Monsaint's Guitar Blog

German Rock Icons Scorpions Retiring For Good!

2010-01-26T08:06:00.000-08:00

After rocking the world like a hurricane for a staggering 45 years, German rock legends Scorpions have finally decided to call it quits. That is, after they complete their tour to support their upcoming album release "Sting In The Tail".

The band is currently recording their 17th studio album in Hanover, Germany, and is set to be released in an undisclosed date early this year.

The band went through several ups and downs after being in the music industry ever since founding rhythm/lead guitarist Rudolf Schenker started the band in 1965. Being in a group for THAT long is a minority in this business where it isn't common to see bands immediately go separate ways after only a few years.

What surprises me is that while a lot of their contemporaries continue to rock out (Aerosmith) or form reunion tours (Van Halen), the Scorpions goes completely the opposite direction with this move. They won’t be having problems financially, as the band has amazingly sold over 75 million albums worldwide!

I hope the group would make their final album a memorable one. In retrospect, I do feel a bit disheartened that the creators of music I listened to when I was growing up will throw in the towel finally. In the end though, after dishing out rock hit after another for more than four decades, the rock icons deserve this break.

Photo source: Wikipedia.org

Aerosmith Set To Replace Steven Tyler?

2010-01-21T10:50:00.000-08:00

When I read the news about Aerosmith holding auditions to find a replacement for longtime vocalist Steven Tyler, I was both saddened and relieved at the same time.

The feeling of relief came after the realization that Joe Perry and the gang are still quite serious in continuing to dish out rock n' roll madness, as what they've been doing for the past 4 decades. However, this situation can only be added to the number of recognizable rock bands that replaced their prominent vocalists. It's a hit and miss kind of scenario.

I was saddened by the fact that, Steven Tyler might not be able to recover from this current setback, although I'm still rooting for him to do so.

The only band that I thought really successfully made this transition is AC/DC.

After the venerable Bon Scott passed away and left the Aussie rock juggernaut temporarily reeling from the loss, replacement Brian Johnson came and owned the screamer spot bigtime. The millions of records sold by the band fully attests to the extent of Brian's success as AC/DC's replacement vox.

Other than AC/DC, I really can't think of any other band that made it as good as they did.

Let's just hope that Tyler does recover to reclaim his rightful place in the band's line-up.

Here the video of Steven Tyler falling off the stage, sustaining injuries that caused the group to cancel several shows and look for Tyler's, hopefully temporary, replacement.

Lucciano Pizzichini and Tallan Latz: 8-Year-Old Guitar Prodigies

2008-08-13T13:11:00.000-07:00

I read this article about complaints against an 8-year-old guitarist playing in clubs. Apparently, someone thought he was too young to play according to state child labor laws. His name is Tallan "T-Man" Latz, who is by the way a very good guitar player specially for his age. I mean, he can play lots of blues songs that I don't even know yet! He even employs a mean blues vibrato in solos that you couldn't resist a feeling of awe for this kid.

While I was amazed at this kid Tallan, my amazement wasn't nearly as much as when I first saw this other 8-year-old kid Lucciano "Lucchy" Pizzichini.

I saw him first at youtube when he was but a 6-year-old playing a classical piece. I was like "How can he do that?!". Then I saw this video of a show in an open field where Luchy played Santana's classic tune "Samba Pa Ti". It's riveting how he looked so confident on stage, at some point even swaying to the tune and feeling the groove. He wasn't even looking often at the guitar's fingerboard! He was a mere 7-year-old at the time. Here's the video:

There was even a TV show (shown in youtube) where the man himself, Carlos Santana, was there to bear witness to the small boy's prowess. Santana could not help but pay homage to the young Lucchy.

Both these prodigies are very talented and I salute their parents, who I'm sure are very proud of their kids.

Wanna Hear The New Single "C-lebrity" from Queen + Paul Rodgers?

2008-08-06T05:44:00.000-07:00

Queen + Paul Rodgers will be releasing their first collaboration with the upcoming album entitled "The Cosmos Rocks". The legendary group's highly anticipated work is set to reach the stores in the EU and the UK on 15th September and to the US and Canada on October 14th.

It's a general concensus that no one could ever replace the great Freddie Mercury. But really I feel that Paul Rodgers, who's a great vocalist in his own right, really meshes well with Brian May and Roger Taylor. For me, this is a different group altogether. They're still carrying the band name though, despite the fact that original members Brian and Roger represents just half of what the group used to be, with John Deacon retiring already. Nevertheless, with Brian May still manning the lead guitar spot, the band has more than enough juice to rock on until the next century or so!

For a preview of what to expect from the supergroup, here's a video of their rockin' new single "C-lebrity" shown in official Queen youtube site! Enjoy!

Metallica Announces Release Date For "Death Magnetic"!

2008-08-04T11:42:00.000-07:00

Finally, 5 years after the release of their previous album "St. Anger", Metallica will be releasing their ninth album entitled "Death Magnetic", which will be available this coming September 12, 2008!

I'm one of them old-school Metallica fans that loved all their 4 albums in the 80's, namely: "Ride The Lightning" (1983), "Kill 'Em All" (1984), "Master Of Puppets" (1986, in my opinion, their best ever!) and "...And Justice For All" (1988). I didn't really took much notice of them in the 90's. However, I'm still feeling that excitement as the date approaches and find myself looking forward to hearing the songs in the album.

There's a video I've seen in youtube showing the photo shoot of their upcoming single "The Day That Never Comes", a song which is shown in an Iraq War setting. This is what Lars Ulrich told MTV News about it:

It’s a story about human beings who don’t know each other, in a particularly tense situation. It could be a contemporary war setting, but it’s really about forgiveness and redemption and understanding what goes on in people’s minds. We really feel that this was such a beautiful and epic way to treat the song in something that was really radically different than the specificity of the lyrics.

I hope that the guys will remain true to the spirit of Metallica and make this album as kickass as possible. If they do, then it's going to be quite a treat!

How To Keep Your Guitar's Neck, Fretboard and Strings Clean

2008-08-03T09:48:00.000-07:00

Some time age, I was rocking my guitar and jamming with my band when I took a little breather. Our bassist then took my guitar and played songs to which our drummer jammed with. After a while, he (bassist) commented how difficult it was to play my guitar! He said that the strings and neck weren't smooth as he expected. I've been playing it long enough to notice. I thought it was normal. But it shouldn't be! It turned out that the culprits were the accumulated sweat and dirt in the neck and strings of my guitar.

I've always been conscious about the guitar body. I always keep it clean and avoid scratches as much as I can. However, this incident spurred me to think about how I, a life-long guitar aficionado, have been inadvertently neglecting my beloved guitar's neck area to the mercy of dirt and grime!

Mind you, it's not only for aesthetic purposes. Three months ago, I went through a harrowing episode of indescribable pain in my left hand and wrist that forced me to stop playing guitar, and caused limited mobility for my left hand, for a couple of months. It was one of the longest 2 months of my life! Now, I made a connection between my wrist pain and the condition of my guitars' necks. It's indeed a factor that causing this discomfort in my left hand while playing. After this realization, I made a vow to myself to be aware of guitar neck care if I want to keep playing guitar. I need my hands to play, right?

After a little research, I found some different ways to make sure you keep you guitar's neck area clean:

1. Wash thoroughly, and then dry your hands before playing the guitar.

2. After playing, wipe the neck, strings and fretboard with clean cloth to remove sweat.

3. Use a guitar string/neck cleaner product. There are various products for this: Fingerease, GHS Fast Fret, Dunlop 65, etc. Each has their own supporters and naysayers, but it's only natural. As they say, one man's wine is another man's poison.

4. Use WD-40, but maybe just in very small quantities as this lubricant is 50% solvent based. Who knows what damage it'll cause to our beloved guitars and to our skin. I read about how other players have been using WD-40 to clean their strings, fretboard and neck. There were some who vouched for it while there were other who discouraged it.

5. Use lemon oil or almond oil to clean the guitar's fingerboard and keep the strings dust-free.

Actually, I did try WD-40 on my guitar after I read about it. What I did was I sprayed a little on a piece of cloth. Then, I used the cloth to wipe off the dirt from the neck, strings and fretboard. I actually liked the result. The strings became easier to bend and make vibratos with. Fast runs on the fretboard was easier to do with less friction. The neck became smoother and playing was more relaxed for my hands.

Nowadays, I'm using almond oil to keep my guitar's fretboard and strings clean. As usual, it's done in moderation. Just a few drops on a clean cloth then slow wiping off the dirt from the fretboard and the strings. Every now and then I swab the back of the neck to keep it smooth. It is very important to wipe the almond oil off so the neck won't feel "oily", but still be smooth and fast!

My Top 10 Classic Rock Guitar Solos!

2008-07-25T00:37:00.000-07:00

One of the the most exciting things to do with the guitar is to replicate the solos played by your idols. It enables the aspiring guitarist to take the place of his guitar hero and BE the guitarist in the record... well, at least that's what it does for ME!

Trying to play a song/solo does 2 things: First of all, it gets me in a place, in my mind, where I'm front of thousands of screaming fans (just like Wembley Stadium in a Queen concert!), rocking the solo with my guitar! Second and more importantly, it helps me develop an "ear" by figuring out the guitar solo (and the whole song of course).

As a tribute to the venerated "guitar solo", I've made a list of my top 10 guitar solos from classic rock songs!

These were the pieces that I wanted to play when I was still starting out. Most of these are stuff that I can already play now, but THEN it felt like the most herculean task for me just to be able to play them.

You may agree with this list or not, as it all boils down to taste. But the thing we can't deny is that amazing guitar solos, such as those in the list, inspire young guitarists to take on the challenge of keeping rock music go on forever!

10. Crossroads - Cream
This 1968 rework of Robert Johnson's original is an impressive display of Cream collective virtuosity. Fittingly, Eric Clapton's fast yet bluesy guitar solos were among the song's highlights.

9. Reelin' In The Years - Steely Dan
It is said that Jimmy Page has called this Elliot Randall solo as one of his all-time favorites. Now that's one thing Jimmy Page and I have in common!

8. You Shook Me All Night Long - AC/DC
Angus Young's big bend started the blues-inspired solo with a bang. One of my favorite songs to jam with, I never seem to get tired of it!

7. Highway Star - Deep Purple
Richie Blackmore's harmonized guitar solo, accentuated by fast arpeggios and precise alternate pickings, is the perfect foil for the Jon Lord's organ solo for the group's concert favorite.

6. Red House - Jimi Hendrix
This has different live versions but the studio recording is what I like best. The vibe of the whole song is amazing, with a great soulful feel on the guitar solo.

5. Crazy Train - Ozzy Osbourne
One of the late great Randy Rhoads masterpieces, he adapts finger tapping and fast trills to make his solo in this song one of the all-time classics.

4. Hotel California - The Eagles
With Joe Walsh and Don Felder trading licks and dual guitars parts on this song, the solo at the end of the song is mesmerizing.

3. Comfortably Numb - Pink Floyd
A melodic, lyrical solo in the first part of the songs followed by a rocking solo at the end part showed us the musical genius of David Gilmour. His amazing guitar tone and exceptional note choices are what many guitarists, including myself, aspire for.

2. Stairway To Heaven - Led Zeppelin
The whole song builds up until that moment that Jimmy Page opens up that famous guitar solo near the end. It's mostly a pentatonic-based solo but potent nonetheless. It's almost a requirement for every aspiring guitarist to learn this solo early on.

1. Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen
This magnum opus of Queen presents the meticulous guitar work of Brian May, who, being my favorite axe wielder, gets the top spot of this list. The main solo and the end solo both deserve proper commendation for a job well done on showing how a rocking guitar solo should sound like!

How to Solve A Slow PC Monitor Display

2008-07-16T23:29:00.000-07:00

After I re-installed Windows XP Vista in my PC, I noticed that the video display became a bit slower that usual. How slow? Like, when I'm scrolling down a page, it doesn't immediately go down as it would normally. After some research in the internet, I was able to solve the problem with the following steps:

1. Re-install the driver for the display adapter. Mine is an S3 Graphics ProSavage DDR which I downloaded for free from www.s3graphics.com

2. After installing the display adapter driver, install now the monitor driver. Mine is a LG M1717S which I got from the CD included in the monitor package but it also mentioned that drivers are available at the www.lge.com website.

After doing these 2 steps, my video display is now faster. The procedure seems simple enough, but for uninformed guys like me it could take a lot of time to figure out first. Here's some stuff I learned while I was figuring it out:

- I learned that I need to install the display adapter driver FIRST before the monitor driver. I tried to install first the monitor driver but couldn't because it was listed as "Non-Plug-and-Play-Device". Once the display adapter driver was installed, I was now able to update the monitor driver in the Device Manager.

(You can go to Device Manager by right-clicking "My Computer", then "Properties", then "Hardware", then "Device Manager")

- I discovered a site called www.pcidatabase.com where people can determine the PCI Vendor Name and Chip Description with just a few steps. This became useful for me because in the Device Manager, I had "Other devices" that had question marks on it. I was able to identify those drivers by going to "Properties" then "Details". Once you get there you'll see something like this:

PCI\VEN_5333&DEV_8D04&SUBSYS_78701462&REV_00\4&82C770E&0&0008

VEN means vendor while DEV means device. In this case, the Vendor Code is 5333 and the Device Code is 8D04. When you input these information into the Vendor and Device search boxes in the site, you'll be able to identify your unknown driver.

My Top 10 Classic Rock Bands!

2008-07-10T03:15:00.000-07:00

Ever since I can remember, I've always been drawn to the energy of rock music. My mind-opening moment was during my growing years when my uncle would blast their cassette stereo with strains from The Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" tape. This was in the early 1980's by the way and I wasn't even 10 years old then. I became amazed, when I thought about it years later, how a 1967 Beatles album would still sound good, even after decades have passed.

That's when I learned about other groups whose musical outputs eventually transcended time and still reached their listeners on a different level. This quality and talent separate the ordinary bands from the great ones. But ultimately it's still a matter of taste. Everybody has their own list of favorites and here's mine!

10. THE EAGLES
The first song I heard from this group is "Hotel California". The highlight of the song is the guitar solo exchange at the song's ending! I can't forget the way the faces of Don Felder and Joe Walsh grimace and melt while playing their hearts' out, in concert footages. I find it both hilarious and mesmerizing at the same time. It turned out that "Hotel California" is just one of their numerous hits. These guys are tremendously talented. Their vocal harmonies are dead-on accurate and pleasing to the ears.

Hotel California - The Eagles

9. CREAM
Cream was one of the first supergroups and exploited the "power trio" format in a band. Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce are each immensely talented with their musical instruments. Their formula was based on the blues-rock genre. Each original and cover song is boosted with the group's collective virtuosity. Clapton's previous work with James Mayall's Bluesbreakers was a perfect springboard to his shot to stardom with Cream, and at the time, his breathtaking guitar skills were highly-regarded that it was immortalized in a famous "Clapton is god" graffiti.

Crossroads - Cream

8. VAN HALEN
One of the most innovative guitar players in recent years, Eddie Van Halen spearheaded this rock juggernaut with his equally talented brother, Alex. Van Halen had two different vocalists, David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar, that represented two different eras in the band growth over the years. Fans have been divided between the two, but I think it's better to just accept each as a unique hue in Van Halen's musical palette. Actually, there was a third vocalist, Gary Cherone but he was not as prominent as the other two. Just recently, Van Halen concluded their Reunion Tour with DLR. Its success as a testament to their amazing drawing power.

Dance The Night Away - Van Halen

7. DEEP PURPLE
My favorite album from the band is the classic "Machine Head", which produce the immortal "Smoke On The Water" and anthemic "Highway Star". (Read my review for this album in one my previous posts). Mark II lineup of the band is widely recognized as the best to have produced classic sound of the band, most notably Ritchie Blackmore's classical/blues combo influence in the guitar solos. Later, the group became inclined to progressive rock in later years. Deep Purple songs continue to be a staple in classic rock stations to this day.

Highway Star - Deep Purple

6. THIN LIZZY
The group had their first hit in 1973, with the Irish traditional song. "Whiskey In The Jar". One of the proponents of the harmony of double lead guitars, Thin Lizzy was also the platform of enigmatic bassist/vocalist Phil Lynott for his engaging, story-telling songs. This group had, at one time, in it's line-up one of my favorite guitarists, Gary Moore. However, the more memorable songs of the group were done with the twin guitar attack of Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson.

The Boys Are Back In Town - Thin Lizzy

5. THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE
The lineup of Jimi Hendrix, Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell followed, perhaps unintentionally, the power trio format initiated by Cream with just the basic guitar, bass and drums composition. As exceeding flamboyant and talented Hendrix was, Redding and Mitchell were not to be outdone and confidently held their own amidst the tumultuous performances conjured by the master guitarist. This collaboration produced the most of Hendrix' classic hits such as "Purple Haze", "Little Wing", "Fire", "Foxy Lady" and "Voodoo Child".

All Along The Watchtower - The Jimi Hendrix Experience

4. AC/DC
I was exposed initially to AC/DC's music during the Brian Johnson era, the "Back In Black" album specifically. (Read my review for this album in one my previous posts). The band had enjoyed considerable success during Bon Scott's tenure, but gained even wider recognition after his untimely death. Some critics may dismiss AC/DC music as repetitive. For me however, it represents rock and roll at its raunchiest, complemented with a generous amount of rebellious attitude by guitar god Angus Young. The band, still going strong through the decades, is reported to be releasing a new album later this year.

It's A Long Way To The Top If You Wanna Rock N Roll - AC/DC

3. BOSTON
Once only known for the smash hit "More Than A Feeling", I've came to know Boston as more than a one-hit wonder. In fact, all songs in their debut album "Boston" in 1976 were potential hits. Apparently, Tom Scholz, lead guitarist and band leader, made sure of that. Their sophomore effort "Don't Look Back" was likewise as stimulating and melody-driven as the first one. Recent efforts however were not satisfying enough for me. The death of Brad Delp last year slammed the door for a reunion of the original lineup which produced the band's trademark sound.

More Than A Feeling - Boston

2. THE BEATLES
One can't find any other band that's more influential than the Fab Four. Although their longevity as a band (they were active from 1962 to 1970 only) wasn't that much compared to other veteran bands whose careers spanned decades, the impact of their work is irrefutable. The bulk of material came from the potent songwriting tandem of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, who produced multiple hit songs over the years. Even after the group disbanded in 1970, appreciation for their music has continued.

Don't Let Me Down - The Beatles

1. QUEEN
Brian May is the guy who inspired me to play lead guitar. When I first heard Bohemian Rhapsody, I've been hooked since. But this group isn't just about May. From its inception 1970 until Freddie Mercury's untimely demise in 1991, this four-piece of superbly talented individuals constantly provided the music world with strings of hits. They refused to have their music to be tied down to a specific genre, instead released diverse tunes that defy categorization. The huge turnout in the "Freddie Mercury Tribute" concert in 1992 is a proof of how much the tragic loss of Mercury affected their fans.

Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen

How To Install New Pickups On A Strat-Type Guitar

2008-07-09T01:12:00.000-07:00

I recently upgraded my Yamaha Pacifica 112 with Dimarzio pickups, and I thought about making a detailed account here about the project.

So, here's a step-by-step account on how to remove the stock pickups and install new pickups on a Stratocaster-type guitar, based on how I installed the Dimarzio pickups (DP100 Super Distortion: bridge, DP116 HS-2: middle, DP217 YJM: neck) on my Pacifica. Here it goes!

1. Loosen the strings but don't remove them from the tuning pegs. When it's loose enough, remove the neck mounting screws and carefully detach the neck from the body.

* This will save time when putting it all back together, using the same strings. On the other hand, if you're going to put new strings anyway, then just remove the strings and don't bother removing the neck.

2. After putting the neck aside, detach the "volume", "tone" and selector switch caps. Once removed, the volume pot, tone pot and selector switch can now be detached from the pickguard.

3. Remove the pickguard screws.

4. Detach the stock pickups from the pickguard.

5. To totally remove the stock pickups, look for the 3 lugs under the selector switch where the 3 stock pickups are connected. When found, de-solder the 3 "hot" wires from the stock pickups.

* Before de-soldering, try to remember or label WHICH LUG IS FOR WHICH POSITION (bridge, middle or neck).

6. De-solder the ground wires of the 3 stock pickups from the back of volume potentiometer.

* Now the stock pickups are completely detached. Set them aside or store them in a box for safekeeping.

7. Attach the replacement pickups to their respective positions in the pickguard.

8. Check the wiring diagram for the color coding of the new pickup. Usually the new Dimarzios have 5 wires with the following colors: red, green, black, white and a bare wire. (For me, I used the full humbucker *series* wiring for all three Dimarzio pickups). Solder tips of the black and white wires together then wrap tightly with electrical tape.

9. Solder the green and bare wires together then solder properly to the back of the volume pot for grounding. Be sure to use higher wattage soldering iron ( >45 watts ) in order for the soldering lead to stick and make a good connection.

10. Solder the red "hot" wire from the pickup to its the corresponding position in the selector switch lug as mentioned in Step#5.

11. Repeat Steps #9 and #10 for the other two pickups.

* After all soldering jobs, be sure to conduct a visual inspection on all soldering connections. All connections should be secure and solid.

12. Return the "volume" pot, "tone" pot and selector switch to their rightful places. Be sure to properly attach their screws securely. Re-place the pots and switch caps.

13. Re-place the pickguard and attach screws on the guitar body. Check for stray wires that may stick out. All wires should stay inside the guitar cavity.

14. Re-attach the neck to the guitar body's neck joint, then screw tightly.

There you go. Just a simple 14-step procedure anyone can do at home. Hope this helps!

CD Review: "Powerslave" - Iron Maiden

2008-07-08T02:15:00.000-07:00

"Powerslave is the fifth studio album by the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on September 3, 1984. It is notable for its Egyptian theme displayed in the album art, as well in the title track's musical style. It contains a musical re-telling of Samuel Taylor Coleridge's "Rime of the Ancient Mariner", which uses pieces of the original poem as lyrics, and is the longest song Iron Maiden have ever recorded at a length of 13 minutes and 38 seconds. The album is also notable amongst the band's albums as being the first album to feature the same lineup as the previous one. As of 2008, this is the last of the band's albums to contain an instrumental track: "Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)." Powerslave is often considered one of their finest albums by fans and critics alike." - Excerpt from Wikipedia.org

I bought a cassette tape of this album in the early 90's and it became one of my regularly-played tapes. What I particularly like about it at was the infectious energy of the songs from the beginning to the last. What I learned later on that each track has it's own interesting tale to tell. Some of the notable tracks include:

"Aces High", a song about a WWII RAF pilot during the Battle of Britain in 1940 which marks the first time an air battle was fought in the British Isles, provides a jolting kickstart to the album's high-energy opening salvo.

"2 Minutes To Midnight", tells about that time in 1953 when the Doomsday Clock registered the closest ever to "midnight", representing catastrophic destruction. (Presently, the Clock is set at 5 minutes to midnight. The furthest it was set was 17 minutes to midnight in 1991).

"Flash of the Blade" starts off with a prominent guitar riff to accentuate the tale of dueling swordsmen. The awesome guitar solo showcases intricate lead guitar harmonies between Adrian Smith and Dave Murray, that Maiden is known for.

"Back In The Village" is another fast-paced number, based on the 1960's TV show "The Prisoner" which was said to be a favorite of Bruce Dickinson's.

"Powerslave" begins with high pitched scream followed by an ominous laughter. It tells about the demise of an Egyptian pharaoh. One of the album's best tracks.

"Rime of the Ancient Mariner" is based on the poem with the same title by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. This epic song used portions from the poem itself to complement the song. It's a commendable choice for the band to inject classic poetry to their album.

This album is generally hailed as one of the best ever, if not THE best, to be produced by Iron Maiden and I believe the recognition is rightfully bestowed.

Release: 1984

Tracks listing:
1. Aces High
2. 2 Minutes To Midnight
3. Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)
4. Flash Of The Blade
5. The Duellists
6. Back In The Village
7. Powerslave
8. Rime Of The Ancient Mariner

Band members:
Bruce Dickinson - vocals
Dave Murray - guitar
Adrian Smith - guitar, backing vocals
Steve Harris - bass
Nicko McBrain - drums

Stone Gods To Release Debut Album "Silver Spoons and Broken Bones"

2008-07-07T05:11:00.000-07:00

The Stone Gods, a new band formed from the ashes of defunct British rock goup The Darkness, is set to release their debut album on July 7, 2008. The album will be called "Silver Spoons and Broken Bones".

The group is composed of Richie Edwards (vocals/guitar), Dan Hawkins (lead guitar), Toby MacFarlaine (bass) and Ed Grahams (drums).

The Stone Gods have been quite busy since last year to record the new album and started promoting their new songs at the start of 2008:

"On February 25, 2008 an EP called "Burn the Witch" was released. It contained two tracks from the upcoming debut album and two non-album b-sides. According to the official Stone Gods website, the EP sold out within one day. It also reached #2 in the Radio 1 Rock charts.

On April 9, 2008, Stone Gods announced that the first single of the new album will be 'Knight Of The Living Dead' and was released on 23th June 2008.

On May 25, 2008, the band released 3 songs exclusively on iTunes. These songs, which will be on the album are 'Knight Of The Living Dead', 'Making it Hard' and 'Defend Or Die'.

On June 10, 2008, Stone Gods were supposed to start their 'Knight of the Living Death' tour in Liverpool, but due to health problems with Ed Graham, three dates were postponed. In order to continue the tour, Ed Graham is temporarily replaced by ex-Bush drummer Robin Goodridge."

I watched "Burn the Witch" and "You Brought A Knife To A Gunfight" in Youtube, and I gotta say, this lineup with Richie Edwards sounds way better (kick-ass is more like it!) for me than the falsettoes of ex-Darkness vocals Justin Hawkins, although I have to admit that I did enjoy "I Believe In A Thing Called Love" for a while. I hope they continue what they're doing, it's good to keep the flames of rock alive and burning.

Here's "You Brought A Knife To A Gunfight" from Stone Gods...

(Info taken from Wikipedia.org)

Van Halen Wraps Up Successful Tour

2008-07-05T11:40:00.000-07:00

As the final date of the humongous Van Halen Tour ended last June 2, 2008, it was revealed that this was the most commercially lucrative tour for the band. Lucrative… in the tune of US$93 million! This is according to the band’s official website, Van-Halen.com.

What could possibly be even better for the band than having Eddie sober enough to play as prodigiously as he does? Van Halen followers know how bad his condition was during previous tours as a result of his severe alcoholism. But since he got better, possibly from regular rehab, so did his guitar playing. Another plus for the fans was that this was the first time in more than 20 years that David Lee Roth toured with Van Halen. I'm sure those who were alienated from the band when Sammy Hagar came embraced this welcome change.

I feel bad, though, for original bassist and longtime VH companion Mike Anthony. Now, he could only watch, after years of touring together with the Van Halen brothers. He was replaced by Eddie’s teenage son Wolfgang who seemed to have sufficiently filled the shoes left by Anthony.

There’s nothing like playing your own songs and getting big bucks for it. That’s why if I were Eddie, I’d keep my self sober and keep on rocking until I keel over and die.

Photo: Van-Halen.com

AC/DC To Release New Album This Year!

2008-07-05T08:57:00.000-07:00

According to the band’s website, ACDC.com, the veteran rock group is set to release a new album later this year:

“The waiting is almost over! AC/DC fans can expect the band's next album of new material sometime later this year. The band are currently recording in Vancouver with producer Brendan O'Brien and long time audio engineer Mike Fraser. This will be the band's first collection of new material since the release of Stiff Upper Lip in 2000.”

This is good news for loyal AC/DC fans all over the world. It’s been 8 years since their last album release that included new songs, so it’s about time! Man! This is longest time ever that the legendary band had in between albums. We can’t really blame them though. With the success they attained all these years, they can afford to lie low a little bit, and enjoy the fruits of their labor.

Can’t wait to get my hands on it!

Photo: Wikipedia.org

CD Review: "Master Of Puppets" - Metallica

2008-07-02T01:25:00.001-07:00

Metallica's 3rd full album "Master of Puppets", released in 1986, served as the breaking ground for this legendary thrash metal quintet to the public consciousness. James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Cliff Burton and Kirk Hammett have been toiling in the underground scene for the past years and only after this were they truly appreciated by a wider audience.

This is also the last album recorded by Metallica with their well-loved bassist Burton before his tragic passing just a few months after the album's release.

It was a time when the most popular bands were led by hair metal groups like Ratt, Cinderella, Bon Jovi and Motley Crue. Amidst the pomp and glitter of the 80's glam metal music scene, "Master of Puppets" provided a brutal awakening for hardcore heavy metal fans. They (including myself!) haven't heard anything like it before, at all.

All songs were clocking over 5 minutes, with the masterpiece title track well above the 8-minute mark. Each song bursting to the seams with killer riff after killer riff, to be punctuated with mind-boggling guitar solos. There were no typical song format at all. Pop hooks, catchy tunes? You can throw them out of the window because you won't find them anywhere near it.

But man! The energy and power in the songs as these four kids (they were still kids then) relentlessly bludgeoned their respective musical instruments with uncanny precision, can be felt. And that for me was one of the factors that made the album so special.

It was crazy.

Nowadays, there is much criticism aimed at the group from their old-school fans because of the "selling out" tag. But let's not forget, that there was a time when the mighty Metallica blitzkrieg once truly kicked ass.

This album is the undeniable proof.

Release: 1986

Tracks listing:
1. Battery
2. Master of Puppets
3. The Thing That Should Not Be
4. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
5. Disposable Heroes
6. Leper Messiah
7. Orion
8. Damage, Inc.

Band members:
James Hetfield - vocals, rhythm guitars
Kirk Hammett - lead guitar
Cliff Burton - bass guitar
Lars Ulrich - drums

Dimarzio Pickups Review: HS-2 DP-116 and YJM DP-217

2008-06-30T04:17:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, for some reason, I finally got my two, new and unused, Dimarzio single coils (an HS-2 DP116 and a YJM DP217) out of the box under my PC table and tried installing it in my trusty Yamaha Pacifica 112.

I put my old Dimarzio Super Distortion humbucker (circa 1996) at the bridge, the HS-2 on the middle and the YJM on the neck positions. At last, my Yamaha Pac is now fully upgraded into a Dimarzio-powered axe!

When I plugged it into my Cube-60, I was amazed at how different it sounded NOW.

What was once a weak, uninspired tone for the stock Yamaha pickups were now more defined, fuller and more clear sound. I can't believe I waited that long before installing the two Dimarzio single coils pickups.

The cleans in the neck and middle positions were so crystal clear. Though not like the text-book glassy Fender tone many want to have, for me it was more than enough.

I noticed that the humbbucker at the bridge was louder and edgier that the 2 single coils and is more suited for metal/rock type of songs and guitar solos. This was expected as the Super Distortion has a higher output than the HS-2 and YJM.

What made me really happy was that the tone from the single coils were what I've been searching for so long for a clean tone. I was quite ecstatic over this.

I also took out my Epiphone LP Sunburst Plaintop to compare the sound. By the way, my LP is also Dimarzio-powered. It has a PAF Pro at the bridge and a Humbucker From Hell at the neck.

The PAF Pro a bit sounded similar to the Super Distortion at the neck, though less edgier and more laid back. But for the neck/middle position tones, it was a world of difference. The YJM and HS-2, hands down, sounded more defined and clearer to me than the HFH in the LP, which now sounded just a tad muddy COMPARED to the single coils. But LPs are supposed to be muddy at the neck, ain't they?

Looks like I got myself a new pet axe!

Banda Fantastica 2 - Various Pinoy Bands in Singapore

2007-10-25T07:00:00.000-07:00

This is a review of a compilation album released by Pinoy bands in Singapore. This CD was given to those who attended the concert last Oct. 20, 2007 at Le Baroque Chijmes, Singapore. By the way, I’m not a professional musician. I do play guitar and love listening to music. But all I am now is a hobbyist. Having said that, I hope the bands whose songs I gave low ratings would take these comments constructively. Truly, I am amazed how these people can still make time from their busy schedules to make music. That is beyond a shadow of doubt an admirable display of the spirit of musicianship.

Here it goes!

1. “Tomorrow's Past” by Soundpedia
The song started quite well. It showed a lot of promise but went downhill starting on the first chorus. There are timing issues and there seem to be a sense of urgency in the voice that I can't understand why. Listening makes me feel very uneasy, which was compounded by the fact that the vox was sometimes off-key. I also felt a sonic clutter was going on with all the different things the bass, drums and guitars seems to be doing at the same time while there's singing going on. The backup vocals sounded off-key at times and doesn't synch well with the main vocals. The only thing that made it bearable was the lead guitar, which made me think that this could've been a better instrumental song.
Rating : 2 of 5

2. “Enemy Within” by Transient Attack
Energetic song with vocals similar to Soundgarden and guitar riffs sounding like Stone Temple Pilots, at least for me. It brought to mind images of moshpits filled with banging bodies, stagediving and such. The song was engaging and kept my interest the whole time. The recording was ok, all instruments are heard without one overpowering another. There were some instances, though, when I felt the timing was off. I'm not sure if this was intentional or not, but it was noticeable. Nevertheless, I would say it's one of my favorite tracks in the album.
Rating : 4 of 5

3. “Song For You” by Cajooters
A fast tune that immediately reminded me of the song "Two Princes" by Spin Doctors. The recorded isn't as professional-sounding as some of the other tracks. The band played their song competently. It appeared they practiced well enough to sound tight, which is a good thing because some bands do have some considerable timing issues. However, the melody is quite redundant and gets tedious after a while because it doesn't have much to offer after the initial interest in generated at the beginning. It's one of the average tracks for me.
Rating: 3 of 5

4. “On A Coaster Ride” by Launchbox
One of the songs I like in the CD. Dig the rollercoaster sound effects at the end of the song! Timing and pitch here are perfect, this song thankfully has none of those obstacles. The vocals are particularly pleasant to the ears. The band is impressively tight and played the song very well, almost as if professional musicians did it. The song evokes a good feeling about it. It makes me want to hear it over and over again. It’s one thing I look for in a song, the way it connects with the listener. For me, this song connected. This is a song that would generally make me want to hear more and discover more about a band. Nice effort by Launchbox on this song.
Rating: 5 of 5

5. “Seize The Day” by Aftermath
I kinda liked the song. It sounded to me like a Neocolours song. It’s mellow and the melody is nice. However, there something missing or excessive about the song but I can’t point out what it is. Could it be that the groove of the bass guitar doesn’t mesh with the other instruments? I also notice some pitchy moments, specially the backup vocals. This is one song, however, that came through for me despite it’s flaws. Probably a better recording and more tight rendition would kick it up many notches higher than a “3”.
Rating: 3 of 5

6. "Funk'd Up" by Guitarded
A promising instrumental track that began quite well. I actually liked the first half of the piece. However, in the middle part until the end, the lead guitar sounded like it overdid the lead part. There was too much notes crammed in the aural space instead of feeling the flow of the catchy and foot-stomp-inducing beat of the song.
Rating: 3 of 5

7. “Angel of the Sea” by Pop Machine
First of all, intro music reminded me of The Cure’s similarly flanger-drenched intro in “A Forest” and bit like Seona Dancing’s “More to Lose”. Also, when the first lyrics sounded, it conjured a mental image of Robert Smith. Another thing, the “Angel” part of the chorus sounded like U2’s “Angel of Harlem”. Ok I had to get those out first. Now once you get past those New Wave references, you can see a tight band with a nice-sounding song with a good melody. It sounded very 80’s, I don’t know if they did it intentionally. It’s not a bad thing though. Some people, me included, dig this genre. Definitely one of the tracks that I like.
Rating: 4 of 5

8. "Island Jam" by Blues Junkie
Another instrumental track, this one reminded me of a typical Santana tune. It has a sound that gives a distinctive latin flavor. The drums solo in the middle part was noteworthy. Only remark is that the bass guitar solo sounded very weak. But it eventually built up when the other instruments came joining in. One of the tracks I like.
Rating: 4 of 5

9. "Best Love" by After Six
The recording is a bit weak. Actually, I couldn’t remember anything about it after the song ended. No hook. No catchy melody. No dynamics. I did remember the continuously droning drum machine-esque drum sound. And that sometimes the vocals becomes off-tune at different parts of the song.
Rating: 2 of 5

10. "Traces of Yesterday" by Winter Riot
I was really bothered by the time changes in the song. Usually I don’t have problems with multiple time changes in songs. But this one, I felt that the transitions weren’t that smooth and consistent as I would expect. Also, the melody for the chorus gets a bit repetitive at the end. Nonetheless, you have to give credit to the band for thinking unconventionally and making a complicated structure for their song.
Rating: 2 of 5

11. "Vanish" by Kernel Panic
A heavy, headbanging song that started well. But when the chorus started, the vocals started getting out of tune. The guitar solo was fantastic with a blistering run at the start. That was the highlight of the song for me. I wished the solo could have been a bit longer and louder about a notch or two. Another thing I noticed is that the rhythm section isn't consistent, sometimes the drums becomes slower and it feels like the the guitar is trying to keep up with it. This could be a reason why the songs couldn't get in a good flow. Recording seems adequate but could be better. The song is ok for me and could have been better if the band would just address these things.
Rating: 3 of 5

12. "Ikaw Lang" by Saint Trend
A slow number which is the only Tagalog track in the cd, it is a rock love song with a nice melody. Recording is exceptional and at par with some of the other well-recorded songs in the compilation. Another thing that gave the song it's wicked punch despite the syrupy lyrics was the remarkable guitar fills. The guitar player gave the right amount of guitar orchestration to liven up the sound despite its simplistic two-chord stanza progression as the end of the song approaches. Overall, a nicely-written song to listen to while driving on a lonely road at sunset. Another of my favorites.
Rating: 5 of 5

13. "Stay With Me" by Yellow Tea Lady
A pop love song with very nice melody. The intro got my attention with its clear, acoustic guitar riffs. But the vocals was even more engaging. This song hit a nerve somewhere within me. It felt like the singer was singing to me directly. The backing vocals provide additional body to the song in the right portions. Ok, there are some instances that I felt timing came a bit off and the vox a tad pitchy sometimes, but it still doesn't take away the song's magic. This song is one of those songs that I listen to multiple times without me getting tired of it.
Rating: 4 of 5

14. "Our Father" by Mr. Brosnan?
This song is a well-rounded rock offering with impeccable timing, well-placed fills and clear vocals. Recording was superbly done and actually sounded like it was mixed professionally. The guitar solo was impressive, the guitar player chose his phrasing really well. The band is extremely tight and constantly "in the pocket", so they say. The ending came a bit weak though, it felt like the song could have ended better with a bang. Despite that minor glitch, though, here's two thumbs up for Mr. Brosnan for coming up with a strong song. One of the cd's best tracks, it's my most favorite actually.
Rating : 5 of 5

-----------------------------------------

Mostly my comments became focused on timing and pitch. The thing is, one cannot focus on the song if these roadblocks are immediately encountered. I'm confident though that the bands would take these remarks constructively and will put out a better effort the next time.

Overall this is a commendable effort by our Pinoy musicians in Singapore who all have day jobs but still kept the musical fire inside them alive. Rock on! \m/ \m/

Here are links for those who want to download the songs:
http://www.purevolume.com/bandafantastica021
http://www.purevolume.com/bandafantastica022
http://www.purevolume.com/bandafantastica023
http://www.purevolume.com/bandafantastica024

Ten Random Tips for Guitar Beginners

2007-05-04T11:44:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the stuff I did when I started playing guitar and began learning new songs years ago, most of which mostly happened to me along the way unintentionally. As a matter of fact, it's only now that I was able put them into words.

1. Always give time to play guitar daily
Constant playing will make the player more accustomed to their instrument of choice. For the ardent guitarist however, one does not even make a conscious effort to put in the mileage on their guitar. It just happens. In my case, it's the most natural thing, almost instinctive, to go to my room and pick up the guitar.

2. Complete songs from the beginning to the end
It would be a memory practice and the same time, every completed song would be an addition to your repertoire whenever the need to play presents itself.

3. Learn to sing while playing guitar
An aspiring guitarist may not have the pipes that could be considered gifted, but that is a moot point. Being able to sing while playing is almost like a default function for a guitar player. It's definitely a desirable skill to acquire specially if your goal is to be in a band, but even if you desire only to play by your lonesome, singing along with your guitar playing can be an enjoyable experience as well.

4. Use a metronome
I've heard many play the guitar without correct timing. It may be a bit acceptable when you're playing solo with a free form kind of music but when your objective is play in a band, then you're in for a rough sailing. It is imperative for band members to play in synchronous fashion. Otherwise it will be a sonic disaster. Practicing with a metronome early on will aid in the development of getting the proper timing.

5. Hang out with like-minded and guitar (or musically)-inclined people
Even if you're not in a band with musician friends, just being with them is extremely helpful. You guys could be discussing theory, practice routines, exercises or just about your favorites bands, either way you're totally immersing yourself into guitar and music.

6. Try mentally dissecting songs
This might also be considered a part of "ear" training. Try hearing the segregation of the different musical instruments playing in a given song. It's fun once you get the hang of it!

7. Learn from the masters
Most of the stuff we hear are just recycled music from an older period, but given a touch of individuality by players considered as legends. Page, EVH, Satriani, Vai, Lukather, Hendrix, May, Clapton, these are all guitar heroes depending on which genre one is inclined to listen to. Hear what they have to offer, it's a lot for mere mortals like us.

8. Make small goals, one at a time, to cover a bigger goal
Sometimes a song you're practicing or a technique you're trying to learn may look daunting. But if you cut it into smaller bits, then focus on each small part, it won't look and feel as difficult. Each small target accomplished will get you one step closer to the bigger overall objective.

9. Keep listening to music
When you always listen to music, you tend to have more musical inputs in your mind. This broadens you tastes and makes you want to learn more styles and genres.

10. Join a band
There's no better way to practice while having a good time! No amount of backing tracks, even though how accurate and life-like it may sound, can measure up to the energy that a live jam session with a band generates. If you haven't tried it yet, then you're missing a lot!

I'm not saying all of these will work for everyone, as one man's wine could be another one's poison, but it worked for me in terms of my personal goals concerning guitar-playing. I'm still learning up to now, there's no end to learning stuff because as they say, the more you know, the more you know that you don't know!

Related Articles:

Ten Easy Rock Songs for Beginners

Philippine Embassy Consular Section in Riyadh - a salute!

2007-04-24T07:48:00.000-07:00

Amidst the negative publicity that government employees are known to project, there are some incidents that give a breeze of fresh air to dispel this notion.

Today an incident like that happened to me.

The past few days saw me travelling back and forth to the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh because I needed to renew my passport. Unlike before when one can just wait for an hour or two before getting the much coveted document, I was informed this time that they had run out of booklets to use for the new passports.

"Just leave your old passport here so we can process it then call us after a day or two." I was told.

That was 2 days ago. When I called earlier today, I was happy to hear that my passport was finished and just waiting to be picked up. So after work, I went directly to the compound with the hopes of getting home immediately after getting the document.

But this didn't go smoothly as I initially expected.

I came at around 3:30pm, which is half an hour before closing time. All the other people that came after me already got their respective passports and left. The embassy staff looking for my passport can't seem to find it. 4:00pm came, the end of official working hours, but still no sign of my passport. After that, another staff came to help but still nothing. I even volunteered to go inside to help but apparently that's not allowed.

I was getting anxious. Half an hour has passed 4pm and still they can't find it. There are four people now looking for it in all the shelves and tables over and over.

Then a thought suddenly struck me.

There I was, looking inside from outside the counter, and seeing these people frantically looking for my passport as if there was no tomorrow. Is this for real? These are the people that are supposedly too self-absorbed and don't care about about the public they are serving. Yet they’re doing everything they can for this non-VIP person who’s the only hindrance for them to get out of the office. I was thinking that these guys could easily just dismissed me and tell me to come back tomorrow, but they didn’t! I know it’s their job but for me who had experienced one time too many the kind of demeaning and condescending treatment from other government agencies, this came as a complete surprise.

So after almost an hour after their regular working hours, one of them finally saw my passport. I was so relieved and noticed that they looked as relieved as I was. One of them apologized for the inconvenience I went through. After the smoke cleared, I felt very happy not just because I finally saw my passport, but also because of the unselfish effort that I saw unexpectedly from these people.

So to the staff of the Consular Section in the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh, I’d like to thank you again for your effort and may you continue to give the public the same selflessness that our country sorely needs at these times.

"Machine Head" - Deep Purple

2007-04-22T11:59:00.000-07:00

Is there any rock dude who hasn’t heard of the immortal “Smoke On The Water”? For some it’s the most overplayed piece of crap in the history of music. For some, the intro is the ultimate guitar riff.

Luckily for Deep Purple, the album that included this classic isn’t just good for that one song. “Machine Head”, released in 1972 by this supergroup, is worthy of being called one of the most prominent rock albums in the development of the heavy metal and speed metal genre. For all guitar-inclined musicians all over like myself, it is a treasure chest of kick-ass riffs and a combination of classical-music-meets-blues inspired licks.

The album kicks off with the fast-paced “Highway Star”. One of their most recognizable songs, it boasts of complicated guitar and organ solos by Ritchie Blackmore and Jon Lord, respectively. It was so popular that Nintendo presented a version of the tune in their video game, Rock N’ Roll Racing. “Highway Star” is definitely one of my favorites. We used to jam this song in our cover band and everytime the solo part comes, I get goosebumps all over.

“Maybe I’m Leo” is a somewhat slower piece with a bit of groove going on while “Pictures of Home” begins with an emphatic display of mastery of the drums by Ian Paice. Like most of the songs in this release, both tracks have more that its share of fretboard brilliance by Blackmore and keyboard fireworks by Lord. But the latter has a little something that others don’t have – a rare bass solo by Roger Glover!

The next track, “Never Before”, is the shortest in the list. Aside from that, I felt that this is their weakest track. However, that would be a result of comparing it with the overall might of the other songs in this partuicular album. Compared to any lesser rock songs, this is defintely topnotch.

The last three songs closes the “Machine Head” experience with a loud bang. “Smoke on the Water” doesn’t need any introduction anymore. The next song “Lazy” sounds like a jam to me. It starts out with a Lord organ intro, then followed by an exchange of solos between him and Blackmore. We all know that Blackmore has been declared numerous times a guitar god, but Jon Lord wasn’t gonna make Ritchie walk all over him in this instance, or any other instance for that matter. Jon Lord is unquestionably one of the most talented organ player I’ve ever heard.

Finally the last song “Space Truckin’” has probably the most kick-ass intro riff in the whole set for me. This is the song that I really want to play with our group but unfortunately for me I’m the only in our band who likes it. I wonder why this never reached the same status as "Smoke on the Water". On the other hand, I think it’s better that way. With this scenario, there is a healthy balance between overly popular songs and tunes with less exposure that won't undermine the legacy of this brilliantly-crafted tour de force.

Release: 1972
Tracks listing:
1. Highway Star
2. Maybe I'm A Leo
3. Pictures Of Home
4. Never Before
5. Smoke On The Water
6. Lazy
7. Space Truckin'

Band members:
Ian Gillan - vocals, harmonica
Ritchie Blackmore - lead guitar
Jon Lord - piano, organ, keyboards
Roger Glove - bass guitar
Ian Paice - drums

Ten Easy Rock Songs For Guitar Beginners

2007-04-20T01:03:00.000-07:00

When I started playing guitar, nobody taught me how to do it. It wasn’t easy at first. My fretting hand's fingertips were so painful that I couldn’t touch anything for days! But once I got the hang of it, I discovered it was one of the most enjoyable things I’ve ever done. Over the years I would look back at those times and smile thinking how my life was changed the moment I picked up the guitar. It was actually my big sister’s guitar. However it turned out that I was more inclined to it than she was. She eventually turned over all the guitar playing duties to me.

I thought of making a random list of easy guitar songs that beginners might want to try playing, just to get things started. It will cover different genres but the objective is to improve playing, one song at a time. These are the criteria I’ve used for the selection of the songs:

a) Minimal number of chords –the less chords in a song, the easier it is to remember how to play it.
b) Minimal barre chords – barre chords require us to use our fretting hand’s index finger to press all 6 strings in a particular fret. Less barre chords is better for beginners.
c) Familiarity of the song – the songs are some of the most popular during their times.

And since we’re talking about beginner songs here, the primary goal of this list is to give novice players some songs to STRUM the guitar along with. No point in doing any complicated stuff yet. We have to first establish the rhythm within the player. So here it goes, in no particular order:

1. “Horse With No Name” – America
Chords: Em, F#m7sus

2. “Leaving On A Jet Plane” – John Denver
Chords: G, C, D

3. ”No Rain” – Blind Melon
Chords: E, D, A, G

4. “Every Rose Has It’s Thorns” – Poison
Chords: G, C, D, Em

5. “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” – Bob Dylan/ Guns N’ Roses
Chords: G, C, D, Am

6. “One” – U2
Chords: Am, D7, FM7, G

7. “Four Strong Winds” – Neil Young
Chords: C, Dm, G, F

8. “I Remember You” – Skid Row
Chords: G, C, D, Am, Em

9. “Come As You Are” - Nirvana
Chords: Em, D, G, Am, C

10. “Wonderful Tonight” – Eric Clapton
Chords: G, D, C, Em, Am

Finger placement:
C (x-3-2-0-1-0)
D (x-x-0-2-3-2)
D7 (x-x-0-2-1-2)
E (0-2-2-1-0-0)
Em (0-2-2-0-0-0)
A (x-0-2-2-2-0)
Am (x-0-2-2-1-0)
F (x-x-3-2-1-1)
FM7 (x-x-3-2-1-0)
F#m7sus (2-0-0-2-0-0)
G (3-2-0-0-0-3)

Legend:
D (x-x-0-2-3-2)

D - the chord name
x - E string will not be struck
x - A string will not be struck
0 - D string open
2 - Press G string on 2nd fret
3 - Press B string on 3rd fret
2 - Press e string on 2nd fret

There you go! Most of the songs have similar chords. That way, if we can recall chords from another some and incorporate that chord into another song then you get to practice applied knowledge. Ain't that grand!

Happy practicing!

Related Articles:

Ten Random Tips for Guitar Beginners

"Appetite for Destruction" – Guns N’ Roses

2007-04-17T05:58:00.000-07:00

It was the height of the glam metal scene. Big hair, thick make-up, lipstick, more big hair, spandex pants, colorful costumes and … did I say big hair already? Everything was about the “image”. The music came secondary, at least that’s what my impression was.

Then came the 1987 debut of the band Guns N’ Roses.

It was raw, loud and raunchy. It’s got that in-your-face attitude that seems to taunt you from the first track to the last.

First song from this album that got my attention was “Sweet Child O’ Mine”. Although I’ve heard “Welcome To The Jungle” earlier, it didn’t caught my attention as much as “Sweet Child...” did. I loved the melodic riff that Slash did in the intro. The solos in-between stanzas provided enough tension to support the build-up going to the main solo. And the main solo itself is totally captivating.

However, I learned that Slash hated the intro riff because it was simply a technical exercise and was played only as a joke during a jam session. It turned out that the song that started out with a “joke” riff became one of their well-known songs. “Well-known” is an understatement really. In the Pinoy band scene at that time, a concert where this song won’t be played is as rare as the chemical element Astatine. Yes, it was one of the most overplayed songs then. That was before “Smells Like Teen Spirit” made its presence felt in the early 90’s and grabbed that dubious title. But that‘s a different story altogether.

The aftermath of "Appetite for Destruction" resulted in the departure of Izzy Stradlin and Steven Adler for the same reason, but from different perspectives. Adler was kicked out of the group because of substance abuse, while Stradlin decided to leave to get away from substance abuse. It was quite unfortunate as these two were instrumental in achieving the sound that made their debut very successful. Another reason for Stradlin to leave was when Adler was replaced, he apparently felt that the replacement’s sound didn’t work for the band.

I agree with him.

The GNR version sans Stradlin and Adler sounded a bit lacking to me. This is not to discredit the talents of the numerous substitutes that completed the GNR lineup over the years. They are class musicians in their own right. However, I strongly believe that there are some bands that aren’t meant to be splintered. Removing one will take away essential ingredients that makes them unique.

Guns N’ Roses is one of those bands.

I been thinking about this since the group went their separate ways. Would GNR be a different band or will they tread along the hardrock path in the same fashion as “Appetite for Destruction”, if the original line-up remained intact today? I guess the fans will just be contented to these speculations and what-ifs.

Released: 1987

Track listing:
1. Welcome To The Jungle
2. It's So Easy
3. Nightrain
4. Out ta Get Me
5. Mr. Brownstone
6. Paradise City
7. My Michelle
8. Think About You
9. Sweet Child O' Mine
10. You're Crazy
11. Anything Goes
12. Rocket Queen

Band members:
Axl Rose - vocals
Slash - lead guitar, acoustic guitar, rhythm guitar
Izzy Stradlin - rhythm guitar, lead guitar, backing vocals
Duff McKagan - bass, backing vocals
Steven Adler - drums

"Back In Black" - AC/DC

2007-04-15T21:01:00.000-07:00

In the early part of 1980, Bon Scott, lead singer for AC/DC, spent a night of partying which resulted in his fatal alcohol poisoning demise. This incident came as a shock to his band mates. They had been doing very well after their release of "Highway to Hell". After this unfortunate accident, the band came to a crossroad on whether to continue or not.

Did they continue?

Of course they did! At any rate, the decision to go on was beyond any doubt, the best they ever made! The Young brothers got ex-Geordie screamer Brian Johnson as replacement and created their masterpiece "Back in Black" as tribute to their fallen comrade.

I first heard of AC/DC when the horror flick "Maximum Overdrive", a version of Stephen King's short story "Trucks", was shown in the Philippines in 1987. To promote the film, the local radio stations gave considerable airplay to their anthemic song "You Shook Me All Night Long", which was included in the movie soundtrack. Man! After I heard that song, it kept playing in my head over and over. Also, the image of Angus Young strutting the duckwalk and playing lead guitar on the video gave me a lasting impression. What attracted me more was how the solid rhythm section of Malcolm Young, Cliff Williams and Phil Rudd relentlessly laid the foundation for Brian Johnson to dispense his raspy, gut-wrenching vocals.

Once I got enthralled by this song, I started wanting for more. That craving led me to the "Back in Black" album, which is one of the best-selling albums of all time. Thankfully, it turned out that the other songs aren't patsies compared to "You Shook Me…". The album track is definitely another favorite of mine. Its seemingly basic E-D-A riff gets my adrenaline pumping, right (or left) foot stomping and head nodding to the rhythm. Too bad it was covered by Celine Dion (ew!), surprisingly even she was captivated by the song. Could she a be a rocker deep inside that cheesy marshmallow exterior?

Oh my God! Why am I even discussing Celine Dion's musical preferences! Ugh!

"Shoot To Thrill" is another gem. If you had watched Jack Black's movie "School of Rock", you might have heard that the pre-lead portion of this song is quite similar to the song written by the movie's 10-year-old guitar prodigy Zach Mooneyham. My other favorite tracks include "Have A Drink On Me" and the rock statement "Rock N' Roll Ain't Noise Pollution". All AC/DC songs are completely jam-worthy, but I'm guilty of not giving more time to learn the songs enough. I know the whole "You Shook Me.." but still, I want to play along with the whole album.

There's something I noticed though. The riffs for the songs may seem to sound very simple and basic; but there's something that these guys have in their music. That gives them a little more than your average hard rock band. Whatever "that" is, it's something that makes AC/DC special.

Released: 1980

Track listing:
1. Hells Bells
2. Shoot To Thrill
3. What Do You Do For Money
4. Given the Dog a Bone
5. Let Me Put My Love Into You
6. Back In Black
7. You Shook Me All Night Long
8. Have A Drink On Me
9. Shake A Leg
10. Rock And Roll Ain't Noise Pollution

Band Members:
Brian Johnson – lead vocals
Angus Young – lead guitar
Malcolm Young – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Cliff Williams – bass guitar, backing vocals
Phil Rudd - drums

"Moving Pictures" - Rush

2007-04-15T00:58:00.000-07:00

"Moving Pictures" is the classic album from the Canadian progressive rock trio of Geddy Lee, Neil Peart and Alex Lifeson. It was released in 1981 and it remains the group's most popular collaboration so far.

I've read about this group for a long time. They first came to my consciousness when I read something about The Dawn around 1987-ish, when Teddy Diaz and the gang were still establishing their hold of the Pinoy rock scene. Rush was mentioned as one of Teddy's influences. I was like "Rush? uh ok". At that time, the internet was still in its developmental stages. So, the only source of music info one can get is through magazines. Most of the popular music magazines at the time feature mostly glam metal band like Poison, Motley Crue and the other popular hair metal groups.

A Rush article wouldn't get coverage in those publications even in a million years.

Back to the present: Over the years, I've gotten enough info about those guys and only recently did I muster enough courage to give it a try. So I ordered a CD of Moving Pictures online through Amazon.

The first thing that came to my mind after hearing it was, "Why did I wait THIS long to get their CD!"

I became part of the millions hooked to the magic weaved by these musical geniuses. The Morse-coded "YYZ" is the clearly the most energetic track in the bunch. But my most favorite would be "Red Barchetta". You could almost feel like you're riding the roadster along a highway feeling the air in your face! "Tom Sawyer" and "Limelight" are likewise masterfully crafted musical gems. You can't miss the references the guys make to literary influences they have and it make you admire them even more.

The musical expertise of the group are very much evident in this album. The only thing that bothered me initially is Geddy Lee's somewhat whiney-sounding voice. But after a while, I got used to it and felt that it is actually a factor to the band's unique sound.

Released: 1981

Track listing:
1. Tom Sawyer
2. Red Barchetta
3. YYZ
4. Limelight
5. The Camera Eye
6. Witch Hunt
7. Vital Signs

Band members:
Geddy Lee - bass guitar, vocals
Alex Lifeson - electric and acoustic guitars
Neil Peart - drums and percussion

Hello!

2007-04-13T15:44:00.000-07:00

First ever post here!

Well, this is just something for me to bare my mind about whatever topic I want to talk about, at any time, whenever I can.

Guitars, guitar-related gear, tributes to my guitar heroes, ramblings about my favorite albums, favorite bands, boxing, basketball, technology... what else. It's not limited to those things. I want to try keeping things interesting for me so I'll be posting things that I like.

Just speaking my mind out :D