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Today, the 25th of July, marks the 30th birthday of Back in Black by AC/DC.

For those of you, like me, who went through their teenage years with this particular circle of black plastic spinning on their record players, this may make you feel a little old but the fact remains – 25th of July, 1980: Back in Black released.
Thirty years. Forty-nine million albums. That’s a lot of albums. Back in Black is the second best selling album worldwide. It’s ahead of Dark Side Of The Moon and only Michael Jackson’s …

Featured, Music, News »

Jimmy Page has been inducted into the Mojo Hall Of Fame.
At the most recent Mojo Awards ceremony, the former Led Zeppelin guitarist was inducted with the award, apparently presented by Universal Catalogue Marketing. Nice.
Mojo has the following to say:
Jimmy Page is the musician by whom all other musicians are measured. Every guitar player wants to sound like him, every producer wants to capture the sounds he captured (check out the many samplings and emulations of that When The Levee Breaks drum sound). He is a genuine music legend, and …

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John Paul Jones, as many of you may know played bass and keyboards for Led Zeppelin. This is all that many people know of him and that’s a shame.
So, for this featured video, we’ll take a look (a listen, really) at a something Jonesy has done in the more recent past. Although a bit of a multi-instrumentalist, JPJ does have a thing for the bass. This post, therefore, is a bit of a homage to our low-down bass-bretheren.
In 1999, Jones released the album, Zooma. This was an instrumental album. While …

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It seems that Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and John Frusciante have done it again.
You might recall a while back, Rodriguez-Lopez and Frusciante released an album they recorded to the public for free/anything you care to donate. Seems this wasn’t a one-off event (it’s at least a two-off now).
Sepulcros De Miel is the latest album from Frusciante and Rodriguez-Lopez (and also features Juan Alderete De La Peña and Marcel Rodriguez Lopez). It is available for download, in a variety of audio formats, right now.
As before, you can download completely free …

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Ok, Ok, I’m sorry. I’m sorry for the awful title. I couldn’t resist it. I tried, but I had to do it. It’s some sort of illness, a compulsive disorder. I’m sorry.
When I heard the news, however, that Ronnie Wood is getting together with original members, Kenney Jones and Ian McLagan, for a Faces reunion and that they were being joined by none other than Simply Red’s Mick Hucknall on vocals, I had to do it. You would too.
Also being joined by former Sex Pistols’ bassist, Glen Matlock, Ron and …

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After much speculation over the last couple of days (including a tempting story about a Led Zeppelin reformation), the official word is finally through…
Gorillaz will fill the headlining, Friday slot at this year’s Glastonbury.
The slot opened when U2 were forced to pull out due to Bono hurting his back while lifting all of his ‘Services To Musical Humanity And General Wonderfulness’ awards. I’m sure we all wish Bono some sort of recovery so that he can get back to saving the world and giving sunglasses-assembly jobs to small children …

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On June 8th and 9th, Jeff Beck will play two performances as a tribute to the wonderful Les Paul.
The shows will take place at the Iridium Jazz Club, where Les played every week for the last 12 years of his life.  Every Monday, right up until his death at 94, Les played there and these shows are presented by the Iridium in collaboration with Gibson.
Beck will be ably aided by Imelda May and her band.  May has worked with Beck on a number of occasions – most notably perhaps, at the …

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Omar Rodríguez-López (guitarist from The Mars Volta) and John Frusciante (erstwhile Red Hot Chili Peppers’ guitarist) have recorded an album together.
And, best of all, it’s available for free download.
That said, donations are encouraged and, while not required, it would be nice if anyone that downloaded gave a little.  All donations received will be re-donated to ‘Keep Music In Schools’.  Also, consider that any donation, however small, encourages this sort of distribution model and can’t hurt in the fight to get record companies to realise there are alternatives to nabbing as …

Competition, Music »

Wanna win Hendrix’s entire back catalogue of music?
‘Course you do.
to mark the release of the Valleys Of Neptune album, Sony Music Ireland are giving away all of Jimi’s work.  Sweet.
To be in with a chance to win, pop off or Sony Ireland and answer the simple question asking when Jimi Hendrix was born (Wikipedia is your friend if you don’t know the answer).
Closing date is 12th of March so get your rocket-powered skates on.

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Clapton may have his Crossroads Festival but Toyota Park in Chicago is a long way from Eric’s native Surrey.
If you’re from the non-Toyota Park side of the pond, you might find the Guitar Nation Festival worth some consideration instead.
Guitar Nation is a two day music festival of performances, demonstrations, seminars and debates and it will take place in London Earl’s Court Olympia on May 8th and 9th, 2010.
The festival’s mission is to empower musicians and to help them make a living from their music as well as to improve their …