The Peter Green Story Parts 7 Through 12

This remarkable story continues.

The Peter Green Story Part 7


The Peter Green Story Part 8


The Peter Green Story Part 9


The Peter Green Story Part 10


The Peter Green Story Part 11


The Peter Green Story Part 12

Jack Bruce Says Led Zeppelin Slur Provoked Death Threats

From Gibson Lifestyle.com

Turns out former Cream bassist Jack Bruce severely underestimated the ire he would stir up when he lambasted Led Zeppelin in an interview last November.

Speaking at the time to the press at an awards ceremony, the veteran rocker said Led Zeppelin’s O2 Arena reunion gig was “lame,” adding that the band was “crap” and that “Cream is ten times the band Led Zeppelin is.”

Now, in an interview with the East Anglian Daily Times, Bruce reveals that threats against his life were made in the wake of those comments.

“It was just a bit of fun and it was blown out of all proportion,” he said. “Some Led Zeppelin fans were really angry at me and I had a few death threats – they’re not likely to find me out here though!”

Bruce continued, “People like me tend to forget that with YouTube and Twitter, you can't say anything without it getting around the world. We always used to have a pop at other bands in the old days and that was all it was. It was like I had spoken out against the Queen or something. You obviously can't say anything against Led Zeppelin.”

Bruce is currently on tour with guitarist Robin Trower and drummer Gary Husband in support of the Seven Moons album he recorded with Trower last year. A new CD, Seven Moons Live, is scheduled for release Aug. 3, to be followed later in the year by a DVD.

Further plans call for a follow-up studio album by the group, which Bruce characterizes as a “power trio” in the tradition of his legendary former band. He added that a reunion performance by Cream, who did a run of shows in 2005 at London’s Royal Albert Hall and New York’s Madison Square Garden, remains a possibility.

New Addition Part III

I decided to take the Squire P-Bass refurbishing to the next level. I'm changing out all of the electronics. On order are new pickups, pots and even input jack (thank you ebay) from a 2007 Precision Standard. Hopefully everything will be in this week and I can get her back together.

The Peter Green Story Parts 1 Through 6

I came across a 12 part video story of Peter Green and thought I would pass it along. I have been a fan of Peter Green from the days when he replaced Eric Clapton in John Mayall's Bluesbreakers band. After leaving Mayall's band he went on to form Fleetwood Mac, one of the most successful bands to come out of Britain in the 60's. If you're a fan of English Blues or remarkable guitarists this series is for you.

Peter was ranked 38th in Rolling Stone magazine list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time"

Here are the first six installments. Enjoy.

The Peter Green Story Part 1


The Peter Green Story Part 2


The Peter Green Story Part 3


The Peter Green Story Part 4


The Peter Green Story Part 5


The Peter Green Story Part 6

Today's Quote

"When you start believing you're something special, then you're not going to be striving to move forward." ~Robin Trower

Aerosmith Bassist Forced To Sit Out

This tour has been plagued with health issues.

From Notreble.com
Aerosmith bassist Tom Hamilton has been forced to sit out for part of the bands current tour due to recovery from non-invasive surgery. Hamilton, 57 years old and a cancer survivor, has been a part of Aerosmith since their beginning in 1970.

The tour “Guitar Hero: Aerosmith Presents Aerosmith” kicked off June 10th and has been plagued with postponed dates since Steven Tyler tore his leg muscles on June 29th during a concert.

Bassist David Hull from the Joe Perry Project will be filling in for Hamilton once Aerosmith gets back on the road today (July 15).

New Addition Part II

The guitar is now in my shop in pieces. Body on the bench, neck hanging on the wall and the electronics in a box. I've taken her all apart for cleaning and refurbishing. I just ordered a new bridge and pickguard. I may even upgrade the pickup while I'm at it. The tuning pegs are real dull, I'm going to try to polish them up. If I can't get them back in shape she will have some new chrome ones.

I haven't decided whether or not to defret the neck on her.

New Addition

I picked up another bass last Sunday. It's a 1996 Fender Squire P-Bass. The price was so I couldn't pass it up, it was free! The ole girl needs a little work, mostly appearance issues but she plays just fine. I've been looking for an old bass to defret and this may be the one. More on that later. I'll get a couple pictures posted in a few days.

You can never have too many guitars.

Q&A: Bassist Chris Squire of Yes

Q&A: Bassist Chris Squire of Yes

by Larry Rodgers - Jul. 9, 2009 01:45 PM
The Arizona Republic

Despite a string of lineup changes and legal squabbles over the use of the band's name, England's Yes has been recording and performing in one form or another for four decades.

One of the most successful progressive-rock groups of the '70s, Yes has delved into classical, jazz, rock and pop sounds.

The version of the band that visits Phoenix on Thursday with another prog-rock favorite, Asia, lacks ailing vocalist Jon Anderson and longtime keyboard player Rick Wakeman.

But co-founder Chris Squire and veteran members Steve Howe (guitar) and Alan White (drums) have soldiered on to play such classics as "I've Seen All Good People," "Roundabout," "Yours Is No Disgrace" and "Owner of a Lonely Heart."

Bassist Squire, 61, talked about the band's journey:

Question: Your band recently marked its 40th anniversary. Did you ever expect such longevity?

Answer: It is amazing that Yes is still a touring entity and that we have survived the rigors of 40 years of ups and downs. We have a new singer, Benoit David, from Montreal, who is standing in for Jon, who has not been well. Oliver Wakeman is standing in for his dad, who is busy with other projects. The reception for the band has been really good.

Q: Your music tends to be multilayered and complex. Has that helped keep your interest in performing over the years?

A: The great thing about Yes is that it has always been flexible. During the '70s, we did some rather long and complex pieces of music. During the '80s, we became a little more rocky, with the "90125" album and "Owner of a Lonely Heart" being a Number 1 (single). That flexibility has contributed to our longevity.

Q: Yes has endured many personnel changes, but you've always been there. What has kept you in the band?

A: It's more by default than design, actually. I've been there, and other members have gone off to do other projects. A lot of them have come back and left again and come back again. Alan White has been with the band since 1972. We can call him the new boy (laughs).

Q: There have been intraband tension and court fights. Has that been draining on you, or do you just try to focus on the music?

A: I'm that kind of guy, in a way (focusing on music). Over the years, there have been challenges about who can use our name. It's quite simple: A majority of people left in the band at a certain time own the name. It's not like I'm the guy who has the name under my own contract.

Q: You found your new singer through a tribute band, much like Journey found its latest vocalist, Arnel Pinada.

A: When Jon was having his problems, someone suggested that I see Journey in London because you could see it could work with someone standing in (on vocals). The show was really good, and I noticed that the fans who were there were just pleased to hear the music and have it done faithfully. Benoit has done a great job.

Q: There were conflicting reports about whether Jon approved of the band carrying on in his absence.

A: He was up-to-date with everything we were doing, and he hadn't complained about it. Our tour manager is also his (solo) manager. I think we pretty much have his blessing.

Q: Oliver Wakeman has some big shoes to fill. How has that worked out?

A: Rick has a whole other career in England. He's a bit of a TV personality. When we were going to go out on the road, he was busy, and he suggested that we take his son. Oliver is an excellent musician.

Q: Jon's respiratory problems seem to have lingered. What is the long-term outlook for the band?

A: I'm not a doctor, but from what I know, he may not want to do the big full-scale touring thing again. But we may be able to do some isolated shows with him. It really depends how his recovery goes, and we wish him a full recovery.

Q: Do you envision an album of new material with Benoit and Oliver?

A: We have talked about that. I am hoping to do that this year.

Q: You recorded a solo album, "Fish Out of Water," in 1975. Have you done other projects away from Yes?

A: I have nearly finished an album that I have written and recorded with Steve Hackett, the original guitar player from Genesis.

Q: It's been more than seven years since Yes' last studio album, "Magnification." Why have you avoided the studio?

A: We were doing a lot of live work from '97 to 2004. We were going to take time off in 2005, and then Jon got sick. Things got put on hold.

Q: Which Yes material are you playing on this tour?

A: We're coming up with some things that haven't been done (live), songs from the (1980) "Drama" album. We're doing something from Yes' second album, "Time and a Word," a track called "Astral Traveller," which even predates Steve Howe's tenure. We're also doing a new song I wrote called "Aliens (Are Only Us From the Future)."

Today's Quote

".. the guitar is just a wonderful instrument. It's everything: a bartender, a psychiatrist, a housewife. It's everything, but it's elusive" ~Les Paul

An Interview With Jay Bentley Of Bad Religion

From Epiphone.com
In a time when much of American radio was dominated by highly produced, cookie-cutter, pop artists, four young musicians in Southern California were drawing their inspiration from underground cult bands like The Ramones, The Clash and the Sex Pistols. But in 1980, members of the newly formed Bad Religion had no way of knowing that their raw energy would lead to the revival of the entire "punk rock" scene. 14 albums later, the band continues to create great music, tour extensively and inspire generations of musicians.

Epiphone's Don Mitchell recently caught up with founding member and bassist Jay Bentley just as the band was wrapping up rehearsals for the 2009 Vans Warped Tour.

EPI: A lot of us were in bands during our high school years but few of those moved out of the garage. You on the other hand were part of something that was far greater. As a high school student did you have any idea that Bad Religion would become such an iconic punk band?

JAY: Not really. That's not to say that we didn't believe in what we were doing, but punk rock had no model for success. Other than the Ramones, the Clash and the Sex Pistols, the idea of attaining success was simply playing the Starwood in Los Angeles, a relatively small venue. We were watching Black Flag and the Adolescents, the Circle Jerks and Fear playing to between 200 and 500 people, and that’s all we wanted to do.

EPI: What was your plan to get there?

JAY: We did what other bands did, made demo tapes and shopped them around, tried to get shows at venues, all to no avail.

EPI: So, the doors weren't exactly slinging open for you in the beginning?

JAY: We started getting shows because bands like the Adolescents and the Circle Jerks, who became our friends, would tell promoters that they wanted us to play their shows with them. In fact, when we made our first demo, Lucky and Greg from the Circle Jerks were the ones that took it down to Rodney on The ROQ (KROQ). He liked it, so he continued to play it.

EPI: Ha... It's nice to have connections. Especially ones that can get your music straight to radio!

JAY: That was a monumental push for us because after that we didn't care if labels liked us or not. Suddenly we didn't need to be signed. All we needed to do was find out where they were making records so we could go there and make our own.
EPI: And that's the attitude that would eventually develop a huge and loyal fan base for you guys.

JAY: Being told "no" so many times really drove us to prove that we could do it without being signed. We had a number of doubtful remonstrations thrown at us early on, and I think that by accepting those challenges with a fierce determination to accomplish our goals set the standard for how we would approach everything with the band. We made our first E.P. in 1980 with a $1500 loan from Brett's dad. We paid him back out of the profits from 1982's full length album "How Could Hell Be Any Worse?" and have been pretty much doing what we love ever since.

EPI: Over the years a lot of punk bass players have mentioned you as a huge influence. How does it make you feel to have impacted a generation of bass players and musicians?

JAY: Pretty weird, considering I don't read music, my timing is fairly suspect and I play with a pick! But, I am truly humbled and suddenly, I feel remorseful for all those hours I should have spent practicing!

EPI: After all these years and 14 albums, what is it that motivates you to still play music with Bad Religion?

JAY: I think that Greg and Brett are very vibrant, prolific songwriters who are always trying to expand the definition of what Bad Religion can be. As a beneficiary of that drive, I am always excited at the prospect of working on new material, especially now with Brooks. I really enjoy hammering out passes and trying to create subtle nuances. We are always trying to create something unique… we don't always accomplish it, but we try.

EPI: A lot of us were in bands during our high school years but few of those moved out of the garage. You on the other hand were part of something that was far greater. As a high school student did you have any idea that Bad Religion would become such an iconic punk band?

JAY: Not really. That's not to say that we didn't believe in what we were doing, but punk rock had no model for success. Other than the Ramones, the Clash and the Sex Pistols, the idea of attaining success was simply playing the Starwood in Los Angeles, a relatively small venue. We were watching Black Flag and the Adolescents, the Circle Jerks and Fear playing to between 200 and 500 people, and that’s all we wanted to do.

EPI: What was your plan to get there?

JAY: We did what other bands did, made demo tapes and shopped them around, tried to get shows at venues, all to no avail.

EPI: So, the doors weren't exactly slinging open for you in the beginning?

JAY: We started getting shows because bands like the Adolescents and the Circle Jerks, who became our friends, would tell promoters that they wanted us to play their shows with them. In fact, when we made our first demo, Lucky and Greg from the Circle Jerks were the ones that took it down to Rodney on The ROQ (KROQ). He liked it, so he continued to play it.

EPI: Ha... It's nice to have connections. Especially ones that can get your music straight to radio!

JAY: That was a monumental push for us because after that we didn't care if labels liked us or not. Suddenly we didn't need to be signed. All we needed to do was find out where they were making records so we could go there and make our own.

EPI: And that's the attitude that would eventually develop a huge and loyal fan base for you guys.

JAY: Being told "no" so many times really drove us to prove that we could do it without being signed. We had a number of doubtful remonstrations thrown at us early on, and I think that by accepting those challenges with a fierce determination to accomplish our goals set the standard for how we would approach everything with the band. We made our first E.P. in 1980 with a $1500 loan from Brett's dad. We paid him back out of the profits from 1982's full length album "How Could Hell Be Any Worse?" and have been pretty much doing what we love ever since.

EPI: Over the years a lot of punk bass players have mentioned you as a huge influence. How does it make you feel to have impacted a generation of bass players and musicians?

JAY: Pretty weird, considering I don't read music, my timing is fairly suspect and I play with a pick! But, I am truly humbled and suddenly, I feel remorseful for all those hours I should have spent practicing!

EPI: After all these years and 14 albums, what is it that motivates you to still play music with Bad Religion?

JAY: I think that Greg and Brett are very vibrant, prolific songwriters who are always trying to expand the definition of what Bad Religion can be. As a beneficiary of that drive, I am always excited at the prospect of working on new material, especially now with Brooks. I really enjoy hammering out passes and trying to create subtle nuances. We are always trying to create something unique… we don't always accomplish it, but we try.

EPI: So it sounds like it's still fun.

JAY: Yes, I look forward to getting together with the guys and that in itself is a huge motivating factor for me.

EPI: You guys will be headlining the Vans Warped Tour this year, which has an intense schedule through August, then you head out of the country for more dates before the Fall. Is touring still as fun as it used to be for you?

JAY: Far more fun than it has ever been! Over our 30-year career we have had our share of ups and downs and right now is definitely an up. Going out on the 2009 Warped Tour with bands like NOFX and the Bouncing Souls, Flogging Molly and LTJ is something that I look forward to. I get to spend quality time with some quality people and I am far more appreciative of the fact that I get to go to all of these places with my friends and play music than I was when I was younger.

EPI: What Epiphone basses are you currently playing?

JAY: Right now I am playing a Jack Casady Signature model onstage.


EPI: That's a great bass! What was it that drew you to that model?

JAY: What initially drew me to it was the idea of having a Les Paul Signature bass that didn't cost 5 grand! At first I was hesitant to bring a set neck hollowbody onstage but it has performed like a champ! I've played lots of bass guitars and I have to say that I've never heard some of the tones this guitar can create. It's really a natural, beautiful sounding bass. That being said, I'm in Bad Religion... and there is no room for natural sounding bass onstage! So I removed all the tone and volume pots (we never turn down!), swapped the pick-up out with a Dimarzio split p, threw on a brass nut and now it just screams! It's got that great hollowbody tone with just the right punch and I think it really defines my sound.

EPI: You certainly weren't afraid to dig into it!

JAY: I've always been an advocate of owning your guitar, I mean really owning it. I see so many timid players afraid to "hurt" their instrument, but you've got to dig into that thing and make it sound the way you want it to sound.

EPI: We're just honored that you play our stuff!

JAY: I'll tell you what I like about Epiphone. When I got my first guitar in 1977, it was a no-name sunburst Les Paul copy. I was about 13 years old and the action on that guitar was at least 1/4" at the 12th fret and the pick-ups were just awful feedback machines. I thought it was cool because it resembled what Ace Frehley played... but it was not cool, it was damaging. I'm surprised I continued to learn on that guitar but the choices back then were pretty much zero. You either bought a Gibson or whatever... Today, there are so many great options for young players thanks to Epiphone. A few years ago, when my son expressed an interest in playing guitar, I went to the local shop and was amazed at the selection, quality and prices of the Epiphones.



I bought him an Epiphone Les Paul Special-II and right out of the box it was amazing! I couldn't get over how well it played and how great it sounded. It was definitely better than anything any of us had when we started and that means a lot to someone like me because I remember what it was like to not be able to afford a guitar that sounded good, played well and stayed in tune. As a parent and a musician, I would like to say thanks to Epiphone for helping people find their sound and fulfill their dreams.

EPI: And as a representative of Epiphone, I'd like to say thanks for the kind words and also the musical heritage you are leaving for tons of musicians... Thanks Jay and we look forward to seeing you on the 2009 Vans Warped Tour!

Todays Quote

"Life is like music; it must be composed by ear, feeling, and instinct, not by rule". ~Samuel Butler

Human Skull Found At Site Of New School

I have worked for this school system as maintenance supervisor for almost 33 years. I wasn't at the site when this was found but was called there shortly after the skull was uncovered.

Human skull found at site of new school
Jefferson County Sheriff's Department is investigating

By Naomi Smoot Journal staff writer
POSTED: July 2, 2009
"Human skull found at site of new school"

CHARLES TOWN Workers unearthed a human skull today while doing site excavation work for a new elementary school that is planned for construction off Job Corps Road.

Jefferson County Sheriff Bobby Shirley said police were called to the scene at approximately 11:45 a.m., after an excavation crew found what appeared to be human remains while they were working in an area where a drainage pipe was being installed.

"The skull surfaced, a human skull," Shirley said.

The decomposed skull was found roughly 35 feet from the roadway. Shirley said it appeared to be mostly intact and still contained teeth that police hoped to use to obtain DNA.

Officials were planning to consult missing persons' lists, both locally and nationally, to determine who the skull might belong to, and Shirley said information from the local community is welcomed.

Shirley said it was too early to determine whether the skull had been placed there as the result of foul play, or whether the body simply had been buried on the property years ago.

As of this afternoon, an anthropologist had been called to the scene to help determine the age and gender of the person to whom the skull belongs, along with other information. Police planned to search the area to determine whether additional remains were in the area.

Until recently, the parcel of land where the skull was found had been a vacant field, Shirley said.

Officials with the Jefferson County Schools recently held a ground-breaking at the site to celebrate the building - which has not yet been named - that is planned for construction there. Susan Wall, superintendent of Jefferson County Schools, said the district had an archeological survey done on the site last fall. Nothing was revealed at that time, she said.

July Already

It's hard to believe that half of 2009 has already gone. I guess it's very true that the older you get the faster time goes by. Anybody got any ideas on how to slow down Father Time just a little bit?