Guitar – History of Sorts

Epic Rock Episode 32: Big Bad Moon—Joe Satriani

“Big Bad Moon” is a classic track by the virtuoso guitarist Joe Satriani. It’s known for its energetic rhythm, catchy melody, and of course, Satriani’s signature guitar wizardry. The song showcases his incredible talent for blending rock, blues, and a touch of psychedelia into a captivating instrumental piece. Satriani’s ability to create such dynamic and memorable guitar compositions has earned him a well-deserved reputation as one of the greatest guitarists of his generation.

“When the night falls, the big moon’s gonna rise
You can look right up, see it in the sky
Makes me feel like I’m going to blow a fuse
I start to shiver and shake with a strange kind of blues
…But I like it

I see it now the moon is high above
It’s got a hold on me, I just can’t get enough
Big, round, black and white, I feel the pull, I see the light
Big bad moon’s looking down on me tonight
…But I like it

When the moon comes, got nowhere to hide
It can turn your head around like it turns the tide
Man, woman, boy, child. Makes you feel like you were born wild
The big bad moon’s looking down on me tonight
…But I like it
…I like it

Talkin’ ’bout big bad moon
Ooh yeah big bad moon
Talkin’ ’bout big bad moon
Ooh yeah…

Source:

Musixmatch
Songwriters: Joe Satriani
Big Bad Moon lyrics © Strange Beautiful Music

ROCKTOBER Episode 6:Eruption-Van Halen

I think it is safe to say that Eddie van Halen changed the concept of a guitar solo forever, when he first played “Eruption”. Not only guitar solos, rock guitar in general.

Eruption” solo popularized the tapping style of guitar playing, and in doing so revolutionized the sound of rock. Not bad for a tune that wasn’t even meant to be released

Initially, “Eruption” was not considered as a track for the Van Halen debut album as it was just a guitar solo Eddie performed live in the clubs. But Ted Templeman overheard it in the studio as Eddie was rehearsing it for a club date at the Whisky a Go Go and decided to include it on the album. Eddie recalled, “I didn’t even play it right. There’s a mistake at the top end of it. To this day, whenever I hear it, I always think, ‘Man, I could’ve played it better.'”

In just one minute and 42 seconds, Van Halen changed what a guitar solo could do. His revolutionary two-handed tapping technique produced sounds unlike what fans had ever heard before.

source

https://ultimateclassicrock.com/van-halen-eruption/

Happy Birthday Gary Moore

Robert William Gary Moore was born in Belfast on 4 April 1952,the son of Winnie, a housewife, and Robert Moore, a promoter who ran the Queen’s Hall ballroom in Hollywood. He grew up near Belfast’s Stormont Estate with four siblings.

He credited his father for getting him started in music. When Moore was six years old, his father invited him onstage to sing “Sugartime” with a showband at an event he had organised, which first sparked his interest in music. His father bought him his first guitar, a second-hand Framus acoustic, when Moore was 10 years old. Though left-handed, he learned to play the instrument right-handed. Not long after, he formed his first band, The Beat Boys, who mainly performed Beatles songs. He later joined Platform Three and The Method, amongst others. Around this time, he befriended guitarist Rory Gallagher, who often performed at the same venues as him. He left Belfast for Dublin in 1968 just as The Troubles were starting in Northern Ireland. A year later, his parents separated.

After moving to Dublin, Moore joined Irish blues rock band Skid Row. At the time, the group were fronted by vocalist Phil Lynott. He and Moore soon became friends, and they shared a bedsit in Ballsbridge.

After leaving Skid Row, Phil Lynott formed the hard rock group Thin Lizzy. After the departure of guitarist Eric Bell, Moore was recruited to help finish the band’s ongoing tour in early 1974. During his time with the group, Moore recorded three songs with them, including “Still in Love with You”

After Thin Lizzy, Gary Moore had a successful solo career. He is one of my all time guitar heroes. Unfortunately I never got to see him live, he died on 6 February 2011. I did get to see his brother Cliff Moore perform live in our local pub. In 1994.

Happy Birthday Eric Clapton

There are guitarist: amateur, professional, hobbyists, virtuoso and there is Eric Clapton. To me and many others the undisputed best guitarist ever. I don’t even mention him in my top 10list because he basically is a league on his own.

Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE (born 30 March 1945) is an English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist and separately as a member of the Yardbirds and of Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and influential guitarists of all time.

Eric Clapton was born on 30 March 1945 in Ripley, Surrey, England, to 16-year-old Patricia Molly Clapton (7 January 1929 – March 1999) and Edward Walter Fryer (21 March 1920 – 15 May 1985), a 25-year-old soldier from Montreal, Quebec.

After a brief encounter between 16-year-old Patricia Clapton and Edward Walter Fryer ,a 24-year-old Canadian soldier stationed in England during Second World War, Eric Clapton was born and then raised by his grandparents in Ripley, a village outside London.

Edward returned to Canada after the war and never knew of his famous son in his lifetime. Music was very much a part of his whole adult life, playing piano and singing in pubs at the time he met Eric’s mother in England. It was said he had a sound like Nat King Cole. Eric Clapton got an acoustic Hoyer guitar, made in Germany, for his thirteenth birthday, and musical history was made.

Elvis, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eddie van Halen and Jim Croce all influenced my musical taste in one way or another but it was Eric Clapton who defined it.

Celebrating his birthday with some of his music.

For my mum

On 20 March 1991, Clapton’s four-year-old son, Conor, died after falling from the 53rd-floor window of his mother’s friend’s New York City apartment at 117 East 57th Street. Conor’s funeral took place on 28 March at St Mary Magdalene’s Church in Clapton’s home village in Ripley, Surrey. This tragedy inspired Eric Clapton to write the song Tears in Heaven, which he co wrote with Will Jennings.

He even sounds great on a mash up of Billie Jean.

Guitar Music -Part 2

I figured whilst most of the planet is in some sort of Covid Lockdown or restriction, rather then only reading heavy historical blogs(which still is very important) I thought it to be nice to lighten the load a bit with some nice guitar music, Just a random choice of great guitarists from across the globe.

Jan Akkerman-Trojan Horse

Django Reinhardt: -Minor Swing

Vinnie Moore – Mind’s Eye

The Jeff Healey Band – All Along the Watchtower

The Michael Schenker Group – Armed and Ready

George Benson-Breezin

Mark Knopfler-Going Home-Wild Theme- from “Local Hero “

Guitar Music

A slight diversion from my heavy historical posts (which are still very important) I thought it to be nice to lighten the load a bit with some nice guitar music, Just a random choice of great guitarists from across the globe

Harry Sacksioni – Thee Bij Tante Josephine