First Blatherings

I have no shortage of comments for most subjects. As I've been playing guitar for a long time, I have even more to say about guitars and music.

What's the only thing worse than a drum solo?

Two drum solos.

 

Eric Johnson: All About Venus Isle | Exclusive Interview

• I have another idea.
• uh-oh
• When John Bonham died, the members of Led Zeppelin said there could be no Zep without him
• Page and Jones want to get the band back together. It's generally acknowledged that Plant is the barrier, stating he doesn't want to drag out the oldies.
• Ok, start a new band: Plant, Page, and Jones. Write new songs and put out an album.
• Tour, playing songs from the album and Zep tunes that can be performed well
• I get a cut of this because it's my idea

Jimmy Page is one of the founding fathers of blues/rock guitar. He's a legend on the strings and in the studio. Unfortunately his post-Zep output has been.... not up to his potential. I think he and Jeff Beck suffer from boxed-in syndrome, where they can't get out a lot to see who the superstar musicians are. These are the people who should be playing with them.  Page, doing what he did in Led Zeppelin, shouldn't have any problems putting together a HOT band, recording a killer album, and touring. Why hasn't this happened? We know he doesn't need the money, but he needs the music. And we do too.

Let's go back to high school, without our masks, to put together some really hot solo bands:

PAGE:

John Paul Jones: bass

Jason Bonham or Heart's first (Derosier?): drums

Paul Rodgers or Rik Emmett (Triumph): vocals, guitar, keys

JEFF BECK

Vinnie Coliauta: drums

Max Middleton: keys

special guest Jan Hammer: keys

Rhonda Smith: bass

Bob Tench/Rod Stewart: vocals

PLANT

John Paul Jones: bass

Jimmy Page: guitar

Jason Bonham: drums

see what I did there? 

Phil Collins: drums (played on first 2 solo albums)

Tony Hymas: keys  (played with Jeff Beck)

Doug Aldrich: guitar

2nd guitar/keys to replace Bob Mayo (RIP).....?

Speaking of Plant's solo albums, I re-listened to his third the other day (Shaken 'n' Stirred)

Using all my musical and descriptive abilities, I say "oof."  Plant himself said it would've sold better if he put a $10 bill in with it. Having enjoyed the first two, I was disappointed. It reeked of synth-pop. I really liked Sixes and Sevens, but that was it. If I understand correctly, Plant was at odds with his guitarist/collaborator, Robbie Blunt, and changed bands after this.

One of the most nervous guys in music had to be Robbie Blunt. Although this was Plant's solo career, the man was essentially replacing Jimmy Page. He did a decent job too, with his Strat, using the rear/middle pickup combination as his default. Technical descriptions I've read state he ran into a Boss CS-1 (first Boss chorus, large, lacking a lot of flexibility) into a pair of Princetons. Sounds good to me.

Why am I typing about 1980-something?

How the hell should I know.

I remember the first video, featuring a masked guitar player walking over tables.

The first and second solo albums contained some good songs, some that I remember note-for-note, even when I got them out, 20 years later. Phil Collins played drums in the studio and live on the tours. He played xylophone or similar on Big Log, a huge hit. Obviously not everything was great, but it's worth a re-listen.

One of the pressured people who isn't interested in rehashing the past, including solo albums, is Robert Plant. Poor guy has to come up with all sorts of new stuff for every album. There are a few semi-recent concerts on YouTube, which I recommend. He redoes a few Zep tunes, but that's not the focus. 

As a huge fan who never saw them live, I really want them back together.

The first time I saw Page's hair silver was a bit of a shock. Just like Brian May's.

Our heroes are not dying rock and roll deaths (drugs and choking on your own vomit) anymore: they're getting old. It's beyond weird. And they're suiciding, which is beyond sad.

The Who's "I hope I die before I get old" contains quite a bit of irony.

HUGE POINT: if you're feeling like this, talk to someone. As bad as it feels, you don't have to feel this way. Talk to family, religious leader, suicide hotline, psychiatrist, therapist, anybody.... we want you here... really. Have you ever seen the aftermath of suicide? Not blood - the people left behind... spouses, children, parents, family, friends.... Yes, it feels horrible. Talk to somebody.

I believe art comes from internal agita. Having played in bands and comedy, most of the ones I've met are miserable. Misery creates art. Van Gogh wasn't entirely well. Neither Scott Weiland (STP). You can produce art without taking yourself out. Look at everybody who does....

Note: it is ok to occasionally take out the audience. I kid. But opening the fire hose on them is good clean fun.

I do go on, don't I.

I do wander, don't I.

There's a Twitter account that posts pictures of classic rockers and newer.

There are a ton of Debbie Harry (Blondie), for some reason.

One pic showed her right breast. If the left looked even half as good, Chris Stein got a bargain.

I guess I missed out by not liking their music.

Another famous right breast is that of Tal Wilkenfeld. Tal is an Aussie who played for Jeff Beck. 

That's another foundation of this blog: no matter what it is, I don't like it. 

Whatever it is, I'm against it.

If it doesn't have tubes, it's not an amplifier.

If it's not musical fireworks, it's not interesting to me.

Remember "to me". My opinion.

Post a comment with yours.

It's getting more and more difficult, but buy local if you can.

We recently lost a local store.

Next installment: some of my gear