 "The Birth of Loud” by Ian S. Port is a great read, and at times draws you in like a potboiler, chronicling the race to invent a solid body electric guitar.
Paul Bigsby, Les Paul and Leo Fender were all on the forefront of that history as allies, friends, and sometimes bitter competitors. Unexpected details abound—Paul Bigsby is shown as a dedicated inventor, Les Paul’s car crash is charged with drama, and the career and personal dynamics between him and Mary Ford were fascinating. I didn’t know Leo Fender had a glass eye and was deaf in one ear. The book was laced with fascinating tidbits throughout. Mr Port really brings the story to life. After that, the book segues into the next wave,“Loud,” when artists used their solid body guitars for things no one could have envisioned. Dick Dale’s importance is chronicled—I didn’t know the Dual Showman amp was invented for him. Eric Clapton’s Les Paul and Marshall, Hendrix and his Stratocaster, and other historically crucial rigs are all covered with a fresh perspective, to name just a few. I highly recommend “The Birth of Loud” to anyone interested in electric guitars and rock & roll history—including anyone who thinks they’ve read it all before. I thought I knew the whole story, but I was pleasantly surprised up to the last page. Amazon Link ... https://www.amazon.com/Birth-Loud-Fender-Guitar-Pioneering-Rivalry/dp/1501141651/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?keywords=%22The+Birth+of+Loud%E2%80%9D+by+Ian+S.+Port&qid=1556450132&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmr0
0 Comments
Direct link to article https://www.guitarplayer.com/players/vinyl-treasures-dec   Peter Jacksons WWI documentary "They Shall Not Grow Old" pays homage to the resilience of soldiers in WWI, while showing the horror of war. The restored footage is intimate and breathtaking- and is brought even more to life, with commentary from WWI soldiers/veterans that was compiled from hours of BBC interviews.
My understanding is the theatrical run was limited. In any event, if you can manage see it, stick around for the fascinating "special features" at the end. NY TIMES - How Peter Jackson Made WWI Footage Seem Astonishingly New With ‘They Shall Not Grow Old’ https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/16/movies/peter-jackson-war-movie.html Hi friends- In this months Vinyl Treasures column in Guitar Player Magazine I write about Santana Abraxas. Thank you! Full article here... Thank you! https://www.guitarplayer.com/…/vinyl-treasures-santana-abra…  Hi friends - In the Guitar Player Magazine Holiday issue my Vinyl Treasures column features the LP "Country Guitar" (Various Artists) that includes the great Thumbs Carlisle, Jimmy Capps, Billy Byrd, Hardrock Gunter... Read it here... https://www.guitarplayer.com/players/vinyl-treasures-various-artists-country-guitar   I’ve heard it’s fashionable to be critical of Ringo Starr's drumming. I find this astonishing- it’s like someone telling me “cockroaches are cuter then kittens”. Say what?
Ringo is one the greatest rock drummers in music history. He played compositionally and cleverly while he prioritized the song… and he was always swinging hard. His contributions on “Tomorrow Never Knows”, “Maxwell's Silver Hammer”, “Happiness Is A Warm Gun”, “Polythene Pam” , “Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey”, “Fixing A Hole”, “Come Together”, “Hey Bulldog”, “Paperback Writer”, “Good Morning, Good Morning” are obvious examples of his humble genius … and I’m leaving dozens of other examples off my list. Feel free to add your own … I love the Beatles! George Harrison talks about Ringo... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WfsdwkOIpI I wrote a few guitar lessons for Premiere Guitar magazine in 2012… Let's begin with - LITTLE STEEL GUITAR VOICINGS https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/Orange_Guitar_Little_Steel_Guitar_Voicings    Guitar Player Magazine Jim Campilongo "Why Live Albums Rule" (Live at Rockwood) Sept 2018 All Campilongo titles available on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/default/e/B000APVFT0/works/ref=ntt_mus_teaser?redirectedFromKindleDbs=true
  |
AboutWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
April 2019
Categories |
RSS Feed