Fallen Legends

John Lennon

The 8th of this month marked the anniversaries of two slain guitarists. John Lennon killed in 1980 and 'Dimebag' Darrel Abbot in 2004. Both were victims of troubled individuals’ murderous designs, Mark David Chapman and Nathan Gale respectively.

It was reported that Chapman was living out a surreal fantasy inspired by the main character from 'Catcher in the Rye'. Gale on the other hand was reported as being an individual suffering from paranoid schizophrenia, and believed that the Abbot's band could read his mind and were mocking him through their songs.

It is a disturbing coincidence that both musicians met their demise on the same date, and a tragic loss to the music world. Who knows what masterpieces could have been produced if they were allowed to live on.

'Dimebag' Darrel

Guitar wise both legends were very contrasting, Lennon who was famous for being the rhythm guitarist in the Beatles was a very physically aggressive guitarist who would beat the instrument to produce his distinctive driving rhythm sections. Dimebag on the other hand was famous for playing aggressive music rather than aggressively playing his guitar. His technical style of lead playing was second to none, and has countless dedications from practically every metal guitarist not just for his lead playing but also his compositional skills.

It is fair to say that both the Beatles and Pantera would not have been the all conquering bands they are remembered as if it were not for Lennon and Abbot's involvement respectively.

I have just posted a clip of each player at their best, enjoy!

Pantera - Revolution Is My Name (Video)

Working Class Hero-John Lennon

Classic Rock Anyone?

I must admit, I was struggling to come up with a classic rock guitarist who was influential, talented and charismatic. Then it hit me, Ritchie Blackmore! Whilst his name and the bands he is associated with might not ring a bell, his music certainly will!


Many music compilations with titles along the lines of, 'Best Rock', 'Classic Rock', 'Monsters of Rock', and so on, will almost certainly include at least one of the songs he has been involved with.



Ritchie Blackmore



His playing style is instantly recognisable and he is sited by artists as diverse as Slash through to Kurt Cobain, as being a major influence. His style is based heavily on classical music, and he was one of the first players to use modes like Aeolian and Phrygian rather than the genre standard Pentatonic scales. He was basically the first commercially successful guitarist to employ non-Blues based licks in the Rock genre.

The bands he played with were mainly vehicles for him and keyboard legend John Lord to flex their musical muscles with catchy and equally challenging pieces.



With Deep Purple he brought us 'Smoke on the Water', one of the most commonly covered songs in guitar shops the world over, not that he'd be thanked for that! Deep Purple were essentially one of the first bands to make Prog Rock popular, even though many would consider their style of music too successful to be true Prog Rock. His next venture, Rainbow, was much more clearly defined as a straight ahead Rock band. The hit single 'Since You've Been Gone' is probably their most famous song, and whilst it does not show Ritchie in his full on guitar-hero mode, it is a fine example of someone playing for the song not their ego. Enjoy!





Rainbow - since you've been gone

The Results Are In... Again!

The votes are in for the type of guitar based music you would like to read about and it is a three-way-tie! Country, Metal, and Classic Rock.
To start the ball rolling I'll do a little on Country music and where better to start than Mr Brad Paisley?
His single 'Anything Like Me' is currently 2nd in the Billboard Country charts, while his album 'Hits Alive' is 9th in the Country Album charts. Brad has the amazing gift of being a phenomenal guitarist AND singer-songwriter. His songs display his playing prowess and sense of humour. With songs and lyrics that don't take themselves too seriously, his brand of pop/country always gets well received. Below is one of my favorite Paisley songs, which demonstrates all of the qualities he is known for, funny lyrics, catchy melodies, and amazing breakneck speed guitar playing! Enjoy

Brad Paisley - Mr. Policeman

Havana Legend

Compay Segundo is a guitarist that would have been celebrating his 103rd Birthday on the 18th of this month had he not passed away in 2003.

The Cuban Maestro was a multi-instrumentalist and song writer, and a veteran of the Cuban music scene since the 1950's.

He gained international fame in 1997 when he appeared on the Ry Cooder record 'Buena Vista Social Club'. His song 'El chan chan' has now become an instantly recognisable piece and gained him many new fans through Ry Cooder's inclusion of the track on the aforementioned album. There is a wealth of material that he has been associated with, too much for me to try and list but I have just posted a clip of him performing his most famous track, enjoy!

Chan Chan - Compay Segundo

Which is the Ultimate Electric Body Shape?



Stratocaster



Les Paul



Telecaster



Flying V



SG





Explorer





All of the above are essentially what has been the industry standard for body shapes for approximately the last 50 years.

Which is your favourite, and why? Please post your opinions and comments.

Let us see what you think the Ultimate Shape is!

The Wonderful World of Guitar Shops

Stephen Devenney of Reynolds Music, kindly took time out to talk to me about a few guitar-related aspects and other factors involved in running and maintaining a successful retail operation.

With the rise in popularity of guitar based computer games (Guitar Hero, Rockband etc...) and guitar-based music slowly re-emerging into the charts, people have a renewed interest in the instrument, well that's my opinion at least!

With this in mind I assumed most purchases would most likely be first time buyers. While this wasn't quite the case, Stephen my 'official expert', (How cool is that? I have an official expert!), pointed out that most of the sales in the shop he works in were for entry level instruments, in particular entry level acoustic guitars.

Stephen points to Catalogue stores and new Hypermarkets as being the main source of competition, rather than as I had imagined online retailers.

Stores like Argos and ASDA supply cheap mass produced guitars for as little as €50 approx, whilst also offering the availability of various other non-guitar related goods, making them much more appealing as a 'one stop shop' to consumers.

The downside of these stores is that new players are getting instruments that are essentially unplayable, as they are of poor or no quality what so ever.

When asked about internet retailers, such as Thomaan, I got a surprising response. Rather than forcing shops to lower prices, as I had expected, Stephen states that the main result of this competition has been an increase in customer service for 'Brick and Mortar' stores. He explained that while physical stores always had a good Customer support protocol in place, the rise of online competition has made this an even more vital and unique selling point for the 'B&M' stores.

In regards to the customers in general Stephen said, "The life-blood of a local music shop, is the local music scene.". Given that there is a fairly healthy and active music scene in Donegal he's quite happy with his store's potential longevity. Although he airs on the cautious side by saying, "If they ain't playing, they won't be paying". This was his view of what could occur if people stop going out to live music events, and how it could negatively affect the retail trade. Another worrying fact he highlighted was that currently supply grossly outstrips demand, especially with the guitar market.

On a happier and slightly sideways note, Stephen informed me that many youngsters are getting involved with music via the piano. With rising sales of piano related goods such as Royal Irish Academy books selling in quantity and regularity there's hope yet that local music stores will remain a thing of the present and future, not the past.

Many thanks to Stephen, and Reynolds Music for their help and time.

The Reynolds Music Review

Reynolds Music, an instrument retailer in Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, is the subject for today's update.

The Reynolds brand has been providing the Northwest of Ireland with musical instruments and accessories for over 40 years, and is well established with the region's working musicians, so there is no better place to start a discussion about guitar shops than with them!

Firstly here is a little information about the company:

Reynolds of Raphoe is an electrical and musical goods store based in Raphoe, Co. Donegal that found due to increasing demand, a store dedicated solely to the sale of instruments was needed. The new store: Reynolds Music, situated at The Station Roundabout, Letterkenny, opened in December of 2005.

They sell all forms of instruments ranging from acoustic guitars all the way up to upright pianos. They also stock and supply DJ and lighting equipment for functions etc... so keep an eye out for their contact details at the end of the blog!

First things first! Guitars!

The range of guitars available is substantial and the shop is well stocked with both acoustic and electric varieties. Brand names available include: Fender, Gibson, Ernie-Ball MusicMan, Yamaha and from an acoustic perspective there is: Martin, Taylor, Takamine, Breedlove, Yamaha, and Lakewood guitars.

           

With such a large selection I feel spoilt for choice and woozy from all the nice shiny guitars calling me, but I must attempt to remain objective! Even though my bank card is screaming at me to find an ATM to start making purchases and laying deposits for guitars I can't possibly afford... *Sigh* The student life is not one for vast spending potential, if only...

           

The pricing of guitars is better than average here, and the availability of entry level through to high end instruments is very impressive. Now I'm not claiming that their prices will match online retail outlets, but given you can walk in, try an instrument and have expert advice right on hand, it all adds up to good value.

I love a party with Atmosphere!

As this is a review of sorts, I should go into the details of the atmosphere of the shop.

If you're a new comer to the world of music shops, let me tell you right away, they can be intimidating places. Many give you an inferiority complex the second you cross their threshold, with snobbish and rude staff that only add to your feeling of utter uselessness... Thankfully none of the above applies here! The staff are more than welcoming, and happily talk you through any queries, even if you don't make a purchase! The store is a little cluttered but this just stands in testament to the quantity of goods available and does not in any way negatively affect the atmosphere.

If you'd like to visit or get in contact with Reynolds Music, their details are as follows:

Reynolds Music,

Station Roundabout,

Letterkenny,

Co. Donegal

Tel:                  074-91-02222

E-mail:             sales@ror.ie

Glastonbury 2010 - Slash - Paradise City HQ

The Results Are In!

Well it looks as though Mr Saul Hudson is considered the best guitarist!
Personally, I’m not too surprised. After all who else can carry off sporting ungodly long hair, and a dodgy looking top hat all while having a Les Paul swinging at his knees? No one! That’s who! So, all hail the Guitars ‘n’ Guitarists 'Best Guitarist Poll' Winner: Slash!

Slash first came to prominence through Guns'N'Roses and their first five albums. He has appeared in other projects including his recent solo album simply titled Slash: R & F’n R. The other notable band he was/is involved with is Velvet Revolver. Their long hiatus is appearing to be more like a ‘permanent vacation’ though so don’t expect any new releases from VR.

Slash’s style of play is based largely on the 'Blues' scale, which is essentially the Minor Pentatonic with an added flat fifth, now if that sounds a little too technical all it basically means his style is rooted in classic rock (Stones, Rory Gallagher, Deep Purple, etc…).

As Slash was voted #1, I’d like to find out what kind of guitar music you’d like to read about, should it be all classic rock? Indie? NWOBHM?
Let me know by voting in the new poll.
Thanks in advance!

James

The Aussies are Coming!

With all the current buzz about the International Rules matches, I thought I'd spend some time discussing an Australian guitarist that you may not of heard of, one Frank Gambale.

Frank first came to prominence in the early eighties with the rise of technical and virtuoso guitar playing, and was essentially just another shredder. The thing that made him stand out among the sea of Yngwie/Eddie clones was his phenomenal sweep picking and soulful feel to his playing. As the decade progressed his jazz influences became more apparent and he appeared on fusion albums as Chick Corea's guitarist, whilst also releasing solo works. Frank is more famous now for his teaching and has numerous tutorial books and videos/DVDs available. If you're looking for an amazing guitarist who plays jazzy fusion style rock you can do no better than the amazing Frank Gambale!

Frank's official site is: http://www.frankgambale.com/
You can expect to find pretty much everything imaginable about the man and his music. While his style and genre aren't mainstream, given the chance his music will really open your ears and mind to some amazing new things.

Ignore the poor fashion sense, the low production quality (it was the 80's after all!), and be prepared to be stunned by two of Fusion's biggest stars Gambale & Jaco:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XKr_6MzZTw

Welcome One and All

Hello! Welcome to Guitars 'n' Guitarists.

This blog is going to feature everything possible (within reason), relating to guitars, guitarists and guitar based music. There will be a guitar shop review which will try and be as objective as possible (unless they bribe me), dealing with stock, ease of accessibility, staff helpfulness and over-all atmosphere of the shop. There will also be very biased reviews of guitar based music, and guitars.

A little about me:

My name’s James, I’ve been playing guitar for roughly 11 years and have played with some amazing, and not so amazing musicians. Well actually I’m probably the least gifted of my guitar playing fraternity, but what I lack in talent I make up for in enthusiasm and love of the instrument! I’ve amassed quite a collection of both music and guitars, so my opinions aren’t based solely upon bitter jealousy of gifted musicians, (well not always).

I hope you all enjoy my little blog, and get involved in feed back etc…
Thanks for reading!

James