Classic Rock

Thunder – She’s So Fine (live, Donington, August 1990)

admin — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 10:23:27 +0000

From 1990 to 1996 Monsters of Rock was the premier hard rock event in Great Britain.

On 18th August 1990, Thunder opened the show for Whitesnake, Aerosmith, Poison and Quireboys.

The English hard rock band was formed in 1989 by lead singer Danny Bowes and guitarist/main songwriter Luke Morley.

Their first album was Backstreet Symphony released in early 1990.

A standout track from that album and was performed at Donington is “She’s So Fine”, written by Luke Morley and Andy Taylor:

Judas Priest – Painkiller (live, Rio de Janeiro, January 1991)

admin — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 10:42:18 +0000

Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, formed in 1969. They have been a massive influence on many heavy metal musicians, earning them the nickname “Metal Gods” from their song of the same name. They have sold more than 50 million albums worldwide, and were named the 78th greatest artist of all time by VH1 in 2010 and the second Greatest Metal Band by MTV (Black Sabbath was first).

They are known for a twin lead guitar style, lead vocalist Rob Halford’s wide operatic vocal style, and for introducing the S&M leather and studs look into heavy metal.

Painkiller is Priest’s 12th studio album, released 1990. It received a 1991 Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance.

Joe Satriani – Motorcycle Driver (1992, studio version)

admin — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 10:04:39 +0000

The perfect pick-me-up number, this, in my opinion, is one of the guitar legend’s greatest ever compositions.

It’s from his 1992 LP The Extremist.

If I had to select an entrance tune for myself, this would be it:

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Slayer – Necrophobic (1986, studio version)

admin — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 10:00:35 +0000

When Slayer’s 3rd LP Reign in Blood was released in October 1986, top rock magazine Kerrang! called it “the heaviest album of all time.” It is considered one of the most influential heavy metal albums of all time, thrash metal in particular. It went double Platinum in November 1992.

Metal Hammer magazine named it “the best metal album of the last 20 years.” Critic Chad Bowar was quoted to have stated that “Reign in Blood is probably the best thrash album ever recorded.”

My favourite song off the album is Necrophobic, probably the most frantic rock song ever recorded. This one is for those wanting an extra strong pick-me-up song:

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When hard rockers go acoustic

admin — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 09:43:40 +0000

Steve Vai – Sisters (1990)
… rather, clean electric. I think I attempted, without success, to replicate this aeons ago. From Passion & Warfare.

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Elliot Easton of The Cars – Walk On Walden (1992)
From The Guitars That Rule The World

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Marty Friedman of Megadeth – Arrival (1994)
…well this is not 100% acoustic, but it’s a truly beautiful number.

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Richie Kotzen of Poison – Richie’s Acoustic Thang (1993)
From the album Native Tongue.

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Van Halen – 316 (1991)

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Randy Rhoads – Dee (1980?, studio outtakes)
Originally recorded sometime 1980. Full version on Ozzy Osbourne’s Blizzard of Ozz. This version released in Tribute (1987)

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Joe Satriani – Baroque (1993)
off Time Machine

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Motley Crue – Kickstart My Heart / Anarchy in the UK [live, Donington, 17th August 1991]

admin — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 10:22:12 +0000

During the Monsters of Rock Festival on 17th August 1991, Motley Crue was the 3rd band to play, before Metallica and later AC/DC. These were two of the songs they played, a song off their 1989 album (Dr Feelgood) and of course the 1970s Sex Pistols classic.

Metallica – For Whom The Bell Tolls [live, Donington, 17th August 1991]

admin — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 10:14:29 +0000

During the Monsters of Rock Festival on 17th August 1991, Metallica was the 4th band to play, just before headliner AC/DC.

This was one of the songs they played, the third track from their second album Ride the Lightning (1984). The chromatic introduction, which is usually mistaken for an electric guitar, is in fact the bass guitar through distortion and wah-wah. The intro was written by the late Cliff Burton before joining Metallica.

The Father of the Electric Guitar, Les Paul dies at 94

admin — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 02:55:53 +0000

Les Paul, 94, “The Father of the Electric Guitar”, who developed probably the most well-known of all electric guitars whose pioneering electric guitars were used by a legion of rock stars, has died from complications of pneumonia in New York.

He created his first solid-body electric guitar, dubbed “the log”, in 1941. When he played it in a nightclub, people thought he was crazy. The first Les Paul electric guitars went on sale in 1952 and was in a way responsible for the birth of rock music.

That’s not all, he also:
(i) developed multi-track recording
(ii) developed overdubbing.
(iii) invented the 8-track tape recorder.

Countless world famous rock musicians are associated with Les Paul guitars, including:
(i) U2′s The Edge
(ii) Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page
(iii) Guns N’ Roses’ Slash
(iv) The Who’s Pete Townshend

Among the world’s greatest rock guitarists who paid tribute to him include Slash:

Les Paul was a shining example of how full one’s life can be. He was so vibrant and full of positive energy. I’m honoured and humbled to have known and played with him over the years.

Slash played the quissential “Les Paul sound guitar solo” in Sweet Child O’Mine.

Joe Satriani said:

Paul was the original guitar hero. Les Paul set a standard for musicianship and innovation that remains unsurpassed.

A successful performer in his own right, he notched up 11 number one singles and 36 gold discs with his wife Mary Ford, and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1978 and the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.

AC/DC – Thunderstruck (studio version, 1990)

admin — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 10:13:44 +0000

Thunderstruck is the first song on the 1990 AC/DC album The Razors Edge, released 21st September 1990. Among AC/DC’s most well-known tracks, this is the only song released after 1981 that the band still performs live in concert. Written by brothers Angus and Malcolm Young, Angus said writing the song “started off from a little trick I had on guitar. I played it to Mal [Malcolm] and he said ‘Oh, I’ve got a good rhythm idea that will sit well in the back.’ We built the song up from that… It was really just a case of finding a good title. We came up with this thunder thing and it seemed to have a good ring to it. AC/DC=Power. That’s the basic idea.”

AC/DC – Thunderstruck (live, Donington, 17th August 1991)

admin — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 10:05:41 +0000

The first song in their 18-song setlist during their 2-hour show at Donington Park, England on 17th August 1991. It was their third “Monsters Of Rock” festival. It was filmed in 35 mm Panavision and used 26 cameras, including one mounted on a helicopter.