the series falls head on into the latter category; it's Young's wonderful Harvest Moon album performed live, in its entirety, all culled from several acoustic solo performances in 1992.

Called Dreamin' Man Live '92 and previously scheduled to come out this week, the release, now dropping Dec. 8, should be a great document of Young's mid-'90s resurgence (Remember this!?) after his sub-par and often goofy output of the '80s.

Just to hear a live acoustic "You and Me" would be great enough, but we'll get to hear the whole thing. Here’s the tracklist:

1. Dreamin’ Man
2. Such A Woman
3. One Of These Days
4. Harvest Moon
5. You And Me
6. Hank To Hendrix
7. Unknown Legend
8. Old King
9. Natural Beauty
10. War Of Man

Labels: Guitar News Daily, Neil Young

timesonline.co.uk

He once fell out with a neighbor over plans to widen his driveway. Now Van Morrison and his wife Michelle are suing Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown council for failing to protect their privacy from alleged intrusion by a neighbour’s redeveloped house.

Michelle Morrison, née Rocca, lodged a High Court action last Wednesday seeking a judicial review of the council's decision not to act on a series of complaints made about Mount Alverno, a house built by Desmond and Mary Kavanagh on Nerano Road in Dalkey. The property, designed by de Blacam & Meagher, was "inspired" by film director Jim Sheridan's modernist house on Coliemore Road, known as Martha’s Vineyard.

The house is one of five in a hilltop enclave overlooking Dalkey Sound. Other neighbors include Eddie Irvine, the former Formula One driver, and Alphonsus O'Mara, a businessman who took Morrison to court over the musician's plans to widen his driveway.

The Morrisons claim that the Kavanaghs' home is causing a "serious invasion of privacy" and has a number of "unauthorised amendments" made after the council granted planning permission. The Morrisons said there were "significant levels of overlooking" from the Kavanaghs' home. They also said that a wall between the properties was only 1.3 meters high, while permission was granted for a 2 metre structure. The Kavanaghs are also alleged to have installed more windows than given planning permission.

After a council enforcement order last month, the Kavanaghs applied for "retention permission" for alterations made without consent.

The Morrisons say their loss of privacy is "exacerbated" by the developer's refusal to plant enough trees to screen their home, Kilross House, from their neighbors. They submitted an affidavit from Joseph McConville, a tree surgeon, who has created a scheme for the Kavanaghs to follow. The plan specifies which species the Kavanaghs should plant, and even their girth.

The Morrisons' submission claims the Kavanaghs have shown "disregard" for the special designation attributed to Kilross House. They add their house suffers "serious light pollution" at night from bulbs fitted to an exterior canopy.

Dalkey community council (DCC) and several neighbors have joined the Morrisons in complaining about the Mount Alverno development. DCC said the house exceeded its permitted height by more than 50cm and, if it got retention permission, it "would make a mockery of the present planning process". O'Mara has complained that the house overlooks his swimming pool.

Neither the Morrisons or the Kavanaghs would comment this weekend. The application for the judicial review is up for mention on November 23.

Labels: Guitar News Daily, Van Morrison

mtv.com

'I like that we have songs that lots of different people either enjoy or dislike,' frontman Dave Grohl says.

It's hard to believe that Foo Fighters, the band that Dave Grohl admits he started "almost on a dare," have been around for 15 years and have cranked out countless hit singles. Those tracks will be celebrated on the upcoming Greatest Hits, a compilation of the group's biggest smashes, including "Learn to Fly," "Best of You" and "Everlong." The album also contains two new songs: a rugged rocker called "Word Forward" and the new single "Wheels," which the band debuted on the lawn of the White House over the summer and which just got a video release.

"On the last tour, we decided to treat soundcheck as a place to write songs and not just to practice," Dave Grohl told MTV News. "So we picked these two songs and called Butch Vig — who I haven't worked with since 1991, when he worked on Nirvana's Nevermind — and he came in and produced them."

Despite the group's devoted following, fan reaction has been somewhat tepid to the group's latest single. But Grohl wouldn't have it any other way. "We kind of took it in this direction that we haven't gone before, which, as a band, is exciting," he explained. "You do a song like 'Wheels' and people go, 'Really? That's the Foo Fighters?' People get all scared. 'Oh no, is that the direction they're going?' It's one of those songs that our biggest fans hate. I like that we have songs that lots of different people either enjoy or dislike."

Greatest Hits will be in stores November 3, and the band will appear in an episode of "VH1 Storytellers" on November 27.

Labels: Dave Grohl, Foo Fighters, Guitar News Daily

guardian.co.uk

An up-and-coming folk singer has died after being attacked by coyotes in a national park in eastern Canada.

Taylor Mitchell, a 19-year-old Toronto singer-songwriter, was hiking alone in the Cape Breton Highlands national park, Nova Scotia, on Tuesday when the attack occurred.

Brigdit Leger, a Royal Canadian Mounted police spokeswoman, said other hikers heard Mitchell's screams and called for help. "The coyotes were extremely aggressive," Leger told the Toronto Star.

Officers reached the scene quickly and shot one of the animals, but Mitchell had suffered multiple bite wounds, the emergency health services said. She was airlifted to a Halifax hospital in a critical condition and died yesterday.

Bob Bancroft, a retired biologist with the Nova Scotia department of natural resources, said coyote attacks were rare because the animals were usually shy. "It's very unusual and is not likely to be repeated," he said.

Officials blocked the entrance to the trail where Mitchell was attacked and hung signs in English and French warning of coyotes. Park rangers were looking out for the animals to determine what had prompted such an unusual attack. The last known coyote attack in the park was in 2003, when a teenager was bitten.

"There have been some reports of aggressive animals, so it's not unknown," said Helene Robichaud, the park's superintendent. "But we certainly never have had anything so dramatic and tragic."

Mitchell had just earned her driving licence and embarked on a tour of the east coast to promote her new album. On her MySpace page, Mitchell said her influences were "constantly evolving" but included Van Morrison, the Eagles and Neil Young.

Her manager, Lisa Weitz, described Mitchell, who was nominated for a 2009 Canadian folk music award in the young performer of the year category, as a "sweet, compassionate, vibrant, and phenomenally talented young woman". She added: "She was just exhilarated to be on the road and performing. We are all devastated."

• This article was amended on 30 October 2009. The original misnamed the location as Breton Highlands national park. This has been corrected

Labels: Guitar News Daily, Taylor Mitchell