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Toto – the early stuff I mean

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As you are more then well aware I am a huge lover of Prog Rock or you could even say challenging music to play!

Prog Rock is better known as Progressive Rock. Examples of this is YES (the four-part “Close to the Edge” or “The Gates of Delirium” from the Relayer Album), RUSH six-part “Hemispheres”, Klattu, early Genesis, Jethro Tull or Saga. If you think that just listening to this style is enjoyable then you you should try playing it live!

Of coarse there are always bands that I strongly feel that should have placed in there but have not for some reason or another. The one band that comes to mind is Toto, SOME of their earlier stuff that is.

albumcovers-toto1978.jpgTheir first album Toto, is the greatest one that they have put out and the only vinyl one of theirs that I have ever bought. As a matter of fact, I just bought CD version on-line a couple of minutes ago. This album really brings back memories of the my early years of playing rock guitar/music.

I had just been let go by Phylis and I was a little bit bummed out to say the least. I had just found out only last year by the keyboardist Tony, still a great friend to this day, that my parents were quite worried about my playing with them on the road in bars. I think they believed that I might be influenced by the rock & roll life style that accompanied being on the road at such a tender age of 15.

Anyways, during this period I was desperately trying to get out of my funk and at the time was desperately looking for another musical genre to put under my belt. This band had it all.

They were challenging to play live, a bit jazzy and a little bit of pop to round it out. Yes I did say pop. My great wife Tricia has always thought of me as a player who was a rocker at heart but for some reason loved pop music. She always has that look on her face when I play some great rock tunes only to be followed by some popish sounding stuff.

I fell in love with Child’s Anthem as well as Girl Goodbye because they have that Prog Rock like progressions to them.

I found I’ll Supply The Love, Georgy Porgy and You Are The Flower to have this Earth Wind and Fire feel to it. “Taking it back” has influences of Gino Vannelli’s Brother to Brother album, I also happen to know the brother of the drummer on this particular album.

So I hope that this post helps you better understand my childhood influences that I had growing up and the styles that has helped my playing of today.

Keep on Jammin’




Oh Damn I wish I wrote that tune, oh hi Kim

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Now this is a song that I wish that I could have played live, back in the day, let alone write it!

Every single time I hear this song on Q-107 or on my CD home/car stereo, my mind conjures up these feelings as a young impressionable guitar player back in Brantford.

I was being influenced by jazz and free jazz that allowed my mind wonder off into another realm. You know how they say that classical music lets your mind work on different levels simultaneously, Max Webster‘s unique arrangements, work in this fashion as well.

So here’s to Max Webster!

BTW, if you are part of the Max Webster never have seen them live club , PLEASE go out and see them for probably the very last time this Thursday, May 24, at the Docks. This is a Q-107 30th Anniversary Event. Honestly, do your Rockin’ Roll Canadian Duty!

Keep on Jammin’

Line 6 Floor POD

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Finally the pedal that I have been looking for is available in a real foot pedal! I was just surfing the Electric Guitar Review today and came across one of his posts about it. I have written here before about this Line 6 product that only came as a “plug in” for a mixing board. I was first exposed to this baby by my good friends at G-Force Media and now it is in a foot pedal version.

The Line 6 Floor POD is a very versatile piece of equipment that I would love to get my little hands on. The sound reproductions and clarity are out of this world. This little piece of heaven is compact enough to go anyway you want to. The above link takes you to the sounds that it can reproduce.

This one suits me just fine thank you. I would use this more for my acoustic guitar and at the drop of a hat, have my electric collection do likewise. The sample sounds, for this product, on their site is a good mirror of what I do anyway.

With the Floor POD, you can have 64 pre-set sounds that also allows you to create you own unique sound signature and then save it as a pre-set one. You can also use your existing pedal along with it if you wish. As well, you can plug it directly into a PA system and hook up a CD player if needed. Best of all you can plug in your head phones and just enjoy the raw power that this thing punches out without the wife or neighbours freaking out!

The only drawbacks are that you cannot use Gearbox software or Line 6 Edit. You also cannot back up your patches

I love the effects that come with this puppy. They are Insane Melodic, Big and Wide, Harmonic Chorus, Harmony & Rhythm, Clean Chorus, Steely Montgomery and Double D. Insane Melodic gets an honorable mention here as well folks.

So now I have to find out where I can take this pedal out for a spin here in Toronto. When I do, I’m sure your hear about it!

BTW, my wife just made $2500.00 US with one of her online companies so I could be “off to see the Pedal” (use the Wizard of OZ theme song here folks), before long, … maybe.

Keep on Jammin’

This past Saturday

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Well this past Saturday was my mother’s birthday and my wife and I were going to take her out to dinner with my younger sister and family. While in Brantford, I thought that I could hook up with my old buddy Steve B., the ex-bass player (turned guitar solo artist) and get some tracks down for a song that he is currently recording. As luck would have it, both my wife and Steve were sick.

So I went down the street of my parents home to the scene of the crime for New Years 2007 at the May’s! I had to go out and pick up my Mom’s cake at a local bakery and when returning home I decided to just drive down the old street for fun. That’s when I saw Mr. M. walking into his house. So I went in and had a couple of beers and then my favorite brother-in-law Stevie H. had to come and rescue me from certain inebriation.

So after that we all went out for dinner and had a great time.

While driving home to Toronto I started to get a headache. I’m not prone to these things so I thought it would just pass, boy was I wrong.

I felt like someone was drilling into my head at the temples. I thought about pulling over and getting a hotel room and get better. When I got home I just lay on the couch and placed a heating pad on my head. Finally after 1/2 an hour I went to bed. I got up the next day and it was still there. The afternoon and evening was a bit better but wow, what a headache. Today, Monday, is better but I feel it coming and going again!

Trish, my angel of mercy, told me that it could be a virus, sinus problem or maybe there was some MSG in the food we ate at the Chinese restaurant. Don’t know what it is, but I wish that I could tag someone and it would be their turn to be it! I really don’t mean that, I wouldn’t wish this on anyone.

Keep on Jammin’ (but very quietly)

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