Conference napalm::heavy_metal

    Where do you get albums by a lot of these people?  I've looked at
    the local record stores for quite awhile for Racer X, Impellitteri,
    etc. and haven't found any.  I found one Racer X in the import section
    of a store (and didn't have any $ with me) but it was gone when
    I went back.
    
    I've seen an ad in one of the guitar rags for the record company.
    Is that the only way to find these albums?
    
    gh

    Give me an address and I'll buzz you a copy of some Racer X on tape.
    You know what they say, the cheapest things in life are free, or
    something like that.  RAVEN1::JERRYWHITE
    
    
    				Mr Scary II

    
    
    [re .1]
    
    		I think it's a little tough to dismiss George Lynch
    and Yngwie as bozos, no matter who comes along.  I highly doubt
    that Racer X, or Cacophony are going to come up with solos whose
    melodic brilliance compares to IN MY DREAMS (solo of the year
    Guitar '86) or intriguing approaches to the evolution of the 
    power chord (Dream Warriors, When Heaven Comes Down, Mr. Scary).
    As far as Yngwie goes, I don't think I could add anything that hasn't
    already been said.  Let the newcomers prove themselves on at least
    a mind-blowing scale before "bozoing" George and the Yng.
    
    
    				Bruce McCormack

    Although I have not heard of Cacophony, if Buck sez, they are hot,
    they must be hot.  He turned me on to Tesla and Racer X, and they
    are hotter than hell.  Personally, I learn more from watching than
    from listening, but I can still get some good ideas from listening.
    
    I must admit though that I've learned more tricks on speed from
    Jerry, who cranks most of the major speed riffs for 2EZ.  I still
    dunno how the hell he is so fast though.
    
    jammin' JC 

    Speed made simple.  First of all, you attempt a lightning lick.
    You screw it up. You try again, you screw it up again.  So now you
    have created a NEW lick all your own.  People look at you funny
    when you play it and you just say, "It's a classical scale (this
    will shut up "most" metalheads) and it's harder to mute those notes
    (the ones you can't hit) than to actually pick them.  After a while
    you quit screwing up (thats called practice) and now you have 2
    NEW licks !!!
    
    					Mr Scary II

    Ahh men.  Jerry, that must be why I have 1000+ lix that nobody can
    understand !

    
    Yo Southern pluckers,
    
    Take the fashion show to 100.*!
    
    Re: Mr McCormac .3
    
    Well, I appreciate what the guys in Cacophony are doing mainly because
    its different. Secondly because its amazing. Now, granted, Mr. Lynch
    has a great style worked out, but lets face it, Dokken is an overtly
    diatonic band, and while I'm not ragging on Dokken or Mr. Lynch, its
    just that their musical medium is so...lets say "non threatening".
    George works well in the medium they're doing, but my point was this is
    a step up from that diatonicism (ie the song is in A minor...play in A
    Aeolian mode). 
    
    Now, these guys from Cacophony are total opposites and I don't think
    you could compare the two. They're into dissonance and counterpoint. To
    me, its exactly like comparing Mozart to Stravinski!
    
    Its just a suggestion to widen your listening appreciation. Not one is
    better than the other, rather, there are players out there taking
    chances. 
    
     Buck

    Ok, Buck, Jerry, Coop, all you other hot shots.  Here's your big
    chance.  I saw an ad in the back of the current GUITAR (ftpm) stating
    that Paul Gilbert and the lead singer (don't remember the name)
    have LEFT Racer X and they are auditioning for replacements!  I
    can post the actual ad later.  
    
    Sounds like bad news for Racer X fans though!  Can anyone confirm/deny
    that this ad is not bogus?
    
    gh

    
    I heard that Paul Gilbert was working with Billy Sheeman.

    I heard that Paul Gilbert and his pals do a lot of solo type work.
    Since Gilbert works for the Workshop, I think he does lots of 
    extra-curricular work.  I don't think Racer X will go away...
    
    jc
    

    
    Sniff, sniff...
    
    Sad but true, Racer X is no more!
    
    Paul Gilbert and the singer left for `musical differences'. However,
    not before their live album was released. It's out....get it!
    
    Also, some new releases are:
    
    Greg Howe
    
    Marty Friendman - Dragon's Kiss
    
    Jason Becker - Prepetual Burn
    
    All should prove to be great.
    
    FYI, Racer X's live album is called Extreme Volume.
    
    Buck

    Ok, lads.  Here's your big chance...this is the ad, from July '88
    GFTPM, p118.  Reprinted without permission.
    
    "With guitarist Paul Gilbert and lead vocalist Jeff Martin having
    left the band, Racer X is now accepting promotional packages and
    tapes from lead vocalists and guitar players.  All material can
    be sent in care of Racer X to:
    
    			P.O. Box 60602
    			Termannex
    			Los Angeles, CA 90060-0602"

    Not me !
    
    I'm not that good...
    jc

    
    A friend of mine just got back from the NAMM show. While he said the
    show was `incredible', he mostly was hanging out with the Lita Ford
    band. You all know Lita is opening for Yng on their current tour of
    small venues, and the report from Lita's band is good ole Yng isn't
    doing too well on the tour. None of the shows are even coming close to
    selling out, and they said most of the crowd is for Lita, cuz they all
    up and leave at the break.  They said a couple of gigs ago, Rising
    Force literally played to about 40 people! I guess that's a good
    indictaion that the general public wants `pop hits' rather than `fast
    licks'.  Another story in the dying art of blazing metal guitar.

    Since there was a small discussion of Racer Xs new (last?) album
    in the Queensrych note, I thought I'd ask here.  This is a live
    album, but does it have any material which is not on the first two?
    
    gh

    
    I'm not sure which Racer X album Tony D (??was that who it was??)
    saw.  Second heat has a hotel-ish looking picture on the front cover.
    Actually, its a XXX-rated theatre, with other pictures on X's on
    the cover.
    
    I haven't seen the new album yet, but I know its a live album. 
    It may be 2 lp's, but I'm not sure. I know it contains their `best
    hits' from the first two albums, as well as stand-alone solos from
    Gilbert, Boullet, Aldrige (bassist) and the drummer. Its also supposed
    to contain three new songs not on the first two lp's.  SOunds great,
    but it hasn't come into my record store yet.
    
     

    Sounds great.  I noticed in Guitar Player that it is available for
    order from Schrapnel, so it ought to be hitting the stores soon.
    
    gh

    
    Yo Buck, its the one with the theatre on the front.
                     
           
    stupid_in_England

    OK all you guitar puppies out there.  I want to know how to get
    a certain sound...
    	It's similar to: hitting, say, an A harmonic (A string 5th fret)
    	and dive-bombing, with lots of distortion, or; playing with
    	a bit of pick and a bit of thumb-flesh at the same time.
    Basically, it's the kind of sound Satch gets at the end of the 
    bridges on 'Surfin' With The Alien'.  Vai gets this sound too,
    although an example escapes me at the moment.
    
    If you could put it in words, it'd be kinda like:
    
    		Wheeee              Or, maybe  whe
    		      e                            e
    		       eeeeee                        e
    			     e                         e
    			      eeeee.                     e
    		                                           e
    
    Does anybody know what I mean???????
    
    joe (mama).

    Yeah, I know exactly what you mean.  It's a really high pair (or
    more) of harmonics which change their relation slightly when you
    use the bar.
    
    I do it by picking the B&G strings at the same time with the middle and
    ring fingers of my right hand (I'm right handed) while bearly touching
    the strings right in front (away from the bridge) of them with the
    thumb, then dive bombing on the trem.  This produces a high harmonic
    on both strings and sounds really cool.
    
    It's a little hard to describe without a picture. 
    
    gh

    
    	Has anyone out there heard of, or seen Jeff Healy?
    He's got a couple tunes on the radio right now. I've heard
    him on BCN, and an interview with him this afternoon on AAF.
    From what I can hear, the dude can bend the sh*t out of a guitar.
    His music is basically blues-oriented ala Stevie Ray Vaughn,
    and what I've heard indicates to me that he's an awesome guitarist.
    
    He played a tune on an acoustic guit today on AAF that sounded
    very impressive. He's also got a great voice.
    
    Anyone know any more about this possible new guitar hero?
    
    He's playing at Nightstage tonight.
    
    /Motorbreath

   > Anyone know any more about this possible new guitar hero?
    
   Yeah, he's blind and he plays "overhand" with the guitar on his lap.
   Check out his video for 'Confidence Man' and you'll se what I mean.
   He's great.

There is a note on him in the DREGS::MUSIC file. I suggest you check it
out there (or else people will be screaming, as he is not really HM).

cat

    
    	Yep he's blind but good... I was impressed with the acoustic
    he whipped out on AAF this afternoon.... he's got a great voice
    ..he should go far in the pop/rock scene....
    
    BK
    

    He has another song out that seems to be doing well (in addition
    to Confidence Man, which I like a lot) which I like even better.
    You'll know it when ya hear it, busy guitar lead with lots of Wah-wah
    in the background during most of it.  Rather "Hendrixy", and definately
    HOT!
    
    gh

         
    I was watching this program on TV the other day, and there was this
    mentaly handicapped guy, who could play guitar and piano AT THE
    SAME TIME!!!
    
    He sits at the piano, playing as normal with his left hand, and
    he has an acoustic guitar on his lap, doing hammer-ons/pulloffs/gliss's
    with his other had!!! 
    
    Ya had to see it!!          
         
    -Tony

    
    	re .32  You ought to see this dude Buck knows.. the guy does
    three axes (two gits and a bass) at one time.. tell em Buck.
    
    BK
    

    What's the deal with HM guitar solos?  Seems like the bulk of the
    solos I've heard are in minor keys...Is it simply because most HM
    tunes are in minor keys (i.e. kind of a sombre, haunting tonality)?
    Am I wrong?  At the moment, the only (even remotely) HM tune I can
    think of that features a major-key guit solo is "Living, Loving,
    She's Just A Woman", but then again I've been known to have mental
    blocks...Plus, I want to generate some serious discussion here ;^)
    
    Also, what the hell is George Lynch doing playing an Em#9 in "Alone
    Again"???  I mean, am I gonna have to apologize to Scary II now
    (for a comment I made a long, long time ago ;^)???
    
    joe.

    Yo, Joe!
    
    Lynch doesn't play an Em#9 in Alone Again, so take back yer appology!!
    
    :^)
    
    Seriously, he plays an Em add 9 though....
    
    Randy Rhoads played lots major-key solos...try You Can't Kill, or
    Goodbye to Romance, or SATO on for size.
    
    Speaking of which, Vito Brata (of all people) plays alot in major,
    while wonders never cease, check out all the tonalities oh major
    dude_who_wants_a_paul (But don't fear fellow metalheads, he *swears*
    he's not a total Slush-fiend!!).
    
    Don't worry Joe, we believe you....
    
    
    Buck

    Do you guyz rate Kee Marcello from Europe ?  I know the band
    may not be considered metal but this guy can play! - check out 
    the "Superstitious" solo.  Its starts with some real nice melodic 
    phrasing, and at the end it goes into a fast run at the end that
    will knock you socks off. (Dm7 - right Buck?).                  
                                                                   
    Randys solo on Flying.. is killer, but I prefer Crazy Train.
    
    Buck - Do you play "Dee" from "Blizzard.." ?????
              
    -Tony                                        

    RE: .37  Oh, is THAT what you call it??  I'll check those other
    tunes out Bill.  BTW, you had mentioned a band called Cacophony
    a while back.  Do you have a tape I could borrow??
    
    joe (closet Slash fiend?  Or, simply a drug-induced imbecile...?
                 ...only my hairdresser knows fer sure.)

    
    .40
                                  
    >> I can play Dee (that's easy)
    			      ^^^^    
     
    Aww common Buck - give a novice a break!!!! ;-)
         
    -Tony

    Hey Boom, I wanna hear from YOU in this note!
    
    i know you're into Travers...something tells me you also like the dude
    from Honeymoon Suite, yes? no?
    
    Are you a shredder?  I've never heard you play!  Are you into
    shredders?  Let us know dude!
    
    Buck, a former shredder whos seen his ways into trash rock

      
       That pretty much sums up a lot of my playing. I tend to prefer
    the Travers/Trower/Grehan (HS) type of playing. Straight ahead 
    rock with some blues influence. As far as new players go, I'm
    impressed with Reb Beach (not just because of KH), Paul Gilbert,
    and Blues Saraceno. 
       I'm semi-schooled. I took lessons on theory and improvisation
    for close to two years. Before that I just knew rudimentary stuff
    and played from records, learned from friends type of stuff. I'm
    considering more lessons since I feel the last time around improved
    my playing, then I was able to implement it. Now I'm considering
    another course.
       My band takes quite a bit of my time, and we don't play real
    heavy material but a lot of it is fun and we make money! I may do
    something different bandwise in the next few months if the right
    situation arises.
    
    							-/boom/- 

    Time to resurrect this topic...
    
    What's a dive bomb?  I noticed it in here a few back.  I take it you
    need a tremolo to do it.
    
    Mike

    Yep, just a real deep tremolo bend, until the string goes slack. 
    WARNING:  If ya nut don't lock, don't do it.  Strat's don't understand
    dive bombs - well, they do, but they don't understand coming back in
    tune.
    
    Scary (who never uses trem tricks anymore ..)

    
    Dive bomb is when you come home to find yer wife or girlfriend (or both
    if you're really lucky) waiting for you in bed wearing,  oh, wait!!  
    You mean as far as the guitar goes!  ;^)  That case, what Scary said.
    
    RE:  >>>If ya nut don't lock...
    
    Boy, if it does, isn't it painful?
    
    To change strings, that is!!!  ;^)
    
    SESOB

    Not if you have the proper tool ...
    
    
    
    ..... to unlock it of course .... 8^)
    
    Scary (who's nuts don't lock ...)

    
    That's why I have allen wrench holder on the back of my head-stock.
    8^)
    
    SESOB

    
    You don't need a whammy to dive bomb!
    
    Theres a few ways of doing it :-
    
    Bend a note on the low E or A as high as you can (two full tones should
    do it) and then release it, then, when it returns to normal pitch pull
    off to the open string and grab the upper 'horn' of the guitar with your 
    right hand and apply firm pressure with the left hand to the back of
    the neck neck (about where the nut is). Keep applying pressure 
    until :-
    
    a) You get the desired result
    b) You lose you bottle (ie wimp out)
    c) Your neck snaps
    
    Jake E Lee does this technique all the time and in a recent interview
    he says he has NEVER snapped a neck - and that guy does it HARD!
    
    Cheers,
    -Tony

    Saw a guy do that with a ES335 this weekend ... maybe with a Paul, but
    not with a glorified flat top !  8^)
    
    Scary (who sez buy a whammy ... much cheaper than a neck)

    
    I tend to think what all that applied pressure would do to the truss
    rod...  ;^(
    
    SESOB who also sez buy a whammy

    Whammy r fun but whadda pain 2 tune!

    Well if ya bought a damn tuner ...   ;)
    
    jc (Who takes ten minutes to restring/tune his RG550, and it never 
        goes out after that)

    
    Yeah, it's heck of a lot easier when you have a tunah.
    
    Takes me about fifteen mintes.
    
    SESOB
    

    One trick that really helps getting things back in tune quickly when
    changing strings with a floating tremelo is to block the back of the
    tremelo unit with something so that it can't go down when you take the
    strings off.  
    
    I have a nice little piece of rosewood that fits just right under the
    back of the Jackson trem on my Charvel. Much easier to get them back up
    to proper pitch quickly with the new strings.
    
    gh
      

    NOting late tonight, aren't we Greg?

    I hear ya...  I think I'm up later than y'all though.
    
    Hey Greg Good idea on the block.  Those Jackson fine tuners are a
    b�tch when their grounded against the body eh ?  I always just used
    a pencil.
    
    jc
             

    I think I'll be here much later than you guys !  That's the one thing I
    don't miss about my old Kramer ... especially if I changed brands/gauge
    strings.  My strat could care less what ya put on it, but it too, has a
    floating trem.
    
    Scary

    
    
    I think that trems are a heck of a lot quicker to tune that non-trems.
    
    On my Charvel, I have a Floyd trem, and I can tune that pup in about 30
    seconds, and on my Vantage which has locking machine heads it takes
    considerably longer (and thats not because they're locking).
    
    On my guitars with no locking mechanism I don't tune them coz they
    don't stay in tune long enought for me to bother with !!! 8^).
    
    -Tony

    re: Tony
    
    Good point.  You do trade off some extra tuning time when you change
    strings for a lot less tuning time the rest of the time (like between
    each song...)
    
    gh

    
    Even with a LP, tuning is more frequent than with a guitar with 
    a Floyd, me thinks...
    
    SoHong

    Has does Vai get that elephant sound on his new release?
    
    Mike

    What elephant sound?  I don't remember one from Passion & Warfare.
    
    I saw EVH on some TV show once show how he got an elephant sound.  It
    consisted of turning your volume knob all the way off, then using your
    left hand to pull the trem bar all the way down to where the strings
    were pretty much slack, tapping in some random harmonics with the right
    hand and quickly using the right hand to slowly turn up the volume
    control while simultaneously letting up on the trem bar with the left
    hand.  
    
    Takes massive distortion on your amp, but sounds pretty cool.
    
    gh
      

    There's an elephant roar near the end of Erotic Nightmares but before 
    The Animal.  Listen closely.
    
    Mike

    RE -2
    
    FWIW, the elephant harmonics are the high g - g string - 5th fret/high
    f# - b string - 7th fret/and high e - high e string - 12th fret...all
    played together (they ring together)...then d othe volume knob/whammy
    bar thing Greg described in -2

    Yep, Buck told me about this riff a *long* time ago ... I still pull
    this trick out of the hat every now and then.  Did it one night at the
    end of a set using my Strat.  Note, I said "end of set", which freely
    translates to "I gotta hit the tuner, pronto !".
    
    Scary

    There's a high pitch squeal, descending in pitch, that Boston made
    famous and I hear Satch using it a lot too.  I think Boston does it in
    "More Than A Feeling" every time they transition from verse to chorus.
    
    It sounds like they running down the neck with something.  Anyone know
    what they're doing?
    
    Mike

>    It sounds like they running down the neck with something.  Anyone know
>    what they're doing?

On the Boston album, those are real quick pick slides - just take the side of
the pick and run it real quick down the string. You can also do it slowly.
Sounds better on the wound strings, but you can do it on the unwound ones
also....

BTW, lots of bands do this every now and then, but none nearly as much as Tom 
Scholz/Barry Goudreau - they used them *constantly*!

alan

    
    I was rummaging through some of the older band notes reading up
    on various "guitar school" type things when I came across a
    reference to Hondo as being the untunable guitar.
    
    Oh well, at least they're cheap...
    
    And, BTW, 69 REPLIEZ!!!  Bwahahaha!
    

    
    (Can't believe that one was sitting around, waiting to be
    plucked, for almost 2 years!)
    

    Oh Kevin, it's been claimed many a time, but the Goderators usually
    comein here late at night and clean them all up.  Your 69's dayz are
    numbered, dude!

    
    Oh yeah?  You gonna do it, Bucky?
    
    So, what about them Hondos?  I bought one when I was young and
    foolish and in school and poor and it was the only electric
    guitar I could afford.  "They" are not quite right about it
    being untunable.  You can tune it, it just doesn't stay in
    tune for more than 5 minutes (I might have gotten the good one)
    and, if you touch the world's cheesiest tremolo, it instantly
    goes way out of tune.
    
    Oddly enough, I still have it.  I'd never sell it because it's
    not worth anything and I wouldn't inflict this guitar upon
    anyone, but it might make nice kindling for someone's wood stove.
    
    -- 
    Kevin