Author: Staff (Page 15 of 25)

35 years since ‘Bat out of Hell’

October 25, 2012 / Staff

Here’s a video of Meatloaf performing “Bat out of Hell” from his first tour. The iconic album of the same name came out 35 years ago and has sold over 43 million copies. It’s a stunning rock album.

Meatloaf is now touring to celebrate the anniversary, but unfortunately he’s not quite the same singer from years ago.

Cleveland put Meat Loaf on the map 35 years ago with the Cleveland International Records release of “Bat Out of Hell,” the seminal rock anthem album that to date has sold more than 43 million copies, third most in U.S. history.

Thus, it’s fitting to use a uniquely Cleveland reference to describe his anniversary concert at PlayhouseSquare’s State Theatre Wednesday night:

Meat Loaf should have had the beloved Mr. Jingeling in his backup band; at least then Mr. Loaf would’ve had a chance of finding a key.

For almost two-and-a-half hours, the beefy actor-singer whose real name is Marvin Lee Aday wandered all over the vocal landscape, massacring his phrasing and only occasionally hitting a note. It’s not that he was flat. It’s not that he was sharp. It’s that he, well, just WASN’T. It made you long for karaoke.

Ouch! I guess age does catch up to everyone . . .

Artists, Pop, Rock, Songs, Videos

Bat out of Hell Cleveland live videos Meatloaf

Adele Skyfall theme

October 24, 2012 / Staff

Adele’s “Skyfall” theme already has over 37 million views on YouTube. Wow! It just shows that for the biggest stars, the music industry is doing just fine, and that music is still an incredibly important part of the pop culture sauce.

But the music business is incredibly fractured, and the whole structure has changed dramatically over the past 15 years. The road to success can take many different forms, and Adele is just one example as she got a recording contract offer after a friend posted her demo on Myspace. So of course the Internet is an important ingredient for every young band or artist. Then we have the music competitions like “American Idol” and “The Voice” that can get unbelievable exposure for young artists.

But few people can get on those programs, so if you want to work as a performer in the music business, you have to be willing to work at promotion. Fortunately, most young people have a good grasp on things like the Internet and social media, which can be incredible tools. But the smart ones are also using the old, time-tested tools of doing shows and then promoting them on the ground with flyers and brochures. For these types of things, you may not need custom printing as simple flyers can work to get the word out. But, image is everything in the entertainment business, and investing in some glossy and slick posters and handouts can do wonders, and these are now more affordable with options like cheap printing brochures at UPrinting or other options online. But you have to do all this together. Before a show, make sure to have videos posted on YouTube. Promote the show through Twitters, Facebook and other social media. Have your team use Twitter and Facebook the day of the show. Then, make sure to post cool photos and videos after the show. If you put the work in, you’ll see the results!

Artists, Pop, Songs, Videos

Adele Adele Skyfall theme James Bond James Bond songs movie theme Skyfall

Beck and the musical scores experiment

October 4, 2012 / Staff

In a move that echoes the days of the pre-vinyl era, singer Beck has announced his decision to release his new album Song Reader entirely in the form of musical scores.

The eccentric star has stated that he wishes to place the responsibility for the creation of audible versions of his new 20-song album solely on those who have bought the sheet music.

Song Reader, which reportedly includes the songs “Do We? We Do” and “Don’t Act Like Your Heart Isn’t Hard” among its 18 songs replete with lyrics, and two instrumentals.

Audio versions of this album will be streamed exclusively via publisher McSweeney’s website, and will be the only versions available on the World Wide Web. However, these songs will not be performed by Beck himself, but by Beck-trained “select musicians.”

According to Beck’s website, the sheet music will come in lavish “full-color, heyday-of- home-play-inspired art” and will be stored in an equal lavish hardcover carrying case in a manner that is as “visually absorbing as a dozen gatefold LPs put together,” and measures in at 9.5 inches x 12.5 inches.

Artwork comes courtesy of Marcel Dzama (who previously worked on the artwork for Beck’s 2005 long-player, Guero), as well as Leanne Shapton, Jessica Hische, Josh Cochran and several others.

The package will consist of “full-color song booklets” for each of Beck’s new songs, and will include lyric sheets, as well as an introduction by Jody Rosen of the New York Times, and a foreword by Beck himself.

The post on Beck’s website states that the reason for his decision to take this novel approach is that he considers “Song Reader [to be] an experiment in what an album can be at the end of 2012 — an alternative that enlists the listener in the tone of every track.”

The Song Reader musical scores will be released in December this year through McSweeney’s Publishing.

Beck musical scores Song Reader

How to Customize a Guitar for Your Needs

July 26, 2012 / Staff

Free image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

When a person is fist learning to play the guitar they are usually content to use the instrument as it was originally manufactured. Eventually, however, the desire to customize the guitar to suit one’s musical and personal styles occurs. The musician with an unlimited budget can take their guitar to a professional shop and have it revamped. However there are several modifications that can be done by the owner:

The String’s the Thing

The easiest way to customize is to change out the strings. Because strings are made of several different materials and come in a variety of gauges, the tone of a guitar can be altered with different types. Classical guitars, which used to use catgut, now typically have nylon strings. Acoustic guitar strings are made of bronze or brass with different base metals. The type of metal influences the sound. Electric guitar strings must contain at least some steel due to the need for magnetism in generating sound.

The gauge of the strings influences the ease of playing and the tonality of the instrument. Lighter gauge strings are a good choice for jazz musicians. They are also an excellent choice for beginners, since they are easier to play. Electric guitar strings can also have different types of wrappings that influence their tone.

Pickup and Party

Another way to change up and add power to the guitar’s sound is to change out the pickups. Depending on brand of guitar and the type of pickup, a fuller brighter sound can be obtained. Adding a pickup can amplify the sound and add clear tones that aren’t harsh. Adding chrome pickups creates the tight tones that perfectly compliment rock or rockabilly music.

There are manufacturers who specialize in replicating the sound of vintage guitars to recreate the roots sounds of the early days of modern rock and blues.

Scalloped Frets

A more radical way to alter the guitar is to scallop the neck. Scalloping removes the wood between the frets so that a light touch is all that’s needed to create a big sound. A scalloped neck also allows easy bending for the blues and metal rock player.

Scalloping the neck can be time consuming and requires some tools. It’s important to take care not to damage the frets when filing out the wood between them. This can be done by hand with a round file. There is a great deal of sanding and buffing involved to create a smooth trough between the frets. Power tools simplify the various steps in the process.

Changing out the head or the whole neck can alter both the appearance and sound of the instrument. There are other cosmetic modifications that can be done to personalize the guitar’s look. Cosmetic changes like adding a new pick guard, painting or adding decals will change the look without changing the sound. Although many changes are easily done at home, for more complex alterations, local guitar teachers or music store personnel can provide references.

Songs

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