Guitar Player articles from May 2007

Guitar Player archives from May 2007

Noize from the editor.(Editorial)
May 1, 2007... I'M ALWAYS TORN WHEN THE MAINSTREAM media covers guitarists. I can't help but be happy, because any coverage of guitarcraft in the broad universe of straight news can reach out and seduce new blood into our community of serious players. On the...

Letter of the month.(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2007... As a longtime Guitar Player reader, I eagerly dove into the newly redesigned March '07 issue upon its arrival. I must say, I'm pleased and impressed with the fresh look and feel--particularly the "Supercharge Your Chops" cover story. But. man,...

40 years of music mojo.(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2007... Your March issue was fantastic. What a blast it was going over the tips from the last 40 years. But what really made my day was recognizing so many of the covers from back issues. I recall having seen nearly all of them. The well-rounded...

Fight club.(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2007... I normally don't feel compelled to wander all the way over from my nice, comfy guitar chair, where both myself and my guitar have permanently imprinted some portion of our forms. However, Matt Blackett's February "Fight Club" showcasing an...

Trey cool.(FEEDBACK)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2007... Thanks for the piece on Trey Alexander, the winner of Guitar Player's Guitar Hero 2006 competition. The article does a great job of profiling an amazingly talented individual. What's more, watching him on GPTV really makes his complete story...

Oops!(FEEDBACK)(Correction notice)
May 1, 2007... In the March issue's Ten-Amp Extravaganza, we mistakenly referred to the Budda Collector's Edition Twinmaster as a 15-watt amp. It's actually an 18 watter.

Fu Manchu.(RIFFS: Metal)(Interview)
May 1, 2007... "I'M STILL PLAYING MUSIC today for the very same reason I started," says Fu Manchu founder, singer, and guitarist Scott Hill. "It's all about getting people together in a room and playing. I love the sound of a loud band." For more than 17...

Rob Ickes.(RIFFS: Bluegrass)(Interview)
May 1, 2007... "AFTER EVERY SHOW WITH THIS BAND, I really feel like I've learned a lot about my instrument, and that's a great feeling." That's how resonator master Rob Ickes describes Three Ring Circle [Earwave], his latest collaboration with...

NYC fretless guitar festival.(RIFFS: Community)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... THE SECOND ANNUAL NEW YORK CITY FRETLESS Guitar Festival took over the Tap Bar performance space at Manhattan's Knitting Factory for a weekend of unfretted frolic, September 29-30, 2006. Both evenings spotlighted over-the-top sets from the...

Andy Summers.(RIFFS: Oeuvre Easy)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... ANDY SUMMERS WOULD STILL HAVE secured a place in guitar lore even if his chance meeting with Stewart Copeland on the London Underground that resulted in his joining the Police had never occurred. Summers had already toured and/or recorded with...

Reggatta De Blanc, 1979.(INSPIRED)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... Reggatta De Blanc, 1979 Summers' infamous add2 voicings on "Message in a Bottle" define one of the absolute "must know" guitar riffs of all time. and his shimmering Dm7sus4 supplies the heady atmosphere of "Walking on the Moon." Also dig...

Synchronicity, 1983.(INSPIRED)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... Synchronicity, 1983 Sure, Sting wrote the chords and melody to "Every Breath You Take," but it's hard to imagine the track sounding as timeless without Summers' rolling, muted-arpeggio riff. Summers' compositional contributions--the jazzy...

The Police Live, 1995.(INSPIRED)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... The Police Live, 1995 Essentially a collection of two complete concerts--the second recorded during the band's final tour--this is a solid, albeit perfunctory reading of its greatest hits. The first is the true gem. Recorded during an...

Outlandos D'Amour, 1978.(REQUIRED)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... Outlandos D'Amour, 1978 Summers manages to mix unfettered punk riffing, tight reggae chord chops, hard harmonics, and 7sus4 chords on the Police's debut without sounding the least bit pretentious. Kewl!

Zenyatta Mondatta, 1980.(REQUIRED)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... Zenyatta Mondatta, 1980 While not the Police's strongest effort in terms of radio singles, Zengatta Mondatta is a textural guitar paradise! Summers tastefully employs a Roland guitar synth on "Don't Stand so Close to Me," and his...

I Advance Masked, 1982 Bewitched, 1984.(REQUIRED)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... I Advance Masked, 1982 Bewitched, 1984 Police fans were probably more bewildered than bewitched by the 7/4 grooves and freaky instrumental soundscapes on Summers' two duo records with Robert Fripp, but guitar aficionados were left pondering...

Retrospective, 1998.(REQUIRED)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... Retrospective, 1998 A ten-track anthology compiled from three previous solo releases. Retrospective is a great place to begin your Summers solo collection. The slickly processed guitar tones, funky beats, and sophisticated harmonies should...

Green Chimneys: The Music of Theonius Monk, 1999 Peggy's Blue Skyight, 2000.(REQUIRED)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... Green Chimneys: The Music of Theonius Monk, 1999 Peggy's Blue Skyight, 2000 Summers returns to his first love--jazz--to take on the catalogs of Thelonius Monk and Charles Mingus, respectively. Instead of a reverent straight-ahead reading,...

Ghost In The Machine, 1981.(TIRED)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... Ghost In The Machine, 1981 With classic pop tunes such as "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic," "Spirits in the Material World," and "Invisible Sun," it's unjust to peg this as a bad album. The problem is that Summers' guitar is too...

XYZ, 1987.(TIRED)
May 1, 2007... XYZ, 1987 Summers' one paean to his Top 40 past is solid, but ultimately done in by his limited vocal range and generic songwriting.

The top 40 rhythm guitarists: as chosen by the GP staff and forum members.(GuitarPlayer 40 YEARS)(Brief article)(List)
May 1, 2007... Eddie Cochran Ry Cooder Steve Cropper Ray Davies Bo Diddley John Fogerty John Frusciante Andy Gill Freddie Green George Harrison James Hetfield Scott Ian Tony Iommi Robert Johnson...

Roach.(RIFFS: Rocker Girl)(Interview)
May 1, 2007... "WE TRY TO PUT ON AN ENTERTAINING SHOW-SOMETHING we'd like to see," enthuses Groovie Ghoulies guitarist Roach. "We use crazy colored lights, we toss bags of confetti around, and people can jump onstage to dance without getting thrown off. We...

Editor boy's big eight.(RIFFS: MySpace Hordes)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... GP IS EMBRACING D-I-Y MUSICIANS BY spotlighting thrilling (or, at least, interesting) guitar talents in this column and at guitarplayer.com. If you think you've got something going that our readers should hear, go to myspace.com/michael-molenda...

Gabriela Buenos Aires, Argentina, "Para Nathan".(RIFFS: MySpace Hordes)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... This haunting, lilting sonic atmosphere features some subtle, yet evocative tines and loops by Bill Frisell. The arrangement is weird and beautiful, as Gabriela's voice plays the part of an impassioned sprite weaving spells of mystery and...

Ty Oliver Santa Cruz, California, "So Softly".(RIFFS: MySpace Hordes)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... Oliver could be tagged as "Mr. Harmonic," as he loves punctuating his supple single-note lines with somewhat unexpected harmonic pinches. The effect is sometimes a bit jarring, but it adds surprise, heat, and interest to what could otherwise be...

William Wiegand Tampico, Mexico, "Rockin' Night".(RIFFS: MySpace Hordes)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... Wiegand has a super fat tone that's simultaneously slinky and articulate. His melodic chops are excellent, and he knows how to toss in enough shifts, riffs, and tricks to keep the party jumping. There's never a dull moment in this piece, and...

Tom Mein Glendale, Arizona, "Rubopimp".(RIFFS: MySpace Hordes)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... In under two minutes, Mein serves up a funky old-school groove, some arcane harmony lines, soaring whammy swoops, shred licks, fractured melodies, and some truly sick-puppy moments. Mein's diverse influences pop in and out like MTV video cuts,...

Derek Neese Dallas, Texas, "Blue Jean Blues" (ZZ Top).(RIFFS: MySpace Hordes)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... Neese manages to transcend the often-tired formula of conventional blues performance by unleashing an ear-catching guitar tone. It's snappy, crystal clear, and, at the same time, vocal-like and sexy. The actual notes are nothing you haven't...

Ben P Rialto, California, "Hard".(RIFFS: MySpace Hordes)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... Mr. Ben Palispis peppers "Hard" with tons of dizzy bends that will either drive you bug nuts or excite your coolness neurons, I dug 'em, and the song's combo plate of those vertigo-inducing bends, shreddy bits, legato lines, and staccato...

Christian Enojado Greenville, North Carolina, "I Want It Today".(RIFFS: MySpace Hordes)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... What a gorgeous mess! Enojado doesn't have the hippest voice, the coolest guitar tone, or the nastiest solo chops, but this song hits you like a supernova of joy. It reminded me of the giddy bliss I felt in the '70s watching crazy-ass bands...

Alex Brachet Marseille, France, "Stronger".(RIFFS: MySpace Hordes)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... Make sure you're in the right headspace to survive this onslaught of ripping guitars, scampering synth lines, and relentless grooves, because it's quite a lot to absorb. But if your Zen calm is operational, you'll thrill to a remarkable barrage...

Pat MacDonald.(RIFFS: Songwriting)(Interview)
May 1, 2007... SONGWRITING SERVES AS the prescription of the day for me," says Pat MacDonald. "It comes from a place of need. When I begin, I ask myself, 'What do I require at this moment? Do I need to relax, feel compassionate, be silly, or express...

"Sneaky Pete" Kleinow: 1934-2007.(RIFFS: Tribute)(guitarist)(Obituary)
May 1, 2007... PEDAL-STEEL GUITAR ACOLYTE AND country-rock icon Peter "Sneaky Pete" Kleinow passed away on January 6, from complications related to Alzheimer's disease. He was 72. Kleinow became a fixture in the blossoming California country-rock scene of the...

Giles Martin on making LOVE.(RIFFS: Recording)(Interview)
May 1, 2007... IF YOU MESS WITH A CLASSIC, YOU DO SO AT your own peril. You instantly run the risk of having your creation compared not just to the original, but also to a mustachioed Mona Lisa or New Coke. And the more revered the original, the louder the...

Passing notes.(RIFFS)(Jack Nau, Mary Kaye)(In memoriam)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... The music community is mourning the loss of Jack Nau, who passed away February 18, while doing one of the things he loved most--playing guitar onstage with his son, Sebastian. He was 56. Nau, a lifelong resident of Petaluma, California, started...

The creation's Eddie Phillips.(RIFFS: No Guitarist Left Behind)(Interview)
May 1, 2007... FOR A FEW YEARS DURING THE MID '60S, THE Creation seemed poised for stardom. One of the first guitar-trio-plus-vocalist lineups, the band toured with the major acts of the day, appeared on mainstream television in England and Europe, and...

David Gilmore.(RIFF: Jazz)(Interview)
May 1, 2007... GILMORE'S GEAR GUITARS Gibson ES-335, Taylor 640ce, Wechter 9303c AMP Mesa/Boogie Lone Star loaded with two 30-watt Celestions EFFECTS Boss ME-50, Line 6 MM4 Modulation Modeler and DL4 Delay Modeler, Dunlop CryBaby 535 STRINGS...

Mike Einziger.(RIFFS: Rock)(Interview)
May 1, 2007... SINCE INCUBUS' 1993 DEBUT, THE BAND AND its guitarist Mike Einziger have grown, matured, and broken out of every stylistic pigeonhole by which critics have tried to define them. Much to the guitarist's chagrin, Einziger and company were...

Coco Montoya.(RIFFS: Blues)(Interview)
May 1, 2007... HENRY "COCO" MONTOYA IS ONE OF THOSE exemplary players who bend their awesome technique to fit their artistic expression. The 55-year-old bluesman was originally a drummer who only fooled around with the guitar on the side. He landed a...

Pelican: City of Echoes.(Audio)(Sound recording review)
May 1, 2007... They've been called instrumetal, post-rock, and all sorts of other monikers, but the sprawling, arty metal of Pelican transcends simple genre classifications. City of Echoes, the group's third full-length album, is a heavy, sprawling record...

Jorma Kaukonen: Stars in My Crown.(Audio)(Sound recording review)
May 1, 2007... Back in 2002, Kaukonen sojourned to Nashville to record a collection of traditional acoustic blues numbers, with assistance from Jerry Douglas, Sam Bush, Bela Fleck, and Byron House. While Blue Country Heart was chock full of virtuoso...

John Blakeley & Ron Nagle: Tan Mantis.(Audio)(Sound recording review)
May 1, 2007... Blakeley is one of those underappreciated and relatively unknown genre guitarists that will bring one big-ass, blissed-out smile to your face when you finally discover him. A stone California surf wizard--he co-founded the Sandals, and laid...

What's spinning in the editors' heads this month?(RANTS & RAVES)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... JUDE GOLD Les McCann/ Eddie Harris, Swiss Movement Mint Condition, Live [tom the 9:30 Club Israel & New Breed, Alive in South Africa KEVIN OWENS Dinosaur Jr., Beyond James Blood Ulmer, Bad Blood in the City: The Piety Street...

Christopher Hjort: Strange Brew: Eric Clapton & the British Blues Boom, 1965-1970.(Print)(Book review)
May 1, 2007... This stunning new book by provides a picturesque history of the British blues scene, beginning from the point at which Clapton leaves the Yardbirds and begins his 15-month stint with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. What unfolds in the 352 pages...

Hot little numbers: 35 electric guitars under $500.(Cover story)(Product/service evaluation)
May 1, 2007... LIKE FORD AND HONDA DRIVERS WHO pine over Ferraris and Maseratis, any guitarist worthy of his or her G.A.S. (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) marvels at megabuck vintage models, unique custom-shop creations, and other high-ticket beauties. But, for...

Gear Nirvana! A smokin' smorgasbord of goodies from winter NAMM.(Buyers guide)
May 1, 2007... THOSE GEAR ZEALOTS WHO MEASURE their happiness on the amount of guitar products unveiled each year will have no problem beaming bliss well into 2008. The 2007 NAMM show--held January 18 through January 21 in Anaheim, California--was bursting...

The 2007 GP Readers' Choice Awards.
May 1, 2007... THE COMMUNITY OF GUITAR PLAYER READERS has spoken, and here's what they picked as the best artists, gear, and GP moments of last year. We were gratified that thousands of readers answered the call in the December 2006 issue to vote online, or...

10 things you gotta do to play like Joe Walsh.(LESSONS)
May 1, 2007... "HOW YA DOIN'? WE'RE THE JAMES GANG FROM LAST CENTURY," DRAWLED rock and roll extraordinaire Joe Walsh in characteristic nasal twang as he kicked off a string of 15 dates during the summer of 2006. The historic tour marked the much anticipated...

Keep it funky! Get your groove on with help from Prince/Justin Timberlake guitarist Mike Scott.(LESSONS: Master Class)
May 1, 2007... YOU'VE HEARD THE STORY BEFORE: A posse of musicians stuffs a mountain of instruments into a car and heads west to Hollywood to take a shot at the big time. Mike Scott's road to the main stage, however, took a big right turn to the north. In the...

Sonny Landreth: part three: playing melodies.(BEGINNER)(Interview)
May 1, 2007... FROM DELTA BLUES TO MODERN ELECTRIC slide to his trademark "behind the glass" technique of playing slide notes and fretted notes simultaneously, Sonny Landreth has a near supernatural ability to infuse his music with the most exciting and...

Make like Jimmy Page Nick Drake, and Neil Young and Bone Up on the Celtic: blues of Bert Jansch.(INTERMEDIATE)
May 1, 2007... "MY SENSE OF SONG FORM COMES FROM traditional British music," says Scottish guitar legend Bert Jansch. This explains a lot about the influential guitarist's tendency to play in phrases rather than adhere strictly to bar counts or time...

David Bloom: got melody?(ADVANCED)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... THERE SEEMS TO BE AN ASSUMPTION among many guitarists that comping chords and playing melodies are two entirely unrelated processes. Some players take great solos but approach the task of comping almost as a chore, playing uninspired sequences...

Roger Mayer Voodoo-Blues.(GEAR: Stompbox Fever)(Product/service evaluation)
May 1, 2007... BRITISH EFFECTS MAKER ROGER MAYER IS famous for doing things his own way, so it's not surprising that when he recently designed a new distortion pedal, he avoided the popular Tube Screamer template. As Mayer puts it, "I have over the years...

Refurbishing a '63 Mustang.(Dan Erlewine's Mod Squad)
May 1, 2007... IN THE PAST TWO COLUMNS. THE MOD SQUAD HAS BEEN refurbishing a '63 Fender Mustang. We patched an unwanted humbucker hole that someone had routed in the pickguard, replaced worn frets, and filled in the gouged-out humbucker hole in the body....

Ernie Ball: wonder wipes.(GEAR: Accessory File)
May 1, 2007... ERNIE BALI'S APPROACH TO CLEANING PRODUCTS is rather unique to the music market. Instead of the traditional spray bottle and cloth, disposable Wonder Wipes come in a container that combines the two--a la Huggies baby wipes. EB's three new...

Fender/Roland alliance.(NAMM News Flashes)(Fender Musical Instruments)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... Launching a true R&D collaboration with designers from both companies locked in the same room, Fender and Roland developed a true "super" Strat--the VG Stratocaster. The operation of Fender's first modeling guitar was kept simple, but it offers...

Happy Birthday to you.(NAMM News Flashes)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... Sing a little ditty and send some cheer to those celebrating anniversaries this year. Vox turns 50, and GP will be running a historical feature and unveiling a big surprise in future issues. Believe it or not, Sennheiser developed its first...

Custom shops.(NAMM News Flashes)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... Several manufacturers are reaching out to well-heeled players who desire upscale, personalized instruments by launching comprehensive online custom shops. Peavey debuted a new custom-shop interface (peaveycustomshop.com) that lets users build...

PRS gets amped.(NAMM News Flashes)(Paul Reed Smith at National Association of Music Merchants show)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... A proud Paul Reed Smith was giving demos of his limited-edition, 50-watt Private Stock amp in the PRS booth on the NAMM floor. No surprise that it's beautifully made, or that it sounds versatile and extremely sweet.

Barden's back.(NAMM News Flashes)(Joe Barden Engineering)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... Joe Barden--who has crafted handmade pickups for Danny Gatton, Bruce Springsteen, Bonnie Raitt, and others--is back in business as Joe Barden Engineering. His T-Style, S-Style, HB, and HB Two/Tone models are once again available, and Barden is...

Frankenstein returns!(NAMM News Flashes)(Fender Custom Shop produced replicas of Eddie Van Halen's guitar)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... Eddie Van Halen teamed up with the Fender Custom Shop to produce 300 superlative replicas of his famous striped "Frankenstein" guitar. The models feature an ash body, a bolt-on maple neck, a maple fretboard with a 12" to 16" compound radius, 21...

Dave Meniketti, 1985.(BACK 40: GP Archives)(Interview)
May 1, 2007... DAVE MENIKETTI STILL LAUGHS ABOUT AN incident that happened years ago, when Y&T then called Yesterday & Today--was just starting to break into big-time heavy metal. "We were playing at the Santa Monica Civic," he says, "and one of our fans...