Posted March 28, 2011 at 10:02 am | No comments
Kicking off with a distinctive cowbell sound, no it’s not “Don’t Fear the Reaper,” the Rolling Stones’ mega-hit “Honky Tonk Women” has a curious story behind its lyrics, opening guitar riff and where it was written. Though the song talks about a “bar-room queen in Memphis,” the song was originally written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards in Sao Paulo, Brazil while they were on vacation there in December and January of 1968-1969. As well, the song’s lyrics appeared in two different forms early on in its life, and the scene for the song’s narrative moved from Memphis to Jackson, before settling on Memphis in the most famous version of the song that we still hear on the radio today.
Posted in: Guitar Tab
Posted March 27, 2011 at 8:53 am | One comment
The Red Hot Chili Peppers have always been known for their funky influences and deep groove, and their 2002 single “Can’t Stop,” which was originally released on their album By the Way, is a prime example of these two RHCP characteristics. Kicking off with a two note riff, guitarist John Frusciante then dives into a counterpoint-based lick that has since become a favorite of guitarists who are learning the RHCP catalogue. Though the song features more of a rock beat, this intro and verse riff are as funky as they get, and are a great intro to the Chili Peppers approach to riff writing.
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Posted March 26, 2011 at 5:01 am | No comments
When Radiohead broke into the charts with their song “Creep,” they fit right in with the grunge-alternative sound of the times, but they’re foray into the harder side of modern rock took a more personalized and unique twist when they wrote and recorded the song “Fake Plastic Trees.” While the song would mark a step in a different direction for the band, away from the grunge sound of “Creep” and more towards the haunting and experimental sound of their later work, the song almost didn’t happen.
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Posted March 25, 2011 at 2:03 pm | 2 comments
Steve Stevens is most notably recognized as the guitarist for Billy Idol, a partnership of 30 years that has produced countless Top 10 singles and platinum LPs. He is by far one of the most gifted guitarists to emerge from the ’80s music scene with his background being forged with the greats of the early ‘70’s like Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page. Unknown to most, Steve also became an avid prog-rock fan, especially the likes of King Crimson and Yes.
Posted in: '80s Rock, Guitar Hero Interviews, Interviews, Rock Interviews
Posted March 25, 2011 at 8:45 am | No comments
Besides being a classic track from Pink Floyd’s album Wish You Were Here, “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” is also tied into one of the strangest moments in the band’s long and storied history. After leaving the band years earlier, on the day that Floyd was recording “Shine On You Crazy Diamond,” which they would later dedicate to Syd Barrett, the former singer walked into Abbey Road studios and listened to the track being played back to the band. Not recognizing him at first, mostly due to the weight he had gained in the meantime and that he had shaved his head, the band quickly realized that is was Barrett sitting there with them, an unplanned reunion of the band that would move bassist Roger Waters to tears.
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Posted March 24, 2011 at 10:37 am | No comments
Originally written by Hip-Hip, R&B megastars Outkast, “Hey Ya” has won a special place in guitarist’s hearts since it was released on their 2003 album Speakerboxxx. Though many fans still love the original version, it was Matt Weddle’s 2006 acoustic guitar version, which was recorded at an open-mic night, which brought the song into whole new light for guitarists the world over. Currently sitting at over 7 million views on YouTube, Weddle’s cover has grown to become a massive viral hit for the Obadiah Parker frontman, a then unsigned band that nobody had really heard of until the video went viral.
Posted in: Guitar Tab
Posted March 23, 2011 at 1:15 pm | No comments
Beethoven’s “Fur Elise” is one of the most recognizable classical songs in the world. Its gentle 3/8 cadence in A minor was written for piano, but easily migrates to guitar. “Fur Elise”was not published by Beethoven, as it was not discovered until forty-one years after his death, amongst his private papers. The song is said to have been composed as a tribute to Therese Malfatti, whom Beethoven had allegedly proposed to in 1810, but was rejected.
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Posted March 22, 2011 at 4:50 am | 7 comments
Joe Bonamassa considers Dust Bowl to be his best CD to date, and although his guitar playing stands out throughout, his intricate storytelling talent and vocal ability reaches heights that parallel the musicianship. Released on his J&R Adventures record label, Dust Bowl is number six in a successful five-year collaboration with producer Kevin Shirley. The album was recorded in separate sessions at Black Rock Studios in Santorini, Greece, Ben’s Studio in Nashville, The Cave in Malibu and The Village in Los Angeles.
Posted in: Blues, Blues Reviews, Reviews
Posted March 22, 2011 at 3:00 am | No comments
Though the song “Lake of Fire” is probably best known for being played during Nirvana’s iconic MTV Unplugged set, it was actually written in 1983 by The Meat Puppets. It was one of three Meat Puppet songs, along with “Plateau” and “Oh, Me,” that Kurt Cobain and company included on their Unplugged album, and it received steady radio play after a subsequent album was released by the band a few months after Cobain committed suicide in 1984. Members of the Meat Puppets joined Nirvana onstage during the concert, and lent their talents to the songs that they had penned a decade earlier. Aside from Nirvana’s most notable cover, “Lake of Fire” has also been played in concert by Wide Spread Panic during their Halloween Music Show in Austin Texas, in 2009.
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Posted March 21, 2011 at 9:16 am | No comments
Written at a time when Neil Young had just used his immense fame and fortune to buy a large Ranch, “Old Man” reflects the guitarist’s relationship to the caretakers of the Ranch, and elderly couple, and the contrast between the two generations. Besides featuring the iconic Canadian musician on guitar and vocals, folk-rock legend James Taylor contributed a banjo part to the song, and vocalist Linda Ronstadt sang background vocals as well, pulling together three of the top performers and songwriters of their, or any, era onto one track.
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