Bruce Dickinson

Few is said 'bout vocalists, and other musicians who aren't guitar players. One thing is for sure, vocalists, bass players, drummers, and all sorts instrumentists are as important as guitar players. Of course, if you're a guitar player, you'll listen more to the guitar players, but once in a while you should stop to listen to the other guys playing too. Same with the drummers, bass players, etc. Just listen.

One of the singers that always have amazed me for his vocal talent and stage personna is Bruce Dickinson, the man behind the amazing vocal work in Iron Maiden after the departure of Paul DiAnno, and also the man behind some amazing solo work.

One thing is to hear, Bruce in your home, sitting in front of your stereo. Another is to hear him, live, onstage. It's totally a completely different situation, and experience.

The first time I heard this guy's voice, was while I borrowed an Iron Maiden cd from an english teacher at high school. He had this album called "The Best of The Beast", and it included the most known (and popular) Iron Maiden songs. Between the songs there were the ones with Blaze Bailey, and it's kinda funny, you could hear the DIFFERENCE (Capitol letters needed) between the two of them...

The songs that caught my angry-young-man ear (I was 17 or 16? Don't remember) were The Number of the Beast, and Aces High. So much energy, raw force and the amazing vocals from the singer, that stuff really drove me nuts.

So later on I realised he was also a solo artist. After his departure from Iron Maiden, he started composing his music, together with great collaborators such as Roy Z and Adrian Smith, who also left Iron Maiden. And his solo music is as powerful as Maiden's, the difference is that his solo albums, are heavily influenced by the english artist William Blake, who was a poet, and also a painter. He really left a mark inside Bruce's personna, and elements from Blake's art are found sometimes in his albums, most notably in the album "The Chemical Wedding"



- This is what I'm talking 'bout, power! And the title says it all he he...

Once you see Bruce Dickinson live, your life isn't the same anymore.

Jerry García and The Grateful Dead.

Sometimes music comes to you, in the moment you less imagined. Comes unexpectedly, and surprises you, even while you're doing something so mundane, as watching T.V.

This is how I met Jerry García, the man behind that haunting guitar sounds of The Grateful Dead, one of the most talented musicians in the history of Rock. Not only able to play rock, he even played bluegrass, acoustic music, and some jazz as well.

I just turned on the TV, and there was he. Jerry García. I just turned on the TV, in precisely the right moment the program started. The thing that I was seeing, was the documentary "Grateful Dawg". I can't say how thrilled, happy, and excited I was, hearing those guys (Jerry García and David Grissman) doing their thing, just plain and acoustic wise. It revealed a whole new world to me, 'cuz at the time I was way deep into guitar electronics and synths. Not that I am not right now, but it reminded me the ROOTS of music, which are really important. And that, my friends, is acoustic music.



- Plain and Acoustic Wisdom. Hear it by yourself.

Then, after watching this documentary - you'll call me crazy, but what the heck - I had several dreams with Jerry, somehow he was guiding me to his music in his band, The Grateful Dead. And my friends, once again, I was thrilled, happy and excited. That band made me realise how cool and amazing is to jam, with no restrictions, compromises, and also, how the communal spirit was felt by the whole band. To me it was like they were one... And they were. I bet they were...



- Amazing, one more time I say this. The 60's were great times, music wise. You don't see music like this anymore...

Then, another surprise for me. Jerry García, had numerous side projects, ranging from tributes to the great Bob Dylan, and involvement in other bands, like The Riders of The Purple Sage. I felt more identified with his acoustic effords... 'cause their sound is really intimate. Electric ones too, but the acoustic just blown me away, and they still do nowadays.



- One of him, performing solo :D



- And one, performing Dylan's "Knockin' on Heavens door" with Bob Weir (His bandmate in The Grateful Dead), Joan Baez and John Kahn. One of the reasons I got my electroacoustic Takamine, was seein' Jerry Garcia using them in a concert I purchased on DVD... :D It's exactly the same guitar I got.

If you haven't heard him yet, go out and do it. It's a must, this guy is one of the most inspiring musicians you could ever hear in your life.

Jerry, thanks for all the inspiration... There will be a thousand jam bands, thousand guitar players, but there's only one Grateful Dead and only one Jerry Garcia.

Jeff Beck

One of the most prolific times in the history of music were the 60's. Guitar playes like Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, David Gilmour, Robert Fripp and Jeff Beck are from that era.

In this particular post I'm gonna talk 'bout Jeff Beck...

The man that easily could sweep and brush away you with his guitar skills. The man who just needs, a Fender guitar and a Marshall amplifier to kick your ass and made you realise that you have an awful lot to learn from him.

While Jimi Hendrix crossed the Atlantic, and established himself at the United Kingdom, all the guitar players, except 2 of them, were afraid by the skills of the legendary guitarist. Guess who were the 2 guitar players who, revered Hendrix and were not afraid of him? Robert Fripp and Jeff Beck

It's funny, there are some random facts 'bout Jeff Beck. The one that interested me the most, and seems to be the most funny, is that he is trying to make us people forget that he plays guitar. But it's quite hard, 'cause the man is a WIZARD!

He played with some of the finest rock n' roll musicians, ranging from Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana, Guns n' Roses and Joe Perry (From Aerosmith), Steve Lukather (from the band TOTO), Sting, and Roger Waters (He played the guitars in the album Amused to Death). In fact, rumors say that he was being considered to be part of both The Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd.

With that in mind, I guess you people should not have doubts that he's amazing, isn't it? Well, there are more than just facts. And that's music.

He's so amazing, that he even lets young musicians join him and play with him. Which is the case of his bass player, Tal Wilkenfield. (Who I must say, is ma' kind of girl ha ha, cute and musician), Joss Stone (I have no clue why Brian May didn't wanted to play with her, and likes Mika!?) and Imohen Heap (I don't like her that much but, anyway)...



- Seriously, the way this man plays the guitar could drive you insane. And inspire you as well.

Jeff Beck, a true guitar master. Thanks for all the inspiration man, I don't know if you'll ever read this but, this post is for you man!

Radiohead

Radiohead is something I could not easily describe, to be honest. Radiohead is something I think people misunderstands, to be honest. Radiohead is unique, to be honest.

I couldn't easily describe what those guys did, do and will do on everyone who hears them. In my humble opinion, a lot of things could happen, ranging from humble appreciation of their music, to artsy-fartsy pretentions of trying to be them. It's like what Medusa, the mythical creature did. If you looked straight to her eyes, you were turned into a piece of stone, perfectly making a stone sculpture of you.

What does "humble appreciation" means for me? I think, just let 'em do what they do, and be humble enough to just listen, and let go... That thing happens to me while I hear "OK Computer" album, specially while I'm on the song "Subterranean Homesick Alien". That song takes you to another world, well, the whole album does.

What does "artsy-fartsy pretentions" mean? Well, have you ever listened to someone TRYING to sound like them? It's terrible! I got this moniker for them "Radiohead for baby parties" 'cause, they do sound terrible. Unfortunately, that happens when your ego blows away your poor imagination and inventive and multiply it by zero.

- I know folks, sometimes I could be very rad.

And that's why I think they misunderstand them. Sometimes, yeah you could say "Hey, that chord is so simple I'll do it". It sounds simple, but there's an awful lot going on through that chord progression you hear. Anyway, it's my opinion after all...



So, take a moment here...

Listen to their music, be humble, just listen... Travel to other world if that's your thing, or just, listen... all of their music, lyrics... listen. That's what a musician stands for, to be listened...

Son House

Still traveling through time, my friends. That's the way you find a lot of hidden treasures, unheard songs, sounds, the way you discover the uncovered...

Right now, the whole world is on some sort of Crissis. Economical, yeah, but I dare to say it goes way beyond than Economical. Once I heard that Economy reflects somehow the way society is going on. I agree and disagree at the same time, but anyway. The times aren't good nowadays, but this situation isn't new.

Back in the early years of XX century, there was a phenomena called "The Great Depression". Basically, it was an economical phenomena which caused a lot of business collapse, derivating in leaving thousands of people unemployed all around the world. The same situation is happening right now, dear fellows. We all have the technology knowledge, but what for? We aren't able to find a solution for this crissis that seems to never end.

Going back to the Great Depression times, there was a way (at least, it seems so for me) to let's say, heal this. Music. All over the United States, people was still making music, but no one made music like the black musicians from that times. Which is the case of the blues people, who were kind of in the same situation millions of people are right now, homeless, moneyless, with families to raise.

Among this musicians, there were many that really, had to do very weird works, ranging from trailer drivers, to hotel guardians. But that's not the point of this entry. What I'm trying to say, is that the musicians from this era, really channeled their needs in the music.

One of this musicians was Son House. It is said, that his guitar playing is what encouraged Robert Johnson to pick up a guitar.



- Tell me this is not the sound of a person who's channeling his feelings!

Just, close your eyes, hear this music, and let your wounds be healed...

His music has been covered thousands of times, by countless musicians. But, no one could play the blues like those guys did, 'cause back then, things were really rough. Maybe, with the current times, and the so-called "Winds of Change", we'll see the rise of a new legion of upcoming blues musicians, who will sing the pain the whole world is in right now...

Crissis it's not just the lack of money. In my opinion, crissis goes way deeper, where you meet you trying to understand a lot of things that surround you, like the basic facts of life, such as love, hatred, broken communication, and so on...

Hope we could evolve into something else, maybe this humble music could help...

John Lee Hooker

Blues music, as I said on earlier posts, is something you could either, understand or misunderstand. From a musicians point of view, blues is something really "easy and simple" to play. But from a craftsmen, and humble point of view, blues is the maximum expression of humanity and a lot of feelings, ranging from love, dispair, and loss.

The first times I kind of heard blues music, were through the classic rock bands I was getting into, in my early 20's, like Cream, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, and Pink Floyd. Later on, Guns N' Roses (With their highly-influenced dose of Rolling Stones/Aerosmith kind of rock). But, I never heard blues music in its raw, purest form, played directly from the guys who created it.

When you're in your twenties, a lot of things come to your mind. Ranging from "What's next" or... "Why I am Here"... While you see the numbers changing, from 20 to 21, and so on... this questions become more frequent, and while you reach your birthday, the thing just explodes.

I never had a big Birthday party. Well, I once had, while I turned 5. So far is the best birthday ever for me, 'cause after those, no celebration for me... Once I sort of made a "party" at home for my 17's, but... I was an angry young man, and angry people don't have too many friends. The picture was kind of sad, though. So, I could say I had both the best and the worst birthday parties.

Yeah, that goddamn social life.

Anyway... Since I started my musical path, my way of having a birthday was, close my bedroom's door, hear music the whole day, and just, lay down on my bed staring at the ceiling. While I got a TV set and a DVD, that turned into laying down on my bed, and viewing a music DVD I'd buy for me.

In my 23rd birthday, I went to a DVD store, and picked up 3 DVD's: There was this one, from The Doors, another from Van Halen, and this one, which I deliberately picked up 'cause I knew it was blues, but I haven't heard of him before... John Lee Hooker. I had to return the DVD 'cause it was damaged, so I had to wait two days to see it.

While I heard the music this old man was playing, I almost cried. Birthdays could either be a reason for being happy or being sad, I'm not sure what do birthdays mean for anyone out there, but for it's like that. The first song on that DVD, was sort of like an Oracle message for me, 'cause most of the time I'm down, sometimes criticized for being way too much introspective, but somehow I always fight for a brighter future... The song was "It serves me right to suffer".



- It serves me right to suffer... Serves me right to be alone...

This is exactly how I feel things, most of the time. Modern world doesn't gives me much hope, but it doesn't mean I am not a possitive person. I am, I believe there's still good things to live for...

The whole concert of this guy really, cracked me down. To the very core, it was like some sort of voyage through my own self, to let go all my sad feelings, to wake up, to cry, I don't know. Music sometimes is taken in the wrong sense. "Oh yeah I like how it sounds it" is the classic motto. But deeper, music is able to do a lot of things inside your own personna, if you let it to.



- This is how sadness sounds, my friends.

No doubt, black musicians made an important contribution to music. Modest sounds could change your life.