Monday, January 13, 2020
Sights and Sounds: 'Mystify Michael Hutchence', YOSHIKI, Pearl Jam
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Celebrate Neil Peart's legacy via stellar titles
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| Neil Peart of Rush performs on a rotating drum kit at Honda Center in Anaheim, CA on Nov. 17, 2012. Photo courtesy of Rod Veal |
Author: Neil Peart
Publisher: ECW Press
Hardcover: 460 pages
Tell me more: News of Neil Peart's passing hit me hard; I was a long-time fan of Rush and had seen the Canadian trio a number of times in concert dating back to the mid-1980s. Yet, I had never read any of Peart's acclaimed books until this past weekend when I immersed myself in Ghost Rider: Travels On The Healing Road. The compelling book chronicles Peart's 55,000-mile solo motorcycle ride following the death of his 19-year-old daughter Selena Taylor in August 1997 and common-law wife of 23 years, Jacqueline Taylor in June 1998. Peart stepped away from Rush to take the 14-month solo ride and subsequently wrote the book chronicling his marathon journey that took him from Quebec to Alaska, then down the Canadian and American coasts and south to Belize before he returned to his home in Canada. Peart, notoriously shy throughout his career, opens up about loss and his life throughout the fast-moving travelogue. I found myself gaining a far greater appreciation of Peart the person, and was fully moved by his ambitious journey that ultimately led him to return to Rush in 2001 despite the immense sense of grief that fueled his odyssey. Those moved by Peart's literate lyrics featured on countless Rush masterworks will want to read this captivating book first published on July 5, 2002. Information: ecwpress.com.
Title: R40 Live (Rounder)
Tell me more: Released via several different configurations in November 2015, R40 is an audio-visual keepsake of the highest order. The collection (I have the version that includes three audio CDs and one DVD) is truly a celebration of more than 40 years of top-tier progressive rock. With the 2015 R40 Tour marking the Canadian band's farewell tour, R40 is an excellent showcase for a troupe captured while still at the top of their game. The centerpiece is how the stage is given the "de-evolution" treatment as the band performs their most recent material on a more dazzling set; as the band performs increasingly-older songs, the stage is stripped down courtesy of stagehands who recast Rush's surroundings artfully during the performance. What's more, the audio and video quality across the audio/video discs is amazing. Recorded over two nights in the hometown of Lee, Lifeson and Peart, the concert film was captured via 14 cameras and really immerses the viewer in the moment. Peart shines across the performance, and his drum solo is outstanding. Information: amazon.com.
Title: Clockwork Angels (Roadrunner Records)
Tell me more: While many classic rock fans have to be content with their heroes touring courtesy of nostalgia alone, Rush continued to challenge themselves and their listeners with sharp and searing prog rock until the end. Clockwork Angels, the band's final studio album, was released in June 2012 and is a concept album about a young man’s search to follow his dreams. It doesn't hurt that the probing tale was supported by one of the trio’s most accessible and compelling collections since the 1976 album release 2112. Information: Rush.com.
Title: Feedback (Atlantic Records)
Tell me more: A fun detour in the history of Rush was 2004's Feedback, an eight-track EP of rock 'n' roll classics that Rush covered with obvious zeal. In the album's liner notes, Peart notes: "It was April of 2004, but Geddy, Alex, and I were channeling back to 1966 and 1967, when we were thirteen- and fourteen-year-old beginners. We thought it would be a fitting symbol to commemorate our thirty years together if we returned to our roots and paid tribute to those we had learned from and were inspired by...The music celebrates a good time in our lives, and we had a good time celebrating it." Indeed, the songs here explode anew in the capable hands of Rush. "Summertime Blues" kicks off the exciting set, with Rush offering up a shimmering remake of Blue Cheer's hard rock cover (the song was written by Eddie Cochran and his manager Jerry Capehart in 1958). Other notable offerings include fiery takes on The Who's "The Seeker," Neil Young's "Mr. Soul" and Cream's blues rocker "Crossroads." The nuanced take on Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth" also amazes. This is truly a side of Rush never heard before. Information: Rush.com.
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| Neil Peart / Photo courtesy of Drum Workshop Inc. |
You can read my review of Rush's concert staged at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA on Nov. 17, 2012 here. You can read my review of Rush's July 31, 2015 performance at Irvine Meadows here.
Robert Kinsler
Thursday, January 09, 2020
2020 NAMM Show preview: Kramer 'Made To Rock Hard' new collection set to debut at NAMM 2020!
The 2020 NAMM Show is coming next week so here is some early news out of the anticipated show, and details for those looking to catch some of these new debuts when they are on display at the Anaheim Convention Center, January 16-19, 2020!
Visit the new MADE TO ROCK HARD Kramer Collection in Anaheim, CA (January 15-19) in Ballroom A (3rd Floor). For more information on Kramer, visit: www.kramerguitars.com.
Kramer’s Original Collection will include the Icon, Baretta, Pacer, Focus, and SM-1 whereas, the Modern Collection will feature the Assault, Striker, Nite-V, Bass and more. Early artist collaborations for Kramer include the Tracii Guns “Gunstar Voyager,” the Charlie Parra “Vanguard” and the Dave Sabo “Snake-Baretta” with much more to come.
Kramer: 'Made To Rock Hard'
New Collection announced ahead of NAMM 2020
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| Kramer Custom Graphic Collection: Baretta Vintage |
NASHVILLE, TN (January 9, 2019) Kramer, the original MADE TO ROCK HARD guitar brand is coming back, shredding all rules and boundaries in 2020 with a new energy, a new image, new guitar collections and new artist collaborations. The ‘Made to Rock Hard’ Kramer Original and Modern Collections span entry-level and intermediate guitars to professional offerings across our entire line, including the USA assembled Custom Graphic Collection--hand-painted by legendary Kramer graphic artists. “We are leveling-up and giving hard rock and heavy metal shredders what they want as we launch new collections and artist collaborations during Winter NAMM 2020,” says Cesar Gueikian, Chief Merchant Officer of Gibson.
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| Kramer Modern Collection: D-1 Bass and NiteV. |
“We’re shining a light on Kramer’s legacy of premium, performance-focused instruments and bringing the brand back to basics, starting with our iconic models and legendary artists,” says Aljon Go, Product Development Manager of Epiphone and Kramer.
“I play the guitars my heroes play, and those guitars are Gibson’s,” says Tracii Guns from L.A. Guns. “As the future has arrived now, I have designed the ultimate metal guitar with Kramer Guitars loudly and proudly called the Kramer Gunstar for my shredding friends.”
“Being part of the Gibson family is a dream come true, as most of my favorite guitar players play these iconic instruments,” adds Charlie Parra of Difonia. “When I play a Les Paul, Flying V or a Vanguard, it’s unreal and motivating at the same time. I'm currently working on being able to motivate and inspire new players to reach their goals and I trust that the new 24 fret Vanguard axe will take me there. If you're into classic or modern shredding, this is your guitar.”
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| Kramer Original Collection: Pacer Vintage. |
Snake Sabo recounts the story of forming Skid Row, getting his Snake Kramer and of what reconnecting with Gibson means to him “It was 1985, I was working at a music store in Tom’s River, NJ. Rachel Bolan and I were putting Skid Row together, building a following and I was able to get a Kramer factory tour. I was blown away at how great the guitars were and how cool the company was. I had an idea for a guitar with a single humbucker in the bridge, one volume and one tone knob, a black Floyd Rose and a killer paint job. There was an artist in the area by the name of Dennis Kline that did incredible air brushing. I got him to come up with the snake rising out of a grave. And I was able to convince the people at Kramer to take this idea and put it on a Kramer Baretta and that’s the story of my Kramer Snake guitar. More than 30 years later, my friend Todd Harapiak, --now a Gibson TV Producer--reached out to me asking if we could do a run of this guitar. I got to meet with the new Gibson team, tour the factory in Nashville and meet the people that create some of the most amazing guitars on the planet. Cesar showed me how they were restoring the Gibson brand as the premier guitar in the world. I was blown away! And that way of thinking is across the board with Epiphone and Kramer as well. The attention to detail and adherence to the legacy is profound. I’ve never had a signature guitar, so to say I’m humbled would be an understatement. When I put the Snake guitar away 25 years ago, I never thought it would be resurrected, much less through a Kramer (Gibson) partnership! I’m so proud and grateful to be a part of this and the history this represents. I hope it brings the same amount of joy to guitarists out there as it does to me.”
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| Dave Sabo Snake-Baretta. |
For all things Kramer, visit:
About Gibson:
Gibson Brands, the world’s most iconic guitar brand, has shaped the sounds of generations of musicians and music lovers across genres for more than 100 years. Founded in 1894 and headquartered in Nashville, TN, Gibson Brands has a legacy of world-class craftsmanship, legendary music partnerships and progressive product evolution that is unrivaled among musical instrument companies. The Gibson Brands portfolio includes Gibson, the number one guitar brand, as well as many of the most beloved and recognizable music brands, including Epiphone, Kramer, Steinberger and the Gibson Pro Audio division KRK Systems. Gibson is dedicated to quality, innovation and sound excellence so that music lovers for generations to come will continue to experience music shaped by Gibson Brands. Learn more at http://www.gibson.com and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
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