Classic Axes:Billy Gibbons' Fuzzy Guitars

ZZ Top has a collection of some of the world’s most unique guitars.  In fact,  Billy Gibbons has a book featuring information and pictures of some of his favorite instruments that came out a few years ago.What's it called you ask? I have no idea, why don't you look it up? You're the one on the computer...dick.

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Captain Beefheart by Adan Chance

Doodles: Christmas 1

Below drawings by Shawn Downey

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Bob Dylan-by Adan Chance

Classic Axes:Rick Nielson's Checkerboard Guitars

Rick Nielson of Cheap Trick is a certified guitar nut, having owned more than 2,000 guitars in his 35 years of collecting!  His preferred line of choice is Hamer and that company constantly provides him with customized guitars.  His most famous is the checkerboard design.   And he’s also known for sporting the 5 arm guitar.  Both presented here for your enjoyment.

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Led Zeppelin-by Adan Chance

Classic Album Spotlight: Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars

Side One: Five Years/Soul Love/Moonage Daydream/Starman/It Ain't Easy 

Side Two:Lady Stardust /Star /Hang on to Yourself /Ziggy Stardust /Suffragette City /Rock 'n' Roll Suicide

   After the massive success of 1969's "Space Oddity" single, David Bowie released two excellent, but largely overlooked, folk rock albums. He was on the path to becoming a one hit wonder, but a startling transformation saved him from mediocrity and blasted him up to the status of rock god. In June of 1972, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars was released, Bowie breaks out(in more ways than one) and becomes the biggest act in the U.K. since The Beatles.

   The album is sort of a loose concept record as it follows Bowie new persona Ziggy , the rock star from mars, and his adventure on earth. It's a masterpiece of glam rock from start to finish. The very first song, sets a standard which the rest of the album echoes, "Five Years" is a hauntingly beautiful song which  desperately builds and builds before giving way to "Soul Love". This second track isn't as great as the rest of the songs on the album, nevertheless it hold it's own and provides a nice transition into one of the best songs on the entire record. "Moonage Daydream" opens strong and the rocker explodes into a sex filled stunning melody which perfectly showcases guitarist Mick Ronson work as he proceeds to lay some of the best licks on the entire LP. Then comes "Starman", the most commercially successful single from the album and after that arrives the only cover on the record, Bowie's version of "It Ain't Easy" (A Ron Davies song which was also covered by Three Dog Night). These songs are good too, Hell every song on here is good. However they are easily upstaged when the elegant "Lady Stardust" glides in. The piano driven melody was written as a sort of tribute to David's friend Marc Bolan(of T. Rex, who are fairly big in England at this time) who Bowie would grow to eclipse in stardom. The number seems like it would be a tough one to follow yet "Star" and the ensuing rocker "Hang on to Yourself" do a damn fine job. from Hang on the album transcends into a real guitar driven affair as "Ziggy Stardust" and "Suffragette City" amaze and rock you into the stunning finale.Now,  I'm not sure I can communicate just how much I enjoy "Rock n' Roll Suicide", it's the perfect album closer and possibly my favorite Bowie track of all time.

     

   Without a doubt The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars  is one of the best glam albums of all time. The songs work beautifully  together to create a sweeping sex filled masterpiece that deserves a place on any persons shelf.

                                                                -Adan Chance

 

 

 

Further Listening: Hunky Dory, Diamond Dogs, Low

Doodles: Snowmen 1

Below drawings by Shawn Downey

Classic Axes: Eric Clapton's Psychedelic Guitars

   This LSD-influenced paint job was done by the Fool, a couple of hippies whom the Beatles discovered.  The Fool designed clothes and albums for quite a number of classic British rockers back in the Sixties.  During live performances, paint chips literally flaked and flecked off the neck while Clapton played. Eventually, all the excess paint was permanently removed.  It may have looked cool but it couldn’t handle the workload.

Clapton’s other psychadelic guitar was a Danelectro, which he used while he was in Blind Faith.

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By Adan Chance

Fast Flicks:Escape From New York