Dave On Rock

Billy Idol / Steve Stevens 2010 Tour

admin — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 19:03:48 +0000

Unfortunately a combination of circumstances prevented me from attending the Billy Idol/Steve Stevens concert in Las Vegas on 8/21/10.

I heard it was a great show and Steve Stevens himself was kind enough to PM me saying how sorry he was I missed the show and offered to send me some tour shirts at the end of the tour.

Steve is a really great guitarist, a great musician, but most importantly he is a great individual, who always makes time for his fans. Plus Steve is only too happy to share in whatever tone chase he is undertaking, un-like 90% of other rock musicians.

I’m sorry I missed Steve playing his wife Josie’s Hello Kitty Stratocaster, as that I’m sure was a highlight for her!

More soon, but let’s give credit to a fantastic player who is always learning new stuff himself and shares his experiences with us gear crazy fans. If you wish to read what Steve has to say, go over to Huge Racks Forum or HRI

Dave

Neil Carter- The Unsung Hero of the Gary Moore band’s greatest years

admin — Fri, 21 May 2010 11:54:01 +0000

PI have been in communication for almost two years now with the great Neil Carter, ex- Wild Horses, ex-UFO, ex-Gary Moore Band.
I had requested an interview with Neil regarding the greatest period of Gary’s career so far, the years when Neil was in the band and basically Gary’s complete rock era.
My focus of the interview was mine and Neil’s as well, the [i]Wild Frontier[/i] and [i]After The War[/i] albums.
The touring lineup for the 1987 Wild Frontier tour was perhaps arguably Gary’s most successful era.
The release of “After The War” and subsequent ‘final’ rock tour, signaled the end of the Moore-Carter collaboration, which yielded some of Gary’s most memorable songs.
Any true dyed in the wool Gary Moore fan (unless they came on board during his blues period (1990-2009), would consider the recording of the show at Isstadion Stockholm during the Wild Frontier tour, as being one of the greatest rock shows, ever recorded.
Just a total professional effort, produced by the excellent NFL Films, who also did his Emerald Aisles video, this video, only available on VHS to this day, and out of print of course. I have two copies, one played the other never played and converted mine to DVD format as I did with all my Gary Moore videos, mostly bought on VHS Japanese Imports.
Those who know me and my writing, plus my great love for Gary’s music and that of Phil Lynott/Thin Lizzy, realize that that golden era. with Neil’s triple threat talents, rhythm guitar (his main instrument previously), keyboards and fantastic vocals, very similar to Gary’s in range and tone. As good as a vocalist as Gary has become, Neil could always deliver a superb vocal effort.
Particularly on Shapes Of Things, Rocking Every Night and his great backing vocals on Empty Rooms, which he co-wrote with Gary.
As a fellow guitarist, Gary’s tone and equipment setup for this era, I consider his finest hour.
The use of his finest Marshall, the 1972 Super Bass, which someone had painted purple and Gary returned it to it’s native black, slaved off to two other 100 watt 1959 spec heads, allied with the great sounding Roland outboard gear, including the Dimension D. Chorus/Echo and Delay units.
Also an Ibanez Tube Screamer, used with those two magical Charvel Custom Shop guitars, delivered to him in 1986, the Strat head single pickup, EMG 85 and 81 equipped with Original Floyd Rose Tremolo’s, delivered a sound that he was in incredible control of.
This massive wall of sound, just on the edge of breaking loose into feedback, but having such clarity amongst the huge volumes he was working with.
Also Gary’s guitar playing, the techniques he exhibits here, mark him as one of the true maestros pf the top mounted Floyd Rose system.
The incredible line up of Bob Daisley on bass, Eric Singer in drums, the most powerful stadium style drummer and of course Neil’s great keyboard parts, his interchanges with Gary’s guitar and Neils own strong rhythm work on his guitar.
This was a band firing on all cylinders.
I recently completed the e-interview with Neil which is published on his website and the Official Gary Moore Fan Club site, “Lord of the Strings”

http://www.neilcarter.org

http://www.garymoorefc.com/en/

Almost two years ago now, I started writing to Neil, who resides in Brighton, England on the south coast as does Gary Moore, and told him how much his contributions to Gary’s rock era, especially WF and ATW, though his contribution to WF wasn’t as great in quantity as say ATW, nevertheless, his mark is all over these albums.
One of my favorite Gary Moore/Neil Carter songs is Blood of Emeralds, the autobiographical story of Gary and Phil’s struggles to make it in England and the hardships they endured. Also the tension between these two, caused some great music to be created.
Blood of Emeralds emotionally conveys Gary’s feelings of hopelessness concerning a Phil Lynott who was circling the drain of his life, ultimately dying as a result of his excesses and lifestyle.
The great Military Man, which Phil sings on the original version, contains in the first slow solo for guitar, one of Gary’s most beautiful works ever.
During the 1987-89 era, this song was frequently a jumping off point for extended improvisations by Gary, around the first solo.
The exciting news in all of this is Gary is going back to the Celtic Rock, we all so enjoyed and has three new songs in this vein, including a new tribute song to Phillip.
The bands lineup includes Jonathon Noyce ex-Jethro Tull, who played on the excellent One Night In Dublin tribute to Thin Lizzy with Gary. Darin Mooney will be on drums, Neil on vox, guitars an keys and Gary, lead guitar and vocals.
That I sent Neil copies of my extensive Gary Moore video and CD collection, both official and unofficial and he told me he was going to have Gary over to watch them together, leads me to believe, that if I had any small part as a catalyst in getting them back together, that is #1 on my bucket list.
The plan is a European festival tour and the one in Montruex, has also my favorite Steve Stevens with Billy Idol band and Cinderella, another of my favorite bands, that is a show I would love to see.
Plus the recently announced line up of Thin Lizzy with Robbo rejoining Scott and also Brian Downey and Darren Wharton form the old band, plus a new singer and bassist, but the addition of Dublin’s own Viv Campbell on guitar, always a huge GM and Lizzy fan.
A jam with all of these would be incredible.
It is very brave of Gary to tackle songs like Out In The Fields, Thunder Rising, Empty Rooms, Over The Hills and Far Away,as they have some intricately complicated guitar parts, plus Gary will need a Floyd Rose style guitar for songs like The Loner, ect.
So I am interested in what he will choose.
So GM/NC fans enjoy, Neil is a super nice chap.
I also have a Tommy Bolin article coming out soon on BSM Trebleboosters website.
I have my own rock web blog http://www.daveonrock.com
My years if research on the Washburn Steve Stevens Signature guitars on the site http://www.vintagewashburn.com
So enjoy, that Gary will be playing these songs again and Lizzy is back with the strongest lineup in years, makes this a very exciting year..
]

Dave

http://www.garymoorefc.com/en/ http://www.neilcarter.org http://www.vintagewashburn.com SORRY YOU WILL HAVE TO COPY THE LINKS AND PASTE THEM IN YOUR BROWSER, I am having Tech difficulties pasting links

Please send me your comments, if you liked my Vintage Washburn SS article, ect….

admin — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 04:39:01 +0000

All I get is spam on my comments, I know we are getting upwards of 500 hits a day on the Vintage Washburn site, just leave me a comment on this web blog if you visit that site or here!!!

I have an exciting new article soon to be published and can’t wait to announce it, I am very proud of my work.

Just want to hear back from you,

Thanx Dave

RACKSYSTEMS Dave Freidman’s Marsha amplifier

admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 04:57:48 +0000

Dave Freidman who has built mods and racks, pedal boards, whole touring rigs for years, has his own amp now the Marsha, which incorporates a lot of his most popular mods:

The excellent Scumback M75-65 speakers are featured prominently:

Love the DLR era Stevie Vai licks as well:

Thanks Jim Seavell for the good advice and good luck to Dave and Jim in their new venture with Tone Merchants:

Dave

Washburn Steve Stevens Signature Models 1993 International Registry

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 07:35:22 +0000

If you own or have owned and have photographs of any of the Washburn Steve Stevens Signature model guitars produced in 1993, this includes the Korean produced SS 40 models, the USA Chicago Custom Shop models, the SS 80 and the SS 100 Frankenstein. especially the serial numbers, in the case of the SS 40′s, the serial numbers are locate on the neck plate.

In the case of the USA Custom Shop models, the serial numbers are imprinted on the middle of the back of the headstock.

At www.vintagewashburn.com we are attempting to track how many guitars were produced, this includes any modified guitars, of which there are quite a few, that I have photographic evidence of.

SS 40 neckplate with serial number

SS 80, SS 100 serial number location

Again please visit http://www.vintage washburn.com this site is officially supported by US Music/Washburn

Love and peace

Dave

If you own one of Steve’s old Charvels or Jacksons or particularly the white elephant the legendary Hamer SS 3

please contact either Darren webmaster at Vintage Washburn or myself……….

Hamer SS-3

Hamer SS-3

Hamer SS-3

NOS 1993 Washburn SS80

THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND PLEASE SEND ME SOME REPLIES, IT IS INTERESTING TO READ SPAM BOTS, BUT I KNOW YOU WASHBURN/HAMER HEADS ARE OUT THERE SO SEND ME A REPLY………..CHEERS DAVE

Vintage Washburn.com

admin — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 04:16:45 +0000

I am very excited to announce my participation in a very unique and professional website, designed to portray the classic guitars from Washburn, who have been in the industry over 100 years.

To many it is well known my great love of the Washburn Steve Stevens Signature Series, produced only in 1993, in very, very limited quantities.

Darren who approached me about my contribution, the SS series, has started to assemble an incredible site and US Music/Washburn themselves have given it their official blessing.

I had all but abandoned by hopes of publishing my article detailing the history of these amazing guitars, for various reasons, but now I have been afforded a unique opportunity to document these guitars and show the world how incredible they are.

All models of Washburns will be included so please send any info or contributions you may have to:

http://www.vintagewashburn.com/

Contact: Darren@vintagewashburn.com

These are very exciting times so stay tuned and thanks to Bainzy of Shredaholic for the links and shout out!

Dave

Monsters Ball of 1493 Jackson Dinky

admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 22:42:17 +0000

A copy of the original

Back in the late eighties Steve Stevens had an amazing Jackson dinky bodied guitar, with an incredible graphic based on a pencil drawing, which is interpretations of a famous woodcutting for the famous book described below
The graphic comes from a woodcutting from a famous book in history called The Nuremberg Chronicles
The woodcutting is called “Dance of Death” and the book was published in 1493.
From Wilkepedia:
Nuremberg Chronicle

The Nuremberg Chronicle is an illustrated world history. Its structure follows the story of human history as related in the Bible; it includes the histories of a number of important Western cities. Written in Latin by Hartmann Schedel, with a version in German translation by Georg Alt, it appeared in 1493. It is one of the best-documented early printed books – an incunabulum (printed, not hand-written) – and one of the first to successfully integrate illustrations and text.

Latin scholars refer to it as Liber Chronicarum (Book of Chronicles) as this phrase appears in the index introduction of the Latin edition. English speakers have long referred to it as the Nuremberg Chronicle after the city in which it was published. German speakers refer to it as Die Schedelsche Weltchronik (Schedel’s World History) in honour of its author.
Page depicting Constantinople with added hand-colouring

The illustrations in many copies were hand-coloured after printing.
I have learned from one of my Steve Stevens contacts that the guitar was stolen from Steve and recovered, he sold it soon after wards. It was bought by a German collector who has over 300 Jackson guitars, including the Steve Lynch ‘Autograph” guitars.
It has the cool skeletons head tuning keys and many wild features. Though the original graphic may have been a pencil drawing at Jackson, the original is from a woodcut as stated.

There was a website called the Jackson Museum, which has been taken down in past years, the headstock detail photo I have is the newest one I have seen, I would appreciate any other photos anyone else may have, thanks

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g219/davida54/dance_de-1.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g219/davida54/Buonamico_Buffalmacco_001.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g219/davida54/2704556574_b52b62b9a5_o.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g219/davida54/imageserverres1viewwidth1520viewhei.jpg

Dave

Gary Moore’s Planned Return To His Celtic Roots Project

admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 01:09:15 +0000

Having completed my interview recently with Neil Carter, the emphasis of the material covered Wild Frontier and After The War…the Wild Frontier lineup was one of Gary’s most cohesive bands and made powerful material that was dynamite live.
The power of those songs, especially live, sans Linn drums and Fairlight, ect., hasn’t been matched since imo. Then After The War, Dunluce and the emotional Blood of Emeralds are the highlights for me.
Gary’s music has always had a message and a personal statement, since the first albums of the early eighties.
I personally love Celtic music, my grandmother was born in Belfast and I have distant relationship to the Moores in Northern Ireland from that area, irregardless, the power and beauty and yes, spirituality of Irish music is a powerful, yet extremely pure, surprisingly complex in composition pure ancient form of music.
The songs from Wild Frontier and Blood of Emeralds have great personal meaning to me, yet Still Got The Blues, is my wifes favorite era of Gary’s music, she loves the blues ballads and Gary’s emotive singing.
It’s not over for Gary with that chapter of Gary’s life, I knew it wasn’t. The majority of After The War, was I feel dictated as Gary has told, by the record company and his management at the time.
I am not a huge Graham Lilley fan, it must be said, now I’ve said it.. , for various reasons, but Gary has been attacked here in the States, not to go off topic again in this thread, but I have come under great personal attacks as a swell headed fanboy..
The ‘controversy over the Stripe guitar, seemingly precluding Gary from ever darkening the US shores again.
Whatever people may say, and I am ashamed of many of my fellow Americans for the particularly nasty threads in for example The Les Paul Forum, ect.
Gary will rise above this and he still only ever shows some of his arsenal, Gary keeps so much in reserve for someone who allegedly ‘overplays’ on a regular basis. I have established it is pure jealousy on these individuals behalf.
Gary has mastered many, many forms of guitar music. For me the Celtic rock period was the zenith of Gary’s rock based, high amplification, Floyd Rose Tremelo based guitar playing. After going the LP/Blues route, the Monstrosities of Rock DVD, still makes me cringe, Gary has the wrong, hostile audience and we know how that makes him react.. and when he plays the WF songs on a fixed bridge guitar, I mean “Out In The Fields”, it was hard for him even, as he admitted in the extra commentary, to nail the solos as he had done in 1987.
We are talking about a guitar proficiency that for me hasn’t been matched, still to this day, yet Gary was so quick to dismiss his ‘rock’ era, ect. True he played with every blues established master and there were plans afoot through Albert King for Gary to play with the great SRV, but we all know what happened there.
I went through a period of being somewhat anti-Gary, being frustrated with how his career was progressing, knowing his capabilities, yes Gary has always shot himself in the foot throughout his career, but thank God has never been politically correct. What he is is a naturally gifted musician/guitarist/singer and writer and that will never fade away.
His various tributes to Phil Lynott are amongst the most heartfelt pieces of music I have ever heard…

Dave

Wishing all the world a blessed Christmas and may you all prosper this new year!

admin — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 00:54:37 +0000

Thanks to all who are loyal readers, sincerely I appreciate your visiting my modest web blog.

PLEASE LEAVE ME A COMMENT/SUGGESTION IF YOU WOULD!!!

I get a lot of foreign spam type mail comments, or spambots, stuff like Viagra, or various pharmaceuticals, occasionally I get a related comment..!!

I have been busy on various projects that I can’t just publish here, but will have links, ect., in the future, I have been busy with my conventional job, ect.

Although I have be forced financially to work a ridiculous amount of hours, such as 6 12 hour shifts in a row ending the day past Christmas, this has been the best Christmas I can remember as my wife has been happy and enjoying the holiday, not having the seasonal affective disorder she normally suffers from at this time of year and the birth celebration of my Lord Jesus Christ has always been my favorite ‘holiday’, since a young boy and even before I knew the Lord. I am a born again Christian since 2001 and this has been the main impetus in the continuation and success, if you will, of my life

Whatever your religious beliefs or if you don’t have any, that’s all good, but I want to share my joy of life with all who read my blog.

I am not a My Space-Facebook type of person really, I do have a My Space page, but hardly use it.

So quickly remember to cherish your loved ones and remember that there is a purpose to life, not just to obtain possessions and to live a careless lifestyle, there is no ultimate satisfaction in that.

To the various internet ‘haters’ that I seem to occasionally attract on the Internet forums, usually related to Gary Moore, ect. , I say to you I pray that you will find a better use for your energy than negativity.

And to all a good night!

Love

Dave

Tommy Bolin has it really been 33 years since your passing?

admin — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 23:41:18 +0000

It has been 33 years ago today that Tommy Bolin left this earth on a Miami hotel room..in some ways it feels like so long ago and in another sense it doesn’t seem that long ago at all.
There is a good chance the newer generations aren’t familiar with Tommy’s work.
Born is Sioux City, Iowa, August 1, 1951, Tommy was influenced by Elvis, the Beach Boys and the Beatles, the many jazz artists such as Django Reinhart, Wes Montgomery and blues artists like Albert King, whom his band Energy backed on many occasions.
Tommy moved to Colorado to find success in the music business, quickly making a name for himself, with his flair for the ability to play so many different styles and crossover seamlessly between them.
The band Zephyr with lead singer Candy Givens, was Tommy’s first successful band, though he yearned to express himself as a musician in a greater role.
Upon the advice of his band mate in Energy, flautist Jeremy Steig, Tommy moved to New York City to seek further development of an already bright career. He met keyboardist Jan Hammer and drummer Billy Cobham and soon was asked to contribute to Billy’s groundbreaking first solo album “Spectrum”.
Though unable to read music, he was encouraged to be the guitarist, replacing a guitarist of the quality of John McLaughlin, whom Cobham and Hammer had just played with and was a huge influence on Tommy.
With the chords written out, Tommy in two days made one of the most astounding contributions to the new genre of jazz-rock fusion, virtually setting the bar so high, it has practically never been surpassed.
Particularly the track “Quadrant Four”, Tommy took what was based on a 12 bar blues, but played up-tempo, at 212, and just ran with it.
His brilliant juxtaposition of Echoplex EP-3 and sustained notes, supplying an excitement and energy of a rock performance, to the playing of these jazz legends, mixing in pentatonic licks, Chuck Berry style double stops, and all the time intertwining with the fluid keyboard dynamics of Jan Hammer.
In fact later on, many couldn’t tell when the guitar or keyboard started or stopped! Tommy ends with some incredible wah pedal techniques.
This particular track got the attention of people like Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page and Joe Walsh and practically every guitarist at the time.
Jeff’s “Blow By Blow” and “Wired”, were directly influenced by Becks own admission, by the spark delivered by this young player from Iowa.
Upon the recommendation of Joe Walsh, Tommy was picked to fill his shoes in The James Gang. in 1973.
Tommy supplied the majority of the material for their first album Bang, in fact Tommy’s head was superimposed on the body of the previous guitarist in the cover photo, which had already been shot!
Tommy stayed with the Gang through 1974, completing one more album for them, the ominously titled Miami complete with its all black cover.
Tommy had started contributing lead vocals by this time and his voice was warm and emotive, adding yet another strong dimension, to the force to be reckoned with, the triple threat, songwriter, vocalist and killer guitarist.
The songs “Alexis” and “Spanish Lover”, were two showcases for Tommy’s new found vocal confidence.
In December 1974 he played on sessions for the drummer of Weather Report drummer Alphonse Mouzon, for the LP “Mind Transplant”, “Golden Rainbows” and “Nitroglycerin” being the two outstanding tracks, with Tommy using his trademark Echoplex fills, with the addition of Tommy’s brilliant slide guitar playing.
During negotiations for Tommy’s first solo project, which would end up being the incomparable “Teaser”, in April 1975, Ritchie Blackmore had left Deep Purple MK III. At the insistence of vocalist David Coverdale, Tommy who lived close by Coverdale, was brought in for an amazing audition, where the seasoned players of Deep Purple, Ian Paice and John Lord, were stunned by Tommy’s energy and endless ideas for songs, right during the rehearsals.
Then it was off to Musicland Studios in Germany for the August recording of the debut album and only album of the MK IV lineup “Come Taste The Band”.
Then Tommy was at Trident studios in London mixing “Teaser”.
The Deep Purple experience started out brilliantly, the first few gigs containing versions of the album tunes, that were in many cases, superior to the recorded versions. As the various legs of the tour developed, the cries for Blackmore and the outright hostility of the DP fans, particularly in the UK, caused Coverdale to resign after the Liverpool show, effectively bringing the sluggish behemoth that Purple had become, down to the ground, with a kill shot.
After the disbanding in the summer of 1976, Tommy started his favorite band according to the liner notes for the different sounding second solo album “Private Eyes”.
Tommy came to Miami three days before his first gig of an exciting tour as support to the Jeff Beck Group, featuring Jan Hammer and Fernando Saunders.
There continues to be much speculation about what happened after the show at the Jai Alai Auditorium on December 3rd, but Tommy had a great show and was on stage with Jeff Beck, probably one of the highlights of Tommy’s life.
Sadly there weren’t many hours left for Tommy to live, I have heard all the versions of those who were there and still the only true fact is that everyone in his band/crew abandoned his body at the motel, leaving the police to find his body in suspicious circumstances.Tommy was only 25 years old.
That Tommy had severe issues with alcohol and laterally drugs, was common knowledge to all those in his circle, yet even with a ‘bodyguard’ appointed by his management, the inevitable happened.
I have recently been re-researching Tommy’s music and career and have been even more acutely aware of the tragedy that need not have happened.
Such a trailblazer, one who played on the musical edge, like his hero Jimi Hendrix, Tommy clearly worked without a net and created music that will live on indefinitely. He had such a great sense of rhythm and melody and a unique style of guitar playing that has not been equaled in my opinion.
God Bless you Tommy, play on brother…

Dave 12/4/09