Aaaaaaannnnnd...I'm back.

A six week sabbatical was all I needed, although I didn't think I needed it, I did.

Family time, work, and some guitar playing was interrupted by some dental work, some serious reading, and a little bit o' turkey and dressing.

Our local football team did't finish quite as well as we'd have hoped for. We've had a few cold spells come through which is nice, and...

Damn if this don't sound like talking to your Granny right? Well, let's get started quick and dirty:

1. Dental Work - This stuff is stupid expensive, but I will pay it, lest I look like a snaggle tooth hillbilly deluxe (no offense to any hillbilly readers out there).
2. iTunes - They got the Beatles finally, but there are still some hold-outs. Big news? Perhaps, but it def caught my attention.
3. Corn Mazes - Third visit, and it's always a trip.
4. Kindle 3 - Over 600 books on mine (many of them the free ones). Def worth it, but this is easily another post.
5. Shopping. At WalMart. At Midnight. On Black Friday. - Oh yeah, it happened.

So that's the quick and dirty version. Plan is to elaborate on these guys through this week and give you plenty of reading material leading up to and through December.

Want to hear about something, let me know.

Shazam!

The Last Practice

So today's my band's last practice before our performance Friday afternoon.

We've got a short two song set list and we've got the first one down, but the second needs a bit of polish.

We've probably been working on the Beatles cover for maybe six weeks now, but the Chuck Berry tune only about two weeks.

The kicker? I play guitar on the Beatles tune, while I switch over to the skins for the Chuck Berry tune.

I've yet to post any videos of me playing, but I think it may be time...

While I'm a bit anxious to perform, I only hope that we will continue to meet regularly and play together. I know how time leads to different things, but the camaraderie and fellowship shared during our practices really allows us to vent, joke, and simply be ourselves without the typical social constraints. I know I'll do my best to continue this little thing we've got going.

Thank you, TurnDog and T-Dub; you've made this bit of work quite enjoyable for me.

Enjoy the abstract picture there. Maybe there'll be a video by the end of the week...

Shazam!

End of an Era...Forty Years Ago.

Forty years ago today...

How Rock Band Changes My Life

I'm sure somewhere someone is trying to roll over in their grave. Or their couch. But it's true.

Rock Band changed my life. In a most good way. But before I get into that, I've got to address those naysayers out there.

Perhaps the biggest gripe I hear/read about any of the rhythm games that exist out there (take your pick: Rock Band, Guitar Hero, DJ Hero, etc...) is that it is by no means a replacement for playing a real instrument.

I agree with that idea. Playing a guitar/band based game is not by any means a replacement for actually getting together with some folks and actually playing real instruments. But what of the concept of playing a game?

It started mainstream with Guitar Hero. And if you actually look at the original game, it was...well...over the top. It was supposed to be; it's a video game for cripes sake. Items like Overdrive and Streak become commonplace in the following iterations. Rock Band expanded that concept with gameplay for a an entire band (lead, bass, drums, vocals). DJ Hero introduced the opportunity for dj-ing to mainstream society (it's not easy).

These are games, simple put. They offer an experience that is essentially accessible to anyone with the game console. Just like playing SOCOM or Call of Duty: Modern Ware for that thrill of team work and shooting others, playing one of these music based games offers the thrill of music based fun. It's an experience. And a fun one at that.

But back to the changing of lives...

I bought the original Rock Band because it offered the ability to play drums and sing along with the guitar, something that Guitar Hero failed to offer at that time. Honestly, I sucked at Guitar Hero so bad, I developed and presented to a number of GH fanboys the concept of a plastic add-on so that instead of sliding your hand to play the fifth key, you could keep your hand placed higher on the neck and play the green button with your thumb. But I digress...

That summer was one of Rock Band memories. Slowly, I improved my plastic guitar skills. My singing skills were improving slightly, as were my drumming skills (again, all of which on the plastic variety of instruments). Of all this, the life changing aspect was the reintroduction of music that was dear to my heart, in addition to the new music that I had yet to realize that I loved. Groups like Weezer, Kansas, Mountain, Blue Oyster Cult, and The Who mesmerized me beyond the simple primary colored bars; at one point, I had 95% of Weezer's "Say it Ain't So" memorized and would tap it out in the car on the way to work.

Life changing? At this point, more like seed planting...

What started as a gamer's addiction became a desire for something more. As much fun as mashing buttons can be, between playing Rock Band and reading my subscription of Spin magazine, the seed grew into a full out sickness. The cure? More cowbell...er, more guitar. Real guitar.

As readers of this post can attest, I started playing real deal guitar about a year and a half ago.

Now many dollars later (and into the latest iterations of music games), Rock Band reaches another level of life changing status: The Beatles. Sure this game came out in September. Sure, most everyone has heard of The Beatles. But have you experienced The Beatles?

Before you say sacrilege, just hear it out. In pure homage to the boys from Liverpool, this game plays as a tribute to one of the greatest bands ever. No stupid frills, just simply good music and incredible visuals. Good game, but how is it life changing?

The easy answer here is it's The Beatles. But that's not gonna work. Two-fold, The Beatles' catalog is just that good. Timeless, storying, and musicianship that quite honestly sets a standard that would be hard pressed to be met even today.

That segues into my second point: the musicianship. Not only does it lend itself to a more enjoyable listen, but as a budding guitarist, it gives me a greater respect for how difficult it is to actually play much of their music. Not just in real life, but even so on a five-buttoned plastic guitar.

I'm currently on a George Harrison trip to discover this Dark Horse. All I know at this point beyond his Beatles tenure and friendship with Mr. Eric Clapton. Not much, but again the road to discovery is quite a lovely one and made that much more enjoyable with friends who share the appreciation. I spent the morning practicing an early Beatles tune with my friends TurnDog and T-Dubb (Dyl was there as well, manning the camera). After an hour of that, we fired up the PS3 and rocked out to the Fab Four in their version of Rock Band. A lot of fun, bonding, friendships renewed, and father-son moments all as a result of a little endeavor called Rock Band.

Life changing? Maybe not. But altered? And how.

So my fave? Just watch and enjoy.

Or maybe you want what some consider to be the "definitive" version...

So do you play Rock Band or Guitar Hero? Did you play them? What do you think?

Comments, as always, are welcome.

Shazam!

One Guy's Review - Heaven and Hell: My Life with the Eagles

Mexican Bolero.

That's what Don Henley originally wanted to call the song we all now recognize as "Hotel California". Not quite the same ring, eh?

Don Felder was a full fledged member of the group The Eagles, whose main contributions were lead guitar and penning "Hotel California". After being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Following a suit against his former band mates (namely his manager, Don Henley and Glenn Frey), Felder began composing this autobiography about his rise in the music biz and his life with The Eagles.

Heaven and Hell: My Life with the Eagles was originally published in 2008. I won't really go into the whole summary of it (you can click right there to read's Amazon's summary); that's not why we're here, now is it?

What did I think of it?

I like it. Sure enough, it was a great detail into a great guitarist's growth and career, and fall from grace. I found myself really enthralled with Felder's simplicity. This isn't going to win any big time author awards; Felder's a guitar player and songwriter. There's a common-man-telling-his-story realness to it that made for quick and enjoyable reading. Felder's not abashed to share that much of the time in bands revolved around drugs (marijuana, cocaine, and more). He discusses how he would meet his wife, Tom Petty, and many other musicians that would help to give a sound to the 1970's.

Watch CBS News Videos Online

What was bad? Here's probably the most interesting part. For me, as I was reading it, I kept going back to the 60 Minutes interview from a few years ago where Don Henley and Glenn Frey were interviewed and the awkwardness of much of the situation. Felder's release was under some really interesting conditions, depending upon your view. And that's the problem with this book. If you are a hard core Henley and/or Frey fan, you probably won't like what this book has to say. What's worse is that you'll probably find yourself shaking your head with a weird disbelieve and saying "I don't doubt it." While I don't know Henley or Frey (but I do like their singing and playing), both are control freaks. This has lent itself to their success, but also to the alienation of many of their band mates (namely Bernie Leadon and Randy Meisner).

Read the various reviews found on Amazon. Most are 4 stars or more, there are a few that bash Felder for...well, bashing his former bandmates (read: Henley and Frey) for giving him the boot. This schism makes reading and buying into Felder's perspective more difficult (I didn't say impossible).

If you've heard "Hotel California", it's worth your time to give this book a check. If you are of the belief that Don Henley does no wrong, you'd best keep on to the next book in the music aisle.

It's a fast read for the most part, with pictures from various points in Felder's life.

Enjoy.

C, thanks for your kind words earlier; you really motivated me to finish this review.

Shazam!

Quick Tech: TuneGlue°

So how do you go from Steve Perry and Journey to Cutting Crew?

TuneGlue°, that's how.

I found this little gem of a time wasting music discoverer while cruising on my Google Chrome extension, Feedly (yes, Google does offer some good stuff...).

Before I digress, TuneGlue is a simple tool that allows you to discover common links or threads between bands and artists out there.

For example chances are, if you like The Eagles, then you like Glen Frey and Don Henley. If you like them you will note from the really small pic that those two lead up to Little River Band, Steve Winwood, and Eric Carmen. Have you heard of them? Maybe, maybe not. And that's the point.

I found myself just trying to see how many of the bands/artists I actually knew and was surprised to see the influences and relationships between the nodes. You can choose which to expand, which to delete, and even move them around to a better viewing position.

I didn't like that you couldn't really zoom in or out (at least in the brief time I played with it). But check it out.

Hopefully, I can do a few of these quick tech pieces a week. It just seems like my life's really moving in that direction. Hope you enjoy this piece. And in case you're wondering, I had to Google how to do the little degree sign. It's easier than I thought.

Shazam!

Force a Symphony

As a special gift for my son's birthday, I surprised him with tickets to the San Antonio Symphony. For last night's events, we saw Michael Krajewski conducting to a series of John Williams's music.

I haven't been to a symphony before (at least not a profressional one); I've done a few college ones during my time at Sam Houston. I've seen Cats but that's about it. So last night was definitely a treat for us all.

The set list contained music from The Olympics, The Cowboys, Jaws, Harry Potter, and of course, Star Wars series.

Apparently, Krajewski has a sense of humor; and it shows. He was more than gracious and spoke to the audience, giving a bit of a story for most of the songs. More so, this humor was initially evidenced during "The Shark Theme". As those two notes built to a crescendo, a large paper fin appeared and moved along below the conductor, appearing to stalk a prey.

The night was a great night. I even saw a few of my students on a field trip with the school band (there's even a funny story there). For all the fun that we had enjoying an evening of fine music, there was one niggle that Renee and I discussed on the way home.

You can't underestimate the enthusiasm of a fanboy. As such, anything Star Wars brings them out of the woodwork. Applaud is great and so are standing ovations, but excessive hooting and hollering? I don't know. Maybe I am getting old. Renee did say it was "the Pops", but is that an excuse?

All in all, Dylan really enjoyed it.We are looking at going back for the Beatles show in March. We may really discovered something...

Shazam!

Guitars and Powah Chords

Sometimes the universe rains on you. And sometimes...you reign over the universe.

You may have heard, but if not, I received my Christmas gift a bit early. Santa brought ol' Dave a real purty Ibanez acoustic-electric guitar. Shiny black. Cutaway. Fishman electronics.

But while the guitar is nice, the more important aspect of it all, is that during a session of practice one evening (which never happened with the electric), the whole concepts of power chords nearly fried my noodle! I don't know why it didn't hit me sooner, but for whatever reason, it all made sense now.

I'm not going to say that it's an excuse to not learn the chords proper, but it is helping with laying my index finger correctly across the fret and with my overall finger speed. My song book has exponentially opened with this new found epiphany.

A bit over a year into guitar playing and it's going well. Basically moving beyond first position chords and the picking is getting better. A better rhythm player, but nowhere near a soloist. Yet...

Cheers!

Fitness Week 4 and Def Leppard

So it's the end of Week 4 and I'm not quite happy.

I'm +1 for the week. Not necessarily a bad thing, as I've lost some weigh quite rapidly the past three weeks and I was due for a bit of a bounce back.

One thing I discovered this week was that the additional running to "step up the workout" has wreaked some havoc with my knees. Talking with one of my coaching co-workers, he stated that this was "Normal...It's going to hurt a bit...No pain, no gain!". I call bull-shit. It ain't supposed to hurt like this. So, back to walking I go, with more focus on tempo and pace.

So for all that, I'm not disappointed with where I am. My clothes are fitting better. A lot better...

Got Def Leppard on the brain. Been learning a few ballads and singing along with the bluetooth headphones. Maybe it's a bit kitschy, but this really reminds me of a time when my biggest worries were simply social issues, not the real problems that exist in my life today. When "Love Bites" meant so much to that cute kid with the braces you asked to dance. Damn, those were the days...

New Regimen and Walking Fuel

So, there's this contest going on at work. It's a team based fitness challenge to encourage better living and exercise. I'm taking part and as a heavy weight, I'm feeling a bit of pressure, not to say that much of that put there by me.

So why the post? Well, it's one of those things that if you write it down, you commit to it. And that's why I'm here.

Wifey's been supportive in helping, knowing that this will only help my overall health. To better motivate myself, I've made the purchase of some headphones. Bluetooth headphones. Nothing too fancy, some LG's that were on sale at Buy.com. A nice deal, they've been out for a while and have decent reviews. I've been wanting some BT headphones for a while, since my last phone, and since I've gotten this new Samsung Impression and started this exercise regimen, I hope this will be an added incentive to just keep things going.

Little bit at a time. Oh, and for posterity sakes, this is Week 1.

Cheers!

Top 8: Songs for Guitar Learners

Let's make this quite clear: To avoid a long title, I deliberately left off "That I can or can almost play".

Anyone who's been following me the last year or so knows that I'm learning guitar. I've been fortunate to start off with a really nice guitar. Picked up a better than decent amp at Christmas time, and have since picked up some pedals, cords and variety of picks and strings.

In that time, I've mastered the G-C-D, A-D-E and a few in-between. The barre chords have slowly come around in the last few months. That's probably been key for me in really opening up the songbook. Since I haven't written in a while (and the current story is still kicking around in the ol' noggin), I figured I could examine the songs that I play and really figure out what does it for me.

This list is comprised of songs that I do play or have really really almost figured out. Almost...

Honorable Mention: Thunderstruck by AC/DC: Man, do I love this song. The hardest part beyond the solo is probably the intro. Angus does a great job with it; I've yet to really nail the steady tempo of it. It'd be higher, but I just can't play it. Yet...

HM 2: Any Way You Want It by Journey: You gotta have some Journey in the repertoire, and this is a great one. I don't have the solo, but the little riff isn't too bad, and a decent singer will make you sound like a bad ass. Love it.

8. Then by Brad Paisley: Every singer needs to have a song to make those tender hearted ladies swoon. Paisley got it right with this one. Best line? "Taking 45 minutes to kiss good night..."

7. Undone (The Sweater Song) by Weezer: I really wish I could play the intro to My Name is Jonas, but short of that, I can really get down to most of this song (especially now Iv'e got the pedal). Took a bit of time get down the fret work on the beginning part, considering my fat ass fingers.

6. Wonderful Tonight by Cream/Clapton: Not a hard song, but the first one where I actually learned the little riff at the beginning. Forced me to learn tabs after I learned chords. The way it should be, at least in my opinion...

5.Take It Easy by The Eagles: Perhaps the easiest of all these songs (even with the five or so chords), a great beginner song to make you sound really good. That, and I really like the Eagles.

4. Come on Get Higher by Matt Nathanson: A bit of an Indie-ish artist, but a really great song. The song is a not quite subtle metaphor for intercourse, and well, it's just that good. Not porno dirty by any means; just good adult fun.

3. Wanna Make a Memory by Bon Jovi: Gotta admit, I really like that group from Jersey. They come up with some really nice ballads and this is no different. The song has just enough edge to really spice up what some may consider a boring song. The palm muting really works in the beginning if you lack a bass.

2. Last Kiss by The Cavaliers/Pearl Jam: I guess the second song I learned, I've really come to respect the guitarist/singer combo. It's tough. My first ever public performance was this song in front of about 850 middle school students. Not easy, but I did it and got a nice ovation.

1. Squeeze Box by The Who: First song I really learned to play entirely. I play the rhythm part, so no solo from me, but it's still a great song. My son and I actually jam out together, and he plays the solo on bass. That and double entendres make this song top tune.

So that's my list as of this day. Disagree? Feel free to post a comment. Or not.

Cheers,

Mert

Piece of 80's: Good-bye Mike

Okay, I'm not going to talk about Michael Jackson's death beyond the tragedy that left three kids without a father.

Instead, as many of you readers know, I did much of my youthful growing in the 80's and as such, have this affinity towards all things 80's.

Michael Jackson played a huge part of that. His music and dance moves were popular and emulated, then mocked and ridiculed, but it was always present. I even remember buying my last Michael Jackson song ("You Are Not Alone" cassette single, it was that long ago...) and listening to it on the drive home along I-45.

He did have an affect on me. For all the controversy that surrounds Michael in the last fifteen years, I choose instead to remember the 80's Michael, big nose and all.

I cribbed this from Guitar Collecting, a lovely website about guitars. This was on YouTube, but I think you get the gist: a nice song played by a great young guitarist.

Cheers to you Michael Jackson, circa 1982.

Napster or Metallica: Who killed the party?

I got to this party late.

It was 2001 and the teacher next door was always downloading music.  I didn't think much of it until he showed me his collection: over 3000 songs.  Many obscure and one-hit wonders, along with the usual must-have albums and such.

Fast-forward to 2009.  Here we are when music downloads are surpassing.  In 2007, digital downloading surpassed CD sales, but that figure is arguable; the analysts say that digital sales won't exceed physical sales until 2012. That's a big deal.  It's indicative that people are using digital media players (on PCs and portable).  As consumers continue this trend, the market for free downloadable content (DLC) rises.  So is there a right side to this?  Maybe we need to go back a little bit...

I'm sure you remember, especially if you are reading this, back in the days of cassette tapes.  How often did you are someone you know take the time to make a mix tape?  Maybe you wanted to impress that special someone and mixed them a extra-special one.  I did many years ago.  But in doing so, were we violating laws?  I'm pretty sure we were, but I don't remember anyone getting sued over it (not to say it didn't happen).  But you are probably saying, "People weren't copying thousands of songs."  Ah...

The proliferation of digital music has not only expanded the arena of music (read: over-crowded genres), but also increased the vulnerablility of thieves to find/obtain free music.  I'm sure that most of you remember that Napster was the most widely used program that distributed the shared files.  Metallica was arguably the most vocal opponent to the shared files.  There was even a pretty funny skit with one of the Wayans and Lars about "sharing" that was presented during a music awards.

So what has the digital realm done to change music?  A lot.  Prince is credited as being the first to distribute an album entirely on the internet.  Digital Rights Management (DRM) became a common tool used to counter downloaders.  Many cds today (I've had problems with Foo Fighters, Audioslave, and Velvet Revolver) are encoded with anti-copying software/coding to prevent copying (much to my dismay!).  The industry has changed, and it reflects in the final product.

As I asked my readers recently, one suggested discussing the "relationship between the musician and the followers".  Depending on who you are, that relationship has been strengthened or weakened.

The late 1990's brought about changes in music previously discussed as the Internet dramatically changed the distribution of music.  You could bascially be anyone and get your music out to the mainstream.  The rise of mp3s in 1997 (due in part to the Winamp player) lead to Napster in 1999.  The peer-to-peer (P2P) networks thrived for a few years, expanding the amount of music readily available to anyone interested.  At that time, I used the now defunct audiogalaxy, as not only could I get a fix, but also it allowed users to recommend songs that were similar.  I learned about some new artists that way.  Apple developed/published GarageBand in the early 2000's, allowing for budding musicians to really polish their music at home, then deliver via the 'Net.  

All of this has allowed artists to connect with their fans immediately.  Want that song?  Download. On your phone.  Now.  That sort of thing.  In certain ways, artists are able to reap more monetary rewards via the net (cut out some of the middle man business).  It's even allowed new listeners to discover new music.  I personally like many of the blogs that post about new music and artists and like to post a song or two for the listener to judge for themselves.  Sure, you can just download the songs there, but if you like it, why not support the artist and buy the song legitimately or even the album?

This leads to two problems:  illegal

 downloading and sucessful business models.  Illegal downloading isn't going away.  Want to minimize it by altering the code?  Sure.  But then, why is iTunes removing the DRMs from their songs?  Have an iPod and a Zune?  Used to be, you couldn't interchange the two formats (not that easily anyways; forget about loss of audio quality).  Illegal downloading is something that occurs and there isn't one singular solution out there.  I wonder this:  how much revenue does illegal downloading take away from artists?  Without the digital media, I would not have the song. What are my options?  Buy it at 1) retail shop, 2) resale shop, or 3) record off radio.  Most of us probably would visit the resale shop.  But illegal downloaders piss off artists.  I don't blame the artists; support them.  I have about three digital copies of Journey albums on my computers, but bought a Greatest Hits compilation at Best Buy this weekend.  Why?  Because I want to support the artists.  But, here's a great article on it.

What about the business of making music?  The digital realm is fouling up the executives' world right now.  They probably won't admit it, but in the end, they become about as needed as that third nipple on Lily Allen's breast: quite a novelty but not necessary.  In a recent interview, Trent Reznor discussed NIN's buisness plan, in regards to the digital media. 

 “I can give you free music, and in my opinion, it may contribute to more people showing up to a show,” he says. “It’s not up to me to give you free music, it’s free anyway, you know for anybody that wants to admit it. Pretty much any piece of music you want is free on the Internet anyway.”

“We’re in between business models,” he continued. “You know, the old record labels are dead, and the new thing hasn’t really come out yet. So, I’m hoping that whatever gets established puts a lot more power in the hands of artists and more revenue.”

Basically, the companies just aren't sure yet what to do.  They want to follow the old models, but it ain't working.  Naptster, Kazaa, and iTunes all lent a hand in establishing successful models for successfully distributing music digitally.  What's even more funny, the other industries (movie and television mainly) are watching music to see what happens.  Digital media isn't going anywhere and business need to learn quick to handle this.

I can go on about this, about how Sony and Microsoft has digital video set up via their respective gaming stores.  I think that there will be abuses 

of digital media, as there already exists a problem in this area.  I think that most people will take  nicely to the transition to digital files and less physical clutter.  I think in the end, this will help the relationships between artists and their fans. As for the party, I don't think Napster or Metallica  killed it; we as a society became greedy about more music and no money.  We shot ourselves in the foot.  Gotta thought?  Feel free to leave a comment or three.  

But is this good for society as a whole, to be allowed instantaneous gratification?  Ahh, that's something coming...

Final quote: Times change, and we change with them - William Harrison

Justification: For the Kids

Do you remember that scene from Happy Gilmore?  Where Grandma wears the Gene Simmons mask to cheer up Happy? She did it for Happy, and probably wouldn't for any other reason.  

Today, I got to be a "rock star", long hair and all, all in the name of kids.  Fun stuff, actually.  Along with a huge group of my co-workers, I rocked out via lip-syncing and am currently begining the editing process.  In any case, would I have done this under and other circumstances?  Probably not; I don't care much for lip syncing (I'd rather karaoke but that's another...).  Often times, we do things in the name of children.  Great!  What if the kids are gone?  What if there are no kids involved?  Then what?

Point is:  Life is extremely short.  I've found that time passes faster each year my boys get older.  I've yet to find that elusive bottle to capture time.  Forget smelling them; stop the car, pull out the shears, and cut yourself a bouquet of roses.  Sure it's an overused cliche, but not without good reason.  Excuses run rampant for not doing the things that we eventually skip out on, but did you ever really think about a good reason to do it?

WARNING: The preceding message does not pertain to illegal activitities or such that would put yours or others lives in perilous danger.  Use your sense.  It's okay to have a beer after work and you're of age; it's not okay to have twenty and drive yourself home.

Closing quote (and it's a good one): Dream as if you'll live forever; live as if you'll die today. - James Dean

YOU! Choose the topic...

Perhaps this is a way of garnering some readers, but I've got a few ideas that I'm developing. 

As those develop, I thought "Why not ask the readers what they want?"  I"m quite sure that the nine of you won't all say something, but I figure whoever gives that one idea that just sparks will have his/her article written out.

What will it be about?  You decide.  Want something risque?  A movie reviewed? Music critiqued?  How about some commentary on how the clouds haven't been quite as blue as in the past?  

You have the chance here to make it happen.  I guarantee you a full effort on the post.  Nothing shammed together to appease the cheap initiative; no, you will receive the full undivided attention for the post.

And now, I leave you with hopefully some motivating and inspiring words:

"Opportunity knocks at the strangest times, It's not the time that matters But how you answer the door." - Steve Gray

Guilty Pleasure: Cover Songs

I was never the biggest fan of Nine Inch Nails, but...

I really love me some cover songs.  I can't say that

 they are better than the originals, but more so the "new" artist's take on a song we are probably familiar with.  This past fall, I discovered Emerson Nogueira.  He is a cover artist extraordinaire. What is absolutley amazing is that here's this Brazilian musician with a very thick accent selling over 1 million records covering English songs.

Is he good?  That's the crux of the entire cover song argument.  There are those that contend that a cover song is never as good as the original.  In a recent SPIN magazine article, Oasis member Noel Gallagher stated that "Ryan Adam's version [of "Wonderwall"] is so much better than ours, but we can't exactly go around sing his version can we?"  I think that caputures the idea behind covers.  They can be done out of respect for the artist covered.  Garth Brooks covered Billy Joel's "Shameless" and they both made a ton of money.  But is one better than the other?  

A few covers that I absolutely love:

1. Hallelujah - Leonard Cohen wrote this song for his 1984 album, but it wasn't until I heard this song covered by Jeff Buckley during a season ending episode of West Wing did I fall in love with it.  Buckley rearranged a few of the lyrics, but the meaning and the emotion behind his version just stuck with me.  Cohen's version, again the original, is quite nice, but comes across brighter than Buckley's; it's due to Cohen's voice.  Not bad or in any ways negative, just my preference.
2. Across the Universe - A beautiful song.  Period.  Having said that, this is the song that help me fall in love with Emerson Nogueira.  Nogueira's version does not even compare to The Beatles, but there is something homey and comforting about a thick Brazilian accent singing those Sanskrit lyrics.  
3. Message in a Bottle - Sting at some of his finest, this 1979 song by The Police is simply a classic one for me.  Stuart Copeland really struts his stuff and shows he does have serious chops on this track.  It's a bit of an agressive song filled with a passion, but John Mayer covered it a few years back during an acoustic set.  I actually got it by accident and fell in love.  Mayer does the song justice with his fingerwork and and singing.
4. Whiskey in the Jar - Apparently, this goes back than even I realized.  Made popular in the 1960s by the Dubliners, I was first introduced to this song through Thin Lizzy.  Didn't care much for the intro solo, but the song was/is good.  Of course, I got my rock fix and permantly have a copy of Metallica's version on hand.  James Hetfield really makes the lyrics work.  Maybe that's why they won a Grammy, but that doesn't mean too much.  The video is pretty kick ass as well.

So, even with this short list of covers, you can see that a great many artists do their inspiration justice.  That's not to say that there are covers that just plain suck.  Period.  Fleetwood Mac had a great song titled "Landslide".  A few years ago, the Dixie Chicks decided to cover it.  Women crooned about how good the song was.  Didn't do jack for me; I hated it.  Keith Whitley has a song titled "When You Say Nothing at All".  Great song, worked with Whitley's timbre.  Alison Krauss covered it a few years, and as her voice lacks a male voices depth, she never quite did it for me (at least with that song).  The Randy Rogers Band released a song a while back titled, "Sombody Take Me Home".  Kenny Chesney covered the song.  Chesney's version is good (his voice really works and the arrangement is quite nice), but something about it lacks when you've listened to the original.

In the end, I think that cover songs are a valuable commodity.  They offer an outlet for artists to pay homage to their inspirations, a way to voice somthing that perhaps was done well already, and simply a way to expand to other genres.  It's kind of like any other industry:  there are good things about it and bad things as well.  Musically, covers are a good thing.  There are those covers that just plain suck, but it doesn't cast a shadow on those covers that are well done and still hold a ton of meaning.

Closing quote?  Something a bit lighter...

"I'll play along with the charade.  That doesn't seem to be a reason to change.  You know I feel so dirty when they start talking cute, I wanna tell her that I love her but the point is probably moot." - as sung by Frickin' A (originally by Rick Springfield)

Playing Guitar: Barre None

It's been about six months since I starting taking playing guitar as a serious hobby, with the intent of learning to play proficiently.  

As my teacher has been adamant about, Tom set me on a course to learn some basic chords (GCD and ADE mainly) and the addition of some other easy ones that make their way into songs.

Probably a few months ago, we broached the subject of barre chords a while back, it wasn't until about five or six weeks ago that Tom actually worked out and game me the chords for a really sexy number by Keith Urban titled Raining on Sunday.  I haven't mastered it yet (about 50% or so) but it's given me some new life right before you hit that proverbial rut when you're

 learning something.

Of the many performances that drives someone to learn guitar, one that I remember vividly was by a performing troupe I was privy to watch during a lunch break while attending Our Lady of the Lake University (my alma mater!).  They were performing that week, along with visiting with students and such.  This particular day, they were in the cafeteria on the small stage (actually just an area cleared out really).  Two acted out the scene, but it was basically a really cool acoustic version of Jessie's Girl.  It was the mannerisms of it all; for whatever reason, the singer nailed it with the facial expressions and the enthusiasm as he played his role in the whole acting out.

As I've been working on the barre chords, I've discovered the way of power chords as well.  This has allowed me to really tap into a great many power chords and those kick ass riffs that you can recognize from ten years ago.  Licks from Heart, Pat Benatar, Rick Springfield, Weezer and more are working their way into my little repertoire.  

I'm definitely still learning and taking inspiration from many places.  Almost daily, I hear about the haters on video game forums about "ditch the plastic guitar and learn a real one."  Well, I did that.  But only after feeling elated for doing well on the plastic one.  If music inspires you, go with it.

Just like Andrés Segovia said, "Lean your body forwad slightly to support he guitar against your chest, for the poetry of the music should resound in your heart."

Update: Guitar Playing

I've been practicing more, not only at the behest of Tom (my guitar mentor), but because I've actually got a bit of a gig coming up (more on that later).

One of the coolest thing I got over the holidays was my amp.  I ended up getting a Peavey Vypyr 15, a modeling amp from a reputable maker.   As for buying the amp, that's an intersting story.

I researched and researched which amp I would purchase.  Tom was invaluable in this endeavor.  We both agreed that I would benefit from a smaller amp and go with modeling to allow for experimentation until I found "my sound".  Between the Peavey and a Line 6 amp, we traveled to a Guitar Center located in the city and compared the two.  In the end the Peavey just played better for us.  Decision made. Christmas money was spent (when I got it).

Now here is where the story got intersting.  My wife and I talked and decided that we should go ahead and make this purchase from a brick & mortar, just in case it's defective.  I decided to go back to the same Guitar Center as before.  Bad mistake.

Now, before I continue, you have to understand something.  I spent two years as a store manager for a major retail chain.  As per my training, I personally believe and appreciate "platinum" customer service.  It's that important to me.  Mess up on that and you've very well lost a customer for life.  I understand having a bad day, but rudeness is inexcusable.

Having said that, went into Guitar Center.  Absolutely busy.  I mean busy.  A shortage of sales clerks didn't help the situation.  My son and I waited behind a man who was chekcing out at the counter in the guitar section.  It took about ten minutes or so (long enough for me to hear how Austin has four or five Goldtop Gibsons lying around and San Antonio can't keep them in-stock), and finally the man was finished.  The clerk promptly rushed to the counter by the entrance/exit and then went behind closed doors.  He came back, ignored me, and went about doing something else.  I attempted to gain one clerk's attention, but he was simply too busy.  I saw the original clerk who helped Tom and me when we compared the two amps previously.  Thinking perhaps I had a rapport, and queried to him, "Excuse me; can I ask you a question?".

His exact response:  [Deeply sighs while rolling eyes, speaks flatly] Yes.  I've only got two other people to help.

Keeping my tone even, I asked if he had this particluar amp in stock as it appeared it was out.  He quickly reponsded no, and took off on his tasks.  Again, I know he was busy.  I know I wasn't about to drop two grand on equipment, but gimme a break.  I've got income to spend.  I've got kids who are musically inclined.  He doesn't know any of this and this warrants a shitty attitude and service?  I so badly wanted to say "F__ you mister; I'm sorry to have bothered you."  I didn't, but I wanted to.

Disappointed, I went home that evening, calmed down, and the following morning placed an order with Sweetwater. 

 I will forever be a customer with them.  Excellent service, continued support by your own pesonal sales technician, and genuine follow-ups.  Case in point, my purchased amp was so popular it was backordered for almost two weeks.  I was disappointed, but eager nonetheless.  The wait was bearable only because Brian, my sales tech, kept me informed and up to 

date as to the progress of my order.  So the lesson is this:  Never ever visit Guitar Center ever again; buy only from Sweetwater.  At least, that's my recommendation.  If you have a great clerk at your Guitar Center, you are lucky; as for me, I will never recommend them EVER!

On a side note, again at the behest of my friend Tom, I actually wrote letters to both Sweetwater and Guitar Center.  Sweetwater was quite happy with the response, but of special interest was Guitar Center's response:

"Im very sorry about what happened to you in one of our store. I what to assure you that that is not the way we normally do business. I have forwarded your email up the chain and to the management of that store directly so they will know what happened.

Once again I am very sorry."

A nice attempt, but sorry dude; the damage has been done.  'Nuff said.

Since I've had my amp, I've been playing a bit more and really experimenting.  I think I've found the sound I like most.  The best way to describe it is by listening to "Yellow Ledbetter" by Pearl Jam.  Lots of reverb, almost as if you're in a big empty hall.  Barre chords are slowly working their way into my repotoire, thanks to some songs that I'm working on (namely Bon Jovi and Nickelback).  Even built me a nice little amp stand.  It's actually not that little, it stands close to two and a half feet tall.  Cheap and effective, it works for me.  Now to paint it with a base of metallic red and black, with an overlay of glow in the dark.  Wowza.

More later.  For now, enjoy some tunes on the side.

Cheers.

Playing Guitar: Not so easy

Tom is quite proud of me.  My callouses are building up nicely.  

It's been almost two months since I started really practicing playing guitar, and it's been going quite well.  

I don't know everything; it's almost frustrating to not be able to play certain songs because I can't play certain chords well.  I'm having most of my troubles with F and B chords and barre chords.  But, being able to play my little collection is still rewarding.  In fact, playing a few songs, my wife even sang along (she sings a bit better than me some might say).

My wife was so proud when I took that sheaf of papers and organized it into a little black folder.  Close to thirty songs, they are basics.  I'm also learning some solos, but they aren't as easy as the performers make it seem.  Such artistry and talent, I've yet to reach that potential.  Still, I was able to impress my wife's nephew with the riff from "Beat It".  

Duh-da-da-da-duh; duh-da-da-da! Duh-da-da-da-duh; duh-da-da-da! 

"They told us 'Doncha ever come 'round here...Don't wanna see your face; you betta disappear..."

Fall Out Boy's version is okay with John Mayer, but doesn't touch the original.  

White glove is optional.