AEROSMITH - The Story of the Bands Epic Three Decade Rise to Rock God Status

Steven Tyler and Joe Perry performing live in concert
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Music critics in the 70s widely described Aerosmith as a vulgar, cheap imitation of the Rolling Stones. Steven Tyler was often nastily referred to as a "Mick Jagger Look-alike". Even with all that criticism and negativity being hurled their way, Aerosmith kept pushing ahead. Despite the critic's ill-informed opinions, Aerosmith turned out to be one of the most popular acts of the decade.

Aerosmith's band roots were planted back in 1970 when Joe Perry and Tom Hamilton met Steven Tyler. Perry and Hamilton were already playing in a band called The Jam Band. Drummer Joey Cramer and guitarist Ray Tabano were the next members added to the band. By 1971 though, changes were already happening in the band and Tabano was replaced by Brad Whitford.

By '72 Aerosmith had developed a loyal following of fans in the Boston area. They were gaining attention from recording studios as well and landed a deal with Columbia Records. It took three years for the band to finally break into the mainstream, but the album 'Toys In The Attic' was the break they needed. Aerosmith assured their place in rock and roll history with their next album titled, 'Rocks'.

Fame and fortune, as it often does in rock and roll, brought addiction to the band in the mid 70's. Steven Tyler and Joe Perry were dubbed rocks "Toxic Twins" due to their excessive drug and alcohol use. Their drug troubles and the internal conflicts between members nearly destroyed what the band had built in the late 70's. The music they produced during these troubled times wasn't nearly as good either.

From 1977 to 1979, Aerosmith put out the 'Draw The Line' and 'Live! Bootleg' albums. Neither garnered much commercial success for the band though. Whether it was the drugs or the tension between Joe Perry and Steven Tyler, things were not good in the Aerosmith camp. After recording the studio album entitled, 'Night In The Ruts', Perry left the band to start the Joe Perry Project. Perry was replaced and the band set out on a tour to promote the new album.

The early 80's brought challenge after challenge to the Aerosmith band members. The music wasn't the same and the band's commercial success was in a serious rut. Despite several album and tour attempts, Aerosmith was in danger of losing its mega-rock band status. Steven Tyler is reported to have been so high that he passed out on-stage at least twice during this time. The negative publicity and downward spiral seemed to be putting a halt any future Aerosmith had.

By 1984, Joe Perry and Brad Whitmore had rejoined Aerosmith and the band was signed under a new record label. Their reunion tour dubbed "The Back In The Saddle Tour" brought in crowds of fans. Still, Tyler and the others hadn't changed their partying habits much and old problems began to resurface.

Finally, in '86, Steven Tyler was nearly forced into drug rehab. Tim Collins, Aerosmith's manager was certain that if Tyler didn't clean up his act, the band would be in serious trouble. Over the next couple of years, Joe Perry and the rest of the band followed Tyler's lead and entered rehab. Collins supposedly made the band a promise that if they completed rehab, he could make Aerosmith the biggest rock band in the world by 1990.

With rehab behind them, Aerosmith set to work on an album that would once again get them the attention they deserved. Their comeback album, 'Done With Mirrors' did moderately well, but it wasn't a blockbuster. It wasn't until Tyler and Perry teamed up with Run DMC for a remake of "Walk This Way" that Aerosmith got the attention of the younger generation. While that single was peaking on the charts, Aerosmith released their 'Permanent Vacation' album.

'Permanent Vacation' was the monster album Aerosmith had been trying to create. It spawned three top 20 singles and videos. 'Dude Looks Like A Lady' topped the charts at number 14, 'Angel' soared to number 3 and 'Rag Doll' made it up to the number 17 spot. By all accounts, Aerosmith was back in their groove.

Aerosmith proved that they were back in a big way when they followed up 'Permanent Vacation' with 'Pump'. Settling in at the number 5 spot on the charts, 'Pump' went quadruple-platinum. "Janies Got A Gun", one of the singles from the album, earned Aerosmith a Best Rock Performance Grammy in 1990.

With their mega-rockstar status fully restored, Aerosmith spent the rest of the nineties doing what they do best. They produced several hit albums including 'Get a Grip' which hit Number One. In 1994 Aerosmith's greatest-hits package, Big Ones made it up to number six. Three years later, 'Nine Lives' entered the charts at number one.

In 2001, Aerosmith was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of fame. There's no doubt that these hard-core rockstars have earned it in every way possible. The coveted award was received just as Aerosmith's album 'Just Push Play' and the number 7 single, 'Pink' were released.

These days, Aerosmith has been doing what they always do, but with a twist. They're featured in one of the hottest new video games out there. And yes, they've still got their issues with addictions. Recently, Steven Tyler checked himself into rehab once again. Some habits die hard, but a great rock band like Aerosmith will live on forever.

Click here for more up-to-date information

By Vin Hayes  - Article Source: EzineArticles

 

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JIMI HENDRIX - A Vibrant Artist

Jimi Hendrix NEW (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

On November 27, 1942, the US saw the birth of an amazingly talented musician and artist in the persona of Jimi Hendrix. Born as Johnny Allen Hendrix, he had his name changed to James Marshall and eventually took the nickname "Jimmy" from his father, James Al Hendrix. His father recalls the small Jimmy using their broomstick as a guitar. This prompted him to give little Jimmy a ukulele. The boy's passion for playing guitar never dwindled since then.

Although he has no formal education in this field as he was not even able to write or read musical pieces, in just four years after starting his career, he was already recognized that time by his unique and moving style. With such expertise, he was able to render vibrant and creative rock music through the distortion of sounds and feedback with a combination of fuzz and other styles in a fascinating way.

During the Woodstock Music and Art Fair Festival in 1969, people who witnessed him play a renegade rendition of the "Star Spangled Banner" in his own musical jive, may still smile until this moment whenever they look at the USA flag as they sing The American National Anthem.

Other than his unnerving music, he was also famous for his sense of fashion. He would always be spotted wearing medallions, scarves, and rings, and, of course, his signature hairstyle.

Even in his untimely death in 1970 -- with some details still remain a mystery -- his artistry did not die. This electric guitarist and popular 1960s icon even transcended this era as until now, his effects on the new generation is still revived every time they listen to his youthful and raving music, which has captured the kind of energy trapped in the young and will continue to hold sway for more generations to come.

By Pollux Parker - Article Source: EzineArticles

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FATBOY SLIM - Norman Cook biography

Photo Wikimedia Commons.

Norman Cook has experienced an exceptionally diverse musical career. He's produced or played on records covering a multitude of genres, including indie pop, hip-hop, house and big beat, and is also one of the most famous DJs in the world under his Fatboy Slim moniker.

Fatboy was born Quentin Cook in Bromley in 1983 and grew up in Reigate in Surrey.

He was heavily into music at an early age, producing a punk fanzine as a teenager before meeting Paul Heaton at 6th form college. He went to the University of Brighton (he studied English, Sociology, and Politics) and began to DJ around the town where the club scene was thriving at that time.

In 1985 he received a call from Heaton asking him to join up with The Housemartins to replace their recently departed bassist. The group was based in Hull, and Norman (as he was now known) moved north to be with them. They soon had a hit with "Happy Hour", and eventually had a number one single in 1986 with a cover of "Caravan Of Love".

The group broke up in 1988 and Cook returned to Brighton to re-invigorate his love for the club scene. He teamed up with Lindy Layton to produce a dub house classic in "Dub Be Good To Me" (a mashup of the bassline from The Clash's "The Guns Of Brixton" and vocals inspired by SOS band's "Love Be Good To me") which went to number one.

Beats International had 2 albums before disbanding. Norman went on to form Freakpower with vocalist and brass-player Ashley Slater and had a massive hit with when it was picked up by Levi's to be used in a commercial.

The following year the band had a hit with "Rush", and the single also contained a remix by Pizzaman - another Cook alias. He went on to produce some massive club hits in the next couple of years under the Pizzaman alias - "Trippin On Sunshine", "Sex On The Streets" and "Happiness" being particularly popular.

Freakpower continued to record albums together, and in 1996 had a hit with "New Direction". This track was appropriately titled as Norman had just released a record under what was to become his most famous alias yet - that of Fatboy Slim.

Norman had teamed up with Damien Harris to create a new record label in Brighton, and Fatboy Slim's "Santa Cruz" was to be its first release. They called the label Skint Records and set themselves a mission to release music with massive beats big and basslines that would be equally popular in-house and indie clubs alike.

Fatboy had a further hit in 1996 with "Everybody Loves A 303", an homage to the classic Roland synth that still sounds fresh today. He went on to release his debut album "Better Living Through Chemistry", an album that spawned two further singles in "Going Out Of My Head" and "Punk To Funk" and helped to create the Big Beat genre.

Fatboy's hugely anticipated second album, You've Come a Long Way, Baby, followed in 1998. The album displayed huge international appeal, and went platinum in the U.S. and included two massive hits, "The Rockafeller Skank" and "Praise You", which also boasted a Spike Jonze-directed video that earned three MTV Video Music Awards as well as two Grammy nominations.

The next Fatboy Slim album, 2000's "Halfway Between The Gutter And The Stars", showed a bit more diversity and contained tracks with R&B, hip-hop and hard house influences. The big single from the album, "Star 69" contained a big sweary vocal and a huge kick drum to send the crowd mental.

Fatboy went on to release another album, 2004's Palookaville, and a compilation album and is still one of the biggest DJs and producers in the world.

Aliases: Pizzaman, Freakpower, Beats International, Mighty Dub Kats

More to Fatboy slim: Wikipedia

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Classic ROCK Performers Who Have Had A Lasting Influence On Music

Classic rock is a fundamental part of American history. Many of today's leading bands can trace their styles back to the influence of certain musicians. While every song made available to the world has had an impact on the music industry, there are certain performers who will eternally stand at the forefront of music.

From folk rock to psychedelic rock, there have been many groundbreaking sounds and voices. Here are the top ten most influential classic rock bands in history.

Elvis Presley

Photo  by cliff1066™ 

While Elvis is not traditionally viewed in the classic rock genre, it is impossible to ignore his influence on the world of Rock-n-Roll. As the first to expose mainstream America to something other than traditional family music, he faced a tremendous amount of opposition from the mainstream.

Despite the extreme racism exhibited during the 1950's, Elvis never hesitated to give appropriate credit to his inspirations. Mainly African-American performers influenced Elvis' sound and style. Southern radio disc jockeys originally refused to play Elvis' singles, because they sounded "too Negro" for white stations to air.

It was not just Elvis' sound, but also his performance, that drew controversy. The movement of his hips in a suggestive manner sparked an entire decade of debate.

Despite the firestorm of criticism that surrounded Elvis' reign, his continuing popularity has ensured that Elvis' crown as the King of Rock and Roll would remain valid for decades, even decades after his death.

The Beatles

As the best selling musical act of all-time, it is hard to deny the influence of the Beatles, not only on the musical culture of America but also on every aspect of human life. The Beatles included John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Star, and George Harrison.

Their innovative style defined the music of the 1960's -- twice. They began their career in England, and when they came to America, they were already a huge success in the United States. In their early years, they had defined pop music for a new generation.

As the hippy days of the late 1960's began to take hold of America's young people, the Beatles redefined their music again, with another new style of music lauded by the masses. Their very loud stance on drug use and war made them a controversial group, but their popularity never wavered. Although the Beatles retained the loyalty and admiration of their late 1960's audiences until the group broke up, the touring days of the Beatles ended in 1966 when John Lennon proclaimed, "The Beatles were more popular than Jesus Christ."

Bob Dylan

Dylan has one of the most easily recognizable voices in the world. Raspy and full of passion, Bob Dylan's sound is distinctive. His songs are amazing and defined a generation obsessed with the themes of social unrest, an anti-war stance, and encouragement for the civil rights movement.

A traditional folk singer, Dylan's works transcended all genres and appealed to countless young Americans. His sincere lyrics spoke to many and made it possible to empathize with his many causes.

Jimi Hendrix

Photo  by franela  

As the undisputed master of the electric guitar, Jimi Hendrix is a classic rock foundation. The self-taught guitar player refused to be limited by many of the conventional views of guitar players.

Prior to Jimi Hendrix's development as a guitar player, the electric guitar was considered to merely be a louder version of the acoustic guitar. Hendrix embraced the uniqueness of the electric guitar and showed his appreciation for it to the rest of the world.

Pink Floyd

Easily considered the greatest band of all time, Pink Floyd's unique style and showmanship defined psychedelic rock. Their concept albums were thematic masterpieces that appealed to countless audiences. The Dark Side Of The Moon, Animals, and The Wall each still stand out today as great Rock masterpieces.

The Who

Also known for their thematic records, The Who pioneered the idea of rock opera. Most famous for their collaborative efforts with every major musical figure of their time, Tommy The Rock Opera ensured the longevity of the band into the future.

Their success and fame were not limited to their unique approach to concept albums. Their musical skills are still highly regarded in both mainstream circles and in the entertainment industry. Their music is currently being used as the theme song for at least three of the most popular show on TV on the air today.

The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones have easily maintained their position as one of the longest lasting bands in recording history. Like most popular rock bands of the age, they were an England-based band that was more than happy to take on America.

Their grungy unkempt image became so popular; many artists are still attempting to master it. Their unique sound and high quality lyrics have kept them at the top of the charts for almost 40 years.

Cream

Cream, featuring guitarist Eric Clapton, was one of the most technically advanced music groups of their time. Their instrumental techniques became legendary and paved the way for other bands to focus on developing their instrument techniques, in addition to their lyrics.

The Doors

The Doors have always been one of the most controversial bands that had ever existed. Jim Morrison's wild behavior set the tone for the countless musical bad boys that would follow in his footsteps.

The poetic lyrics of The Doors, as well as their outrageous behavior, made them a crowd favorite.

Led Zeppelin

Photo  by DerekVelasquez 

The road to heavy metal was paved by Led Zeppelin. Their first album was pivotal in its inclusion of distorted amplification techniques. Over the years, their experimentation included mixing acoustic and electric sounds, with the addition of synthesized melodies. The success of Led Zeppelin helped establish a strong base for the development of metal music.

Few people of their generation or the current generation realize that like Elvis, Led Zeppelin took most of their inspiration from African-American performers. As a lifelong fan of Led Zeppelin, it is was oddly fascinating to listen to some of the not-so-famous African-American rhythm-and-blues performers of the 1930's, and to be able to hear the Led Zeppelin songs we have loved for years in a whole new way.

Final Thoughts

Clearly, these ten bands had a significant impact on the evolution of Rock-n-Roll music through the generations, but it is more difficult to put them into an ordered list of important groups. Let's just agree that most of us love all ten bands on this list.

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RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS Hold the Most No. 1 Modern Rock Hits

"Anthony Kiedis (lead singer).
Red Hot Chilli Pepper in concert at
The Forum, Inglewood,
California. Stadium Arcadium Tour."
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Red Hot Chili Peppers are a popular rock band formed in 1983, based out of California.  Current band members include: Anthony Kiedis (lead vocals), Michael Balzary, or Flea (Bass), John Frusciante (Guitar/Backing vocals), and Chad Smith (Drums).  While the rock band has gone through several line-up changes and personal conflicts, the band has managed to consistently create very diverse music that combines elements of funk, punk, metal, psychedelic rock, rap, and even pop rock.  The band holds the record for the most #1 Modern Rock hits with nine under their belt, having sold a combined estimate of 50 million copies of their nine studio albums over the past 23 years.  (2006)

The band was originally formed for what was going to be a one-time performance in 1983, but would later land a record deal with EMI.  1987’s The Uplift Mofo Party Plan was the group’s first album to enter the Billboard Top 200, but it was not until the band moved to Warner Brothers Records did the group achieve major success.  In 1991, the band released their fifth album, Blood Sugar Sex Magik, which would go on to sell seven million copies in the U.S.  A year after its debut, the album still managed to climb to the #3 spot on the U.S. album charts.  The band would win a Grammy award for Best Hard Rock Performance with Vocal in 1992 for the album’s single, Give it Away.

Dave Navarro made his first appearance with the band at Woodstock 1994 and would again appear on the band’s album One Hot Minute, released in 1995.  The album turned out to be another commercial success, achieving double-platinum status in the U.S. and selling five million copies outside the U.S.  The band would later part ways with Navarro in 1998.  That same year, the band would come out with another album, Californication, which went on to become an even bigger success than Blood Sugar Sex Magik.  The album climbed to #3 in U.S. album charts and several of its songs became major hits, including: the Grammy award-winning Scar Tissue, Otherside, Californication, Around the World, Road Trippin, and Parallel Universe.

In 2001, the band released By The Way, which entered the charts at #2 and produced hit singles, including: By The Way, The Zephyr Song, Can’t Stop, Dosed, and Universally Speaking.  The group would later release their Greatest Hits album and also their first ever live album, Live in Hyde Park.  In May 2006, the band released their ninth studio album, Stadium Arcadium.  The 28-track double album garnered the band their first ever chart topper, debuting at #1 on U.S. album charts and remaining there for two weeks.   

More Information about Red Hot Chili Peppers (Wikipedia)

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HIP HOP Slang, Knowing What It’s All About

Bling Bling Bling! (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Okay, now you may be a hip hop fan that is just not with it enough.  Or, you may be new to it.  Or, you may even be a parent trying to figure out what the hip hop slang is all about.  Hey, no problem!  Let’s talk about it here.  If you are not sure what the words you are hearing mean, take a minute to check them out.  We’ll get you in touch with a few here, but know that there are some awesome websites out there that can keep you together as well.  So, don’t pretend to know what bling bling means get with it and learn the hip hop slang!

So, what is it that you do not know?  Perhaps you are not sure what all the “izzle” words are standing for?  This form of hip hop was started by Frankie Smith but has been largely popularized by Snoop Dog, a very popular hip hop artist in the current time.  These words are often just changed to add the “izzle” onto them without changing their meaning.

As for bling bling, this term is used to mean something of high worth.  Usually, it refers to expensive jewelry.  Flashy, highly valuable jewelry is very commonly considered part of the hip hop culture.  Bling bling can also be a term used for those who have a lifestyle built on excess spending and accruing wealth.  Having bling bling isn’t a bad thing!

Okay, so this is nowhere near all the information you need about hip hop slang.  So, what do you do to get what you need to know?  Translating songs or just knowing what the artists are talking about on their videos can be somewhat hard when you can’t figure out the words.  But, it isn’t meant for everyone.  If you are determined to learn what hip hop slang means, check out some of the pretty cool websites that talk about it.  Some are even in dictionary form to help you easily converse in hip hop anytime you want to.  So, get with it and learn your hip hop slang!

Author: Brent Wilson - Source: Articlecity

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THE BEATLES Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is the Most Overrated Album of All Time

The Beatles Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album has been universally acclaimed by critics and fans alike as one of the best albums ever made, if not THE best album ever made. Rolling Stone magazine gave the record top honors on their list of best albums of all time. Clearly the album was a breakthrough at the time it was released, due to the Beatles' use of major advancements in recording technology. But was it really the best album of all time?

Front cover of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, "probably the most famous album cover in popular musical history"Ashplant Smyth 2001, p. 185. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The main knock on Sgt Pepper is that it is overproduced and underwritten, and contains several other flaws that do not exist on other Beatles records. Yes, I said it. There is something wrong with Sgt Pepper, and it is by far the most overrated album in the Beatles catalog, and possibly the most overrated album of all time. Here are the arguments:

1) Overproduced: The stereo effects are way too exaggerated, with vocals or other sounds panned all the way to the left or right, indicating a wild overuse of the Beatles newfound opportunity to mix a record in multitrack stereo. Albums since then, even Beatles albums subsequently produced, do not make use of such gimmicky stereo panning unless the effect is designed to be extreme. In the case of some of the tunes on Sgt Pepper, the extreme panning serves as a distraction instead of an enhancement.

2) Underwritten: Since Sgt Pepper has some of the Beatles best work, in the form of "With a Little Help From My Friends", "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds", and the magical wonder of "Being For the Benefit of Mr. Kite", it is often overlooked that these remarkable tunes sit right next to some of the Beatles' most mediocre songwriting. Compare the songs on Sgt Pepper to other Beatles records that came before (Revolver, Rubber Soul) or after (the White Album, Abbey Road), and you'll notice that there are several tracks that don't appear as polished as the Beatles' best work.

Take "She's Leaving Home", for example, which paints a melancholy portrait of a girl's troubled life, using a string section in the background to emphasize the drama. It is reasonably effective, but compare it to "Eleanor Rigby", the standout track from Revolver, which accomplished a very similar theme with far superior results, both melodically and lyrically, and in the memorable quality of the string arrangements. If a recording of that caliber had been on Sgt Pepper in place of "She's Leaving Home", it would have improved the album immeasurably.

Next, take a look at "Lovely Rita", "Getting Better", and "Good Morning, Good Morning", the last of which John Lennon himself even dismissed as forgettable filler years later when distancing himself from the idea that Sgt Pepper was a "concept album". These tunes are rarely cited by fans as favorites, are not considered hits or classic Beatles songs, and frankly are a bit silly and lacking in prestige compared to the Beatles best work. There is nothing wrong with having them on a Beatles album, but their presence detracts from the idea that Sgt Pepper is a musical masterpiece.

3) Paul ruined "A Day in the Life": This dreamy album finale, whose primary structure was composed by John Lennon, has an unfortunate middle section written apparently too quickly by Paul McCartney. An honest listener will cringe just slightly when Paul stumbles through the awkward phrasing of the line "went upstairs and had a smoke, then somebody spoke and I went into a dream", which has too many syllables for the melody and lacks the usual careful semantics of Paul's typical songwriting. It's clear that the idea was to present a contrasting "day in the life" to the hazy meanderings of John's verses, but it just doesn't hold up, and sits as a wart on the record - a decent idea poorly executed.

4) They left out the two best songs: As many fans know, the recording sessions that spawned Sgt Pepper were actually started with the recording of two of the Beatles' undeniably finest tracks, "Penny Lane" and "Strawberry Fields Forever", which were released months before Sgt Pepper as a double A-sided single. Sir George Martin has said since that one of his biggest regrets was not holding onto those songs to include them on Sgt Pepper, where they almost certainly would have displaced weaker material like "Lovely Rita" or "She's Leaving Home". If they had been included, both tunes would have also bolstered the "concept" album theme, which is supposed to include childhood memories, explored within a circus atmosphere, as performed by a fictitious band. As it stands, this theme is not served at all by the weaker tunes, and the album does not hold up in hindsight as any kind of a concept album, especially when compared to later rock masterpieces like The Who's Tommy, which maintains, expands, and nurtures its theme all the way through.

As a hardcore Beatles fanatic, I love Sgt Pepper, as I love every Beatles album, but I think it is an accurate statement to say that the album is overrated when it is hailed as the Beatles finest work. Another record like Revolver, Abbey Road, or even Rubber Soul holds up much better on a song-by-song basis, and deserves that honor.

The new remastered albums came out this year (2010 !) , and have received rave reviews, so Beatles fans can now appreciate the music in an improved format vs anything that has been previously released. In fact, the Beatles recently released the stereo box set in the form of a Beatles USB apple, and the reviews of that product include the fact that it has an audio format called 24-bit FLAC which is superior to CDs, so fans and real audiophiles can revisit all the albums in a higher quality audio format, and have the whole Beatles collection on one USB drive.

By James Magary Article Source: EzineArticles

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The Best Method to Play PINK FLOYD Music on Your Guitar and to Prepare Well!

Obtain an effective quality guitar 

Obviously you have to own a guitar. The best ones are Fender because that is what David Gilmour uses (Pink Floyd guitarist). David Gilmour uses a Fender Stratocaster which are quite expensive but you can buy a Fender Strat which are cheaper, over £100 or $200.

Before you start to play, tune your guitar strings. Electronic tuners are inexpensive. Get one.
Get some guitar effects, Gilmour does why not you!

The four members of Pink Floyd. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It is best to obtain some extra effects such as reverb, distortion or gain and maybe some chorus or delay. Your playing will sound more pleasing to the ear, fun and professional.
Get hold of Pink Floyd Guitar tablature

Find some Pink Floyd Guitar tabs or sheet music by searching online. Pick your Pink Floyd guitar tab for your chosen song and try and pick a simpler song to start off.

Get the feel for the music
Listen to the Pink Floyd song the one that you hope to play. Hear how it sounds and get the feel for it. Concentrate on different layers of music provided by the different instruments, however, you are playing the guitar parts.

Play your Pink Floyd guitar tab
Play slowly at first, gradually improving your speed. Listen to the solo slowly and learn to play along. Some media players allow you to digitally slow down the tempo of a song without changing the pitch. Start learning the tablature. Learn one measure at a time, one line at a time. You do not need to learn an entire song on your first try. Play for a minimum of 10-15 minutes per day with one day off each week.

Allow time to improve. Don't get discouraged if you play poorly on certain days. Everyone has bad days. Start simple and gradually move to complex.
Play against a backing track

Play your Pink Floyd guitar tab over a backing track. These are available from monthly guitar magazines. Also maybe online somewhere.

Record yourself playing the Pink Floyd guitar tab

You do this by downloading or purchasing music software or just use the recorder on you pc but you would need a mic, however, they are very cheap.
Why not play it in a band!! Have fun.

Author: Ameen Jabbar

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DADDY YANKEE

Daddy Yankee is one of the best reggaeton artist today. He has won a grammy and has sold over one million albums and has traveled around the world. He was born in Puerto Rico and raised there. He once got shot for being with a gruops of people that were bad but he recoverd and left that life to follow his dream of being a great reggaeton artist and he made it.

Daddy Yankee - Photo  by     conexionmusic

Daddy Yankee is now very successful and he says he has much more to accomplish in his life and is working in lots of projects. He did a album with other new artist called Sangre Nueva and it is selling very well.

Now he is going to to make a album that is called Barrio Fino En Directo which has the older songs from Barrio Fino and five new ones which one of them is Rompe and it is already very popular and coming in December.

Another album he is working hard is Cartel Which he is making with other great artist and he says he is very proud of this album that is going to come out very soon.

Daddy Yankee is one very successful artist and has many more dreams to accomplish. More  information at Daddy-Yankee

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SHAKIRA's combination of rock & latin sounds is a worldwide smash

Shakira, whose full name is Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, is a Columbian Latin pop singer and songwriter.  Shakira's love of music began at a very young age.  At the age of eight she was writing and composing music.  Though failing to make her school's choir because of her "too strong" voice, Shakira was able to sing her heart out by competing in a weekly television signing competition for children, Vivan Los Ninos (Long Live The Kids).  By age thirteen, Shakira was a local celebrity who had a lucky chance encounter with Sony Columbia executive, Ciro Vargas, on a flight from Barranquilla to Bogota.    Vargas agreed to provide Shakira with an audition and was impressed by her.

Shakira Live Paris 2010 - Photo  by   oouinouin  (cc)

His confidence in her ultimately led to a record deal with the company.  At the young age of 13, Shakira released her debut album, Magia (Magic), recorded with Sony Colombia in 1991.  The album, which lacked recording and production cohesion, failed to sell over one thousand copies.  Released in 1993, Shakira's second album, Peligro (Danger) did not fare much better.  It was at this time, Shakira decided to take a break from recording and graduate from high school.

In 1995, Shakira returned to the music scene with the album Pies Descalzos (Bare Feet), which solidified her commercial success by selling over 5 million copies worldwide.  Upon releasing a remix version of the album, The Remixes, Shakira met with Emilio Estefan, Jr., who wound up working as an executive producer on Shakira's fourth studio album, ¿Dónde Están Los Ladrones? (Where Are the Thieves?).

The album, which combined rock and Latin sounds, produced hit singles including, Ciega Sordomuda (Blind Deaf-Mute), Moscas En La Casa (Flies In The House), No Creo (I Don't Believe), Inevitable (Inevitable), Tú (You), Si Te Vas (If You Leave), Octavo Día (Eighth Day) and the worldwide success Ojos Así (Eyes Like That).  The cumulative effect of such hit singles allowed the album to sell over 7 million copies worldwide.  Shakira would later release her first live album, Shakira MTV Unplugged, which was comprised of singles from ¿Dónde Están Los Ladrones? (¿Where Are The Thieves?).

In 2001, Shakira started work on a crossover album to the English language. Teaming up with Gloria Estefan, Shakira wrote and recorded English versions of the singles from ¿Dónde Están Los Ladrones? and new songs were also added to create Shakira's first U.S. album, Laundry Service.  Though some critics claimed her grasp of the English language was not yet firm enough, it did not prevent Laundry Service from becoming a commercial success.  Laundry Service would eventually go on to sell more than 13 million CDs worldwide, thanks to such hits as Whenever, Wherever, Underneath Your Clothes, Te Dejo Madrid (I Leave You Madrid), Objection (Tango), and The One.  Such hit tracks helped establish Shakira's musical presence in mainstream America.

Shakira's next album, Fijación Oral Vol. 1, released on June 6, 2005 in Europe and on June 7, 2005 in North America, was also a commercial success.  The album debuted at #1 in Spain and #4 on the U.S. Billboard 200, which remains the best-selling Spanish first-week sales album.  The album's lead single La Tortua, would climb to #1 in Spain and #23 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.  On November 29, 2005, Shakira would release her second English album, Oral Fixation Vol. 2, which includes the hit single, Hips Don't Lie, a single that would climb to #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.  The album was re-released on March 28, 2006.  Shakira is currently engaged to the son of former president of Argentina, Fernando de la Rua.  

The newest information  about SHAKIRA  you can find on Wikipedia

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MUSIC of the 70s

We all associate songs and music with events in our life.  Many songs hold special memories for us.  We fondly remember the songs that were playing when we went to our first dance, the songs the school band attempted to play during half time at the high school football games, the songs that we heard on our first date, or the songs we heard on the radio while driving our first car.

Bee Gees.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The music of the 1970's is probably the most impressive and most recognized of any era.  The artists of the 1970's provided us with numerous songs we loved to dance to and sing along with.  At that time most bands actually played their own instruments and didn't need to sequence part of it.

Remember how we used to listen to the music then?  At first we had eight track players in our cars, then we moved upward to cassette players.  Vinyl records were the most popular way to listen to our favorite music.  Every week you could go to your local variety or record store and pick up the new #1 song on a 45 record for under $1.00.  Of course, there was always the radio to listen to - most of the popular channels were on am radio.  We had many styles of music to listen to, including the bubble gum music of David Cassidy and the Partridge Family, soft rock of Barry Manilow, the great dance tunes of the Bee Gees and the Commodores, rock of Aerosmith and Led Zeppelin, the brass band sounds of Chicago, or the disco beat of Chic and Donna Summers.

The nostalgia of  the 1970's music lives on today.  We can listen to it on our local 70's'radio station, on cds, on mp3, download it on our computer, and burn it onto cds.  For those of us who prefer records, we can still purchase them at record stores, antique or second hand stores, or yard sales.  Of course, many of us have held on to our own record collections and record players and can pull them out at any time when we need to relive those nostalgic days of the 1970's.  Some bands are still performing after more than 30 years.  There's nothing like seeing your favorite 1970's performers live in concert!

The music of the 1970's is still popular with people of all ages - not just those who grew up with it.  It never grows old.  It only gets better with each passing decade.

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Memories Are Made Of This : The Golden Years of The SIXTIES Music Revolution

Notes from an era of true free expression where we were "spoilt for choice" with the newest musical innovators. Before the onslaught of the digital age and the polarisation of modern music we experienced a cultural revolution which, in my humble opinion, has yet to be equalled in successive generations ...

Cropped screenshot of Bing Crosby from the trailer for the film Road to Singapore. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I suppose my first realisation that music was something more relevant than learning the words to carols for the school Christmas concert was appreciating my Dad's collection of 78s'. He was a man with unusual tastes in music. My contemporys' parents listened to American crooners, like Bing Crosby, Dean Martin and the like, or the big band sounds of the day.

But my Dad had individual tastes which included Eastern European folk music, Scottish bagpipe ballads and Welsh miners choirs; plus my first introduction to classical such as exciting pieces like Aram Khachaturian's "Sabre Dance".

My Mother, a dedicated Crosby fan, disliked these strange sounds to the extent that she banished any playing of the 'caterwauling' to our barn, a large wooden structure at the back of the house. This suited my Dad, and me, just fine.

He would mend bikes and tinker with machinery in one corner, while I would curl up on a battered leather sofa looking at pictures in old movie magazines, giggling at jokes in back copies of Lilliput and reading girlie type books (Little Women, Black Beauty etc.) while the haunting strains of Bulgarian womens' voices, Highland airs or the overwhelming sound of Welshmen giving it their all emanated from the old wind up gramaphone; memories are made of this.

Musically I've come full circle. with the increasing popularity of 'world music' I am, once again, enjoying Bulgarian women's harmonies and Welsh folk songs along with the exciting newcomers from African and Latin American roots.

Every generation, mostly, think that they have experienced the 'best' period of topical music, but I do feel that the sixties were a special case. Consider this; any weekend my friends and I had a difficult decision to make. Did we go 'up town' to Ken Colliers to see American blues stars like Big Bill Broonzy or jazz giants like Dizzy Gillespie; or perhaps to the Marquee or 100 Club to listen to the up and coming Britishers like Paul Weller in the Jam, Eric Clapton and the Yardbirds and Georgie Fame with the All Stars.

Or did we stay closer to home and go to the Riki Tik in Windsor and risk asphyxiation in the tiny room listening to an exciting new group called the Rolling Stones. And that was only the start; what about Osterley where you could hear John Lee Hooker, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee and any number of other Southern American blues stars; or Windsor Drill hall where, on a Friday night you could enjoy the best of Cyril Davies and the All Stars, which usually featured one of my favourites, Long John Baldry.

And, if you were willing to risk parental wrath, it had to be Eel Pie Island in Twickenham, a den of iniquity where you could hear the best of new rhythm and blues; smell strange substances burning in the air and where I first encountered psychadelia in the shape of Pink Floyd whose innovative light shows of coloured lava lamp blobs popping and forming ever different shapes were the precursor of the giant video screens of today. To say we were spoilt for choice is not to overwork a phrase.

I haven't even mentioned the many folk clubs sprinkled about which I visited with my friend Lucy as a guest singing duo, where we shared stages with the likes of Bert Jantz, Duster Bennett, Cat Stevens . . We would travel to isolated venues in the heart of the Berkshire countryside and find ourselves in a barn somewhere, with people sitting on hay bales and listening to the stirring voices and lyrics of Sandy Denny, Davy Graham and John Remborne, or even the Wurzels (bring your own cider!).

If you wanted to dance, but strictly not ballroom, you could stomp the night away at a selection of 'trad jazz' clubs. Bands of various styles were always on tap; Dick Morrisey, the aforementioned Ken Collier, Acker Bilk; It really was a golden age for live music of every kind. And it didn't cost an arm and a leg to indulge yourself. If we paid more than a couple of quid to get in we felt hard done by. Even special occasions, like seeing the Who or Cream at the Hammersmith Odeon were cheap at the price.

Wherever we hung out with our mates there was music. This was the age of the coffee bar, always with a juke box in the corner belting out such classics as 'Dock on the Bay', or Buddy Holly's latest or Aretha Franklin, Jimi Hendrix, Joan Biaz; where to stop! Before the fashion for 'personalised music' (catered for firstly by the Walkman and now in it's newest incarnation, the ipod) the latest tunes brought like minds together. A normal Saturday outing was to the local record shop where friends would crowd into a booth together to hear the latest in the 'charts'.

Maybe it was all just 'fashion' but, as the years race by, that sixties music has stood the test of time. Many of our heroes are still household names. Our children still appreciate such giants as Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix and Otis Redding. The likes of Paul Weller, Rod Stewart, the Rolling Stones still tour all over the world. Am I showing my age when I find it hard to appreciate modern day offerings? Of course I am but no more than any other person who has let music into their life.

From the moment the first cave man (or woman) discovered how to make musical 'sounds' from reeds or rocks, water or wood, we have enjoyed the privilege of a great gift. How to explain the catch at the back of the throat when we hear a familiar song or melody? How to describe the pure feeling of exhilaration and joy as many human voices come together to sing some particularly uplifting work. I dare anyone to say they have never felt that. And if some hardened souls insist that is the case; well I feel very sorry for them.

Author:Fabio Marcell

THE BEATLES: History and Album Guide

The Beatles are almost universally regarded as the greatest act in the history of post-war popular music, and that claim is hard to deny when one considers their status as the biggest selling musical act in history, their universal critical acclaim, and the never duplicated hysteria that surrounded the band during the height of "Beatlemania" in the Sixties. The cult of the Beatles is alive and well around the world more than 40 years after the band's demise.

The Beatles wave to fans after arriving at Kennedy Airport.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The group got its start in Liverpool, in the Fifties, as a John Lennon-led skiffle band called the "Quarryman." Lennon was a rebellious Liverpool youth who had been introduced to rock and roll music from the recordings brought across the Atlantic and into Liverpool by English merchant sailors. It was from these recordings that Lennon and his generation in England were first introduced to the likes of Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Little Richard, Fats Domino, and other early fathers of the music. Eager to emulate his new heroes and make a name for himself, Lennon recruited some schoolmates to join him in his new band. Members would come and go until the band settled with a lineup of Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Stuart Sutcliffe, and Pete Best, a drummer.

The band changed their name to the Silver Beetles for a time and then finally settled on "The Beatles." The band acquired an avid local following in Liverpool and became a fixture at the Cavern Club, where they performed inspired sets on a regular basis. While the band was playing clubs in Hamburg, Germany, Sutcliffe fell in love with a German girl and decided to stay behind, leaving the Beatles a four man outfit. Sutcliffe would die of a brain hemorrhage at age 21 in 1962.

The group made its first recording as the backing band for singer Tony Sheridan on the single, "My Bonnie," which received airplay in Liverpool area. The popularity of this record inspired Liverpool record shop owner Brian Epstein to attend one of the Beatles' Cavern shows, and when Epstein witnessed the wild reaction of the audience, he convinced the group to take him on as their manager. Epstein convinced the band to drop drummer Pete Best from the group in favor of Ringo Starr from a rival Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. The final roster of the Beatles was set with Lennon and Harrison on guitar, Paul McCartney on bass, and Ringo Starr on drums. The group would record the moderately successful single, "Love Me Do," before the end of 1962.

Epstein then began to search for a record label to sign his band. After numerous rejections, the band was finally signed by the Parlophone label. The Beatles recorded their first album for the label, "Please Please Me," in 1963. The album was recorded in a single day, apparently to capture as close as possible the immediacy of their live shows. Although Epstein had trouble finding a U.S. label to sign the band, he managed to get the Beatles booked on the Ed Sullivan TV Show in April, 1964. New York disc jockey, Murray the K, hyped the Beatles upcoming TV appearance, setting the stage for the birth of Beatlemania. The Beatles appearance on the Sullivan show was a sensation seen by millions of Americans, and the Beatles become international superstars overnight.

The Beatles thus began an exhausting two years of near constant recording and touring. The early Beatles records were released separately in the U.S. and U.K., sometimes with different titles. For example, "Please, Please Me," the band's first U.K. album was released in the U.S. as "Meet the Beatles." The names of the albums don't matter much as everything this band recorded is essential, and any collection of Beatles music is guaranteed to be of high quality. Titles to look for from the 1964 albums are:" With the Beatles," "Twist and Shout," "A Hard Days Night," "Beatles for Sale," and "Beatles 65." The Beatles' music would soon change from light poppy love songs to darker and more introspective fare as the group attempted to expand its musical horizons.

With the release of the album, "Help" (1965), the Beatles began the process of reinventing themselves. The title track, "Help," "Yesterday," and the very Dylanesque, "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away," saw the group moving into previously uncharted territory. Their songs were still just as catchy, the harmonies still as sweet, but the material had become darker and more intriguing.

This artistic growth continued on the next album, "Rubber Soul" (1965), and for the next five albums. This string of albums represents the Beatles' best work and some of the best albums of popular music ever recorded. On Rubber Soul, the band begins to experiment musically with the inclusion of sitar on "Norwegian Wood," and several songs such as "Michelle," "If I Needed Someone," and "In My Life" which could easily be classified as "folk rock."

The Beatles' following studio release, "Revolver" (1966), sees the Beatles at the peak of their powers. Revolver is an astonishing collection of songs representing a myriad of styles from the art rock of "Eleanor Rigby" and "Good Day Sunshine" to the hard rock of "Taxman" and full blown psychedelic experimentation in "Tomorrow Never Knows."

The release of Revolver coincided with the band's retirement from live performances. Freed of life on the road, the Beatles would dedicate themselves to experimentation in the recording studio. With the able support of their producer, George Martin, the group would again reach new heights of creativity in the studio with "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" (1967). This album's overt experimentation was an attempt by John Lennon and Paul McCartney to outdo the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson who had raised the studio bar with his work on the Beach Boys' classic recording, "Pet Sounds," during the previous year. "Sgt. Pepper," which is often cited as the Beatles' magnum opus, is every bit as thrilling as Revolver with epic songs such as "Lovely Rita," "For the Benefit of Mr. Kite," "She's Leaving Home," and 'A Day in the Life."

The Beatles kept rolling with the double album simply titled, "The Beatles" (1968). Its unadorned, solid white cover earned it the nickname, "The White Album," among fans. The album is amazingly eclectic and contains nary a bad tune amid its myriad of tracks. Among the album's classic tunes are, "Blackbird," "Mother Nature's Son," "Revolution," "Back in The USSR," and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps."

In 1969, The Beatles would release their last true studio album, "Abbey Road." Group in-fighting that had lasted for several years was becoming intolerable and Paul McCartney was tiring of holding things together. McCartney would later signal the demise of the band by releasing his first solo album in 1970. Abbey Road was another brilliant effort that contained classic tracks such as "Come Together," "Here Comes the Sun," and most impressively, the medley of short, connected songs that finishes the album.

"Let It Be," which was recorded prior to Abbey Road, would be released in 1970 with the title track, "Let it Be," and Lennon's "Across the Universe" as standout tracks.

Read also the Article on Wikipedia for the Last Information.

By Brian C Westland Article Source: EzineArticles

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