Six String Bliss :: Guitar News Daily

Slash teams up with Dora the Explorer

2010-03-09T13:27:00.000-08:00

Guitarist Slash and kid's network Nickelodeon are teaming up for charity with plans to create a Dora The Explorer backpack to raise money for The Children's Defense Fund.

The Velvet Revolver founder and former Guns N' Roses guitar virtuoso will be launching a celebrity designed line of backpacks that will be sold at an auction this summer, reports pr-inside.com.

Limited numbers of the backpacks will be put up for sale in the U.S., Britain, Canada, France and Spain, and money raised from the auction will benefit childhood education programs in each respective country, according to reports.

Slash, 43, (real name Saul Hudson) will put his own personal touches to the design, which features popular cartoon character Dora the Explorer, while Shakira and Salma Hayek will also contribute to the project.

Source: http://www.postchronicle.com/

Church burglar caught red-handed

2010-03-07T13:44:00.000-08:00

A Safford man was caught lugging stolen goods from a church to his house early Sunday morning.

Kenneth Lee Strong, 46, of Safford was booked into the Graham County Jail on Sunday morning after police caught him lugging around musical instruments he apparently stole from a local church.

Officer Brad Reynolds encountered Strong pushing a garbage can filled with two keyboards, an acoustic guitar, an electric guitar and amplifier and other objects along 12th Street at about 4 a.m. Reynolds questioned Strong about the items, and Strong said they were left in the garbage can outside of a church. He said he believed they were donations, so he decided to take them. An address on the amplifier listed it as belonging to The Church of God at 901 Central Ave.

Reynolds received a call for service at that time and had to leave the scene but told Strong he would investigate his claim and contact him later.

After the service call was determined to be in the Graham County Sheriff's jurisdiction, Reynolds went to the church and found a door to be unlocked.

The building appeared to have been rummaged through, and two keyboard stands had been knocked over and a plastic tub of toys in the day care center had been poured out.

Reynolds then went to Strong's residence and located him asleep on the couch with an acoustic guitar on his lap and an electric guitar next to him. He had a cut on his hand and blood on his shirt. The garbage can with the keyboards and other items was outside the residence.

Back at the church, officers discovered blood on a broken window and a rock and broken glass on the floor. There was also blood on a wall, a doorknob and on a computer monitor and projector. Outside of the church a jacket was located with a wallet. Strong's Arizona Identification Card and an Arizona Department of Corrections card with his name and picture on it were located inside the wallet.

Representatives of the church arrived and stated two keyboards were missing, along with an acoustic guitar, an electric guitar and the other items discovered in Strong's possession. A representative estimated the items to be worth about $10,000 and stated some canned goods were missing as well.

The instruments were processed as evidence at the Safford Police Department and were then returned to the church representatives.

Strong was booked into the jail on charges of theft, aggravated criminal damage and burglary.

Source: http://www.eacourier.com/

Musician accused of beating woman with guitar

2010-03-07T13:41:00.001-08:00

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - A New Orleans musician was being held on $300,000 bond Sunday after being charged with hitting his girlfriend with a guitar and choking her.

An Orleans Parish judge raised the bond for 37-year-old Dylan Francis Brooks on Friday from $210,000.

Brooks listed his occupation in a police report as "musician," but he's also worked at a salon.

Investigators said Brooks caused a 5-inch cut on his girlfriend's head when he hit her with the guitar during an argument Wednesday.

Court records said he also choked her, allegedly saying: "I'll have to kill you because you'll send me to jail."

It wasn't immediately clear if he had a lawyer.

He's charged with attempted second-degree murder, false imprisonment and tampering with evidence.

Source: http://www.wxvt.com/

"Oldest Swinger In Town" dies aged 67

2010-03-07T04:48:00.000-08:00

Bristol is mourning the passing of Fred Wedlock - "The Oldest Swinger In Town" - who has passed away at the age of 67.

A prolific songwriter, Mr Wedlock had been a familiar name on the music scene for more than 40 years, producing a raft of popular comedy folk ballads as well as fronting television and radio programmes.

He leaves behind Sue, his wife of more than 40 years, and his two daughters; Hannah, who is herself a singer with the Blue Notes Jazz Band, and TV producer Lucy.

His family was inundated yesterday with calls of consolation at their home in Timsbury, near Midsomer Norton, where the singer was a well-loved character.

Hannah said her father had been ill for a few weeks and was being treated for pneumonia at Bath's Royal United Hospital but died at 6am yesterday after suffering a cardiac arrest.

She said: "It was very quick and peaceful. It's a very sad day for our family.

"Though we have not yet made any firm funeral arrangements, my mother would like to have the funeral at St Mary Redcliffe church, which is where they were married, and where my father had been the head chorister when he was a child growing up in Bristol."

Mr Wedlock's family ran a Redcliffe pub, and with typical humour he later recalled his earliest memory was hearing the Luftwaffe's bombers "redesigning the centre of Bristol".

He came from a long line of Bristol celebrities. His father and uncle both played for Bristol City and his grandfather, the famous Billy "Fatty" Wedlock, captained the England team in the years before World War I – the Wedlock Stand at Ashton Gate is named in his honour.

Mr Wedlock was a lifelong Bristol City fan, and was devoted to the city of his birth – priding himself on his love of the local dialect.

Bristol City's chief executive Colin Sexstone paid tribute last night.

He said: "Fred came from one of the biggest family dynasties associated with the club. More than that, he was in his own right a very special fan, with a great passion for the club.

"He was always positive, always humorous. When others were down in the dumps about the club, he would be positive about it. He will be sorely missed by the club and our condolences go to his family."

After an early career as a school teacher in some tough schools in the East End of London, Mr Wedlock went on to teach at South Bristol Technical College, before making his name as a folk singer in the 1970s.

During the course of his career, he recorded more than 20 albums of his trademark humorous folk music – with his most famous song, The Oldest Swinger In Town, reaching number six in the charts in 1981.

Derek Cleverdon, chairman of the Variety Club Children's Charity South West, said Fred was also devoted to charitable causes.

Mr Cleverdon said: "He performed on numerous occasions for the Variety Club, and raised thousands of pounds for us over the years.

"He was supposed to be performing for us last month at a Valentine's Day concert at the Marriott Hotel, but unfortunately he had to pull out when he was taken ill. He was a wonderful man, and this is a very sad day for everyone who knew him."

Bristol jazz musician Cass Caswell also paid tribute to Mr Wedlock.

He said: "It was with great sadness that I heard our very special friend Fred passed away in hospital.

"Fred had been a nationally known figure ever since his brilliant hit The Oldest Swinger In Town and he had become a great friend and asset to the Variety Club and had cheered up many of our events by performing his entertaining and very funny songs."

Dick Greener, lead singer with folk/progressive rock band The Strawbs, said: "Fred was a huge comic talent, and an all round thoroughly nice guy."

In one of his final interviews last year, with our sister paper the Western Daily Press, Mr Wedlock was asked why he continued to live in the West Country.

He said: "Birth, upbringing, accent, family, soul – and my complete failure to think of anywhere that could possibly be better."

When asked about the high point of his career, he said: "I've been very lucky, and in the right place at the right time, so I've had several high spots.

"I remember filling the Colston Hall for a Christmas show and my Mum and Dad sitting in the audience in tears. I remember getting a gold LP and a silver single, performing on Top Of The Pops with Legs and Co and actually being envied by the entire Bristol City team!"

When asked how he would like to be remembered, Mr Wedlock said: "When I go they'll say a lot of nice things about me – because that's traditional and because I'll leave a few bob for a pretty decent party.

"I'd just like what they say to be true."

Source: http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/

Guitar Center employee solves case of missing instruments

2010-03-07T01:43:00.000-08:00

A suspicious Guitar Center employee helped Covina Police solve a nearly year-old burglary from Sierra Vista Middle School.

About $2,400 worth of musical equipment was stolen from the school's music room in May, but police were not able to find out who did it, according to a statement from police.

Then on Wednesday, a worker at the Covina Guitar Center became suspicious when a 18-year-old man tried to sell the store two electric guitars, according to the release from Sgt. Dave Foster.

The man, later identified as Abel Antonio Leon, 18, of Baldwin Park, didn't know much about the guitars. The worker typed in information from one of the guitars into a store database and realized the store had sold it in the past. The store then called the person who originally bought the guitar, who reported that it had been stolen from the middle school.

The employee called police, who arrested Leon on suspicion of possessing stolen property.

Police then discovered that a 16-year-old Covina boy also had stolen musical equipment at his home. They arrested him on suspicion of possessing stolen property.

Leon is being held at the Covina jail in lieu of $20,000 bail.

The 16-year-old was cited and released to his parents.

Source: http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/

Guitar theft accusation leads to stabbing death

2010-03-06T01:26:00.000-08:00

Gulf County, Fla:

It looks like any other house in Gulf County, but at 1 a.m. a typical house on Tulip Street became the site of a violent crime.

"Officers were there within about 10 minutes and found 2 young men on the ground bleeding profusely," said Gulf County Sheriff Joe Nugent.

The Sheriff's Office suspects, 20-year old Dustin Edward Roleson, stabbed both men in the chest with a hunting knife. Witnesses say he had been drinking at the house when a conversation among old friends became a fight. It left 21-year old, Conner Johnson dead and 19-year old Edward Lee Pack in critical condition.

"There was some accusations of a theft of a guitar or missing guitar of a few months ago, and it just escalated from there," said Nugent.

According to the Sheriff, things like this just don't happen there. Gulf County is not home to violent crimes.

"We have never had something like this, an incident where somebody died and a possibility of somebody else. It's just young people, it's a shame," said Nugent.

We tried to speak with someone at the house who claimed to live there, but he was in no mood to talk.

That's understandable considering the circumstances.

"You've got one family that's lost a child. you've got another family that has a child in the hospital and another family that's got a child who's looking at spending his life in jail. So you've got three devastated families right now."

Roleson had his first court appearance Friday morning and is being held, without bond. Sheriff Nugent says the suspect has "sobered up" since last night and is visibly upset. Roleson is charged with an open count of murder and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.

Source: http://www.panhandleparade.com/

Puppy spooks guitar thief in Santa Cruz

2010-03-06T00:59:00.000-08:00

The spot-on instincts of a Pembroke Welsh corgi pup are helping police track the suspect in the armed holdup of a Westside music store late Tuesday afternoon.

Butch Cassidy — a small, 10-month-old herding dog — and his owner, Kyla Rowe, were sitting outside Falafel of Santa Cruz at Mission and Trescony streets around 5:40 p.m. when the robber ran out of a nearby music shop with an electric guitar valued at $5,000.

Known to be a little protective, Butch rushed into action.

"My dog freaked out and jumped into the sidewalk barking and growling," said Rowe, a fourth-year psychology student at UC-Santa Cruz.

The panicked robber dropped his cell phone near Butch, then fled down Trescony Street with the high-end guitar.

Rowe said Butch isn't as threatening as the robber may have thought.

"He has a pretty scary bark but the guy must have not actually looked at him," she said. "He's 25 pounds. His bark is definitely worse than his bite." Rowe picked up the phone and walked back, with Butch, to the music shop. The employees had locked up after the gunpoint robbery but gladly opened the door to accept the recovered cell phone to turn over to police, Rowe said.

Officers are still searching for the suspect, who brandished a semi-automatic handgun at employees during the holdup, Santa Cruz police spokesman Zach Friend said.

Detectives hope the cell phone will generate some leads in the case.

"Investigators found a couple of items of evidentiary value at the scene that we are hopeful will lead us to the suspect," Friend said.

Butch — named for the notorious Wild West train and bank robber played onscreen by one of Rowe's favorite actors, Paul Newman — is redeeming his moniker.

"My housemates are jokingly calling him an American hero now," Rowe said.

The robbery suspect is a Latino man, about 5 feet 10 inches tall, 180-195 pounds, 25-27 years old with brown hair and brown eyes. Police ask anyone with information call the Investigations Bureau at 831-420-5820 or the anonymous tip line at 831-420-5995.

Source: http://www.mercurynews.com/

Jeff Bridges makes cover of Guitar Aficionado

2010-03-06T00:51:00.000-08:00

Jeff Bridges took a detour from his triumphant stroll to the Academy Awards on Sunday to take part in a cover story for Guitar Aficionado.

The issue doesn't come out for two weeks, but in the story Bridges springboards off his heralded performance as Bad Blake in director Scott Cooper's "Crazy Heart" to talk about his own musical obsessions and notable guitar collection (cover line: "The Dude Collects!").

"Bad Blake is one of those 'Dude' parts," Bridges says in the piece. "It's the kind of part you know you're born to play. Bad's the last of a breed, one of those guys they just don't make anymore -- like Kris (Kristofferson) or Waylon Jennings or Merle Haggard. The role was such an open canvas for me to work with. And hey, the chance to actually do my own singing and guitar playing on film -- what a trip!"

The veteran actor also muses over the degree to which pursuing a life in music competed with his desire to act.

"I dug what an actor did, but it took me a while to feel it, to truly appreciate the craft and the preparation," Bridges says. "Plus, I was still playing music a lot, and I guess I had a hard time choosing: was I an actor or a musician, or could I be both?"

Frankly, there's been so much music in his acting, he makes it seem like it's all the same thing.

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/

Joan Jett and the Blackhearts to release 2-disc greatest hits package

2010-03-06T00:45:00.001-08:00

Former Runaways member Joan Jett is slated to release a greatest hits album. On March 9th, 2010, her Blackheart Records label will release Joan Jett and the Blackhearts Greatest Hits, featuring songs including "Cherry Bomb," "Bad Reputation," "I Hate Myself for Loving You," "Crimson and Clover," and her jukebox anthem, "I Love Rock N' Roll."

The Runaways are most remembered for their raunchy mid-Seventies track "Cherry Bomb," released when Jett was only 15 years old. The all-female teen rock band was formed by Jett and her late drummer Sandy West in Hollywood. The pair were introduced by controversial entrepreneur Kim Fowley, who gave West Jett's phone number. Fowley managed the band until their break-up. The Runaways were often featured in rock magazines including Crawdaddy and the now-defunct, but highly venerated Creem Magazine. Jett, who played rhythm guitar in the group, was often pictured with her gol top Gibson Les Paul. Jett would later pursue a solo career after leaving The Runaways.

The 51-year old Jett (aka Joan Larkin) says, "Fans have been asking me for years and years for a new Greatest Hits album. There has always been interest," she said. "But, over the past few years I have been executive producing a film about my first band, The Runaways. In the process, I revisited the music and have really been living with it. It made me realize that it would be great to get it back out into the market place for the fans and for a new audience."

Jett has said when she was young, one of her biggest influences was Suzy Quatro. The group was a mainstay in Hollywood, and toured both in The States and abroad.

Eight of the songs featured on The Greatest Hits album will also be featured in the upcoming feature film, The Runaways. The album will also feature, "I Want You," the previously unreleased track.

The collection will be released through Jett's own Blackheart Records. Jett founded the label in 1980, making her the first female artist to own and operate an independent record company. Joan Jett is a singer, songwriter and guitarist, who has attained eight platinum and gold albums and nine Top 40 singles, including "Bad Reputation," "I Love Rock 'N' Roll," "I Hate Myself For Loving You," "Do You Want To Touch Me," and "Crimson and Clover."

Among artists that have covered her works, Faith Hill sings a Joan Jett composition, "I Hate Myself For Loving You," as the theme for Sunday Night Football on NBC, "Bad Reputation," is the theme for the hit televsion show American Chopper, and then there are the countless films that use Joan's music including Shrek, Charlie's Angels, Monster, and Tenacious D, to name a few.

While The Runaways were far from technically or musically proficient, their gutsy, rebellious attitude gained them a solid fan base. The band's lead guitarist, Lita Ford, would go on to have her own solo career, which peaked after the hits "Kiss Me Deadly," and recording the anti-suicide duet "Close My Eyes Forever" with rocker Ozzy Osbourne. Jett would go on to have the most enduring career.

Jett is currently working on the release of the upcoming film, The Runaways, about her first band. Twilight actress Kristen Stewart will play Jett in the film, executive produced by Jett. 2010 will also see the release of the Second Edition of Joan Jett's Gibson Signature Guitar, the "Joan Jett Signature Melody Maker" (due out in March), and a photo journey book of Joan's life, by Todd Oldham, slated for release by AMMO Books this spring.

Jett has never endorsed any of the documentaries that have been released about the band.

Source: http://www.examiner.com/

Fender to launch credit card

2010-03-06T00:43:00.000-08:00

GE Money, the consumer lending unit of General Electric Company, and Fender Musical Instruments have entered into a multi-year agreement to provide consumer financing through GE Money Music credit card.

GE Money Music credit card, managed by GE Money's sales finance unit, is a revolving program providing music enthusiasts with a way to finance Fender instruments with monthly payments and interest rates.

As part of the program agreement, Fender dealers will use GE Money's web-based finance management portal, Business Center.

Paul Jernigan, vice president of global channel marketing for Fender, said: "Our history has been one of continued innovation and growth. The addition of the GE Money Music card will help individuals invest in one of life's most rewarding hobbies, learning and making music."

Dennis Murphy, vice president of GE Money's sales finance division, said: "GE Money Music is a great way for guitar lovers to get the instrument they want and stay within their monthly budget. More and more music purchases involve financing, and consumers appreciate flexible payment options now more than ever before."

Source: http://www.tradingmarkets.com/

Gibson releases guitar app for iPhone

2010-03-02T12:49:00.000-08:00

Gibson Guitars announced Tuesday the release of Gibson Guitar App for iPhone and iPod touch. The app offers guitarists a tuner, chord charts, and a metronome, as well as access to instructional videos from LearnAndMaster.com (L&M), and an interface for reading content from Gibson.com.

GibsonGuitar App contains two different tuner modes, a chromatic tuner using an analog needle model for showing the pitch, as well as a "simple" mode that uses the traditional Gibson headstock to indicate pitch through changing colors. You can also play the notes in Simple mode by touching the tuning peg, which is the only way iPod touch users can use the tuner as those devices don't have mics.

The metronome offers an easy way to get a beat, with or without a sound, using a dial for changing the tempo. You can choose between 2/4, 3/4, or 4/4 time signatures if you want an accented "1" beat, or no time signature for simply getting a straight beat.

The app includes chord charts for 30 chords, most of which are open position chords. There are a few basic bar chords, as well.

The lessons from L&M are basically a few select instructional videos from the extensive library available on L&M (ironically, the guitar being used in L&M Guitar Lesson 17 is a Fender Telecaster, but we're just nitpicking). There are currently seven videos being offered, and Gibson said that it would be rotating other videos in and out of the app over time.

The last tab in the app is an interface for accessing news, feature content and artist events posted at Gibson.com.

The app is free on the iTunes Store.

Source: http://www.macobserver.com/

Newton Faulkner "Rebuilt by humans"

2010-02-28T13:00:00.001-08:00

When guitarist Newton Faulkner woke up on Boxing Day 2008 in the French Alps, he felt on top of the world. His debut album Hand Built By Robots had topped the charts and he had been nominated for a Brit Award.

But hours later, the 25-year-old songwriter, who was working on his second album in the ski resort of Megeve, feared his career was in jeopardy after he fractured his right wrist in a freak accident ten feet from the front door of his chalet.

Doctors at the clinic, at the foot of the slopes, wanted to set his wrist in a traditional plaster cast - a move that may have later restricted the movement in his hand and stopped him playing his guitar.

But Newton opted to fly back to Britain for a pioneering operation with University College of London consultant orthopaedic surgeon Elliot Sorene, who inserted a titanium plate into his wrist - instead of using plaster - to make it stable.

In a witty tribute to surgeons, Newton has now named his second album Rebuilt By Humans. The cover of the album, which debuted at No3 in the charts, shows the X-ray of Newton's wrist.

'My dad was bombarding me with messages of support,' says Faulkner. 'One said, "Your first album was called Hand Built By Robots. Your new one should be Rebuilt By Humans." I thought, "He's right."'

Faulkner, who has been described as the pin-up boy for surfers, was spending Christmas in the Alps with his family and friends when his accident happened.

'I was trying to walk about 10ft from the front door to a car and it was very icy. I slipped over and landed on my wrist really badly. I fractured my radius - the bone in the forearm that extends from the elbow to the thumb - and chipped the end of it and dislocated my hand.

'It was a nasty injury and I was in pain for quite a long time. But I thought I had just battered it. Only when it swelled up massively did it occur to me to get it looked at. I went to see the doctor and he took one look at it and said, "It's broken."

'It was then I realised that I would have to make a lot of decisions in a very short space of time that were going to have a huge impact on the rest of my life.'

After finding out that he may lose some movement in his hand if it were put in a plaster cast, Newton's family began making enquiries with specialists in the UK and discovered the revolutionary new treatment.

'The French doctors were all experts on skiing accidents, but I needed to be seen by a hand specialist,' says Faulkner. 'They wanted to put it in a cast for months and would have cast me there.

'But I would have lost a huge amount of movement. I tried to explain that my whole life is based on these bones, but they were going to set my wrist with my hand pointing at my face, which seemed a bit odd.'
The scar where a titanium plate was inserted in Newton Faulkner's wrist

On the mend: The scar where a titanium plate was inserted in Newton Faulkner's wrist

Faulkner flew back to Heathrow from Geneva with his sister Lottie and his former girlfriend and booked into a hotel near the Hospital of St John & Elizabeth, in St John's Wood, where he had the operation privately the following day.

Faulkner says: 'The surgeon was amazing. He was the most confident man I have ever met in terms of what he does, which was incredibly reassuring. It was a really complicated piece of metal work involving nearly 20 screws and pins. It was pretty cool.'

Designed by Miami surgeon Jorge Orbay, and marketed by DePuy, the contoured locking plate with smooth pegs fixes all the bones in place in order for them to heal.

'Newton had a possibly career-ending injury,' says Mr Sorene.

'Many surgeons are wary of operating on musicians. But this is now my standard care for complex wrist fractures. It has become popular over the past few years because it stabilises the fracture fragments so well.

'Because he is a musician, it was very important for him to be able to get mobile after the operation. This reconstructs the architecture of the joint, which means that he could start moving it and playing the guitar immediately.

'The plate is anatomically designed to fit the wrist so it doesn't interfere with the tendons and muscles, so there is no need to remove it.'

Newton spent a week recuperating at the family home in Reigate, Surrey, with his arm in a plaster splint. He then had the splint removed, revealing a 5in scar, underwent physiotherapy and was soon playing the guitar again.

'I was playing when I was in a splint,' he said. 'I couldn't move my wrist but I realised I could move my fingers and I found a way of playing which didn't involve my wrist at all.

'Everybody was telling me not to but, because I wasn't taking painkillers, I could feel exactly what I was doing. If it didn't feel right, I stopped immediately. There are still things I can't do. I can't move my thumb independently of my finger yet - I think the scar tissue is glueing the tendons together - but luckily it doesn't make a difference to my playing.'

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/

U2 rock all the way to the bank

2010-02-28T02:43:00.000-08:00

U2 raked in more money than any other music act in the US in 2009, according to Billboard magazine.

The music journal said U2 made USD109m (GBP71m) from touring, record sales and other royalties - almost twice as much as the second best, Bruce Springsteen.

Springsteen took home USD58m (GBP38m), followed by Madonna with USD47m (GBP31m) and rockers AC/DC with USD44m (GBP29m).

U2 are in the middle of a mammoth world tour and touring is the most lucrative activity for artists, Billboard said.

The 360 Degree tour is the most expensive ever staged, but is also playing to larger crowds because they are performing in the round.

A string of younger pop stars - Britney Spears, Pink and the Jonas Brothers - came next on the list.

Coldplay were the most successful British group, at number eight, with takings of USD27m (GBP18m).

Michael Jackson was the top earner from CD and ringtone royalties in 2009, but only made it to number 20 on the overall list, highlighting the importance of touring to a star's pay packet.

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/

Prince debuts new song on Minnesota Public Radio

2010-02-28T02:38:00.001-08:00

A new Prince song called "Cause and Effect" debuted this morning on Minnesota public radio, with Prince personally offering the Twin Cities' the Current 89.3 the world premiere of the song as a gesture in support of independent radio. Stylistically, "Cause and Effect" seems to find the middle ground between Prince's guitar rock album Lotusflow3r and its funked-up companion disc MPLSound, but with some elements of surf rock and his old school rave-ups like "It's Gonna Be a Beautiful Night."

This is the second time in as many months Prince has unveiled a Minnesota-centric track: As Rolling Stone previously reported, during the Minnesota Vikings' NFL run, the Paisley Park native, who was seen in the luxury box at the Vikes' victory over the Dallas Cowboys, penned a fight song called "Purple and Gold" for the Brett Favre-led team. This isn't Prince's first time using radio airwaves to debut new material either, as Indie 103 premiered four songs from Prince's Lotusflow3r box set back in December 2008.

Source: http://www.rollingstone.com/

Stones unearth lost tracks for Exile On Main St reissue

2010-02-27T12:29:00.000-08:00

A forthcoming reissue of the Rolling Stones' Exile On Main St will reportedly include 10 previously unheard songs. The tracks, produced by Jimmy Miller, the Glimmer Twins and Don Was, are from the same sessions as the band's 1972 double album.

"I went back in the archives," Jagger told Rolling Stone magazine. Although the singer didn't remember there had been unused material, he "dug out a load of things". These unearthed songs include Plundered My Soul, Dancing in the Light, Following the River, and Pass the Wine. Jagger added new lyrics to Following the River and "some percussion and vocals" to other tracks. Keith Richards also "put guitar on one or two".

Despite these revisions, the Stones "really wanted to leave [the songs] pretty much as they were", Richards said. "I didn't want to interfere with the Bible, you know? They still had that great basement sound."

The unreleased songs will only be included on the "deluxe" CD version of the reissue, together with alternate versions of Soul Survivor and Loving Cup. A "super deluxe" package will also be available, including vinyl, a 50-page book, and a new documentary directed by Stephen Kijak. "I was amazed at how much footage they actually found," Richards said. "I must not have noticed all the cameramen while I was making the record."

The revamped Exile On Main St is due out 17 May.

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/

Ray Davies confirms Springsteen and Bon Jovi collaborations

2010-02-27T10:28:00.001-08:00

Ray Davies's forthcoming album of duets will feature Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi. The Kinks singer is recording new versions of old songs, replacing his recent choral obsession with celebrity cameos.

Davies works fast. It was only in October, at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 25th anniversary concert, that he began putting the idea into motion – name-dropping Metallica and telling the press he had "chatted" with the Boss. A few months later, at least two songs have already been recorded: a new version of the Kinks' Better Things, featuring Springsteen, and a rendition of the 1972 single Celluloid Heroes, with Jon Bon Jovi.

Both were recorded in January, at a studio in New York City. "Bruce took about two or three hours and Jon about the same," Davies told the New Jersey Star-Ledger (via TwentyFourBit). "They were well-prepped and I was very impressed. I'm thrilled to have done the tracks with those two guys."

Besides the two Jersey boys, Davies has cited possible collaborations with the Killers, Metallica and Lucinda Williams. "I want it to be diverse and interesting," he told the Republican newspaper. "Not the obvious things. [I want to] hopefully stretch the artists and get them to do things that either that they wouldn't have thought of, or that I wouldn't have thought of. I'd like it to be truly collaborative."

Despite this talk of novel collaborations and unexpected synergy, our own duets idea is a lot more old-fashioned. Why doesn't Ray Davies record an album with his brother, Dave Davies? They could call it ... the Kinks!

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/

Gibson celebrate the "Burst" with 50th Anniversary 1960 Les Paul

2010-02-27T06:54:00.001-08:00

Gibson have announced three variations of Gibson Custom 50th Anniversary 1960 Les Paul to commemorate the last original production year for the Les Paul "Burst" guitar.

The Gibson 1960 Les Paul guitar has been played by many famous musicians—John Fogerty (Creedence Clearwater Revival), Howard Leese (Heart/Bad Company), Paul McCartney (Beatles), and Paul Kossoff on the rock classic "All Right Now" among them—and has secured its spot as a well-loved mainstay in many artists’ collections.

Appealing sunburst finishes, top-hat control knobs, and characteristic neck profiles are part of the package; and the subtle differences among the three variations narrate how the specs evolved over the course of 1960.

Gibson Custom Les Paul - Version 1
At the start of 1960, the Gibson Les Paul retained the same specs as its predecessor from 1959, although it did receive the official "Les Paul Standard" designation in place of the former "Les Paul Model" (a name that its headstock nonetheless still retained). So the first version of the 50th Anniversary 1960 Les Paul Standard Electric Guitar might be confused for a 1959 Les Paul Model if not for the 1960 serial number stamped into the back of the guitar's headstock at the dawn of the decade, and the R0 serial number of this 50th Anniversary model. It’s available in Heritage Cherry Sunburst and Heritage Dark Burst finishes.

Gibson Custom Les Paul - Version 2
The Gibson Custom 50th Anniversary Les Paul Standard Guitar represents the neck's transition from full to slim. This progression was gradual, rather than sudden—in the form of a Custom Shop 50th Anniversary Gibson Les Paul with thinner, yet still somewhat rounded and "elliptical" neck profile, based on painstaking research and detailed scans of several transitional '60s Les Paul electric guitars that were studied by the Custom Historic and Engineering team. To represent this alteration visibly, Version 2 of the 1960 Gibson Les Paul is offered in two classic "faded" Burst colors: Light Iced Tea Burst and Sunset Tea Burst.

Gibson Custom Les Paul - Version 3
The third variation of Gibson Custom 50th Anniversary 1960 Les Paul Electric Guitar Regular ’60s Cherryburst is represented by a guitar with the slim-taper neck for which late-'60 Les Pauls have become famous, along with the double-band tuners and gold top-hat control knobs with the "new" silver inserts that were fitted to these guitars. Furthermore, Version 3 accurately represents the changes in the finishing process at Gibson in the latter part of 1960—in its more vibrant, colorfast Cherry Sunburst, a finish that stood the test of time somewhat better than many of the sunbursts that preceded it.

These Gibson guitars all come with a Custom Shop hardshell case and a 50th Anniversary Certificate of Authenticity.

Source: http://www.prweb.com/

Martin donates $20,000 guitar to "Green Auction"

2010-02-27T06:51:00.000-08:00

In tune with Martin Guitar’s environmental philosophy, C.F. Martin & Co. has donated a rare 000 12-fret Peter Cree Certified Wood Guitar to Christie’s International, the world’s leading art business, for their upcoming “A Bid to Save the Earth” Green Auction. This first-of-its-kind charity auction will take place on April 22, 2010 to coincide with the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. Proceeds from the sale will be divided among four leading not-for-profit environmental organizations: Conservation International, Oceana, Natural Resources Defense Council and the Central Park Conservancy. All four beneficiary organizations are 4-Star rated by CharityNavigator.org, its highest rating for not-for-profit organizations.

Estimated in value at $20,000, the one-of-a-kind Martin Custom Shop 000 12-fret Peter Cree Certified Wood Guitar features original Southwestern artwork executed in hand-applied colored lacquers by renowned painter/sculptor Peter Cree. Known for developing and incorporating a decorative finishing technique intended for high-quality acoustic instruments, Cree’s work has been highly sought-after across the country for his creation of new pieces, as well as his expert restorations of fine art and instruments.

Constructed with 100% Certified tonewoods from ecologically well-managed forests, the 000 12-fret Peter Cree Certified Wood Guitar features Chechen headplate, back and sides; a four-piece Adirondack top; Katalox fingerboard and bridge; cherry neck, front and rear block; basswood ribbon linings and braces; and artistic inlays of Micarta, cherry and turquoise.

“For nearly two decades, we at Martin Guitar have been devoted to pioneering a movement of ecological responsibility within the guitar industry,” said Chris Martin IV. “C.F. Martin & Co. is proud to have contributed such an artistically creative and ecologically symbolic instrument in support of charitable environmental initiatives through this special Christie's auction.”

Held at Christie’s, Rockefeller Center, New York and carried live globally via Christie’s LIVE™ on www.christies.com, The Evening Sale will be a star-studded event with top celebrities serving on the Green Auction Host Committee that includes: Leonardo DiCaprio, Harrison Ford, Tobey Maguire, François-Henri Pinault, Salma Hayek, Bob Fisher, Candice Bergen, Ed Norton, Evelyn Lauder, Alec Baldwin, Zaha Hadid, Brooke Shields, and Matt Lauer. Additional lots for auction will include major works from artists, coveted celebrity experiences, upscale eco-vacations and exquisite jewelry.

Source: http://www.guitargearheads.com/

Kilpatrick Audio Announce "Striptease" Effects Controller

2010-02-27T06:39:00.001-08:00

Effects manufacturer Kilpatrick Audio has announced the Striptease controller designed specifically for guitar and bass. Similar to ribbon controllers found on many synthesizers, Striptease enables the fast and accurate sonic control that only fingers can provide. The Striptease features a 100mm touch-sensitive strip that can be attached to a variety of positions on the instrument and is compatible with specially designed pedals from Kilpatrick Audio.

Based in Toronto, Canada, Kilpatrick Audio has garnered a reputation for its critically acclaimed combination effects pedals. All Kilpatrick Audio stomp boxes feature a tandem of two or more effects that are hand-tuned for maximum cooperation and interaction.

The Striptease will be included with compatible effects products from Kilpatrick Audio. The first model, a modulating kill switch effect will be available in March 2010 at an MSRP of $379US. Kilpatrick Audio products can be purchased through authorized dealers or directly from http://www.kilpatrickaudio.com/.

Source: http://www.prlog.org/

Moody's lowers Gibson rating

2010-02-27T06:35:00.000-08:00

Moody's Investors Service lowered ratings for Gibson Guitar Corp. Tuesday, citing worries about the guitar maker's financial liquidity and an ongoing delay in revealing its 2008 audited financial statements.

Moody's downgraded Gibson's corporate family rating to "Caa1" from "B3" and its probability of default rating to "Caa2" from "Caa1." The ratings service also lowered its rating for the Nashville, Tenn., company's $50 million senior secured credit facility and $100 million senior secured loan to "Caa1" from "B3." The ratings are considered non-investment grade.

Moody's said the downgrade relates to its worries about the guitar maker's liquidity since it can no longer use its revolving credit line and banks, while unlikely to do so, could suddenly demand that its loan be repaid.

Moody's, whose downgrades come as a result of a review it began in late October, said its rating outlook is now set as "developing." Moody's said that its outlook would probably be stabilized if Gibson releases financial statements in the next month or two that are not that different from its unaudited results.

Source: http://www.businessweek.com/

The Hold Steady Return with New Album

2010-02-27T06:33:00.001-08:00

Perpetually hard-working Brooklyn-based rockers the Hold Steady will release their fifth album in six years, Heaven Is Whenever, on May 4.

Working for the first time since their 2004 debut, Almost Killed Me, without keyboardist Franz Nicolay, who announced his departure from the band in January, the new album is "guitar-heavy," according to Tab Kubler. But it's not a "heavy guitar record," meaning we can expect more nuanced axe-work and a heftier dose of acoustic guitar.

While the lineup and sound might have shifted, the emotionally charged nature of frontman Craig Finn's lyrics should remain unchanged, starting from the album title itself. "I think it has to do with the way that love can help us rise above our modern struggles," says Finn.

Always road warriors, the Hold Steady have already announced 16 U.S. dates in April and May, mostly in the eastern part of the country, and ending with a stop at the Sasquatch festival over Memorial Day weekend outside Seattle. See below for the full itinerary, and the tracklisting for Heaven Is Whenever.

Heaven Is Whenever tracklisting:
1. The Sweet Part of the City
2. Soft in the Center
3. The Weekenders
4. The Smidge
5. Rock Problems
6. We Can Get Together
7. Hurricane J
8. Barely Breathing
9. Our Whole Lives
10. A Slight Discomfort

The Hold Steady U.S. Tour Dates:
4/2, Ardsley, NY (LIFE the place to be)
4/3, New Haven, CT (Toad's Place)
4/5, Burlington, VT (Higher Ground)
4/6, Northampton, MA (Pearl Street)
4/7, Albany, NY (Linda Norris Auditorium)
4/8, Woodstock, NY (Bearsville Theater)
4/9, Jermyn, PA (Eleanor Rigby's)
4/10, Syracuse, NY (The Westcott Theater)
4/12, Rochester, NY (The Club at Water Street Music Hall)
4/13, Cleveland, OH (Beachland Ballroom)
4/14, Pittsburgh, PA (Diesel Club Lounge)
4/15, Morgantown, WV (123 Pleasant St.)
4/16, Harrisburg, PA (Appalachian Brewing Company)
5/5, Los Angeles, CA (El Rey Theatre)
5/6, San Francisco, CA (The Fillmore)
5/29, George, WA (Sasquatch Festival)

Source: http://www.spin.com/

Bird on an electric guitar string

2010-02-27T06:26:00.001-08:00

Music from the back of one of Britain's leading concert halls may sound a touch random for the next three months, discordant even. But then the musicians are 40 zebra finches.

The Barbican today unveiled its latest art commission, which has seen one of its gallery spaces transformed into a walk-through aviary by French artist Céleste Boursier-Mougenot. He has strategically placed plugged in electric guitars as perches and cymbals containing water and seeds as feeders. As the birds fly around and land on the instruments, or even wipe their beaks on the strings, the visitor will hear the amplified results.

Boursier-Mougenot said the installation was partly about investigating the question of what music is. The artist, a trained composer, became interested in working with birds in 1995.

He said: "If you want to understand a creature then you have to interact with it. Here, I am not using the birds, I am collaborating with them." He said the birds were happy in their new aviary and having fun, he hoped.

It is not the first time the artist has created a sound piece. Previous works include him using surveillance cameras to create sounds based on New York street life and then Harmonichaos 2000-06, an installation of 13 vacuum cleaners which have harmonicas attached to their suction nozzles.

The exhibition arguably puts into focus the varied life of some gallery attendants. The Curve is a long narrow space that snakes around the back of the concert hall – and is completely separate to it – and has been used as a gallery space since 2006. The last commission was Robert Kusmirowski's convincing, but dark and depressing, world war two bunker.

The Barbican anticipates that birdwatching will be a somewhat cheerier activity for its gallery staff than standing in a gloomy bunker, although staff will be expected to feed the finches and clear up after them.

The birds themselves are professionals. They come from a company that supplies animal actors and will, "unfortunately", said Boursier-Mougenot, go back to a caged existence once this gig is completed.

Céleste Boursier-Mougenot's aviary will be at the Barbican from 27 February until 23 May

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/

The Disposable Guitar..?

2010-02-27T04:30:00.000-08:00

smash_guitar-620x301

Have you ever been to a concert where one of the guitarists gets really into a song, and decides to finish it off by smashing the crap out of a perfectly good instrument? It adds a lot to the raw energy on stage, but at the same time it’s a shame to see a guitar go to waste like that. Apparently now artists can buy guitars that were designed to be destroyed mid-performance.

SMASH guitars are cheap, recyclable guitars that cater to the rock stars that need a little something extra during their show. The company states that every piece of the guitar is recyclable, and they’ll even take your old smashed pieces and construct a new instrument which will be donated to charity. Currently they’re on sale in Japan for around $60.

i-Tab Portable Guitar Tab Player

2010-02-27T04:19:00.000-08:00

Portable Guitar Tab Player by i-tab

i-tab portable digital guitar tab player clips to your guitar, has 5" touchscreen LCD - Mobile Magazine

Tech-minded musicians will appreciate this portable 4GB guitar tablature player from i-tab. It sports a 5-inch touch screen and built in speakers for you to clip on the end of your guitars head while you jam new tracks.

Attempting to “revolutionize” the method in which musicians use guitar tabs, scrolling chords and lyrics simultaneously make it seem like Guitar Band gone pro. With 4GB of memory for storage, you download songs from the i-tab website and load them up on i-tab, you will be shocked to see that they also come with backing tracks and reels of video. I’m sure the company contemplated releasing a simple iPhone app and dock for guitars, but the 5-inch screen is going to provide advantages in this situation, especially when viewing your tabs.

The i-tab ships with a small taste of 30 free song tabs; including U2 (Beautiful Day), Oasis (Wonderwall) and The Rolling Stones (Jumping Jack Flash). Even TV out leads to play synchronized chords, lyrics and backing tracks through the player or through your TV for everyone to sing along.

Shipping mid-March in the UK, early April worldwide, expect to shell out $199 US plus the cost of additional tracks which run around .75 cents.

Johnny Marr gets stolen guitar back after 10 years

2010-02-25T13:51:00.000-08:00

The Cribs' Johnny Marr has had one of his favourite guitars returned after it was stolen 10 years ago.

The vintage 1964 Gibson SG, which was valued at £30,000, was taken by Stephen White after he was invited backstage at a Johnny Marr And The Healers show in London.

"I'm disgusted with the whole thing," White said as he pleaded guilty to theft at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court. "There's a victim here. I can't reconcile myself with the behaviour of that night."

Sentenced to 200 hours community service, White revealed that the stolen guitar had been displayed in his living room since the theft occurred in 2000.

"[Johnny Marr] bears no malice towards the defendant," Police Constable Christopher Swain explained, adding that the former Smiths guitarist was "ecstatic" about getting the guitar back.

Source: http://www.nme.com/