As the story goes, Ratt helped pioneer Hollywood’s legendary Sunset Strip sound and scene. After an 11 year wait, the band returned in April of 2010 sounding fired up and better than ever with Infestation, a heavy, riff driven CD reminiscent of their early days as a band. Ratt was able to reinvent their sound by rediscovering their strengths, shuttling listeners to a time when metal ruled the earth and real musicians wore spandex and make-up.
Like a mixture of dangerous chemicals, equal parts guitarist extraordinaire (Phil Collen – Def Leppard), rudeboy rock drummer (Paul Cook – Sex Pistols), and the righteous rhythms of a badass bass player (Simon Laffy – Girl), all together you have one hell of an explosive combination. Add to this concoction the experience of selling 75 million records and the attitude that comes from being at the top of your game and you’ve got MANRAZE. The long awaited and highly anticipated sophomore album, titled punkfunkrootsrock, will be unleashed upon the masses on August 2nd.
Summer’s here, NAMM is just around the corner and ready to stage the newest music gear and other products at the Nashville, Tennessee convention center from July 21 to July 23, 2011. This year, attendance is expected to reach over 12,000 visitors to the NAMM event, which will serve as a key focus for music merchants from around the world.
Tangents is the proverbial Indie needle in a haystack, and have created something so smart and crafted something so beautiful in their new record One Little Light Year that it is bound to make fans of any genre of music pay attention. TANGENTS’ sound is reminiscent of early Muse and Copeland, yet still has the distinctive qualities to separate itself from the pack.
South Carolina hard-rockers Crossfade have just released their third studio album, We All Bleed, after three years in the making. The record delves into lyrical themes of betrayal and isolation—a Crossfade trademark—but there’s also more than a hint of renewal and resolution. It’s the voice we remember with the dark songs brought by the arrival of co-writer and co-producer, guitarist Les Hall to the core.
Jazz, like many genres of music, is defined by its classifications. Is this artist a Beboper? Is this artist a Modern Jazz performer? Do they play Modal Jazz, or Latin Jazz, or Fusion? It seems that everyone from record companies to festivals to radio stations to fans are constantly trying to figure out how to categorize artists and their musical output. This is a great way to help fans figure out if they will like a new artist, being able to compare them to an artist they already know, but it also leads to problems because some artists just don’t seem to fit into any one category of classification with their music.
“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.
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.
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
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.
