Hi everyone! Anyone paying attention to my FB/Twitter feeds knows that since December, things have been quite hectic, mainly with the completion of the book and subsequent launch party in NYC, attended by many talented friends who helped celebrate by performing with me in various creative collaborations. The debut of my new amp followed closely [...]
Category Archives: SkolNotes
Free Randy
July 10, 2012 – 9:11 pm
It was at an elaborate breakfast buffet in an upscale Manila hotel – courtesy of a Filipino concert promoter – where I first had an in depth conversation with Randy Blythe. Sure we’d run into each other before, always at a show, in a big crowd but never one on one. Minutes earlier, we’d noticed [...]
Inappropriate Wedding Songs
May 29, 2012 – 1:28 pm
Though never a “wedding musician” myself, I have played at a few weddings at the request of good friends who are getting married. In jest, I’ve often thought of songs with titles inappropriate for a wedding the point of awkwardness. It’s fun to suggest these tunes in a deadpan manner to the bride, groom and [...]
The Fake Brigade
May 14, 2012 – 3:57 pm
I recently stumbled upon a blog by way of a very respected celebrity. Unlike so many celebrities these days who are have marginal talent or no talent whatsoever (excuse me, I have to cough…Kardashians! ), this is someone whose work and media presence exudes wit, intelligence, integrity and discernment. So when a celebrity of this [...]
Le Juge Deux: La Sollicitation
April 24, 2012 – 11:35 pm
Lets give credit where credit is due: all four of the bands mentioned in the previous post worked very hard, eventually reaching a level where they qualified for a showcase where they were heard by professional ears. After being chosen out of more than two hundred submissions, these bands had earned this right. This is [...]
Le Juge (The Judge)
April 16, 2012 – 12:46 pm
The yellow boa looked like he could of easily slipped off the shoulders of the screamer whose black and white face paint looked like a half melted mish-mash of all four faces of Kiss. This kid couldn’t have been much more than twenty. As his band blasted a barely decipherable onslaught of blast beats, power [...]
Big Band Blog
April 5, 2012 – 5:45 am
For most, the term ‘big band’ brings to mind images of black & white films, World War II era news reels, classic cars and swing dancers swaying. The notion of seventeen or more musicians on a band stand is often viewed as a relic to be appreciated as though in a museum, an antiquated symbol [...]
Return Of The Prodigy (And Son)
March 1, 2012 – 8:54 am
It was the real deal. When Eddie Van Halen launched into ‘You Really Got Me,’ followed by ‘Runnin’ With The Devil,’ there was no question. They’re back. Oh, there have been rumblings before. In the late 90’s, there was the Van Halen III album and tour. Eddie was hinting at the potential he used to [...]