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You are here: Home / Archives for Chris

Gibson Guitar Knock off’s

October 25, 2010 by Chris

So it seems like some clown, or a bunch of clowns, in China are attempting, rather badly at that, to manufacture counterfeit Gibson guitars to flood the market. Not to say that there is absolutely no domestic reproduction issues here in North America, but this story really got my attention! After researching this for a short while, I found out that this story is actually quite old.

How to tell your Gibson guitar is fake

NOTE: To tell you the truth, I just ran upstairs to make sure my vintage Gibson RD-Artist was really what I thought I got when I bought it from Steve’s Music in Toronto way back in 1979! It’s ok … it’s the real Macoy!!!

My father and I were on the phone, we talk around 3-4 times a week, the other night and he told me to hold on because he had cut out this article in the Brantford Expositor that he wanted to tell me about. While he left the phone to find it, I got on line and found the story. The story was called Be wary of fake Gibsons, police say.

how to tell you have a fake gibson guitar

The knockoffs are being sold for $1,200, while an authentic Gibson sells for about $2,500. People purchasing the knockoffs believe they are getting a good deal when in fact, the knockoffs are worth only about $200, he added.
Police have checked and learned that LA Music of Brantford, 139 Charing Cross St., is the only registered dealer for Gibson guitars in the Brantford area. Brantford Expositor


As the story goes, this man goes to some Chinese website, orders a fake Gibson Les Paul and sells it to a kid as the real deal. Thank God that his father is a guitarist and happened to own one when he was a young inspired musician just like his son is now. After bringing both the boy and his new dream guitar home, the boy’s father felt that something was wrong with this guitar, a gut feeling he had about it. So he went online to find telltale signs for knock off Gibson and sure enough they had been taken! Those bastards!

how to tell you have a fake gibson guitar

So has anyone out there had the misfortune of purchasing one of these genuine imitation Gibsons?!

Keep on Jammin’




Filed Under: Guitar Equipment, Guitars, Instruments, musical instruments Tagged With: cheap, china, Counterfeit, fake, gibson, guitar, knock off, les paul

Here I go, I’m trying to quit smoking

October 11, 2010 by Chris

Ok, it’s time to quit smoking once and for all!!! My wife and I have decided that this is the right time to toss these crazy things in the old can for the final time and never look back! We have been smoking ever since we met 22 years ago. So here we go!!!

I had my first smoke when I was about 14 or so and I’m 45 now (holy shit where did the time go?) so that is way too long to of had this albatross wrapped around my neck. I’m finding that quitting smoking is not all that hard, but I must admit that this time, it has had it’s moments.

Using no drugs or gum, I’m off to a great start. My wife is a heavier smoker than I am (I smoked about 5 cigarettes a day) so she’s trying to quit by using Zyban and so far that’s working very well for her so why mess with a good thing, right?

There has been no increase in the intake of junk food but I have had an increase in more calorie wise snacks to help with the cravings. I’m staying away from chips, chocolate and empty calories like they’re the plague. I don’t want one bad habit to take over another one, that’s not all that wise now is it?!

I had my first smoke up in a tree fort in my neighbour’s backyard that was directly behind my parent’s home. There was me and these 2 other guys, I cannot remember their names for the life of me right now, in this really cool tree fort that we all helped put together. I have some very fond memories of this fortress in the sky that we all built and my first smoke is definitely a part of it.

Throughout high school I smoked a fair bit. A pack lasted me in the area of 2 weeks? I took a year and a half off after high school and during that time I had quit cold turkey. Then there was college! The amount that I smoked went up to about 1 pack a week and then there was the time that I tried rolling them myself and man was that a lot cheaper. The tobacco was called Drum and it had this really neat blue bag. I also found that Drum didn’t really hurt my lungs as much as the store bought ones. I was always doing these breathing exercises that I used for my vocal exercises all the time and man do they work.

Then after college I was smoking here and there, I was basically a social smoker. If I didn’t have any cigarettes then I didn’t smoke. I could take it or leave it, I was one of the lucky ones for sure! In the past year or so I’ve been smoking about 5 (sometimes more) cigarettes a day.

So now we both have come to the conclusion that it is time to quit for life! I’ve slowed down a ton the past 2 – 3 months, I know that I have gone on crazy cigarette binges from time to time due to stupidity, but I wouldn’t discount alcohol as a prime factor.

I had a heart scare many years ago and they still don’t know exactly what was the trigger for it. Right then and there in the ER resuscitation room I quit smoking, drinking, coffee, tea, chocolate and peanuts all at once! It lasted for about 1 year and then I had them slowly trickle back into my life. I shouldn’t have started again!

As I said earlier my wife is a heavier smoker than I am and when we both decided to quit she wanted me to be sure I wouldn’t start again since I don’t smoke as heavily and have an easier time stopping smoking than she does. Believe me, now that she’s quitting, if I do start again she’s going to be extremely upset with me because it could cause her to start up again.

So here we both are right now at another cross road our life and I hope that we can run with the ball of being smoke free right into the end zone of life!!! Wish us both luck … just in case you know?!

Keep on Jammin’

Filed Under: Health, Health and Fitness Tagged With: cold turkey, quit, smoking

John Lennon would have been 70 today

October 9, 2010 by Chris

I wonder what John Lennon would have done for his birthday if Mark David Chapman had not taken the heart and soul of a generation from us on that Monday December 8th 1980 @ 10:55 PM?

It’s wild just to think about what John Lennon would be doing, as a modern day artisan, if he was with us today.

I think that he’d be a rather hard working multi-media god.

He could have created some of his magical music right in the comfort of his Dakota apartment and then released it on iTunes or some other site. He could have produced fabulous digital art for art galleries or for sale. He’d more than likely have a blog to use as a soapbox to bring us his message about his comments on society. He might even have had a Twitter account, who knows?

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okd3hLlvvLw

What do you think John Lennon would be doing to celebrate his birthday if he were alive today?

Keep in Jammin’

Filed Under: Entertainment, Musical influences, Musicians, Rock History, The early Years, Video Tagged With: birthday, dakota appartments, death, John Lennon, john lennon has died, mark david chapman, Monday December 8th 1980, murdered, october 09, Rooservelt Hospital, the beatles

Centennial Stage construction at the CNE

October 2, 2010 by Chris

I was watching a news story a couple of months ago about vintage videos, both from private and official video collections, from some of the past CNE (Canadian National Exhibition) years. The people who run the CNE thought that they had something special here and they wanted to share it with the rest of the world. They weren’t quite to sure how to achieve this, but they eventually decided to put it up on Youtube so that everyone could enjoy the CNE archive films.

I just watched quite a few of the CNE videos and I have to say that some of these clips brought back a flood of fantastic memories of past visits to CNE or The EX as most of us locals call it.

My favorite video of the entire collection was the one that showed the making of the main portable stage at Exhibition Stadium. Up until watching the video that I have, BTW included at the end of this post, I never knew the actual name of this stage. They call it the Centennial Stage.

This stage supported some of the greatest acts of the 20th century! The Who, Pick Floyd, The Police, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, John Cougar Mellencamp (ha, I finally had the chance to say his old name out loud!) and Simon and Garfunkel just to name a few. The best show that I have witnessed there, from a pure sound point of view, was Pick Floyd in 1987? They went all quadraphonic on us at that show, very trippy!!!

So I hope that the video below brings back some great memories for you if you had the chance to visit this stage or the Toronto CNE in the past.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f34Wd1VLDwg

Keep on Jammin’

Filed Under: Concerts, Culture, Entertainment, History, Musicians, Rock History, Toronto, Video Tagged With: 1967, bands, canadian national exhibition, Centennial Stage, cne, Concerts, Exhibition Stadium, historic, main stage, quadraphonic, sound, soundboard, the EX, Toronto, Video, vintage

Danforth Music Hall closing?

August 20, 2010 by Chris

I just read an article on Google that the mighty Danforth Music Hall is being shut down by the owners of this landmark on the Danforth for not paying their rent.

Every time I drive by the Danforth Music Hall, I can’t help but think about all the great acts that I’ve seen within it’s hallowed walls. The most recent acts I’ve witnessed there are Rick Wakeman and Amos Lee.

The company that use to rent the Danforth Music Hall put in tons of time, energy and money into the building in 2005. They brought it back to it’s original aesthetics. The overall set up in the hall is fabulous. The seats are comfortable and the overall feel to it is relaxing to say the least. They also installed a great PA system that is far superior to the one that was there back in the 80’s and 90’s.

“It’s gone through all sorts of transformations,” said Gerald Whyte, president of the Riverdale Historical Society. “It was the only [National Theatre] that was still operating as a theatre.” Globe and Mail

Electra Films Ltd., the company that currently owns the building, is either trying to remove or just get it’s money from Ellipsis Leisure Retail Inc., I’m hoping for the latter. A notice that is posted on the front doors of the building states that Electra is owed a little bit more than $44,000 in rent back rent.

I for one hope that Ellipsis gets back on more stable financial footings in the very near future and they keep this jewel of The Danforth open for years to come.

Keep on Jammin’ Music Hall!

Filed Under: Culture, History, Toronto Tagged With: Danforth Music Hall, Electra Films Ltd, Ellipsis Leisure Retail Inc, music hall, music theatre, Riverdale Historical Society, The Danforth Music Hall, theatre, Toronto, toronto theatre

Ted Nugent is in trouble again

August 19, 2010 by Chris

The crazy guitar/hunting enthusiast Ted Nugent was charged with killing a helpless deer while taping a TV reality show for the Outdoor Channel called Spirit of the Wild, last February. A game warden was a witness to the event and said that he targeted a deer that was too young to be hunted.

Ted Nugent guitarist and avid game hunter

His defense lawyer entered a no-contest plea on Nugent’s behalf Friday. The charge is a misdemeanor counts of baiting a deer and failing to acquire an authorized signature to confirm the kill’s legality.

Mr Cat Scratch Fever was originally facing 11 charges, but his attorney was able to get the charges dropped after a negotiated a deal with the courts. Mr Nugent must pay a fine of $1,750 fine to reconcile the affair.

Still crazy after all these years!

Keep on Jammin’


Filed Under: Entertainment, Music, Musicians Tagged With: baiting a deer, hunting, illegal hunting, Outdoor Channel, Spirit of the Wild, Ted Nugent

Intergalactic Guitar anyone

August 18, 2010 by Chris

Now is it just me or is this the most intergalactic looking guitar that you’ve every seen? It appears to be part spaceship and guitar all rapped up in one. Ah, this must be the Spaceship Super Star‘s guitar! Finally I found the Solar Power Laser Beam Guitar that Prism was talking about. All that is missing is the solar panels.

intergalactic looking guitar

Keep on Jammin’

Filed Under: Custom Made, Entertainment, Guitars, Humor, musical instruments Tagged With: Custom Made, custom made guitar, hand made, hand made guitars, intergalactic guitar, prism, spaceship guitar, unique

Guitar Hero pays homage to RUSH’s 2112 album

July 23, 2010 by Chris

The video game Guitar Hero, from Activision, is paying tribute to our very own RUSH’s 2112 album! It will be coming out this September in the Warriors of Rock Guitar Hero video series.

For the uninitiated, 2112 isn’t your average rock album. It’s about the fallout from a galaxy-wide war in the year 2062, which ended with an oppressive organization, known as the Red Star of the Solar Federation, in charge. The federation exerts its influence over cultural matters through their conduits, the Priests of the Temple of Syrinx. But things begin to change for the better in the year 2112, after a rebellious man discovers a guitar in a cave and proceeds to rock out. Essentially, it’s the plot of Footloose, but with a bunch of spacey, Ayn Rand philosophy thrown in. CBC News

Even though I hear that Guitar Hero has used some of Rush’s tunes in other issues, this years homage to them is special to me. I remember listening to this album when it first came out to today. I figured out every little riff that i could. Man that was a awesome concept album! I know I’ve talked before about my dislike for this game due to the lack of guitar skills needed to play this thing, and I still hold those views, but I must admit I might check out my nephew’s copy of it when it comes out! Hear that AJ, what are ya waiting for!

Keep on Jammin’

Filed Under: Entertainment, Music, musical instruments, Recreation, Video Tagged With: 2112, Activision, footloose, guitar hero, Priests, Priests of the Temple of Syrinx, RUSH, tribute, video games

Last night at Sarah’s Acoustic Afternoon was a blast!

July 12, 2010 by Chris

Too bad that I didn’t play! I couldn’t play because of this very nagging ear infection that I have been going through the past little while. It’s like being under water and it makes it hard to concentrate on what your playing. Oh well, there’s always next weekend’s Acoustic Afternoon!

I did get down there yesterday afternoon around 5 PM to see an old bass guitar player hero from the past, the great Doug F. His bass chops back in the day was a true inspiration for me as a very young guitar player growing up in Brantford and attending St. Pius X Church.

He was one of those intimidating musicians, in my mind due to my young age at that time, that just had a certain air to him. At first he made me feel not worthy to play in front of because he was so good! I’m sure that most of us out there has had a similar experience when we first start playing?! After getting to know him years later, I quickly found this not to be true at all.

We all sat out on the patio at Sarah’s and the weather could not have been better. Oh ya, some team from Spain won some kinda game? We chatted there for a while and then we decided to head off to our place to sit in our backyard for some more fun in the sun. Our very overly friendly Greek neighbour Nick had his whole clan over again and he asked us over to join them for some great food, (damn those Greek people know how to BBQ) and drinks. After leaving there with around 2-3 days of diners, we came back to our place.

I brought out the my trusty Larrivee and played some background music to go with our conversation. It was perfect!

So that was my day in paradise my with wife and an old guitar hero!

Keep on Jammin’ Doug!

Filed Under: Concerts, Entertainment, Music, Musical influences, Musicians, My experiences, Recreation, The early Years, Toronto Tagged With: Acoustic Afternoon, acoustic soul, Brantford, church choir, Dan mclean, St. Pius X Church

My next live gig is at Sarah’s Cafe on Danforth Ave.

July 6, 2010 by Chris

I’ll be performing on Sunday July 11th at Sarah’s Cafe Bar which is located at 1426 Danforth Avenue, Toronto. I normally don’t announce where I play but this is unique venue to play. It’s an open mike event with a crowd that is quite musically educated. It’s full of singer song writers that mostly entertain the audience with their own original works of art. The audience just sits back and respectfully admires the performers. Now this is a crowd that I am looking for!

This event is called Acoustic Afternoon and is run by a well known local music lover/performer/promoter named Dan McLean Jr. This is not the only show that he runs in Toronto. He also runs gigs for local musician’s like Emerging Artists at Free Times Café at 320 College St on the last Wednesday of every month, The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern at 370 Queen St W and of coarse the one at Sarah’s.

While at Sarah’s last Sunday I met this guy sitting at the bar named Jason. If you have a moment, check out some of his Pod Cast shows that are available on his site. Anyway, Jason told me that he had just played on stage a minute ago. He said that he just recently started attending some shows and was going up on stage to try out some of his new material and said that the crowd is just amazing!

So if you’ve got a minute to spare this coming Sunday then head off to Sarah’s Cafe Bar and kick back for some fantastic local talent! Hell, maybe I’ll get my crowbar out to pry open my wallet and buy ya a beverage or two, cheers!

Keep on Jammin’

Filed Under: Concerts, Entertainment, Great Bands, Music, Recreation, Toronto Bands Tagged With: 1426 Danforth Avenue, Acoustic Afternoon, Dan McLean Jr, Emerging Artists, Free Times Café, guitar, guitarists, indie, indie groups, Live, live bands, Sarah's Cafe Bar, singer song writers, sunday july 11 2010, The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern, this to do in toronto, Toronto

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