Andy Powell in 2006. Photo: Jeff Sacks. The early 21st century is a unique era for rock music, as many veteran bands are now plying their trade on the nostalgia and/or casino circuits, playing their decades-old hit(s) for people about their own age. Wishbone Ash, now in its 37th year of existence, never had a […]
Monthly Archives: May 2010
Black John – The Soul of John Black
Black John is actually John Bigham, who some music listeners may know from his days with Fishbone or as a percussionist with Miles Davis. Bigham’s latest effort is a powerful mix of soul, R&B, and gospel that shows he knows his way around a groove as a guitarist and singer. Cuts like “Black John” contain […]
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RS Guitarworks Rock Master
Lotta Green, Buncha Mean RS
RS Guitarworks Rock Master In 1994, RS Guitarworks was just another guitar repair joint that every so often did some refinishing work. But it has since grown to become a full-on custom builder that also offers parts-upgrade kits, as well as finish and hardware aging. The “R” and the “S” in RS Guitarworks are Roy […]
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Damon Johnson
Cooper to Country
Photo: Stephen Jensen. Damon Johnson is a working man’s player, honed on the chops of Skynyrd and Zeppelin. His technique and influence spawned the early-’90s rock band Brother Cane, which released three albums, toured with Van Halen, and scored a handful of radio hits. Following its demise in 2000, Johnson played as a sideman, band […]
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Sharon Isbin
New Paths for Classical Guitar
Photo: Takehiko Tokiwa. Sharon Isbin is regarded as one of the premier classical guitarists of her generation, playing 60 to 100 concerts per season and earning a Grammy early this decade. Among her teachers was the venerable Andrés Segovia, and she has collaborated with rock and jazz aces like Steve Vai and Larry Coryell. Isbin’s […]
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G&L SC/SB Series
Matching Mojo
Early-’80s G&L SC-3. Bill Ingalls, Jr. Early-’80s G&L SB-1. During the “guitar boom” of the 1960s, one method of getting a band noticed was to equip it with matching instruments and maybe matching amplifiers. Better still, add matching stage clothes! Many instrumental surf bands followed such a notion. The Astronauts, for example, were notable for […]
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SuperVee, Stetsbar T-Style, and StepMax Tremolo
Three New Approaches to Replacement Vibrato Systems
Three new aftermarket vibrato systems for common double- and single-cutaway solidbody guitars offer the convenience of “drop in” installation. Each system boasts unique features and improved performance. SuperVee Tremolo System Brainchild of designers Jeff Athrop and Marc Caldwell, the SuperVee is a direct-replacement (a.k.a. “drop in”) unit requiring no modifications, no drilling, and no routing. […]
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The Beatles – Rare and Unseen
Most unauthorized retrospectives of pop music are overly academic and usually a bit cynical – consisting of revisionist perspectives from people who weren’t there “at the time.” With the exception of a couple of music professors and “social historians,” what sets this 90-minute DVD apart is that nearly all of the interviewees were fans or […]
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Bob Brozman
World Instruments, World Music
Photo courtesy Bob Brozman. To many, the terms “musician,” “artist,” and “entertainer” are rarely applicable to one person en masse, but Bob Brozman fits the category. What’s more, the term “musicologist” would also be an appropriate designation – to say that the veteran player is a musical ambassador is an understatement, as he has traveled […]
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Retroman effects
Five Boxes of Fun
Retroman proprietor Joe Wolf is a dedicated one-man-shop that designs, builds, and finishes effects pedals all by hisself. Wolf, a guitarist and electronics engineer, began building pedals for his own use, and some for friends. Not long after, and with the encouragement of his wife, Amy, he started Retroman in 2002. As the name implies, […]
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