Fight Club – Cover Bands vs. Copyrights

One of the hottest topics of discussion in musical circles these days is the idea of music licensing, copyrights, and musicians getting paid for their work. It is usually part of the covers vs. originals argument that rages every few days on most musician forums and message boards. Some writers of original music get very touchy about anyone who plays covers and think that cover bands should have to pay the writers of the songs they play some kind of royalty. Read more

Nashville Flooding, Part 2 – Musicians Hall of Fame instruments destroyed in flood

There are many sad stories coming out of Nashville this week, as people begin to clean up and rebuild after last weeks’ catastrophic flooding that saw the destruction of many lives, homes, businesses, and musical instruments. Many of the instruments were at a facility called Soundcheck, which provided rehearsal space, storage, and cartage to many of the area’s musicians. Also stored at Soundcheck were instruments that were part of the Musicians Hall Of Fame. Read more

Fight Club – Original vs. Cover Bands

One of the biggest divides in this thing of ours is between those who play their own original material and those who play other people’s songs in cover bands. If you believe the arguments that continually rage on the forums and on craigslist, original bands are made up of self-indulgent wankers that really believe their take on the two-note power chord will land them on the cover of Rolling Stone Read more

Earplugs for guitarists, drummers and musicians

Can you give me some information on earplugs? How well do they work, and do most rock musicians use them?

Rockin’ Billy Bong
xxxx@rocketmail.com

While they’re relatively new to the world of rock music, earplugs have become a popular item with many musicians, and with good reason. I’ve worked for a lot of particularly loud rock bands, and the groups who didn’t wear earplugs usually have something in common with each other—it’s called “tinnitus,” a constant ringing of the ears that result from prolonged exposure to high volume levels. Tinnitus produces varying degrees of discomfort, depending on the amount of abuts that has been inflicted upon a person’s ear. Read more

Iron Maiden Dave Murray’s 1957 Fender Stratocaster Electric Guitar

“There’s a little bit of history behind the guitar,”says veteran Iron Maiden guitarist Dave Murray of the 1957 Strat he used to produce the wailing sounds heard on each of Iron Maiden’s first eight albums. “It used to belong to Paul Kossoff of Free. I bought it in 1976, a year after he died. Read more

Dot On Shaft Guitars Announces New DOS Record Label

Dot On Shaft Guitars, which has quickly become Canada’s fastest-growing maker of fretted instruments, continues its conquest of the music industry with the launching of its very own record label, DOS Records. The label, a subsidiary of Dot On Shaft/Carparelli Guitars, will join the company’s two brick-and-mortar retail stores, its online store, and its music academy and makes Dot On Shaft Canada’s first guitar maker to open a record company. Read more

9 year old guitarist rocks on guitar

Young Tallan Nobel Latz is a name to remember. After you watch the video below you’ll know why.

A 9-year-old who plays blues guitar? Sounds like perfect fodder for a talent show. With an interest in “rocky blues,” this little soul man wows the audience with his technical prowess. As host Nick Cannon exclaims, “Tallan got talent!” The boy has class, too — he says he’d like to win the prize money so his mom can quit her job and they can spend more time together.

GEAR: DBZ Croc Skin Bolero Guitar

Rehearsal 101 – Don’t Waste My Time

Sooner or later, it happens: band practice. For many people, rehearsal, or “re-hassle”, is a necessary evil, one that must be endured in order to get that glorious stage time that they (and their girlfriends) live for. Very often, however, rehearsal time seems like an exercise in futility, indecision, or intoxication and many bands practice over and over and never get any better. Why is that? Read more