King’s X fans pay for dUg Pinnicks surgery

King’s X mainman dUg Pinnick has undergone successful surgery for a hernia – after fans paid for the operation.

He’s needed medical attention for years but couldn’t afford it due to a lack of medical insurance. But supporters rallied round and raised $26,000 from 599 contributors via a GiveForward crowdfunding drive. Pinnick says: “Hernia surgery was a success; I’m waiting to be released.”
He previously explained: “I’m overwhelmed with the amount of love people have shown by contributing. I have avoided this for way too long and I know I have to fix this immediately.

“I wish I could say that all the wonderful years of playing in King’s X were financially rewarded, but it’s not the reality. I’m not complaining – I’m thankful that I get to make music for people who want to hear it. “We will never stop working hard, and we’ll continue to make music in good times and bad.”

Pinnick had no option but to keep working through the pain barrier, and along with his King’s X duties he recently released his sixth solo album, Naked; launched power-trio project Pinnick Gales Pridgen with Eric Gales and Mars Volta drummer Thomas Pridgen; and guested on Dokken offshoot T&N‘s first record. “It’s a tough business,” he reflects, “but it’s what we were born to do. “Our fans have stood by is through it all. I can’t thank you enough for helping me when I needed it the most. Thanks to the people who have never heard of me or King’s X and donated out of love.

“I hope I can repay you all someday with a huge hug, and continue to make the music that makes you think and groove.”

Jimmy Page guitar sells at London auction for $40,000

An acoustic guitar played by Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page during Roy Harper’s 70th birthday concert at London’s Royal Festival Hall in 2011 has been sold at a London entertainment memorabilia auction for £26,250 (approx. $40,000 US).

The Martin ‘Birthday Special 2007’ acoustic guitar was sold by auction house Bonhams on Wednesday, with proceeds benefiting the charity Action for Brazil’s Children Trust, of which Page is a patron.

The guitar (serial no. 1151442) label inside body was signed by J.R. Warner and C.F. Martin IV, the fingerboard inlaid with Led Zeppelin and Zodiac symbols and the guitarist’s name, was offered in its original hard case together with a signed letter from Jimmy Page and a color photograph of him playing the guitar at the November 5, 2011 concert.

The ABC Trust is dedicated to helping the street children and most vulnerable young people of Brazil. By raising awareness and funding it supports the work of local, community-led organizations which give children the education, support and inspiration that they need to transform their own lives.

Other items auctioned by Bonhams included a rare set of handwritten lyrics for “The Jean Genie” signed by David Bowie in 1972, an autographed guitar from AC/DC’s Angus Young, various Beatles and Rolling Stones items, and a lot of historic film memorabilia.

 

Poison ft Chriss Yell

This is a Tune my close friend and Musical partner and I recorded last summer. I played the drums, bass and guitars, he sang and played some acoustic guitars as well as penned the tune. For contractual reasons I wasn’t allowed to play it publicly until Today. He has this fantastic sounding U87 Microphone clone from JJ audio that sounds so sweet and full, I love using that microphone! Enjoy!

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Stone Temple Pilots with Chester Bennington Live @ KROQ Weenie Roast 2013 – Not to Shabby

They don’t sound quite rehearsed but I think it could work if they played together for a while. Chester has some problems hitting some of the notes but a lot less then Scott Weiland has for many years. Let’s hope for everyone ending up happy, Sober and making some scrilla in the STP camp including both singers in 2013 and beyond.

Spock’s Beard New CD Brief Nocturnes and Dreamless Sleep

 

Brief Nocturnes and Dreamless Sleep has proved to be the Spock’s Beard Record s a fan I’ve always wanted to hear. My love and admiration of Progressive music is no secret to those closest to me. I’m a prog fool as much as I’m a blues fan, rocker and smooth jazz lover. As a long time fan of Spock’s Beard I’ve always felt a little robbed in the guitar department when it comes to Alan Morse in a light beer kind of way. Alan is such an amazing player but he’s always really laid back in the pocket on Spock’s Beard recordings, not so on Brief Nocturnes. Alan Morse is all over this record and it’s really put a smile on my face and a joyful step in my heart.

As a fan Brief Nocturnes is the album I’ve always craved from Spock’s Beard in the guitar department, I’m so enthralled. Alan doesn’t shred all over the CD, that would not be Spock’s Beard, but the spots he does are epic! His note choices and melodies are sublime on the record and he shows that as a guitarist he’s a force to be adored and reckoned with. I’ve always known what a true virtuoso Alan Morse is by default demographically. Living two towns over from Alan in California for over 20 years I’ve had the opportunity to see him play live and he’s something else boy!

With the departure of Nick D’Virgilio one of Musics most talented drummers / vocalists touring drummer Jimmy Keegan has really stepped up and filled his shoes well as has vocalist Ted Lenard. So many times when bands go through line up changes they lose the magick, I would have to say, at least for myself, this is not the case for this SB fan. If you’re a fan of progressive music go out and listen to Brief Nocturnes and Dreamless Sleep on the interwebs, you just may find something worth paying for. I certainly have.

Slate Pro Audio RAVEN MTX

Today Steven Slate released a new video of his new Raven Touch Studio Console. The Raven MTX is now available at gcpro.com in the US and MEDIAPROS.co.uk in the EU. No word on availability of the smaller Raven MTi shown at NAMM. I also might add the Price point is 16.5k US Stereo and $17.5k surround, a lot higher than SS marketing people have said in the past pre release. Also a note of interest it is “Macintosh only” at this time however a windows capable unit is in the works. I think it’s an amazing Desk and, if it works properly, a huge game changer for DAW.

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Control Room Mic placements for guitar amps

As I’ve said in the past I prefer to mic my guitar amp in the control room of my home studio. It’s problematic at times for the obvious reason of monitor bleed into the microphones but, with some spiffy mic placement and padding I’ve found I can make it work pretty easily. This is not to say this technique is right or wrong, this is simply the technique that works for me.

When my Friend and song writing M8 returned from IPR in Minnesota he had some interesting concepts on microphone placement. If you had asked me if I thought mic’n up an amplifier in a control room would be useful before this I would have answered probably not. What my friend had suggested was moving the placement behind the monitors or on an opposite wall that’s well treated against reflection. Using a cardioid or hypercardioid microphone is necessary with this placement, some padding and shielding has also prove helpful. This technique is not useful with a second room mic for blending.

In front of my amp in a rotation counter to the monitors I’ve placed an Audix i5 (My go to Mic for guitar and snare drums live and studio) utilizing an sE reflection filter. I’ve also padded the wall “down wind” against any reflection from the monitors. With the 22 Watt amps channel volume at 7, the drive at 7 and the master volume at 5. The result is a complete gated effect with no substantial bleed from the monitors.

When recording clearly you must mute the track that recording is engaged, but I thought it worth mentioning. I’ve used this technique on multiple projects in the last year with great success. Give it a try and let me know your results!

Gibson Guitar USA Make Strategic Investment purchasing 51% of TEAC

Gibson Guitar Corp. announced early this morning an agreement to make a strategic investment into Japan’s TEAC CORPORATION.

TEAC is one of the world’s top names in audio and visual equipment, and a leading producer of data storage equipment and related products. The transaction was unanimously approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies.

Gibson has entered into an agreement, signed today, with Phoenix Capital in which two investment funds operated by Phoenix Capital have agreed to sell to Gibson all the shares they own in TEAC Corporation, or 157,447,000 shares, (54.4% of the issued and outstanding shares), at a price agreed between the parties of 31 JPY per share. As this will result in Gibson acquiring over one third of TEAC, Japan’s Financial Instruments and Exchange Law requires Gibson to undertake a tender offer process.

Thus, Gibson, through a special purpose vehicle, will make an all-cash tender offer to purchase 157,447,000 shares of TEAC common stock for 31 Japanese Yen per share in cash. Gibson will purchase a maximum of 157,500,000 shares. The tender offer period is scheduled to commence on April 1, 2013 and will remain open for 21 Japanese business days.

Today, TEAC’s Board of Directors issued a press release supporting the tender offer.

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