Category: Hard Rock

Guitar and a Cold Craftbeer!! #Winning

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February 2016 we tapped the keg on Aces & Ales Guitar Classes w a Pint of Craftbeer. The classes began at Oceanside Ale Works(Home of the Dude Double IPA) Maybe you heard about it…lol

Two and a half years later and the classes are still going strong!

We’ve held classes at Oceanside Ale Works, Green Flash Cellar 3, Thorn Street Brewery, Second Chance Beer Co. and for the wine lovers we have been holding classes at Koi Zen Cellars in Carmel Mountain.

The classes are all about guitar and the beauty is getting all levels involved; there is something for everyone.

-Absolute beginners join in and get their feet wet. Rhythm and getting comfortable with a guitar and making cool sounds is the focus.

-Intermediate players come for the chance to play in a group setting. No matter how much you practice at home you just cant substitute playing with other musicians.

-Advanced players come to pick up tips on improvising and music theory.

All levels really do fit together! The key is the relaxed atmosphere no matter what experience you have you will learn something and did I mention you get a pint of craft beer?

Win-Win! For everyone!

Classes mix it up with classic rock, blues, classical, flamenco, jazz…

Regular classes are held at

Second Chance Beer Co in Carmel Mountain

Every 1st & 3rd Mondays, 630PM $15

Koi Zen Cellars in Carmel Mountain

Every 2nd Thursday, 630PM $20

RSVPs are strongly recommended!!!!

We enjoy branching out to new and rotating venues so check the schedule often.

If you know of a favorite locale that might like to host a class shoot me a note and we will try to set something up!

Cheers!

Mike

When Music & Sports Collide, Trevor Hoffman, HOF

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If you ask pro athletes many say they want to be musicians. If you ask musicians many want to be pro athletes. I still have the occasional recurring dream that the Padres manager tells me to grab a bat! Im in the show!

Grass is always greener I guess….I think we gravitate towards the things we should for a reason. I was a good baseball /football player as a kid but guitar won out…then as I got more serious about music, sports become the enemy…one funky catch and mess up a finger… skateboards are the devil…as a classical guitarist even a broken fingernail is no bueno!

There are those rare dual threats like my cousin Chase d’ Arnaud…plays  MLB for the San Francisco Giants (formerly Padres, Red Sox, Braves, Pirates)  and sings and plays guitar professionally on the side.

Every player and team has ‘their’ song these days. But there are a few cool music/sports combos that have true identity and transcend time. The Chicago Bulls-Sirius from the Alan Parsons Project. The NFL’s incessant use of Start Me Up/Crazy Train/Machine Head and a few others over the decades.

If you are from San Diego you know…

Hells Bells-Trevor Hoffman!

Milwaukee got a taste too…if you are a baseball fan that pays attention outside of your own team you know and for a good decade when The Bells rang San Diego sports fans went nuts. The Bells meant victory was coming!

Trevor enters the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame this weekend. One of the few greats in San Diego sports history and only the second true Padre to enter the Hall following Tony Gwynn.

Congrats Trevor! Thanks for staying loyal to San Diego as few athletes have!!

 

 

DUDE CD, Days 1 & 2

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Be A Part Of Mike's New CD!

Day one started with a trip to the Dr.  due to a pinched sciatic nerve…now I am on steroids…works for athletes we’ll see how it gets me through the CD’s completion…lol I was up until 3:30 AM working on the music so I guess I am PUMPED up! Only problem is I was up at 7:30 AM to hit the pavement.

Campaign Update:

No sooner then the campaign was released the first backer purchased the Guitar/Craftbeer Aficionado package(Includes the CD, VIP invite to CD Release Party(Nov 4, 2017) and a commemorative beer mug($1 off fills at Oceanside Ale Works for life of mug) Thanks to Risa Lin for being the first contributor and sparing me any time of looking at a $0 goose egg!! We have never met but she is part of the Slayen clan who settled in Canada probably over 100 years ago before my grandfather moved to California. Thank you Risa!!!! Of course mom and Aunt Diane were right there at the beginning too!

Special thanks to our first sponsor, as well!! Eric Schweinfurter of Apex Contracting & Restoration, came in early on day 2. The tax-deductible sponsorship package offers: your image in the DUDE label which will be prominently featured on the back of the CD, among other perks including VIP and early entrance to the CD Release Party. Just like the name says Apex can help you with all your contracting AND restoration needs!!!

And of course many of the awesome items we are offering contributors would not be possible without the agernous support of Mark Purciel and Oceanside Ale Works. If you haven’t been make sure you go, if not before, then definitely  on Nov 4 for the CD release party!

Cheers,

Mike

Pachelbel Canon in Drop D

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I have certainly played  Canon in D at several weddings, but, never like this!

Although I would be glad to offer this version for an adventurous young couple…

Kudos to this bride and groom for tying the knot through their love of guitar…and hopefully each other of course!

 

 

http://www.guitarworld.com/video-bride-and-groom-play-loud-electric-guitar-duet-during-wedding-procession

Lighten Up Francis, Give Geddy a Break!!

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Here is one of the lamest arguments in rock in roll.

 

Geddy Lee is often criticized as a singer because he doesn’t write his own lyrics. Critics ask, ‘How can he put his heart and soul into words that he didn’t write? Umm…Classical musicians/opera, jazz standards, great cover tunes in all genres…and of course actors too. How can anyone expect an actor to put emotion into his script if he/she didn’t write it?

Another sign of music critics who take themselves a bit too seriously.

Proud Dad, Michael Schenker Edition

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5 year old daughter has been singing a tune this evening.

I knew what it was but not sure where she had heard it from. It is the Friday wake up song on my iPad alarm.

She keeps repeating the intro to this Michael Schenker song…and pretty accurately too! Proud!

 

Randy Rhoads

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A fitting way to kick off the blog on GuitarGuys.com with a tribute to guitar legend Randy Rhoads. Today marks 32 years side he was killed in a plane crash. Impossible not to wonder what music he would have offered up. With only two huge releases as Ozzy Osbourne’s guitarist there was not a lot of material. However, what an impact he had on all the guitarists of my generation and those who have followed.

RIP RR

Randy-Rhoads(1)

Run Playlist 2/14/14, 2/17/14 Michael Schenker, Bridge the Gap Edition

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Anyone who works out with their headphones knows how awesome it is when you get a big lift from your favorite song. Or hearing a cool tune you would have never picked shuffle through on your picturesque jog… With 1000s of songs on my iPod I almost always shuffle.

I’ve always thought it would be cool, interesting, perhaps even motivating to write about each playlist and the music’s effect on myself and the workout. Then I thought that might be kind of boring. Then I thought, “Yeah,” I was right…on both counts. ;)

Really just another chance to talk about music!

Feb. 14 & 17

3 mile runs

Michael Schenker’s, “Bridge the Gap.”

“Neptune Rising”

“Where the Wild Winds Blow”

“Horizons”

“Lord of the Lost and Lonely”

“Rock N Roll Symphony”

“To Live For the King”

“Land of Thunder”

“Temple of the Holy”

“Shine On”

“Bridges We Have Burned”

“Because You Lied”

“Black Moon Rising”

“Dance for the Piper”

“Faith” w Don Dokken, vocals

If you have read any of my previous “Run Playlist,” entries you know I shuffle through my workouts…almost exclusively! I rarely listen to one album straight through.

Another thing I hardly ever do any more is buy CDs. Sure songs here and there, but, not many full CDs anymore. However, I recently received in the mail Michael Schenker’s, “Bridge the Gap.”

With the new piece of ear candy in tow I turned off the shuffle feature and went to town dissecting my new sonorous treasure. My last two runs in fact were entirely devoted to the German guitarist’s newest release.

I won’t give the album a full review here cause it is just too early. I will share my first impressions, however.

GREAT!

Great production, great sound, heavy well composed songs, great vocals(not always a trademark of MSG music) and of course great guitar work. In fact Michael has never sounded better. Part of it is the production of the music. I also think part if it is Schenker seems to be enjoying life as much as ever. Props!!

A couple other quick hits…

-The keyboards(Wayne Findlay) are integrated really well on this disc. Perhaps even a sonic tribute to the recently passed Jon Lord of Deep Purple?

– Doogie White easily slides to the top of the class regarding Schenker vocalists over the years. Then immediately has to kind of battle it out to hold serve with Don Dokken who also sounds great on the bonus track, “Faith.” Major Kudos to Doogie on this disc and recent tours, sounds great!

-Dokken may be one of the top vocalists to work with Schenker. On the flip side Michael easily becomes the best guitarist to work with Dokken. Sorry to George Lynch fans. He’s a good dude and pretty good player just not even close to the same league as Schenker.

– The song format of this disc may lead to a better response from the average fan as some of Schenker’s recent music has been sort of through composed super-works. Most music fans are accustomed to block songs for easy digesting. Personally I liked when he stepped out of the box a bit. Even naming the songs on his MS 2000 disc the by the spelling of the CD title, “Dreams & Expressions.”

1 DMS 2000_ Dreams & Expressions

2 R

3 E

4 A

5 M

6 S

7 A

8 N

9 D

10 E

11 X

12 P

13 R

14 E

15 S

16 S

17 I

18 O

19 N

20 S

Bottom line- check out, “Bridge the Gap,” if you are a fan you won’t regret it!

Check out previous Run Playlist Posts.