I'm hearing more and more about the popularity of Southern Rock up in the Northeast, my FRiend, and I would love to focus our CosmicJustice efforts on a compilation of Skynyrd, ABB, MTB, the Outlaws, ZZ Top, Molly Hatchet, Blackfoot, etc. if that works fer you. Plus, whenever we get together, the fellas I play with love the multi-guitar sound and my voice works pretty well with the Ronnie Van Zandt sorta songs!!
FReegards...MUD
BTW...any chance of you making it down to DeeCee on the first of March?! It would be a great opportunity to introduce you to kristinn, Angelwood, and the DeeCee FReepers then we could caravan down to Richmond fer a jam session!!
Y'know I've heard more than one person say that.
Still, I'm a big (goon) & the weight never bothered me; although, the thing's never hung around my neck for three hours, either. In fact lately it hasn't been doing much *hanging* anywhere.
"Nothing beats a Les Paul through a Marshall 100 and a 4x12 cabinet for a classic rock sound."
Well I'll take your word for that; still, Toy Caldwell was the A#1 influence for me, & in all honesty??
I had my Martin SPD16-R first, before getting the itch to try electric.
So truthfully I didn't know one electric from another.
That Fender Strat's an extremely popular, great sounding, & reasonably priced instrument which has a fabulous sound all its own.
I actually entertained the notion of adding one of these to my collection, once.
"I'm a strat guy, but I use one of those deluxe or fat strat things(I don't know what the hell they call it). It's got a humbucker(for the big distortion sound) and two single coil pickups."
Sounds beautiful.
Best part about it is that it's a working instrument which pays you a check every week or so, eh? {g}
On that thought, I must mention a correspondence which took place with a musician gal I know.
One whose opin I respect greatly, I might add, and after having told her -- essentially -- the same concerning my *rut* as I've told you?
She sent me a poem.
I'm fairly certain this magnificent, generous, most wise Lady wouldn't mind me reposting it for a fellow musician, a'tall...
--------------------------
"The Touch of the Master's Hand."
Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer thought it scarcely worth his while to waste much time on the old violin, but he held it up with a smile.
"What am I bidden, good folks," he cried, Who'll start bidding for me? A dollar, a dollar -- now who'll make it two -- two dollars, and who'll make it three? Three dollars once, three dollars twice. Going for three"...but no!
From the room far back a gray-haired man came forward and picked up the bow.
Then wiping the dust from the old violin, and tightening up the strings, he played a melody, pure and sweet, as sweet as an angel sings.
The music ceased and the auctioneer with a voice that was quiet and low, said, "What am I bid for the old violin?" and he held it up with the bow.
"A thousand dollars -- and who'll make it two? Two thousand -- and who'll make it three? Three thousand once, three thousand twice, and going -- and gone," said he.
The people cheered, but some of them cried, "We do not quite understand. What changed its worth?"
The man replied, "The touch of the master's hand."
And many a man with life out of tune, and battered and torn with sin, is auctioned cheap to a thoughtless crowd, much like the old violin.
A 'mess of pottage,' a glass of wine, a game and he travels on.
He's going once, and going twice -- he's going -- and almost gone!
But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd never can quite understand the worth of a soul, and the change that's wrought by the touch of the Master's hand. ----------------------------
This Lady, through her magnificent mind's eye, was trying to tell me -- amoung other things, I suspect -- it isn't the instrument, rather, the Master's Hand I must seek.
She was right, too.
Then again, this Lady's not only a "Master" in her own right, but she's almost always right to boot.
"My wife got me a Martin for Christmas. It is an awesome sounding acoustic. I love it."
As well you should.
What's more, I *read* your bride pretty well.
My Martin came to me, for Xmas, from my gal, too. (~of course, so did the LP)
"BTW. When I was a kid in the 70's MTB was HUGE on Long Island. I've seen them a dozen times. One of my favorite Southern rock bands!"
They have no equal.
There's a poster here going by the name of, "sneakypete."
Pete's a hell of a good guy & a BIG MTB fan, too.
Like you he's seen these guy -- the original group - not the Doug Grey iteration -- many, many times.
What I wouldn't give to be able to look back through either of your eyes, my friend.
BTW, just a FYI...there're several VHS & one CD out there of the MTB; but, it's not of the original members ie Caldwell brothers, McCorkle, Eubanks & Riddle.
Grey still sings but it's not the same; nor, worth the money spent acquiring these things. As I said, just a FYI.
OK, a question for you right outa left field.
Given what I'd wrote you privately concerning the state of the industry, today?
Have you *ever* heard the first album by a group calling themselves simply, "The eels"??? (debuted in '93)
If you have, what do ya think??
If not send me your snail mail addy & I'll see to it you *will*.
OK?
These 3 youngsters, "The eels," proved to me -- without a doubt -- it wasn't so much there weren't any more talented white R&R musicians out there as much as it proved the good ones were not being played.
Call it one facet of the "redistribution of wealth" scheme if you like; but, I prefer to think of it as a tremendous loss, for everyone.
Be that as it may...
"Gotta check out guitar.com."
For Heaven's sake, yes.
Moreover, this site has a "registry" where guitar instructors (hint-hint) can register, by geogrphic location, their availability, specialty, hours & other things they've to offer. A simply supurb way of advertising, for free, extended to intructors courtesy of the folks at www.Guitar.com. Pretty neat, eh?
Just wait'll you READ what some of the -- more successful -- instructors are offering their students!!
Totally innovative ideas coming from these gutar teachers.
For exmple, at specific times during a month, they'll get all their guitar students together along with drum students, keyboard students (& what have you) to form "bands" just to jam.
These students are afforded actual hands-on experience opportunities which I think is absolutely fantastic.
Means (to me) tomorrow's R&Rs are in the pipeline as we speak, my friend.
...regardless of *what* the social schemers are attempting to perpetrate.
Strats rule. Wouldn't give mine up for love nor money...