JOHN WETTON - RIP - "EXILES" - 1973

The late, phenomenal John Wetton on bass and vocals performing with King Crimson back in 1973.  Crimson plays "Exiles".  Wetton had a very distinct and powerful singing and playing style.  We will miss his myriad contributions to popular music.  Another unique talent is lost.

STRANGE SOUNDS FROM THE SKIES

This is a creepy video.  People have been reporting and recording instances of strange, jarring sounds coming from the sky!  There are many different examples included from around the globe.  What is the source of this noise?  There is a lot of speculation but no definitive answer.  Very weird and unsettling goings on!

"Home On The Range" May Be Your First Tune!

Feel like playing your guitar by the campfire or just having a reminder of what that is like?  I spotted these two unique, painted guitars at Guitar Showcase in San Jose, California.   The artwork adorning these guitars features crooning cowboys, bucking broncos, howling dogs, and other western motifs.  I can say that these are very nicely adorned instruments and might be a nice, decorative addition to the collection of the guitar player who has everything but really are not my cup of tea.  Or joe. 

SYNTHESIZER TREASURE TROVE AT GUITAR CENTER IN SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA

A veritable treasure trove of synthesizers are on display at the Guitar Center in San Jose, California.  This little clutch contains Moogs, Rolands, and Korg brand synthesizers just to name a few.  Most of this keyboards are hooked up to monitors so you can try out the little marvels yourself.  A lot of fun!

FOCUSRITE: PLEASE GET IT RIGHT!

I have tried to download software from Focusrite's site and have received the following message since Christmas night.  Enough already!

Greg Lake, "I Believe In Father Christmas"

A sad farewell was bid to Greg Lake, a talented and influential musician, who passed away this week.  Lake was a founding member of King Crimson and Emerson, Lake and Palmer.  He also held a stint in Asia, as well.  Here is the popular Christmas tune he penned years ago.  I will miss Lake's distinctive vocal delivery, his impassioned playing and his memorable recorded work.  A true progressive rock luminary and a very iconic performer.

PLAY WHO POWERCHORDS ON AN ELECTRIC UKE!

This music store find was a little weird:  The Who songbook for ukulele.  But there the book was, shelved below the wall mounted ukes and, as if to save the day, there were a few electric ukuleles in stock.  I do know that Pete Townsend wrote a song which appears on the collection, "The Who By Numbers", which features a ukulele.  "Blue, Red and Grey" finds Pete strumming on an acoustic uke.  I saw Roger Daltrey in concert a few years back and he did his own rendition of the song along with accompanying himself on ukulele.  The Vox electric ukuleles pictured here could be amplified up to "11" to reproduce the 140db sound level The Who were known to bombard their audiences with in the mid to late 1970's.  Play it LOUD!!!

STEVE MILLER BAND 12 STRING ATTACK, PASA ROBLES, CA. 8/14/16

Here is The Steve Miller Band performing at the Vina Robles Ampitheatre in Paso Robles, CA. on August 14, 2016.  Miller has got his Gibson double neck SG guitar in tow and I am not sure if that is a Carvin 12 string model played to the right.  A beautiful sound and sight to behold!

Consumer Technology Association Honors Legendary Musician and Internet Pioneer David Bowie .

Consumer Technology Association Honors Legendary Musician and Internet Pioneer David Bowie .: Consumer Technology Association Honors Legendary Musician and Internet Pioneer David Bowie .

CHEAP TRICK LIVE IN CALIFORNIA 2015

I have beat this drum before.  Cheap Trick is fantastic power pop band who have created many great songs over the years and were just inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (finally!).  Still, after 40 years of existence, a ferocious live act.  Their connection to experimental musical instruments include, of course, bassist Tom Peterson's on stage preference for the 12 string bass guitar.  A guitar design he created.  No denying the power and volume of that bass!  And then there is Rick Nielsen and his five neck guitar.  Pretty unique axe.  How much does that thing actually weigh?  Here they are performing in San Jose, California in 2015.  Cheap Trick, keep bringing the noise!

LEMMY, SPACE ROCK, HAWKWIND...BRILLIANT!

With the passing of Lemmy Kilmister, we have lost a great friend and rock and roll character.  Lemmy was a firm believer in the spirit and power of rock and roll and in enjoying life in general.  Nice philosophy!  Before he started his well known, heavy rock outfit, Motorhead, Lemmy had a turn in the space rock band, Hawkwind. 
What is space rock?  This blog fully embraces space rock and we will explore that topic further at some other time and provide personal definitions.  For now, this clip, Hawkwind's "Silver Machine", features some ferocious guitar workups accompanied by some synthesizer wash and assorted, delayed, reverbed, electronic bleeps and tones.  Space rock!  What a delightful noise it all makes!

THE ANARCHESTRA - MADE UP INSTRUMENTS!

I think this video is well worth taking the time to watch.  We see the workshop and ultimate completed instruments created by Andy Thurlow.  He has called this assemblage of new sonic toys, The Anarchestra.  Furlow has designed stringed instruments, "tuned" and otherwise percussive platforms and some never before imagined music/noise makers.  Very awesome. 

The Electrician vs Planet of the Vampires / Scott Walker vs Gino Marinuzzi

OK.  I was looking for any YouTube clips that might feature the soundtrack music of the influential science fiction/horror picture, "Planet of the Vampires" (1965, directed by Mario Bava).  The movie boasts an interesting use of electronic music elements composed by Gino Marinuzzi.  I discovered this colorful item which also provides some information on "Planet's" unique contribution to movie lore. 

John Carpenter's The Fog Expanded Soundtrack

Director John Carpenter was quite a busy fellow during the creation of his movies.  In addition to calling the shots on set, he would add his sonic soundtrack flourishes during post production.  Carpenter used a very minimal approach to his compositions.  There are a handful of haunting themes that are repeated often.  Simple but effective. Nice, richly layered sounding synthesizers and piano.  Love it.

Gil Mellé - The Andromeda Strain (1971) (Full Album)

This music is very trippy!  I have always admired this electronic score/soundtrack by Gil Melle for the science fiction flick, The Andromeda Strain.  (What parts I could hear seeping out from behind the character dialogue in the movie, anyway.)  Another fascinating aspect of this work is that composer Melle created a number of the sound generating apparatus that created these marvelous electronic tones!  There is a documentary or behind the scenes film documenting this.  Haven't been able to locate it!

Nailing It On Guitar

Guitar playing can never be easy when your fingers can't press down firmly on the fret board.  I think my son will finally get his nails cut so he can more easily handle his axe.

TEENAGE ENGINEERING PO-16 MELODY MICRO SYNTHESIZER

This little puppy is cool!  Barely bigger than a credit card and a couple of sizes thicker, this micro synthesizer is a brilliant musical idea generator.  The melody micro synthesizer is one module in Teenage Engineering's new line of sub $100.00, easily transportable music making devices.  There are also bass synth and rhythm generating modules.  Interesting cardboard packaging for the PO-16 which has a removable strip (like a box of granola bars!) that comes off to reveal some basic instructions printed on the insides of the packaging that reflect the simplicity and intuitive nature of using this device.  Plenty of cool sounds and effects to choose from and a pattern recorder that will allow you to quickly generate and play back ideas.  On board speaker and headphone jack included.  I'm taking it with me on vacation!

Speaker Chainsaw Massacre

An unsuspecting speaker tower is cut in half.  A Polk product demonstration. Yay!

RAQUEL WELCH - SPACE GIRL DANCE

From the wild 1970's, a video of a young Raquel Welch cavorting to an odd soundtrack.  This video holds obvious charms. The music?  A bit futuristic and yet dated.  Brilliant!  Beyonce would be proud! (of the dancing).

STRANGE HARMONICAS - BUILT TO BE HEARD!

Here are a few unusual harmonica designs.  Sound projecting cones are attached to the harmonicas to help amplify the sound.  Nice and loud!

Check out this demonstration of the trumpet call harmonica in action:

http://youtu.be/ZNCYxSlihWQ