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 caliber – one of uncompromising legitimacy – chooses to follow a blogger, I assume that the blogger is worth following.

Thinking I’d discovered some great new blog, I immediately and excitedly shared one of its posts with someone far more knowledgeable on the subject than I am (let’s just say it was of a philosophical and academic nature). It was quickly and eloquently pointed out to me that this blogger was not the great writer I’d thought I’d discovered. Rather, he appeared to be lifting the works of others and passing them off as his own. Further research confirmed that he was indeed simply regurgitating existing ideas in an attempt to sound authentic when in truth, he was anything but.

This got me thinking: it sure is odd that someone would intentionally and knowingly present him or herself to the world in such a manner as to develop a reputation based entirely on false pretenses. Or is it?

Fast forward to last week…I’m glancing at the newspaper and find out that the CEO of one of the most important tech companies – you’ve heard of it, Its called Yahoo! – flat out lied on his resume, saying he had a computer science degree when in reality, he did not. Then it turns out that one of Yahoo’s directors had lied on her resume as well. In both cases, these people completely sold themselves short, as well as the entire company which, as of this writing, is in turmoil. And as I’m about to publish this post, the following story just appeared: Yahoo CEO Scott Thompson Is Out).

Flashback to a few years ago: everyone was raving about this heartwrenching memoir by James Frey “A Million Little Pieces.” He was praised by Oprah, received rave reviews and the book became a bestseller. That is, until his ‘true story’ was proven to be largely fictionalized by an on-line article entitled
“A Million Little Lies”. He was brought on Oprah again, publicly castigated, and seen as someone who’d brought shame upon the entire writing industry. Frey’s career eventually survived the scandal (he is a good writer, just not a truthful one), but remains tattered.

Flashback to a few years before that, when a young reporter made headlines of his own by duping the New York Times; his name was Jayson Blair. He wrote about things that never happened, fictionalized things that did and claimed to be writing from locations around the world when he’d never left his Brooklyn apartment. Blair went from grace to disgrace and now toils in shame and obscurity.

The more I think about it, the more I realize how inundated we are with fibbers and fabricators. And nowhere is this more true than the world of music.

When I first arrived in New York, I was quite impressed with the flyers of certain students from the jazz department at the university I was attending (The New School) and others (Manhattan School Of Music, William Patterson etc…). These young musicians would associate themselves with recognizable names, aimed to impress (“Has performed with so and so” “Has recorded with so and so” ) Excitedly, I’d attend gig after gig, where I’d hear these students play, only to find that they sounded mediocre at best, never living up to the hype of their advertising.

As it turned out, most had never worked in a professional context with any of the established artists whose names they were dropping. Some had shared the stage with them as part of some school ensemble or public jam session. Others had paid top dollar to have these well known professionals play on their demos (unfortunately, it’s never been hard to find respected jazz musicians in need of cash and willing to exploit themselves). And it wasn’t just students who were professional bullshit artists.

There was one faculty member with little or no knowledge about the subject being taught, instrumental skills that were minimal at best and who would drop names as though closely associated with great artists (in the interest of liability, I will never reveal this person’s name, gender or instrument). This person was a good enough self-promoter to ‘pad’ a resume, come up with a curriculum that sounded impressive on paper and even publish books that, when examined closely, were just like the blog mentioned earlier: full of regurgitation.

This behavior is far from limited to music schools – it is just as bad or worse in the ‘real world.’ Even within professional musical situations, I’ve been amazed at the lengths certain musicians will go in order to tout their abilities in conversation, often exaggerated or completely not true. Some claim to be important members of well known bands when in actuality, they’re the equivalent of extras. Others claim to be songwriters but wouldn’t know a good song if it bit them. Some are decent enough ensemble players but try to pass themselves off as great soloists (they’re not). I’m not just talking about guitarists although they are among the worst offenders.

Comedian Chris Rock has a great routine about guys who boast about being responsible parents, saying things like “I take CARE of my kids!” His response? “You’re SUPPPOSED to, you dumb motherfucker!”

I feel the same way about being good at your profession, whether you’re a guitarist, gardener or geologist: if you’re really doing something well, there is no need to tout it, just do it and shut the fuck up. And if you’re not good yet, don’t pretend you are – be honest with yourself and others and just keep working on it. There’s no reason to brag about doing something well – you’re supposed to!

Attempting to create a false impression in social situations is annoying and juvenile. Building an entire career and persona out of fibs, fabrications and embellishments is unconscionable. Putting something down in a ‘bio,’ blurb, blog or conversation that is an exaggeration or non-truth has never once crossed my mind. Yet its become such a common practice among others that I’m beginning to wonder if something might be wrong with me!

What kind of sick, fucked up society do we live in where so many feel they have to make up complete bullshit, anything to get ahead, even all out lies? I imagine there must be professional bullshitters outside of the United States, but the examples described here are all US citizens. Could this be a casualty of America and all that’s gone wrong here? Is this the beginning of our Roman Empire-like fall?

We are surrounded by those who do nothing more than talk the talk. Many are found out relatively quickly but some manage to continue fooling everyone for years. The perks of being phony can be instantaneous – attention, opportunities and more – but the truth will catch up to you, it always does.

In the short term, being genuine requires a lot more work – years of struggle, endless setbacks and maintaining of humility. But in the long term, it takes a lot of effort to build and maintain a facade, so why not just put in a few more years of hard work towards truly developing a skill and achieving legitimacy?

Beware of the Fake Brigade. They are everywhere: on-line, at clubs, in offices, at stores, in classrooms, on the streets, on stage, at parties and maybe even in your own home. Keep an eye out for them. And please don’t ever become one of them.

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 a vastly different scenario than those who push their CD’s, plaster their clips and post their links, flyers etc…on others’ Facebook and Twitter pages, with no invitation to do so. I don’t mind the CD’s so much – but the unsolicited clips, links and flyers are a pain.

A while back, these posts got to be such a burden that I ended up going on a mild rant about them on ‘Twitter.’ This caused a few ‘unfollows’ and some reminders me that ‘others have dreams too.’

Of course they do. But dreams have to be earned. They are not an entitlement.

The reality is that most demos out there aren’t very good. In most cases, many, more years of hard work and experience are required for the music to be in the ballpark of being interesting to professional ears. No listening by me or anyone else is going to change that.

My observation/plea about unsolicited song clips, flyers etc… pales in comparison to a recent all out rant by Bob Lefsetz, a music biz blogger and hero of mine, whom I blogged about last year in a post. It had begun after he’d shared a link to an aspiring singer-songwriter whose song he liked, and was then flooded by MP3’s.

I think anyone gunning for a place in the music world on any level, needs to listen to him and take what he has to say into consideration. Read all the links at the end of this post. You may not like it, but he reflects the thinking of many pros in the industry.

I’m not saying I think this way. I could never be as ruthless with my words. But he makes some very valid points that no else has the balls to say.

As an artist, I know what its like to have dreams and wish for approval from those in the know. But it’s important to not be delusional about where you are in your progress. It may be hard to face reality, but doing so is what makes one motivated to put in the necessary work.

Here’s an example of Lefsetz’s words that I can relate to. This applies to anyone who pushes for their music to be heard sight unseen, without earning that right via an event such as ‘En Route To Heavy Mtl’ or a recommendation from someone known and trusted: “I am not in control of your life. I am not a freight train to riches, not even for myself. If you need to make it, you might. But you’re gonna have to sacrifice everything to get close, and your music will speak for itself and I’ll hear about it from someone else.” There are also some great quotes from marketing expert and bestselling author Seth Godin on
‘Permission Marketing’

“Permission marketing is the privilege (not the right) of delivering anticipated, personal and relevant messages to people who actually want to get them.”

“Permission is like dating. You don’t start by asking for the sale at first impression. You earn the right, over time, bit by bit.”

Read Bob’s entire post here:
“STOP WITH THE UNSOLICITED MP3′S”
And the follow ups:
“WHERE I’M COMING FROM”
TRUSTED RELATIONSHIPS
A FINAL STORY

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 chords and keyboards, he handed the creature off to one of about half a dozen barely covered young female mascots standing in the front row, all clad in matching bras and skin tight shorts (made from a fabric resembling electrical tape). Too concerned to ogle the girls, I breathed a sigh of relief for the safety of the snake.

I’d been flown into Montreal to be a ‘celebrity judge’ for En Route To Heavy MTL. This ‘battle of the bands’ takes place in a dungeon-like nightclub and consists of local acts competing for a spot in the city’s annual two day Metal festival, the first of its kind in North America (This year’s line up includes System Of A Down, Slipknot and Lamb Of God). The competition is divided into five showcases several weeks apart, with twenty bands total and two winners. On each night, four bands play four songs each, followed by ‘American Idol’ style critique and commentary by a panel of judges including yours truly who, at this moment, was wondering how honest I should be with my opinions.

I understood this was ‘Symphonic Metal’ night, and that imagery is considered a crucial part of the genre. But so far, I’d been so distracted by the make-up, the costumes, the snake and the army of tattooed tarts that looked fresh out of SuicideGirls.com. that the music itself had become secondary.

Not wishing to be a harsh judge a la ‘Simon Cowell,’ I felt a bit conflicted. I know what it’s like to spend endless hours alone with your instrument and locked in a rehearsal room with others, bashing it out and hoping you’re honing in on something good, but never sure. At the same time, were all the bells and whistles necessary?

Fortunately the young band, Magnum Stallion, made it much easier to be supportive during their last song, in which they ditched their mime-like choreography, acted natural, didn’t rely on props (or boobs) and honed in on some nice guitar harmonies and laid into some solid grooves that got the crowd moving. Why hadn’t they done their whole set this way?

The second band, Erimha, had no live snakes and young women incorporated into the show, but they had similarly elaborate costumes and make-up. The vocalist had a lot of conviction and charisma. I met him afterwards and he was very nice, while on stage he’d been scary – that’s a good thing. Unfortunately, not all of his bandmembers were keeping up – one of them striking me as a real ‘average Joe’ (average Jacques?) on stage, as though he’d thrown on a Halloween costume. Being on stage requires that you have presence and ‘own it.’ There were some good chants, where the crowd yelled ‘Hey!’ but it would have been nice to hear an original chorus for the crowd to chant.

The third band, Valfreya, had music that alternated between mellow, almost Celtic, with flutes (played on keyboard), and fast and heavy riffs. After the first two bands’ walls of riffs and screams, it was refreshing to hear music that wasn’t the same texture all the the way through and fronted by a good melodic female lead vocalist. The drummer did some unique beats and provided some of the most solid grooves of the evening. However, the executioner/reaper guy standing in front of the stage, the cloaked ‘druid’ on bass and the three person hooded choir was so distracting, it was hard to know how seriously to take them. ‘Have these guys not seen ‘Spinal Tap?’ I wondered. A video screen showed the band members and friends at a pub spiritedly feasting on food downing beers and wearing viking helmets – this clarified the humorous stance of the group, which reminded me a bit of the band Dragonforce (in humor, not in sound). Towards the end, the band handed out fake swords and encouraged duels between audience members as battle scenes from the film ‘300′ played overhead, making their set easily the most memorable. This would have been great, except I couldn’t remember one song.

The final band, Hollow, had militant fans chanting their name through their entire set. These guys seemed closer to my age and had been around the block a few times. Some members wore full body paint, as well as the by now standard black and white face paint. At one point, an ‘evil cow’ came out with shiny red eyes and a cape. I thought of the legendary Pantera, who’d emerged with a manufactured image before totally focusing on the music and finding a new type of raw look and sound in the process. Maybe these guys could try to go that route? Hollow was the tightest of all the bands and their lead guitarist was impressive – the first truly advanced player of the evening. But, as was the case with each of the earlier bands, not one song could be recalled by myself or the other judges.

Where were the songs?

That’s such an easy critique to make and a difficult one to follow, I realize this. I can remember my own band being harped on by managers, record label folks and other authority figures to write better ’songs.’ It got a little grating, but they were right.

There are no shortcuts. The solution is to write, write, write, write some more and throw away most of what you write in the process, only keeping the strongest material, then building off of that.

Now before anyone thinks I’m one of a ‘pure’ musician who isn’t open to image-based bands, keep in mind that it was Kiss that first inspired me to pick up a guitar. And the great ’shock-rock’ acts, now matter how elaborate a stage show they’ve had, have always built that image in support of strong songs.

For example, ‘School’s Out’ is a powerful, chant-like chorus with or without Alice Cooper’s guillotines and electric chairs. ‘Duece’ is an incredibly hard hitting tune, even if you’re not looking at Kiss’s face paint and live show. And whether one is a fan of more recent shock-rockers or not, there is no denying that Marilyn Manson’s ‘The Beautiful People,’ Rob Zombie’s ‘More Human Than Human,’ and Slipknot’s ‘The Heretic Anthem’ are all highly memorable songs. Sure, they’re enhanced by the production but not dependent upon it. You have to start out with a good song and build your show from there.

The rest of the judges, which included three other guys (two local radio personalities and an artist rep from the Montreal based Godin Guitar company) and two young ladies (one a talent booker from the festival and the other the lead vocalist of Montreal symphonic metal heroes UnExpect), all agreed about the song content lacking. At the same time, we all liked certain qualities of the bands.

Each group had a different personality. Its just that this personality was cloaked and masked by, well, cloaks and masks. Hopefully they’ll listen to some of our advice and tweak their music to reflect an improvement. If these musicians could just tap into what makes them unique as people, and place more emphasis on songwriting, they’d find they don’t need to rely so much on these typical costumes and, to use a word devised French: accoutrements.

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 of days gone by.

Since the 1960s, it has been increasingly rare to encounter a big band in popular culture, with a couple exceptions. One is late night television, once dominated by Johnny Carson and his bandleader Doc Severinson, the NBC Orchestra. While ‘Late night’ is still a forum for talented medium size music ensembles with horns, the true big band evaporated from the scene with the departure of Johnny and Doc.

The other exception took place amidst the ascent of Nirvana, the Seattle Sound and alternative culture, largely as a reaction to it: scores of young people bypassing grungy jeans and unkempt shirts in favor of zoot suits for the guys and cotton skirts for the girls, listening and dancing to ’swing.’ Fueling the movement were bands like Squirrel Nut Zippers and the Brian Setzer Orchestra – big bands built upon a simplicity catering to mass appeal – credited with the ’swing revival’ trend of the mid-90’s. While these bands were highly entertaining and provided refuge from grunge – which by that point had been overwrought with lyrics (and performers living up to them) about depression, addiction and suicide – they lacked the innovation, musicality, depth and virtuosity of Count Basie (pictured), Duke Ellington, Bennie Goodman etc…, bands in which future important musicians would pass through the ranks – a small sample of which includes Lester Young & Quincy Jones (Basie), Johnny Hodges & Ben Webster (Ellington) and Gene Krupa & Charlie Christian (Goodman).

What many do not not know is that real big band music remains as fresh, modern, innovative, deep and virtuosic as ever. Like other forms of music, including heavy metal (which big band dynamics have a lot in common with) it needs to be experienced live to be fully appreciated. Although there are many good college big bands in the US, you’re best chance of hearing the music performed professionally is in Europe, where it is frequently supported by government art programs, the type of which would be shot down in the US amidst charges of  the ‘S’ word (socialism). You could also visit New York, where there are several permanent residencies of great big bands. But it takes an effort on the part of the listener to find this music, unlike rock and pop, which is everywhere you look.

Recently, I was invited to meet and listen to some advanced high school music students from Governor’s School Of The Arts in Virginia, a school for gifted students in the DC area. They were visiting New York, where the orchestral students performed at Carnegie Hall and the jazz students performed at a hip Greenwich Village venue, Le Poisson Rouge. Upon hearing the school’s terrific big band, and talking to these teenagers whose knowledge and appreciation of this sound was awe inspiring, I was reminded that, unbeknownst to our culture at large, big band music is very much alive.

Big band arranging is an admirable pure art form, one that you have to be a bit crazy to do, since it is the most demanding, most time consuming, most costly and least appreciated by the public. But some are doing it and doing it well. Although they’ve diligently studied the old masters, their music sounds nothing like Count Basie or Bennie Goodman.

One of the best examples of big band being brought into the modern age is Maria Schneider, whose warm, healthy, glowing energy defies the stereotype of the hard edged, slave-driving male band leader. Here’s a clip in which not only showcases a great composition and arrangement, but you get two bonuses:  1. A searing postmodern guitar solo (courtesy of master guitarist Ben Monder) and 2. Something I never thought I’d ever say: an amazing accordion solo (courtesy of Toninho Ferragutti). MARIA SCHNEIDER ‘GREEN PIECE’

Another example is British bassist Dave Holland, well known for his work with Miles Davis, Keith Jarret, Pat Metheny who leads a variety of ensembles, including a big band. This clip starts with a four minute bass solo that is terrific and worth listening to, but to hear the big band right away, start this clip at 4:00. This is an edgy, suspenseful piece that reminds me of 70’s funk/fusion with a post-modern orchestral sensibility. DAVE HOLLAND ‘HOW’S NEVER?’

Keep in mind that in between these 21st century big bands and the big bands of yore (the short lived ’swing’ trend of the 90’s doesn’t count) there are many other great big bands to check out, especially from the 60’s and 70’s. To name a few: Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra (which lives on as the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, catch them any Monday night at the Village Vanguard in NYC), Buddy Rich Big Band, Bob Mintzer Big Band, Maynard Ferguson, Mingus Big Band (minus the late Charles MIngus, of course. Catch them any Monday night at the Jazz Standard in NYC). And another good modern big band to check out, by a young leader/pianist: Jason Lindner Big Band.

When listening, try to hone in on parts that are blended in, not just the most obvious ones. It’s fun to search for hidden, underlying melodies that create the texture and ambiance. This process helps provide deeper appreciation for the art form and all the hard work that went into it.

If you allow yourself to be open to this music, and not just the standard rock band format (electric guitars, electric bass, drums and vocals), you may find that is very, very powerful. The dynamics, especially the big horn hits, have a lot in common with metal music. And why not? Remember, brass & woodwinds = real metal.

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 show, for the first time in years. But it wasn’t enough. I couldn’t get excited about it. During their live concert special (I think it was MTV – back when MTV still played music), many of us witnessed their new frontman, Gary Cherone, a fine singer who seemed totally out of place, struggling to sound like Sammy Hagar, with moves more suited to a Broadway musical a la Rent or Rock Of Ages. It was painful. Anyone who were raved about the tour and album was in denial.

But the Van Halen that played the other night at Madison Square Garden was, while not exactly the same as the band in their original heyday, a version that finally did it justice. The VH brothers have not only put their differences with David Lee Roth behind them, they’ve honed in on their classic tones, improvisational moments and chosen a set list that ranged from mega-hits like ‘Panama,’ ‘Jump’ and ‘Hot For Teacher’ to fan favorites like ‘Romeo Delight’ and ‘Everybody Wants Some,’ truly capturing what was great about Van Halen 1.0. Despite Dave’s voice aging a bit, along with his slowed down kick-boxing moves, it works. And with all due respect to Sammy Hagar (whose solo albums I appreciate), the adult light rock fare of his period of Van Halen ( ‘When It’s Love’ etc…) just never had the ‘essence’ of ‘Van Halen.’

This latest version of Van Halen, while missing Michael Anthony, has that original essence. I was as skeptical as anyone, but I felt the old magic. Exactly the same? No. Doing it justice? Absolutely.

Most importantly Eddie, although no longer reinventing the wheel with each album as he did in ’78 – ’85, seems to have at last recaptured the character of his playing during those years. (For a detailed account of Eddie Van Halen’s impact on guitarists in the late 70’s and early 80’s, see my recent blog for Guitar Player. ). His open solo, which drew from such moments as ‘Spanish Fly,’ ‘Mean Streets’ and of course, ‘Eruption,’ was a big ‘F- You’ to all those guys from one hit wonder glam bands of the 80’s who poorly copied Eddie’s style without doing their homework as well as the elitist trendsters of the 90’s whose neanderthal-like thinking led to the guitar solo being widely viewed as ’self-indulgent.’ This was not ‘Spinal Tap’ like at all, it was an act of sonic creation that was purely musical. We were at last hearing the quality that made Eddie one for which a term applied that’s rarely attributable to rock musicians: ‘genius’

Geniuses are often troubled, particularly in the musical realm. There are exceptions – young prodigies that go on to become great innovators and appear, by all indications, well balanced individuals (Herbie Hancock comes to mind – a 60’s teen piano prodigy who has always appeared healthy, continuing to create relevant music into his 70’s). But far too many, from Mozart and Shumann to Jimi Hendrix and Jaco Pastorious, become tragic figures, victims of their own demons and/or mental instability. Eddie Van Halen easily could have gone that route.

The Wykipdia history of Van Halen reads like a Shakespearian drama with Eddie as the tortured main character. Like other gifted, troubled souls, Eddie’s appeared unable to keep himself clean and healthy for himself, but occasionally has been able to pull through for loved ones. And that seems to be the case with his son, Wolfgang. Although largely speculative, the opinions of a few credible industry pundits, some with connections to camp VH, have led to a plausible theory: Wolfgang, who most seemed to overwhelmingly agreed is truly coming into his own as a bassist and performer, likely has a lot more to do with this current revitalized Van Halen than any of us realize.

While it may be difficult for some of us to overlook the absence of original bassist Michael Anthony, whose positive energy, supportive presence, smile, solid bass playing and most of all, wide ranging back up vocals (an ingredient that was always overshadowed but now glaringly absent), the reality is this: having Wolfgang on board assures the youth factor has returned to the band. In addition, Wolfgang is thought to be a voice of reason – no band history, no personal agenda – simply a kid who ‘gets it’ and happens to be the one person his father and brother will listen to. But there is more…

Wolfgang is of an age that was the band’s target audience at one time, (before Van Halen 2.0 or the short lived Van Halen III came along). As Chuck Klosterman wisely points out in ‘Eating The Dinasaur,’ pop music (and hard rock music especially) is a youth generated medium that creates a ‘transfer of minor power.’ Judging by the amount of people Wolfgang’s age at that Van halen concert, the youth of today is reminding the band and older fans of something that got overlooked: it was the original Van Halen that broke all the rules, musically and otherwise. And breaking the rules is what rock’n'roll is all about.

The late great guitarist and inventor Les Paul was an example of someone who always retained his craft, well into his senior years (see Goodbye Les Paul). His playing retained the sound and attitude that had made him great, even into his 80’s and 90’s. Some of the facility was lost but you still felt like you were seeing ‘Les Paul!’ With Eddie’s 60’s fast approaching, it be great to see him follow Les’s example, retaining his core depth, character and conviction as Les did, even if the fast licks have to slow down a bit.

Eddie has inspired us as much as any musician can do. Wolfgang (and I’d imagine other close relatives and friends) has in turn inspired Eddie to get clean and re-focused. Here’s to hoping this continues and that we’ll be able to see Eddie in a good place and doing what he does best for many years to come.

Hey folks! Long time no blog. As many of you know, this month saw me cramming for NAMM, as well as jumping straight onto a tour (leg 2 of Anthrax/Testament/Death Angel in the US). As I write this, I’m enjoying a rare day off in Tampa.

I’ve been receiving many requests for another ‘NAMM blog.’ I’d originally written ‘Wham Bam, Thank You NAMM,’ in 2010 to capture NAMM for the uninitiated. It was something I felt had never been adequately documented. Then, in 2011, NAMM was full of crazy situations (meeting Mike Huckabee, partying with Adrian Belew, appearing alongside the guitarist from Def Leppard etc…). It just had to be documented: ‘Post NAMM Prog-Nosis’ . However, a yearly ‘NAMM report’ was never the intention.

Though jam packed (pun not intended), this year’s trip lasted barely two days (half the time of last year). With appearances all day, performances by AS Trio and Testament on the same night and having to jump on a tour bus and leave in the midst of it all, there just weren’t as many stories. So while NAMM 2012 was very productive and one of the most enjoyable personally- it hasn’t triggered a blog post at this time.

I have, however, been hard at work on a something else: the latest in my blog series for Guitar Player Magazine. In the past, I’ve enjoyed using this platform to – among other things – reveal ‘lies’ by legendary bands (click here), expose the head of a major guitar company as a bit of a wack job (click here), and ask the following question: why are so many people who work in music stores (some- not all) complete pricks? (click here) Next to those blogs, this post is non-provocative and tame by comparison:
“TEN OVERLOOKED ESSENTIAL SOLOS OF THE ’70s”

Hopefully it is no less entertaining and informative. Enjoy!

Alex

PS By the way, since writing this, I’ve done further research into the one guitarist on this list who’s no longer with us: Steve Gaines (pictured). It turns out that there is much more to him than his work with Lynyrd Synyrd – he’d previously released a solo album ‘One In The Sun’ that while little known, is deeply valued by those who do. This clip ‘Give It To Get It’makes me realize where my favorite 90’s ‘jam band,’ Aquarium Rescue Unit, may have taken inspiration for its sound. I recommend that more guitarists look further into the work of this tragically overlooked player.

To kick things off for 2012, I’d like to share some words that I had the honor of contributing to a fascinating book: ‘Murder In The Front Row: Shots From The Bay Area Thrash Metal Epicenter’ (Bazillion Points).

A photographic collection by long time Bay Area metal photojournalists Brian Lew and Harold O, this just released book captures the commencement of the SF Bay Area metal scene. It is packed with never before seen shots of local bands including Exodus and Legacy (soon to be named Testament), along with frequent visitors from Southern California such as Slayer, Megadeth and that one band that relocated to the Bay just before taking over the world, Metallica.

In many cases, guys who’ve gone on to become household names are fresh-faced and barely recognizable (Kerry King-is that really you?). In others, guys who were an integral part of the scene but are no longer with us are immortalized, alive as ever (Cliff Burton, Paul Baloff and more).

For those who weren’t there, this book will be an entertaining and informative read. For those of us who were there, it is a vital document of a very different time. I was still in high school when most of the pics were shot.

Below is my take on legendary Bay Area venue The Omni. In the pic that accompanies the essay, Testament is finally on it’s way. I’m all of 19 yrs old.

For more information on the book (including samples and ordering info), click HERE.

Boxing followed by hockey? Skolnick, what’s gotten into you? Aren’t you the guy who wrote ‘It’s A Sports World (I Just Live In It)’ Part I, II and III?

Don’t worry, I haven’t gone ’sports-crazy.’ All will make sense in a moment…

This is something I’ve been meaning to place here for a few weeks, but an extremely busy period of musical activity-including the subject of this post- has cut into my blogging input. Apologies for the absence (although a devoted writer, my career as a musician often has to take precedence).

I first alluded to a recording project on Twitter in Mid- November. At the time, I was in a hotel room on the road with my portable studio set up. I only revealed that the project required me to swing by my apartment and grab my reissue ‘57 Fender Stratocaster as the Anthrax/Testament tour was swinging through the New York area (professionally, I’m a ‘Les Paul guy,’ but own a Strat and a Tele just to play for fun and in case of an ‘emergency’ such as this).

What I didn’t mention was that I’d just been hired by NBC to record the traditional New Year’s Melody “Auld Lang Syne” in a style reminiscent Jimi Hendrix’s famed 1969 performance of ‘The Star Spangled Banner’ at Woodstock. The solo performance is very short- the first half of a 30 sec. spot, which morphs into prerecorded music. But it was challenging to do, since it called for an ‘anthem’ feel and my guitar was exposed with no other instruments to hide behind.

As I looked outside the hotel room near Albany, New York), I saw American and Canadian flags blowing in the wind. These images helped provide inspiration for the performance, which is now being used to advertise the upcoming broadcast of the NHL/Bridgestone Winter Classic hockey game between the New York Rangers and the Philadelphia Flyers, immediately following New Years Day.

On the night of December 4th, during Sunday Night Football, the Winter Classic Ad Campaign debuted on NBC. During kickoff, I told everyone to keep an ear out for the ad, revealing that the guitarist is yours truly.

In the days that followed, I got word that as a result of the 2012 Winter Classic Ad campaign, my name was being mentioned all over pro- sports news websites (how’s that for irony?). Here’s one sports new site, appropriately entitled ‘The Big Lead’ (see 8th paragraph down).

What a nice example of me finally finding a place in this ‘Sports World’ of which I spoke in those earlier posts! I’m grateful to NBC, the NHL and the Winter Classic for providing such a unique and fun opportunity. The Winter Classic ad has been airing during NBC sports events ever since and will continue through New Years. Here is a direct video Link, courtesy of MSNBC

And speaking of winter and New Years, next week, I’ll be busy with the ‘Skolnick & Broderick Winter Guitar Retreat‘ This means that this will be the final blog post of 2011 (I can think of no more fitting way to wrap things up than this post). 2011 has been an incredible year for me, with many exciting professional and personal developments, many of which I’m sure will be reflected upon in future posts.

Wishing everyone all the best for 2012 and thanks for your readership!

Alex

PS Today being Christmas and Chanukah, happy holidays to all celebrating. And here are a couple fun links for you. The first is courtesy of NBC (coincidentally), who aired a great scene involving the music of a project I’m associated with via their hit comedy ‘The Office’ The second is of me in concert playing with said project, performing O Holy Night Enjoy!

Long time readers, especially those who know me as an admitted ‘non-sports fan,’ are probably a bit perplexed to see a boxing photo on this blog. Allow me to explain….

Reading this, it is easy to imagine what if might have happened if Charles Bukowski or Hunter S. Thompson had been a fight fan who spent his life as a member of the road crew, doing lights for word’s fastest heavy metal bands. And just as a great fight movie like ‘Rocky,’ or ‘The Fighter’ reaches out like a left hook and draws in viewers who are not necessarily fans of boxing, the same can be said of “Arturo Gatti—The Thunder Up Above.” Enjoy! – AS

ARTURO GATTI—THE THUNDER UP ABOVE by Mark Workman

On June 11, 2005 I looked on in sadness as I witnessed the end of a career that I had followed intensely for twenty years. A few too many drinks in me, I sat down after the fight and poured my despair into my computer. Early the next morning, I woke up and found “Iron Mike Tyson—The Death of a Killing Machine” on my laptop screen.

Extremely hung over, I proceeded to read an article that I had little recollection of writing. I sat there staring at my computer screen wondering if the legendary “Iron” Mike Tyson had truly quit on his stool against the unknown journeyman, Kevin McBride.

The fight was also a blur to me.

The writing had been smeared on the arena walls for years but many of us refused to even try to decipher it. We didn’t want to see it end. But the crystal floor beneath Iron Mike’s throne had been cracking for a long time.

Then it finally collapsed.

Was the legend vanquished for the final time? I had to go online and read the news at BoxingScene to see if it was actually true.

It was over.

Then it hit me like a Mack truck running down mangy stray dogs on the highway: I had actually been drunk enough to send “Iron Mike Tyson—The Death of a Killing Machine” to many of the top boxing news sites.

Drunken delusions of grandeur.

I began to wonder if I could have a straight razor, cyanide and a thick rope delivered from the local liquor store with another bottle of fine French vodka. A noble end, I felt at the time. The wave of embarrassment drowned me like a roaring tsunami. I poured another stiff drink hoping to end my humiliation and stop the incessant throbbing of the alien organism dying on my shoulders: my aching head.

That drink made E.T. call home but he didn’t get off my shoulders and fly away.

I quickly signed into my email account worried that I had also done a “drink-and-email” to my ex- wife and old girlfriends, offering useless advice and other things that they didn’t need or desire. But to my complete and utter shock there was an email from BoxingScene, among others, asking me to submit more articles. I immediately wondered if they loved French vodka as much as I did. Crazy.

Perplexed, I sobered up immediately, wondering what I had done. I didn’t know how to write but I loved boxing, the noblest sport in the world.

The next big fight was Floyd Mayweather versus the blood and guts warrior, Arturo “Thunder” Gatti. Frightened to death, I devoured two pots of coffee, a bowl of canned chili drowned in hot sauce and a grilled cheese sandwich. Then I wrote “Arturo Gatti—The Last Warhorse.” Writing without the detriment of another extraterrestrial crash landing painfully on my shoulders, I surprised myself with something readable.

My battered head started to feel better.

I loved Arturo Gatti. He stood tall on my personal boxing pedestal alongside Mike Tyson and Tommy Morrison, new-era fighters that I admired because they gave the fans all they had even when they had little left to give.

A few days after I submitted “Arturo Gatti—The Last Warhorse” to BoxingScene, I went online to read boxing news and was super-stunned to see it on BoxingScene and Fox Sports. I thought I was tipsy again but I was still in the evil grips of abstinence.

I went on to write two dozen features for BoxingScene that included “60’s Thad Spencer—Battered From Grace” and “Tommy Morrison—Still Walking Tall,” both articles based upon interviews that I conducted with the two fighters.

Those audio tapes will be in my casket when I’m finally buried one day.

After “Tommy Morrison—Still Walking Tall” ran on BoxingScene and Fox Sports—and made national headlines—I seriously injured my back in an accident, spent a few months knocked out on painkillers and booze, in and out of the hospital, and lost my writing momentum. When I was finally able to stand up again, I went back on the road working as a road manager and lighting designer in the music business, my career for twenty-two years at the time.

Heavy metal never dies.

I was doing a show at the Knockout Festival in Krakow, Poland with the famous heavy metal band, Testament, when I received a phone call from my old friend, Camilo, in America telling me that Arturo Gatti had been found dead in a hotel suite in Porto de Galihnas, Brazil. I’ve never boxed before—well, not in an organized fashion—but that moment made me realize what it must be like for a fighter to get hit with a brutal body shot to the liver.

It hurt a lot.

Shocked, I walked aimlessly around the parking lot of the Wisla Hall in Krakow surrounded by luxury rock and roll tour buses and beautiful Polish girls trolling the backstage area, reaching deep into their sexy little wells for their best attempt at English trying to communicate enough to earn a backstage pass and do what they do. I couldn’t have cared less about their sweet music that night, and that’s saying something.

It was a bad night for me.

I sat down on a broken concrete parking lot, staring at a dark cloudy sky, slowly sipping a bottle of Jack Daniels, tears in my eyes, refusing to believe that another one of my legends had been beaten down once and for all. But this time it was not in the ring, it was in the worst manner imaginable: suicide.

Or was it murder?

I followed Arturo Gatti since he first began fighting on television years ago. I wouldn’t have missed a single fight for anything. If my firstborn—I don’t have kids—was delivered on the night of a Gatti fight, my ex-wife would’ve pushed and screamed in front of a television in the delivery room, my hand in hers and the other thrust in the air cheering that relentless, non-stoppable warrior on to victory or defeat. It didn’t matter which one. He gave his blood, guts, heart, soul and nearly his life in every fight he fought.

That was Arturo “Thunder” Gatti. There will never be another one like him.

Watching the episode of “48 Hours” about Arturo Gatti’s death, I saw the ugliness of what’s happened to this great fighter by his hand or others. And while all sides of his family fight over his fortune and attempt to find truth, peace and solace, I will never believe that Arturo killed himself. That wasn’t in his DNA. Arturo “Thunder” Gatti fought until the end. He always did.

But we often fight our demons in the dark. And in the darkness, the truth may forever hide.

We may never know how Arturo Gatti really died. But I find comfort in knowing that he’s up there above, training on a square ring of white clouds, waiting for his friend, “Irish” Micky Ward, to join him again one day and thrill the heavens with Gatti/Ward 4 and more.

The thunder up above.

-Mark Workman

www.markworkman.com
© 2011 Mark Workman

I’ve finally checked out Lou Lou, Loutallica, or whatever you want to call it (actual title: ‘Lulu’)- the ’stranger than fiction’ collaboration between Metallica and Lou Reed. I’ve been hearing what everyone’s been saying about the album- they don’t like it.

Myself? With the exception of a few parts (the riff on track 2, ‘The View,’ for example), upon first listen, I don’t really like it either. But I confess to being fascinated by it.

Now before we go any further, let me just say how much respect I have for the members of Metallica, despite not always agreeing with every group decision. My public comments on the band do not always go over well with their fans, who tend to only see me as a guy from another metal band. But I’m honestly trying to speak purely as a listener and observer, so pretend I’m a journalist for one moment.

Here is one way to view ‘Lulu:’ as an experiment in ‘phenomenology’ much like the Andre The Giant sticker campaign by artist Shepard Fairey. It leaves you asking questions like What is it? Is it cool? Are we just not getting it? Who knows? Either way, it’s got everyone talking and challenging their thinking.

Another way to view Lulu is the type of album that very few musical acts get to do- the 1% or less who reach that highest level, commercially and financially. These albums can only be done by acts who maintain their own creative control and feel the artistic impulses to challenge the very system that put them where they are. With Metallica’s legacy secured, you can say they’ve earned the right to have a little fun and prove that they can do whatever the fuck they want to, as long as it’s done strategically (very wise that an ‘official’ Metallica album is planned, soon to follow).

And now I’ll speak as a fellow musician: As part of the other 99% – far from wealthy, but grateful to have carved out a comfortable living based solely on playing and composing- I honestly don’t know what it’s like to be in that kind of top tier position. I can only imagine the artistic inclinations I might feel if I were. So it feels only fair to withhold judgement as a musician and place ‘Lulu’ in a proper historical context, with other iconic artists who have thrown their fans for a loop (in some cases, quite literally, as you’ll see).

In 1968, John Lennon, still a Beatle and arguably the most towering figure in popular music and culture, collaborated with avant-garde conceptual artist Yoko Ono (his future wife) to release ‘Unfinished Music No.1: Two Virgins.‘ The album was unlike any other by a rock artist at the time: it consisted of tape loops, instrumental noises, random conversation and other indecipherable sounds, almost tribal in nature, with no song structure, chords or melody; a pure sonic collage. The album’s shock value was enhanced by its cover art, which included full frontal photos of John and Yoko, stark naked.

In the mid-70’s, a similarly defiant recording- Lou Reed’s own feedback fest, a loop layered, distorted enhanced by various tape speeds, brought to mind a traffic jam on mars. It was entitled “Metal Machine Music.” This album cost Reed, the leader of the hugely successful Velvet Underground, many fans and much of his credibility. Decades later, ‘Metal Machine Music’ would be considered groundbreaking and influential, especially among more ambient, noise influenced musicians such as Sonic Youth and Nine Inch Nails .

One of the most influential, respected and commercially successful jazz guitarists of our time (and a personal hero of mine), Pat Metheny, did his own aggressive, loop-driven ‘noise’ album in the mid- 90’s, one which critics have demolished and fans have begged him to disown: ‘Zero Tolerance For Silence.’ In fairness, this album is not without its share of discernible melodies, but they are far from what fans had come to know from Pat Metheny’s albums- flawlessly executed and polished- it sounds more like something you’d expect from Keith Richards on acid.

Before all of that, a similar statement had been made in the classical world, using the complete opposite approach. It was famously created by composer/pianist John Cage (a frequent collaborator of Yoko Ono’s), who released “4:33,” a ‘piece’ which consists of nothing but four minutes and thirty three seconds of silence. That’s right- a musical composition that consists of no music.

Obviously, Lulu differs from these earlier projects in a couple senses: 1 it consists of distinguishable musical compositions. 2 It is not a revolt against the artist’s established sound- Metallica is playing riffs that are ‘Metallica’ like (at least in the post-thrash ‘millennial’ Metallica sense), and Lou Reed’s Shatner-esque recitations of lyrics inspired by a 19th century German impressionistic play sound Lou Reed-like enough. But compared to what fans expect from a recording with the name ‘Metallica’ on the cover, it’s as radical a departure as any of these other albums.

Lulu is to be taken as a modern art project, not a ‘Metallica album.’ And while it is difficult to find two entities with less in common than heavy metal and modern art, there is a member of Metallica who clearly defies this, who represents a common link between Motorhead and MOMA: Lars Ulrich.

An art based conversation I had with Lars backstage at VH1Classic’s That Metal Show, where I had the honor to appear with him as guest guitarist on the season 8 Finale, (Full Episode Here) confirmed something I’ve long suspected: Lars Ulrich is first and foremost, an artist. Although his public persona focuses on him being the drummer/founder of the mighty metal titans, offstage, he exists as much in the art world as the metal world; an expert with a keen eye, knowledge and awareness that would rival more stereotypical connoisseurs of paint and sculpture. That Lars would be interested in a collaboration with Lou Reed is not surprising in the least. Lars made headlines for amassing a healthy collection of paintings by the late Jean-Michel Basquiat, a protege of pop-art pioneer Andy Warhol. Lou Reed, as the leader of the Velvet Underground, was managed by none other than Warhol himself.

Lulu, in a strange way, represents Metallica’s own version of ‘Metal Machine Music,’ the title of which is a link in the puzzle, only enhancing the art factor of the whole project.

I predict the next Metallica record will be a big sigh of relief to fans, just as Lennon, Reed and Metheny all returned to a sound that was more familiar to their fans and Cage returned to creating actual sound. No, it won’t be the return of their ‘Master Of Puppets’ era sound that some are always clamering for, but it will be along the lines of the acceptable ‘Death Magnetic’ perhaps even stronger, as the band is building off a very healthy period in its career.

Projects like ‘Lulu’ exist to challenge the norm and can only be pulled off by mega-successful acts at the top of their genre with a heightened artistic awareness. The are enjoyable and admirable purely as phenomena to be pondered, observed and discussed rather than listened to. They leave hardcore fans horrified at worst, scratching their heads at best.

‘Two Virgins,’ ‘Metal Machine Music,’ ‘Zero Tolerance For Silence,’ ‘4:33′ and now ‘Lulu.’ Important career milestones? Absolutely. Must have recordings for hardcore collectors? Without a doubt. Worth repeating listenings? Absolutely not.

So is Lulu a success? That depends how you define it.

As a ‘Metallica album,’ especially when compared to the classic ‘Ride The Lightning’ and ‘Master Of Puppets,’ it seems to be generally agreed upon that it doesn’t belong in the same bin. The sales figures already can’t compete with the rest of the catalog. In fact, as this is being written, there is news that Lulu has slipped off the Billboard 200 after just a few weeks- unheard of for Metallica.

But when compared to the work of artists like Warhol, Shepard Fairey and others, as well as the level of the aforementioned albums by Lennon/Ono, Reed, Metheny and Cage, Lulu makes sense; a work of to be appreciated like an odd installation in an art museum, one which you stop to look at but probably wouldn’t keep in your own house, unless you have eccentric tastes. It’s modern art removed from the museum and placed out in the world via a previously unimaginable combination of elements.

Think about it: Lou Reed and the world’s biggest heavy metal band get together, bond over German expressionism, create an album that is difficult to digest and release it to the world? If that’s not art, I don’t know what is.