Tag Archives: Music

Top 25 Guitarists of all time: #21 George Harrison

20 Aug

Hello everyone. As the summer sun begins to fade, allow me to introduce a man whose impact has no sunset: George Harrison.

Born in 1943, Harrison rose to become an amazing English rock guitarist, singer-songwriter, and of course, the lead guitarist of The Beatles. On this rare occasion, both myself and Rolling Stone magazine place Mr. Harrison in the #21 spot. With his innovative guitar work with The Beatles, it is no wonder that George finds himself on this list. Harrison favored Gretsch guitars during early recordings, usually with a Vox amplifier.

In 1965, Harrison got his first Fender Strat, which was used on the Rubber Soul album. Harrison did quite well for himself, and even had quite the desirable wife: Pattie Boyd. Some may recognize this name as the subject of “Layla,” a song by Eric Clapton. Clapton was in love with Harrison’s wife at the time, a situation that tested their friendship. I wish I were a fly on the wall when Clapton told Harrison this. Anyway, in 1997 Harrison was diagnosed with throat cancer, which he attributed to his smoking in the ’60s.

He eventually died from metastatic non-small cell lung cancer, the official cause of death written on his death certificate. On the first anniversary of his death, Royal Albert Hall hosted the Concert for George. The concert benefited Harrison’s charity, the Material World Charitable Foundation.

So, overall, Harrison finds himself on this list not because of his good intentions, but because of his pure skill and ability with a guitar. He has influenced countless musicians through his own work as well as his work with The Beatles.

Check out this video at the Concert for George, as his friends cover his song “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.”

Here is another version from when George was still able to play with his friends.

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Unconventional Covers

19 Aug

A lot of linkage going on this week. Today, I was doing some searching on fark.com and ran into this:

That’s right, a Gregorian Monks chant cover of “Comfortably Numb.” The Pink Floyd epic is haunting, but, this is just damn near ghoulish. It’s scary. It also got me thinking. There are many unconventional covers out there. That sparked a search for some of the coolest, most atypical and somewhat esoteric covers of rock standards. First, let’s start with Andy McKee’s great guitar cover of “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”

Now, that’s just a cool piece of music. Next up, a choir version of “Smells like Teen Spirit.”

And, last, but certainly not least, a little “Umbrella” by Biffy Clyro. Enjoy!

Feel free to add some of your own choices for unconventional covers in the comments section below.

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Runnin’ Down A Dream

16 Aug

During my search for blog content, I occasionally come across a wonderful story that just gives me goosebumps. It is generally an ode to a fallen rocker, or a fantastic profile on an obscure musician. But, this morning, an article from the Washington Post caught my eye. It was written by a 14-year-old named Griffin Black, of Virginia, and told his amazing story about his love for one particular guitar.

This "Red Dog" guitar...well, one that looks and feels very much like it

I'll trade you my lunch money for it

Music Court writer Josh Lampert and I often watch Youtube videos of famous guitarists playing their trademark guitars. Whether it’s Jimi Hendrix’s Fender 60’s Reverse Headstock Stratocaster or B.B. King’s black Gibson, Lucille, Josh and I like to stare at these guitars and go wow…I want that. Well, we don’t need Hendrix’s guitar because we both strum the guitar with our right hand, but still, that does not mean I would not take the guitar. These are the guitars of our idols and no one knows more about guitar idolatry than Griffin Black.

Black, a proud classic rock fan, is a blooming guitarist with a keen ear and skilled manufacturing skills. A Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers fan, and, more specifically, a huge fan of guitarist Mike Campbell, Black found himself watching Youtube videos of past performances. Oh, don’t we all. In watching these videos, he came across a package of Mike Campbell guitar bits and fell in love with, “a brilliant red ’60s Fender Telecaster around his neck.” That guitar was Campbell’s “Red Dog”

And, persistent Griffin decided he would not just settle with saying cool guitar. He would build his own and over a three month span that is what he did. And, what is the natural step after making a famous guitar. Have its originator sign it. So, with help from his Dad, he tracked down the band’s manager and impressed Campbell so much that the Heartbreaker’s guitarist invited them for a backstage visit before a show. And, you’ll never believe what happened next.

It is a great article depicting a 14-year-old’s success story and it definitely proves that classic rock is alive and well among the youth of the nation. Hey, like I say, there will always be interest in good music.

Check out the article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/13/AR2010081306140.html?hpid=artslot&sid=ST2010081306555

TomPetty.com: http://www.tompetty.com/news/title/runnin-down-a-dream-mike-campbell-meets-14-year-old-griffin-black

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David Gray and Ray LaMontagne: Hard-Workin’ and Tourin’

15 Aug

When you think of the top folk singer-songwriter’s producing music today, David Gray and Ray LaMontagne appear on the list. And, when you add the hard working sentiment, there are not many current artists who can beat them.

Gray and LaMontagne begin their joint 16-city Summer/Fall tour tonight in Columbia, MD and both release their new albums the following day. Hard working? David Gray is technically still on his Draw The Line tour celebrating the album he released last September. Tomorrow, he will release a double album entitled Foundling and it’s all new material. This is a musician who has a song entitled, “Life in Slow Motion.” Yeah, Gray, somehow it don’t feel real.

And, don’t forget about Ray LaMontagne.

Lamontagne (second from the left) --- courtesy of the artist

LaMontagne’s God Willin’ And The Creek Don’t Rise, named after the Benjamin Hawkins phrase (http://ngeorgia.com/ang/God_Willing_and_the_creek_don%27t_rise), was recorded in only two weeks at LaMontagne’s sylvan home in western Massachusetts. It’s not rushing…sometimes a recording session is just efficient. Well, with LaMontagne’s newly formed Pariah Dogs consisting of Jay Bellarose on drums, Jennifer Condos on bass, Patrick Warren on keys, Eric Heywood on guitar and Greg Leisz on steel guitar, it is hard not to make good music.

God Willin’ is LaMontagne’s fourth studio album and is the first one he has produced by himself. The sound? Calm folk/country, mixed with little portions of LaMontagne’s trademark swing (the first song “Repo Man” is loud). If you like LaMontagne’s soul (music type of soul) this should be in line with expectations.

Review of the album: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128986999

David Gray

Like I said above, Foundling, is a double album. Why he is producing so much music? “A very fertile recording session,” said Gray. Seriously, dude, like rabbits. “These are some of the most dynamic recordings I’ve ever done,” he says. This is all good news for David Gray fans. His brand of folk-rock is infectious and, does not receive any where close to the commercial success it should. Get ready. This release will be good.

Review: http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2010-08-15-david-gray_N.htm

The Tour

Below I will post the full list of dates. I hope to possibly go and see them on the 19th but I will see how that goes. If you do have the opportunity to see them, go. This is a productive combination of musicians.

August 2010
15 – Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion
17 – Mansfield, MA – Bank of America Pavilion
19 – Wantagh, NY – Nikon @ Jones Beach
20 – Camden, NJ – Susquehanna Bank Center
22 – Nashville, TN – Grand Ole Opry
25 – Chicago, IL – Millennium Park
26 – Rochester, MI – Meadow Brook Theatre
29 – Council Bluffs, IA – Stir Cover @ Harrah’s Council Bluffs
30 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre
31 – Santa Fe, NM – Santa Fe Opera House

September 2010
1 – Phoenix, AZ – Dodge Theatre
3 – Las Vegas, NV – The Pearl
4 – Valley Center, CA – Harrahs Rincon
5 – Santa Barbara, CA – Santa Barbara Bowl
8 – Los Angeles, CA – Greek Theatre
10 – Berkeley, CA – Greek Theatre

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Top 100 Lyricist #67: Robert Smith (The Cure)

12 Aug

Did you know that Robert Smith of the Cure can play guitar, bass, flute, trumpet and violin? Yes, the 51-year-old rocker is not just a pioneer of New Wave rock, but, he is also an accomplished multi-instrumentalist. I think many overlook Robert Smith’s ability. A constant member of the The Cure since their start in 1976, Smith ensconced into the lead vocals and principal song writing role a long time ago and has shown consistent success. His melancholic, somewhat depressing, style of song writing compared with his stage dress has been looked at as an early style of “Goth,” everything. But, don’t tell that to Smith.

“It’s so pitiful when ‘goth’ is still tagged onto the name The Cure,” he said about the relationship.

The Cure’s modus operandi may seem quite “Goth,” but, like most predecessors of style, it does not mean that they are actually what they created. Smith is actually an incredibly talented musician whose gloomy, punk performance style is infectious. He is also a particularly cogent lyricist. Hence, his spot as #67 on our lengthy top 100 lyricist list.

The above video is of The Cure’s “Killing An Arab,” a frenetic punk allusion. Smith, a sucker for good literature (well, I mean who isn’t), displays his ode to “The Stranger,” the existential classic by Albert Camus, in this song. Here are some lyrics to abate your insatiable lyric appetite.

“Standing on a beach
With a gun in my hand
Staring at the sea
Staring at the sand
Staring down the barrel
At the arab on the ground
See his open mouth
But hear no sound

I’m alive
I’m dead
I’m the stranger
Killing an arab”

Here, Smith places us on the beach with Meursault, the protagonist of “The Stranger,” after he has killed the Arab. Do you want a reason for why he did it? Well, I am sorry that I can’t provide you with one. Still, an excellent read and a true existential masterpiece. English major 101. Give me an e-mail and we can discuss the contents. I have only written two essays on Camus’ novel. Well, we are not supposed to be talking about literature here. This is just supposed to be the poetry of song writing. It is a great lyric in that it portrays the utter crisis that Meursault finds himself in, unknowing and rather uncaring.

On to the next lyric…one of my favorite Smith lyric.

“The most perfect of songs, few words, little music.” Smith said this about “Accuracy” and he is absolutely right. It is short and, well, not so sweet. But, its surrealist lyric is most definitely a thing of beauty.

“We sit in the same room
Side by side
I give you the wrong lines
Feed you

Look into my eyes
We both smile
I could kill you
Without trying

That’s accuracy
Practice all day for accuracy

Mirror mirror on the wall…”

This is the entire lyric. Could it be a lyric exploring a concupiscent attraction? A, sort of, surreal look into fatal longing and pin-point seduction. The odd archery of love. It is brief, but, it invokes numerous questions, and, good lyrics do that. For that, Smith has worked himself 33 spots in on our descending list.

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