Bass Porn : My Bass Lute/Sitar

Though I have no formal training, my brother was once a pretty good luthier. He was schooled in Phoenix, and actually built some lovely instruments before addiction got the better of him. I have to say, I learned a great deal from him, and it has been invaluable to me.

If put to the task, I could probably build a guitar or bass myself, given lots of time, a bit of experimentation, and the proper tools. My brother taught me a bit about everything but the wiring thereof. This is something I have since found out was not his strong suit to begin with, so I am rather glad he didn't try to educate me about it. I have since taught myself to patch bad cables when needed, but beyond that, I am electronically clueless.

The project I hope to finish one day, however, does not require wiring, so I should eventually be able to bring it to fruition. What I am endeavoring to create is a Bass Lute, or Sitar. It will probably have elements of both. All that is really holding me back on this project is finding an enormous gourd for the back of the body, and a sturdy piece of bamboo with a rather large diameter.

The front of the body is already more or less complete. I carved it from an old acoustic top with "F" holes, and hand painted it. It started as a simple lute, or "teardrop" shape, but I have since carved it into the shape of a skull, and it hangs in my work room as a decoration at the moment. I even used it as an ornamental piece one year at Kersey Valley Spookywoods, the haunted house where I work.

Also found at http://fullofknowledge.com/2013/07/bass-porn-my-bass-lutesitar/

Kobra and the Lotus

I'm really digging this band right now. I had heard a bit of their earlier stuff, and I really liked it, but I believe Kobra Paige's voice has gotten even stronger. Their self titled debut is a "must hear".  

Once again (probably as usual), I am likely to incur the wrath of some of my fellow metal heads,but I suppose that is inevitable, one way or the other. It is; after all, my blog, which means my opinions reside herein, so...here goes.

Personally. I tire of all metal having a repetitive vocal style. I refer to two styles in particular. One of these is the seemingly constant need to either scream or growl. Now, I don't mind hearing a bit of it, my own vocal style can be a bit caustic at times, but does it have to be so redundantly present? Can you at least show me that you can sing, like say, Opeth, for example?

The second of these I liked initially, but now it is getting a bit "cliche" in both metal and goth rock. I am referring to operatic vocals. I like them, they are great, but does every goth or metal band with a female lead have to sound like either Nightwish or Reliquary?

Enter Kobra and the Lotus. I really like these guys. They are a breath of fresh air. Some might argue that they are reminiscent of 80's metal bands like Iron Maiden (personally, I hear Helloween), and maybe that is one reason I am growing so fond of them. I do miss 80's metal, I suppose. I don't miss the "hair metal" crap, but I do miss the true metal of the 80's. I do hear a lot of that in this band, but there is also a fresh sound in there I haven't quite been able to pinpoint as yet.

One thing I know I really love is Kobra Paige's vocals. She mingles some of the operatic elements (being classically trained from what I hear), but is careful not to over do it. She also adds a bit of the metal "raunchiness", but doesn't do that to the extreme either. It is all very balanced. 

My kids tell me I just like her because she sounds like me (or like I used to, at any rate), and THAT I can only take as a complement. They weren't even being sarcastic or trying to insult me this time, either. At any rate, Kobra and the Lotus are a good solid metal band. The musicianship is impeccable, and they are lead by a true "metal goddess". 

Check them out for yourselves : 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEpzKdQ1e2U

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/kobra-and-the-lotus/id632705399?ign-mpt=uo%3D4

http://www.kobraandthelotus.com/

Also published on FullofKnowledge : http://fullofknowledge.com/2013/08/kobra-and-the-lotus/

Been Busy!

Sorry to have not posted much lately. I have been very busy. Spookywoods rehearsals are upon me. The majority of my time; however, has been spent on this...

http://fullofknowledge.com/2013/07/the-seven-tablets-of-destiny-part-1/

I just completed Part 6, but the links to all are in the one above.
Anyone interested in Ancient Aliens, or Ancient civilizations in general should check it out.
It is historical fiction, and I fully intend to be the "Dan Brown" of Ancient Astronaut theories!

Songwriting on Bass

Working on some new songs with a friend who writes great poetry that I think will make great songs has me thinking back to something my brother used to tell me back in our "power trio" days. He always argued, when I came up with song riffs without his valuable assistance, that you could not write music on bass. I say you can. Perhaps I will show you all just how that works for me in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, some feedback from my fellow bassists and musicians, please? Do any of you write your music on your bass, or do you switch to guitar to do so, as my brother says is so necessary? Personally, I always thought my brother said that simply because he wanted to be the one to write all the music, as I usually had the lyrics covered.

Insult "Fail"

When I was in my 30's, and still sung and played bass more actively in local bands, I used to sing about the house a lot while doing housework. One day, while washing the dishes, I was singing along with the heavily cracked stereo as usual. I remember a few of the bands, even, Judas Priest, Korn, Disturbed, Sound Garden, Dio, and the like.

My oldest daughter, who was about 13 at the time, came in from school and was greeted by this joyous cacophony. Though her tastes have changed dramatically since then, at the time she was into the Spice Girls, the Backstreet Boys, etc. Apparently, having such a lovely voice herself (she really does, and is studying to be an opera singer at present), my loud rustic vibrato tones did not please her.

After being told I needed to stop, she then attempted to insult me.
"You only THINK you can sing, because you sound just like all those GUYS you are trying to copy!" she ranted.
"Why, thank you, sweetie, that's the nicest thing you've said to your old mom in a long time!" was my heartfelt reply. At 13, it truly was the nicest thing out of her mouth for sometime.

A few days later, I was listening to The Cult while writing at the computer. My daughter, who was sitting nearby doing homework, and quite obviously disturbed by this, grabbed her things, and proceeded towards her room. Before exiting our living room, she vainly attempt once again to hurl the most ferocious insult she could manage at me.
"You know, if you WERE a dude, you'd sound JUST LIKE that guy!" she exclaimed with a look of obvious disgust.
"Oh, Lita, that is the best compliment EVER! Thank you!" was my excited reply, which sent her storming out of the room as I tried to attack her with a big appreciative hug.

Nowadays, my daughter is a huge fan of Ian Astbury and The Cult herself. I wonder if she still thinks I sound like him.

Also Published on FullofKnowledge : http://fullofknowledge.com/2013/07/insult-fail/

Geezer Fan

Geezer Butler is the main reason I play bass. Although I didn't actually learn bass until I was in my late 20's, I have been singing and writing songs since I was 12, and I have always followed the bass in songs. I don't know why, the low resonance just moves me. No one plays bass like Geezer! His runs have influenced many other great bassists, as well. One of my favorite sayings is (and please don't take this one the wrong way, guys), "Geezer's great, Geezer's good, worship Geezer...like you should". 

He has also been a big influence on me lyrically. Not a lot of people knew this back in the day, but even Ozzy admits that Geezer writes almost all of Black Sabbath's lyrics. I think he has a very interesting style, with the turn of a phrase, as well as the crank of a bass. 

The new Black Sabbath album, 13,  is great, because they went back to recording old school, like they did way back in 1970 when I first heard them. It is just raw live Sabbath...no studio overdubs. This is how  I have always recorded my music! There is an emotional impact recording live has that no studio dubbed recording can match!

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia Commons :
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/40/Heaven_And_Hell_09.jpg

By Shadowgate (Flickr: Heaven And Hell 09) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons .

Modified and edited from an article originally published on Bubblews, June 11th, 2013.

My First Bass

This bass is essential trash now...due to the neck bowing. It was originally 3 pieces of wood and some splinters that my brother reassembled and made a new neck for. I was so impressed, I bought it from him, and learned to play bass! That was almost 20 years ago. I keep it for sentimental reasons, and because it has the SWEETEST sounding pick ups, which my brother hand wound using a gadget he made from one of my mom's old sewing machines! I hope to one day put these little babies in another instrument! 

Unleashed in the East - "Event Horizon", Music from Guitar Virtuoso Jeff Swanson

No, this is not a review of the classic 1979 Judas Priest live album. If it were, I could simply say, best live album EVER. I am quite sure the talent guitarist at the center of this review could play the entire album for you, though, if he chose to. He could probably play both Glenn and K.K.'s parts simultaneously if he so desired.

I have been aware of the genius of this man for quite sometime. He is an excellent guitar teacher. After you listen to the original tunes that I just heard, you may wish to go visit his website at http://jeffswanson.com/ for a quick lesson. According to his students, he offers a very unique and engaging  approach to learning guitar. One which seems to somehow combine their own passions to keep learning more interesting. 

Jeff Swanson, to my knowledge has been playing guitar since his early teens, and his years of obvious hard work have now culminated in a recently released 5-track CD available at CDBaby.com for the mere pittance of $4.95 per download. Jeff has just announced that is now available through XBox Music, as well. It was this announcement that brought this music delightfully to my attention. 

From the very first track of "Event Horizon", Jeff's influences are quite apparent. Personally, I hear "Gates of Babylon" era Ritchie Blackmore on opening title track, but though these influences be readily heard, there is an air of  brilliant originality in Mr. Swanson's style and songwriting ability that gives his work a very fresh "feel". 

There is no lack of diversity in his songs, either. This is something I personally love, variety from one track to the next, and the ability to span a wide range of musical genres within one is a big draw for me as a music fan. This CD certainly delivers on that. 

A favorite track of mine so far would be "Fear" because it delivers the chunky in your face metal of which I am so fond. Then, there is a beautiful ballad, "Wendy Lee". I would love to hear a rendition of this one with vocals. I mentioned to Jeff that this is the only point on which I find his music lacking. Perhaps it is the singer within me who craves this; however, for the music stands very well on it's own as instrumental rock. The more I listen, the more I feel the lack of vocals actually gives it a "mood" that I really enjoy. 

The 4th track, "Ever After" brings us full circle back to straight forward rock and roll. The CD then ends (rather soon, in my opinion...I'd like to hear more, please, Jeff) with a soft and soothing track called "Twilight". The pervading words when I hear this song are "lilting refrain", simple as that. 

If you enjoy instrumental rock and phenomenal guitar virtuosity, you should really give Jeff Swanson's "Event Horizon" a listen. 
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/jeffswanson1

If you are ever in  the Southeast, you may want to look him up for a lesson or two. He lives right here, in Greensboro, North Carolina. 
 http://jeffswanson.com/ 

Photos Courtesy of Jeff Swanson, 2013.