Category Archives: Guitars

I like guitars. I’ll post about them.

Ink N’ Pages – The Guns N’ Roses Autobiographies

Posted on by Standard 7

Slash

Slash

So, it’s no secret that I’m a Guns N’ Roses fan.  Well, a fan of everything up until The Spaghetti Incident.  I like both of Duff‘s solo albums, all of Slash’s Snakepit & solo material, Velvet Revolver, I even have Hollywood Rose.  I still need to pick up a Loaded album, but I do have the Neurotic Outsiders.  This doesn’t dig into bootlegs of live and demo stuff… of which I have a plethora.

Appetite for Destruction generally tops my “all time favorites” album lists.  I go back to it time and time again, & get lost in between Slash & Izzy’s guitars spiraling around each other.

Of course, when the autobiographies started coming out, I had to read them.  I got Slash‘s book, then Duff’s then Steven’s.  Slash was a rock n’ roll hero to me when I was in Jr. High & high school, but out of the three books… I think Duff comes off the best  and most entertaining.  The writing is very fluid.  I found it easy to imagine Duff in the early days.  The stories are blunt & sincere, and he ties it all back to where it has led him & where he is now in life.  Duff seems like a great guy to hang out with.

It's So Easy: and Other Lies

It's So Easy: and Other Lies

Slash’s book is an easy read, but it jumps around quite a bit.  His recollection of events is really questionable.  It doesn’t necessarily feel like Slash is remembering things correctly, or even the one telling the story.  I might have to give it a re-read after finishing the other two books.

Steven’s book, like Steven, is a mess.  I can’t help but feel pity for the guy, mostly because he professes to not have a “poor me” attitude, but every single action the guy takes screams “oh poor me”.  This guy just can’t get it right, but he still seems like a likeable guy.

It comes across in all of them that they had fun times in the early days, with a vibe that can never be repeated.  Sadly, all these guys seem to have a habit of burning bridges… yet posses a decent history of patching things up.  I mean, Slash & Duff have never really stopped working together.  Duff has been on-stage with Axl’s band recently.  They both patched it up with Weiland recently.  Duff, Slash, & Izzy have jammed with Adler’s Appetite.

My Appetite for Destruction: Sex, and Drugs, and Guns N' Roses

My Appetite for Destruction: Sex, and Drugs, and Guns N' Roses

One thing is clear from all of these books… Axl is an absolute wild man, and these guys love & fear him.  I really hope Axl & Izzy churn out books someday.  Maybe somehow all of the events can get plotted out & reconstructed correctly.

Maybe they’ll even get together for the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame ceremony.

I’d love to check out some of the other GN’R biographies (like Reckless Road), but if the guys in the band can’t even get it right… then what hope does an outsider have?

♧♠♡♦♢♥♤♣

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AiXeLsyD and Gasoline Dion Mazes

Posted on by Standard 21

I’ve obviously been in a maze mood lately.  I found some old AiXeLsyD & Gasoline Dion themed mazes.  At the request of a friend, I also made some AiXeLsyD & Gasoline Dion music available for download.

Help AiXeLsyD get to the American Music Café!

Help AiXeLsyD get to the American Music Café!

✪ Download AiXeLsyD Vol. 1-3! ✪

Help Gasoline Dion get to the Bloomfield Bridge Tavern!

Help Gasoline Dion get to the Bloomfield Bridge Tavern!

✪ Download Gasoline Dion’s Loading Noise! ✪

I’m going to have to make up an Ernie and the Berts maze!  At any rate, print these out, and try to solve them while jamming to my extinct musical projects, and send me a photo or scan of the completed maze!

The downloads are zip files.  If you don’t know how to unzip files, learn.  Also, check out my other mazes if you liked these ones.

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✠ Dear Mr. Iommi, ✠

Posted on by Standard 5

You’ve no doubt heard that Black Sabbath just announced that they were going to record an album of new material & tour with the original lineup…

You’ve probably also heard the news about Tony Iommi being recently diagnosed with lymphoma.  The band told us not long ago via their website that you could send get well wishes to Tony via email at getwelltony@black-sabbath.com.

I did that.

From: me@myemail.addre.ss
To: “getwelltony@black-sabbath.com” <getwelltony@black-sabbath.com>
Sent: Friday, January 13, 2012
Subject: – ✠ \m/ ✠ –

Dear Mr. Iommi,

I’m sure you have a grasp of your influence in the musical world, and on guitar players everywhere.  We look to you for not only inspiration as far as the most devastating guitar riffs on the planet, but also as a musician who’s resolve soldiered his band triumphantly through many decades.  I have read countless stories of your humility & friendliness.  I have several members of my family & great friends who have triumphed over the odds with various forms of cancer.  I have no doubt that the prayers, thoughts, and general good vibes of millions of fans, friends, family, and your brothers from Black Sabbath will only serve to strengthen your own personal iron will to defeat this disease and come out a stronger man.

Your music helped me learn to play the guitar, and whenever any people get together to jam for the first time, inevitably someone starts playing a Sabbath song, then another, then another…  I owe you a great many good times, sir.  I will pray for your health, pray for strength for your family & friends, & pray for guidance to the medical team entrusted with your care so that you may continue to have many more good times yourself.

Sincerely,
-Eric
.seitilibasid gninrael fo nuf ekam ot ynnuf ton yllaer s’tI

This is the auto reply:

From: Tony Iommi
To: me@myemail.addre.ss
Sent: Friday, January 13, 2012
Subject: Thanks for the Get Well Email! Re: – ✠ \m/ ✠ –

A short automated note to let you know that your email for Tony Iommi has been received.

Due to the overwheming crush of outpouring for Tony since his announcement on Jan 9th, please note that your email cannot be individually replied to.

It will however be read, and both Tony, and those who represent him are grateful for your prayers and thoughts at this time.

— Joe Siegler
www.black-sabbath.com

Rock on, Mr. Iommi.  Rock on.

English: Tony Iommi of Heaven and Hell perform...

IRON MAN

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Guitar Lessons (Poster?)

Posted on by Standard 5

This is awesome.  That’s all.  Not sure if this is the original source, seems to be everywhere.  You may have seen it already.  At any rate, I dig it, and I was compelled to share.  You can find some of these at a higher resolution, but I haven’t found all of the close-ups.  If you have more, please share!

GUITAR LESSONS - Master Class

GUITAR LESSONS - Master Class

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Alex Skolnick Schools Me on Grunge, Metal, & Punk. Ha ha.

Posted on by Standard 4

Don’t know what started it all, but I saw this…

https://twitter.com/#!/AlexSkolnick/status/156224594599100416

And decided to say this…

https://twitter.com/#!/AiXeLsyD13/status/156224888410083328

So, he actually replied:

https://twitter.com/#!/AlexSkolnick/status/156472531954569216

Heh.  Alex seems like a cool cat.  I’ve read countless guitar magazine articles that he’s written, and saw him perform once with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.  Damn, he’s good.

Some other stuff has ensued…

https://twitter.com/#!/MattPaneth/status/156473254100467713

https://twitter.com/#!/TheFree_Lance/status/156475576440463361

https://twitter.com/#!/AiXeLsyD13/status/156477372344971264

https://twitter.com/#!/AiXeLsyD13/status/156477960814198784

At any rate, Twitter is fun, and it’s cool to get a nod & from some of your heroes & maybe start a conversation.

Ah, here’s what stared it…

https://twitter.com/#!/AlexSkolnick/status/156222078641651713

https://twitter.com/#!/AlexSkolnick/status/156223005872226304

https://twitter.com/#!/AlexSkolnick/status/156224161059053569

https://twitter.com/#!/AlexSkolnick/status/156224594599100416

How to pick a band name (for sadly uncreative musicians):

Posted on by Standard 12

Band names have always been fascinating to me.  They’re rather important for many reasons.  They need to be memorable.  They represent the band on flyers, album covers, in reviews, on T-shirts (& other merch), and anywhere else they can be printed or spoken.

This is why I’m continually surprised by local & national level bands choosing some inconceivably stupid monikers.  (Especially local level bands.)

I realize that it’s a difficult thing to do.  You’re sort of stuck with it once it happens.  (Although, I’ve seen a few bands morph & rename themselves several times.)  A lot of the good ones are already taken.  Metallica is probably the best band name ever as it’s catchy, it’s not something else, and it describes the music.  When you Google Metallica, there’s no mistake as to what you’re going to get.

Some friends & I like to think up band names.  Sometimes we hear a phrase or sentence or word & think (or remark) “…that would be a cool band name.”  It’s important to brainstorm.  Throw all of your goofy ideas at a wall.  See what sticks.

With the internet age upon us, I urge you to use all of the tools at your disposal when naming your band.  Primarily, Google.  Once you have thought of a band name or two, go to Google and type it in the search bar.  Hit search.  Have the idea?

If something comes up & a band is already named that, don’t name your band that.  Seriously.  It takes 3½ seconds to Google something.  You can even use Bing or Yahoo.  If you’re signing up for a website like Reverb Nation or Band Camp or Facebook or even Twitter… and there’s another band there already named what you wanna call your band, change the name of your band rather than having a goofy unmemorable and not even remotely cool url like one of the following:

  • reverbnation.com/[bandname]rocks
  • reverbnation.com/[bandname]1
  • reverbnation.com/[bandname]music
  • reverbnation.com/[bandname]_Pgh

I don’t care if you want to be a hit recording artist, or if you have resigned to just rocking out cover tunes in bars from not until the end of time.  This has been happening since the days of the old MP3.com, MySpace and PureVolume …and it must stop.

Avoiding these things makes your band easily searchable online.  People will give up if they don’t find you right away.  We’re lazy as a species, apparently.  Or we just have short attention spans.

Your band name has to be easily remembered, and your band should be easy to find.  I was in a band called Gasoline Dion.  Google that and nothing comes up except stuff about the band.  Like the name or not (& “get” it or not), it’s easily remembered & easily searchable.  That’s what you need to shoot for.

Maybe later I’ll blog about band name categories & give some examples.

For additional reference:

Have any lists or comments to share?

Rock’s Greatest Guitar Intros? (a.k.a. Another Stupid List?)

Posted on by Standard 26

“Top however many of whatever” lists are designed to generate ire & promote discussion.  This one undoubtedly has in many circles.  Spreading around the internet like herpes, here’s the latest from some radio station somewhere:

What are The Top 10 Greatest Guitar Intros in rock?  Well, someone compiled a list and put it on the Internet.

All the songs were released between 1967 and 1990.

Here’s the list:

10.)  “School’s Out”,  Alice Cooper  (1972)

9.)  “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love”,  Van Halen  (1978)

8.)  “Thunderstruck”,  AC⚡DC  (1990)

7.)  “Sweet Home Alabama”,  Lynyrd Skynyrd  (1974)

6.)  “Heartbreaker”,  Led Zeppelin  (1969)

 5.)  “Working Man”,  Rush  (1974)

4.)  “Layla”,  Derek and the Dominos  (1970)

3.)  “Suffragette City”,  David Bowie  (1976)

2.)  “Purple Haze”,  The Jimi Hendrix Experience (1967)

1.)  “Eruption / You Really Got Me”,  Van Halen  (1978)

Source: Wise Brother Media/ Radio 96.1

What?  ☘ Shenanigans ☘ I say!  I bet you say it too.  I mean, there are some stellar songs on that list, but also glaring omissions.  Some other yahoos are taking a poll.  Gibson made a list a while ago that grabs some more timeless tracks & grabs “Sweet Child O’ Mine” which would be close to or at the top of my list & really, who could forget “Crazy Train”?  And neither list makes note of the banes of guitar stores’ existence “Enter Sandman” or “Smells Like Teen Spirit“.  And where the hell is Black Sabbath?  “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath” has to be one of the coolest intros ever, among so many more.  What about “Welcome to the Jungle”?

If you’re gonna include “Sweet Home Alabama”, why not “Stairway to Heaven”, or even that one Pearl Jam song that’s all jangly and has that sweet tone where Vedder mumbles incoherently.  Hendrix’s version or “Hey Joe” or “Voodoo Child (Slight Return)”?

“Eruption”?  Clearly awesome, but it’s its own song, isn’t it, not an intro?  I mean, what are the rules here?  Why not just throw in some bass like “Bassically“/”N.I.B.” or “Anesthesia [Pulling Teeth]”/”Whiplash”?  A bass is arguably a guitar, right?

Nothing by Heart?  “Sunshine of Your Love” anyone?  “Start Me Up”?  “Hair of the Dog?”  No ZZ Top?  Nothing by Aerosmith?  No “Talk Dirty to Me?”  Ha ha.  Just making sure you’re paying attention.  What about some more metal stuff?  No Pantera?  No Slayer?  No Metalli-freakin’-ca?  No punk rock?  Well, I guess not a bunch of punk has blazing riff like intros.

What is rock?  Can rap or funk be included?  What about some crazy stuff by guys like Carl Perkins or Willie Nelson?

It’s clear my friends that we need to make our own list.  I dig Velvet Revolver’s “Set Me Free”, but I may be in the minority there.  Remember, this is guitar intros, not riffs.  I’m guessing we should aim for guitar-only intros, or we would all have to concede to “Rock You Like a Hurricane” for being the most powerful.   There’s also that one Avenged Sevenfold song…  it’s got a killer riff at the beginning, but I think there’s some drums right at the beginning.  If these are OK, is there room for “No Sleep till Brooklyn” or “Fight For Your Right”?

Start naming songs.  We’ll figure out some ground rules, set a number, set up some brackets & some votes.  We’ll even name it something classy like “The Actual Best Rock Guitar Intros of All Time (Not Chosen by Idoits)”.  Then, we’ll spark more idiots to have more useless arguments discussions.

♫♪ ☠ ♬♩

♫♪ ☠ ♬♩

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Validate my goofy guitar habit?

Posted on by Standard 2

So, not too long ago, I submitted some photos of my favorite toys to the Tone Fiend blog’s Mutant Beauty Pageant.  If you’d like to follow the saga at the Tone Fiend blog, check these posts out:

You can pick your 3 favorites, and list them in the comments here: Mutant Beauty Pageant: Choose the “Winner!” You can also email your votes if you’d like them to be anonymous.  Of course, your 3 favorites could be for all 3 of my guitars, but… I do encourage you to vote for your actual favorites.

No prize was apparent at the time of my entry, but now I see a nifty little custom-built Uglyface stompbox is being offered up as booty.  I certainly wouldn’t mind playing around with the little thing.  At any rate, it was cool that people got to show off their weird guitars, and we can all share in our inherent oddness.

Mutant Beauty Pageant: Choose the “Winner!”

Mutant Beauty Pageant: Choose the “Winner!”

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Tone Fiend | Mutant Beauty Pageant

Posted on by Standard 3

Cerberus the Turkey

Cerberus, the Darkmeat Knight

So, I entered 3 of my goofy beauties into the “Mutant Beauty Pageant” in Joe Gore‘s Tone Fiend blog at the Seymour Duncan website.  I have had people tell me they’re ugly, I have had people that dig them.  I’m just glad that we live in a world with so many available options.  Guitar beauty (& awesomeness) is subjective, after all.

You can check out the entries so far by clicking the triple-headed turkey, and you can also read the original rules post.  When you’re done with that, enter your weird guitar!  Yeah, it’s got to be yours… not something you just found on the internet somewhere.

I’m really diggin’ Dr. Soda’s “calm like a bomb” Explorer custom …thing.  I’d love to see some more photos.  Is that circuit board 3D?  I can imagine ripping my hand open on that… but then again, that would be one hell of a show.

Also, you’ll notice that Mr. Gore used my Batman guitar in the photo with the tri-topped turkey that I have dubbed “Cerberus, the Darkmeat Knight”.  How cool is that?  Funny part is, I just got a Seymour Duncan Distortion Humbucker to drop into it.

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