This week’s guitar smash is brought to you by KISS’ very own guitarist, Paul Stanley. The Great Alive 35 Melbourne GP Outdoor Concert was capped off last year by Stanley taking his guitar to stage – literally. Apparently the crowd wanted an encore, but the band was too lazy so they just sent Stanley out to smash his guitar.
KISS’ Paul Stanley smashes his guitar
Learning guitar was hard for me. Not because I didn’t “know” music, or didn’t follow the right path of instruction. I didn’t have a good routine.
Fortunately, I have found a more perfect routine for learning to play music. Over the past few months I have been learning to play piano, and let me tell you, it has been a hell of a lot easier than it was for me to learn guitar. I expected it to be easier, but not this easy. Granted, I did have prior musical experience. And honestly, the piano makes way more sense in terms of physical design than any other instrument. But there has been something else that has made it even easier. My routine!
When I learned to play guitar, I would practice whenever I wanted for however long I wanted to. I would practice everyday for two weeks straight. Then I wouldn’t practice for two months straight. Sometimes I would practice for 2-3 hours at a time. Other times I would practice for 2-3 minutes. My brain had no learning rhythm.
The practice routine that I have been using on piano has helped me on guitar as well.
A more perfect routine to learn guitar
- Practice guitar four days a week. Play Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Or any variant that works for you. Even if you have all the time in the world, your brain needs recovery time.
- Play guitar for 15 minute intervals, taking breaks in between.
- Consistency over quantity. Everything I read says that to learn guitar you should practice, practice, practice. Honestly, though, I stop enjoying it when I do that. After so long I lose touch with what I’m playing and what I liked about it in the first place. Get some quality practice time in on a consistent but conservative basis.
This is my method. What is yours?
Last year, Gibson released the most technologically advanced guitar ever made: the Robot Guitar. The guitar could literally tune itself for a retail price of $2,499. The company made it very clear at the time that the guitar was a prototype, and that anyone that purchased the product would be investing money in the revised model to be released at a later date.
Well, that date is almost here. Gibson revealed the new guitar, dubbed “Dark Fire,” yesterday.
A cure for cancer? No, just another damn expensive Gibson guitar.
Simply put, Dark Fire is 10 guitars in one. The Gibson Dark Fire features all of Gibson’s finest hardware, including the P90h pickup on the neck and a Burstbucker 3 pickup on the bridge. The new model also sports “Chameleon Tone Technology,” described on the website as “the ability to change your guitar’s tone to better match your environment.” The automated tuning pegs are miles faster now as well, so that you can literally change tuning in the middle of a song.
More details as well as a live demo of the Dark Fire guitar will be released on Monday, Dec. 15. You can check out Gibson’s site for more information.
The Marshall Classic Rock Awards were announced this week. I have never cared about the Marshall awards, but the concept is pretty interesting. Similar to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Classic Rock Awards recognize different artists within the genre for their contributions. Band of the Year for 2008 went to the Foo Fighters, which is an intriguing pick. I wasn’t aware that the Foo Fighters qualified as “classic” yet, but I guess they have been around for 13 years now. Check out the complete award list below.
The Rock Awards in 2 minutes
The Marshall Classic Rock Roll of Honor winners list:
Album of the Year: Whitesnake’s Good To Be Bad
Band of the Year: Foo Fighters
Re-issue of the Year: Metallica – First three albums vinyl re-issues
DVD of the Year: AC/DC’s Plug Me In
Event of the Year: Led Zeppelin at the 02 Arena
Best New Band: Airbourne
Classic Songwriter: Peter Green (Fleetwood Mac)
Showman Award: Paul Stanley (KISS)
The Armand de Brignac VIP Award: Harvey Goldsmith
Gibson presents the Tommy Vance Inspiration Award: Syd Barrett
Classic Album: Cream – Disraeli Gears
Metal Guru: Wayne Kramer (MC5)
Classic Rock/Childline Award: Bryan Adams
Outstanding Contribution: Jeff Beck
Marshall “11” Award: Slash
Living Legend: Ozzy Osbourne
An interesting game-in-development caught my attention today. Apple Corps, the Beatles’ record label, recently teamed up with MTV and Harmonix, the companies behind the video game Rock Band, to develop a game based entirely on the Beatles.
The game is planned for a 2009 holiday release and has been described as a “journey” through the band’s albums. There aren’t many details yet except that the game will not be a part of the Rock Band series but a standalone game. However, rumor has it that you will still be using Rock Band instruments as controllers.
Harmonix has also stated that there will be more to the game than just playing through the music. My guess as to what this means is as good as yours. Perhaps you will play through the Beatles’ fictional worlds, such as Pepperland, taking out baddies with your guitar skills along the way? That would be a trip!
Paul McCartney, bassist and co-founder of the Beatles, commented on the project, “[the game] is a fun idea which broadens the appeal of the Beatles and their music. I like people having the opportunity to get to know the music from the inside out.”
The Gibson Les Paul guitar
The sweet sounding Mahogany, the tone sustaining Humbuckers – the Gibson Les Paul has been the guitar of choice for many rock stars. Here are a few of the big name artists that have preferred the Les Paul guitar.
1. Jimmy Page. One of the greatest guitarists of all time, Page played for The Yardbirds, Led Zeppelin, and even a solo gig. He uses a 1958 Les Paul Standard, a 1959 Les Paul Standard, a 1973 Les Paul Standard, a Goldtop Premium Les Paul and a 1991 Custom Shop Les Paul. Page also owned a modified 1960 Les Paul Custom named “Black Beauty” with a Bigsby tailpiece and a 3-pickup configuration.
2. Zakk Wylde. Guitarist for Ozzy Osborne and Black Label Society, Wylde uses a signature Les Paul “Bulls Eye” model, a signature Les Paul “Buzzsaw” model and signature “Camo” model with a camouflage finish.
3. Duane Allman. Both guitarists from the Allman Brothers Band used Les Paul guitars.
4. Buckethead. The mechanical metal maniac uses a custom Gibson Les Paul with a baritone neck, pearl hardware, and killswitch.
5. Billie Joe Armstrong. You know, the guy from Green Day, the 90s rock group turned millenial emo? Armstrong uses several differen Les Paul Junior models, except for recordings in which he uses a Standard Les Paul.
6. Eric Clapton. While Clapton did become a Fender convert later in his career, his early work with Cream was all done on a Gibson.
7. Sheryl Crow. The popular 60’s country singer/songwriter uses a variety of Gibson Les Paul guitars.
8. Allen Collins. While the Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist mainly used a Firebird and an Explorer, he also started using a double-cutaway Les Paul Junior in 1977.
9. Buck Dharma. The Blue Öyster Cult guitarist used a 1974 Les Paul Deluxe along with his 1969 SG.
10. Don Felder. Don Felder of the Eagles uses a Les Paul guitar.
11. Ace Frehley. This guitarist from Kiss was known for his Les Paul Custom with three pickups.
12. Billy Gibbons. This beardy guitarist from ZZ Top has used Goldtop Les Pauls along with Les Paul Juniors. His main guitar, however, is a 1959 Les Paul Standard named “Pearly Gates.”
13. David Gilmour. While Gilmour, the lead guitarist for Pink Floyd, was always known for Playing Fenders, he did start using a 1956 Les Paul Goldtop with a Bigsby tailpiece in his later work.
14. Dave Grohl. The Nirvana guitarist that went off to start the Foo Fighers uses many different Gibson guitars including Les Pauls.
15. Kirk Hammett. Metallica’s right hand man used Les Paul guitars on top of the occasional Flying V.
16. George Harrison. The Beatles’ George Harrison used Les Pauls along with many other guitar models. John Lennon and Paul McCartney also used Les Pauls, the latter of which owns a rare left-handed 1957 Les Paul Goldtop.
17. Steve Jones. The Sex Pistols’ guitarist used Les Paul Customs as well as a Gibson Les Paul Double Cut. Gibson now makes a signature guitar based on Jones’ Custom.
18. Alex Lifeson. Lifeson of Rush was a Gibson loyalist, using many of their different models including Les Pauls.
19. Bob Marley. Marley used a Les Paul Custom which is now buried with him in his mausoleum.
20. Ted Nugent. In Nugent’s most recent work he used a 1959 sunburst Les Paul and an American-flag-motif Les Paul.
21. Joe Perry. The Aerosmith guitarist has used a variety of different Les Pauls. He also has signature Gibson and Epiphone Les Paul models named “Boneyard.”
25. Randy Rhoads. The shredder via Quiet Riot and Ozzy Osbourne, Rhoads used an off white Les Paul Custom.
26. Keith Richards. The Rolling Stones guitarist is practically a Gibson fashion model. He was one of the first people to bring Gibson into the spotlight in Britian. Brian Jones and Mick Taylor of the Rolling Stones also Les Paul guitars.
27. Carlos Santana. Santana has used a sunburst Les Paul Custom.
28. Slash. In my opinion, Slash the first players to fully utilize a Les Paul. The ex-Guns N’ Roses, now Velvet Revolver guitarist has used too many Les Pauls to count. For the most part, he has prefferred a Gibson Custom.
29. Pete Townshend. The Who’s guitarist used various customized Les Paul models from 1973-1979.
30. Eddie Van Halen. Van Halen has used a Les Paul throughout his career.
31. Muddy Waters. Used a Les Paul Goldtop in his early career.
32. Neil Young. Uses several Gibson acoustic and electric models. Young’s main guitar, “Old Black”, is a 1953 Goldtop Les Paul (painted black) with a Bigsby tailpiece. Young also has two other 1953 Goldtops, one which has modifications similar to “Old Black”, the other a stock original.
Also be sure to check out part 1 in this series, who played Fender Stratocasters.
The 1960's model Fender Stratocaster guitar
Who, exactly, has laid hands on a Fender Stratocaster in the rock-o-sphere? Here’s a list of some of the most influential Strat players.
1. Dick Dale. Dale was one of the original players in “Strat pack,” and also one of the very first owners of a Fender Stratocaster. Leo Fender gave Dale his strat in 1955, which he used to popularize surf rock.
2. Eric Clapton. A great guitarist and genuine asshole, Clapton grew up on Gibson guitars but transitioned to the Strat (which he nicknamed Brownie) in 1970. He has used nothing else since then.
3. Jeff Beck. Jeff Beck rose to fame with the all star band The Yardbirds, but you also may know him from his more recent band, The Jeff Beck Group. Jeff stopped using the Les Paul in 1975 in favor of the Stratocaster for its unique tone.
4. The Edge. You know Bono. You’ve heard of U2. If you’re a fan, chances are you’ve heard of The Edge, U2’s lead guitarist. He prefers the Fender Strat.
5. Jimi Hendrix. The man that reinvited the blues guitar style into the rock scene, Hendrix used nothing but a Fender Strat. Interestingly enough, he played in the same way that my buddy John does. He played a right-handed guitar left-handed and upside down, with the strings reversed.
6. Ritchie Blackmore. Blackmore’s most notable historical achievement was his part in the bands Deep Purple and Rainbow. After using Hofner and Gibson for years, Blackmore switched to Fender guitars in 1968 after being wooed by Hendrix’ talent.
7. David Gilmour. Pink Floyd’s guitarist, David Gilmour, prefers a custom modified Fender Stratocaster. He owns the model #0001 Strat manufactured in 1954.
8. Stevie Ray Vaughan. Simply put: Vaughan was one of the meanest players ever, and all the magic happened on his signature Fender strat.
9. Yngwie J. Malmsteen. Although I despise Malmsteen as a musician, he is definitely the most “metal” of Stratocaster players.
10. George Harrison and John Lennon. Despite Don Randall’s, Leo Fender’s son, work to convince the Beatles guitarists to convert to the Fender way, Harrison and Lennon used the Fender Stratocaster sparingly. None the less, they used it on occassion and made it their own.
11. Ronnie Wood. This Rolling Stones guitarist has been using the Sunburst Strat since 1975.
12. Buddy Holly. Essentially the poster child of the Fender Strat, Holly brought the guitar model into the spotlight when he took it to the Ed Sullivan Show in 1957.
13. John Mayer. The recently popular singer/songwriter has used a Stratocaster for his entire career.
14. Pete Townshend. Serving as the lead guitarist for The Who, Townshend uses a modified version of the Clapton model Fender Strat.
15. Alex Lifeson. Lifeson started using a Strat on Rush’s 1977 album A Farewell to Kings. He continued to use the guitar throughout the 1980’s.
There you have it. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s list of famous Gibson Les Paul players!
