Stevie Ray Vaughan

When I think of the blues 3 names come to mind, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Stephen Ray Vaughan was born October 3, 1954, in Dallas, Texas. He was born and raised in Dallas, and for a short period of time lived in Graham, Texas. As the younger brother of Jimmie Vaughan, Vaughan started playing the guitar at age seven and formed several bands that occasionally performed in local nightclubs. When he was 17, he dropped out of high school and moved to Austin to further pursue his musical career, playing in many groups such as Krackerjack, the Nightcrawlers, and the Cobras. Then In 1977, he formed Triple Threat Revue, a band that eventually evolved into Double Trouble and regularly performed around Austin.

In 1982 they had their big break at the  Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, where they were noticed by David Bowie and Jackson Browne. Bowie came forward and asked if Vaughan would play on his new album "Let's Dance" and Browne offered the band free use of his personal studio in Los Angeles to record an album. In '83 Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble signed with Epic Records and released their debut album, "Texas Flood" in June of that year. After some Successful touring Stevie and Double Trouble released "Couldn't Stand the Weather" in 1984 and "Soul to Soul" in '85, the latter of which featured new keyboardist Reese Wynans. Even though he ad built up a strong career Stevie Ray Vaughan checked himself into a rehabilitation hospital for cocaine and alcohol addiction. In June 1989, "In Step" was released and earned them a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Performance.

 On August 27, 1990, Vaughan was killed in a helicopter crash following a performance in East Troy, Wisconsin. After his Death, "Family Style" was Released. It was a collection of studio recording he did with his Brother Jimmie Vaughan.

Rock Video of the Week #3

Song: Bohemian Rhapsody
Artist: Queen
Album: A Night at the Opera

This song still leaves me speechless. The greatest singer in rock history, at his very best. Queen is one of the most famous bands in rock history for their iconic and groundbreaking songs. Freddie Mercury was not only a Trained Opera singer, but a complete visionary. He changed the world with music. bravo Freddie, we all miss you, and bravo Queen for giving us such beautiful music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ9rUzIMcZQ

Pete Townshend

The Who, one of rock's greatest bands. the guitarist for which was one, Pete Townshend. Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend was born May 19th, 1945 in London, England, into an extremely musical family. His first guitar was a "Cheap Spanish Thing" given to him by his grandmother at the age of 12.

 In 1961, Townshend enrolled at Ealing Art College, with the intention to become a graphic artist and a year later, he and his school friend from Acton County Grammar School John Entwistle founded their first band, The Confederates, a Dixieland duet featuring Townshend on banjo and Entwistle on horns. From this beginning they moved on to The Detours, a skiffle/rock and roll band fronted by Roger Daltrey, another former schoolmate. With the encouragement and assistance of his old classmate Entwistle, Daltrey invited Townshend to join as well.  In early 1964, because another band had the same name, The Detours renamed themselves The Who. Drummer Doug Sandom was replaced by Keith Moon not long afterwards. The band (now comprising Daltrey on lead vocals and harmonica, Townshend on guitar, Entwistle on bass guitar and French horn, and Moon on drums) were soon taken on by a mod publicist named Peter Meaden who convinced them to change their name to The High Numbers to give the band more of a mod feel. After bringing out one failed single ("I'm the Face/Zoot Suit"), they dropped Meaden and were signed on by two new managers, Chris Stamp and Kit Lambert, who had paired up with the intention of finding new talent and creating a documentary about them. The band anguished over a name that all felt represented the band best, and dropped The High Numbers name, reverting to The Who.

After The High Numbers once again became The Who, Townshend wrote several successful singles for the band, including "I Can't Explain", "Pictures of Lily", "Substitute", and "My Generation". Townshend became known for his eccentric stage style during the band's early days, often interrupting concerts with lengthy introductions of songs. He developed a signature move in which he would swing his right arm against the guitar strings in a style reminiscent of the vanes of a windmill. He became one of the first musicians known for smashing guitars on stage and would repeatedly throw them into his amplifiers and speaker cabinets. The first incident of guitar-smashing happened when Townshend accidentally broke the neck of his guitar on the low ceiling of an early concert venue at the Railway Tavern in Harrow. The stage, only about a foot high, nevertheless brought the ceiling to within 7 feet. After smashing the instrument to pieces, he carried on by grabbing another guitar and acting as if the broken guitar had been part of the act. Drummer Keith Moon was delighted; he loved attention and destruction on any level, and smashed his drum kit as well.

After the deaths of Keith Moon, and John Entwistle The Who have had a number of break-ups and reunion tours, they are currently touring the west coast.

 Townshend currently lives with his long-time girlfriend, musician Rachel Fuller, in The Wick, Richmond, England. He is still to this day one of the greatest guitarists alive, A Living Legend.

Rock Video of the Week #2

Song: Dazed and Confused
Artist: Led Zeppelin
Album: The Song Remains the Same (DVD)

One of the greatest solos in rock history. Not only is it Jimmy Page, one of the all-time greats, but it's his feature solo from their live performance at Madison Square Garden. With bow in hand he gives one of the most innovative and technically creative musical performances in rock history. At 28 minutes 57 seconds, it is definitely one of the longest single-songs done live, ever. Certainly in this music junkie's opinion, worth every minute of the jaw-dropping, awe-inspiring video. Definitely worth watching.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQgYn23Xvck

Slash

Its 80 degrees and the spotlights illuminate the room, it may be 9:00pm at night, but out he walks onto the stage guitar in hand, top hat and glasses at the ready. Of course I'm talking about Slash.

Saul Hudson, was born in Hampstead, London, and lived in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. At the age of 5 his parents started to go through a separation and he moved to live with his mother in L.A. As a child, Saul was always getting in trouble, always running around everywhere getting in trouble. He got the name "Slash" from a family friend. His only vice for keeping out of trouble, was his BMX bike. He didn't start playing the guitar until he was a teenager and his friend, Steven Adler, convinced him to take up the guitar. And so, with a two stringed flamenco guitar given to him by his grandmother, Slash started taking lessons.

In 1985, previous bandmate Axl Rose, asked Slash to be the lead guitarist for his new band, Guns N' Roses. Along with Izzy Stradlin (Guitar, vocals), Duff McKagan (Bass, Vocals), and Steven Adler (Drums) Guns N' Roses debuted their first hit album Appetite for Destruction on July 21st 1987. Featuring the hit single "Sweet Child O' Mine". After his departure from Gn'R in '96, Slash went on to work on his own project, Slash's Snakepit but it only lasted until 2002 after which Slash disbanded. Then Slash joined up with former bandmates Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum, they formed, "Rock's new Supergroup", Velvet Revolver. Featuring Dave Kushner (guitar) and Scott Weiland (Vocals).
The group had multiple hit songs but in 2007, Weiland announced to the audience at a show that the group would be disbanding but only he left, the group is still on hiatus. But in 2010 Slash bounced back with  the release of his first solo album titled "Slash (R&Fn'R)" and he went on tour with one of the many artists on his album. Spokane's own Myles Kennedy. In 2012 He Released his second solo album "Apocalyptic Love" featuring his band Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators.

Slash currently lives with his wife Perla Hudson and his two sons London and Cash in California.

Eric Clapton

Eric Patrick Clapton was born on March 30th, 1945 at his grandparents home in Surrey, England. His mother was only 16 when she had him, so his grandparents took over as surrogates.

In 1958 Rock n' Roll EXPLODED into the mainstream, young Eric asked for a guitar for his 13th birthday, Finding the inexpensive German-made Hoyer difficult to play - it had steel strings - he put it aside. Two years later he picked it up again and began playing non-stop, so much so he got kicked out of school for failing every class. In 1962 he bought a Gibson ES-335, and in '63 he joined his first band, The Roosters. In October 1963, Keith Relf and Paul Samwell-Smith recruited him to become a member of The Yardbirds because Clapton was the most talked about guitar player on the R&B pub circuit. When The Yardbirds began moving towards a more commercial sound with “For Your Love”, he quit. His path in music was the blues. In July 1966, Eric teamed up with Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker to form Cream. Clapton was unique because he did not simply replicate the blues riffs he heard on records. He incorporated the emotion of the original performances into his own style of playing, thus expanding the vocabulary of blues guitar. Due to the massive egos of the members of the band cream broke up in 1968.

In the many years since then Eric has been in many bands and now plays solo, He is married and now lives happily with his wife and 3 daughters.

Rock Video of the Week #1

Song: Sweet Child O' Mine
Artist: Guns N' Roses
Album: Appetite for Destruction

Definitely one of the most iconic songs in rock history done by one of my favorite guitarists. Sweet Child O' Mine is a song that people know, just from the first few notes, It all started out when lead guitarist for GN'R, Slash, was messing around and playing around. Rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin liked it and asked him to play it again, so began what would turn out to be one of the greatest rock ballads in history.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1w7OgIMMRc4

Jimmy Page

Jimmy Page, the guitarist from what is considered by most to be the greatest rock band ever. Led Zeppelin. What drove him  to be such an amazing guitar player? and how did he discover Zeppelin?

James Patrick Page was born January 9th, 1944 in Heston a western suburb in London. in 1952 they moved to Feltham then to Miles Road, Epsom in Surrey. It was there Page got his first guitar, it was sitting in the living room of the new house. He started playing at the age of 8 and dropped out of school to pursue his music at the age of 16. He started playing with a band called The Yardbirds in 1966 with Jeff Beck (guitar), John Paul Jones (Bass), Keith Moon (Drums) and Nicky Hopkins (Keyboard). The all in all experience from the group gave Page an idea, one that would change rock forever. A supergroup, featuring Himself, Jeff Beck and The Who's John Entwistle and Keith Moon. However, the lack of a quality vocalist and contractual problems prevented the project from getting off the ground. During this time Entwistle commented that the proceedings would take to the air like a lead balloon. Giving Page the name, "Led Zeppelin".

After many line-up changes The Yardbirds dispersed and Page pursued his supergroup with a different cast of characters, John Paul Jones (Bass), Robert Plant (Vocals), and John Bonham (Drums) and in 1970 Led Zeppelin was born.

Page has always favored his Les Pauls and he currently resides in his castle in Sonning, Berkshire.

Angus Young

Angus McKinnon Young is one of the most revered guitarists alive, the Scottish-born Aussie rock guitarist was born in Glasgow, Scotland March 31, 1955. Being the youngest of 8 children he was always getting himself into trouble, his only vice, was playing the guitar.

When he first started playing he used banjos re-strung with six strings, but after dropping out of school and moving to Sydney Australia, he finally bought his first guitar from a second-hand shop down the street from his house, it was, The '67 Gibson SG. He played that guitar until it became warped and eventually unusable. He prefers SGs more than any other guitar.

In 1973 Angus formed AC/DC with bandmates Mark Sneddon (vocals-guitar), Jon Stevens (bass), Trevor James (drums), and his older brother Malcolm Young (lead vocals). They later re-recorded with Bon Scott and AC/DC was born. On 19 February 1980, Scott passed out in the car on the way back to friend Alistair Kinnear's house after a night of heavy drinking at the Music Machine club in London. After that, the group considered quitting, but after some heavy convincing from Scott's parents, they decided that Bon Scott would have wanted them to carry on. With new singer Brian Johnson, they released Back In Black, the sixth-highest selling album in the US to date.

Young prefers to keep his life private. He and his wife Ellen live in Kangaroo Point in the Sutherland Shire, in Sydney, and also own a home in Aalten, Netherlands where his wife is from.

Jimi Hendrix

Born Johnny Allen Hendrix on November 27th 1942, Jimi Hendrix is considered by most to be the greatest rock guitarist to ever live. Some even consider him the greatest period. But why?

Jimi Hendrix was born 10:15 am at Seattle's King County Hospital. As a boy he was fascinated with music, and he loved the guitar. One of the most amazing aspects of Jimi was that, he never learned to read or write music. It was this that drove him harder to be a better guitarist. something even more unusual about him was his guitar, He played a 1963 white Fender as well as a black one, both right-handed guitars, stringed for a lefty. In 1966 after service in the military Jimi decided it was time to step up from playing as a backing guitarist to lead guitarist, he formed the band the Jimi Hendrix Experience with drummer Mitch Mitchell and bassist Noel Redding.

Some of Hendrix's most famous appearances were his performance at Woodstock and his unforgettable performance at the Monterey International Pop Festival where he lit his Strat on fire.

Jimi Hendrix died unexpectedly on September 18, 1970 from asphyxia. He was only 27.