German Rock Icons Scorpions Retiring For Good!

After rocking the world like a hurricane for a staggering 45 years, German rock legends Scorpions have finally decided to call it quits. That is, after they complete their tour to support their upcoming album release "Sting In The Tail".

The band is currently recording their 17th studio album in Hanover, Germany, and is set to be released in an undisclosed date early this year.

The band went through several ups and downs after being in the music industry ever since founding rhythm/lead guitarist Rudolf Schenker started the band in 1965. Being in a group for THAT long is a minority in this business where it isn't common to see bands immediately go separate ways after only a few years.

What surprises me is that while a lot of their contemporaries continue to rock out (Aerosmith) or form reunion tours (Van Halen), the Scorpions goes completely the opposite direction with this move. They won’t be having problems financially, as the band has amazingly sold over 75 million albums worldwide!

I hope the group would make their final album a memorable one. In retrospect, I do feel a bit disheartened that the creators of music I listened to when I was growing up will throw in the towel finally. In the end though, after dishing out rock hit after another for more than four decades, the rock icons deserve this break.

Photo source: Wikipedia.org

Aerosmith Set To Replace Steven Tyler?

When I read the news about Aerosmith holding auditions to find a replacement for longtime vocalist Steven Tyler, I was both saddened and relieved at the same time.

The feeling of relief came after the realization that Joe Perry and the gang are still quite serious in continuing to dish out rock n' roll madness, as what they've been doing for the past 4 decades. However, this situation can only be added to the number of recognizable rock bands that replaced their prominent vocalists. It's a hit and miss kind of scenario.

I was saddened by the fact that, Steven Tyler might not be able to recover from this current setback, although I'm still rooting for him to do so.

The only band that I thought really successfully made this transition is AC/DC.

After the venerable Bon Scott passed away and left the Aussie rock juggernaut temporarily reeling from the loss, replacement Brian Johnson came and owned the screamer spot bigtime. The millions of records sold by the band fully attests to the extent of Brian's success as AC/DC's replacement vox.

Other than AC/DC, I really can't think of any other band that made it as good as they did.

Let's just hope that Tyler does recover to reclaim his rightful place in the band's line-up.

Here the video of Steven Tyler falling off the stage, sustaining injuries that caused the group to cancel several shows and look for Tyler's, hopefully temporary, replacement.

Wanna Hear The New Single "C-lebrity" from Queen + Paul Rodgers?

Queen + Paul Rodgers will be releasing their first collaboration with the upcoming album entitled "The Cosmos Rocks". The legendary group's highly anticipated work is set to reach the stores in the EU and the UK on 15th September and to the US and Canada on October 14th.

It's a general concensus that no one could ever replace the great Freddie Mercury. But really I feel that Paul Rodgers, who's a great vocalist in his own right, really meshes well with Brian May and Roger Taylor. For me, this is a different group altogether. They're still carrying the band name though, despite the fact that original members Brian and Roger represents just half of what the group used to be, with John Deacon retiring already. Nevertheless, with Brian May still manning the lead guitar spot, the band has more than enough juice to rock on until the next century or so!

For a preview of what to expect from the supergroup, here's a video of their rockin' new single "C-lebrity" shown in official Queen youtube site! Enjoy!

My Top 10 Classic Rock Guitar Solos!

One of the the most exciting things to do with the guitar is to replicate the solos played by your idols. It enables the aspiring guitarist to take the place of his guitar hero and BE the guitarist in the record... well, at least that's what it does for ME!

Trying to play a song/solo does 2 things: First of all, it gets me in a place, in my mind, where I'm front of thousands of screaming fans (just like Wembley Stadium in a Queen concert!), rocking the solo with my guitar! Second and more importantly, it helps me develop an "ear" by figuring out the guitar solo (and the whole song of course).

As a tribute to the venerated "guitar solo", I've made a list of my top 10 guitar solos from classic rock songs!

These were the pieces that I wanted to play when I was still starting out. Most of these are stuff that I can already play now, but THEN it felt like the most herculean task for me just to be able to play them.

You may agree with this list or not, as it all boils down to taste. But the thing we can't deny is that amazing guitar solos, such as those in the list, inspire young guitarists to take on the challenge of keeping rock music go on forever!

10. Crossroads - Cream
This 1968 rework of Robert Johnson's original is an impressive display of Cream collective virtuosity. Fittingly, Eric Clapton's fast yet bluesy guitar solos were among the song's highlights.

9. Reelin' In The Years - Steely Dan
It is said that Jimmy Page has called this Elliot Randall solo as one of his all-time favorites. Now that's one thing Jimmy Page and I have in common!

8. You Shook Me All Night Long - AC/DC
Angus Young's big bend started the blues-inspired solo with a bang. One of my favorite songs to jam with, I never seem to get tired of it!

7. Highway Star - Deep Purple
Richie Blackmore's harmonized guitar solo, accentuated by fast arpeggios and precise alternate pickings, is the perfect foil for the Jon Lord's organ solo for the group's concert favorite.

6. Red House - Jimi Hendrix
This has different live versions but the studio recording is what I like best. The vibe of the whole song is amazing, with a great soulful feel on the guitar solo.

5. Crazy Train - Ozzy Osbourne
One of the late great Randy Rhoads masterpieces, he adapts finger tapping and fast trills to make his solo in this song one of the all-time classics.

4. Hotel California - The Eagles
With Joe Walsh and Don Felder trading licks and dual guitars parts on this song, the solo at the end of the song is mesmerizing.

3. Comfortably Numb - Pink Floyd
A melodic, lyrical solo in the first part of the songs followed by a rocking solo at the end part showed us the musical genius of David Gilmour. His amazing guitar tone and exceptional note choices are what many guitarists, including myself, aspire for.

2. Stairway To Heaven - Led Zeppelin
The whole song builds up until that moment that Jimmy Page opens up that famous guitar solo near the end. It's mostly a pentatonic-based solo but potent nonetheless. It's almost a requirement for every aspiring guitarist to learn this solo early on.

1. Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen
This magnum opus of Queen presents the meticulous guitar work of Brian May, who, being my favorite axe wielder, gets the top spot of this list. The main solo and the end solo both deserve proper commendation for a job well done on showing how a rocking guitar solo should sound like!

My Top 10 Classic Rock Bands!

Ever since I can remember, I've always been drawn to the energy of rock music. My mind-opening moment was during my growing years when my uncle would blast their cassette stereo with strains from The Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" tape. This was in the early 1980's by the way and I wasn't even 10 years old then. I became amazed, when I thought about it years later, how a 1967 Beatles album would still sound good, even after decades have passed.

That's when I learned about other groups whose musical outputs eventually transcended time and still reached their listeners on a different level. This quality and talent separate the ordinary bands from the great ones. But ultimately it's still a matter of taste. Everybody has their own list of favorites and here's mine!

10. THE EAGLES
The first song I heard from this group is "Hotel California". The highlight of the song is the guitar solo exchange at the song's ending! I can't forget the way the faces of Don Felder and Joe Walsh grimace and melt while playing their hearts' out, in concert footages. I find it both hilarious and mesmerizing at the same time. It turned out that "Hotel California" is just one of their numerous hits. These guys are tremendously talented. Their vocal harmonies are dead-on accurate and pleasing to the ears.

Hotel California - The Eagles


9. CREAM
Cream was one of the first supergroups and exploited the "power trio" format in a band. Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce are each immensely talented with their musical instruments. Their formula was based on the blues-rock genre. Each original and cover song is boosted with the group's collective virtuosity. Clapton's previous work with James Mayall's Bluesbreakers was a perfect springboard to his shot to stardom with Cream, and at the time, his breathtaking guitar skills were highly-regarded that it was immortalized in a famous "Clapton is god" graffiti.

Crossroads - Cream


8. VAN HALEN
One of the most innovative guitar players in recent years, Eddie Van Halen spearheaded this rock juggernaut with his equally talented brother, Alex. Van Halen had two different vocalists, David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar, that represented two different eras in the band growth over the years. Fans have been divided between the two, but I think it's better to just accept each as a unique hue in Van Halen's musical palette. Actually, there was a third vocalist, Gary Cherone but he was not as prominent as the other two. Just recently, Van Halen concluded their Reunion Tour with DLR. Its success as a testament to their amazing drawing power.

Dance The Night Away - Van Halen


7. DEEP PURPLE
My favorite album from the band is the classic "Machine Head", which produce the immortal "Smoke On The Water" and anthemic "Highway Star". (Read my review for this album in one my previous posts). Mark II lineup of the band is widely recognized as the best to have produced classic sound of the band, most notably Ritchie Blackmore's classical/blues combo influence in the guitar solos. Later, the group became inclined to progressive rock in later years. Deep Purple songs continue to be a staple in classic rock stations to this day.

Highway Star - Deep Purple


6. THIN LIZZY
The group had their first hit in 1973, with the Irish traditional song. "Whiskey In The Jar". One of the proponents of the harmony of double lead guitars, Thin Lizzy was also the platform of enigmatic bassist/vocalist Phil Lynott for his engaging, story-telling songs. This group had, at one time, in it's line-up one of my favorite guitarists, Gary Moore. However, the more memorable songs of the group were done with the twin guitar attack of Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson.

The Boys Are Back In Town - Thin Lizzy


5. THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE
The lineup of Jimi Hendrix, Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell followed, perhaps unintentionally, the power trio format initiated by Cream with just the basic guitar, bass and drums composition. As exceeding flamboyant and talented Hendrix was, Redding and Mitchell were not to be outdone and confidently held their own amidst the tumultuous performances conjured by the master guitarist. This collaboration produced the most of Hendrix' classic hits such as "Purple Haze", "Little Wing", "Fire", "Foxy Lady" and "Voodoo Child".

All Along The Watchtower - The Jimi Hendrix Experience


4. AC/DC
I was exposed initially to AC/DC's music during the Brian Johnson era, the "Back In Black" album specifically. (Read my review for this album in one my previous posts). The band had enjoyed considerable success during Bon Scott's tenure, but gained even wider recognition after his untimely death. Some critics may dismiss AC/DC music as repetitive. For me however, it represents rock and roll at its raunchiest, complemented with a generous amount of rebellious attitude by guitar god Angus Young. The band, still going strong through the decades, is reported to be releasing a new album later this year.

It's A Long Way To The Top If You Wanna Rock N Roll - AC/DC


3. BOSTON
Once only known for the smash hit "More Than A Feeling", I've came to know Boston as more than a one-hit wonder. In fact, all songs in their debut album "Boston" in 1976 were potential hits. Apparently, Tom Scholz, lead guitarist and band leader, made sure of that. Their sophomore effort "Don't Look Back" was likewise as stimulating and melody-driven as the first one. Recent efforts however were not satisfying enough for me. The death of Brad Delp last year slammed the door for a reunion of the original lineup which produced the band's trademark sound.

More Than A Feeling - Boston


2. THE BEATLES
One can't find any other band that's more influential than the Fab Four. Although their longevity as a band (they were active from 1962 to 1970 only) wasn't that much compared to other veteran bands whose careers spanned decades, the impact of their work is irrefutable. The bulk of material came from the potent songwriting tandem of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, who produced multiple hit songs over the years. Even after the group disbanded in 1970, appreciation for their music has continued.

Don't Let Me Down - The Beatles


1. QUEEN
Brian May is the guy who inspired me to play lead guitar. When I first heard Bohemian Rhapsody, I've been hooked since. But this group isn't just about May. From its inception 1970 until Freddie Mercury's untimely demise in 1991, this four-piece of superbly talented individuals constantly provided the music world with strings of hits. They refused to have their music to be tied down to a specific genre, instead released diverse tunes that defy categorization. The huge turnout in the "Freddie Mercury Tribute" concert in 1992 is a proof of how much the tragic loss of Mercury affected their fans.

Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen

Van Halen Wraps Up Successful Tour

As the final date of the humongous Van Halen Tour ended last June 2, 2008, it was revealed that this was the most commercially lucrative tour for the band. Lucrative… in the tune of US$93 million! This is according to the band’s official website, Van-Halen.com.

What could possibly be even better for the band than having Eddie sober enough to play as prodigiously as he does? Van Halen followers know how bad his condition was during previous tours as a result of his severe alcoholism. But since he got better, possibly from regular rehab, so did his guitar playing. Another plus for the fans was that this was the first time in more than 20 years that David Lee Roth toured with Van Halen. I'm sure those who were alienated from the band when Sammy Hagar came embraced this welcome change.

I feel bad, though, for original bassist and longtime VH companion Mike Anthony. Now, he could only watch, after years of touring together with the Van Halen brothers. He was replaced by Eddie’s teenage son Wolfgang who seemed to have sufficiently filled the shoes left by Anthony.

There’s nothing like playing your own songs and getting big bucks for it. That’s why if I were Eddie, I’d keep my self sober and keep on rocking until I keel over and die.

Photo: Van-Halen.com

AC/DC To Release New Album This Year!

According to the band’s website, ACDC.com, the veteran rock group is set to release a new album later this year:

“The waiting is almost over! AC/DC fans can expect the band's next album of new material sometime later this year. The band are currently recording in Vancouver with producer Brendan O'Brien and long time audio engineer Mike Fraser. This will be the band's first collection of new material since the release of Stiff Upper Lip in 2000.”

This is good news for loyal AC/DC fans all over the world. It’s been 8 years since their last album release that included new songs, so it’s about time! Man! This is longest time ever that the legendary band had in between albums. We can’t really blame them though. With the success they attained all these years, they can afford to lie low a little bit, and enjoy the fruits of their labor.

Can’t wait to get my hands on it!

Photo: Wikipedia.org

"Machine Head" - Deep Purple

Is there any rock dude who hasn’t heard of the immortal “Smoke On The Water”? For some it’s the most overplayed piece of crap in the history of music. For some, the intro is the ultimate guitar riff.

Luckily for Deep Purple, the album that included this classic isn’t just good for that one song. “Machine Head”, released in 1972 by this supergroup, is worthy of being called one of the most prominent rock albums in the development of the heavy metal and speed metal genre. For all guitar-inclined musicians all over like myself, it is a treasure chest of kick-ass riffs and a combination of classical-music-meets-blues inspired licks.

The album kicks off with the fast-paced “Highway Star”. One of their most recognizable songs, it boasts of complicated guitar and organ solos by Ritchie Blackmore and Jon Lord, respectively. It was so popular that Nintendo presented a version of the tune in their video game, Rock N’ Roll Racing. “Highway Star” is definitely one of my favorites. We used to jam this song in our cover band and everytime the solo part comes, I get goosebumps all over.

“Maybe I’m Leo” is a somewhat slower piece with a bit of groove going on while “Pictures of Home” begins with an emphatic display of mastery of the drums by Ian Paice. Like most of the songs in this release, both tracks have more that its share of fretboard brilliance by Blackmore and keyboard fireworks by Lord. But the latter has a little something that others don’t have – a rare bass solo by Roger Glover!

The next track, “Never Before”, is the shortest in the list. Aside from that, I felt that this is their weakest track. However, that would be a result of comparing it with the overall might of the other songs in this partuicular album. Compared to any lesser rock songs, this is defintely topnotch.

The last three songs closes the “Machine Head” experience with a loud bang. “Smoke on the Water” doesn’t need any introduction anymore. The next song “Lazy” sounds like a jam to me. It starts out with a Lord organ intro, then followed by an exchange of solos between him and Blackmore. We all know that Blackmore has been declared numerous times a guitar god, but Jon Lord wasn’t gonna make Ritchie walk all over him in this instance, or any other instance for that matter. Jon Lord is unquestionably one of the most talented organ player I’ve ever heard.

Finally the last song “Space Truckin’” has probably the most kick-ass intro riff in the whole set for me. This is the song that I really want to play with our group but unfortunately for me I’m the only in our band who likes it. I wonder why this never reached the same status as "Smoke on the Water". On the other hand, I think it’s better that way. With this scenario, there is a healthy balance between overly popular songs and tunes with less exposure that won't undermine the legacy of this brilliantly-crafted tour de force.


Release: 1972
Tracks listing:
1. Highway Star
2. Maybe I'm A Leo
3. Pictures Of Home
4. Never Before
5. Smoke On The Water
6. Lazy
7. Space Truckin'

Band members:
Ian Gillan - vocals, harmonica
Ritchie Blackmore - lead guitar
Jon Lord - piano, organ, keyboards
Roger Glove - bass guitar
Ian Paice - drums

"Appetite for Destruction" – Guns N’ Roses

It was the height of the glam metal scene. Big hair, thick make-up, lipstick, more big hair, spandex pants, colorful costumes and … did I say big hair already? Everything was about the “image”. The music came secondary, at least that’s what my impression was.

Then came the 1987 debut of the band Guns N’ Roses.

It was raw, loud and raunchy. It’s got that in-your-face attitude that seems to taunt you from the first track to the last.

First song from this album that got my attention was “Sweet Child O’ Mine”. Although I’ve heard “Welcome To The Jungle” earlier, it didn’t caught my attention as much as “Sweet Child...” did. I loved the melodic riff that Slash did in the intro. The solos in-between stanzas provided enough tension to support the build-up going to the main solo. And the main solo itself is totally captivating.

However, I learned that Slash hated the intro riff because it was simply a technical exercise and was played only as a joke during a jam session. It turned out that the song that started out with a “joke” riff became one of their well-known songs. “Well-known” is an understatement really. In the Pinoy band scene at that time, a concert where this song won’t be played is as rare as the chemical element Astatine. Yes, it was one of the most overplayed songs then. That was before “Smells Like Teen Spirit” made its presence felt in the early 90’s and grabbed that dubious title. But that‘s a different story altogether.

The aftermath of "Appetite for Destruction" resulted in the departure of Izzy Stradlin and Steven Adler for the same reason, but from different perspectives. Adler was kicked out of the group because of substance abuse, while Stradlin decided to leave to get away from substance abuse. It was quite unfortunate as these two were instrumental in achieving the sound that made their debut very successful. Another reason for Stradlin to leave was when Adler was replaced, he apparently felt that the replacement’s sound didn’t work for the band.

I agree with him.

The GNR version sans Stradlin and Adler sounded a bit lacking to me. This is not to discredit the talents of the numerous substitutes that completed the GNR lineup over the years. They are class musicians in their own right. However, I strongly believe that there are some bands that aren’t meant to be splintered. Removing one will take away essential ingredients that makes them unique.

Guns N’ Roses is one of those bands.

I been thinking about this since the group went their separate ways. Would GNR be a different band or will they tread along the hardrock path in the same fashion as “Appetite for Destruction”, if the original line-up remained intact today? I guess the fans will just be contented to these speculations and what-ifs.

Released: 1987

Track listing:
1. Welcome To The Jungle
2. It's So Easy
3. Nightrain
4. Out ta Get Me
5. Mr. Brownstone
6. Paradise City
7. My Michelle
8. Think About You
9. Sweet Child O' Mine
10. You're Crazy
11. Anything Goes
12. Rocket Queen

Band members:
Axl Rose - vocals
Slash - lead guitar, acoustic guitar, rhythm guitar
Izzy Stradlin - rhythm guitar, lead guitar, backing vocals
Duff McKagan - bass, backing vocals
Steven Adler - drums

"Back In Black" - AC/DC

In the early part of 1980, Bon Scott, lead singer for AC/DC, spent a night of partying which resulted in his fatal alcohol poisoning demise. This incident came as a shock to his band mates. They had been doing very well after their release of "Highway to Hell". After this unfortunate accident, the band came to a crossroad on whether to continue or not.

Did they continue?

Of course they did! At any rate, the decision to go on was beyond any doubt, the best they ever made! The Young brothers got ex-Geordie screamer Brian Johnson as replacement and created their masterpiece "Back in Black" as tribute to their fallen comrade.

I first heard of AC/DC when the horror flick "Maximum Overdrive", a version of Stephen King's short story "Trucks", was shown in the Philippines in 1987. To promote the film, the local radio stations gave considerable airplay to their anthemic song "You Shook Me All Night Long", which was included in the movie soundtrack. Man! After I heard that song, it kept playing in my head over and over. Also, the image of Angus Young strutting the duckwalk and playing lead guitar on the video gave me a lasting impression. What attracted me more was how the solid rhythm section of Malcolm Young, Cliff Williams and Phil Rudd relentlessly laid the foundation for Brian Johnson to dispense his raspy, gut-wrenching vocals.

Once I got enthralled by this song, I started wanting for more. That craving led me to the "Back in Black" album, which is one of the best-selling albums of all time. Thankfully, it turned out that the other songs aren't patsies compared to "You Shook Me…". The album track is definitely another favorite of mine. Its seemingly basic E-D-A riff gets my adrenaline pumping, right (or left) foot stomping and head nodding to the rhythm. Too bad it was covered by Celine Dion (ew!), surprisingly even she was captivated by the song. Could she a be a rocker deep inside that cheesy marshmallow exterior?

Oh my God! Why am I even discussing Celine Dion's musical preferences! Ugh!

"Shoot To Thrill" is another gem. If you had watched Jack Black's movie "School of Rock", you might have heard that the pre-lead portion of this song is quite similar to the song written by the movie's 10-year-old guitar prodigy Zach Mooneyham. My other favorite tracks include "Have A Drink On Me" and the rock statement "Rock N' Roll Ain't Noise Pollution". All AC/DC songs are completely jam-worthy, but I'm guilty of not giving more time to learn the songs enough. I know the whole "You Shook Me.." but still, I want to play along with the whole album.

There's something I noticed though. The riffs for the songs may seem to sound very simple and basic; but there's something that these guys have in their music. That gives them a little more than your average hard rock band. Whatever "that" is, it's something that makes AC/DC special.

Released: 1980

Track listing:
1. Hells Bells
2. Shoot To Thrill
3. What Do You Do For Money
4. Given the Dog a Bone
5. Let Me Put My Love Into You
6. Back In Black
7. You Shook Me All Night Long
8. Have A Drink On Me
9. Shake A Leg
10. Rock And Roll Ain't Noise Pollution

Band Members:
Brian Johnson – lead vocals
Angus Young – lead guitar
Malcolm Young – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Cliff Williams – bass guitar, backing vocals
Phil Rudd - drums

"Moving Pictures" - Rush

"Moving Pictures" is the classic album from the Canadian progressive rock trio of Geddy Lee, Neil Peart and Alex Lifeson. It was released in 1981 and it remains the group's most popular collaboration so far.

I've read about this group for a long time. They first came to my consciousness when I read something about The Dawn around 1987-ish, when Teddy Diaz and the gang were still establishing their hold of the Pinoy rock scene. Rush was mentioned as one of Teddy's influences. I was like "Rush? uh ok". At that time, the internet was still in its developmental stages. So, the only source of music info one can get is through magazines. Most of the popular music magazines at the time feature mostly glam metal band like Poison, Motley Crue and the other popular hair metal groups.

A Rush article wouldn't get coverage in those publications even in a million years.

Back to the present: Over the years, I've gotten enough info about those guys and only recently did I muster enough courage to give it a try. So I ordered a CD of Moving Pictures online through Amazon.

The first thing that came to my mind after hearing it was, "Why did I wait THIS long to get their CD!"

I became part of the millions hooked to the magic weaved by these musical geniuses. The Morse-coded "YYZ" is the clearly the most energetic track in the bunch. But my most favorite would be "Red Barchetta". You could almost feel like you're riding the roadster along a highway feeling the air in your face! "Tom Sawyer" and "Limelight" are likewise masterfully crafted musical gems. You can't miss the references the guys make to literary influences they have and it make you admire them even more.

The musical expertise of the group are very much evident in this album. The only thing that bothered me initially is Geddy Lee's somewhat whiney-sounding voice. But after a while, I got used to it and felt that it is actually a factor to the band's unique sound.


Released: 1981

Track listing:
1. Tom Sawyer
2. Red Barchetta
3. YYZ
4. Limelight
5. The Camera Eye
6. Witch Hunt
7. Vital Signs

Band members:
Geddy Lee - bass guitar, vocals
Alex Lifeson - electric and acoustic guitars
Neil Peart - drums and percussion