A Bass Player's Blog

It's been.....

2011-10-01T22:36:00.000-04:00

.....awhile since I last posted here. Well I'm back. I've had some changes in my bass stable recently. I let a couple go and bought another. Pictures and details about the new addition will be coming soon. I still have my Rickenbacker, she'll be with me forever. The Ric did have a very bad accident a few weeks ago though. More on that when I have more time.

Just a bit of rambling

2010-11-07T11:30:00.001-05:00

Just playing with my phone. While I'm sitting in the parking lot at the grocery store. What a beautiful Sunday morning. It's a bit on the cool side but the bright blue sky with a dotting of puffy white clouds is just amazing.

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Jim Clench bassist for April Wine and BTO dies

2010-11-06T13:16:00.002-04:00

Jim Clench, a Montreal bass player and vocalist who played with April Wine and Bachman Turner Overdrive, has died. He was 61. Clench died Tuesday in a Montreal hospital after a battle with lung cancer, according to April Wine's Brian Greenway.
Clench was with April Wine, the Montreal band known for hits such as You Could Have Been a Lady and The Whole World's Goin' Crazy from 1970 to 1975, then rejoined as the band underwent a resurgence from 1992 to 2007.
He was with BTO from 1977 until the band's breakup in 1979.
His musical career began with a band called the Coven, before he joined April Wine.
Clench played bass on four April Wine albums — 1971's April Wine, 1972's On Record, 1973's Electric Jewels and 1975's Stand Back.
He also took over lead vocals from Myles Goodwyn on songs such as Weeping Widow and Oowatanite, a song he wrote. His growling voice was a distinctive element for the band.
He left to join another band with Greenway, who eventually joined April Wine as a permanent member after that other group failed to get a recording contract.
Clench then played with BTO, taking over bass and sharing lead vocal duties with Fred Turner in the period after Randy Bachman left the group.
Clench played on 1978's Street Action and 1979's Rock N' Roll Nights with BTO before the group disbanded.
In 1992, Goodwyn reformed April Wine and Clench returned to record four more studio albums, 1993's Attitude, 1994's Frigate, 2001's Back to the Mansion and 2006's Roughly Speaking.
April Wine paid tribute to Clench on the band's website, but Greenway said they had lost touch with him after he left.
"He was a very private person, when he left the band he sort of stayed on his own and we were travelling a lot — and as happens with bands when you change members, you sort of lose contact sometimes," Greenway said.
Clench was not married and had no children. His funeral is scheduled to take place next week in St. John's.

Courtesy of CBC News Canada

Quote Of The Day

2010-07-22T22:15:00.000-04:00

"The bass, no matter what kind of music you're playing, it just enhances the sound and makes everything sound more beautiful and full. When the bass stops, the bottom kind of drops out of everything. " ~Charlie Haden

Lazy Days Of Summer

2010-07-03T18:20:00.001-04:00

I have just been relaxing today doing nothing at all. I thought about mowing grass or doing some other work related chore around the house but I quickly decided against it. A quote from a movie comes to mind. "We like to plan ahead, so we don't have to do anything now". That's me today and I don't feel a bit guilty about it. We all need an off day now and then. Do I hear an Amen.

Zon Guitars Announces Standard Series Line

2010-03-24T14:28:00.000-04:00

Redwood City, CA -- Zon Guitars announces the release of their new, affordably priced Standard Series line of bass guitars. Offered in Mosaic, Sonus and Legacy models, these basses are handcrafted in Korea to Zon’s exact specifications and rigid quality requirements. All of these basses are final-inspected for fit and finish and setup at Zon Guitars’ Redwood City, California, facility before final shipping to dealers.

According to company President Joe Zon, “There are a lot of players out there who want to own a Zon bass, but their budget has restricted them from doing so. This new Standard Series now makes that possible.

“From their inception, we wanted to offer players a workhorse instrument of exceptional quality, worthy of the Zon brand and reputation--a bass with the sound and playability that would make it a genuine value for the dollar, an affordable bass that didn’t need to be hotrodded by upgrading the pickups and hardware to make it a good-performing instrument.

“All Standard Series basses feature U.S.-made Duncan pickups and Hipshot brass bridges, as well as 3-band active/passive electronics. The necks are three-piece maple with rosewood fingerboards and dual-action truss rods, and the bodies are made of quality tone woods with highly figured Maple, Bubinga or Walnut veneer tops. Even the gig bag is high-quality, thick and very protective.”

All models of the Standard Series import line are available in 4- and 5-string versions with either gloss or satin finishes. U.S. Retail prices start at $1599.

For more information:
Zon Guitars

Gibson Releases Joan Jett "Blackheart" Melody Maker

2010-03-24T14:15:00.001-04:00

Nashville, TN -- In anticipation of the forthcoming film release The Runaways and her recent release of the Joan Jett and The Blackhearts Greatest Hits album, Gibson Guitar has announced the launch of the Joan Jett “Blackheart” Melody Maker. Gibson released a white Joan Jett signature Melody Maker in 2008. The “Blackheart” Melody Maker will be available beginning March 19th.

“I needed a black guitar. This guitar has the same body and the neck runs smooth as silk, “ said Joan Jett. “ I wanted some flash of color, so the fret inlays are bright red, and the 12th fret is marked by mother of pearl inlay hearts lying end to end. I am using it onstage now, and it sounds ferocious. But of course, she can play gentle as well. Just like the earlier white Joan Jett Gibson model, it is a great guitar for anybody.”

The guitar features a mahogany body and neck with an ebony fingerboard. The single pickup is a Zebra Coil Burst Bucker 3. MSRP $1533.

Boss Unveils The BR-800 Digital Recorder

2010-03-24T12:36:00.000-04:00

BOSS continues its top-selling tradition of portable, affordable multi-trackers with the new BR-800 — a battery-powered studio to go. The sleek new design is made possible by touch-sensor switches and SD-card recording media. Up to four tracks can be recorded or eight tracks played back simultaneously, plus an additional stereo track dedicated to the built-in rhythm generator.

Whether you’re creating intricate, multi-layered songs or point-and-capture field recordings, the BR-800 makes the recording process fast and easy. Beginners will love the new EZ Recording mode that interactively guides you through the recording process. Other helpful features include the convenient RETRY function, which re-cues automatically to fix mistakes, and SONG SKETCH recording for instant, one-touch capture. There’s also a built-in stereo condenser microphone, plus a DR-880-quality rhythm generator for adding drum and percussion tracks to your songs.

Enhance your recordings with the powerful BOSS effects onboard the BR-800. Many of the effects are derived from BOSS’ flagship processors, including vocal effects from the VE-20, COSM® guitar/bass effects from the GT-10 series, and modeled acoustic-guitar body effects from the AP-1 preamp, which imparts pro-quality miked-up sound and rich body tone to line-recorded acoustic guitar. You’ll be amazed at how much processing power is built into this little recorder, and how excellent the effects sound.

You can power the BR-800 from the included AC adapter, or for ultimate mobility, it can be powered from six AA batteries. Record anywhere! The BR-800’s USB compatibility enables a variety of functionality with computers. Connected to a PC, the BR-800 will function as an USB audio interface for recordings that utilize the internal effects. The BR-800 can also function as a control surface for DAW software.

No matter where you roam, you’ll never miss a moment of musical inspiration with the portable new BR-800. The BR-800 is expected to be available in May with an MSRP of $525.00. For more information, please visit www.RolandConnect.com.

Fender News:Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Flashback: Pink Floyd

2010-03-16T13:38:00.000-04:00

This is a very informative article from Fender.com. Enjoy.

Great artists have been making history using Fender instruments for decades. Many of these greats are featured in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which celebrates its 2010 induction ceremony on March 15. Join us as we take a detailed look at some at some of the artists who’ve been inducted in previous years and who make the Hall of Fame one of the world’s greatest monuments to one of the world’s greatest musical forms.

Pink Floyd is simply one of the biggest groups in rock history, with a story that now spans five decades and a musical legacy that ranks among popular music’s most innovative and influential. The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.

Read more at the link below.

Fender News:Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Flashback: Pink Floyd

Long Cold Winter

2010-03-15T14:43:00.002-04:00

It's been a tough winter around here. December, January and February brought snow, snow and more snow. In all about 60" of the white stuff was dumped on us. Our normal snow fall is about 16 to 18 inches.

Now that the weather has turned a bit warmer we're getting rain, rain and more rain. Since last Thursday alone we have gotten almost 5" of rain. We have been under a flood watch since last Friday. I sure hope this weather pattern shifts soon. I need some sun and warm temps. My motorcycle fusses at me every time I walk through the garage. I keep telling her that it's not my fault but you know how bikes can be some times.

Quote Of The Day

2010-03-09T20:03:00.000-05:00

"Jazz musicians are only workers who will put in a full shift for pay and then go somewhere else and continue to work for free." ~George Carlin

Iron Maiden Upcoming Album And Tour

2010-03-09T19:50:00.001-05:00

Iron Maiden have announced details of their upcoming album and North American tour.
Called "The Final Frontier", the LP will be released in the summer and is the legendary rock band's fifteenth studio album.
Playing in support of the album, the band will begin a 22-date tour of North America, beginning with a show in Dallas, Texas on June the 9th.

Meanwhile, the group are set to appear at a number of European festivals including a headline slot at this year's Sonisphere Festival in Hertfordshire. Iron Maiden will play:
06/09 - Dallas, TX Superpages.com Center
06/11 - Houston, TX Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
06/12 - San Antonio,TX AT&T Center
06/14 - Denver, CO Comfort Dental Amphitheater
06/16 - Albuquerque, NM The Pavilion
06/17 - Phoenix, AZ Cricket Wireless Pavilion
06/19 - San Bernardino, CA San Manuel Amphitheater
06/20 - Concord, CA Sleep Train Pavilion
06/22 - Auburn, WA White River Amphitheater
06/24 - Vancouver, BC GM Place
06/26 - Edmonton, AB Rexall Place
06/29 - Saskatoon, SK Credit Union Centre
06/30 - Winnipeg, MB MTS Centre
07/03 - Toronto, ON Molson Amphitheatre
07/07 - Montreal, QC Bell Centre
07/11 - Holmdel, NJ PNC
07/12 - New York, NY Madison Square Garden
07/14 - Pittsburgh, PA First Niagara Pavilion
07/15 - Cleveland, OH Blossom Music Center
07/17 - Detroit, MI DTE Energy Music Theatre
07/18 - Chicago, IL First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
07/20 - Washington, D.C Jiffy Lube Live
Thanks for the report to Nme.com.

Quote Of The Day

2010-03-06T23:17:00.000-05:00

"I've always felt that blues, rock 'n' roll and country are just about a beat apart." ~Waylon Jennings

Genesis Guitarist Steve Hackett’s Album to See Release in U.S.

2010-03-04T11:08:00.000-05:00

Steve Hackett, former lead guitarist for Genesis, will follow the U.K. release of his new album Out Of The Tunnel’s Mouth with its U.S. release on June 8 on the InsideOut Music imprint, he has announced.
Praise for the eight-song collection has mounted ever since the native Londoner introduced the album, which he recorded in his living room, to the U.K. in November 2009. Among other collaborations, the album includes a song recorded with former Genesis guitarist Anthony Philips.
Hackett — who has long played a Gibson Les Paul Gold Top or Les Paul Custom — has enjoyed quite a career since departing Genesis in 1977, after recording eight albums with the legendary group. Together, he and former Yes guitarist Steve Howe founded the hit supergroup GTR in 1987, but the band was shortlived, dissolving only a year later. Since then Hackett’s remained engaged in solo work; in fact, the guitarist has released nearly two dozen solo albums over the past four decades.
On March 15, Hackett will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside Genesis bandmates Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford and Tony Banks.

Quote Of The Day

2010-03-04T10:59:00.002-05:00

"Music is the wine that fills the cup of silence." ~Robert Fripp

Quote Of The Day

2010-03-03T11:17:00.002-05:00

"There, in the chords and melodies, is everything I want to say." ~David Bowie

T-Bone Wolk Dies

2010-03-02T09:41:00.000-05:00

Hall & Oates bassist T-Bone Wolk dies at 58

Mon Mar 1, 2010 11:12pm EST

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Tom "T-Bone" Wolk, who played bass for nearly 30 years with Daryl Hall and John Oates and also recorded with Elvis Costello and Billy Joel, died Saturday of an apparent heart attack.

Wolk was to have performed with Hall and Oates Monday as part of the one-year anniversary show for NBC's "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon." Wolk's age was unknown.
A Yonkers, N.Y., native, the musician played bass on Kurtis Blow's early rap classic "These Are the Breaks" and between 1986 and 1992, served as the bassist for the "Saturday Night Live" house band, where he became familiar for his omnipresent black top hat. Wolk also collaborated and recorded with Carly Simon, Rosanne Cash, Bette Midler, Cyndi Lauper, Jewel and Shawn Colvin throughout his career.
But he was best known for his tenure with Hall and Oates, which began with the 1981 album "Private Eyes" and continued until the present day. In addition to his bass work for the duo, Wolk also served as a co-producer on several of their projects.
"To say that I am shocked is the ultimate understatement," Hall said in a statement. "T-Bone was my musical brother and losing him is like losing my right hand. It's not if I will go on, but how. T-Bone was one of the most sensitive and good human beings that I have ever known. And, I can truly say that I loved him."

Warwick Announces Robert Trujillo Signature Bass

2010-03-01T15:11:00.000-05:00

Markneukirchen, Germany (March 1, 2010) -- Warwick has announced their latest artist signature model, the Robert Trujillo Streamer Signature Bass.

Specifications:
- Neck through
- Available as 5-string
- Available as right-handed only
- Matched Headstock Chrometone
- Maple neck, special Rob Trujillo shape
- Tigerstripe Ebony fingerboard with nickel silver frets
- R T Genuine Silver Custom Inlay
- 34” long scale
- Maple body
- Active EMG J/J pickups
- Bartolini 3-band electronics
- Quicksilver Chrometone or Turquoise Blue Chrometone finish
- Chrome hardware
- Just-A-Nut III
- Schaller 3D bridge
- Warwick machine heads
- Warwick security locks
- Dunlop Robert Trujillo Signature strings: .045” - .130”
- Including Warwick “User Kit” and RockCase flight case

Here's what Warwick had to say about their partnership with Robert:

Warwick welcomes Robert Trujillo!

That’s right, the venerable Metallica bassist is Warwick’s newest family member.

Trujillo is best known as the finger-style bass monster whose dexterity, tones and attitude have seen him grace the bass of Suicidal Tendencies, Infectious Grooves, Ozzy Osbourne and Metallica since the late ‘80s.

Warwick is proud to acknowledge its new affiliation with Robert Trujillo. In honor of this momentous occasion Warwick will be issuing a Robert Trujillo Streamer Signature Bass. The bass itself will feature a quicksilver or turquoise blue chrometone finish, giving it a metallic shine that, like Rob, demands center stage on any gig. The increased mass of the neck, special nut width and active EMG pickups and Bartolini 3-band electronics invite you to play at full throttle. The neck and body are both made of Maple, lending it an incredibly tight tone. Even the fastest licks and heaviest chords, for which Rob is notorious, are clear and powerful. Rob especially likes the comfort and the sleek design of the body which makes you become one with the resonance of the instrument.

The development of the Warwick Robert Trujillo Streamer Signature Bass happened over the course of two years. Warwick quality control manager and R&D assistant Marcus Spangler personally oversaw the development of Trujillo’s basses: “we made a Streamer with a flat back and some measurements that Robert’s tech Zach provided,” recalls Spangler. “We built one in makassar, one in zebrawood, one in quilted maple and a black chrome tone, which was the one he really liked. He called it ‘The Terminator.’” And so, Warwick proceeded to build him 3 more chrome tone basses, a 4-string and two 5-strings. These instruments now form the template for the Warwick Robert Trujillo Streamer Signature Bass. Marcus says that Zach told him, “Guys, I don´t know what you did with the neck but Robert is so happy with the playability.”

Above article from Premier Guitar

Paul McCartney to begin 'Up and Coming' 2010 tour,

2010-03-01T14:22:00.001-05:00

Paul McCartney to begin 'Up and Coming' 2010 tour,

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Quote Of The Day

2010-02-27T22:46:00.000-05:00

"Music is your own experience, your own thoughts, your wisdom. If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn. They teach you there's a boundary line to music. But, man, there's no boundary line to art." ~Charlie "YardBird" Parker

Quote Of The Day

2010-02-26T22:32:00.000-05:00

"To stop the flow of music would be like the stopping of time itself, incredible and inconceivable." ~Aaron Copland

Tyler Back with Aerosmith?

2010-02-19T20:23:00.001-05:00

Call off the search! After months of very public acrimony and at least one rehab visit, it appears that Steven Tyler is ready to resume his role as the lead singer of Aerosmith.
This week, representatives for the group announced that the frontman would join the band for an appearance at the Sweden Rock Festival on June 10 and a headlining slot at the Download Festival in England on June 13.
According to Billboard, those two dates are actually part of a full European summer tour, which will be announced in the near future.
Promoters apparently insisted on the familiar lineup of the band. "There's no Aerosmith without Steven Tyler," Download promoter Andy Copping told Billboard. "There's no point in entertaining anything other than Steven Tyler."
The reunited band may also tour South America and, at some point, complete work on the album of new material it was in the process of recording with Brendan O'Brien before things went awry.
Just last month, Tyler’s attorney Skip Miller sent a strongly worded letter to the band’s manager Howard Kaufman, insisting the group call off its search for a replacement singer and "immediately cease and desist from engaging in acts and conduct to the harm and detriment of your own client, Aerosmith, and our client who is one of its members."
Aerosmith’s troubles started after the band was forced cancel its summer tour with ZZ Top following Tyler’s fall from the stage on August 5 in Sturgis, S.D.
Those who can’t wait until June can catch guitarist Brad Whitford on the latest incarnation of the Experience Hendrix tour, which kicks off March 4 in Santa Barbara, Calif.

Peter Frampton Set To Release New Album

2010-02-19T20:19:00.000-05:00

Peter Frampton is set to release his new album, Thank You Mr. Churchill, on April 27. The guitar great describes the 11-song set, which he co-produced, as his most personal set to date.

"This album is very autobiographical," Frampton says. "It starts with my birth, which I thank Mr. Churchill for bringing my father back from the Second World War."

The album was recorded at his home studio in Cincinnati and was co-produced by Chris Kimsey, who served as the engineer on Frampton's first solo record, 1972's Wind of Change. The pair, who reportedly reunited on Facebook, had not worked together in over 30 years before this project.

Thank You Mr. Churchill also features cameos from Pearl Jam drummer Matt Cameron and the Funk Brothers, who play on the Motown tribute track, "Invisible Man."

Frampton’s previous release, 2006's Fingerprints, scored a Grammy Award for the veteran musician.

Thank You Mr. Churchill tracklist:
1. Thank You Mr. Churchill
2. Solution
3. Road to the Sun
4. I'm Due a You
5. Vaudeville Nanna and the Banjolele
6. Asleep at the Wheel
7. Suite Liberte
a. Megumi
b. Huria Watu
8. Restraint
9. I Want It Back
10. Invisible Man
11. Black Ice

Quote Of The Day

2010-02-09T23:28:00.000-05:00

"You are precisely as big as what you love and precisely as small as what you allow to annoy you."~Robert Anton Wilson

This Winter Thing Is Getting Old

2010-02-04T19:23:00.002-05:00

More snow is on the way. Including the December 19th blizzard, we have had about 30 inches of the white stuff. The December 19th storm brought 22 inches alone. Now the weather gurus are calling for another winter storm to hit us tomorrow that will match and possibly surpass the December event. Time to go to Wal Mart. I hope the shelves aren't completely empty.

Here's what the National Weather Service Balitmore MD/Washington DC is calling for.

Winter Storm Warning

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
210 PM EST THU FEB 4 2010

DCZ001-MDZ003>007-009>011-013-014-501-502-VAZ028-031-042-052>054-
501-502-WVZ050>053-503-504-050315-
/O.CON.KLWX.WS.W.0006.100205T1500Z-100207T0300Z/
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA-WASHINGTON-FREDERICK MD-CARROLL-
NORTHERN BALTIMORE-HARFORD-MONTGOMERY-HOWARD-SOUTHERN BALTIMORE-
PRINCE GEORGES-ANNE ARUNDEL-EXTREME WESTERN ALLEGANY-
CENTRAL AND EASTERN ALLEGANY-FREDERICK VA-CLARKE-LOUDOUN-
PRINCE WILLIAM/MANASSAS/MANASSAS PARK-FAIRFAX-
ARLINGTON/FALLS CHURCH/ALEXANDRIA-NORTHERN FAUQUIER-
SOUTHERN FAUQUIER-HAMPSHIRE-MORGAN-BERKELEY-JEFFERSON-
WESTERN MINERAL-EASTERN MINERAL-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...WASHINGTON...HAGERSTOWN...FREDERICK...
WESTMINSTER...GAITHERSBURG...COLUMBIA...BALTIMORE...ANNAPOLIS...
FROSTBURG...CUMBERLAND...WINCHESTER...LEESBURG...MANASSAS...
MANASSAS PARK...FAIRFAX...ALEXANDRIA...FALLS CHURCH...WARRENTON...
MARTINSBURG...CHARLES TOWN...EMORYVILLE...HARTMANSVILLE...
KEYSER...FORT ASHBY
210 PM EST THU FEB 4 2010

...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM FRIDAY TO
10 PM EST SATURDAY...

A WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM FRIDAY TO
10 PM EST SATURDAY.

* PRECIPITATION TYPE...HEAVY SNOW.

* ACCUMULATIONS...STORM TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS OF 18 TO 24 INCHES.

* TIMING...SNOW WILL BEGIN MID-MORNING FRIDAY...AND WILL CONTINUE
THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING. CONDITIONS WILL DETERIORATE RAPIDLY
FRIDAY AFTERNOON...WITH HEAVIEST SNOWFALL OCCURRING BETWEEN
SUNSET FRIDAY TO SUNRISE SATURDAY. THE MOST HAZARDOUS WINTER
WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL OCCUR FRIDAY NIGHT.

* VISIBILITIES...THE COMBINATION OF HEAVY SNOW AND STRONG WINDS
WILL REDUCE VISIBILITIES TO BELOW ONE-QUARTER MILE...PRODUCING
NEAR-BLIZZARD CONDITIONS AT TIMES FRIDAY NIGHT AND EARLY
SATURDAY MORNING.

* TEMPERATURES...HIGHS IN THE LOWER 30S FRIDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL
BE IN THE MID TO UPPER 20S FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY.

* WINDS...BECOMING NORTHEAST 10 TO 20 MPH FRIDAY WITH GUSTS TO
30 MPH FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

CONDITIONS IN THIS STORM ARE EXPECTED TO BE COMPARABLE TO THOSE
IN THE STORM OF 19 DECEMBER. PLAN FOR SUBSTANTIAL DISRUPTIONS TO
TRAVEL FRIDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH THE WEEKEND.

A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE
EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. STRONG WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. THIS WILL
MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE FRIDAY NIGHT.

Another Addition To The Fold

2010-01-24T13:07:00.000-05:00

Well I got rid of one of my guitars. The Squire P-Bass left the house today but in it's place I brought home another Squire. I's a Squire by Fender Vintage Modified Fretless Jazz Bass. I had been wanting a fretlless bass for sometime and the deal was right so I picked one up. This is a very well built and playable guitar. A lot of players look down their noses on the Squire line of guitars but I have to say after owning the P-Bass and now this fretless Jazz, for the money you can't buy a better guitar in my book. Time to plug up and put on some Jaco.

I haven't got around to taking any pictures yet so here's a few I snagged off the web.

Jeff Beck Mixes New Solo Album

2010-01-22T22:15:00.001-05:00

Jeff Beck Mixes Rock with Classical on New Solo Album

Jeff Beck’s forthcoming new solo album, Emotion & Commotion, promises to be among the most eclectic recordings of the guitarist’s career.

Slated for release on April 13, the album features a mix or original music and cover songs, including renditions of the Wizard of Oz classic “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” Jeff Buckley’s “Corpus Christi Carol,” and Screamin’ Jay Hawkins' “I Put a Spell on You.” Among the disc’s three guest singers is Joss Stone, who handles vocals on the latter song.

Complementing Beck’s guitar work on several tracks will be a 64-piece orchestra. The legendary rocker says the idea to bring in an orchestra evolved from his work on Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 5, which he recorded a few years ago.

“It turned out amazingly well, but I didn’t want to commit to an entire album of classical music,” Beck says. “What appealed to me instead was the idea of bringing together these seemingly contradictory sounds on different kinds of non-classical music.”

Among the disc’s original compositions is “Hammerhead,” a track said to incorporate a horn arrangement into a wah-driven groove, and “Never Alone,” a soundscape that features a “high-flying” melody.

Frequent Beck collaborators Vinnie Colaiuta (drums), Jason Rebello (keyboards), and Tal Wilkenfeld (bass) contribute throughout the disc, which was recorded in late 2009 in London.

EMOTION & COMMOTION Track Listing:

1. “Corpus Christi Carol”
2. “Hammerhead”
3. “Never Alone”
4. “Somewhere Over The Rainbow”
5. “I Put A Spell On You” featuring Joss Stone
6. “Serene”
7. “Lilac Wine” featuring Imelda May
8. “Nessun Dorma”
9. “There’s No Other Me” featuring Joss Stone
10. “Elegy For Dunkirk” featuring Olivia Safe

Warwick Announces Adam Clayton Bass

2010-01-15T14:54:00.002-05:00

Warwick Announces Adam Clayton Reverso Signature Bass & Bronze Acoustic Bass Strings
Anaheim, CA (January 12, 2010) -- Warwick has announced a new signature bass for U2's Adam Clayton, along with new bass strings.

Adam Clayton Reverso Signature Bass
The fact that Adam Clayton of U2, the bassist of one of the biggest rock' n 'roll bands in the world, sought the collaboration with Warwick two years ago is a milestone for the soon to be 30-year-old success story of Warwick as a manufacturer of bass equipment. An intensive collaboration with the Warwick team under the guidance of Marcus Spangler created an unmatched bass that shines with its own voice and design.

The Warwick Adam Clayton Reverso Signature Bass not only stands out because of its extravagant design. The high quality components, like the selected 5A quilted maple top for the body and headstock, the Khaya Mahogany body, the 3A flamed maple neck with tiger stripe ebony fingerboard give this bass a unique tone with smooth elegance and a punch that a band like U2 needs every time they play.

An active MEC P split coil pickup captures the tone, new passive MEC electronics co-developed with Adam Clayton allow a separate reduction of high and low frequencies, and produce the typical Adam Clayton sound. The electrical outfitting of this Adam Clayton Reverso Bass also includes red LEDs on the fingerboard's edge providing the best orientation on dark stages. An all-around professional bass for one of the most demanding bassist in the world.

Red Strings Bronze Acoustic Bass Strings
Warwick expands its range of high quality and highly affordable acoustic bass strings products with the “Red Strings Bronze Acoustic Bass Strings“, which close the market gap for affordable but still high quality acoustic bass strings. The “Red Strings Bronze Acoustic Bass Strings“ will be available in two different sets – one medium scale (32”) for 4-string basses and one long scale (34”) for 5-string basses. The Bronze Acoustic Bass Strings sound very balanced across the complete fingerboard and deliver an excellent, powerful, warm and singing tone.

The manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) including VAT for the 4-String Medium Scale Set is £13.90, and for the 5-String Long Scale Set £18.90.

4-String Medium Scale: .045”, .065”, .085”, .105”

5-string Long Scale: .045”, .065”, .085”, .105”, .135”

For more information:
Warwick

Fender Products: 50th Anniversary Jazz Bass®-New for 2010!

2010-01-09T11:40:00.002-05:00

Fender Products: 50th Anniversary Jazz Bass®-New for 2010!

For all you Fender Jazz bass fans out there, here's your chance to grab a piece of Fender history.

The Fender Jazz Bass guitar was first delivered to the world in 1960. If the Precision Bass® was a muscle car, the new Jazz bass was a sports car, and it proved incredibly popular with bassists of all styles worldwide.

Although remarkably unchanged since its introduction half a century ago, the Jazz Bass did see a very gradual succession of subtle design refinements over the course of the past five decades. Accordingly, our limited edition 50th anniversary Jazz Bass is a truly distinctive instrument in that it boasts design touches from several periods in Jazz Bass history, including '60s-era lacquer finish, headstock logo, chrome bridge and pickup covers; '70s-era thumb rest and bridge pickup positioning; and modern-era high-mass bridge and graphite neck support rods.

Comes in a deluxe black hardshell case containing cable, strap, polishing cloth and collectible 50th Anniversary Jazz Bass brochure.

Model Name: 50th Anniversary Jazz Bass®
Model Number: 019-5000-(809)
Series: Limited Anniversary Series
Colors: (709) Candy Apple Red,
(Nitrocellulose Lacquer Finish)
Body: Alder
Neck: Graphite Reinforced Maple, Modern C Shape,
(Nitrocellulose Lacquer Finish)
Fingerboard: Rosewood, 9.5 Radius (241 mm)
No. of Frets: 20 Medium Jumbo Frets
Pickups: Two 75 Vintage Jazz Bass® Single-Coil Pickups
Controls: Volume 1. (Neck Pickup),
Volume 2. (Bridge Pickup),
Master Tone
Pickup Switching: None
Bridge: HMV, High Mass Vintage, (Strings-Thru-Body or Topload)
Machine Heads: Fender®/Hipshot® Vintage Keys with Tapered Shafts
Hardware: Chrome
Pickguard: 3-Ply White/Black/White
Scale Length: 34 (863.6 mm)
Width at Nut: 1.50 (38 mm)
Unique Features: White Pearloid Block Position Inlays,
Matching Painted Headstock,
*60s Style Lacquer Finish,
*62 Fender Logo,
*70s Bridge Pickup Position,
*70s Style Bass-Side Thumb Rest,
*00s Style HMV Bridge and Lightweight Fender®/Hipshot® Vintage Tuning Keys,
*00s Posiflex™ Graphite Neck Support Rods,
Vintage Tinted Neck,
Buffed Fingerboard,
Highly Detailed Nut and Fret Work,
Rolled Fingerboard Edges,
Rounded Body Shape,
Chrome Bridge and Pickup Covers are Mounted at the Factory,
Collectable 50th Anniversary Jazz Bass® Brochure,
Black Plastic Parts
Strings: NEW U.S. Fender® NPS 7250M (0737250406), Gauges .045, .065, .085, .105
Accessories: Deluxe Black Hardshell Case, Cable, Strap, Polishing Cloth, Collectable 50th Anniversary Jazz Bass® Brochure
Case: Deluxe Black Hardshell Case with Black Interior
Introduced: 1/2010
Notice: Product Prices, Features, Specifications and Availability Are Subject To Change Without Notice

Quote Of The Day

2010-01-04T23:33:00.000-05:00

Epiphone Introduces NEW Series Thunderbird PRO

2010-01-04T20:25:00.009-05:00

Thunderbird Pro Basses

Building upon the long-term success of the Thunderbird bass, Epiphone introduces the NEW professional series Thunderbird PRO's. Available in both 4 and 5 string versions, THE original "rock and roll" bass with the distinctive shape combines traditional design elements with new technology - all for a price that the working bassist can afford.

The Thunderbird PRO's feature a rock-solid, 7-piece (Walnut/Maple) neck with through-body construction for amazing sustain and tone. Add to that, Epiphone's new T-Pro bass humbucking pickups with custom active electronics and EQ and suddenly, the Thunderbird transforms into a very versatile bass capable of a wide variety of tonal options.

Other features include premium die-cast 14:1 bass machine heads, a "bad ass" fully-adjustable bridge and SlimTaper neck profile with Epi-designed straight-string pull headstock. Add to that black hardware and black pickguard with silver Thunderbird logo and you've got the NEW Epiphone Thunderbird PRO's. Available in 3 striking colors - Vintage Sunburst, Translucent Black and Natural Oil.

Specifications:

Body Wings: Mahogany
Neck: 7-piece (Walnut/Maple/Walnut/Maple/Walnut/Maple/Walnut)
Neck Joint: Through-Neck
Truss Rod: Double-Action, 2-Way
Fingerboard Rosewood
Fingerboard Radius: 12"
Frets: 20-Medium/Jumbo, nickel/silver alloy
Scale Length: 34"
Nut Width: 1.50" (4-string), 1.93" (5-string)
Neck Pickup: Epiphone T-PRO Bass Humbucker
Bridge Pickup: Epiphone T-PRO Bass Humbucker
Bridge: Flush-Mount, fully adjustable
Controls: Master Volume, Blend, High-EQ, Low-EQ
Tuners:
Premium Die-Cast Bass
Outputs: 1/4" Mono, Metal Jack Plate
Hardware: Black
Options: Hard Case
Warranty Limited Lifetime (US only, Void where prohibited.)

Video Demo:

Our friend Chris Catero of Razer and Marty Friedman's touring band gives us an in depth look at the Epiphone Thunderbird Pro V Bass in the video below.

Epiphone Thunderbird Pro V Bass - Chris Catero from Epiphone Company on Vimeo.

Modern Moto-Mother: Honda CB750 KO

2010-01-02T13:05:00.002-05:00

The 1969 Honda CB750 motorcycle offered a combination of hardware never before seen on a single machine. When Honda introduced the model in June of 1968, the manufacturer dropped the gauntlet that changed the world of motorcycling.

At the heart of the Honda CB750 motorcycle was an inline four-cylinder engine with single overhead cam, four carburetors, prominent four-into-four exhaust, and 67 horsepower at 8000 rpm.

For those keeping track, it put out a good 15-percent more power than BSA's new 750-cc Rocket 3 and at just under 500 pounds, weighed about the same.

It's not hard to guess which was quicker.

But it wasn't just the four-cylinder engine that caused such a stir; though most contemporary competitors were twins, several manufacturers had offered fours in the past.

No, it was the fact that four-cylinder power and smoothness was joined by a five-speed gearbox, electric starter, and a front disc brake --the disc brake first ever on a street machine -- all at a reasonable price.

The first Honda CB750 motorcycles were produced with sand-cast cases that had a rough finish; later models had smoother castings.

Those early sand-cast models, such as the Honda CB750 motorcycle pictured with this article, became the most valuable to collectors.

By 1970, Dick Mann had piloted a race-prepped Honda CB750 motorcycle into the winner's circle at Daytona, and the world of aftermarket hop-up equipment came alive.

The Honda CB750 motorcycle is also credited with casting the mold for what would later be called the "Universal Japanese Motorcycle," a breed of machines that would bring the bikes of England to their collective knees.

I always have had a very soft spot for this machine. The true definition of a classic motorcycle in my opinion. One day I will have a CB750 in my collection.

A Very Merry Vince Guaraldi Christmas with Zach Parkes

2009-12-25T17:16:00.002-05:00

<a href="http://zachpbass.bandcamp.com/album/a-very-merry-vince-guaraldi-christmas-with-zach-parkes">The Christmas Song by Zach Parkes</a>

I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

Yes Announces U.S. Tour

2009-12-09T22:19:00.005-05:00

Yes announces U.S. tour

by Kevin Johnson Wednesday, December 9th, 2009 From Notreble.com

Yes Legendary prog-rockers Yes have announced that they will be touring the U.S. east coast in February, 2010, starting in Concord, New Hampshire and ending up in Boca Raton, Florida.

The band features original bassist and founder Chris Squire, and alongside him the current line-up includes Steve Howe, Alan White, Benoit David, and Oliver Wakeman.

The dates are for February, 2010 include:

* 4th Concord, NH Capitol Center for the Arts
* 5th Jim Thorpe, PA Penn’s Peak
* 6th Washington, DC Warner Theatre
* 10th Montclair, NJ Wellmont Theatre
* 12th Atlantic City, NJ Tropicana Casino & Resort
* 13th New York, NY The Town Hall
* 14th New York, NY The Town Hall
* 17th Cleveland, OH House of Blues
* 18th Chicago, IL House of Blues
* 20th Detroit, MI Sound Board at Motor City Casino
* 23rd Dallas, TX House of Blues
* 24th Houston, TX House of Blues
* 25th New Orleans, LA House of Blues
* 27th Orlando, FL Sea World Orlando
* 28th Boca Raton, FL Sunset Cove Amphitheater

As big a fan of Yes that I am, I have never seen them live. This is going to change on February 6th at the Warner Theater in Washington DC. I'm pumped!

Gene Simmons Rocks Music World With Specially Released Bass, New Album | AHN

2009-11-24T00:04:00.005-05:00

Los Angeles, CA (CNS) - One legendary rock star has good reason to be a "Strutter."

Gene Simmons, lead singer, bassist and co-founder of the rock band Kiss, has released his own piece of music memorabilia. The Gene Simmons Axe Bass is a specially crafted musical instrument reproduced from Simmons' own trademark design. Each copy is reproduced from the axe-shaped bass he uses in all Kiss concerts, hand-numbered and signed by Simmons. All the black and silver Axe Basses also come with leather cases bearing the painted likeness Simmons' stage persona, the Demon.

"This guitar is, by some accounts a piece of art - my instrument of choice on stage in Kiss: The Bass that slays them all." Simmons said in a press release. "I've used the Axe on stage and literally thousands of people have contacted me to ask, 'Where can I get one?'"

The Axe Bass comes at a price of $5,000 and includes a personal meeting with Simmons at a Kiss concert of their choice during the 2009 Kiss Tour, which marks the release of the band's newest album, "Sonic Boom," the first new studio album in more than a decade. "Sonic Boom" was released October 6.

Simmons said the release of the Axe Bass is his way of giving back to Kiss fans.

"When I was growing up, I was never able to get a piece of the Beatles," he said. "They weren't available, but they were still Mt. Olympus to me. I owe the fans everything because they made my life possible. My fans are not just buying any guitar, but a moment they'll never forget."

Aside from touring with Kiss, a nominee for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Simmons also stars in VH1's rock reality show "Gene Simmons Family Jewels." The tour for "Sonic Boom" is scheduled to be incorporated into the show's fifth season.

More information on the Gene Simmons Axe Bass can be found on the singer's Web site, GeneSimmons.com.

Gene Simmons Rocks Music World With Specially Released Bass, New Album | AHN

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Symphony X Signs With New Label

2009-11-13T22:51:00.008-05:00

World Management and Nuclear Blast are extremely proud to announce the
signing of Metal / Prog Gods Symphony X !!!

“As lifelong fans of the band, it is with great pride that Nuclear Blast announces the signing of US Metal / Prog Gods Symphony X!!! Symphony X exemplifies the technical sophistication of progressive metal while transcending the genre by writing amazing songs with masterful musicality and great hooks! This New Jersey-based super group effortlessly creates a balancing act between solid, accessible arrangements and song structures with highly technical, challenging instrumental work and unbelievable melodic vocal harmonies. This embrace of polyphonic lead vocals, combined with their classical-sometimes even Queen-like- choruses create a powerful, in-your-face mixture. With elements of thundering metal, rock, solos with unstoppable guitar shredding and intense keyboards - this potent group has grown with every release and is poised to compete with the commercial
success of top groups in all genres! Symphony X is currently creating their next masterpiece, anticipated in the spring of 2010! Together, we will bring this talent to a new level! We hope you are ready for the ride!”

“We are happy to be the part of the Nuclear Blast Family and look forward to working with them for many years to come,” says Michael Romeo, guitarist and founding member of Symphony X.

To Twitter Or Not To Twitter

2009-11-09T13:28:00.002-05:00

It appears that just about everyone is on Twitter mirco-blogging about any and everything. This quote from John Taylor is the first artist I've heard speak out about Twitter.

"When artists today are asked to Twitter their every thought, their every action, to record on video their every breath, their every performance, I believe they're diluting their creative powers, their creative potency and the durability of their work.

And in the long run I believe they're also diluting the magical power and the magnetic attraction that they can or will ever have over their audience."

- Duran Duran bassist John Taylor to the BBC

Any thoughts or comments?

Rock On Rory

2009-10-30T22:33:00.006-04:00

I just finished reading a great article in the holiday '09 issue of Guitar World magazine about Rory Gallagher. The article "Against The Grain" by Alan Di Perna examines Rory's "short, sad life" and his posthumous revival.

What a great talent he was that was taken away from us much too soon. Rory died from complications after a liver transplant. Excessive use of alcohol, combined with drugs that had been prescribed to alleviate his anxiety about flying was the cause of his liver failure. He died on June 14, 1995 at the age of 47.

I first became aware of this Irish guitarist way back in 1973 when I bought the Blueprint album just because I liked the cover. I had never heard of Rory Gallagher at the time but it didn't take me long to get hooked. "Walk On Hot Coals" from this album is still one of my all time favorite Gallagher songs. Rory was one of the artists that really fueled my passion for playing the blues. I was never in a band that didn't cover some of his music.

If you're not familiar with Gallagher and his music the 2008 compilation CD The Essential Rory Gallagher would be a good place to start.

Track Listing
CD1
1. Follow Me
2. Moonchild
3. Bought & Sold
4. Laundromat
5. Bad Penny
6. Edged In Blue
7. Brute Force & Ignorance (Live)
8. I Fall Apart
9. Loanshark Blues
10. Who’s That Coming
11. As The Crow Flies (Live)
12. Barley & Grape Rag
13. Lonesome Highway Refraining
14. Out On The Western Plain
CD2
1. In Your Town
2. Philby
3. Slumming Angel
4. Continental Op
5. Cradle Rock
6. A Million Miles Away
7. Wheels Within Wheels
8. Crest Of A Wave
9. They Don’t Make Them Like You Anymore
10. Walk On Hot Coals
11. Shadow Play
12. I Could’ve Had Religion (Live)
13. Tattoo’d Lady (Live)
14. Bullfrog Blues (Live)

To put you in the right frame of mind here's "Walk On Hot Coals". Enjoy.

Gustaf Fjelstrom New Album Metamesmeric

2009-10-24T00:13:00.006-04:00

Bassist Gustaf Fjelstrom has released his newest album as a free download. The album titled Metamesmeric. Gustaf's instrument of choice is a Bass Cello. Throw in some effects processors, and a loop station and you end up with an amazing collection of music.

Metamesmeric can be downloaded here. You can find out more about this artist at his website or follow him on Twitter. Enjoy.

The track list for Metamesmeric includes:
1. Cloudlift
2. Breach
3. Scent of Embers
4. Through Faint Reflections Pass
5. Signify
6. Vaporous Restraint
7. As Shards Descend
8. Oathtake
9. Loki
10. With Regret Withdrawn

Quote Of The Day

2009-10-24T00:02:00.000-04:00

"We are the music-makers, We are the dreamers of dreams" ~Arthur O'Shaughnessy

Another Wet One

2009-10-23T23:45:00.002-04:00

Well the weekend is finally here and the rain is here also. This makes the third weekend in a row with rain. Are we not living right or something? Why is it that the work week weather is almost always great. Last Wednesday the temps topped out near 80 degrees with a beautiful cloudless blue sky. I tell you, that's my kind of bike riding weather. It's a shame it was in the middle of the week. This string of wet weekends can't continue can it?

Quote Of The Day

2009-10-11T14:13:00.001-04:00

"...moving gradually forward is so much better than going full-speed in reverse!" ~ Jon Gorrie

A Day With The Bike

2009-09-15T09:00:00.002-04:00

I was able to take a great 60 mile motorcycle ride yesterday. With work and everything else it just seems to get harder and harder to find time to saddle up and get out with the bike. I need to find more time for riding therapy. It's true, four wheels move the body; two wheels move the soul.

Quote Of The Day

2009-09-12T12:54:00.000-04:00

“To stop the flow of music would be like the stopping of time itself, incredible and inconceivable.” ~ Aaron Copland

RIP Mickie Jones

2009-09-08T12:20:00.003-04:00

From NoTreble.com

RIP Mickie Jones

by Evan Kepner Tuesday, September 8th, 2009

RIP Mickie JonesRock bassist Mickie Jones passed away Saturday, September 5th, 2009 after battling liver cancer. According to his family he died “peacefully and beautifully” in San Dimas, California.

From a brief bio on Blabbermouth.net: “Mickie performed on four Angel albums — ‘Angel’ (1975), ‘Helluva Band’ (1976), ‘On Earth As It Is In Heaven’ (1977) and ‘An Anthology’ (1992; compilation). He toured extensively with Angel in the United States for several years and took part in the band’s infamous Japanese tour. Before Angel, he played in the rock group Bux, which included guitarist Punky Meadows (Angel) and singer Ralph Morman (Joe Perry Project, Savoy Brown).

“Bux released one album on Capitol Records, ‘We Come To Play’, in 1976. Both Jones and Meadows were asked to join the New York Dolls but declined. After leaving Angel, Jones formed the L.A. band Empire (which also included L.A. Guns drummer Steve Riley), in which he handled lead vocals. Over the years, Mickie became interested in film production and later worked in the film industry.”

There has not been a press release for the service yet, but condolences can be sent to mickiejonesrip@aol.com.

I can remember buying Angel's first LP. As a matter of fact I still have it in my collection. My condolences go out to the family, friends and fans.

It Starts All Again

2009-09-07T23:18:00.001-04:00

Time to hit the sack. Back to work tomorrow after a week off. Vacation is great but it sure makes it hard going back to the grind. How far away is retirement? Looks like about 4 years. Just a blink of the eye. Good night.

Quote Of The Day

2009-09-01T09:54:00.001-04:00

"Music doesn't lie. If there is something to be changed in this world, then it can only happen through music." ~ Jimi Hendrix

Another Addition To The Fold

2009-08-27T09:58:00.008-04:00

I bought an Asian made 5 string bass couple of weeks ago.The name on the headstock is Lawson. This was the first time I had seen the name Lawson before and I was a bit hesitant about buying it but the price was right. I've played a lot of not too familiar Asian made guitars over the years and I have to say this one rates with the best I've played. The guitar is very well made and has good quality electronics although the pickups are slightly noisy. Out of the box the set up was a bit off but a little bridge adjustment got things to my liking. All in all this guitar is a joy to play.

Les Paul Dead At 94

2009-08-13T12:50:00.003-04:00

By Todd Leopold
CNN

(CNN) -- Les Paul, whose innovations with the electric guitar and studio technology made him one of the most important figures in recorded music, has died, according to a statement from his publicists. Paul was 94.
Les Paul, whose innovations helped give rise to modern pop music, played guitar into his 90s.

Les Paul, whose innovations helped give rise to modern pop music, played guitar into his 90s.

Paul died in White Plains, New York, from complications of severe pneumonia, according to the statement.

Paul was a guitar and electronics mastermind whose creations -- such as multitrack recording, tape delay and the solid-body guitar that bears his name, the Gibson Les Paul -- helped give rise to modern popular music, including rock 'n' roll. No slouch on the guitar himself, he continued playing at clubs into his 90s despite being hampered by arthritis.

"If you only have two fingers [to work with], you have to think, how will you play that chord?" he told CNN.com in a 2002 phone interview. "So you think of how to replace that chord with several notes, and it gives the illusion of sounding like a chord."

"The world has lost a truly innovative and exceptional human being today. I cannot imagine life without Les Paul," said Henry Juszkiewicz, Chairman and CEO of Gibson Guitar. "He would walk into a room and put a smile on anyone's face. His musical charm was extraordinary and his techniques unmatched anywhere in the world."

Lester William Polfuss was born in Waukesha, Wisconsin, on June 9, 1915. Even as a child he showed an aptitude for tinkering, taking apart electric appliances to see what made them tick.

"I had to build it, make it and perfect it," Paul said in 2002. He was nicknamed the "Wizard of Waukesha."

In the 1930s and '40s, he played with the bandleader Fred Waring and several big band singers, including Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and the Andrews Sisters, as well as with his own Les Paul Trio. In the early 1950s, he had a handful of huge hits with his then-wife, Mary Ford, such as "How High the Moon" and "Vaya Con Dios."

His guitar style, heavily influenced by jazzman Django Reinhardt, featured lightning-quick runs and double-time rhythms. In 1948, after being involved in a severe car accident, he asked the doctor to set his arm permanently in a guitar-playing position.

Paul also credited Crosby for teaching him about timing, phrasing and preparation.

Crosby "didn't say it, he did it -- one time only. Unless he blew the lyrics, he did one take."

Paul never stopped tinkering with electronics, and after Crosby gave him an early audiotape recorder, Paul went to work changing it. It eventually led to multitrack recording; on Paul and Ford's hits, he plays many of the guitar parts, and Ford harmonizes with herself. Multitrack recording is now the industry standard.

But Paul likely will be best remembered for the Gibson Les Paul, a variation on the solid-body guitar he built in the early 1940s -- "The Log" -- and offered to the guitar company.

"For 10 years, I was a laugh," he told CNN in an interview. "[But] kept pounding at them and pounding at them saying hey, here's where it's at. Here's where tomorrow, this is it. You can drown out anybody with it. And you can make all these different sounds that you can't do with a regular guitar."

Gibson, spurred by rival Fender, finally took Paul up on his offer and introduced the model in 1952. It has since become the go-to guitar for such performers as Eric Clapton.

Paul is enshrined in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Grammy Hall of Fame, the Inventors Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He is survived by three sons, a daughter, five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Until recently he had a standing gig at New York's Iridium Jazz Club, where he would play with a who's-who of famed musicians.

He admired the places guitarists and engineers took his inventions, but he said there was nothing to replace good, old-fashioned elbow grease and soul.

"I learned a long time ago that one note can go a long way if it's the right one," he said in 2002, "and it will probably whip the guy with 20 notes.

New Addition Part VI 1996 Squire P-Bass

2009-08-08T22:01:00.006-04:00

I thought it was about time I showed off the P-Bass I've been working on the last few weeks. This project really turned out great. This girl rocks!

New Addition Part V

2009-08-06T22:18:00.003-04:00

The refurbishing of the P-Bass is complete. I picked up a set of Rotosound strings the other day at a local music shop. I don't particularly like Rotosound strings but it was all they had in stock and I was really anxious to hear how all of my work had turned out. Well I have to say I'm very pleased with the results. The playability is sweet and the sound is better then I expected.

Now after all this, do I want to take it apart again and defret the neck or leave things as they are? I don't know. I may later on and I may not. I may even put the bass up for sale and used those proceeds to help purchase a new fretless bass. A friend has offered me $150 for the P. Right now I have about $75 invested in parts. I don't know. For now I'm just going to add the bass to my collection.

I have gotten a lot of enjoyment out of working on the guitar and searching for the right parts and putting things together. I could see this turning into a very interesting hobby. As a matter of fact I've already been looking for another project guitar. Yes honey, I did say another guitar.

New Addition Part IV

2009-08-03T23:03:00.001-04:00

Well the P-Bass is all back together. The last items I had been waiting for came today so I retired to the shop after dinner tonight and began putting things in their proper place. The bass now has a new bridge, pickguard, pups, pots and input jack. All the electronics came from a 2007 American Standard Precision bass I found for sale on ebay that a guy was parting out. All totaled I have about $75 in the guitar.

You maybe wondering how the bass sounds. I know I am but that will have to wait until tomorrow. I usually keep at least two sets of D'Addario strings on hand in my shop but I guess I forgot to restock. The saga continues.

Today's Quote

2009-08-02T22:25:00.001-04:00

"Music is the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life". ~Ludwig van Beethoven

August 2009

2009-08-01T23:39:00.000-04:00

The first day of August 2009. Can this year fly by any faster?

The Peter Green Story Parts 7 Through 12

2009-07-31T21:40:00.003-04:00

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

2009-07-30T21:55:00.007-04:00

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

2009-07-30T20:43:00.004-04:00

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

2009-07-28T22:25:00.004-04:00

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

2009-07-17T12:56:00.001-04:00

"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

2009-07-15T23:53:00.004-04:00

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

2009-07-14T22:47:00.001-04:00

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

2009-07-14T14:44:00.003-04:00

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

2009-07-12T23:05:00.002-04:00

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

2009-07-12T22:10:00.001-04:00

".. 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

2009-07-10T22:58:00.006-04:00

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

2009-07-09T23:52:00.001-04:00

"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

2009-07-02T23:42:00.004-04:00

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

2009-07-02T20:37:00.003-04:00

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?

Sunday Night

2009-06-28T20:48:00.002-04:00

I'm enjoying a very peacefully Sunday night just relaxing on the deck before it's time to head off to bed. The whole weekend has been very peaceful and uneventful and I thank goodness for that. We all need uneventful days now and then to slow down the world around us and just enjoy home and family. The things that are truly the most important in life.

Bad Company Kicks Off Reunion Tour

2009-06-26T11:08:00.006-04:00

I first saw Bad Company way back in 1975 at the old Capital Centre in Largo, Maryland. Bad Company was the top act and opening the show for them was a little known (at the time) band named Kansas. It was a fantastic show. If you get a chance to see BC don't let it slip you by. You will not be disappointed.

Bad Company Kicks Off Reunion Tour, Makes Digital Debut
Russell Hall | 06.19.2009

The surviving members of Bad Company’s original lineup kicked off their 10-date summer tour this week at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Fla. It is the band’s first get-together since a brief reunion in 1999 that featured all four original members – vocalist Paul Rodgers, ex-Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs, bassist Boz Burrell, and drummer Simon Kirke. Burrell died in 2006.

The tour coincides with the digital release of the band’s six studio albums, plus the release of a new compilation, titled 10 From 6. Each album is currently available exclusively on iTunes, with other digital service providers scheduled to release the discs on June 30.

Bad Company was one of the most popular bands of the ‘70s, and the first band signed to Led Zeppelin’s Swan Song label. Beginning with their 1974 self-titled debut, the group released a series of multi-platinum albums that featured such classic-rock gems as “Can’t Get Enough,” “Movin’ On,” and “Feel Like Makin’ Love.”

In its day, Bad Company was hailed as one of the few “supergroups” that measured up to its hype. The band is planning to release a new live DVD, titled Hard Rock Live, later this year.

Bad Company tour dates:

June
19 - Atlanta, Ga. - Chastain Park Amphitheatre
20 - Charlotte, N.C. - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
23 - Raleigh, N.C. - Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek
24 - Virginia Beach, Va. - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
27 - Bethel, N.Y. - Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
28 - Wantagh, N.Y. - Nikon at Jones Beach Theatre

July
1 - Clarkston, Mich. - DTE Energy Music Theatre
2 - Canandaigua, N.Y. – CMAC
4 - Atlantic City, N.J. - Resorts Atlantic City

Michael Joe Jackson 1958 - 2009

2009-06-26T10:58:00.002-04:00

Rest In Peace Michael.

Farrah Fawcett 1947 - 2009

2009-06-25T15:38:00.004-04:00

RIP with the real Angels Farrah.

Soundgarden Reunion Rumors Making the Rounds

2009-06-24T12:27:00.001-04:00

I for one can only hope.

From Gibson.com:

Soundgarden Reunion Rumors Making the Rounds
Aidin Vaziri | 06.24.2009

With Chris Cornell’s solo career floundering on the heels of his most recent hip hop-oriented album, Scream, many fans have been pushing for the reunion of his former band Soundgarden.

Now it seems fans might finally be getting their wish. At least according to Shinedown singer Brent Smith, who in a recent interview with Kerrang! magazine said, “There's talk of a reuniting of Soundgarden in the States soon. I know actually someone specific who told me that, who is actually specifically in their organization. Kind of told me that they're talking about it.”

According to Blabbermouth, a Soundgarden reunion tour is on the books for the summer of 2010.

Soundgarden guitarist Kim Thayill, bassist Ben Shepherd and drummer Matt Cameron got onstage together for the first time since 1997 during a Tom Morello Justice Tour show in Seattle earlier this year, with grunge icon Tad Boyle sitting in on vocals.

“If I was there, I probably would’ve gotten up onstage,” Cornell told the Washington Post. “They were just getting up there and doing it for fun, and I think that’s great. The only thing I didn’t like is that I wasn’t there to see it.”

Asked about the possibility of a reunion, Cornell said, “You never know.”

Today's Quote

2009-06-18T21:24:00.001-04:00

"The main thing a musician would like to do is to give a picture to the listener of the many wonderful things he knows and senses in the universe". ~John Coltrane

2009 Limited Run Series Gibson Tobias Growler Bass

2009-06-18T20:50:00.005-04:00

Is this a beauty or what? I would love to get my hands wrapped around this bass but with an MSRP of $3053 it's just a bit out of my reach. We can always dream though.

From Gibson.com:

Tobias basses have enjoyed a stellar reputation ever since the first one was built in early 1978. Thirty-plus years and countless instruments later, the quality and precision of a Tobias bass has only gotten better, and nowhere is it more evident than the new 2009 Limited Run Series Tobias Growler from Gibson USA.
Starting with its solid swamp ash body, the new Tobias Growler is one of the most resonant basses ever made by Gibson USA.

Swamp ash tonewood is characterized by huge, open pores and soft layers, which gives each new Growler a deep reverberation and fullness of sound across the entire frequency spectrum. The Growler’s tone is unique, and it’s hard to match. The highs are clear and bell-like. The mids are bold and pronounced. And the lows are strong and definite. The 34-inch scale length glued-in neck is made from pure maple with purple heart laminate for a creamy smooth feel and easy, comfortable playability. It also sports a totally adjustable “Quad Bass” truss rod, for complete control in making all neck adjustments. It is matched with a 24-fret rosewood fingerboard void of any inlay markers and no binding.

Additionally, every 2009 Limited Run Series Tobias Growler receives the revolutionary Plek system setup – a computerized setup that accurately aligns each fret and intonates each string, leaving the bass as impeccably playable as possible. The Bartolini bridge pickup is a natural choice for the Growler, delivering the hearty lows, deep mids and quiet performance expected from a Bartolini bass pickup. Everything about the 2009 Limited Run Series Tobias Growler breathes excellence, and they won’t be around for long. Like all the guitars from this special series, only 350 will be produced and distributed. Each one will come with a black Tobias case and special Limited Run Series certificate of authenticity.

Bob Bogle, Guitarist for The Ventures, Dead at 75

2009-06-18T20:01:00.010-04:00

From Gibson.com
Thursday, June 18, 2009 11:48 AM

Bob Bogle, Guitarist for The Ventures, Dead at 75

Bob Bogle, the pioneering lead guitarist for instrumental rock icons The Ventures, died this past weekend at his home in Vancouver, Wash., after a long struggle with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, according to the group’s co-founder Don Wilson. He was 75.

Bogle started performing as a guitar duo with Wilson around Tacoma, Wash., in 1958, drawing inspiration from the likes of Les Paul and Chet Atkins. With The Ventures, he played on 38 albums between 1960 and 1972, covering everything from country to Christmas carols.

Bogle’s playing style was enormously influential, particularly for his band mate.

“I can't think of a better contribution for instrumental music on his style than 'Walk - Don't Run,’” Wilson told CNN. “A lot of good would-be guitar players and garage bands would go out and buy guitars just to learn that song.”

Best known for their Top-10 charting theme of the TV show Hawaii Five-O, The Ventures were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last year by Creedence Clearwater Revival's John Fogerty, who claimed, “It's enough to say, the Ventures are the most popular instrumental band of all time.”

Even though Bogle had performed with the group on the road up until 2005, he was unable to attend the ceremony in New York due to his failing health.

“His doctors gave him 10 years to live, and he lived 12,” Wilson said. “The last two years were really tough. At least he lived to know the Ventures had been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.”

Bogle is survived by his wife, Yumi. A private funeral is set for Friday.

Rest In Peace Bob. Your music will influence and inspire generations to come.

Been Away

2009-06-17T20:51:00.003-04:00

It's been awhile since I posted here because I have been under the weather and haven't felt like doing anything. I ended up missing a whole week of work with what I thought was the flu (fever, headache, body aches) but the doctor said no. So he took some blood to have checked out and put me on a 14 day regiment of antibiotics. That was last Thursday. I haven't heard anything yet about the results.

Since I've been taking the antibiotics, I do feel much better. Not quite up to feeling like my old self but a great improvement over the way I was feeling. Each day seems a bit better.

Today's Quote

2009-06-09T21:46:00.001-04:00

"this night wounds time" ~Tom Phillips

Today's Quote

2009-06-07T21:52:00.001-04:00

"To achieve being a truly creative musician, you've got to deny yourself the easy path, which has always been imitating someone that's done the hard work for you". ~Jeff Berlin

Today's Quote

2009-06-05T08:01:00.001-04:00

"The main thing a musician would like to do is to give a picture to the listener of the many wonderful things he knows and senses in the universe". ~John Coltrane

Roger Waters Wants Another Wall To Come Down

2009-06-04T19:37:00.004-04:00

From Gibson.com

Roger Waters Wants Another Wall to Come Down
Aidin Vaziri | 06.04.2009

The man whose former band helped celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall now wants to do the same for Israel’s West Bank wall.

Roger Waters, who co-wrote Pink Floyd’s landmark The Wall album, promised during a visit to a Palestinian refugee camp on Tuesday that he would perform a concert on the spot if the barrier came down.

Taking exception to Israel’s reasoning that the wall was built as a defense against Palestinian militants, the 65-year old classic rock and roll musician said that he hoped “this thing, this awful thing, is destroyed soon.”

A day earlier, Waters spoke to students in the Sam Spiegel Film School in Jerusalem, warning, “I am not of the Bono school, who goes around the world being nice to everyone. When I have bad words to say I say them.”

Accordingly, in the same speech he characterized the West Bank security barrier “an obscenity for other people in the world. It looks OK to Jews here and maybe in other places where they live, but people around the world see it as a weird way to live.”

Israeli officials contend that terror attacks have dropped significantly since its construction.

David Carradine Dead At 72

2009-06-04T10:57:00.003-04:00

(CNN) -- American actor David Carradine has been found dead in a Bangkok, Thailand, hotel, according to his personal manager, Chuck Binder.
David Carradine became famous in the 1970s after starring in the television series "Kung Fu."

David Carradine became famous in the 1970s after starring in the television series "Kung Fu."

Binder said Thursday that the death is being investigated but could provide no other details.

Carradine's death was "shocking and sad. He was full of life, always wanting to work ... a great person," Binder told People magazine.

Carradine, who became famous in the 1970s when he starred in the television series "Kung Fu," was 72.

Modern audiences may best know him as "Bill" in Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill" films.

His career included more than 100 feature films, two dozen television movies and theater work, according to the Internet Movie Database.

Rest In Peace Grasshopper.

Jaco Pastorius Commemorative Stamp Petition

2009-06-04T08:11:00.003-04:00

Jaco Pastorius Commemorative Stamp Petition

by Evan Kepner Saturday, May 30th, 2009

Jaco Pastorius, the “World’s Greatest Bass Player,” is being honored by another grass-roots effort to continue the preservation of his memory, influence and music, in the form of a Jaco Pastorius commemorative stamp. The online petition can be found here for showing your support and approval. Be sure to check out the grass-roots Oakland Park MySpace page.

Other great jazz musicians honored with commemorative stamps include: John Coltrane (1995), Jimmy Dorsey (1996), Tommy Dorsey (1996), Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington (1986), Erroll Garner (1995), Glenn Miller (1996), Charlie Mingus (1995), Thelonious Monk (1995), and Charlie Parker (1995).

Previously, Jaco was honored in his hometown of Oakland Park, Florida, with the unanimous vote to name the city’s new downtown park after him. The commemoration was the result of a two and a half year grass-roots effort by a South Florida Fan Group, headed by Robert Rutherford.

There's Going To Be Hell To Pay

2009-06-03T23:34:00.002-04:00

Ozzy Files Suit Against Iommi For Control of Black Sabbath Name

From Gibson.com

Attorneys for legendary rocker Ozzy Osbourne have filed a lawsuit against the singer’s longtime Black Sabbath bandmate, Tony Iommi, alleging the guitarist has illegally assumed sole ownership of the band’s name and trademark.

In the suit, which was filed this week with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in a Manhattan federal court, Osbourne seeks a 50 percent interest in the Black Sabbath trademark, in addition to a portion of Iommi’s already generated profits from his use of the name.

The suit may stem, in part, from Iommi’s own filing against Live Nation in December 2008, alleging the concert promotion company continued to sell merchandise bearing the Black Sabbath name and logo despite the expiration in 2006 of a merchandising agreement between the two parties. Iommi apparently reclaimed the band’s trademark following the termination of that agreement.

Osbourne is also claiming that his “signature lead vocals” are the main reason for Black Sabbath’s “extraordinary success.” In making his case, Osbourne specifically claims that the band’s popularity tanked during his absence from 1980 to 1996. During that stretch, singer Ronnie James Dio assumed the majority of lead vocalist duties for the band.

Iommi is currently involved with several Black Sabbath alumni under the name Heaven and Hell, a lineup that currently features Dio on vocals, longtime Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler and on-again, off-again Sabbath drummer Vinny Appice.

Heaven and Hell are currently on the road in Europe promoting their latest release, The Devil You Know. They return stateside on Aug. 8, with a date at the WaMu Theater in Seattle, Wash., and continue with 13 other U.S. dates through the end of August.

At press time, neither Iommi nor his representatives had responded to Osbourne’s lawsuit.

Koko Taylor "Queen Of The Blues" Dead At 80

2009-06-03T21:30:00.005-04:00

The world of blues has lost a true legend today in Chicago Illinois. My thoughts go out to the family, friends and fans. R.I.P. Koko.

From kokotayloy.com:
Grammy Award-winning blues legend Koko Taylor, 80, died on June 3, 2009 in her hometown of Chicago, IL, as a result of complications following her May 19 surgery to correct a gastrointestinal bleed. On May 7, 2009, the critically acclaimed Taylor, known worldwide as the “Queen of the Blues,” won her 29th Blues Music Award (for Traditional Female Blues Artist Of The Year), making her the recipient of more Blues Music Awards than any other artist. In 2004 she received the NEA National Heritage Fellowship Award, which is among the highest honors given to an American artist. Her most recent CD, 2007’s Old School, was nominated for a Grammy (eight of her nine Alligator albums were Grammy-nominated). She won a Grammy in 1984 for her guest appearance on the compilation album Blues Explosion on Atlantic.

You can read more here.

Today's quote

2009-06-01T23:42:00.002-04:00

"Seek that which within lies waiting to begin the fight of your life that is everyday". ~Ian Anderson

Today's Quote

2009-05-31T21:32:00.001-04:00

"A good band is like a team. You want to have the right balance. It's not always the best people you need, but the right ones for the job." ~Ronnie Hawkins

Today's Quote

2009-05-29T15:01:00.001-04:00

"If you cannot find peace within yourself, you will never find it anywhere else". ~Marvin Gaye

Today's Quote

2009-05-28T22:32:00.001-04:00

"Music will always find its way to us, with or without business, politics, religion, or any other bullshit attached. Music survives everything, and like God, it is always present". ~Eric Clapton

Jay Bennett Dies At 45

2009-05-25T22:41:00.002-04:00

Another artist passes. R.I.P Jay

Jay Bennett, Ex-Wilco Member, Dies At 45
May 25, 2009 10:57 AM ET
From Billboard.com
Michael D. Ayers, N.Y.
Jay Bennett, the former Wilco multi-instrumentalist, passed away in his sleep on early Sunday morning (May 24) due to unknown causes. He was 45. Bennett was best known for his work with Wilco, the group for which he wrote and recorded on 1996's "Being There," 1999's "Summerteeth" and 2002's "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot," as well as the band's Woody Guthrie themed albums with Billy Bragg, "Mermaid Avenue" and "Mermaid Avenue, Volume 2."

The Chicago Sun-Times spoke with Bennett's friend and frequent collaborator, Edward Burch, who simply stated "Jay died in his sleep and an autopsy is being performed. The family is in mourning and is unavailable for comment at this time."

Wilco is currently touring in Spain and lead vocalist/guitarist Jeff Tweedy expressed his condolences in a statement released today. "We are all deeply saddened by this tragedy. We will miss Jay as we remember him -- as a truly unique and gifted human being and one who made welcome and significant contributions to the band's songs and evolution. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends in this very difficult time."

Bennett also released four albums of his own this decade, most recently 2008's "Whatever Happened I Apologized" as a free download under a Creative Commons license via rockproper.com. He was currently living in Urbana, Illinois and working on his fifth album, "Kicking at the Perfumed Air."

Bennett's contentious departure from Wilco was a well-documented situation that played out in the public eye. Earlier this month, Bennett filed suit against Tweedy for "breach of contract" for alleged non-compensation for his appearance in the 2002 Wilco documentary, "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart," as well as "unpaid royalties" for work throughout his tenure with the band. The suit was said to be for at least $50,000.

As seen in the film, Bennett and Tweedy's disagreed over Wilco's creative direction. After leaving the band, Bennett certainly had a tough time finding the levels of success he saw with Wilco. A recent post to his Myspace blog indicated that he was set to have hip replacement surgery but was currently uninsured and going to pay for it out of pocket.

"I began the arduous, or more accurately, extremely time consuming and endlessly frustrating, process of finding a surgeon and hospital that would perhaps 'cut me a deal,' be willing to bargain/barter a bit, or at least allow me to make installment payments," he wrote on his Myspace blog in April 2009. "As it turns out, this /is/ possible, but also difficult to arrange, if you can not come up with a sizable down payment as a show good faith, etc. I have been saving as much money as possible ever since I made this new commitment to my health, my future, and my quality of life."

Wilco publicist Deb Bernardini released the following statement:

"We are all deeply saddened by this tragedy. We will miss Jay as we remember him -- as a truly unique and gifted human being and one who made welcome and significant contributions to the band's songs and evolution. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends in this very difficult time."

The Search Has Ended

2009-05-25T17:24:00.002-04:00

After almost two months of searching for the right (affordable) SUV, I brought home the '04 Chevy Trailbalzer today. I'm so glad this chore is over. More later.

It looks like the journey has come to an end.

2009-05-24T20:22:00.004-04:00

The decision has been made after a long and grinding search for a vehicle. The next vehicle to have a place in our driveway is going to be the 2004 Chevy Trailblazer that I posted about yesterday. I believe we'll be very happy with this choice. Time will tell.

I'll update on our ownership as time goes by so please stay tune.

Marcus Miller's Tribute To Wayman Tisdale

2009-05-24T14:16:00.001-04:00

Today's Quote

2009-05-24T00:32:00.001-04:00

"Music is the shorthand of emotion". ~Leo Tolstoy

The Journey Maybe Coming To An End

2009-05-23T22:43:00.009-04:00

I have been searching for a replacement for our Jeep Grand Cherokee that was totaled after the accident my wife had a few months ago. I have looked at so many vehicles that they all just seem to blur together. This is the vehicle that is at the top of the list. It's a 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer LS Extended. The dealer was asking originally asking $14,900 but at the last round of negotiations we're down to $10,500. Here's some pictures.

The Hunt Part II

2009-05-21T23:40:00.004-04:00

I took the day off from the hunt for the perfect vehicle but I'll be hitting it bright and early tomorrow morning. Tomorrow may be the day I find that deal I can't refuse. I know what make and model SUV I'm looking for I just need to find it at the right price. To be continued....

Today's Quote

2009-05-21T23:35:00.001-04:00

"There's a basic rule which runs through all kinds of music, kind of an unwritten rule. I don't know what it is. But I've got it". ~Ron Wood

Wreckage Of My Past

2009-05-21T13:18:00.003-04:00

From ozzy.com

WRECKAGE OF MY PAST
MAY 20, 2009, 3:36 pm

WRECKAGE OF MY PAST is an intimate documentary that delves deep into the life of music icon Ozzy Osbourne. A sober Ozzy has reached a point of clarity as he looks back on a lifetime of unparalleled success, misdiagnosed disease, unrelenting fear and a recurring dependency on drugs and alcohol. This is a film about reconciling the past and looking toward the future.

In Theatres 2010

Wreckage

The Hunt

2009-05-20T13:17:00.002-04:00

I have been on the hunt for a new or slightly used SUV for the last two weeks and haven't had any luck at all. You would think that with the current shape of the US auto industry that dealers would want to deal and move vehicles off their lots. I have not found that to be the case. Most dealers want to push you in the direction of high end luxury vehicles with the claim of knocking $12,000 off the sticker price. Knocking off 12k on a $55,000 SUV still leaves $43,000 to pay. Someone else may call that a deal but not me. Now if I could find a deal where I could get 12k knocked off a $30,000 vehicle than we might have something.

I don't know, maybe I've become a tight old codger in my old age but that being said, I'm just not going to have a $600+ a month car payment hanging over my head for 5 or 6 years. It ain't going to happen.

There's a deal out there somewhere and I'll find sooner or later. The search continues.

Today's Quote

2009-05-19T23:32:00.000-04:00

"Music cleanses the understanding; inspires it, and lifts it into a realm which it would not reach if it were left to itself". ~Henry Ward Beecher