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If you've been to my page before, then you know it's guitar music overload. I updated my playlist to start off with something a little more accessible -- and what's more accessible than Boston. Yeah, maybe they're a little cheesy, but some of their songs are definitely a lot of fun to play. Here's one of the hits, "Long Time", along with a song that doesn't get as much airplay, "We're Ready".
Guthrie Govan: My guitar hero. I may get to meet him and shake his hand on Jan. 19. Wicked player. I've babbled on elsewhere on my page about him. Just listen. He's good. Nay, extraordinary.
Porcupine Tree: When I need a change of pace, some harmless rock, I dig this kind of alt rock stuff. At the extreme end of the rock spectrum, sometimes only Lamb of God or Killswitch Engage will do. Far from harmless. But I don't think anyone will appreciate that here.
The Derek Trucks Band: If you like blues guitar, jam bands, or just good music in general, you'll probably dig Derek Trucks. He's only the sickest slide guitar player on the face of the planet. If you're not tapping your foot or bobbing your head by "Leaving Trunk", someone should check your pulse.
Paul Gilbert: Just one of the fastest and most accurate alt picking string skipping wizards to ever live. And I get to see him on Jan. 18 up close and personal at the Viper Room. He's a really funny dude. Check out his webpage . It's one of the funniest things on the interweb.
John Petrucci: Probably guitar hero number 3 if not tied for 2 with PG. He writes some really beautiful stuff, some fun stuff to play, some really painful and impossible stuff to play. He's the guy that got me interested in guitar again last spring when I discovered Dream Theater. Thanks to him and the folks over at his forum, I discovered Guthrie and Paul Gilbert among others.
Tommy Emmanuel: He's my favorite acoustic guitar player right now. I haven't listened to many but I can't imagine there being anyone better than this guy, at least to my ears.
Andy Timmons: Another exceptional guitar talent. The track "Resolution" is from his newest album of the same name. This song reminds me of Hendrix, and in my head, I think it's what Jimi might have sounded like today. "Electric Gypsy" and "A Night To Remember" are also a couple of my favorites by Andy. Just really tasteful playing and I really like his tone. Scroll to the bottom of my music player and have a listen.
I'm going to see Paul Gilbert at the VIPER ROOM in LA
on January 18. It's gonna be legendary!
24, motoGP/AMA/WSB/F1 racing, the occasional Discovery channel and History channel fodder...
Guthrie Govan -- it's official...I'm going to see him LIVE on January 19!! I'm way pumped up for this one!!! I even tried my hand at tabbing some Guthrie riffs (see blog). He's definitely my favorite player at the moment.
Here are a couple more songs not already in my music player. Unfortunately, the last bit of 'Ner Ner' is cut off, but you get the idea...he's a badass. (btw, that's a Sugi guitar on 'Ner Ner').
the last bit of "Sevens" with that really cool tapping lick. Also "Wonderful Slippery Thing" -- pure genius.
Guthrie Govan - Fives
Guthrie Govan - Erotic Cakes.
..
A quick little clip of Guthrie demonstrating that little slap pop funk flamenco strumming thingy (speaking of which, check these guys out 'Rodrigo & Gabriela' if you wanna see a master at a more complex version of that technique - she can play the hell outta that thing, and her accent is ADORABLE!)
The range of tones he gets out of this guitar is impressive (his main guitars these days are Suhr guitars but I think this is his old PRS or maybe the Briggs ). Here's Guthrie just messing around -- jazz, rock, country, blues, fusion -- he does it all extremely well.