Live Musician Central

Author: Live Musician Central

Les Paul – In Memoriam June 9, 1915 – August 13, 2009

Les Paul – Young or Old, the man could play!

If you had to pick a guitarist that has had the greatest influence on modern music technology then the top candidate would have to be Les Paul. I don’t think any single guitarist has influenced the way we make and record music more than Les Paul has. His advances in the electric guitar and its amplification alone have completely changed the way guitarists play and perform in their live bands as well as in the studio.

Les Paul was born Lester William Polsfuss in Waukesha, Wisconsin on June 9, 1915. He later adopted the stage name Les Paul which would go on to be one of the most legendary names in all of electric guitar history. Les Paul’s contributions to music have been many and they’ve also been extremely groundbreaking and important. There have been a lot of great guitar players but let’s face it, great guitar players are a dime-a-dozen. Les wasn’t just a guitarist, he was an inventor and an innovator. (more…)
Sunday Funnies – Stupid Alien Let’s Fan Slaughter Iron Man On The Guitar

The Stupid Alien is a New York City street performer who has some serious skills on the electric guitar. In this video clip he let’s a passerby take his guitar to play “Iron Man” by Black Sabbath. The guest guitarist proceeds to suck big time on his rendition of the song.

I think it’s pretty cool of The Stupid Alien to surrender his axe to a wannabe guitarist so kudos to Stupid Alien. As for the guy destroying “Iron Man”, dude, if you suck that badly then don’t borrow a guys guitar to show him how horrible you are! Just say, “Yeah, I play a little!” and just walk away. (more…)
Deals And Promotions From Musician’s Friend – August 2009

Randy Rhoads with Jackson prototype guitar.

  There are a couple of really cool deals for guitarists going on right now at Musician’s Friend. One of the most legendary and influential guitarists of all time was Mr. Randy Rhoads. He rose to fame playing with Ozzy Osbourne as Ozzy launched his stellar solo career. The success of Ozzy’s early solo work can be highly credited to the phenomenal guitar work of Randy Rhoads. If you were lucky enough to see Randy Rhoads onstage in Ozzy’s live band it was an experience you’ll never forget.

   Before Randy’s untimely death, he designed his ultra-famous Randy Rhoads Signature Model guitar with Grover Jackson of Jackson Guitars. This guitar has been highly sought by guitarists that love the Randy Rhoads sound. Right now at Musician’s Friend you can score a deal on a limited run of this amazing guitar that are numbered and signed by luthier Mike Shannon. Just click the banner below to check it out:

Another great special going on right now at Musician’s Friend is the big sale on Line 6 equipment. Line 6 makes an excellent line of modeling amplifiers that can almost rival the sweet sounds of my Fender Cyber-Twin SE. When I was shopping for a new amp I narrowed it down to the Line 6 Vetta or the Fender Cyber-Twin SE. The Fender finally won out but it was a tough choice.

   If you’re in the market for some excellent gear from Line 6, now is the time to buy. The prices have been lowered and the deals have never been better. Just click on the banner below to see these nice discounts:
Elvis Presley – Heartbreak Hotel Live 1950’s Television Performance

Elvis Presley really is the King Of Rock-N-Roll and this classic video of Elvis performing “Heartbreak Hotel” live in the 50’s shows what a dynamic performer he was. It’s really fun watching him put on his best stage moves of the era and get the girls all screaming every time he busts a move! (more…)
More Music Equipment Specials For Music123 – August, 2009

I promised some more great new offers from Music123 so today I’m posting up some more. Music123 has an incredibly wide selection of music equipment to outfit your live band with everything you need to get ready for the stage. It’s my personal opinion the Music123 has some of the best customer service on the Internet and I’ve had many positive experiences buying from them.

The following specials are in effect until August 31, 2009.

Purchase a qualifying Washburn guitar or bass of $1,000 or more and get a $100 Prepaid Debit Card at Music123.com (exp: 8/31)

Music123.com is giving away more than $3,300 worth of BOSS effects pedals (exp: 8/31)

Save $50 with mail-in rebate on Schecter Hellraiser and Blackjack ATX Guitars at Music123.com (exp: 8/31)

Purchase any Monster Cable or Power Conditioner and receive $5 off instantly at Music123.com (exp: 9/30)
Weekend Gig Report – Distant Thunder At The Summit County Fair

Distant Thunder Rocks The Summit County Fair (L.-R. Matt Rushton, Frank Lee, Erik Rushton, Kent Rushton)

This weekend I had a chance to play with my cousin Kent’s live band, Distant Thunder. We played at the Summit County Fair in Coalville, Utah as the last act on the main stage before the big rodeo! We had some challenges in getting set up and playing which made it a very interesting gig.

I don’t mind playing at county fairs because there’s usually a pretty good crowd there. Another thing that I’ve found to be true about county fairs is that if your band is the headline act, they pay pretty darn well. We make a lot more playing at fairs than we do playing in bars. The Summit County Fair was no exception. (more…)
Sympathy For The Devil by Belly Bongo Bo

Okay, it’s kinda sick but it’s funny as hell too. Belly Bongo Bo uses an instrument he grew on his body, his belly, as a bongo drum. So there’s hope for all the fat guys that can’t seem to find an instrument to play in the band. Watch and learn fella’s…. (more…)
August, 2009 Specials And Coupon Codes For Music123

As you know, Music123 is one of the largest online music retailers in the world. I have used them a lot over the years and have always been very impressed with their outstanding customer service. They have treated me very well whenever I’ve had to return a product or had problems with a product I’ve purchased from Music123.

There are some incredible deals going on right now at Music123 that I want to make you aware of. The following links will get you to the correct pages to check out the listed specials. All these specials run until August 31, 2009. The coupon codes are listed with the links so be sure you use them. (more…)
What To Do When People Are Complaining About Your Volume Level

Solve Volume Problems With A Decibel Meter

Having played in live bands for so long I’ve been in plenty of situations where I’ve had comments about the bands volume level. Some people complain that the band’s too loud. Some people complain that the band’s too quiet. I’ve even had cases when there have been people commenting both ways right after one another at the very same gig!

Here’s a funny story for you. One night we were playing a gig at a local Elks Lodge. There was an incredibly diverse range of ages and people there that night. An older lady came up and complained that the band was too loud. We turned down just a little bit and a younger girl came up and demanded we turn the band up louder! We told this girl “The lady over there complained that we were too loud, so we turned down.” Immediately the younger girl marched over to the older lady and got right in her face saying that the older lady wasn’t the lodge manager and that the band was way too quiet. It turned into a full scale fight and somebody had to actually separate these two women! (more…)
Stewart Copeland Live Drum Recording Of “So Lonely” Mid 80’s

   This is a live recording of The Police performing the song “So Lonely” during the 1980’s. This clip focuses on the drumming of Stewart Copeland. It’s no secret that The Police are a very high energy live band and this clip is a perfect example of them in their prime.

   What I like about this clip is that it shows just how fast and powerful Stewart’s drumming was back in the 80’s. I saw them on their last reunion tour and he is a much more disciplined and accurate drummer now. But, there is a fantastic energy to his drumming in this clip. It may not be the most accurate but it’s incredibly full of raw power and drive. That’s what makes live rock-n-roll so much fun is when that energy is spilling from the stage.

   I hope you enjoy this classic clip of The Police and their fabulous drummer, Stewart Copeland.    (more…)