Posted June 24, 2011 at 9:19 am | No comments
Pursuing higher education is a great step for anyone. With the economy the way it is, having a degree is very important in distinguishing yourself from the rest. However, pursuing a degree and one’s passion is more complicated. For musicians, pursuing a degree in music may be alright but how many high paying jobs can they get with such a degree? It almost seems impossible to chase after a music career and pursue a degree at the same time. But now there are more options for musicians and everyone else as well.
Posted in: Op-Ed, Reviews
Posted June 24, 2011 at 4:34 am | No comments
“Wheels” starts out with Weezer-esque chords and guitar melody, with a riff punctuated by a quick feedback note before the last chord. When Grohl comes in with the vocals, singing about disappointment, the guitars lapse into a four-chord nineties rock chord progression that continues for the rest of the song. The Foo Fighters released “Wheels” as the single for their greatest hits album, creatively entitled Greatest Hits, in 2009, and it became the Foo’s highest charting single since “The Pretender” in 2007, at No. 1 on the Modern Rock chart.
Posted in: Guitar Tab
Posted June 23, 2011 at 2:14 pm | No comments
“Austin City Limits” has lovingly embraced every style of music and likewise opened its arms to an array of legends and stylists; the great Ray Charles, Willie Nelson, Roy Orbison, Alison Krauss, and so many more. It has earned a world-class, legendary reputation for showcasing, above all, a monumental who’s who of guitar greats. The program has introduced and showcased a dazzling constellation of stars whose measure has more than placed them as glittering fixtures among the firmament. From rising unknowns receiving their first due and exposure to seasoned veterans, from international stars to influential mentors, the show has meant a lot to a great deal of artists, and they don’t hesitate to say so.
Posted in: Industry Interviews, Interviews
Posted June 23, 2011 at 2:10 pm | One comment
In May of 2000, I was deeply honored to interview in great detail and depth the venerable and esteemed producer, Terry Lickona of the prestigious, internationally televised, PBS, live music showcase “Austin City Limits”. ACL was celebrating its 25th Anniversary at the time, so we discussed the show’s fascinating and insightful musical history, which includes hosting and showcasing some of music’s most legendary guitar players and music artists. The show does that even more so to this day, highlighting and branching out to a wide international and far-reaching array of music artists and music styles.
Posted in: Blues Interviews, Industry Interviews, Interviews
Posted June 23, 2011 at 1:20 pm | One comment
It’s not uncommon for a musician to record more work than they release. In Steve Vai’s case, he has a digital ocean at his fingertip ranging from when he played the accordion at nine to something he recorded earlier today. In order to share his life’s work and experiences with the world, Steve has recently launched VaiTunes
Posted in: Guitar Hero Interviews, Interviews, Shred Interviews
Posted June 23, 2011 at 1:21 am | No comments
“Times Like These” is a song by the Foo Fighters, appearing on their 2003 album, One by One. Released as the second single from that record after the abrasive hard rocker “All My Life,” expresses how people come together during and after a crisis with hopeful lyrics like “It’s times like these you learn to love again.” The song begins in 7/4 time, and the chorus is grouped in 3’s, but the Foo Fighters do it a way that is so natural the odd time signature and grouping don’t feel awkward. Capitalizing on the ambiguous nature of the lyrics, George W. Bush used “Times Like These” for his 2004 re-election campaign without permission, prompting the Foo Fighters to become much more politically active.
Posted in: Guitar Tab
Posted June 22, 2011 at 4:10 pm | No comments
Brad Richter is a rare bird. He is a classical guitarist, but you will never hear him playing a Bach piece or any Tarrega. Instead he performs solely his own compositions, utilizing techniques few other guitarists use, mostly because he made them up.
Posted in: Classical Interviews, Fingerstyle Interviews, Interviews
Posted June 22, 2011 at 4:21 am | No comments
“The Pretender” is one of the Foo Fighters hardest-rocking singles. Also one of their most successful, it is their third-highest charting song, after “Best of You” and “Learn to Fly.” Released in 2007 as a single from Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace, “The Pretender” won three Grammy’s in 2008, Best Rock Song, Record of the Year, and Best Hard Rock Performance. While Dave Grohl never cites specifics, he has said that the lyrics deal with the feeling at the time of political dissatisfaction. He says of the lyrics, “Everyone’s been fucked over before and I think a lot of people feel fucked over right now and they’re not getting what they were promised.”
Posted in: Guitar Tab
Posted June 21, 2011 at 4:46 pm | No comments
For many musicians, being given a 50 plus minute drum solo to listen to, then asked to write and record a duo track to accompany that drum solo, before devoting two years of one’s life (on and off) to the project would seem out of the question, if not a little crazy. But that is the scenario that Chapman Stick player Trey Gunn found himself in when he teamed up with percussionist Marco Minnemann on their duo album Modulator. The album features a pre-recorded drum track, which is almost an hour in length, that Gunn was then expected to work with as he composed, improvised and recorded his second part of the album. The result is not only thought provoking from a compositional and musical standpoint, it is an engaging work of avant-garde art that pushes one to break down their expectations and boundaries as they join these two world-class musicians for this hour-long epic ride.
Posted in: Interviews, Jazz Interviews
Posted June 21, 2011 at 4:17 pm | One comment
There is something to be said for capturing music live, in the moment, with all the excitement of the band caught in the thrill of the song and the crowd cheering them on to new heights of inspiration. Blues guitarist Todd Wolfe is no stranger to the stage, and he recently brought that experience to a new live CD and DVD, aptly titled The Todd Wolfe Band Live. The album is a blues tour de force that features Wolfe’s powerhouse trio at the peak of their inspiration and technical facility.
Posted in: Blues Interviews, Interviews
