In this one jam-packed issue, you get a look at the greatest bands that shaped rock and roll, including Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Van Halen, AC/DC and many others. Plus, Guitar Legends: Classic Rock tells you the stories behind the era's most important albums and songs.
To make the package complete, we give you the TAB, including bass lines, for five hit songs from the classic rock canon.
Guitar Legends: Classic Rock articles include:
• 1969 - The Greatest Year in Rock: Guitar Legends takes a month-by-month look at the albums and events that shaped 1969, the most pivotal year in rock and roll. • The Seventies: With Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Queen and Kiss at the height of their powers, it's no wonder this is remembered as the classic rock era. • The Making of Pink Floyd's The Wall: The chronicle of rock's grandest concept album and how it nearly destroyed its creators. • The Eighties: From Metallica to Mötley Crüe, from Van Halen to Iron Maiden…this was the golden age of virtuoso guitar playing, thrash metal, long hair and groupies. • The Making of AC/DC's Back in Black: Guitar Legends celebrates the enduring appeal of an all-time classic album that nearly wasn't made. • The Making of Guns N' Roses'Appetite for Destruction: Slash recalls the making of the band's landmark album. • Greatest Guitar Stories: Keith Richards, Edward Van Halen, Ozzy Osbourne, Pete Townshend and other heroes tell incredible tales of rock and roll legend. • Prime Cuts: The tales behind the tunes, told by the artists who wrote and recorded them, including ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons, Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson and Martin Barre, Kiss' Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, Edward Van Halen and AC/DC's Angus Young.
For the better part of 20 years, guitar virtuoso Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal has performed at sold-out shows and festivals around the world.
Thal, whose unique guitar work is an undisputed highlight of Guns N' Roses'Chinese Democracy album (2008), also headlines as a solo act and helps raise awareness for several constructive causes, including the Red Cross, Operation Smile and the Earthquake Relief Fund.
Although it’s been nearly seven years since he’s released a solo album, Bumblefoot is back with Little Brother Is Watching, his 10th full-length solo release.
It's an inspired collection of eclectic, modern rock that's packed with tasty guitar work and lyrics about life in the digital age and beyond. The songs, including the album’s title track, reflect a change in perception of who’s watching who, while “Don’t Know Who to Pray to Anymore” and “Livin’ the Dream” focus on self-reflection and the need to question everything.
Although he’s unable to discuss his current Guns N' Roses status, you can tell in speaking with Thal that he’s at a good place in his life right now, and it’s even more obvious when listening to Little Brother Is Watching.
I recently spoke with Bumblefoot about the new album, his songwriting, gear and another new project, Art of Anarchy.
GUITAR WORLD: What spawned or inspired this new album?
It’s been too long since I’ve done an album. Although I did some one-off singles in 2011, it’s been a while since I did a full collection of music. Due to touring, there was never enough time to dedicate and keep momentum in a studio. Now that I’ve got that time, it was time to make that happen.
How would you describe Little Brother Is Watching in terms of how it relates to some of your previous work?
The foundation for everything I’ve done has been punk and classic rock. That’s what I grew up on. Everything else is icing on that cake. As I got older and with all of the time that’s passed and life experiences, there were more stories to tell. I just got more direct about telling them.
What’s your writing process like?
It’s always different. The end result is a song and you know all of the pieces that lead up to it, but they always happen in a different order. It could start with drum groove, a title, a guitar riff and melody, or maybe it’s just something you want to say. The process usually starts in my head.
Then once everything sounds right I’ll get together with my drummer [Dennis Leeflang] and play it for the first time with an acoustic guitar, and we’ll start talking about the vibe. When the time comes to lay drums, I’ll start laying down spontaneous, one-take scratch tracks. And because I don’t over-think it, they tend to become the best ideas. Just letting who I am navigate where it goes. The guitar melodies and solos I did were all scratch tracks and my first ideas.
I’d like to ask you about a few individual tracks from the new album. Let's start with “Little Brother Is Watching."
It’s a subject that hasn’t really been touched upon very much. It’s just a statement on how we all live. I felt like I needed to write a song that talks about the whole change that’s occurred in how people always felt the government was too invasive into our lives and were keeping tabs on what we do. The truth is we do that to ourselves. If the police are doing something wrong, you know people are going to be putting it on their cell phones and posting it on YouTube. Now it’s more like we watch the power instead of the power watching us. We’ve become a million armies of one.
“Don’t Know Who to Pray to Anymore”
That’s one of my favorite songs from the album. It has a singable guitar melody and is really about something everyone goes through at some point. Where you start to question everyone and everything, including your faith.
“Argentina”
That’s one of those epic songs with three different movements. The first section has a tango kind of feel and is about throwing caution to the wind and jumping into something. The second part is about expecting things to be different and how the two sides of the relationship don’t necessarily see eye to eye. The third part is about how all of that positive energy can be challenged and go dark and how love can become vengeance. It’s about a relationship but not in the way a man and a woman fall in love.
“Livin’ the Dream”
It’s a real song about what it’s like to be on the road touring. A lot of people from the outside might see it as something glamorous. But it’s really about what you go through when you have to make the transition from putting the life you know at home on pause and hitting the road.
What was the recording process like?
It was therapeutic. I love being creative. When you do a show, you do it and it’s over. But when you make a song and put music into the world, it’s something that’s going to out live you.
You’ve done a lot of work with charities lately. How important is it for you to be able to give something back?
It’s everything. Over the last few years, I’ve begun to figure out what matters and have started making a lot of decisions. I would rather play for 10 little kids and put a smile on their faces instead of playing for 100,000 people. The world might not agree, but that’s me and that’s how I’m going to live.
Can you give me an update on another one of your projects, Art of Anarchy?
It’s an interesting album that we actually started working on in 2011. Scott Weiland wrote and recorded all of the vocals on the album, and it will be coming out in late spring.
Did you always know music would be your calling?
I did. From the time I heard the Kiss Alive when I was 5, I knew it was something I wanted to do. By the time I was 6 I already had my first band and was writing songs with my friends. We would play in basements, back yards and elementary school. Anywhere that we could.
I still remember spending all day cutting up little pieces of paper and putting them in Solo cups so everyone could throw the confetti into the air during the last song. I still laugh about that now 30 years later because nothing has changed. At the end of the show, there are always the confetti canons. Same stuff just bigger proportions! [laughs].
What’s your current setup like?
I’ve got my Vigier Signature double neck, a fretted/fretless backbreaker beast of a guitar, and usually go out just with that. For amps, I like the ENGL Invader 100-watt head and a nice Marshall cabinet.
I know you can’t speak about your current situation with Guns N’ Roses, but what was/is it like being part of such an iconic band?
I’ve done a lot of things and played and recorded with a lot of people, but it actually felt normal. You don’t think of it as being iconic or this or that. You think about it as we’re a bunch of musicians getting together because this is what we do!
What are you most looking forward to this year?
Putting out all of this music this year makes me feel alive. It makes me feel that the dimmer switch has been turned all the way up. I feel at peace inside knowing I’m doing what I should be doing and what I want to be doing.
James Wood is a writer, musician and self-proclaimed metalhead who maintains his own website, GoJimmyGo.net. His articles and interviews are written on a variety of topics with passion and humor. You can follow him on Twitter @JimEWood.
Scot Sax knows his way around a solid pop song. The Philadelphia musician has been writing them for years, whether it was with his own bands Wanderlust and Feel, or as a purveyor of hits for singers like Faith Hill and Tim McGraw. It was Sax, in fact, who co-wrote the country duo’s Grammy-winning smash “Like We Never Loved At All.” His catchy “I Am the Summertime,” penned while with the band Bachelor Number One, was featured in the blockbuster “American Pie.” And he’s netted countless TV credits, with song placements in shows like “Ghost Whisperer,” “NCIS,” “CSI: NY” and “Keeping up with the Kardashians.” He toured as a guitarist with Sharon Little throughout North America supporting Robert Plant and Alison Krauss' Raising Sand. His filmmaking debut, the documentary "Platinum Rush," is currently being entered into film festivals worldwide and will premiere in 2015. Sax lives in Nashville with his family.
Tascam has announced its new Trackpack 2x2 recording system.
The Trackpack 2x2 assembles everything you need to record music on your computer.
Included in the complete recording bundle is Tascam’s US-2x2 USB audio interface, TM-80 studio condenser microphone with shockmount and TH-02 headphones, plus Cakewalk SONAR X3 LE and Ableton Live Lite 9 DAW software.
The US-2x2 is a 2-in/2-out USB interface, bus powered from your Mac or Windows computer. A pair of Ultra-HDDA mic preamps provide up to 57dB of gain and the best noise and distortion specs in their class.
The audio design features high-performance, musical components like NE5532 op amps for rich sound quality without coloring the source. Class-compliant drivers enable use with tablets like the iPad when using an optional power supply.
The US-2x2’s all-aluminum case features a pair of “bio-cell” side panels. In addition to their striking design, the side panels ergonomically angle the interface towards you to make the switches and knobs easier to read on a desktop. The US-2x2 includes MIDI in and out, balanced audio outputs, a headphone amp, and two DAW applications to choose from—both Cakewalk SONAR X3 LE and Abelton Live Lite 9. Included with the software are dozens of plug-in instruments, effects, and loops to get you started.
Also included is the TM-80, a condenser microphone ideal for vocals, drums and acoustic instruments. The TM-80 includes a shockmount and desktop stand. The TH-02 closed-back headphones provide isolation while recording and a great reference during mixdown.
• Two high-quality Ultra-HDDA mic/line preamps with up to 57dB of gain • Two-in/two-out USB 2.0 interface with up to 96kHz/24-bit resolution • XLR/1/4” combination input jacks • Zero-latency Direct Monitoring • High-quality audio components like NE5532 op amps for 125dBu EIN and 105dB S/N ratio • USB Audio Compliant 2.0 drivers for iOS compatibility • Independent line out and headphone level controls • MIDI Input and Output • Aluminum body with angled design for better desktop visibility • Optional power supply • Includes SONAR X3 LE and Abelton Live Lite 9
Pricing/availability: $199.99 estimated street price, available now.
For more information, check out the video below and visit tascam.com.
Faith No More are premiering a second song from their forthcoming album, Sol Invictus, which will be released May 19 via Reclamation Recordings/Ipecac Recordings.
You can hear “Superhero” below.
The band has also revealed the cover art for Sol Invictus, which features an image from Ossian Brown, a member of Coil and Cyclobe, who published the book Haunted Air in 2010.
The Bay Area band recently announced their first North American tour since 2010, with all dates sold out upon on-sale. You can see the current dates below.
01. Sol Invictus
02. Superhero
03. Sunny Side Up
04. Separation Anxiety
05. Cone of Shame
06. Rise of the Fall
07. Black Friday
08. Motherfucker
09. Matador
10. From the Dead
Faith No More tour dates:
March 3 Auckland, New Zealand WestFest
April 15 Vancouver, BC PNE Forum
April 16 Seattle, WA Paramount Theater
April 17 Portland, OR Keller Auditorium
April 19 San Francisco, CA Warfield
April 20 San Francisco, CA Warfield
April 22 Los Angeles, CA The Wiltern
April 23 Los Angeles, CA The Wiltern
April 24 Los Angeles, CA The Wiltern
April 25 Santa Ana, CA The Observatory
May 7 Chicago, IL Concord Music Hall
May 8 Detroit, MI The Fillmore
May 9 Toronto, ON Sony Centre for the Performing Arts
May 11 Boston, MA Orpheum Theatre
May 13 New York, NY Webster Hall
May 14 New York, NY Webster Hall
May 15 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory
May 29 Nurburgring, Germany Grune Holle Festival
May 31 Munich, Germany Rockavaria Festival
June 2 Milan, Italy Sonisphere
June 4 Vienna, Austria Vienna Rocks Festival
June 5 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic Rock For People Festival
June 6 Berlin, Germany Zitadelle Spandau
June 8 Krakow, Poland Tauron Arena
June 12 Landgraaf, Netherlands Pinkpop Festival
June 13 Donington, UK Download Festival
June 20 Clisson, France Hellfest
June 21 Dessel, Belgium Graspop Festival
June 23 Hamburg, Germany Sporthalle Hamburg
June 24 - 27 Seinajoki, Finland Provinssi
June 25 – 27 Norrkoping, Sweden Bravalla Festival
June 28 Odense, Denmark Tinderbox
Aug. 7 – 9 Montreal, QC Heavy Montreal
Sept. 24 – 27 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Rock in Rio
Today we bring you the latest lesson video by Troy Grady of Cracking the Code fame.
The new video, titled "Eric the Right," is actually Episode 3, Season 2 of Cracking the Code. You can find this season's previous episodes under RELATED CONTENT, below the photo.
From Grady:
"This is our Eric Johnson episode, and we really wanted to make this the definitive investigation of as many of his signature innovations as possible. There's a lot pickslanting in here, from pentatonic and arpeggio ideas, to the infamous Hot Licks“bounce technique” scene that pretty much baffled everyone 25 years ago."
Enjoy! P.S.: Here's more info about Grady:
Troy Grady is the creator of Cracking the Code, a documentary series with a unique analytical approach to understanding guitar technique. Melding archival footage, in-depth interviews, painstakingly crafted animation and custom soundtrack, it’s a pop-science investigation of an age-old mystery: Why are some players seemingly super-powered?
Enter now to win a Tascam Trackpack 2x2 recording system! Just fill out the form below for your chance to win this complete computer-recording package of Tascam interface, microphone, headphones and software.
Included in the complete recording bundle is Tascam’s US-2x2 USB audio interface, TM-80 studio condenser microphone with shockmount and TH-02 headphones, plus Cakewalk SONAR X3 LE and Ableton Live Lite 9 DAW software.
Here's your chance to win four effect pedals from EarthQuaker Devices! Just fill out the entry form below by May 1, and you can win these four EarthQuaker pedals ...
Here's your chance to win four effect pedals from EarthQuaker Devices!
Just fill out the entry form below by May 1, and you can win these four EarthQuaker pedals:
• FuzzMaster General: The Fuzz Master General is our take on the vintage Ace Tone Fuzz Master FM-2 Professional fuzz machine, an octave fuzz that was very similar to the wildly popular Super Fuzz.
• Sea Machine: The Sea Machine is a chorus pedal with ultimate control over parameters rarely seen in a chorus. A hybrid of digital and analog circuitry with a slightly extended delay time allows it to really stand out and shimmer.
• Hummingbird: Welcome to your new Hummingbird Repeat Percussion tremolo! The Hummingbird is a choppy, sawtooth tremolo modeled on the vintage “repeat percussion” unit and similar to those found in old Valco and Vox amplifiers.
• Park Fuzz Sound: The Park Amplification company, originally started by Jim Marshall himself, has almost as much history as the actual Marshall name.
All four pedals will go to one winner!
GuitarWorld.com happens to be featuring the Sea Machine in its GEAR section right now. Head here for our Sea Machine story, and watch the demo video below.
Mike Portnoy, Billy Sheehan and Richie Kotzen of the Winery Dogs have announced Dog Camp 2015, their second-annual immersive program for aspiring musicians of all ages and levels. It's set for July 27 to 31 at Full Moon Resort in Big Indian, New York.
This year's Dog Camp also will feature bassist Dave Ellefson (Megadeth) and guitarist Alex Skolnick (Testament, Rodrigo Y Gabriela).
Here are comments from the Winery Dogs and their Dog Camp guests:
Alex Skolnick:"I'm greatly looking forward to appearing as a guest instructor for my friends the Winery Dogs, guys who prove that serious players of their instruments can rock as hard as anyone. Having co-hosted a camp at Full Moon in the past, I know firsthand that it's a perfect location for combining the focus of a learning intensive with the fun of a vacation.”
Mike Portnoy:"We’ve all done clinics over the years, but it’s always been something that’s primarily centered around one instrument that each of us has typically done on an individual basis. Dog Camp is the first time any of us have hosted or participated in a true band camp. As a result of that, we’ve got some incredible surprises in store for everybody attending.”
Richie Kotzen:“What's interesting is to talk about music, concepts, objectives, reasons why you're playing the instrument, what you want to achieve, and how to get to that point, rather than talking about major versus minor scales. I love that feeling of sharing concepts with people. In The Winery Dogs, we all have various experiences that a lot of other people don't have. It's an opportunity to share that and grow; the feeling of moving forward and learning and experiencing something new. That's what excites me about Dog Camp. It's the creative process and creativity that make me want to do music, and I want to share that."
Billy Sheehan:"I want to emphasize that players should keep an eye on what we're doing and why during the performances. In between songs or mid-song, I want to stop to make a point about what's going on and why. The expertise of being able to play ensemble is a bit of a lost art with kids today. They don't do what we did when we were growing up. Right away, we just got in a band whether we could play or not. Now, kids want to get up to a level of expertise and then join a band."
You can check out Dave Ellefson's comments in the top video below.
Produced by Dreamcatcher Events, this vacation experience offers the opportunity to get up close and personal with music legends as campers attend instrument-specific clinics, learn songwriting mechanics and enjoy intimate performances and jam sessions.
Look for the daily itinerary for Dog Camp to be announced in the coming weeks. Registrations for Dog Camp are on sale now at winerydogcamp.com.
Van Halen have confirmed the March 31 release of Tokyo Dome Live in Concert, their first live album to feature David Lee Roth.
The album, which was recorded June 21, 2013, at the Tokyo Dome in Japan, includes 23 songs that span all seven of the band’s albums with Roth. It will be released as a double CD, digitally and as a four-LP set on 180-gram vinyl.
You can check out the complete track listing below — and hear two songs, "Panama" and "Runnin' with the Devil."
Tokyo Dome Live in Concert was mixed by Bob Clearmountain (Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Roxy Music, Nine Inch Nails) and mastered by Chris Bellman.
Tokyo Dome Live In Concert Track Listing:
“Unchained” “Runnin’ With The Devil” “She’s The Woman” “I’m The One” “Tattoo” “Everybody Wants Some!!” “Somebody Get Me A Doctor” “Chinatown” “Hear About It Later” “(Oh) Pretty Woman” “Me & You” (Drum Solo) “You Really Got Me” “Dance The Night Away” “I’ll Wait” “Cradle Will Rock” “Hot For Teacher” “Women In Love” “Romeo Delight” “Mean Street” “Beautiful Girls” “Ice Cream Man” “Panama” “Eruption” (Guitar Solo) “Ain’t Talkin’’Bout Love” “Jump”
And so begins one of Alex Skolnick's shred showcases on last weekend's edition of That Metal Show.
You can check out Skolnick's solo in the video below.
As we reported earlier, Season 14 of That Metal Show consists of (a total of) 12 episodes and are being shot at New York City's Metropolis Studios Tuesday nights for broadcast the following Saturday on VH1 Classic. Tickets for upcoming tapings are available via Gotham Casting.
More guests will be announced in the near future!
Season 14 marks the return of several fun segments, including “Metal Modem,” “TMS Top 5,” “Rank” and “Take It or Leave It.” The “Stump the Trunk” segment, where audience members go out of their way to test host Eddie Trunk’s knowledge, is also returning for the new season.
Fans can watch previous episodes and bonus clips at ThatMetalShow.VH1.com and on the new VH1 app.
For more information about That Metal Show, visit vh1.com and follow That Metal Show on Facebook.
The epic story of Epiphone spans three centuries, from its old-world roots in the 19th century to the golden age of American guitar makers in the 20th century and onward into the global market of the new millennium.
Along the way, the story of Epiphone includes virtually every great artist in popular music including Les Paul, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Joe Pass, Jack Casady, The Band, Paul McCartney, Gary Clark Jr., Slash, Tommy Thayer of Kiss, Zakk Wylde, John Lee Hooker, My Chemical Romance, Joe Bonamassa, Tak Matsumoto, Matthew K. Heafy, Django Reinhardt, Duke Robillard, Paul Weller and Oasis.
“Epiphone fans are some of the most dedicated guitar fans in the world,” said Epiphone President Jim Rosenberg. “Walter has been a friend of Epiphone and Gibson for a long time and he’s written an engaging and thorough history of the ‘House of Stathopoulo.’ All of us at Epiphone are grateful and delighted that this book should be published in time for our 140th Anniversary. It will be a resource for generations to come.”
The Epiphone Guitar Book: A Complete History of Epiphone Guitars follows the history of the Stathopoulo family from their home in Greece to their ascension as the premier archtop maker of the jazz age. The story continues as Epiphone becomes part of the Gibson family of instruments and guitars like the Casino and the Wilshire influence the British Invasion, through the modern age as the world’s No. 1 choice for professional, affordable instruments.
Carter highlights the fascinating story of how an iconic name helped shape the world of the guitars with beautifully illustrated photographs chronicling the evolution of Epiphone instruments and the extraordinary musicians who played them. The book also features a collector’s section that provides specifications for every Epiphone guitar made from the 1920s to the present.
For more information on The Epiphone Guitar Book: A Complete History of Epiphone Guitars, visit the Guitar World Online Store.
Guild has announced that the flagship solid-body model in the Newark St. Collection, the S-100 Polara, is now available with Black and White finish options.
The S-100 Polara holds its own among the competition, with a slightly offset mahogany body that’s extremely comfortable to play.
It features dual “Anti-Hum” neck and bridge pickups, which offer a wide range of sound, including the hard-rocking tone most commonly associated with Kim Thayil of Soundgarden, whose S-100 Polaras have accompanied him throughout his career.
Standard features include a one-piece mahogany neck, 24.75-inch scale length, pearloid block inlays, three-way pickup toggle switch, Grover Sta-Tite tuning machines, and Guild’s “stop” tailpiece. One of Guild’s most well-known solid-body guitars, the S-100 Polara evokes the vintage tone and classic vibe of the 1970s.
S-100 Polara Black
Street: $799.99
S-100 Polara White
Street: $799.99
S-100 Polara Cherry Red
Street: $799.99
For more about Guild's Newark St. Collection, visit guildguitars.com.
A few years ago, a guy put his iPhone 4 into his acoustic guitar (with the camera lens facing sound hole) and recorded the entire experiment on video with the phone's camera.
I guess he wanted to see what acoustic guitar strings look like when they're being played. What he captured is mesmerizing, as many would agree.
Many, however (as you can see from some very recent 2015 comments on this 2011 video), are calling this a hoax. Here are some examples:
* "This is fake. Sounds change speed to accomplish different notes, they don't change shapes. Sounds can have different shapes, but it would sound distorted; not like this."
* "I smell bullshit. Cheesy iPhone technology bullshit."
* "This is fake, the video should be slowed like x20 before that would be even possible (it is not even, if we would do that). 2817 people plz don't look at this kind of bullshit, and most important, don't believe it."
What's your opinion? Remember you could always try it yourself — especially if you still have an iPhone 4 (and not a 5 or a 6).
Guster released their new album Evermotion on January 13.
The release is the band’s highest charting album on the Billboard 200 in their 23 year career.
Guster is currently on a North American and European tour.
As part of REVERB’s ongoing environmental efforts in partnership with the band, each tour stop will have a fan engagement Eco Village. Bedell Guitars is proud to be a sponsor and help raise awareness for the Lacey Act.
By signing a postcard pledging your support to the Lacey Act and/or taking a photo in the photobooth and posting to social media using #StopIllegalLogging, concert goers will have the opportunity to win one of the Bedell Earthsong Orchestra guitars that Adam Gardner and the band will be playing on tour.
“The Bedell Earthsong is a beautiful guitar built of sustainably harvested American woods. From the salvaged Sitka spruce top to the individually cut Western bigleaf maple trees, we’ve created an amazing sounding guitar that can be built for generations,” said Sami Mulhern, Artist and External Relations for Bedell Guitars.
REVERB has had a decade-long history of creating awareness and action around a variety of environmental concerns but the legal harvesting of woods is one that is particularly close to REVERB co-founder and guitarist for Guster, Adam Gardner.
REVERB’s No More Blood Wood Campaign is bringing together artists to speak out in support of the Lacey Act, including Gardner’s testimony to Congress to keep the law strong. They recently produced a video in partnership with the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) where artists like Jason Mraz, Michael Franti, Maroon 5, Linkin Park and more speak out on the legality of wood. (Video embedded below.)
Adam took some time out of his busy tour schedule to talk with Bedell Guitars.
Bedell: First of all – congrats on the release of Evermotion. You launched it by a number of surprise “pop-up” shows in the streets of Boston on what the Mayor deemed “Guster Day.” You recorded the album in Oregon last year – how does it feel to have it out there now?
Adam Gardner: Thanks!mWe’ve been excited to have people finally hear this album. We finished way ahead of schedule so we weren’t lined up with a label or release plan…we finished recording it almost a year ago. Having the new songs in the set have added a lot more colors to the palette live and new songs help a lot toward keeping the live thing fresh and fun for us.
Bedell: Is there a stand out song for you?
AG: Right now I’m really enjoying playing “Long Night.” We’ve been opening the show with that, which is a little unusual, as it’s a fairly mellow song, but it sucks people in and then gets larger and larger as the song progresses.
Bedell: You started the non-profit organization, REVERB, with your wife. What inspired starting REVERB?
AG: It was born out of me complaining to my wife (who has been working in the environmental realm as long as I’ve been in music) about what a mess the touring music world is with all of the plastic trash, fuel guzzling busses and trucks, etc. Guster felt badly about the negative impact we were having on the environment and a lot of the bands we were touring with felt the same way. In 2004, my wife and I started REVERB to make it easier for bands to tour more sustainably and engage their fans to take action.
Bedell: Why do you think so many artists sign on and want to be a part of the program?
AG: Most bands want to be more responsible with their touring; they just don’t have the people or knowledge to do it. Everyone out on the road already has more than they can handle on their plates just putting on a show every night. We make it turn-key for bands by placing our staff on their tours just like a guitar tech or sound guy—difference is the REVERB staff’s only job is to make sure the tour is green. They’ll handle all of the efforts backstage with waste management, composting, biodiesel fueling for the busses and trucks, local farm food for catering, etc. Our staff also set up the fan engagement program that takes place in the mobile REVERB Eco-Village with local and national environmental groups, technologies, eco-friendly product sampling, and opportunities to take action that adds up to real measurable change.
Bedell: Part of the shows is an Eco-Village that sets up at each show and talks about specific issues. They have ranged from GMO labeling to water issues and for the Guster tour – the importance of legal wood. Why do you think knowing where your wood comes from is so important?
AG: The issue of legal and sustainable wood is very near and dear, as it directly affects the very instruments through which we express our music. How ironic would it be to do all of these environmental things join the road only to have the guitar you’re playing on stage be made from wood stolen out of a World Heritage site by slave labor? This is blood diamonds all over again and it’s important for consumers — not just musicians — to be aware that they may be supporting organized criminals when they purchase wood products. That’s anything from furniture to flooring to kids toys.
Bedell: On tour you play our Earthsong Orchestra, which is sustainably sourced. Why did that guitar speak to you?
AG: I love what Bedell is doing with their practices and transparency about where the wood is coming from. But none of that would matter of they guitars didn’t sound good. The Earthsong not only sounds good, it sounds GREAT! I love the orchestra for it’s power in the mid-range and the way it feels in my arms. Sounds romantic, doesn’t it?
Bedell: If people want to get involved they can volunteer at a show. Can you tell us some more about that?
AG: REVERB volunteers are a huge part of making what we do possible. We vet and train over 3,500 volunteers a year to come out to shows and engage fans to take action. The peer-to-peer interaction is a powerful and natural way for fans to get involved. The fact that say, Dave Matthews Band fans are talking to their peer fans about how they can make a difference tightens the community and adds this really cool element to the concert experience.
Bedell: What’s the one thing you think people could do to be more aware and make a positive impact on the environment?
AG: There’s no silver bullet. The most important thing is to start somewhere—anywhere. Choose something you think is doable and start there. Maybe it’s using a reusable water bottle and not buying disposable water bottles. Maybe it’s making sure you turn off all the lights when leaving a room. Maybe it’s not leaving the faucet running when brushing your teeth. Simple little things. Once you start thinking about your impact and looking through the lens of sustainability, other things start clicking in your brain and you start to take bigger steps…how much fuel and money would I save if I insulated my home? Why doesn’t my work place recycle? Where does my kid’s school lunch come from?
Want to help? Volunteers are needed at each stop to help educate concert goers on why knowing where your wood comes from is important. Spots are limited but those selected will also receive a ticket to the show. For more info click here.
On March 10, Judas Priest will release an expanded 3CD version of their classic 1984 album, Defenders of the Faith.
This deluxe 30th-anniversary edition includes the original 10-track album (fully remastered, of course!) and a complete live show from the Defenders tour. It was recorded May 5, 1984, at California's Long Beach Arena.
The 21-track show, which is split up over two discs, is brimming with then-new material from Defenders of the Faith, the group's ninth studio offering, plus "Metal Gods,""Breaking the Law,""Sinner,""Electric Eye,""The Green Manalishi (with the Two-Pronged Crown),""Victim of Changes" and "You’ve Got Another Thing Coming."
"It's 30 years since we released Defenders of the Faith," the band said in a statement. "We're very proud to say it has become a classic that's beloved by Priest fans throughout the world."
Today, we present the exclusive premiere of "Jawbreaker" from the Long Beach show. You can check it out below. Like most of Defenders of the Faith,"Jawbreaker" was written by Glenn Tipton, Rob Halford and K.K. Downing.
It’s a kickin’ contest that brings you both an instrument and some musical inspiration.
We’re giving away this wonderful, brand new D’Angelico acoustic guitar, the Lexington SD300 in Cherry Sunburst. Plus some killer music by award-winning artist Will Dailey performed on a D’Angelico acoustic as well!!
About the D’Angelico Lexington SD300
In the early 1900s, the word ‘dreadnought’ referred to a massive battleship. Well, here’s D’Angelico’s interpretation!
A booming non-cutaway dreadnought, the Lexington (SD-300) offers a powerful low-end so resonant that playing lush, full chords may very well become addictive.
A solid Sitka spruce top meets a sapele back and sides to create the Lexington’s subtle elegance, complemented by a tortoise pickguard. The slim, mahogany neck makes for wonderful playability. Though capable of great projection, the Lexington’s high-end is uncompromised by its rich low-end, producing a consistently balanced sound and making it an excellent choice for a great variety of players. More at dangelicoguitars.com
And here to show you one of D’Angelico’s gorgeous new acoustics in action is Boston-based artist Will Dailey. Dailey’s latest release, National Throat, debuted in the top 20 in the Billboard Heatseekers chart, is winner of a Boston Music Award for Album of the Year and Dailey himself was awarded this year’s Artist of the Year.
In preparation for a special bonus release of a deluxe version of that excellent album, Dailey recorded several songs using a hot-off-the-presses D’Angelico acoustic.
The Deluxe version due out March 24th will include all the songs from National Throat and 6 bonus tracks, “Stand Where I Can See You” (Live), “Why Do I” (Live), the full studio of “Sunken Ship,” a demo of “Higher Education,” “$300 Dollar Man,” (written in a reaction to being a part of Farm Aid), and a cover of Arcade Fire’s “Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)."
We’ll be giving away a few copies of National Throat on CD and Vinyl as well digital downloads of the Deluxe version in addition to this fabulous guitar! More at www.willdailey.com
In preparation for a special bonus release of a deluxe version of that excellent album, Dailey recorded several songs using a hot-off-the-presses D’Angelico acoustic.
