marty friedman got a degree in japanese and has been living over there for some time now. he's become a bit of a television personality. this is from some show where he and paul gilbert square off and have to play a heavy metal riff based on a draw from the alphabet.

and for those in disbelief that friedman is fluent in japanese this is a clip of him on a popular morning show.

Como curiosidad: el artífice del punteo es nada más y nada menos que Marty Friedman (ex-Megadeth).

[dailymotion id=x6a7pm]

Con Marty Friedman a la guitarra solista y Nick Menza a la batería dando caña de la buena este disco cuenta con algunas de las mejores composiciones de Mustain.

Puro Thrash, pura caña!

[dailymotion id=x5s93a]

Despite the recent resurgence of shred thanks in part to youtube obsessed adolescents, the guitar dudes are well aware that shred as a musical form is past its prime. Long gone are the days when you could get chicks to your shows by playing the most notes in the shortest amount of time possible.

Japan, however, is living it up like it´s 1985 and is becoming what Europe is to many working jazz musicians--a haven where their art is universally appreciated and they can actually make some money. Megadeth axeman Marty Friedman and rocktarist extraordinaire Paul Gilbert from Racer X and, oh yea that band, both have spent their share of time in Japan. Paul Gilbert speaks fluent japanese at this point, which he presumably picked up during a Mr. Big tour, and Marty Friedman has lived in Japan for going on seven years now.

The topic of this post however, is to introduce you the The game. Marty Friedman doesn't just sit around enjoying okonomiaki but was the host of Rock Fujiyama, metal based music show in Japan. Frequently with his guests they will sit down at their respective axes and engage in a rock battle. The game is simple, a letter is drawn and the guitarist must play a song by an artists starting with that letter. Points are tallied, I have no goddamn idea how.

Fozzy - All That Remains (2005, ASH Records)

Track Listing:
1. "Nameless Faceless" - 3:28
2. "Enemy" - 4:28
3. "Wanderlust" - 4:14
4. "All That Remains" - 4:33
5. "The Test" - 3:06
6. "It's a Lie" - 4:26
7. "Daze of the Week" - 4:18
8. "The Way I Am" - 4:10
9. "Lazarus" - 4:01
10. "Born of Anger" - 4:42

Band:
Chris Jericho - Vocals
Rich Ward - Guitars, Keyboards
Mike Martin - Guitar
Sean B. Delson - Bass
Frank Fontsere - Drums

Additional Musicians:
Zakk Wylde - Guitar on "Wanderlust"
Marty Friedman - Guitar on "Born of Anger"
Bonecrusher - Vocals on "It's a Lie"

Produced by: Rich Beato & Rich Ward

Well, this is quite a departure from covering W.A.S.P's "L.O.V.E. Machine" and Iron Maiden's "The Prisoner". Fozzy decided to stop being a "joke" band and get serious with this album and it ends up with some good results. The hair metal & 80s metal inspirations are mostly gone and in their place is some solid modern heavy metal, alternative metal & hard rock. Most of these songs would song right at home on rock radio. I believe "Enemy" did actually chart for a little bit, and for good reason, it's the album's best song. My second favorite would be "It's a Lie" (even though it's rap-metal, something I was totally shocked to see Jericho doing).

I still haven't picked up Fozzy's 2nd album, Happenstance, but perhaps someday I will because I enjoyed their first release and I enjoy this one as well, even though it took me a while to get into the new sound of Fozzy.

Not sure if I got the band credits correct, I've only got the CD on me (the jewel case & booklet are in storage) and I couldn't find a definitive band line-up for this album online anywhere. If anyone knows any different, feel free to let me know.

Highlights: "Nameless Faceless", "Enemy", "The Test", "It's a Lie"

www.fozzyrock.com
www.myspace.com/fozzytour

But enough chit-chat, let's get down to business. You'll sometimes hear people throw around the following question: "what [insert criteria here] would you bring if you were stuck on a desert island?". Usually it refers to the handful of music and books and movies and so on which would be the bare essential materials to entertain you in extreme solitude or calamity.

A desert island? What are they talking about? The only list you should have for a desert island goes like this:

• emergency tools for coconuts
• monkey butler
• treasure map

A ha, yes of course asking the question in this way is only meant to ILLUSTRATE a point, namely what albums are your favorites. You don't think that got past ME did you?!

But if you were stuck somewhere for a long time with only 5 albums, you'd better damn well not bring something crappy. 'Twould be a terrible thing to realize you have horrible taste only after getting stranded.

It's funny that, your musical tastes often are a reflection of the environmental dynamics you're surrounded by. I don't think anyone stuck on a desert island or in the woods or whosits, would want to listen to Thriller over and over again. Thriller IS awesome, but I don't know if it is the best thing for total isolation in nature. Neither is jazz or metal or ska or indie rock.

Well, actually I don't know about metal. There is that Cacophony song called, no joke, "Desert Island" which evokes an actual desert island incredibly well. It is the freaky astral sorcery! Such an amazing song (I'm not kidding). Lyrics are frikkin' gold, too!

So much obnoxious noise, I wanna spend my life at the beach,

I'm getting tired of feeling sheltered (?), sitting in's the worst for me!

I want a desert island, in the middle of the sea

I'll put a message in a bottle that's all you'll hear from me

Some time to loosen up, get my head on straight

if I don't leave this city, I think I'll go insane!

I want a desert island, in the middle of the sea

I'll put a message in a bottle that's all you'll hear from me

Desert island! Out in the sun! Desert island! Out in the heat!

I want some real sunshine, can't you see I'm crying out?

Break the world at [garbled nonsense], and listen to me shout!

I want a desert island, in the middle of the sea

I'll put a message in a bottle that's all you'll hear from me

Desert island....(etc.)

--Cacophony, "Desert Island"

I guess that solves the question of what it sounds like to be stuck on a desert island. Cacophony really is music reflecting a desert island culture! So now the original question becomes culturally insensitive, this "favorite albums on a desert island" stuff.

So, I propose a better question: What song do you actually want to LIVE in, a la Phantom Tollbooth/Pagemaster/Mary Poppins fantasy-come-to-life-as-cathartic-spiritual-adventure? What song represents the totality of your being at its deepest depths? It's a tougher question, and the consequences are much more severe. Choose wisely!

But for me, it's super easy:

HEART OF A LION

(Racer X)

]]> http://askthedude.wordpress.com/?p=70 Mon, 02 Jun 2008 14:00:51 +0000 askthedude http://askthedude.wordpress.com/?p=70

Dear Dude,

I've been working on my down picking technique a lot lately and I just can't figure out why I have to work harder than other guys on this. I can easily play all those alternate picking, sweeping, tapping, etc. licks but fast down picking I have trouble with. It's weird because I can alternate pick a note let's say 220 BPM (Beats Per Minute) 16th notes but I can't down pick 8th notes at the same tempo without some struggling. I am trying to relax my picking hand as much as I can. Also, to let you know, I hold my pick a bit different than other guitarists. I hold it with my thumb, index and middle like Steve Morse as I just find it easier this way but maybe this plays a factor in down picking? Did you ever specifically practice this or did this just come more naturally to you? Also, how much do you stress down picking? I know players like Mustaine, Hetfield and all those guys do. I read in a Guitar World that Devin Townsend had some trouble with this too so I don't feel so bad now. Haha!

Thanks,
Down Picking Doom Rider

Dear Down Picking Doom Rider,

Down picking is probably the most important thing I learned how to do well when I was learning the guitar. It’s your wrist technique (or the way you pick) that affects your overall tone. I don’t care how many sick amps you try out, if you have a weak or soft wrist your shit is never going to sound thrashtastic! To me, if down picking is the holy grail of guitar skills than James Hetfield of Metallica is Jesus! He is my number one guitar idol when it comes to rhythm playing. Dimebag was sick and much respect, but no one lays the riffs down like the HET! I spent many a day researching and practicing Hetfield’s style, and I believe it is the reason why the guitars on the first 4 or 5 Metallica records are so crushing!

When I hold a pick I use my thumb and pointer finger bent with the rest of my fingers fist closed. This is how I learned to riff from my first and only guitar teacher. It always seemed normal and felt comfortable and it never even occurred to me to hold the pick different until I saw Marty Friedman play guitar for Megadeath. Check out this video of this dude, because he holds the pick in the most unusual way, and no one will argue that that mother fucker can riff with the best of em’. Unfortunately, Mr. Friedman is the exception not the rule. MOST instructional DVDs and clinics I have studied, on heavy metal guitar playing, all suggest to hold the pick the way I was taught. My first suggestion is to try holding the pick this way or the way James Hetfield does. Maybe this will make it easier, maybe not. I think a lot of playing guitar is about being comfortable with your technique, and you have to be willing and able to trust your first instinct.

Down picking hard, consistent, and fast are all things that I have had, and still have, to work many hours on perfecting. The ability to do it with ease comes form one thing, repetition. You have to keep playing all the time to build up those muscles. The best advice I can give to someone who wants to play something really well, really fast, is to perfect playing it SLOW first. So, I would say slow those BPM’s down and start practicing down picking consistently and evenly. If you're looking for a fun way to learn try downloading some Metallica tabs and jamming along. I suggest the song Master of Puppets or Am I Evil (the Diamond Head cover). I must have played both these songs a million times. Like I said when it comes to down picking Hetfield is Jesus, and nobody fucks with the Jesus!

The Dude

Marty Friedman is a perfect example of this. Marty's first big music break was in a heavy metal guitar virtuoso band called 'Cacophony'. He later joined a very successful metal band known as 'Megadeth', and was praised as one of the best guitarists in metal at the time. Marty had always loved heavy metal, and writing heavy metal, but he also had a deep appreciation for pop-music, so due to differences in musical interest, Marty left Megadeth, to pursue a pop-career. Now Marty is enjoying huge success in Japan, but other countries such as America and Australia aren't showing the same interest. Why is this?

The metal scene in Japan is huge, and it has been for a while, and Marty Friedman is a household name to them, whereas most people in Australia haven't heard of him, due to the fact that he doesn't receive the same publicity here as he does in Japan, because of his background, the the style of music he writes. His music is just as 'catchy' as any top 40 we have in Australia, but because it's being performed by a middle-aged man on an electric guitar, instead of a skinny blonde woman in a bikini, audiences don't want anything to do with it. Is this right? Should an extremely talented musician be ignored by an entire music scene because of his background, when he possesses talent that is superior to that of top 40 artists being loved at this precise moment?

Richie Kotzen is an example of an artist experiencing something similar. Richie is huge in South America and Japan with his pop-music that he writes and loves, but before he had his pop-career, he had amazing 'shred' (guitar playing that is very fast and technical) instrumental albums, that aren't deemed 'popular' or 'top 40 music' by any means. Similarly to Marty, Richie is an amazing talent - great songwriting abilities, amazing guitar skills, and a soulful voice - but listeners want more 50 cent and Britney Spears because they see them in magazines and in glamour situations, instead of having underground music backgrounds like the artists I am trying to create an awareness for.

I should point out that these artists shouldn't be deemed as 'sellouts, for if they were, they would be making music that is popular everywhere, and isn't something that they love. They haven't created pop music because other people want them to. They have created the music that they have out of sheer love for their instrument and the outlet that writing songs has for them.

Go out and listen to Marty Friedman and Richie Kotzen, if you wish to hear amazing catchy songs by extremely talented individuals, and ask yourself...what makes them any less good than the top 40 I listen to? Why are they being un-appreciated, yet the artists I listen to, that didn't write their own music, and got their 'gig' through being pretty, get more than they deserve?

Megadeth - Cyptic Writings (1997, Capitol Records)

Track Listing:
1. "Trust" - 5:11
2. "Almost Honest" - 4:03
3. "Use the Man" - 4:36
4. "Mastermind" - 3:45
5. "The Disintegrators" - 2:50
6. "I'll Get Even" - 4:24
7. "Sin" - 3:06
8. "A Secret Place" - 5:25
9. "Have Cool, Will Travel" - 3:25
10. "She-Wolf" - 3:38
11. "Vortex" - 3:35
12. "FFF" - 2:38

Band:
Dave Mustaine - Vocals, Guitar
Marty Friedman - Guitar
David Ellefson - Bass
Nick Menzo - Drums

Produced by: Dann Huff & Dave Mustaine

I picked this one up used at a pawnshop years ago alongside Youthanasia, spending less than $10 total. This album continued the more melodic & commercial nature of the band that had started with Countdown to Extinction and was expanded even more on Youthanasia. Personally, while Megadeth put out some good songs during the 80s, I'm not a huge fan of those albums as whole and I practically never play them, but I do play Megadeth's 90s-current albums often. I just think Dave Mustaine is better at writing hard rock & commercial metal than he is at writing speed/thrash metal, although there's certainly some good heavy metal to be found here. Some of my favorite Megadeth songs are here ("Trust", "Almost Honest", "I'll Get Even") and "A Secret Place" is probably my favorite Megadeth song of all.

"Trust" is a great tune and it makes me think of the old Extreme Championship Wrestling back when they'd use the intro on their syndicated show during their house show promos.

Highlights: "Trust", "Almost Honest", "Mastermind", "The Disintegrators", "I'll Get Even", "Sin", "A Secret Place", "Vortex"

Lowlights: "Use the Man"

www.megadeth.com
www.myspace.com/megadeth

Un jour j’ai lu que la question la plus stupide qu’un journaliste ait posé à Marty Friedman était « Quelle est votre marque de Shampooing ?».

Vu la tignasse de l’ex-guitariste de Cacophony et de Megadeth, la question était probablement justifiée …

Allez, soyons honnête, on pose tous des questions stupides.

Le jour où j’ai acheté ma première pédale (une disto Boss DS-2), j’ai demandé au vendeur s’il fallait continuellement appuyer dessus pour que l’effet reste enclenché. Il a bien rigolé :D

Je propose de constituer un recueil de vos questions guitaristiques les plus stupides … Ajoutez-les en commentaire !

You might know Marty Friedman as the lead guitarist for Megadeth. Now he's called "Mr. Heavy Metal" in several Japanese TV shows. He's a kitchen hero and a guitar hero. Metal Inquisition discovered him.

Banda: Megadeth

Música: Holy Wars... The Punishment Due

Estilo: Thrash Metal/Heavy Metal

Origem: São Francisco - Califórnia - EUA

1. Barbie 01:00
2. Simple Mystery 03:44
3. Tornado of Souls 05:23
4. Burn the Ground 04:27
5. Where My Fortune Lies 04:45
6. Breadline 03:54
7. The Pit and the Pendulum 05:18
8. The Killing Road 04:22
9. Static Rain 02:48
10. Secret of the Stars 04:12
11. Massive 03:00
12. Tears of an Angel 05:17

Hard Guitar/Progressive Rock/Metal
MP3 320 Kbps

La segunda parte del video va por letra xD mola mucho. Eso sí, si el calvo no os inspira vergüenza ajena ya no sé qué poner en el blog XDD

Y un extra: DragonForce vs Marty Friedman & Rolly

XD dios, mataría a Herman Li, el de Dragonforce. Me tiene con el "elefante" hasta la polla xDDDD

Size: 85.5Mb
Quality: 320kbps
Download link: http://rapidshare.com/files/99233561/Marty...92_-_Scenes.rar

Track List:
1. Saturation Point (Becker, Friedman) 4:52
2. Dragon Mistress (Friedman) 3:41
3. Evil Thrill (Friedman) 5:30
4. Namida (Tears) (Friedman) 2:43
5. Anvils (Friedman) 2:38
6. Jewel (Becker, Friedman) 4:05
7. Forbidden City (Friedman) 8:18
8. Thunder March (Friedman) 4:11
http://bronexod.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=1949

Качество: 320 Kbps
Размер: 71.3 Mb
Download Link:
http://rapidshare.com/files/75126673/Marty_Friedman_-_Dragon_Kiss_1988.rarрелиз предоставил GuyA

Треклист:
1. "Elixir" - 4:35
2. "Street Demon (Santa Rosa Wrecking Crew Mix)" - 3:30
3. "Black Orchid" - 4:31 (featuring John Petrucci)
4. "Paradise Express" - 4:47
5. "Sekai Ni Hitotsu Dake No Hana" (SMAP's cover song) - 4:16
6. "Glycerine Flesh" - 5:15
7. "Stigmata Addiction" - 7:07
8. "Viper" - 3:05 (featuring Steve Vai)
9. "Static Rain (Instrumental Version)" - 2:51
10. "Coloreas Mi Vida" - 3:13
11. "Devil Take Tomorrow" - 3:59

mp3 320 kbps

Треклист:
01. Call Of The Wild
02. Turn It Louder
03. V.P.H.B.
04. Beg For Mercy
05. Unfinished Business
06. Proud To Be Loud
07. Lies
08. Omichan No Uta
09. Dynamite

mp3 320 kbps

Треклист:
1. Angels From The Dust (demo)2 04:01
2. New Age Rock-N-Roller (demo) 03:13
3. Living In Sin 03:43
4. Escape The Night 05:07
5. Beg For Mercy 02:43
6. House Of The Rising Sun (demo) 04:12
7. Secret Of The Stars (demo) 03:30
8. Give It All You Got (demo) 03:25
9. Rocking Me Hard 03:30
10. The Young And The Reckless 03:25
11. Lady Savage (demo) 05:26
12. Angels From The Dust (demo)1 04:26
13. Living In Sin (demo) 03:35

mp3 224 kbps

Состав:
Peter Marrino - Vocals
Jason Becker - Guitar
Marty Friedman - Guitar
Jimmy O'shea - Bass
Kenny Stavropoulos - Drums

Треклист:
1. "X-Ray Eyes" (Jason Becker, Marty Friedman) – 5:10
2. "E.S.P." (Friedman) – 6:06
3. "Stranger" (Becker, Steve Fontano) – 3:24
4. "Go Off!" (Becker, Friedman) – 3:46
5. "Black Cat" (Becker, Friedman) – 7:45
6. "Sword of the Warrior" (Friedman, Fontano) – 5:09
7. "Floating World" (Friedman) – 5:10
8. "Images" (Becker) – 3:43

mp3 320 kbps

Состав:
Peter Marrino - Vocals
Jason Becker - Guitar
Marty Friedman - Guitar, Bass
Atma Anur - Drums

Треклист:
“Savage” (Friedman) 5:50
“Where My Fortune Lies” 4:33
“The Ninja” (Friedman) 7:25
“Concerto” 4:37
“Burn the Ground” 6:51
“Desert Island” (Friedman) 6:25
“Speed Metal Symphony” 9:37

All songs written by Jason Becker and Marty Friedman, except where noted.

mp3 320 kbps
http://bronexod.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=1949

 Shredding is a subject that is the biggest debated, most heatedly argued about subject in all of the guitar world. People who actually totally suck are held up as guitar hero's. Real players who are truly legendary are at best glanced at, then forgotten, but normally ignored. Why is this? How and why has this reversal occurred? From the 17th century towards the end of the 20th century (1991 or so to be specific) a musician was treated with the highest respect if he was of an incredible ability. The most well known and relatively recent examples of this are: Nicolo Paganini, Franz Liszt, Frederic Chopin. And these legends seem to have faded.

These and so many countless other musicians of a supernatural caliber have been ignored with almost no exception (Coletrane is one modern day musician occasionally talked about). Some guitar players who've had their day in the sun to varying degrees are Edward Van Halen, Randy Rhodes, Yngwie Malmsteen, Steve Vai and, Joe Satriani. There are others..... just fill in the blank.

Here are some of my thoughts as to why we have this continuing problem. WE as Americans are pathetically fuckin' stupid. And sadly, it's not limited to music. So, we have illiterate morons in varying degrees all over the country graduating and not graduating from high school with no way to tell the difference. Today when someone is gifted at something and their at a typical school k-12, the scumbag-puke, low-life students of the school will insult, berate and relentlessly harass these people and treat them as outcasts, just for using their minds. This is what we have still. But, with music we have championed mediocrity like I still can't believe.

Shredding is:

1. Having perfect technique and applying it.

2. Having total technical command of the instrument.

3. Having very good to great musical knowledge: theory, arps, scales etc, in addition using a metronome for timing, to build lines along with all the nuances including but not limited to bending to pitch and correct vibrato. Meaning how it works and making it work for you.

4. Taking all of the above to create lyrical phrases and overall well thought out compositions and the ability to improvise very good phrasings to beautiful phrasings over any progression. Blending fast as well as slow to create a well balanced audio piece of art.......

     ....................This is the GOAL

Playing guitar is one of those things that is constantly evolving and you're always getting better (in theory). Even if you can't do something today, tomorrow you will hopefully be a little better. Why is shredding always attacked? Because the people who attack it are lazy, jealous, resentful, butt-fuckin' slobs who will never put in the flight time to do it right. And that lack is carried over into and through out their pathetic lives. Misery loves company. And, since we Americans overall are fuckin' miserable, wretched slugs, this is what we do. Bitch about, bash, attack and insult talented people because we aren't willing to do what it takes 'THE WORK" to accomplish greatness ourselves. You know....like when you insult the Japanese saying, " Look at those rice patty slopes playing shredding guitar! They'll never be as good as an American!" Yep, I've heard you fuckers say this kind of shit when you thought no one was around. Well, the Asians and Europeans kick ass on guitar and fewer and fewer Americans relatively speaking are putting in the "CORRECT" time into burning ourselves. It doesn't have to be this way.

But, until enough of you filthy fuck's clean up your own shit, it's gonna stay this way. Here's a partial list of awesome players to check out, you stinkin' jackals:

 1. Shawn Lane .....the number 1 greatest of all time. So very, very far above any and all others.  The greatest who ever lived and will ever live. Rest In Peace, Shawn. Musically speaking, G*d himself spoke through this man.

2. Alan Holdsworth---Living Legend

3. Greg Howe---Outstanding player by any account

4. Larry Mitchell-----has a fluidity, class and style that's so original and a breath of fresh air. Shredding without shredding.

5. Frank Gambale---an original burner  with terrific phrasing

6. Bret Garsed----along with T.J. have produced some of the best guitar music recorded.

7. Roy Ashen and T.J. Helmrich--- the two most incredible 8 finger players I've ever heard.

8. Al Di Meola

9. Yngwie Malmsteen   The guy who pioneered shred.

10. Jason Becker 

11. Kei Morioka    Of all the terrific japanese players I've heard, and their are many, including but not limited to the most well known, Akira Takasaki, Kei Morioka is head and shoulders above them all. In fact, I believe Kei Morioka is one of the top 5 greatest electric guitar players that has ever lived. Bar none.

12. Randy Rhoads 

13. Michael Lee Firkins

13. Craig Collins Turner 

14. Marty Friedman

14. Scott Henderson

15. Chet Thompson

16. Steve Morse

17. Paul Gilbert  Fantastic alternate picking an fun shapes.

18. Steve Vai    Maybe you've heard of'em? Hey Stevie, thanks for that aborted abomination "Sex and Religion."  Steve, without a doubt, is one of just a tiny few of the most lyrical players to ever lift a guitar.

19. Dallas Perkins     Fairly unknown but I just like his playing. He's been very creative over the years and a helluva nice guy.

20. Jake E. Lee  The greatest live performer I've ever seen. And, the best live performer of Randy Rhoads material too.

21. Joe Holmes

22.  Rob Marcello    Because I'm quite pissed off with Rob, I'm very reluctant to say anything good about this clown.  This Swede can burn with very good phrasing and "okay" songs.  There, ya happy Rob?!! Now, stick it up your ass!!

23. The DeMarco Brothers, Freddy & Johnny    Terrific duo and their CD Shipwrecked is too damn cool.

24. Patrick Rondat

25. Luca Turilli       Along with keyboardist Alex Starpoli

26. Todd Duane    You had so much promise. Especially with Lale Larsen on keys. Maybe if you had taken some classes on marketing and "self-promotion" instead of wasting away with a cover band for over 10 years. Todd, another name is called "shmoozing." That's the secret you couldn't figure out. Now that you've got a family without having had any success prior to having a family, you are finished, my friend. Just sad. Todd, I remember when..... 

27. Chris Impellitteri        He was burning during Yngwie's formative years.

28. Ronni Le Tekro

29. Kiko Loureiro    Isn't too bad...

30. Brian Carol aka Buckethead      Brian and I were introduced to each other many years ago (yes, without the bucket) and found him to be a very quiet and pleasant guy. I find Brian's music overall to be just too peculiar for me. I very much like the Nottingham Lace version live. The version where you hear a guys voice at the beginning in the back yell, "Buckethead thank you for coming!" There are others. Brian can burn, there's no doubt. But, I have a low threshold for heavily discordant, incoherent material. His "Leatherface - gore" theme is amusing but wears thin fast for me. Brian's the best thing ever to happen to G n' R. That's one band I may have to do a post on. I just don't fuckin' like 'em.

31. Bruce Bouillet    of Racer-X   Got all of Paul's sequences down and to speed within a week or so of Paul teaching them to Bruce.

32. Chris Arvan  Was Paul Gilbert's replacement in Racer-X and had no problem filling Pauls shoes. Those of you fortunate enough to hear Chris absolutely rip live when he was 19/20yrs old know this is true. Chris had some very cool and creative ideas, and was a noticeably better player than Paul.

There is one maybe two of these players (Alright!! Maybe more!!) who have an odd ball way of picking which I don't recommend doing. 

Who sucks? For a guy who has a B.A. in music and has had it for over 25 years, Michael Angelo still can't come up with a half way decent tune. What the fuck??!! Michael has been able to make a living doing clinics around the world, teaching his brand of PAINFULLY BORING, USELESS, BRAIN NUMBING, 30+ year old ideas (that sucked the first time around) to a brand new, fledgeling group of guitar players and how to pick fucked up. His speed, at best is barely adequate. But......his stuff with Holland wasn't too bad. Hey Mike, have you finally learned your lesson about "locking" the doors on your equipment truck? And, maybe it's not such a good idea to park it overnight in a K-mart parking lot!!  Ya think?!!!

 Zakk Wylde. Everytime I see or hear this filthy, grimy, shit-throwing monkey I wanna puke. Zakk is the type of savage that people immigrate to avoid. Go read my page on him.

John Petrucci. Almost as fuckin' boring as Michael Angelo. John may very well be Michael Angelo's long lost twin brother. John's 2 hour instructional video is the largest collection of the most utterly useless bunch of sequences and exercise's I've ever seen in one place. Look, if I wanted to hear Paul Gilbert junior I'd listen to Russ Parrish. John's phrasing sounds as creative as listening to bricks hit a wall.

Slush of G n' R.....ugh!! yuck!! Even coming across a picture of him, I swear I can smell his dirty, unwashed presence.

Dimebag Darrell .......one sloppy-ass player. This has nothing to do with the tragedy of him being killed. So, don't send me your shit.

Herman Li and Sam Totman.   I am a very fair guy. I always give credit where it's due. Before I cut loose on these two I will say their songs are fun and very enjoyable. Mainly because their bandmates have enough talent to save their asses by creating enough stability to support their bullshit. Herman and Sam are perfect examples and poster boys of two sloppy-ass, fuckin' rank novice hacks that use delay and chorus effects both set on 11 because they can not play anything clean to save their lives. I liked this type of playing when it was done clean and correct the first time it came out, in the 80's!! Watching these two dorks live, puts a knot in my stomach and to think, This is what it's come to. Herman has very cool hair, maybe he's got a future as a spokesman for L'Oréal, "After all, aren't you worth it?"

And of course the legendary masters of suck: Santana, Clapton, Page, Lifeson. I've got posts on them here.

Read my other posts and more to come....

Oh! by the way, anchoring your picking hand's little finger or any finger on the body of the guitar is total bullshit. DON'T FUCKIN' DO IT!!!  I don't give a fuckin' shit how fast some prick plays doing this, he'll play FASTER picking from the wrist and not anchoring. Pick from the wrist. And stop with the drunken spider fretting hands too!!! One more thing, get your thumb off the top of the neck and having it hang over on to the fretboard!! A guitar is a musical instrument, not a fuckin' baseball bat, you brain damaged, vivisection monkeys!!

People who only hear fast notes with every shred player have the musical equivalent/development of a kindergartner. The vast number of people who make this "no feeling" statement are really at the baby food stage of musical development. Or, they've been repeatedly beaten about the skull with a ball-peen hammer. Another way to recognize these musically illiterate people, is how they hold a spoon or fork, like they're a 2 year-old child using a sandbox shovel. And, breathe outta their wide-open mouth while eating. For many of you, just look in the mirror.

Well, that's it for now, kiddies. I may expound another time in a new post or increase this one. So, what are YOU going to do? Continue to suck..... or do something about it?

Until next time.....

                                        Love, Crappy  xo

Do you want to know who I am? Who the hell is Crappystruth?? Click this link below to learn more about me.

 http://crappystruth.wordpress.com/2007/07/03/hello-world/