Deal of the Week!

Save 15% on Top Accessories at Music123.com (exp: 7/29)">

Inner Rockstar and Free Ipod Shuffle!

If I could "borrow" a skill for a day (and feed my inner rock star needs) poor Alex Lifeson (Rush, if you live under a rock) would be talentless for that day. Now I know that wouldn't be nice to do, but he seems like a nice guy and would probably let me know play Closer to the Heart (A Farewell to Kings, 1977) until my fingers bled. I know my partner in crime (or blog) would play Spirit of Radio (Permanent Waves, 1980) until Mr. Lifeson picked up his Black Stratocaster and beat us with it. I suppose it goods that this is just a blog and not reality for all those die hard Rush Fans.

For those die hard Fender fans, hit up MUSIC 123's Fender sale (and you get a free IPOD Shuffle...Free...always good). It may not make you an "Alex Lifeson", but hey, couldn't hurt!
Free Ipod Shuffle with Fender Standard Series Guitars and Basses at Music123.com (exp: 8/31)">

Save big, play lots!

Check out this site for tons of deals on Used Gear. Save up to 88% (holy crap) on Guitars, Amps, Drums, Monitors and more. All in time to piss off the parents before going back to school or the wife who has banished you to the garage. Rock Hard my friends...
Used Gear from MusiciansFriend.com">

She's Got Me Dancing

God help me, I think this song and this video are pretty awesome.


Tommy Sparks "She's Got Me Dancing"

Make Music Online - For Free

Awesome site, MusicRadar, recently posted an article on 8 ways to make music online for free.

From collaborating with other musicians, to browser-based recording and mixing, there's a little bit for everyone. My favorite is the Hobnox Audiotool, pictured at right.

Have fun...go make some music.

Here's a link to the full article.

Musician Fail

Don't ever let this be you.


see more pwn and owned pictures

Respect the ukulele.

Pretty cool.

Your Field Guide to Irish Punk Bands

From Dropkick Murphys to Flogging Molly -- your field guide to Irish punk bands is right here.

Happy St. Patrick's Day.

Guitars of Glass

Check this out. BC Glass Studios creates custom guitars out of fused glass. These are not simply display pieces, but actual playable, functioning electric guitars. And they don't sound half bad!

This Week's Deals 3-12-09

The economy sucks. So thank God the music stores are cutting us some good deals...no, scratch that. They're cutting us a crapload of deals. The economy will not kill music!!! Not on my watch!!!

Here's the hot stuff this week...

Save At Least 50% on Top Gear During the Green Tag Sale at GuitarCenter.com


Musician’s Friend Massive Microphone Mania Sale – Up To 78% Off Hundreds of Microphones (exp: 3/31)


Save up to 78% During the Scratch 'N' Dent Mega Sale at Musician's Friend (exp: 3/24)


Buy the Inch Rebate - Instant Rebates on Select Cymbals at MusiciansFriend.com (exp: 3/31)


Save on Hundreds of Items at the Guitar Center Outlet Store


Save Up to $60 Instantly at MusiciansFriend.com (Code: WANT, Exp: 3/31)

VH1 Benefit for Public School Music Programs

Being married to the product of a public school music program, I was impressed to see John Mayer & Friends "Getting On Board" to help support America's Public School Music Programs.

Carnival Cruise Lines and Mayercraft Carrier 2 present "One Splendid Evening," a special concert event to benefit the VH1 Save The Music Foundation. On March 26th, 2009, John Mayer and friends Gavin Rossdale, Jordan Sparks, O.A.R., Sara Bareilles, Guster, Erin McCarley and DJ Logic for an evening of dinner, an open bar (necessary) and spectacular live entertainment throughout the ship. Proceeds from this evening will help restore instrumental music education in America's public schools and raise awareness about the importance of music as part of a child's complete education. TO PURCHASE TICKETS, GO TO WWW.ONESPLENDIDEVENING.COM.

Tori Amos "Abnormally Attracted To Sin"

Since smacking the earth with her in-your-face, screw-you-if-you-don't-like-it, music, Tori Amos shows no sign of stopping now. Starting with "Little Earthquakes" in 1992 and leading up to "Abnormally Attracted To Sin" due out this spring, happily (per RCD) the world will not be without this talent any time soon.

It's hard to deny the musicality of this little dynamo, playing several keyboards (and looking hot at the same time, I might add). Her trusty instruments include her beloved Bosendorfer, a Hammond Organ, Clavichord, Wurlitzer, and a Mellotron (an electro-mechanical, polyphonic keyboard from the early 60's) to name a few. If you can't wait until spring to hear the new Tori, you can catch her headlining at this year's South by Southwest Music Conference on Thursday, March 19th at the historic Austin, TX club La Zona Rosa.

My mom rocked the accordion. But she kept it strictly old school. She mostly played it in church -- lots of hymns and spiritual music. I would have loved to hear her bust out some speed-Polka like America's Polka King Frank Yankovic. But, that was not her style. I digress.

Anyway, I have to hand it to the folks at Roland. They have the balls to keep releasing new versions of the revolutionary V-Accordion, originally introduced back in 2004.

The new FR-1 V-Accordion embodies the digital advantages of the original model, but in a new ultra-light format. And this is not yer mom's accordion. You can instantly switch between classic accordions, alternate tunings and orchestral instruments. It's also got built-in reverb, chorus, and rotary effects. Play it through headphones, or blast it through your favorite amp.

Polka music always makes me want to drink beer.

"If you build it, they will come..."

If you find yourself in Southampton, England you gotta visit The Guitar Store on Commercial Road. It's just opposite the Southampton Central Railway station. Just had to share this pic...painted like a giant
Fender Super Champ XD Vintage Modified Guitar Combo Amplifier (15 Watts, 1x10 In.) Sweet.

Louie Bellson R.I.P.

Unfortunately, the world lost a great drummer recently with the unexpected passing of Louie Bellson on Feb 14, 2009.

He will have an L.A. area funeral, followed by funeral and burial in Moline, Illinois, his boyhood home. Also, a memorial service in San Jose later.

Who exactly is Louie Bellson, you ask? Referred to by Duke Ellington as “not only the world’s greatest drummer...(but also) the world’s greatest musician!”, Louie Bellson has expressed himself on drums since age three. At 15, he pioneered the double bass drum set-up. At 17, beat the crap out of 40,000 other drummers to win the Gene Krupa drumming contest.

He has performed on more than 200 albums with such greats as Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Harry James, Woody Herman, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson, Dizzy Gillespie, Louie Armstrong, Lionel Hampton, James Brown, Sammy Davis Jr., Tony Bennett, Mel Torme, Joe Williams, Wayne Newton and Bellson’s late wife Pearl Bailey.

This was one of the giants of the drumming world.

Send Condolence cards to:
The Family of Louie Bellson
c/o Remo, Inc.
28101 Industry Drive
Valencia, CA 91355
Contributions in memory of Louie Bellson can be made to: Emmanuel Baptist Church and mailed to Mrs. Bellson at the address above.

Highwood Acrylic Shell Drum Kit

Last time I saw acrylic shell drums in their full glory, the Bay City Rollers were still on Saturday morning TV and John Bonham was king. Sadly, at that time, I was just a wee lad and I was WAY more into the Bay City Rollers than Led Zeppelin. I was young, I didn't know any better...please forgive me.

One footnote...I do believe Pat Wilson from Weezer has rocked a set of old school acrylics in the not so distant past. But I could be mistaken.

Anyway, these are the new style acrylics. Unlike the vintage Vistalites, the shells are cast in one piece from liquid acrylic (apparently it's "medical grade" acrylic, too). In other words, they're not fashioned from several sheets of acrylic rolled and pressed together with a seam that ruins the continuity of the shell. One chunk of acrylic, with a bearing edge machined to a precision edge.

The result is a warmer sound, with deep timbre. I am intrigued. You should be too. They're hand made by a small independent company in the UK called Highwood Drums & Percussion. Worth a look see...not sure how you can get your hands on a set, though...persistence, I guess.

Inspiration to get off your ass and practice!

Gibson Dark Fire...what's the verdict?

Lots of hype on this one. And apparently, lots of production delays.

By now, you've probably heard the news about the Gibson Dark Fire. Robot self-tuning technology, Chameleon Tone system that allows you to recreate just about any guitar sound your heart desires, and all this controlled by a Master Control Knob that allows you to change tunings, pickups and tones on the fly, and in ways you never expected.

But, wherefore art thou, Dark Fire? Production delays have pushed back shipment dates and the world waits for a sign. Just give us some kind of sign, Gibson.

If you'd like to pre-order a Gibson Dark Fire, I believe the place to do it is GuitarCenter.com You might also ask them when we can expect to see these beautiful babies out in the real world. Please, let me know what you find out!

Deals of the Week

Need to let you know about a money-saving deal. Only good for the next couple days....

Musician's Friend is celebrating President's Day with savings of up to 93% on select items all the way through February 17th.

Save Up to 93% at MusiciansFriend.com


Check it.

SONOR presents the Danny Carey Signature Snare Drum

Ok, I'm on a roll (pun intended). I guess it's "snare drum week" here at the home office. Ha!

Yes, another snare drum is being unleashed on the world. Combine the frightening chops of a drummer like Danny Carey, and a drum company like Sonor (insert random joke about scary Germans), and you get this...

The Danny Carey Signature Snare Drum. According to the folks at Sonor, it features a 1 mm Bronze Shell, Artist Series Snare Drum Style lugs, and 2.3 mm Power Hoops. It's an 8" deep drum, and the shell is covered by several unique talisman symbols -- similar to those favored by a certain band that Mr. Carey has been know to make time with. Danny’s signature is engraved around the air hole.

I had the rare treat of seeing Danny Carey play with a band called Volto! at a small club in Los Angeles a couple years back. Catch them at the Knitting Factory March 6th if you're in SoCal. Not to be missed, the guy is a monster.

The Danny Carey Signature Snare Drum is available at most music retail stores starting February/March 2009. Also, I need to post this sweet pic of what it's like to sit behind Danny's kit...surreal.

Ludwig 100th Anniversary Snare Drums

Ludwig is celebrating 100 years of crafting some mighty fine drums. To celebrate, Ludwig produced 100 engraved 24K gold-plated brass shell Triumphal snares. Fashioned after the original Triumphal snare drum, which was only produced between 1926 and 1928, the limited edition 2009 versions are each individually numbered between 1909 and 2009.

Get the full history of the drum here.

Unless you can get to one of the stores on the Ludwig Platinum Dealers list, Ebay may be your best bet for finding one of these babies. Rumor has it, they're listing for about $7,000 each.

Ludwig has several 100th anniversary snare drums available, including the 100th Anniversary Black Beauty and Black Magic models. I am drooling now.

EVH Eddie Van Halen Wolfgang Electric Guitar

EVH Eddie Van Halen Wolfgang Electric Guitar with Case

Designed by Eddie Van Halen who says, "Every aspect and component of this guitar has been examined and upgraded to the highest standards possible: stainless steel frets, double-potted custom wound pickups, five-piece binding on the matching body and headstock, custom-made signature tuning machines and Floyd Rose bridge, new low-friction pots, and the list keeps going . . . we left no stone unturned."

The B.C. Rich Double Neck Bich

Some of the world's most renown guitars have made a living with a double neck as part of their arsenal. The B.C. Rich Bich Double Neck's roots run deep, Lita Ford, Carlos Alomar (David Bowie) and Randy Jackson (Zebra) were often seen and heard shredding a DNB. One neck features a traditional six string configuration while the second neck is strung with twelve along with the innovative B.C. Rich Bich rear mounted octave string tuners. Screaming Rockfield Mafia pickups and a host of classic B.C. Rich active electronics round out a versatile and authoritative tonal package.

Deals of the Week

Save Up to $75 at Music123.com (coupon: GIMME, exp: 2/28)


Save Up to $60 Instantly at MusiciansFriend.com (Code: WANT, Exp: 2/28)


CLEARANCE!!!!

Kid plays 2 guitars at once....and it works for me.

Neat.

Travis Barker - Snare Drum Solo

Travis Barker reminds us all...learn your rudiments, kids! You'll need them...

David Gilmour Signature Stratocaster Guitar

Pink Floyd's David Gilmour heavily modified and experimented with his guitar over the years. His guitar sound became a cornerstone of Pink Floyd’s surreal psychedelic sound. Listen to classic tracks from Dark Side of the Moon (1973), Wish You Were Here (1975), and The Wall (1979), and remind yourself of the enormous impact of this legendary artist.

The David Gilmour Signature Stratocaster features a black lacquer over three-color Sunburst alder body with a black pick guard, one-piece maple neck, custom pickups, and David’s now-famous electronics and shortened vintage tremolo arm.

Two models are available:


Fender Custom Shop David Gilmour Signature Stratocaster Electric Guitar Nos Black



Fender Custom Shop David Gilmour Signature Stratocaster Electric Guitar Relic Black Over 3-Tone Suburst

New Zildjian Cymbals for 2009

Zildjian recently announced new additions to both the A Custom and K Custom lines for 2009.

The A Custom ReZo™ Crashes were introduced in 2008 and created an instant "splash." Seven new models have been added to complete the full set up.

Three new models have been added to the K Custom Hybrid line. Features the unlathed, Brilliant Finish on their inner portions combined with the Traditional Finish lathing on the outer half of the cymbals.

Now if they could only create cymbals that never crack! A tall order, I know.

Found some great deals on Zildjians, too. Links below...

Zildjian A Custom ReZo Crash Cymbal 15"

Zildjian K Custom Hybrid Crash 15 Inches

Four Hands Guitar

Have you seen this? Pretty sweet.

New for 2009: The Dean Dime Stealth Electric Guitar

Another sweet arrival, via this year's NAMM Show.

This is the Dean Dime Stealth Electric Guitar. Just look at it. Just to gaze upon it will make a man proud to be a man.

I swear, my cat saw a picture of this guitar on my monitor and reached out with her little paw as if to say "I wish to pick up this axe and commence shredding."

Anyway...the body is mahogany wood, the fingerboard is rosewood. Dimebucker and Dean Designed pickups, and Grover tuning keys prevent de-tuning common with inferior tuning mechanisms.

Click below, and get hooked up with a free Extended Warranty worth $119.90.

Dean Dime Stealth Electric Guitar with Case

Verellin Amps -- hey 1973 called, they want their amps back...

Don't yet know how they sound, but I really like the concept behind custom amplifiers from Seattle, Washington's Verellin Amplifiers.

They are funky lookin'. Built by a University of Washington electrical engineering student. Looks like a lot of thought went into the design and construction, so they are worth checking out. The amps just happen to look like they were rescued from the basement where your uncle rehearsed Creedence Clearwater Revival covers with his high school rock band back in 1973.

The amps are available in 4 different models...

"SPALDO"
15-WATT EL84 DRIVEN CLASS A GUITAR AMP COMBO AMPLIFIER

"COOP"
50-WATT 6L6 DRIVEN GUITAR AMPLIFIER WITH SPRING REVERB

"LOUCKS"
100-WATT EL34 DRIVEN GUITAR AMPLIFIER

"MEAT SMOKE"
300-WATT 6550 DRIVEN BASS (OR BRAVE GUITARIST) AMPLIFIER - LOUDER!

That's right, they have an amp called the "Meat Smoke". That just pretty much rules.

www.verellinamplifiers.com

Link to an article about the guy behind Verellin.

Save up to $75 at Musician's Hut

Ok, so part of what I want to do with my site is give you a heads-up on good deals to save you money. We all could use a tip on how to save some cash.

Anyway, Musician's Hut is running a promotion that's worth checking out.

$25 Off Orders Over $250
$50 Off Orders Over $500
$75 Off Orders Over $750

Worth a look. Up to $75 Instant Savings + Free Shipping!

NAMM 2009: The Fender Custom Shop

Car parts, piñatas, motorcycles and custom guitars. A peek into the Fender Custom Shop.

Coverage from the 2009 NAMM Show.

Guitar Hero: Metallica -- Track Listing Revealed

Guitar Hero: Metallica is coming March 29th for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles (Wii and PS2 versions will follow later in the spring).

Songs include Master of Puppets, Orion, Seek and Destroy, Battery, One, and Creeping Death. Slayer's "War Ensemble, Mercyful Fate's "Evil", Mastodon's "Blood and Thunder" are non-Metallica songs to be included in the game.

Details here.

Yamaha AvantGrand N3 ...do you call it a piano?

Alicia Keys launched the new AvantGrand with a performance at the NAMM Show earlier this month.

Check out video of the performance.

Here is how Yamaha describes the new piano / keyboard hybrid:

Combining a Specialized Grand Piano Action with new technologies that actualize the physical connection a pianist experiences on an acoustic grand piano, the AvantGrand N3 represents a significant new branch in the family tree of the piano. The Tactile Response System replicates the resonating string vibration of an acoustic piano to the players hands through specially placed transducers; while a new mechanical touch pedal system reproduces the finesse of acoustic pedals, duplicating the spring, friction and inertia. The placement of the four-channel, three-way Spatial Acoustic Speaker System mimics the points where the original grand piano samples were taken, while two Soundboard Resonators create a non-directional sound dispersion directly in front of the player, duplicating the subtle reproduction of the buildup of sound felt by concert pianists. When combined, AvantGrand creates a natural grand piano image so authentic, you'll swear there are nine feet of piano extending behind your music rest... when in reality it’s less than four.

More on the Yamaha AvantGrand N3.

New Tama Drums for 2009...so nice.

Ok, I'm a bit biased here.

I've played Tama drums for about 20 years. I have nothing but true love for Tama's products, and by the looks of their 2009 gear the company continues to put out some great stuff. Seriously, these drums are gorgeous.

Not to mention Tama is endorsed by some of my favorite drummers. Mike Malinin from my good friends The Goo Goo Dolls, Lars Ulrich, etc.

Mike Malinin is pictured below at the 2009 NAMM Show, along with Good Charlotte drummer Dean Butterworth.



Check out the full photo set of new Tama gear from the 2009 NAMM Show here.

Mesa Boogie Releases New Electra-Dyne Guitar Amplifier

Mesa Boogie debuts a brand new amplifier at this month's NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA.



Petaluma, CA, January 19, 2009 -- Introducing the Electradyne™. An easy-to-look-at, simple-to-use new amplifier that has way more Tone than you might expect hidden artfully behind these six knobs and a switch.

Deeply rooted in the Best of the Brit lineage, the Electradyne takes modified English gain sounds and sorts them into Lo and High regions. These two choices are combined with a retro-minded, American-voiced clean “channel” and linked to one mini-toggle that gives you three of the most classic sounds in Rock and Roll on one switch. And unlike other amps of this style, footswtchable Modes and the finely tuned control interface allow many players to stomp back and forth across the pond without touching a single control.

Add to this stealthy versatility their patented Simul-Class™ Power that blends the efficiency and headroom of Class AB PENTODE with the sweeter clip and enhanced harmonics of Class A style wiring. Choose between the Simul-Class quartet of 6L6 for 90 watts of authority or, switch down to the Class A pair for a bouncy, easy to clip 45 watts. You can also load the Electradyne with EL34 type tubes for a brighter Brit style clip thanks to the switchable Bias Select.

Lush, deep, all-tube Reverb adds a whole new dimension to the Brit-inspired scheme and raises the bar to a new height. The Reverb circuit can be switched-in to be Active in all Modes, defeated in either Lo or High gain Modes (Clean remains active), or Hard Bypassed, which removes the entire circuit – including the Reverb tube – from the signal path for the purist.

Get more info here.

It'll Set You Free...

Just to jump on my soapbox for a second. As a way to kick things off, I'd like to share links to a few organizations that are actively promoting music programs in schools, etc.

Please visit the following sites and get involved!

VH1 Save the Music Foundation

Wanna Play?

Support Music

Recreational Music Making

Welcome

Ok, so here we go.

I've been a musician for 25 years. Music has been good to me. I've seen the world, played some really cool shows, met some of the most interesting people, and generally have lived a better life through playing music.

I've been onstage, behind the scenes, and involved in the business side of music working with some of the biggest artists in the world. (Maybe I'll tell some stories about those crazy days at some point!)

My goals are simple. I want to make it easier, and more affordable, for people to pick up a guitar or a pair of drumsticks or whatever and start making music. So the plan is to post news articles, links to new gear, news about hot deals on music products, etc. in the hopes of inspiring and helping musicians (and aspiring musicians) make more music!

So, if you're a guitarist, bassist, drummer, keyboard player, DJ, vocalist, violinist, trumpeter, trombonist, clarinetist, etc. (you get the idea), this site is for you.

Enjoy...

Dave