Like Journey? Who are we kidding, of course you do. Well, we have good news. Alfred Music Publishing just put out Journey: Eclipse the songbook to the legendary band’s most recent album, this year’s Eclipse, which came out on May 27th.
Though not a household name, Maines is renowned in artist and industry circles for his journeyman talents and facility performing and producing with arttists such as Wilco, Robert Earl Keen, Joe Ely, Willie Nelson, Hank Thompson, Roger Creager and Terry Allen. Lloyd also has earned the esteemed distinction of appearing on and playing and performing live with several dozen artists on numerous episodes of Austin City Limits, PBS’s prestigious, nationally televised live music showcase.
In May 1994, a popular cultural phenomenon swept the nation when the motion picture adaptation of The Crow was released. A brilliant and starkly vivid visual realization of the adult underground cult graphic novel by author and illustrator James O’Barr, it became something of an instant legend due to the tragedy of it being the final performance of the truly gifted and eloquent actor, Brandon Lee, (son of martial arts actor and legend Bruce Lee). Lee was accidentally killed by a malfunctioning prop gun on the film’s set during the making of the film.
I had initially thought to start this review with a statement that George Benson needs no introduction to the reader, but after receiving blank stares when I mentioned this recording to a few of my university guitar students, I have reconsidered that thought.
George Benson is a true chameleon, but mostly one of the finest jazz guitarists of all time. His masterful interpretation of pop tunes and jazz standards has long been a source of inspiration to aspiring musicians.
9 Chambers is a collaboration between two respected hard rock veterans – producer/singer/guitarist Greg Hampton (who has worked with the likes of Alice Cooper, Bootsy Collins, Lita Ford, and recently unearthed Tommy Bolin recordings), and former Monster Magnet guitarist Ed Mundell. They crossed paths when they ran into each other at a flea market buying Mahogany Rush, Free, or Jimi Hendrix bootlegs as well at NAMM.
Guitar virtuoso Yngwie Malmsteen will be embarking on his Relentless tour, which will find him making stops at major North American cities, later this October, and the shred master just added another date.
Stepping into Paul Reed Smith’s office, my eyes immediately were drawn to the framed photos on the wall nearest the door. There were shots of Smith with Carlos Santana and the legendary Ted McCarty, past president of Gibson Guitars. To the right stood a small troop of electric guitars without pups and a PRS acoustic nearby. It wasn’t the pristine office one might expect to find in the corporate headquarters of an internationally known senior executive, but one of a working man. The pickup-less electric guitars appeared to be projects in mid-shift, waiting for Paul and his PRS team to rummage through their collective mind and come up with new ideas or solutions to creative challenges. Smith appears to be a restless man, who’s never quite satisfied and always has something cookin’.
Chickenfoot – the supergroup featuring guitarist Joe Satriani, drummer Chad Smith and former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony and frontman Sammy Hagar will be releasing their long awaited new CD on September 27th simply entitled – Chickenfoot III.
Experience PRS is a special event. Not only is it one of the guitar world’s only (and definitely the first) single-manufacturer trade shows, where dealers come from around the country to secure their wholesale purchases of Paul Reed Smith guitars and amps, it also gives regular old dudes a chance to see the PRS factory in all its splendor. And by splendor, we mean bare efficiency and palettes and palettes of virgin wood.
It’s a hot September night near the banks of the Chesapeake Bay in Stevensville, Maryland, home of Paul Reed Smith Guitars that launched their 5th year of Experience PRS with some fancy bluegrass licks by mandolin aficionado Ricky Skaggs and the staggering guitar master, Cody Kilby. We’ve been coming to Experience PRS trade shows since they started in 2007 and the PRS family of dealers, distributors, employees, endorsees and birds and moons enthusiasts have never been let down.
