Rusty Cooley's Guitar Asylum TV

“Cry For You” – or the Problem with America Ignoring an Amazing Music Genre

2012-02-22T12:07:00.000-06:00

One of the blessings my job allows me to do is work with amazing musicians like Rob Balducci, Dave Weiner and Jon Finn. Having been a guitar player for almost 30 years and going to music school to be the next Steve Vai, I have a special affinity for listening to guitar instrumental music. It really helps me to focus on my work and really dig into whatever I am doing at the time. This blog may center on this genre but it applies to all genres of music that get ignored by mainstream radio and TV. I have interviewed many of these artists on my radio show “Live From Music City” and really have a desire to bring this form of music back to the masses as their music is incredible and deserves as much attention as any other genre of music.

Andy Timmons recorded a song called “Cry For You” that in my personal estimation is one of the best instrumentals ever recorded. It reminds of a person I once loved and although that brings a deep pain for me, it also reminds me that this genre of music holds the same ability to carry that emotional quotient that any other genre of music does. The songs that shape our lives should include all genres of music not just what’s on the radio, TV or being hyped by the powers that be. I recently did a review of Andy’s new cd “Andy Timmon’s Band Plays Sgt. Pepper.” I also reviewed Neil Zaza’s CD “212.”

These musicians have found a way to bring us music that doesn’t need vocals or lyrics because their instruments do the talking for them. They bring us music that can still capture our hearts, soul and imagination and most certainly shouldn’t be over looked or passed by just because it doesn’t have lyrics attached. Just like any other form of music you have some artists that are better than others, better songwriters, performers or improvisers, but if you just close your eyes and listen, you will be transported away by beautiful melodies, moving pieces and moody progressions that take us to new emotional places. Some times words aren’t enough to express the way we feel, but you can hear what you want to say in this music or other forms like it.

I encourage you to listen to instrumental music, jazz, fusion, funk, classical or whatever form of music you don’t normally listen too. Learn to listen with new ears and develop a new musical appreciation and understanding of pure musicianship that you normally don’t get in most pop music. Don’t be limited to what you hear on the radio or what’s force fed to you by those with the money and power to make it happen. With all the new music streaming services you can find any genre of music and test-drive it before you buy it. If you do like it please buy it and spread the word about the new music you discovered. Don’t let preconceived notions about what music is or isn’t keep you from discovering a new style of music that may free your mind, your playing or your feelings. As musicians we should always be expanding our listening range and really be able to incorporate the new things we hear to enhance our own playing or writing skills.

In other parts of the world this is a very popular genre. Many countries or continents don’t suffer the same form of genre ignorance that we do in America. To much of the world good music is just that, good music and it doesn’t matter the genre or era it came from. They don’t classify music the way we do in America and because of it, they are more well rounded in their listening tastes and many artists can make a living over there as opposed to not being able to here. Expand your boundaries and listen to amazing musicians that can create melodic landscapes in your mind that the average musician on the radio can’t.

Here is a list of amazing guitar musicians for you to check out in no particular order. Andy Timmons, Steve Vai, Eric Johnson, Tommy Emmanuel, Jon Finn, Neil Zaza, Steve Morse, Dave Weiner, Michael Lee Firkins, Joe Satriani, Rusty Cooley, Rob Balducci, Guthrie Govan and Shaun Baxter. Obviously there are so many more like Andy McKee or Gretchen Menn that have really popped in the last couple years but this is a good start to finding people who have mastered their instrument and have learned how to write songs that reach you just like any other pop song would.

Good luck in your musical exploration!

Note: The Lowry Agency is affiliated with Rob Balducci, Dave Weiner and Jon Finn.

David Lowry is the President of The Lowry Agency, a full service artist management agency that works with musicians, speakers, entertainers, actors and models based in Nashville, TN. David manages and or books the musical careers of Brother Cane, Damon Johnson (Brother Cane, Thin Lizzy, Alice Cooper), Rob Balducci, Dave Weiner, Jon Finn, Kris Bell and Mindset Defect. For more information please contact The Lowry Agency at http://www.thelowryagency.com.

BAND of THE WEEK! DAY of RECKONING featuring Rusty Cooley

2012-02-20T11:32:00.000-06:00

We're going to be a little more than biased this week. The metal band Day of Reckoning featuring SuperShredder Rusty Cooley will be debuting their 'LIVE' set this Saturday night at BFE Rock Club located 11528 Jones Rd in Houston, TX.

Check out couple of their kick ass songs and we expect to see you this Saturday night!

Day of Reckoning!

SuperShredder Rusty Cooley - Dean Signature Guitarist

#1 Most Important Social Media Etiquette No One Talks About

2012-02-03T10:00:00.001-06:00

Now I am writing this and I am most definitely sometimes guilty of this myself because I have no patience personally for smart ass musicians on social media that think they have a need to post negative or what they deem to be “funny” comments but really just come across as arrogant or ignorant comments. This also applies to many different situations such as hitting on people who are married especially if you are married yourself, or ripping down someone’s career or event.

When on social media, the most important thing you should always think about is how you would in act in front of the people you are talking with if you were all there in person. If you wouldn’t do this in front of the person whom you are trashing, your wife or husband, friends, quittances or any other person, don’t do it at all. Never treat social media any different than if it were in public.

If you are in a crowd and I am talking with a friend who is promoting something for me to someone standing there with me, are you just going to walk up and say “oh what a waste of time and money, you don’t need that!” Of course you wouldn’t, but we seem to have no problem doing it on social media. When some is posting about a seminar I am giving, it never fails that someone will get on there and say, “Don’t waste your money!” Who are you to say that and what compels you to? You don’t know me or my work so what experience do you have to give that makes you feel like you need to say that when you wouldn’t in public. In public if you did that, I’d fix you in a hurry. On social media we are much braver and feel invulnerable so we say what we want. Just because something is an open forum doesn’t mean that you “should,” say something just because you “can.”

On my blogs, I usually get very positive response and feed back is ok even if I don’t agree with it, but post feedback on the blogs message board, not on the link of the person promoting it for me or whomever. It just makes you look like an ass when you have something smart to say. If you have a negative comment about something post it in YOUR own timeline. Not in the timeline of the person who is trying to do something nice.

Recently an article was written about one of my artists, and a former member of the original band started a negative rant on my clients article for no reason what so ever. It was completely and utterly ridiculous. A person’s need to take the spotlight away from someone else to showcase him or herself is so narcissistic it’s not even funny. It was a very well written article that a journalist put a lot of time and attention into writing and some “very nice person” decides to start a rant on it. Not only is it an insult to the person in the article, it is to the writer as well. As a professional or wannabe professional, keep your negative comments to yourself. There is no room for it in this business. You need to separate yourselves from the rest of the flotsam and jetsam out there.

One last thing, when someone on Facebook is showcasing another person’s link on THEIR timeline, don’t ruin it by posting your link on it too. That link wasn’t for you. I don’t care if you know the person, think its funny or for what ever lame reason you are going to give. That is the equivalent of you putting your concert poster over their concert poster. All of in bands know how much that angers us and it is childish. You wouldn’t do it in front of me so don’t do it on Facebook either. If you want someone to post for you or get your name out there for you, develop a relationship with that person and if they like you and your music, movie (insert form of entertainment here) then maybe they will do it for you.

Quit all the stupid comments, bashing, trashing or anything else you may be thinking that is negative towards someone. Unless you are the greatest thing on the planet with a ton of success, you have no right, experience or clout to trash anyone else.

P.S. It’s usually the ones who have no success or success from WAY back in the day who do this.

Good luck!

David Lowry is the President of The Lowry Agency, a full service artist management agency that works with musicians, speakers, entertainers, actors and models based in Nashville, TN. David manages the musical careers of Brother Cane, Damon Johnson (Brother Cane, Thin Lizzy, Alice Cooper), Rob Balducci, Kris Bell and Mindset Defect. For more information please contact The Lowry Agency at http://www.thelowryagency.com.

OPETH + MASTODON TO TOUR THIS SPRING

2012-01-31T10:38:00.000-06:00

New York, NY: This is one tour that rock fans will be talking about for years to come and if you miss it, you'll be terribly sorry. Opeth and Mastodon will be embarking on a co-headline tour this spring, which kicks off April 4 in Portland, Maine and runs through May 12 in Atlanta, Georgia. It's the first time these two titans of progressive and forward-thinking hard rock have hit the road together and it's going to be one for the ages. Ghost will serve as the opener of the tour, which has been christened the "Heritage Hunter."

About the tour, Opeth frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt, in his trademark deadpan wit, stated, "We're touring North America together with Mastodon soon. Nice! One of the very few metal bands of today that I genuinely like. Good people too! Ghost are coming with us as well, and they are one of the hottest new bands to come out of Sweden in recent years, and I dig them too. I sound like an old fart, don't I? Well, I am.”

He continued, "Yet, am I right in thinking that this tour, this line up, is pretty decent? Would you all agree? Not complete s---, is it? Hope to see y'all out there! What are we playing? Not sure yet, but considering the company, maybe we'll have to pull out the big guns from time to time. In order to keep up, I mean."

Opeth released Heritage in September 2011, garnering critical acclaim from Rolling Stone ("a career record that reimagines prog as actual rock 'n' roll"), Pitchfork ("a pretty, well thought out collection"), AV Club ("wholly absorbing"), Decibel (which featured the band on the cover, in somewhat of a tradition for the band and the magazine), PopMatters ("Opeth still continues to make especially phenomenal music") and more.

Dates for this momentous trek are as follows. Pre-sale ticketing begins on February 1, with public on sales to follow on February 3. Go here to purchase tickets.

April 4 – State Theater – Portland, ME
April 5 – Orpheum Theater – Boston, MA *
April 6 – Metropolis – Montreal, QC *
April 7 – Sony Centre – Toronto, ON *
April 9 – Electric Factory - Philadelphia, PA
April 10 – The Dome – Wallingford, CT
April 11 – Roseland – New York, NY
April 13 – Riviera Theater – Chicago
April 14 – Intersection – Grand Rapids, MI
April 15 – Stage AE – Pittsburgh, PA
April 16 – TN Theater – Knoxville, TN *
April 18 – Diamond Ballroom - Oklahoma City, OK
April 19 –Palladium – Dallas, TX *
April 20 – Backstage Live – San Antonio, TX *
April 21 – Concrete Street – Corpus Christi, TX *
April 23 – Fillmore – Denver, CO *
April 25 – House of Blues – Las Vegas, NV
April 26 – Gibson – Hollywood, CA *
April 27 – Fox Theatre – Oakland, CA *
April 28 – Grand Sierra Resort – Reno, NV
April 30 – Paramount Theater – Seattle, WA *
May 1 – Orpheum – Vancouver, BC *
May 3 – Edmonton Events Centre – Edmonton,AB *
May 4 – MacEwan Hall – Calgary, AB
May 5 – The Odeon – Saskatoon, SK
May 6 – Burton Cummings – Winnipeg, MB *
May 9 – The Fillmore – Washington, DC *
May 10 – The Fillmore – Charlotte, NC
May 11 – House of Blues – Myrtle Beach, SC *
May 12 – Masquerade Music Park – Atlanta, GA

Creating a “Buzz,” it’s Your Responsibility

2012-01-26T09:38:00.000-06:00

by David Lowry

One of the great frustrations in being a manager for bands is the lack of drive or work ethic that come from certain members. They think they can just sit back and do basically nothing and everyone else does it for them. And then they complain when nothing is happening for them. They don’t realize that all they are doing is showing everyone how un-dedicated they are, how the band will never get anywhere and how the team around them will just quit trying to help them if they can’t even handle simple things like self-promotion.

I hear the most ridiculous things from local bands all the time, that it’s a new music business so they aren’t going to do things the old way. They think they don’t have to be professional anymore, that if they did things the old way, they wouldn’t be where they are now, which is still basically nowhere. They don’t get that professionalism and hard work never change no matter what state the music industry is in.

Without buzz about your band, you really have nothing. You are only as good as good as your last show and if you aren’t gigging at least four times a month you are in trouble. The buzz is what gets you noticed by anyone with the clout or money that can truly help you achieve your dream and it grows your fan base faster than anything else. Your branding campaign is a big part of this, so if you don’t have one, you should spend some time planning and implementing one.

Anyone who is in the business for more than 6 months knows it’s all about the buzz for a band and yet band members would rather post about football then their latest interview or show. Creating a buzz takes time and hard work, but if a band does it all together, it will be much easier for them and will go so much faster. Too many members of bands leave it up to one member of the band to do all the work, especially if the band is named after one person. But once you committed to a band, you committed to all of it no matter whose name is on the logo.

If you have time to post about sports, someone else’s music videos, what you had for dinner or what you are doing with your family, then you have time to post about your band. If you can’t handle that, get out of the band. If you are too busy to post and create a “buzz” about your band, you don’t have time to be in a band in the first place. Quit taking up space on someone’s roster or taking gigs you aren’t going to promote and let the people who really want it have the spot. By not doing this you are simply destroying all opportunities for your band. This is simply the most pathetic thing I see from bands.

If you spend any time studying social media marketing, you will know that only 7% of your audience sees your posts on Facebook. So if you think posting once is enough, especially right before a gig is enough you are fooling yourself. It takes a strategy and consistency to create a “buzz” about you from everything like your live performances to your social media campaign.

As an artist or a band member, when someone posts your music on a site or does an interview about your band, it is YOUR responsibility to promote it and keep the buzz going about you. Many of these people who write interviews for you spend hours transcribing and editing and many members of bands can’t take 10 seconds to post it. These interviewers get paid based on the amount of clicks that come from these articles. So basically, the interview busted their butts to give you some PR for free and you didn’t do a thing to help them or recognize them or their effort on your behalf and worse you did nothing for yourself. You shoot your self and your band’s name in the foot with these people who will never cover you again because of your unprofessionalism and laziness. You can’t just rely on someone else’s fan or viewer base to spread the word about you. It takes everyone and a very concerted effort to make this buzz happen.

Creating buzz is huge part of your musical career. Every thing you do should be a part of your campaign. Every gig, radio show, interview, site you are added too should be promoted for weeks before the event if possible. Every form of media of media should be used to brand your band and create buzz. Most of the bands reading this at their stage of the game in their career, nothing should be left out from posting flyers, to radio, both internet and terrestrial and social media…. Everything.

Bands have to realize that their fans are reading their teams stream to find the latest news on you. They have to understand the amount of “white noise” that get’s tuned out by people on social media because they know what pages are posting in general and it doesn’t interest them. Fans want to find out from the band and it’s members not their business people.

Think of it like this: statistically every person knows at 220 people in their lives. If you are a band member or businessperson you will know way more than this number. If you ignore your warm market so to speak, you are ignoring your greatest potential gain fans. For every person in your circle, they have at least 220 people in theirs that could find out about you, but won’t if you don’t promote. Your snow ball/viral effect starts here. Not on the bands page. Most bands only have a few hundred to a few thousand fans. How is that going to be enough to promote especially if something is only being posted once? Utilize your power, your strength and make it happen. Most bands are missing out on this because certain people can’t be bothered long enough to put down the “vice” of the week and work.

When you are at a gig and you have only 20 or fewer people there, you and your band mates should be texting, calling and reminding people to show up. It is your responsibility to create buzz about your band until you can PAY someone else to do it and even then you still have to promote. Bands should be doing whatever they can to get people at their show. This is priority #1 in their career.

The band and its members should be “liking” all posts related to their careers. They should be doing it on their pages, their teams pages and any others they see in their streams. They should thank everyone who posts for them. The more attention a post gets, the more other people, especially by people who have never heard of them, see it. This is the most basic concept that has been social media for years now and everyone knows it, but they ignore it. Not only that but again, it just shows disrespect to all the people posting for them.

There is no point whatsoever for anyone to help your band with your dream if you can’t even do the minimal promoting of yourself on Facebook, Twitter or whatever social media platforms you are using. Your band should be let go from any contract to make room for the ones that are serious and working as hard as they can to make it. When a band or it’s members refuse to create buzz, promote or get people to a show, it’s a very bad reflection on their management, booking agents or what ever team member they have. No company has to or should put up with that. It’s not their teams responsibility to get people to the shows, it’s the bands.

So put down the beer, get off Facebook except to promote quickly, turn of Skyrim and then have a band meeting to get bands act together. Make it abundantly clear what is expected of them and what the consequences will be if they don’t help and then put together a campaign. Come up with goals, time frames, standard operating procedures or whatever you have to do to make it happen.

This business is to hard as it is without people giving 100%. It’s not the same as it used to be with management or agents, everyone has to work even hard to separate their clients out of the clutter of other bands and the money isn’t there like it used to be to make it worth it if the band can’t commit to the dream. Local bands had better realize this and get it together or their will be nobody their to help them at all. Nobody is obligated to help some one for free or who doesn’t want it bad enough to work as hard as they possibly can to achieve their dream they said they wanted.

It’s your dream, only you are responsible for making it happen. No one else will care until you show them that you do. Not your team, not your fans, and evidently not even your band.

Good luck!

David Lowry is the President of The Lowry Agency, a full service artist management agency that works with musicians, speakers, entertainers, actors and models based in Nashville, TN. David manages the musical careers of Brother Cane, Damon Johnson (Brother Cane, Thin Lizzy, Alice Cooper), Rob Balducci, Kris Bell and Mindset Defect. For more information please contact The Lowry Agency at http://www.thelowryagency.com.

Original post here: http://lowryagency.wordpress.com/2012/01/25/creating-a-buzz-its-your-responsibility/

The 5th Annual ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL Announces Best Lineup to Date

2012-01-25T11:12:00.001-06:00

ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES LINE UP

MAIN STAGE Artists include:

SLIPKNOT

SLAYER

A Very Special Guest to Be Announced on March 5, 2012

And a Rotation of:

AS I LAY DYING

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA

ASKING ALEXANDRIA

ANTHRAX WILL HEADLINE THE UPGRADED JAGERMEISTER STAGE

WORLD’S LARGEST TOURING HEAVY MUSIC FESTIVAL IS BACK FOR FIFTH YEAR

GET OFF YOUR ASS PRE-SALE BEGINS FRIDAY, APRIL 6TH

HARD ROCK & METAL FESTIVAL KICKS OFF ON JUNE 30, 2012

ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL, the world’s largest touring heavy music festival is back for its fifth year, assaulting the senses of United States heavy metal music fans. The ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL is proud to announce this summer’s artists. The main stage will be our strongest ever with the headlining slot occupied by multi-platinum Iowa legends SLIPKNOT. Next up will be legendary thrash metal kings SLAYER and then a major special guest will be playing in the third slot whom will be announced on March 5th. The main stage will also spotlight a ferocious mix of today’s best artists in a rotation, including THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, AS I LAY DYING and ASKING ALEXANDRIA. In 2012 the tour has upgraded the production on the festival stage and this year the JAGERMEISTER STAGE will feature a special headline set by metal masters ANTHRAX supported by a rotation of THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, AS I LAY DYING and ASKING ALEXANDRIA, along with WHITECHAPEL, HIGH ON FIRE and the JAGERMEISTER opener. Please note that bands may vary per market.

The ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL will make a 26 date trek across the U.S. beginning on June 30th at the San Manuel Amphitheater in San Bernardino, California. GET OFF YOUR ASS Pre-sale tickets go on sale Friday the 6th of April, 2012. Tune in to www.rockstarmayhemfest.com and www.livenation.com for up-to-date ticketing information.

Corey Taylor of Slipknot says “You knew we'd be back. Now, you know we're coming. This will be a tour people will scarcely want to miss. It will definitely be a show to remember. Can't wait to see the states again from behind a mask.”

Slipknot’s, Clown states “Slipknot is headlining this summer’s Mayhem festival and it’s going to be unlike anything you’ve ever felt, sensed, or seen. You miss this, you miss everything. Everyone seems to think that there’s a chance we’re gonna go away. This is the farthest thing from the truth. Stay sic and don’t ever judge us.”

“Mayhem 2012 might just be the last and greatest metal festival before the world ends!! So wreak havoc and go out in style!!” adds Tom Araya of Slayer.

Slayer’s Kerry King comments “ We can't wait to get rolling on Mayhem 2012! Been 3 years since we played it last, and it's gonna be brutal!!! You can't go wrong with Slayer and Slipknot, pure fucking mayhem!!!!

The 5th annual ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL will also feature ROCKSTAR METAL MULISHA JUMP TEAM, on select dates.

ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL is produced by Rockstar Taste of Chaos organizer John Reese, Vans Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman, Live Nation, and Creative Artists Agency. The team has made the ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL a standout on the summer concert circuit by following the proven model of utilizing sponsorship to deliver a lower ticket price and an enhanced concert experience. This year sees them joining forces once again with ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK as the title sponsor.

“Metal is ALIVE and WELL in 2012,” states tour producer John Reese. “The fifth year of Rockstar Mayhem Festival will have a massive lineup that will set heavy music fans ears blazing!”

"Some years it all comes together, from top to bottom and this years ROCKSTAR MAYHEM lineup is going to bring it!" adds tour producer Kevin Lyman.

In 2008, the ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL bulldozed onto the scene and quickly made itself known as the preeminent summer destination for the hard rock and metal community. ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL boasts the most powerful artist line-ups in heavy music. Artists who have performed on the ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL have included hard music legends SLAYER, SLIPKNOT, KORN, ROB ZOMBIE, DISTURBED, GODSMACK, MEGADETH, LAMB OF GOD, MARILYN MANSON, MACHINE HEAD, IN FLAMES, TESTAMENT, HATEBREED, CANNIBAL CORPSE, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, MASTODON, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, KINGDOM OF SORROW, DETHKLOK and many more. All have pummeled the stage, while delivering the intensity and heaviness that fans have grown to expect year after year.

See below for all current tour dates.

ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL 2012 TOUR DATES:

6/30/2012 7/1/2012	San Bernardino, CA	San Manuel Amphitheater Shoreline Amphitheater
6/30/2012 7/1/2012	San Francisco, CA	San Manuel Amphitheater Shoreline Amphitheater
7/3/2012	Seattle, WA	White River Amphitheater
7/4/2012	Boise, ID	Idaho Center Amphitheater
7/6/2012	Phoenix, AZ	Ashley Furniture Home Store Pavilion
7/7/2012	Albuquerque, NM	Hard Rock Casino Albuquerque Presents The Pavilion
7/8/2012	Denver, CO	Comfort Dental Amphitheatre
7/10/2012	Dallas, TX	Gexa Energy Pavilion
7/11/2012	Houston, TX	Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
7/13/2012	Tampa, FL	1-800-Ask-Gary Amphitheatre
7/14/2012	Atlanta, GA	Aaron's Amphitheatre at Lakewood
7/15/2012	Indianapolis, IN	Klipsch Music Center
7/18/2012	Oklahoma City, OK	Zoo Amphitheatre
7/20/2012	St. Louis, MO	Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
7/21/2012	Chicago, IL	First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
7/22/2012	Detroit, MI	DTE Energy Music Theatre
7/24/2012	Cincinnati, OH	Riverbend Music Center
7/25/2012	Cleveland, OH	Blossom Music Center
7/27/2012	Philadelphia, PA	Susquehanna Bank Center
7/28/2012	Pittsburgh, PA	First Niagara Pavilion
7/29/2012	Washington, DC	Jiffy Lube Live
7/31/2012	Saratoga Springs, NY	Saratoga Performing Arts Center
8/1/2012	Buffalo, NY	Darien Lake PAC
8/3/2012	Boston, MA	Comcast Center
8/4/2012	Scranton, PA	Toyota Pavilion
8/5/2011	Hartford, CT	The Comcast Theatre

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ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK is available at convenience and grocery retail outlets across the United States, Australia, Baltics, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Poland, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates, and throughout the United Kingdom.

ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK supports the active Rockstar lifestyle. In Surf, Skate, Snow, MX, BMX, Off-Road, MotoGP, Rally, Wake, MMA, Bull Riding, Bands, DJs, and Live Music.”

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Steven Tyler and Joe Perry on The Tonight Show

2012-01-23T15:04:00.000-06:00

Endorsement Deals – How do you get them?

2012-01-16T09:20:00.000-06:00

One of the most exciting things about being a musician is getting that endorsement deal! Playing that guitar or amp you love or maybe banging that drum kit you have been salivating over for years and it’s finally in your hands. It’s a great feeling! The questions are how do you get one? Who deserves one? What are you going to do with it once you get it? What are your responsibilities once you get one?

I find that like most aspects of the music business the artist completely doesn’t get it when it comes to endorsement deals. They all want them when they have absolutely nothing to offer the endorsement company. Bands want everything handed to them. They want someone to book all their shows because they don’t want to do it. They want management to make things happen because they don’t know how and they want free gear, clothes or what ever else they can get for free and giving nothing in return.

Endorsement deals have to be a win-win situation for both parties involved. Sometimes as musicians we forget that it takes money to make anything happen and that these companies need to make money for them to be able to endorse or sponsor artists. Ninety-nine percent of the time, the artist asking for the endorsement has nothing to offer the company whose product they are asking an endorsement for. Granted there are always exceptions to the rule in any given situation but for the most part this is the way it is and you would do well to act professional and always give yourselves the best chance possible.

So what does an artist need to bring to the table before asking for an endorsement deal? Well number one it’s all about the exposure for the endorsee. How many shows are you playing a year? How many people per average show? How good is your social media campaign? How good are your photos and videos? How influential are you among your peers and people who look up to you as a musician? Do you understand marketing and branding? Usually these questions are answered within the first 30 seconds of reading the artists email and looking at their press kits.

Company’s really only want artists or bands that love and use their product, not people looking for any deal they can get. You should be passionate about what you are playing or using before you approach a company for an endorsement deal. Send an email and ask what information they would like to see but most importantly why you think you are a good fit for this company. Highlight to your prospective endorsement company with the appropriate information such as your fan base size, social media coverage and plan, professional electronic press kit with professional photography and not just a one-line email with your Reverbnation link. The key here is to make sure the company is seeing how many fans you have. Facebook fan pages are great because then they can also see what your fans are saying about you. Make sure you state how many shows a year you play on average and average crowd size per show as well. Mention your touring and media plans for the upcoming year this why having a marketing plan is imperative. Have past calendars available if possible to prove you how busy you are. You need to make sure that your exposure coverage is worth it to a company before they give you any of their gear. It’s also good sometimes to mention what products of theirs you may have purchased in the past and are currently using. Remember here that not every artist-relations person is the same so this may alter slightly.

Make sure you understand that if you get a deal you will have to put their logos on all you concert posters, your websites with hyperlinks attached and you should mention and thank them regularly in your social media campaign. You have a responsibility to growing their brand. That is why they gave you the deal in first place. Most musicians are horrible about doing this. Also please realize that just because you get a deal doesn’t mean you are going to get a ton of exposure from them. You may or may not be listed on their website or at least not prominently until you are a big enough artist to really influence the average buyer. You really want to be building a long-term business relationship with these companies so work hard at giving this the proper attention.

Most companies are not giving full endorsement deals anymore so please don’t ask for a deal if you have no money to at least pay cost on the equipment you are asking for. Make sure you are prepared to be professional with them at all times and represent them to the best of your ability.

Last but not least please don’t be “Horshack” from “Welcome Back Kotter” with your arm up squealing ooh! Ooh! Me! Me! Me! Especially after a friend or a band you know gets a deal so you run to Facebook and spam their page asking for a deal too. Remember there is a reason they got the deal. It wasn’t just handed to them.

Remember these blogs are here to help you become more professional and help you stand out from the crowd. Head the advice and you should see greater results.

Good luck!

David Lowry is thePresident of The Lowry Agency, a fullservice artist management agency that works with musicians, speakers,entertainers, actors and models based in Nashville, TN. David manages themusical careers of Brother Cane, Damon Johnson (Brother Cane, Thin Lizzy, AliceCooper), Rob Balducci, Kris Bell and Mindset Defect. For more informationplease contact The Lowry Agency at http://www.thelowryagency.com.

Original post here: http://lowryagency.wordpress.com/2012/01/11/endorsement-deals-how-do-you-get-them/

MARTIN GUITAR TO UNVEIL 15 EXCITING AND INNOVATIVE INSTRUMENTS AT WINTER NAMM 2012

2011-12-28T10:34:00.000-06:00

Nazareth, PA (NAMM, Booth 5454 Hall B) – December 15, 2011 – C. F. Martin & Co. (www.martinguitar.com) is bringing exciting new instruments to the 2012 Winter NAMM Show in Anaheim, California January 19-22. The iconic acoustic guitar-maker will unveil 15 innovative guitars and ukuleles that will enhance the brand’s already premiere line of instruments.

Attendees visiting the Martin Guitar booth (Booth 5454 Hall B) will be able to have the chance to preview the new releases that include: an expansion of the highly successful Performing Artist Series instruments, Custom Series, Road series, refinement of the D-18 model, and several new ukulele models, spinning on the heels of the successful run of ukulele models revealed last year.

• DRS2- The latest of Martin’s hard-working, great sounding solid wood Road Series guitars, the new DRS2 delivers a unique blend of durability and concert-quality sound and projection. Constructed with solid Sapele back and sides and Sitka spruce top, the DRS2 is a serious working musician’s guitar built with an extra rigid Stratabond neck to withstand the rigors of touring. A Fishman® Sonitone sound reinforcement system completes this very road – and stage – worthy Martin. Includes a hardshell case. (MSRP: $1099)

• DCPA5 and the GPCPA5 -Introducing our most affordable Performing Artist models. Available in both a Dreadnought and Grand Performance cutaway, both models include solid Sitka spruce top, koa patterned high pressure laminate (HPL) back and sides, High Performance™ Neck and Fishman F1 Analog electronics. Case available. (MSRP $1099)

• DCPA4 SIRIS and GPCPA4 SIRIS - With these two new Performing Artists guitars, Martin introduces an exciting new tonewood called Siris, adding even more tonal color and variety to the PA series. The DCPA4 Siris and the GPCPA4 Siris are 14-fret cutaway guitars, and have fast, comfortable Performing Artist profile necks, Hybrid "X" scalloped top bracing, black Richlite fingerboards and bridges and Fishman F1 Analog onboard electronics. Case included. (MSRP: $1849)

• GPCPA4 Sapele – Martin Guitar has been a leader in sourcing alternative wood species for over two decades and the company’s continued commitment to responsible guitar building will be on display at this year’s show. The GPCPA4 Sapele features FSC® Certified Recycled Sitka Spruce reclaimed from dismantled Canadian bridges and is finished with a polished gloss top. Includes Fishman F1 Analog electronics and a hardshell case. (MSRP: $1799)

• DCPA1 Madagascar Rosewood and GPCPA1 Madagascar Rosewood – These dovetail models push the envelope of Martin’s high end instruments, with solid Adirondack Spruce top, solid Madagascar Rosewood back and sides, Golden Era® bracing, pearl accents and Fishman F1 Aura + electronics featuring Easy Mode. The guitar is available in Dreadnought and Grand Performance sizes, each with a gray Geib style case. (MSRP: $6499)

• CS-D18-12- Inspired by a 1929 Ditson 111 that resides in the C.F. Martin museum, the CS-D18-12 is a 12 fret Dreadnought with a body constructed of mahogany reclaimed from rivers in Belize. Commonly referred to as “sinker mahogany,” these logs sank to the bottom of a river that was used to transport them and have been lost for over 100 years. Hot hide glue was used to construct these instruments which also boast a T-bar trussrod, slotted headstock and Adirondack spruce top. Also included on the CS-D18-12 and new for 2012 is the Custom Shop Thin Finish package. This nitrocellulose finish is 40% thinner than the standard C.F. Martin nitrocellulose finish. Only 75 of these instruments will be made for the world in 2012. (MSRP $6499)

• CS-D28-12- The CS-D28-12 is a gorgeous 14 fret Dreadnought highlighted by its Cocobolo back and sides, and Adirondack spruce top. Cocobolo is a rare and dense tonewood from Mexico that delivers beautiful bell-like tones. The custom model features two way trussrod, forward shifted and scalloped bracing along with herringbone trim. Also included on the CS-D28-12 and new for 2012 is the Custom Shop Thin Finish package. This nitrocellulose finish is 40% thinner than the standard C.F. Martin nitrocellulose finish. Only 125 of these instruments will be made for the world in 2012. (MRSP $6999, $7249 for sunburst)

Winter NAMM attendees will see the recently-announced The Mamas and The Papas Custom Artist Edition – a new 14-fret Dreadnought crafted of rare premium tonewoods. The top is made of Carpathian spruce, solid Madagascar rosewood on the back and sides, with a neck carved from genuine mahogany. An ebony head plate features The Mamas and The Papas’ silhouettes inlaid in solid mother of pearl directly above the nut. Each guitar is equipped with MSP7200 medium gauge phosphor bronze Martin SP Lifespan strings and will be limited to no more than 100 special instruments. (MSRP $4999)

Also on display at NAMM will be the company’s expanding and successful line of Martin SP® LIFESPAN™ acoustic strings. This will include the new 12 String, Baritone and two Extra Light offerings that were launched this fall. Introduced in the fall of 2010, Martin SP LIFESPAN is the fastest growing product in the acoustic string market. The SP core wire is engineered to hold tunings better than other brands and resist breaking, and with rich full tone and responsive attack, SP strings are perfect for everywhere from studio to stage. Treated with Cleartone® proprietary technology, Martin SP LIFESPAN string sets bring players the longest possible string life without sacrificing the legendary tone or natural feel for which Martin Strings have become known.

About Martin Guitar & Strings

C.F Martin & Co. (www.martinguitar.com) has been creating the finest instruments in the world for over 175 years. It continues to innovate, introducing techniques and features that have become industry standards including X-bracing, the 14-fret guitar and the “Dreadnought” size.

One of the world’s leading acoustic instrument makers, Martin guitars are hand-made by skilled craftsmen and women, who use a combination of new design and techniques along with those introduced by the company founder.

The company is also known for producing high-quality, popular acoustic guitar strings. These include the Martin SP® LIFESPAN™ line - the fastest-growing treated string in the industry, and the Martin SP line - which uses an industry leading core wire to hold tunings better.

Martin guitars and Martin Strings are the instruments and strings of choice for musicians around the world, from the icons of rock, country, folk and bluegrass to those just beginning their careers. They can be seen across all segments of pop culture, from television (Glee, Psych, Raising Hope and American Idol) to the movies; on Broadway and in books, online, and gracing the covers of popular magazines on newsstands everywhere. Connect with Martin and Martin Strings on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, YouTube and via www.martinguitar.com and www.martinstrings.com.

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ALTER BRIDGE to RETURN in 2013!

2011-12-21T10:14:00.000-06:00

According to The Pulse Of Radio, ALTER BRIDGE drummer Scott Phillipstold Stereoboard that it's unlikely fans will hear from the band again until 2013, but that they shouldn't take that as a bad sign. Phillips explained, "We'll certainly be visible next year, but it'll be on various projects and then probably 2013 will be the reunion there of ALTER BRIDGE and we'll diligently get to work on a new record and tour as soon as we can."

ALTER BRIDGE spent much of 2011 on the road behind its last album, "AB III", but 2012 will see singer Myles Kennedy return to work as the lead singer in Slash's band, while the other three members of the group will reunite with vocalist Scott Stapp for a new CREED tour and album.

Phillips said, "Each of us have our own thing. I think we've got a lot of different paths we're heading on in 2012," adding that in addition to working with CREED, guitarist Mark Tremonti is prepping his first solo album for release.

Meanwhile, "AB III" was probably ALTER BRIDGE's most acclaimed effort so far and Tremonti told The Pulse Of Radio why he thought it worked so well. "I think we figured out what our sound was from the 'Blackbird'record, and we, I guess we were just more prepared to build on that sound and to make it more dynamic and that's all we really set out to do, is just make the best record we could, make it a dynamic record, and make it something that was uncompromised by record labels and singles and all that stuff," he said.

Earlier this fall, ALTER BRIDGE released a special edition of "AB III"featuring three previously unheard songs and an hour-long documentary on the group's career.

The band also filmed a concert last month in London's Wembley Arena for release on DVD sometime in 2012.

CREED will be playing its first two albums, "My Own Prison" and "Human Clay", in their entirety at a series of intimate shows next April, while also prepping a new studio album.

Reasons Why Local Artists Don’t Get Signed

2011-12-07T10:48:00.001-06:00

By David Lowry

Dealing with local music scenes these days is very challenging for management, booking, promotion companies or record labels. To be able to get any artist to the next level takes the being able to take a product and sell it to the public or other entertainment professional or company. Unfortunately the product is rarely worth buying or even helping anymore. Artists have this notion that “Without the music you have nothing” when dealing with professionals. While this is true to an extent, it’s not the whole story. We can hire songwriters that have a proven track record, hire musicians to record it and make our own successful bands that we own and control. We don’t need local artists with attitudes, no work ethic or drive to drag us down and not be productive. Unfortunately we all do what we love for a reason, it’s not always just being successful but for the satisfaction for seeing someone achieve their dreams so we keep diving into the murky waters of local musicians to find one that is worth partnering with.

The package has to be ready to go and that is the artists responsibility to get there. It doesn’t fall on anyone else’s shoulders to make this happen. There is no excuse anymore with all the free info out there that an artist can’t figure out the basics and make something happen to a big enough level that they become attractive to people who can help them get to the next level. Until that happens, it’s hard to get a manager, booking agent or anyone else to be excited about making 0% of 0% because they artist has created absolutely no demand for themselves. This is 15 years ago. The money isn’t there anymore so the artists chances of getting signed are slimmer if they don’t have an attractive market value. Here are some of the reasons that artists shoot themselves in the foot. This is by no means a comprehensive list. It is just some obvious points.

1. Not booking enough shows: I know most bands want others to do this for them but in truth and reality, the artist should be booking their own shows until they are gigging at least 80 dates a year regionally and making money doing it. Why would anyone want to waste time booking a band that isn’t willing to do it themselves, plus poor promotion and making a small percentage of absolutely nothing? There are no short cuts here. Pick up the phone and dial for dollars.

2. Poor promotion: Most artist spend almost no time promoting and usually post a gig once or twice on some form of social media expecting people to see it and show up on such short notice. This is absolutely pathetic. Especially when there are many members in a band and only one person promotes it. In no way shape or form is this acceptable, nor will anyone look kindly on an artist that does this. You don’t deserve to get paid at all if this is how you sell your band. Believe it or not, we all look at this and notice how well people promote themselves. Also this is not the only form or promotion needed. You still need flyers, advertisements and many other forms of promotion. It is not everyone else’s job to do all your promotion. When you are looking for opportunities with your gigs and no one shows up for your shows, you just lost any chance for you to get anything.

3. Misuse of Social Media: If all you do is complain about the venues, management or any other form of the music business, you are signing your death warrant. Again, everyone sees this and who would want to book you back if this is your level of professionalism. You are a business, act like it. Grow up and quit using your bands page to complain. If you want to do that, do it in private where we can’t see it. This is common sense that seems to have escaped many artists.

4. Spending time goofing off on Facebook: If you have time to post a million personal things on Facebook but can’t promote a show you aren’t serious about this business. Stop spending time goofing off and start making things happen for your music. Facebook is a great networking tool when used right. The excuse “I am so busy” is quite weak when we can see your profile. This goes for both sides of the business not just artists.

5. Not getting back to people: When you approach someone and ask for their advice, services or whatever else and then say you’ll get back to them but don’t. The usual excuse again is, “Sorry, I was so sick” or “I have been so busy” but again we can see your social media so if you are well enough or have time to do that, you are well enough to send an email at least. This also applies to when people offer you a show and you don’t get back to them.

6. Not doing your research: Approaching people about services they don’t even offer. This happens all the time. You see a business name and just assume what they do but don’t even research the company. You are wasting everyone’s time and showing how lazy and unprofessional you are.

7. Not taking gigs because you don’t have the money: “Sorry we don’t have the money to drive that far.” You don’t have the money to drive to open a new market but you do have money to buy beer, party with your friends, buy drugs, go camping or visit someone 3 states away. Again, your Facebook page gives this all away. If you aren’t able to be dedicated to your vision and dream then don’t even bother approaching anyone.

8. Not having an appropriate press kit: Everyone just about has been doing this long enough to know you need one. No matter if you are a band, solo artist or musician looking for extra work. Everyone should have a press kit. If you don’t no one is interested.

9. Sending one line emails saying you need representation: Again if you don’t have a press kit and I don’t mean Reverbnation or if you can’t take the time to type of a proper introduction/cover letter, don’t even bother. All you are doing is showing how lazy you really are. Be professional always.

10. Only being able to play weekends: We are all looking for bands than can tour, not just play every now and then. It’s hard to break a new market and build a fan base when you can only play one quarter of the year. Not only that you are competing with so many other bands for these bookings when weeknights are so much easier to get. This is why people with families often get passed by. It’s too hard to coordinate everything. We all make choices in life and once you decide to get married and have kids more often than not you aren’t able to be on the road enough. No one makes any money if you can’t play so they won’t sign you. It may not be fair but everyone involved has to pay their bills so why would anyone sign a band that can’t make them money? It’s not about the music when it comes to getting signed it’s about people making a living.

11. Expecting to work without a contract: First of all one of the first rules of the music business is always get a contract, so why you would you even consider asking someone to work with you without one? Why would a smart business owner work relentlessly to help you just so you can walk away with the success they brought you? Another agency comes along and offers you a deal and you go with them and there is no contract so there is no buy out clause to protect them. The current manager is totally screwed. I know the rap goes that the “business” people are the ones that screw over the artists but I know from experience that artists are fabulous about breaching contracts because they don’t want to pay someone. Are courts are full of artists being sued by companies for breach of contract it goes both ways. No one should EVER work without a contract period. No one should risk his or her business on a promise or handshake agreement. You will get screwed every time.

After years of doing this and dealing with all kinds of artists, the most common thing reason for artists not getting signed is the artist not being focused on their end goal. They spend money on things they don’t need such as alcohol, drugs or video games instead of putting it where it needs to go. To be successful means spending money on your career, missing friends because you are busting your but working and being on the road a lot. You expect your team to do it for you, to be focused on you and your career when you can’t even do it for yourselves. This makes no sense what so ever and nor should anyone involved themselves with an artist that can’t work as hard as everyone else.

These are also the reasons most artists will be let go by a professional company. More often then not, these reasons make it very; very difficult for anyone else to help you sell you or make anything happen for you. This is a business and the artist needs to treat it like one. Be professional at all times, work hard always and get focused. Quit blaming everyone else for what you are not doing for yourself.

Without having a great package to work with and sell, people just aren’t interested in not being able to make any money. It is the artist’s responsibility to build their business to an appropriate level before expecting or seeking help. Remember this is business and everyone needs to make money, not just the artist.

Good Luck!

David Lowry is the President of The Lowry Agency, a full service artist management agency that works with musicians, speakers, entertainers, actors and models based in Nashville, TN. David manages the musical careers of Brother Cane, Damon Johnson (Brother Cane, Thin Lizzy, Alice Cooper), Rob Balducci, Kris Bell and Mindset Defect. For more information please contact The Lowry Agency at http://www.thelowryagency.com.

Original post here: http://lowryagency.wordpress.com/2011/11/19/reasons-why-local-artists-dont-get-signed/

The BIG BOSS PEDAL Giveaway!

2011-11-22T10:34:00.001-06:00

Los Angeles, CA, November 21, 2011 — BOSS has gone berserk again with another round of The Big BOSS Giveaway. The biweekly contest gives tone freaks everywhere a chance to win BOSS pedals autographed by top guitar heroes and $1,000 in BOSS gear.

To enter, contestants should visit the BOSS Facebook Giveaway tab and fill out the entry form.

Every two weeks between November 1 and December 31, 2011, a different signed BOSS pedal from a famous guitar hero will be given away, as well as $1,000 in BOSS gear. Contestants can enter once every two-week period, giving them up to four chances to win.

The Big BOSS Giveaway prize lineup:

11/1/11–11/14/11
PH-3 pedal signed by Dave Navarro and $1,000 in BOSS gear

11/15/11-11/30/11
CH-1 pedal signed by Steve Vai and $1,000 in BOSS gear

12/1/11-12/15/11
TU-3 pedal signed by Steve Stevens and $1,000 in BOSS gear

12/16/11-12/31/11
SD-1 pedal signed by Jeff Loomis and $1,000 in BOSS gear

Contest eligibility is for U.S. residents only. Click here for information and official rules.

Rusty Cooley's Guitar Asylum TV Series Trailer

2011-11-18T14:59:00.001-06:00

Jeff Loomis and Rusty Cooley Backstage

2011-11-18T11:43:00.000-06:00

This is one of the segments from the debut episode of Rusty Cooley's Guitar Asylum TV this past year. We are looking forward to bringing you more top guitarists in 2012. We have a long list of great ones to bring you such as John Petrucci of Dream Theater, Alex Skolnick of Testment, Padge of Bullet For My Valentine, Jennifer Batten of Michael Jackson and many, many more!

TRIVIUM HITS the ROAD with IN FLAMES!

2011-11-10T10:11:00.001-06:00

CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED ALBUM IN WAVES OUT NOW

New York, NY: While there's no place like home, Trivium certainly aren't content with hanging their hats right now. They prefer to live on the road, bringing their brand of forward-thinking metal to the masses on a near-constant basis. The band just wrapped back-to-back U.S. tours. First, they served as a featured attraction on the Rock Star Energy Drink Mayhem Fest, which marked their second stint on the quintessential summer fest. They followed that run up by supporting their labelmates in Dream Theater.

Trivium will succeed both of those high-profile treks by spending the winter touring with In Flames, hitting theaters and ballrooms for a five-week run.

"Trivium can't wait to get out again on the road with In Flames. They are one of our all time favorite bands and together we plan on giving our best shows to the fans," singer/guitarist Matt Heafy said excitedly about the forthcoming trek.

The tour launches Jan. 12 in Milwaukee and runs through Feb. 21, circling back through the Midwest to Chicago. The tour will hit major cities over the course of several weeks, including Baltimore, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Houston, Denver, New York and more. The full itinerary of dates is below.

Trivium recently debuted the video for "Built to Fall" from their critically acclaimed new album In Waves. You can watch it here.

Billboard called In Waves “the musical homecoming that the metal band's fans have been waiting for,” while Revolver asserted that the album “will keep diehard Trivium fans happy." ARTISTdirect.com described the album as “forward-thinking,” as well.

Trivium + In Flames North American Tour Dates
Jan-12 Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave
Jan-13 Royal Oak, MI @ Royal Oak Music Theatre
Jan-14 Baltimore, MD @ Rams Head Live
Jan-15 Philadelphia, PA @ Trocadero
Jan-17 Ybor City, FL @ The Ritz Ybor
Jan-18 Atlanta, GA @ Center Stage
Jan-20 Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live Ballroom
Jan-21 Austin, TX @ Emo's East
Jan-22 Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater
Jan-24 Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
Jan-25 Winnipeg, MB, CANADA @ Burton Cummings
Jan-27 Edmonton, AB, CANADA @ Edmonton Events Centre
Jan-28 Calgary, AB, CANADA @ MacEwan Hall Ballroom
Jan-31 Vancouver, BC, CANADA @ Commodore Ballroom
Feb-01 Portland, OR @ Roseland Theatre
Feb-02 Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory Concert House
Feb-03 Seattle, WA Showbox SoDo
Feb-04 Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory Concert House
Feb-06 San Francisco, CA @ The Regency Ballroom
Feb-07 Los Angeles, CA @ Wiltern Theatre
Feb-08 Tempe, AZ @ The Marquee
Feb-09 Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theater
Feb-10 Denver, CO @ The Summit Music Hall
Feb-11 Kansas City, MO @ The Beaumont Club
Feb-13 Cleveland, OH @ House Of Blues - Cleveland
Feb-14 Toronto, ON, CANADA @ Sound Academy
Feb-15 Montreal, QC, CANADA @ Metropolis
Feb-17 Worcester , MA @ The Palladium
Feb-18 New York, NY @ Best Buy Theater
Feb-19 Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE
Feb-21 Chicago, IL @ House Of Blues

THE TRAVELING GUITAR FOUNDATION ALONG WITH ESP GUITARS

2011-11-09T12:25:00.000-06:00

THE TRAVELING GUITAR FOUNDATION ALONG WITH ESP GUITARS,

THROUGH BURBANK ARTS FOR ALL, TO DONATE BRANDNEW GUITARS

IMPACTING MORE THAN 900 STUDENTS

DONATIONS AND MUSICAL PERFORMANCES TO TAKE PLACEAT SCHOOL ASSEMBLIES WEEK OF NOVEMBER 7-11

Burbank, California – November 2,2011

Burbank Arts For All proudlyannounces the generous donation of 40 brand new guitars and 40 brand new cablesfrom the Traveling Guitar Foundation, ESP Guitars and Mogami Cable. The donation going to four instrumental programs at Burbank High School, JohnBurroughs High School, John Muir Middle School and Jordan Middle School willimpact over 900 students. Traveling Guitar Foundation founder andrenowned musician Damon Marks will present the guitars. Appearing withMarks will be Soul/rocksta “Derek McKeith” (TGF Director, West Coast Programs),pop rockers “Time Will Tell”, pop singer/guitarist “Tiffany Araya” and specialcelebrity guests. The presentations will take place during schoolassemblies the week of November 7-11, 2011.

In making the announcement, CraigMurray and Alexandra Helfrich, co-chairpersons of Burbank Arts For All, jointlystated, “We are extremely grateful to the Traveling Guitar Foundation’s founderDamon Marks along with ESP Guitars and Mogami Cable for this generous gift thatwill enrich so many of our students’ lives. Donations such asthis will help to ensure that our students continue to receive a quality artseducation as part of their core curriculum.”

Acclaimed guitarist/songwriter andTraveling Guitar Foundation founder Damon Marks said, “When the country facesbudgetary restraints the arts programs are always the first to vanish fromschools. Our mission is to foster creativity and intellectual growththrough the arts programs. Burbank Arts for All and the Burbank Unifiedschools work hard to keep these programs alive and we are proud to help them intheir mission by presenting them with ESP Guitars along with musical performances.”

“The Burbank Unified School Districtis not only sustaining arts programming through this challenging budget crisis,but also expanding their arts education programs through unique donations likethis one,” added Peggy Flynn, Arts Coordinator for the Burbank Unified SchoolDistrict. “To have the opportunity for our students to not only receivethe ESP Guitars, but to perform with such a talented and compassionate humanbeing as Damon Marks, along with the other renowned artists, will truly leavean indelible mark on their young lives.”

ESP Guitars director of marketingand artist relations Allen Steelgrave says, "From the moment we heardabout what Damon Marks is doing with the Traveling Guitar Foundation, weadmired his commitment to enriching the lives of children with music. Theseries of events for the Burbank School District will give hundreds of kids anopportunity that they would have never had without Damon's efforts. We're proudto be a small part of it."

Mogami Cable: "We'vebeen supporting the Traveling Guitar Foundation since the beginning" saidPhil Tennison, Mogami Product Manager. "We're proud to help them fight tokeep music in the schools."

About Damon Marks

Influenced by his father, TonyMarks, an original member of Frankie Valli's first group, The Four Lovers,Damon Marks began playing the guitar passionately when he was ten yearsold. Since then, Damon has utilized his musical abilities in tandem withhis impressive business acumen to achieve tremendous success in the musicindustry.

Best-known for his inspired guitarchops and generous philanthropic work, Damon Marks has collaborated with adiverse range of notable rock musicians over the course of his career includingBret Michaels, Tommy Aldridge, Bruce Kulick, Marco Mendoza and ChrisCaffery. As a performer, Damon has also garnered national recognition forhis work as a touring guitarist on Alicia Keys' Freedom Tour. During thetour, Damon played in numerous world-renowned arenas such as Madison SquareGarden, The Prudential Center, Trump Taj Mahal and Washington D.C.'s VerizonCenter.

Damon also helmed and played leadguitar for the female-fronted rock band, Lipstick Magazine. Notably, Damonco-produced Lipstick Magazine's 2008 debut album, Skin Deep, alongside GrammyAward winning engineer Mark Plotnikoff. He also orchestrated the album'snational distribution into Best Buy and Walmart store locations. In supportof Skin Deep, Lipstick Magazine toured extensivelyacross the United States and opened for heavy metal icons such as BretMichaels, Winger, Sebastian Bach, Extreme, and Ratt. As a part of thetour, Lipstick Magazine also performed at the Rocklahoma Festival.

Outside of his career as asongwriter and performer, Damon maintains a steadfast commitment to musicrelated philanthropic causes. Specifically, in 2009, Damon founded theTraveling Guitar Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which providesmusical equipment and support for school systems that are struggling to financetheir music education programs. With Damon's leadership and business acumen,the Foundation has worked diligently to ensure that school children have accessto high-quality musical instruments and instruction during a time when schoolsystems across the country are facing budgetary restraints.

The year 2011 promises to be a busyand productive period in Damon's career. In addition to his ongoing work withthe Traveling Guitar Foundation, Damon plans onreleasing his first solo record, an all instrumental album highlighted by anexciting and unique amalgamation of rock fusion, smooth jazz and heavy metalgrooves. Additionally, before the end of the year, Damon will release aTraveling Guitar Foundation charity compilation album which will featurevarious nationally-known recording artists as well as younger musicians andstudents who have benefited from the Foundation. http://www.travelingguitarfoundation.org

About Mogami Cable

Often referred to as "The Cableof the Pros," Mogami Cable is known around the world for unmatchedaccuracy, extremely low noise, ease of installation, flexibility, and superiorquality. Virtually every major recording facility is wired with Mogami, which meansthat just about any music you listen to has passed through Mogami somewhere inthe recording chain. Years of research and development goes into every MogamiCable, and every foot of

Mogami cable is proudly manufacturedin our Nagano, Japan facility. To learn more about Mogami cable, visit ourwebsite at www.mogamicable.com

About Derek McKeith

Derek McKeith is a progressiveartist who fuses his own blend of rock and soul into a sound uniquely his own.His latest project, The Signature, was recorded on ElectricLife/DIOS Music. McKeith has appeared on NBC’s "Today Show" andhis music can be heard on New Line Cinema’s soundtrack “The Son of theMask" and the Speedracer video game soundtrack. His video "Can'tGet Enough' was a #1 hit on BET's "Soul Sessions Top Ten Countdown."

About Traveling Guitar Foundation

Founded in 2009 byguitarist/songwriter Damon Marks, the Traveling Guitar Foundation

is a 501(c)(3) non-profitorganization which provides musical equipment and support

for school systems across the UnitedStates that are struggling to finance their

music education programs. Throughtheir efforts, they work to ensure that the equipment

they donate is used regularly andproperly for the betterment of students’ educational,

artistic, and social development. Inso doing, they hope to catalyze students’

creativity, foster theirintellectual growth, and expose them to the joys that

music can bring. For moreinformation, visit www.travelingguitarfoundation.org

About Burbank Arts for AllFoundation

Since its 2006 founding, BurbankArts for All’s mission has been to ensure every student in

Burbank public schools has access toa quality visual and performing arts education as part

of their core curriculum. Guidedby this purpose, the non‐profitBurbank Arts for All

Foundation built a communitywidealliance of business leaders, municipal partners,

educators, parents and artssupporters to tirelessly advocate for quality arts education as

well as provide grants to supportthe Burbank Unified School District’s Arts for All plan. As

of 2011, the Foundation has awardedover $120,000 to visual and performing arts programs in Burbank publicschools. The purpose of the endowment is to provide a sustainablemonetary source for arts education grants while also supporting theFoundation’s stability and growth. For more information go to www.BurbankArtsForAll.org

What Makes a Good Artist Manager?

2011-11-08T12:46:00.001-06:00

One of the topics I am often asked to write about is thedifference between good management and not-so-good management. What makes agood manager? What are the expectations? This is a very broad subject and hasmany answers but let’s assume for the sake of this article that the band orartist being managed has given the manager a lot to work with. This means thatthe artist has a large fan base, is gigging constantly and has a business tomanage. The artist always needs to be on the up-and-up and gets the managereverything he needs in a timely manner.

Working with management is a team effort. Most artists seemto think that once they sign management they don’t have to work anymore andthat they can just focus on music. This is very far from the truth. Assumingthat the artist is really putting the effort in to promote their careers,music, video’s and performances, then management should be in relative constantcontact and operating as a team and coach with their artist. Management shouldbe able to put a fair amount of time into all their artists especially if thereis a team and not just a single person as part of the management team.Management should always be thinking of the artists best interests and have asystem of organization in place to not let things fall through the cracks.

Organization is vital to make sure that opportunities don’tpass the artist by.

Management should be able to handle all requests that comein and weigh the priorities of those requests. Management should beprofessional enough to respond in a timely manner with a professional demeanor.Not everything that comes in is a good thing or should be acted on, but intoday’s music world, the more things you have going on to share about thebetter. It’s all about the exposure and number of impressions an artist candevelop to break through the masses of artists in this online music world.

In lieu of an artist not having financial backing, themanager often plays many roles, that of publicist, booking agent, tour manager,accountant and possibly many others. You need a manager that is set up to dothis. All things being equal, please remember that if the band isn’t able tofinancially compensate a manager for all the “extra” work that goes into theircareer and the artist themselves can’t or isn’t able to handle any of theseextra duties then the manager will probably focus on bands that generate incomeversus those that are still only making smaller incomes. It stretches a managerpretty thin to handle all that goes into an artist’s career and their goalsneed to be adjusted to be more realistic based on the workload.

Depending on where an artist is in their career, businessand marketing plans need to be developed to help the artist progress businesswise. Clear-cut goals should be put into place here. Both the manager and theartist need to adhere to them and review them at least quarterly. Managers needto help the artist define who they are, their image, sound, stage show andidentify weaknesses that need to be worked on. A game plan to tackle their weaknesses while operating on theirstrengths should be put into place. Performance consulting should be added tothe mix. More often then not, the artist can improve greatly here with aknowledgeable manager. The manager is the eyes, ears and coach for the artiststhey represent. The manager supplies other things such as media training,social media consulting, business advice and many more issues. The artist needsto be open to learning, working hard and also holding their team accountable.

Most importantly, a manager needs to be able to be honestwith their artists. To tell them what they are doing right, but also what theyneed to work on. Artists need to heed this advice. If you don’t trust yourmanager here, why did you hire them?

A good manager knows this is a work in progress and needs tohave the patience to make it happen. The artist should know this and be onboard with it too. Develop a good team, work realistic goals and remember thisis a business. The manager needs to keep the artists head in the game and teachthem how to run a business so as to have the most effective team possible. Rememberartists, it’s “your” career and it’s your responsibility. Your manager is yourteammate, coach, consultant, partner and biggest supporter. Work hard toidentify the traits you look for in a manager, work hard to develop yourrapport and work even harder to make sure the manager has the best artist tosell to the world.

David Lowry is thePresident of The Lowry Agency, a fullservice artist management agency that works with musicians, speakers,entertainers, actors and models based in Nashville, TN. David manages themusical careers of Brother Cane, Damon Johnson (Brother Cane, Thin Lizzy, AliceCooper), Kris Bell and Mindset Defect. For more information please contact TheLowry Agency at http://www.thelowryagency.com.

VAN HALEN to Make Announcement Nov 30th - LIVE!

2011-11-04T15:22:00.001-05:00

VAN HALEN is rumored to be making a "special live announcement" at theGrammy Nominations Concert Live in Los Angeles. The 54th annualGrammy Awards' nominations will be announced on Wednesday, November 30, at 10 p.m. live from Nokia Theatre L.A. Live., and will be broadcast by the CBS network.

Toward the end of yesterday's (Thursday, November 3) press release fromThe Recording Academy, which produces the Grammy Awards, it was revealed that the Grammy Nominations Concert Live will feature "a special, live announcement from an iconic group regarding their historic band reunion set to take place" on the Grammy stage on February 12, 2012. This was followed up by a tweet from the official Grammys Twitter account which read: "Who do u predict the reuniting band will be @ #GRAMMYnoms? Does this hint make u wanna 'Jump' & 'Dance the Night Away'?"

Grammy Nominations Concert Live will once again be hosted by the two-time Grammy winner and producer of the show LL Cool J.

The 54th annual Grammy Awards will be broadcast live on the CBStelevision network at Staples Center in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 8 p.m.

VAN HALEN's already completed new studio album — its first in 27 years to feature original singer David Lee Roth — is expected to arrive early next year.

Producer Ross Hogarth spoke with Ultimate-Guitar.com about the work he did on the project, saying, "The whole VAN HALEN record has been recorded and we're all excited. I'm really stoked about it, as it is the original band, Eddie and Alex with Wolf [Eddie's son] playing bass, andDavid Lee Roth singing, it's the killing side of VAN HALEN at the top of their game again with Diamond Dave, and the band on fire."

VAN HALEN reunited with Roth in 2007 for a successful year-long reunion tour — minus original bassist Michael Anthony, who now plays with ex-VAN HALEN singer Sammy Hagar in CHICKENFOOT.

ANTHRAX: MOST FANS STOLE OUR ALBUM!

2011-11-03T13:19:00.002-05:00

Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian believes that for every fan who’s bought new album Worship Music, as many as four have illegally downloaded it.
And he says filesharers should be denied access to the internet.

The thrash act’s long-awaited tenth album sold 30,000 copies in its first week of release in September. But Ian remembers a time when Anthrax sold five times as many records – and blames downloading for the decline.

He tells the New Times: “The fact that we sold 30,000 the first week and entered at number 12 was awesome, for 2011.

“If you put that in 2011 we would have sold probably 250,000 the first week and been number 12. In 1993 Sound of White Noise entered the charts at number seven and it sold like 110,000 copies.

“A lot of it has to do, of course, with what other records come out the same week as you, and all that. But it just sucks that 30,000 is considered a huge success in 2011.”

Asked if he thinks a lot of fans stole the album, Ian says: “I don’t think – I know they did. People have this sense of entitlement now where thy think music is free and that’s the way it is.”

The guitarist maintains filesharing is the equivalent of stealing a CD. “Before the internet, the only way to steal music was to walk into a music store and physically walk out with something,” he says. “You were stealing and you knew it. If you got caught you were going to get into trouble.

“On the internet there’s no consequence for stealing. Until there is a consequence it’s going to happen more and more and more – and people are going to see less and less and less original and good content from the record industry and movie industry.”

Ian points out: “It’s not free for us to make these records,” and says the punishment should fit the crime.

“You lose your internet – that’s it, no more internet for you. Seriously. Like you drive drunk, you lose the privilege of driving. You download illegally, you lose the privilege of having the internet.

“Why these service providers don’t stop the torrent sites and put a consequence on this, I have no idea. Everybody complains about the trillions of dollars being lost but nobody does anything about it.

“Believe me, if I could do something about it, I would.”

Reprinted with permission from RockNewsDesk

SEVEN DAY SONNET to Support SEVENDUST on Select Tour Dates this Fall

2011-11-03T12:50:00.002-05:00

Chicago, IL’s SEVEN DAY SONNET recently announced their November/December tour trek with Sevendust and Eye Empire and dates are now available! See below for all currently booked tour dates.

The band just finished their Fallen Heroes / Rising Rock tour in support of their latest single, ‘Farewell To Good Days’, which is produced by the Johnny K Camp (Disturbed, Staind, Sevendust) and charted at #1 on the BDS New and Active Rock Chart. The track is in rotation at several of today’s hottest stations, including new adds at WJJO and WRIF this week. You can view the new music video for ‘Farewell To Good Days’, on the band’s YouTube page. The video is also in current rotation on MTV and at MTV.com. The band’s previous single, ‘Hapless’, spent over 17 weeks within the Top 50 on the BDS New and Active Rock Chart.

The band will enter Groovmaster Studios in Chicago, IL in January with the Johnny K Camp to complete work on their debut full-length, self-titled album set to be unleashed on the world in April 2012 with Big Time Records.

“Before entering the recording studio in early 2012, we are extremely excited to announce that we will be hitting the road in support of Sevendust,” states bassist Anthony Lojeski. “We could not have asked for a better end to our touring cycle than to go out with a band that has heavily influenced us over the years, and that we have the utmost respect for. This is the kind of “high note” we want to be on going into the winter where we will be writing and recording for our first full length release since signing with Big Time Records. We have achieved much, been through and done a lot over the past year and are really looking forward to crafting an album that we are proud of and that truly represents what SEVEN DAY SONNET is all about.”

Refusing to slow down over the past year, SEVEN DAY SONNET has gone from playing back alley clubs to expanding practically overnight-- touring with bands like Saliva, Sevendust, Rev Theory, Nonpoint and Adelitas Way and recording with Grammy Award-winning producer Sylvia Massy (Tool, System of a Down) and Grammy-nominated producer Johnny K.

SEVEN DAY SONNET W/ SEVENDUST AND EYE EMPIRE:

11/22 Pensacola, FL @ Vinyl Music Hall
11/23 St. Petersburg, FL @ Jannus Landing
11/26 Charlotte, NC @ Amos’ Southend
11/29 Dayton, OH @ McGuffy’s House of Rock
11/30 Traverse City, MI @ Ground Zero
12/2 Detroit, MI @ Harp’s Concert Theatre
12/3 Flint, MI @ The Machine Shop
12/4 Joliet, IL @ Mojoes
12/5 St. Paul, MN @ Myth
12/7 Wichita, KS @ The Cotillion
12/10 Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave

Seven Day Sonnet is:
Benjamin Franklin VanBuskirk - Vocals/Programming
Michael Scarlata – Lead guitar/Vocals
Rick Tauber – Rhythm guitar/Programming
Anthony Lojeski – Bass
Dan Kashuck – Drums/Vocals/Programming

For more information on SEVEN DAY SONNET, please visit these websites:

www.sevendaysonnet.com
www.facebook.com/7daysonnet.com
www.youtube.com/user/7DaySonnet

WARBEAST to Join GWAR and EVERY TIME I DIE on the Road

2011-11-01T13:53:00.002-05:00

WARBEAST to Join GWAR and EVERY TIME I DIE on the Road on November 8th in Seattle, WA

Texas natives and Housecore Records recording artists WARBEAST are set to jump onto GWAR and EVERY TIME I DIE’s current tour across the U.S. starting on Tuesday, November 8th in Seattle, WA. See below for all current tour dates and stay tuned for updates!

“I’ve probably seen GWAR live 20 times over the years. I always liked their sci-fi/horror/gore inspired music and lyrics,” states vocalist Bruce Corbitt. “But I especially dug their graphic/elaborate/obscene costumes and stage antics. I think that experiencing a GWAR show live is a “must” for any fan of metal and gore. This is the biggest tour for Warbeast to date. So we are stoked to be part of the madness for these next few weeks.”

WARBEAST began in the early 80’s Texas underground metal scene. Vocalist Bruce Corbitt was the voice of speed metal kings Rigor Mortis, who achieved major label success on Capitol Records in 1988. Other members of the band boast resumes including Gammacide, Demonseed, and more. WARBEAST released their album Krush the Enemy, on April 27th, 2010.

WARBEAST W/ GWAR, EVERY TIME I DIE:

11/08 Seattle, WA @ Showbox SoDo - (w/ Ghoul)
11/09 Portland, OR @ Roseland Theatre - (w/ Ghoul)
11/10 Medford, OR @ Medford Armory
11/11 San Francisco, CA @ The Regency Ballroom
11/12 West Hollywood, CA @ House of Blues
11/13 Pomona, CA @ Glasshouse
11/14 Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre
11/15 Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theater
11/16 Denver, CO @ The Summit Music Hall
11/18 Austin, TX @ East Side Drive In
11/19 Dallas, TX @ House of Blues
11/20 Houston, TX @ House of Blues
11/21 New Orleans, LA @ The Hangar
11/22 Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade
11/23 Tampa, FL @ Green Iguana Stadium
11/25 Raleigh, NC @ Lincoln Theatre
11/26 Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory
11/27 New Haven, CT @ Toad’s Place

For more information on WARBEAST, please visit:

http://www.myspace.com/texasmetalalliance
www.Warbeast.org
www.facebook.com/warbeast1
www.thehousecorerecords.com
www.facebook.com/pages/Housecore-Records/60326258486

RUSTY COOLEY LICK OF THE WEEK!

2011-11-01T11:06:00.001-05:00

MARTIN GUITAR APPOINTS TIM MCNAIR - General Manager String Division

2011-11-01T09:44:00.000-05:00

NAZARETH, PA – November 1, 2011 – C. F. Martin & Co. (www.martinguitar.com) today announced that Tim McNair has been promoted to general manager, String Division. Effective immediately, McNair will report to company President Keith Lombardi. In this position, he is responsible for the growth of the company’s String business and providing direct leadership to the areas of manufacturing, marketing, procurement and R&D.

“We are thrilled to be adding Tim to our core leadership team as he celebrates a decade of dedicated service within the company,” said Lombardi. “Our Strings division continues to grow and innovate, and we are excited about what its future holds.”

Recently, under the leadership of McNair along with Martin’s Director of Promotional Marketing Amani Duncan, the company named Pennsylvania-based Spark the new agency of record for its Strings division, and introduced a new “Heart | Tone | Legend” logo that serves as a representation of what the brand means to Martin Guitar and its consumers:

· Heart – Passion for the Martin Guitar brand
· Tone – Undeniable tone quality that makes Martin Guitar the market leader in acoustic guitars and strings
· Legend – A legendary brand that has produced best in class guitars and strings for over 178 years

“The Martin String division is a market leader in its category,” stated McNair. “It is a great pleasure to work with our consumers, dealers, artists, and suppliers to strengthen and grow our string brands.”

McNair joined Martin Guitar in 2001 as controller, where he worked with senior management to analyze and execute financial, strategic, operational and marketing decisions. In 2005, he was appointed director of sales and marketing for the String Division. In this position, he led the division to year-over-year sales records and launched several successful new products including the FX Flexible Core acoustic strings, used by such artists at Tommy Emmanuel and Gordon Giltrap, and the new SP Lifespan acoustic strings, already the strings of choice for artists such as Mumford & Sons and Travis Tritt.

Prior to joining C.F. Martin & Co., McNair spent several years with Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. in the Chemicals Division as a Market Manager and Business analyst. McNair also spent time with Price Waterhouse as a senior accountant and staff accountant in the Audit Services Group. His public accounting experience included significant emphasis on consumer product manufacturing and telecommunication services.

About Martin Guitar and Strings

C. F. Martin & Co. (www.martinguitar.com) has been creating the finest instruments in the world for over 175 years. It continues to innovate, introducing techniques and features that have become industry standards including X-bracing, the 14-fret guitar and the “Dreadnought” size. One of the world’s leading acoustic instrument makers, Martin guitars are hand-made by skilled craftsmen and women, who use a combination of new design and techniques along with those introduced by the company founder.

The company is also known for producing high-quality, popular acoustic guitar strings. These include the Martin SP® LIFESPAN™ line - the fastest-growing treated string in the industry, and the Martin SP line - which uses an industry leading core wire to hold tunings better.

Martin guitars and Martin Strings are the instruments and strings of choice for musicians around the world, from the icons of rock, country, folk and bluegrass to those just beginning their careers. They can be seen across all segments of pop culture, from television (Glee, Psych, Raising Hope and American Idol) to the movies; on Broadway and in books, online, and gracing the covers of popular magazines on newsstands everywhere. Connect with Martin and Martin Strings on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, YouTube and via www.martinguitar.com and www.martinstrings.com.

LAMB OF GOD TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM RESOLUTION JANUARY 24TH 2012

2011-10-31T11:58:00.000-05:00

ALBUM PRE-ORDER STARTS TODAY

LAMB OF GOD have set January 24th, 2012 as the release date for Resolution, the follow up to their Grammy nominated album Wrath. Resolution, produced by Josh Wilbur, will feature 14 songs and will come in a deluxe softpak with artwork by longtime art director Ken Adams. The album was recorded in various studios in Virginia and New York.

Pre-orders for the new album will begin today at www.lamb-of-god.com/resolution and will feature multiple premium bundles. On November 15th, the band will announce the first leg of what will be a 2 year world tour.

RESOLUTION Cover Art and track listing:

1. Straight for the Sun
2. Desolation
3. Ghost Walking
4. Guilty
5. The Undertow
6. The Number Six
7. Barbarosa
8. Invictus
9. Cheated
10. Insurrection
11. Terminally Unique
12. To The End
13. Visitation
14. King Me

www.lamb-of-god.com

John Petrucci and Rusty Cooley’s Anatomy Lesson

2011-10-27T12:26:00.000-05:00

Rusty Cooley and John Petrucci

First off, let me introduce myself. My name is Ward “Dr. B.” Bond and I’m the creator and executive producer of Rusty Cooley’s Guitar Asylum TV. A few nights ago, Rusty Cooley and the GATV crew interview the legendary guitarist John Petrucci of Dream Theater.

One of the coolest parts of my job besides filming some of the greatest guitarists of our time is just sitting down watching and listening to Rusty and the other guitarists talk shop. Our goal with the television program is to bring that backstage presence that many fans never get to see or experience. The other night with Dream Theater was amazing and not just because we’re hanging backstage with Petrucci and the rest of the band. I’ll get back to that in a moment.

The afternoon started with us arriving at the venue, Verizon Wireless Theater in Houston, TX. We’re escorted backstage and given VIP credentials. John Petrucci appears and greets us then we head to the stage for John to give us (and you) a firsthand look at his stage set up. John Petrucci explains how his pedal setup works during the performance and how he no longer uses monitors on stage, but uses the monitors-in-the-ear-thingies. One learns very quickly that JP has not only fine tuned his set up onstage; he is still looking to improve in everything he does. This is where it gets interesting.

The Dream Theater performance is what one would expect, first class all the way. My view of metal in its different forms basically started by listening to Van Halen and Ozzy. I’m used to being at venues with bands in which the fans mix it up in mosh pits and being drunk and disorderly. Dream Theater is whole different vibe. The crowd was so focused on the music, no one was pushing each other around and acting like fools. They are so mesmerized by the music and the stage presence that DT provides it’s refreshing to see fans listen and enhjoy. The fans were great and I will say this, the only two bands I know of that have a following no one can rival is Dream Theater and Black Label Society. You don’t mess with their fans and you don’t mess with their bands. You can really see and feel the love and admiration the band and the fans have for each other. It’s that element that makes Dream Theater one of the longest surviving bands in the modern era.

After the concert was over, we went backstage and chilled out in a private dressing room. This is where it gets interesting. The only ones in the dressing room are Petrucci, Rusty Cooley and my crew (only 5 in the room). There are no parties, no drinking, nothing but silent solitude. Rusty brought one of his Dean RC7s for the interview and Petrucci didn’t have his guitar with him after the performance was over as the crew was putting everything back on the buses and trucks to head to the next city. Sitting backstage, JP takes Rusty’s guitar and starts checking it out and playing on it without an amp. He hands it back to Rusty and the Shredmeister doesn’t even warm up, he’s already at warp speed. To hear Rusty play without an amp, you hear what sounds like shred on a Spanish classical guitar. It’s bright, airy and simply amazing. After Rusty does a little shredding, then it’s back in Petrucci’s hands. Now the anatomy part, for the next 45 minutes, Petrucci and Cooley go back and forth over the actual anatomy of picking. Petrucci is so focused on learning more about Cooley’s pick position, forearm and shoulder position, that JP even apologized to me for being boring. I laughed and told him, I wasn’t bored but more intrigued that after playing for so many years and just finishing a two hour set on stage. He was still focused on learning more about playing and applying anything he could learn from Rusty Cooley to reach the next level. My questions is, what level can Petrucci actually reach? May seem like a stupid question to some, but as an admirer of great talent, Petrucci is one of the top ten guitar players in the world. JP was watching Rusty forearm muscle pumping back and forth, he’s eyeing his finger position, etc. Then it’s JP’s turn again and Rusty is analyzing Petrucci’s position. Both are shredders, but both approach it from different angles. What makes John Petrucci and Rusty Cooley amazing guitarists is they do not rest on their laurels. They work to strive to get everything out of the talent they were given. You can see the very same passion and intensity in players such as Steve Vai and Joe Satriani. As fans and admirers, we view them as guitar gods, but they aren’t looking down at us, they are working harder and harder to reach the next level or in our case creating a new level for the rest of us to reach.

It’s now 1am backstage and the tour manager says it’s time to go. We all head with gear in hand and walk to the buses with more diehard fans waiting to see the band. Then the eruption of the fans was magical when they see Rusty Cooley and John Petrucci appear together. The fans got more than they expected and that’s what makes for a memorable night. I for one got more than I expected, watching and listening to two of most incredible guitar players trade techniques to improve. Some could call them icons, but I call them pioneers who continue to push the envelope and create a new frontier for other guitar players to follow.

Written by Ward “Dr. B.” Bond
Creator and Executive Producer of Rusty Cooley’s Guitar Asylum TV
www.guitarasylumtv.com

Rusty Cooley SKYPE Guitar Lessons!

2011-10-27T11:06:00.000-05:00

You read the headline correctly. You don't have to live in Houston, TX to take personal guitar lessons from one of the most iconic guitar players of all time. Rusty Cooley is offering lessons via Skype. If you are ready to step up to the next level or you have never played and want too, then send an email to rusty@rustycooley.com

Rusty's teaching style has helped thousands learn to play guitar and helped them achieve their musical goals. Many of today's players have sat down with Rusty to improve such as Mark Tremonti of Creed/Alter Bridge, John Petrucci of Dream Theater and many others!

So if you live in Houston or in the desert, the jungle or in the middle of Tokyo you can learn from one of the best from your own home.

Contact Rusty Cooley for Skype lesson at rusty@rustycooley.com

Martin Guitar Introduces Limited Edition Honoring 1960s Southern California Pop Group

2011-10-26T14:22:00.000-05:00

Nazareth, PA– October 25, 2011 – C. F. Martin & Co. (www.martinguitar.com) is proud to announce the introduction of the new D-28M The Mamas and The Papas Custom Artist Edition (MSP $4999). The guitar pays tribute to the enduring musicianship, songwriting and vocal harmony of The Mamas and The Papas and is inspired by a vintage Martin D-28 that provided much of the rhythmic underpinning for hits such as “California Dreamin’” and “Monday, Monday." The edition will be limited to no more than 100 special instruments.

The new Custom Artist Edition is a 14-fret dreadnought crafted of rare premium tonewoods. The top is made of Carpathian spruce, solid Madagascar rosewood on the back and sides, with a neck carved from genuine mahogany. An ebony head plate features The Mamas and The Papas’ silhouettes inlaid in solid mother of pearl directly above the nut. Each guitar is equipped with MSP7200 medium gauge phosphor bronze SP Lifespan strings.

The model is finished with a polished gloss lacquerwith a vintage-inspired aging toner and is protected in a Geib-style hard shell case with cabernet interior. Each of the limited edition custom guitars bears two interior labels; one label, signed by C. F. Martin IV and Michelle Phillips, the last surviving member of The Mamas and The Papas, bears a background motif inspired by the Roulette Records “Words of Love” single and theother label is a photograph by rock photographer Henry Diltz with the imprinted signatures of Cass Elliot, John Phillips and Denny Doherty. Each of the 100 limited edition instruments is numbered in sequence and will feature Martin Strings.

“I have guitar number one in my hands,” said Michelle Phillips, “and it is absolutely beautiful!”

In the 1960s, The Mamas and The Papas rose to stardom in the midst of the Southern California pop scene. The group’s sound combined great songwriting, unique arrangements and lush harmonies, but what set them apart from the other groups was the distinct blend of male and female voices. From 1965 through 1967, The Mamas and The Papas released six singles that hit the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 and released four albums that reached top five of the Billboard 200.

Although the bandmates’ personal lives became increasing turbulent and the group disbanded after just four years, their influence on music has stood the test of time – they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 and received a GRAMMY Hall of Fame Award in 2001. In 2003, “If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears” was ranked 127 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

About Martin Guitar & Strings

C.F Martin & Co. (www.martinguitar.com) has been creating the finest instruments in the world for over 175 years. It continues to innovate, introducing techniques and features that have become industry standards including X-bracing, the 14-fret guitar and the “Dreadnought” size.

One of the world’s leading acoustic instrument makers, Martin guitars are hand-made by skilled craftsmen and women, who use a combination of new design and techniques along with those introduced by the company founder.

The company is also known for producing high-quality, popular acoustic guitar strings. These include the Martin SP® LIFESPAN™ line - the fastest-growing treated string in the industry, and the Martin SP line - which uses an industry leading core wire to hold tunings better.

Martin guitars and Martin Strings are the instruments and strings of choice for musicians around the world, from the icons of rock, country, folk and bluegrass to those just beginning their careers. They can be seen across all segments of pop culture, from television (Glee, Psych, Raising Hope and American Idol) to the movies; on Broadway and in books, online, and gracing the covers of popular magazines on newsstands everywhere. Connect with Martin and Martin Strings on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, YouTube and via www.martinguitar.com and www.martinstrings.com.

BACKSTAGE at the SUMMER SLAUGHTER TOUR!

2011-10-24T14:37:00.002-05:00

Yeah, we know, we're a little late with the pics, but wait till you see the television interviews! Here are a few pics from the Summer Slaughter Tour at the House of Blues in Houston. Enjoy!

Rusty Cooley and As Blood Runs Black

Rusty Cooley, Exec. Producer Ward Bond and The Black Dahlia Murder

Rusty Cooley and Phil Bozeman of Whitechapel

Rusty Cooley and Oceano

WIN a JOHN MAYER AUTOGRAPHED MARTIN GUITAR!

2011-10-24T10:36:00.000-05:00

OLYMPUS LS-20M® RECORDER VIDEO CONTEST FEATURES AUTOGRAPHED JOHN MAYER MARTIN GUITAR AS GRAND PRIZE

Contestants must submit their best Olympus LS-20M original video - the five videos with the most “likes” will be reviewed by a panel of expert judges

CENTER VALLEY, Pa., October 24, 2011 – Olympus, manufacturer of the popular LS-20M handheld HD video and PCM audio recorder, has launched the “Olympus Gets You Discovered” talent contest. Anyone who has purchased and registered an LS-20M device can submit their best video for a chance to win an autographed OMJM John Mayer Special Edition Martin Guitar courtesy of C.F. Martin & Co., Inc.

“There are so many talented individuals who love their Olympus products, especially the LS-20M recorder, which caters to musicians and individuals who like to create their own studio-quality videos,” said Amy Leslie, senior marketing and business development manager at Olympus Imaging America Inc. “Whether you enjoy comedy, music, singing, art or dance, this contest will give you the chance to showcase your talent to the world - and win an incredible $4,200 acoustic guitar signed personally by John Mayer.”

Contestants have until Sunday, December 3, 2011, to submit their best LS-20M video. The five videos with the most number of “likes” on YouTube will advance to the final round, where a panel of expert judges will decide the ultimate winner.

There are no artistic boundaries to what can be submitted – creativity is king and may make you a winner as long as videos abide by the rules, guidelines and standards of Olympus and YouTube. Click www.getolympus.com/getdiscovered to access the official contest rules and regulations.

Here’s how to enter the LS-20M recorder video contest:

Step 1:
Register your LS-20M recorder with Olympus HERE.

Step 2:
Use your LS-20M recorder to capture an original performance and then post your video to YouTube. Title your video submission “Olympus LS-20M Get Discovered,” followed by your name (Ex: Olympus LS-20M Get Discovered – John Smith).

Step 3:
Complete and submit the official entry form at www.getolympus/getdiscovered.

The more “likes” your video receives, the higher your star will rise. Each week through the end of the submission period, Olympus will showcase the top “Like Leaders” in its gallery HERE.

The grand-prize winner will receive a signed OMJM John Mayer Special Edition guitar ($4,199 value for the guitar alone). Second place will win an Olympus PEN® E-P3TM digital camera ($899.99 value) and third place will receive an Olympus PEN E-PM1 TM digital camera ($499.99 value).

The LS-20M recorder is the first Olympus recorder that captures and edits 1080p HD video while recording 24 bit/96 kHz Linear PCM stereo sound. Combined with four optional Magic Movie special effects features, the LS-20M recorder enables users to create home movies that look and sound like professional productions in a device that’s so compact it fits in your pocket.

ABOUT OLYMPUS IMAGING AMERICA INC.
Olympus Imaging America Inc. is a precision technology leader, designing and delivering award-winning products for consumer and professional markets.

Olympus Imaging America Inc. works collaboratively with its customers and its ultimate parent company, Olympus Corporation, to develop breakthrough technologies with revolutionary product design and functionality that enhance people’s lives every day. These include:

Digital Cameras
Professional and Interchangeable Lens System Cameras
Related Underwater Products and Accessories
Digital and Microcassette Recorders
Digital Media
Binoculars

Olympus Imaging America Inc. is responsible for sales in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. For more information, visit: www.olympusamerica.com

Inside KISS Inc. with Gene Simmons

2011-10-19T11:23:00.000-05:00

LOS ANGELES (CNNMoney) -- ("KISS Inc." airs on Sunday, Oct. 23 at 8 and 11 pm ET as part of a CNN Presents hour.)

"My favorite piece of merchandising is me."

Gene Simmons, the co-founder of KISS, is taking us on a tour of his home office.

It's not so much an office, but a gigantic display of everything KISS, the band that started in 1973 and has grown into one of the most recognizable brands in the world.

We're here to see many of the 3,000 items that KISS has licensed, from the coffin sitting locked on the floor, to the colorful condoms hanging on the wall.

"Everything begins with an idea," Simmons says. "How about when I was growing up, I used to eat M&Ms. And M&Ms, which are now in Wal-Mart, have our faces on them."

Inside the Simmons' mansion, with the panoramic panoply of merchandise, it's hard to figure out where to start.

The merchandise almost amounts to sensory overload: KISS footballs. Barbecue sauce. Teddy bears. Potato heads. Action figures. A flip cam.

"We have sold over 10 million KISS shirts in the last 15 years," says Dell Furano, president of Live Nation Merchandising, which licenses KISS merchandise. "A lot of these are just different variations of shirts. We have shirts for animals, shirts for newborns, we have shirts for toddlers, we have vintage shirts. And it all fits into the KISS show, the KISS experience. And if you go to a KISS concert now, it's remarkable. You see multi generations. A lot of it just comes from Paul and Gene, and what they've created."

In the last 15 years, KISS has sold more than a half billion dollars in merchandise all through Live Nation Merchandise, Furano tells CNN.

"Our only rule has been there's no rules," KISS co-founder Paul Stanley says during an interview at his home. "We make the rules. That's hard for some people to accept, but that's been the key to our success. That we don't listen to the status quo, and that we don't listen to what other people are doing. We trust our own judgment. We live by it, live by the sword, die by the sword. We have gotten poked a few times, but we've been victorious."

Victorious enough that KISS has its own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.Marketing expert Pete Krainik, who founded The CMO Club for chief marketing officers around the country, sums up the KISS formula for success.

"Like any brand, it's an emotional connection with the consumer, your fans," Krainik says. "They have that connection; they also have the ability because of not having drug problems. Gene doesn't drink, they're a little edgy, parents can take the kids to the concert and say, 'Here's my chance to be edgy with my kid, but I also feel good about it.'"

"Our crowd is so diverse, I mean everybody comes to a KISS show," says guitarist Tommy Thayer. "It's like the circus is coming to town, and everybody wants to go out, and it's a must-see and everybody has to check it out."

In July, Thayer and the band headed on the private KISS jet to Oshkosh, Wis., to perform before more than 27,000 fans. It was part of a summer tour and KISS was the final act of a three-day festival, a barren space transformed into a field of rock 'n' roll dreams.

"When you play a smaller market or a place that doesn't get as many shows, when you come there it has an effect for them as opposed to let's say Los Angeles or New York where everybody's like, 'Oh they were here last year," band member Eric Singer says. "They're very appreciative when you go to a secondary market or smaller parts of the world."

Doc McGhee, the band's long-time manager, says in a show where only KISS performs, they would rake in $600,000 to $700,000 in merchandise sales, more than three times the amount in festivals like Oshkosh where many bands perform.

He says he will delay a show to accommodate sales.

"What we do is, we watch the booths to see if they're packed," McGhee says. "And then they stand there and they get 40 deep, but as soon as the band hits one note, they're gone. And you lose 20, 30, $40,000 in merchandise sales. So, I'll hold the show."

Upcoming deals include a partnership with Hello Kitty, an expanded line to include KISS cremation urns for humans and pets, KISS slot machines, KISS online virtual games, a KISS-themed glow-in-the-dark mini golf course in Las Vegas and a new Archie Comics series. In addition, a new album called "Monster" is scheduled to be released next fall, accompanied by an overseas concert tour.

While there's no telling how much KISS is really worth, Simmons says he believes the KISS brand is worth between $1 billion and $5 billion dollars.

In the end, whether it's the merchandise, or the music, Simmons and Stanley are unwavering about protecting the brand."We've made no compromises to anyone," Simmons says. "We're stubborn, we're mule-headed. We've completely ignored fashion and fads and marched to the beat of our own drummer, if you will. For 38 years, we've defied the odds, we've buried all the critics in our backyard. They're now gone. And we have persevered, and grown bigger than ever. By some estimates, KISS are the four most recognized faces on planet Earth. I'll prove it to you. Do you know what the king of Sweden looks like? That's funny, because everybody in Sweden knows what KISS looks like."

"We've always done it our way, and that's what made for our success and will live beyond us," says Stanley. "When we're long gone, I will be incredibly honored to know that KISS continued."

Rusty Cooley on the Cover!

2011-10-17T09:33:00.002-05:00

Our own Rusty Cooley is on the cover of The Sound Guitar Magazine! Click the Sound Guitar Magazine picture and read all about it!

VH1's Los Angeles "Songwriters in the Round" event to benefit the VH1 Save the Music Foundation

2011-10-06T09:41:00.000-05:00

L to R: Rainn Wilson (NBC's The Office), Mark Salling (Fox's Glee) and Paul Cothran (executive director, VH1 Save the Music Foundation) attended the Los Angeles installation of VH1's "Songwriters in the Round" Music Series to benefit the VH1 Save the Music Foundation on September 22, 2011. The Los Angeles event, of which C.F. Martin & Co. was a national sponsor, alone raised $125,000 to help restore instrumental music education in America's public schools. (Photo Credit: Eric Reed)

GATV Heading to MIPCOM in Cannes, France

2011-09-28T14:22:00.000-05:00

HOUSTON – September 28, 2011 – Long before the popularity ofvideo games such as Guitar Hero and Rock Band, a television program was beingplotted to showcase the world’s best guitarists. Rusty Cooley’s Guitar AsylumTV is a television program for guitar players and the fans of some of the mostfamous guitar players from yesterday, today and the future! Rusty Cooley’sGuitar Asylum TV is the brainchild of Ward W. Bond, CEO of The Whitfield MediaGroup, whose film production background includes filming over 1,200 episodes oftelevision programming in the last six years.

Rusty Cooley’s Guitar Asylum TV has been chosen by JohnMcLean Media out of Seattle, WA to represent this one-of-a-kind televisionprogram at this year’s MIPCOM in Cannes, France next week forforeign television distribution. RustyCooley’s Guitar Asylum TV incorporates guitarist interviews from many genres ofmusic, rock, blues, country, progressive, funk and metal. Episodes includesJeff Loomis, Gus G. of Ozzy Osbourne, Mark Tremonti and Myles Kennedy of AlterBridge, John Petrucci of Dream Theater, Henry Garza of Los Lonely Boys, EricJohnson, Peppino D’Agostino, Padge of Bullet For My Valentine are just a fewnames who have been featured in upcoming episodes, as well as many of yourfavorites.

Rusty Cooley not only sits down with fellow guitarists andtrade licks with them, but he will take time to give the viewers a quick guitarlesson (available for download). And for all the gear-heads out there, guitartech guru Mike Nedd will be talking guitar gear and tech tips bringing to theviewer top notch equipment from guitars, amps, pedals and more. Rusty Cooley’sGuitar Asylum TV will cover it. Special reporting features by Roxy Taylor and SebastianVan Cooley will be providing stories about bass players, drummers, specialinterviews with lead singers and special interest stories pertaining to musicand the concert scene.

Rusty Cooley, one of the top 5 supershredder guitarist inthe world and resides in The Woodlands, TX. He is co-founder of Pro MusicInstruction and Rusty Cooley’s School of Rock. It is his prolific expertise inplaying and teaching guitar that has brought many guitarists from around theworld just to sit down and learn from him. Guitarists from beginners toprofessionals will be able to benefit from his easy-to-understand explanationsof playing guitar on the show.

Rusty Cooley’s Guitar Asylum TV – The Craziest Place onEarth for the Musically Insane!

The Whitfield Media Group is a media and entertainmentcompany in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment andinformation to a global audience. Visit www.thewhitfieldmediagroup.com; www.guitarasylumtv.com Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/GuitarAsylumTVand Facebook at https://facebook.com/GuitarAsylumTV

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BAND of the WEEK! - HELL or HIGHWATER

2011-09-12T10:03:00.000-05:00

I had the great opportunity to interview this band at the Rockstar UPROAR Festival in Houston, TX. With all the great metal bands to watch and listen too, Hell or Highwater was actually refreshing to me as I like real rock music. Sure metal is great, and people love listening to lyrics they can't hear or understand. I come from the era in which bands such as Led Zeppelin, Van Halen, Boston, The Who ruled the airwaves and yes you could actually sing along! Hell or Highwater has the energy of a true rock band and the passion to succeed. When interviewing Matt, Neal and Joey (guitarists and bassist), they are gelled together in a way that most bands would be envious. It means they get along, but more importantly they are a fine tuned machine onstage. Brandon, the founder and lead singer is a great frontman and his presence on stage demands respect. He's got the passion, the presence and the voice and soon you will know that Hell or Highwater is a band that needs to be added to your mp3 player. Look for my upcoming interview with HH, they are rock and roll at its best.

For more than 15 years, Brandon Saller has put his blood, sweat, and tears into the SoCal metalcore outfit, Atreyu. The seasoned drummer/vocalist has hammered out five studio LPs with four of his best friends, while traveling the globe and performing for legions of exuberant fans. Saller has lived the dream of every musician: to bring the rock 'n' roll to the hungry, fervent masses. And with Hell Or Highwater, formerly known as The Black Cloud Collective, Saller emerges from behind the drum kit, with the same unbridled passion, to ignite the next rock 'n' roll firestorm.

Hell Or Highwater has been brewing for a little over a year and a half, as Saller's songwriting drew inspiration from classic rock, doo-wop, punk and pop. Once armed with a solid collection of tunes, he unleashed his newfound vigor in a slew of gigs prior to the New Year, and it felt totally natural. When Atreyu announced their hiatus in January, Saller felt the timing was spot on to bring Hell Or Highwater to the forefront. Pictured above is Kyle peek, (No longer in band, replaced by Kyle Rosa), Joey Bradford, Brandon Saller, Matt Pauling and Neal Tiemann.

In addition to the release of “Begin Again” and the UPROAR Festival Tour, Saller recorded a cover of “Night Life” with Billy Martin of Good Charlotte for the soundtrack of the upcoming Muppets Movie. The soundtrack also features industry heavyweights like OK GO, The Fray, Andrew Bird, Weezer, Hayley Williams, My Morning Jacket, Alkaline Trio and more. The soundtrack will be released August 23rd at Starbucks worldwide.
http://www.mediafire.com/?b1v31crhexonegm

Day of Reckoning Looking for New Lead Singer and Bassist

2011-09-06T15:29:00.000-05:00

The metal band Day of Reckoning featuring lead guitarist and founder Rusty Cooley is looking for a new lead singer and bass player. If you think you got what it takes to team up with one of the most recognized and prolific lead guitarist on the planet, then send your credentials to media@guitarasylumtv.com

Once your background info has been received, it will forwarded over to Rusty Cooley. He then process through it all and contact you directly for an interview and audition.

The BEST Tele in the World Has Been MADE!

2011-08-13T15:43:00.002-05:00

I spent a couple of hours at Mike Nedd Guitar Shop yesterday. He pulled out his awesome custom built Tele (See Photos Below) For all you guitar players needing a versatile axe to play all kinds of genres of music, look no further. Mike called it the "Working Man's Guitar" - He plugged it in and wow! It can be bought with any configuration you want. Pick your pickuips, stain or color. All are hand built, no CNC machine and pricing is affordable for everyone. Get to ordering now, so you don't have to wait long to get one! Contact Mike Nedd at mike@neddguitars.com

DARKEST HOUR - "Love As a Weapon" Video Release

2011-08-12T11:35:00.000-05:00

"Love As A Weapon", the new video from Washington D.C.-based metallers DARKEST HOUR, can be seen below. The clip was directed byScott Hansen and was shot overlooking the band's hometown.

DARKEST HOUR recently released an entirely instrumental version of its latest album, "The Human Romance", via iTunes.

Commented guitarist Mike Schleibaum: "Attention geeks, shredders, stem junkies and karaoke fanatics. We're very stoked to offer you the instrumental version of 'The Human Romance'. Feel free to download away and enjoy.

"If you haven't had a chance to pick up the record, then by all means start with the version that has our very own John Henry singing on it. After all, it ain't the DH without the JH.

"These instrumentals will take you on one hell of an epic sonic journey so pick 'em both up, learn these words and scream your ass off with us at the shows!"

Click here to preview or purchase.

"The Human Romance" sold around 3,600 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 185 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD landed at position No. 3 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

DARKEST HOUR's previous album, "The Eternal Return", opened with 4,700 units back in July 2009 to enter the chart at No. 104.

"The Human Romance" was released in Europe on March 7 via Century Media Records. The CD was recorded at a North Carolina studio with producer (and SOILWORK guitarist) Peter Wichers.

DARKEST HOUR recently filmed a video for the song "Love As A Weapon". Directed by Scott Hansen, the clip takes on a very traditional performance approach to metal videos.

Rusty Cooley and Jeff Loomis

2011-08-10T13:13:00.001-05:00

Part 1: Rusty Cooley Interviews Jeff LoomisPart 2: Rusty Cooley's Master ClassPart 3: Rusty Cooley continues his interview with Shredder Jeff Loomis

GUITAR ASYLUM TV - FALL SEASON COMING YOUR WAY!

2011-08-04T09:36:00.000-05:00

Here is just a few photos from the many guests Rusty Cooley has interviewed on Guitar Asylum TV. We are gearing up for the Fall season with many other great guitarists. Coming Soon: Times of Grace, John Petrucci (Dream Theater), Vinnie Moore, Whitechapel, The Black Dahlia Murder, Darkest Hour, Dying Fetus, Oceano, As Blood Runs Black, DevilDriver, Periphery, Queensryche, Opeth, Judas Priest, Black Label Society, Thin Lizzy, Leslie West, Michael Schenker, Uli Jon Roth and many more. Our schedule is filling up with so many great guitarists and bassists from the group already mentioned with a few drummers thrown in. So stay tuned to the Craziest Place on Earth for the Musically Insane - Rusty Cooley's Guitar Asylum TV!

Jeff Loomis and Rusty Cooley - 7 & 7

L-R: Creator Dr. B., Oli Herbert, Rusty Cooley, Director Eddie Middleton

Sebastian Van Cooley, Mike Martin, Rusty Cooley

Taming Oli Herbert of All That Remains

Gov. Mike Huckabee at NAMM with GATV Publicist Michelle Bond

L-R: GATV Reporter Roxy Taylor, Dr. B. Phil Collen of Def Leppard

GATV Director Eddie Middleton

The Triple Threat: Mark Tremonti, Billy Gibbons, Rusty Cooley

Eric Johnson and Rusty Cooley

Rusty doing Gene Simmons and insane double tapping

Rusty Cooley on the bus with Nile's Karl Sanders

Sebastian Van Cooley, George Kollias (drummer for Nile) and Rusty Cooley

Rusty Cooley and Marc Okubo of Veil of Maya

Dr. B., Henry Garza of Los Lonely Boys and Rusty Cooley

Mark Tremonti and Rust Cooley

GATV Reporter Roxy Taylor and Michael Anthony of Chickenfoot (ex-Van Halen)

Roxy Taylor (new TV show coming soon!)

Ozzy's Gus G and Rusty Cooley backstage

Revocation and Rusty Cooley

Periphery and Rusty Cooley

Oz Fox and Michael Sweet of Stryper getting committed!

Michael Jackson's Jennifer Batten and Rusty Cooley tapping!

DREAM THEATER US TOUR DATES!

2011-08-01T12:06:00.001-05:00

New York, NY: Dream Theater, who were recently voted one of the top 10 Prog Rock bands of all time by RollingStone.com readers, will return with A Dramatic Turn of Events, on September 13th. The band is armed with one of the most powerful efforts of their storied, iconic career.

The album marks the recorded debut of new drummer Mike Mangini, which fans are clamoring to hear. Roadrunner Records will issue the release in multiple versions that will be sure to delight the band's disciple-like fanbase.

In addition to the standard version, a special edition CD/DVD set will include The Spirit Carries On – a 60-minute movie documenting Dream Theater’s much-discussed drummer auditions; a double LP Set in gatefold jacket; and a Limited Deluxe Collector's Edition Box Set. The A Dramatic Turn of Events Deluxe Collector’s Edition Box Set includes the A Dramatic Turn of Events album; instrumentals of the entire album; the DVD of The Spirit Carries On; a double-LP Set of A Dramatic Turn of Events (180-Gram Vinyl in Gatefold Jacket); Dream Theater branded custom turntable slipmat; and a litho print of album. Also, 50 lucky winners will find a Dream Theater 'Ticket For Life,' which is randomly inserted into packaging. All the content will be housed in a custom box and those who purchase will receive a digital download of the album the day prior to release.

"It's a really cool collection dedicated to the art and music of our forthcoming release, along with a few awesome goodies," guitarist John Petrucci said.

Dream Theater are also planning to embark on a massive world tour, where they will play selections from A Dramatic Turn of Events, as well as classic, staples and fan favorites. Labelmates Trivium will appear on many dates, supporting their new album In Waves.

"We are all very pumped about the release of A Dramatic Turn of Events this September, as well as the world tour we'll embark upon in support of the album," said Petrucci. "Our first leg will bring us throughout North America where we'll showcase songs from the new album along with tons of fan favorites and a brand new tour production unlike any other that we've done before. We're equally excited to have our friends in Trivium join us. It's sure to be an incredible tour. We're looking forward to seeing all of our friends on the road this Fall!"

The initial confirmed run of dates is below, with more to be announced imminently.

Sept. 24
San Francisco, CA
The Warfield (With Trivium)

Sept. 25
Los Angeles, CA
Nokia Theater (With Trivium)

Sept. 27
Seattle, WA
Showbox SODO (With Trivium)

Sept. 28
Vancouver, BC
Queen Elizabeth Theatre (With Trivium)

Oct. 3
Royal Oak, MI
Royal Oak Music Theatre

Oct. 4
Pittsburgh, PA
Trib Total Media Amphitheatre (With Trivium)

Oct. 6
Toronto, ON
Massey Hall (With Trivium)

Oct. 7
Montreal, QC
Place des Arts (With Trivium)

Oct. 8
Quebec City, QC
Pavilion de la Jeunesse (With Trivium)

Oct. 10
Boston, MA
Orpheum Theatre (With Trivium)

Oct. 11
Morristown, NJ
Mayo Performing Arts Center (With Trivium)

Oct. 12
New York, NY
Beacon Theatre (With Trivium)

Oct. 22
Cleawater, FL
Ruth Eckerd Hall

Oct 25
Houston, TX
Verizon Wireless Theater (With Trivium)

Oct. 26
Austin, TX
Bass Concert Hall (With Trivium)

THE GUITAR ASYLUM TV YOUTUBE CHANNEL

2011-07-13T10:13:00.002-05:00

Check us out and subscribe to our YouTube Channel! www.youtube.com/GuitarAsylumTV - We are still uploading new episodes, Licks of the Week and Special Features, so don't miss out!

WATCH NOW! PERIPHERY and MORE!

2011-07-11T10:46:00.000-05:00

Part 1: PERIPHERY!

Part 2: Rusty Cooley's Master Class and Mike Nedd's Guitar Tech Tip

Part 3: Scenes from NAMM 2011

Part 4 (Deleted Scenes):

METAL BAND PERPHERY is OUR GUEST July 10th!

2011-07-08T15:06:00.003-05:00

Periphery was formed by guitarist Misha Mansoor (Mr. Brownie) in 2005. He slowly gained a reputation on the internet, primarily via a regularly updated Soundclick account, Meshuggah and John Petrucciforums, and the sevenstring.org message boards. Before and during Periphery's tenure in the metal scene, Mansoor developed a reputation for doing his own audio production, the majority of which was performed with a home computer and a Pod XT during this period. Mansoor has continued to update his personal project, Bulb, which preceded Periphery, often transferring songs between the two projects. Mansoor continues to be involved in a number of other musical projects, including Haunted Shores with Mark Holcomb, Being (a space-prog metal outfit), and Of Man Not of Machine with Elliot Coleman (Sky Eats Airplane) and Holcomb.

Between 2005 and 2009, Periphery worked with vocalists Jake Veredika, Casey Sabol and Chris Barretto, gradually moving from a Meshuggah-influenced sound to a more ambient, melodic sound, with a focus on innovative production.

Periphery has toured extensively since 2008, supporting artists including DevilDriver, Veil of Maya, Animals as Leaders, God Forbid, Darkest Hour, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Fear Factory, Fair to Midland,andTesseracT. Alex Bois has just announced his departure from the band.

U2 MAKES BLIND GUITARIST DREAM COME TRUE!

2011-07-06T15:31:00.000-05:00

Rusty Cooley's Dean RC7X - Makes You Want One, Doesn't It?

2011-07-03T10:30:00.000-05:00

WATCH NOW!! THE GUITAR MASTERS (NEW) EPISODE!

2011-07-02T22:53:00.000-05:00

Part 1: Rusty Cooley interview famed guitarist Eric Johnson

Part 2: Rusty Cooley interivews acoustic phenom Andy McKee

Part 3: Rusty Cooley ends his interviews with the Guitar Masters with Peppino D'Agostino

Part 4: An Acoustic Performance from Eric Johnson

THE GUITAR MASTERS EDITION EPISODE THIS WEEKEND!

2011-07-01T15:04:00.000-05:00

This weekend, we combined Eric Johnson, Andy McKee and Peppino D'Agostino for a Guitar Master's Edition. All three toured together with an all acoustic set that was absolutely amazing. Each guitarist sat down with Rusty Cooley to talk about songwriting, technique and how different tones and sounds can be generated by an acoustic guitar.

Every viewer will be able to learn and appreciate the fine talent that all three of them possess to create timeless music for many generations to come and appreciate.

Rusty Cooley and the GATV Crew Celebrate Hard Rock Cafe's 40th Anniversary with Jennifer Batten

2011-06-28T22:36:00.000-05:00

Two of the top Shredders on the Planet at the Hard Rock Cafe in Houston!

Jennifer Batten and Rusty Cooley showing us why they need a straightjacket!

L-R: Michelle Bond, Roxy Taylor, Jennifer Batten, Dr. B., Sterling Bond, Rusty Cooley, Sebastian Van Cooley

What a day we had! We got exclusive interview with Jennifer Batten, the world's best female guitarist who played for ten years with the King of Pop Michael Jackson and toured for three years with the world's best guitarist Jeff Beck. Not many people can say they played with THE best in the world.

Rusty Cooley had an intimate sit down interview with Jennifer who was very candid about her amazing career. She even gave us an double-tapping guitar lesson, which all of you will see when this episode airs this fall! Rusty had nothing but high praise for Jennifer. "There is not a better female guitarist than Jennifer Batten. And she is can out play most of the male guitarists playing today. Not many people in her league and I was in awe of her during the interview", explains Rusty.

To top off a fine day, it was Jennifer Batten's great performance Sunday evening who helped the Hard Rock Cafe celebrate their 40th anniversary of bringing us the history music and fine food. So how many Hard Rock T-shirts do you own?

Stay tuned for more on this upcoming episode with Jennifer Batten from Rusty Cooley's Guitar Asylum TV - The Craziest Place on Earth for the Musically Insane!

WATCH NOW! GUS G. of OZZY OSBOURNE and METAL BAND REVOCATION!

2011-06-25T23:22:00.000-05:00

Part 1: Rusty Interviews Metal Band RevocationPart 2: Rusty's Master Class and Mike Nedd's Guitar TechPart 3: Rusty interviews Gus G while on tour with Ozzy

Rusty Cooley Interviews Jennifer Batten for Upcoming Episode!

2011-06-20T12:27:00.000-05:00

Rusty Cooley interviews Jennifer Batten for upcoming episode of Rusty Cooley's Guitar Asylum TV. Jennifer is one of the top shredders in the world.

The buzz on Jennifer Batten rose from the guitar underground, and the guitar magazines promptly began chronicling her savvy musicianship and highly original approach to the electric guitar in print.

At one point Batten was in 6 different bands, playing everything from straight ahead rock, to metal,fusion, and funk. A major turning point came when she was selected from over one hundred guitarists to play in Michael Jackson's highly skilled band which toured the world for one and a half years playing for over four and a half million people. Jennifer wasted no time after the” Bad” Tour's grand finale, diving into work on her own album with renown producer (and Stevie Wonder guitarist) Michael Sembello. The stunning results can be heard on “Above, Below, and Beyond”, the title appropriately describing the interesting diversity within. With this debut release, the world at large learned what all the excitement was about.

Shortly after the record's release in the spring of '92, she was asked again to join Michael Jackson for his upcoming "Dangerous Tour". In January '93, she joined Jackson to partake in Superbowl XXVII's half time entertainment which aired to one and half billion people in 80 nations. It was the largest audience in television history.

She completed her second solo record "Jennifer Batten's Tribal Rage~Momentum," just before she was again asked to join Michael Jackson for his 2 year world tour supporting his double album "HIStory" in 1997.

Jennifer's Tribal Rage project took a much different direction than her first record and is heavily influenced by world music. It is a hybrid of rock and very exotic sounds, including African percussion, Australian didgeridoo, Caribbean steel drums and Scottish bag pipes.

In the spring of 98 Jeff Beck asked Jennifer to join his band. They joined forces for 3 years on the CD’s "Who Else", and “You Had It Coming” which were both supported by world tours.

Other guest appearances include CD's with Carmine Appice, Michael Sembello, Carl Anderson, Carina Alfie and several rock tributes.

Jennifer has authored two music books and has just released her third solo CD/DVD entitled “Whatever”. With this 3rd effort, she’s ventured into electronica, vocal samples, and film. She’s supporting this release with a multimedia one woman show, playing guitar in synch with films projected onto a giant screen. The companion DVD includes over 90 min of art films, previously unreleased music videos, interviews, commentary, and an innovative guitar lesson.

Send us your questions for Jennifer Batten at media@guitarasylumtv.com

WATCH NOW! Veil of Maya's Marc Okubo and Darkest Hour's Mike Scheilbaum

2011-06-19T13:21:00.002-05:00

Mike Schleibaum of The Darkest Hour and Marc Okubo of Veil of Maya

Part 1 - Interview with Mike Schleibaum of The Darkest Hour
Part 2 - Rusty Cooley Guitar Lesson and Mike Nedd Interviewing Composite Acoustics
Part 3 - Interview with Marc Okubo of Veil of Maya

Our Guests This Week! Guitarists Marc Okubo (Veil of Maya) & Mike Schleibaum (Darkest Hour)!

2011-06-18T14:42:00.000-05:00

Rusty Cooley interviews Marc Okubo from Veil of Maya!

And Rusty Cooley has an indepth interview with Mike Schleibaum, guitarist for Darkest Hour. You have to see this interview. Very insightful!

Check a new lesson from Rusty Cooley and tech with Mike Nedd this Saturday night!

WATCH NOW! DEF LEPPARD'S PHIL COLLEN, SHREDDER DAVE REFFETT and MORE!

2011-06-13T09:12:00.002-05:00

Part 1: Rusty Cooley checks the new Peavey Amps and Morley Pedals- Dr. Interviews Shredder Dave Reffett and Esoterik GuitarPart 2: Rusty Cooley's Master Class and Guitar Guru Mike Nedd's Guitar TechPart 3: Dr. B Interviews Def Leppard's Phil CollenPart 4: The Mysterious Malmsteen

The BEST of NAMM 2011

2011-06-07T10:37:00.000-05:00

This week's episode is the Best of NAMM 2011. Yeah we know, it's a little late, but hey we do have a television show to produce. We had loads of fun checking out all the gear, girls, and of course guitars! So if you didn't get to go, then just sit back and we'll show you what you missed!

Songwriters Music Series to benefit the VH1 Save The Music Foundation

2011-06-06T15:13:00.000-05:00

Martin Guitar partnered with the Songwriters Music Seriesto benefit the VH1 Save The Music Foundation, with the concert series kick offtaking place in New York City on May 16at the Hard Rock Café withan acoustic set by musician and “Glee” star Matthew Morrison.

WATCH NOW! OUR GUEST MIKE "LONE STAR" CARRIGON FROM DARKEST HOUR

2011-06-04T22:55:00.000-05:00

Part 1: Rusty Cooley interviews Mike "Lone Star" Carrigan of Darkest HourPart 2: Rusty Cooley's Master Class and Mike Nedd's Guitar Tech TipPart 3: Rusty Cooley and Mike "Lone Star" Carrigan of Darkest Hour talk guitarPart 4: Rusty Cooley and Mike "Lone Star" Carrigan of Darkest Hour Jam Together!

Lone Star from DARKEST HOUR! THIS WEEKEND!

2011-05-31T20:03:00.000-05:00

Mike "Lone Star" Carrigan of Darkest Hour

Michael "Lonestar" Carrigan, from Houston, TX loves the smell of shredding in the morning. After being recruited by thrash-metal stalwarts DARKEST HOUR, Lonestar has been around the world and then some, riffing alongside some of the heaviest bands and in front of some of the largest crowds of concert-going headbangers. Playing his preferred Dean ML and Dimebag Razor-V, he employs string-skipping arpeggios, sweep picking, and other choice licks informed by the highly touted Gothenburg style of melodic-metal that was made popular by legendary bands like AT THE GATES and IN FLAMES. DARKEST HOUR's latest triumph, THE HUMAN ROMANCE, features hit single "Savor the Kill", where Lonestar's trademark soloing comes alive on both the CD and in the official music video, debuted in early 2011 on MTV's Headbanger's Ball. Performing countless festivals and world tours, Lonestar also embodies the spirit of American heavy metal! See him live with DARKEST HOUR, promoting the HUMAN ROMANCE in 2011.
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WATCH NOW! IT'S ALL NILE!

2011-05-28T22:40:00.001-05:00

Part 1: Rusty Cooley interviews guitarist Dallas Toller-Wade. Sebastian Van Cooley interviews mighty George Kollias!Part 2: Rusty Cooley's Master Class and Guitar Guru Mike Nedd's Guitar Tech TipPart 3: Rusty Cooley interviews guitarist Karl Sanders of NilePart 4: Nile Performance at Houston's Number Club

FAN FAVORITE! THIS WEEKEND! MEMBERS OF NILE!

2011-05-26T12:58:00.000-05:00

NILE is considered death metal's Iron Maiden. Rusty Cooley sits down with Karl Sanders and Dallas Toller-Wade to talk guitar. Sebastian Van Cooley sits down with drummer the mighty George Kollias and discusses his amazing speed and influences.

The majority of Nile's music is written by vocalist/guitarist Karl Sanders. It combines traditional and technical death metal. Nile's music is also characterized by its extreme complexity and speed – for which the band has received acknowledgment from many music fans and journalists – and its extremely "heavy" riffing, due to Nile's guitar and bass tunings, which are normally Dropped A tuning.

Much of the lyrical content is based on Karl Sanders' interest in Egyptology and other ancient Middle Eastern cultures, such as Mesopotamia. Lengthy sleeve notes are included with the albums Black Seeds of Vengeance, In Their Darkened Shrines,Annihilation of the Wicked and Those Whom the Gods Detest, explaining the inspiration or source for the lyrics of each song.

OFFICIAL TUNER OF GATV - The INTELLITOUCH TUNER

2011-05-26T09:27:00.000-05:00

The Intellitouch® PT10 "Mini" tuner pushes forward the boundaries for small, compact size while still having a large, easy-to-read backlit display. The PT10 tuner ignores background noise - it feels the instrument's vibration instead of using sound. It is designed to clip on electric and acoustic guitars, basses, violins, banjos, mandolins and more! The Intellitouch® PT10 is available from your favorite music store, as well as directly from OnBoard Research. The PT10 has a retail price of $39.95 and a Limited Lifetime Warranty.

www.tuners.com or 1-800-340-8890

Watch Orianthi play and see her Intellitouch Tuner in this video.

WATCH NOW! THIS WEEKEND's EPISODE with JEFF LOOMIS and RUSTY COOLEY

2011-05-22T00:06:00.000-05:00

Jeff Loomis and Rusty Cooley

Rusty Cooley Teaches & Guitar Tech with Mike Nedd

More with Jeff Loomis!

FAN FAVORITE! THIS WEEKEND! JEFF LOOMIS!

2011-05-19T09:45:00.000-05:00

We at Rusty Cooley's Guitar Asylum TV love our fans. So this weekend we will be airing the Jeff Loomis episode which never ceases to amaze amateur and professional guitarists alike, as well as the fans. Rusty Cooley sits down with Jeff Loomis while he was still a member of Nevermore. Watch the episode closely, you actually see Jeff and Rusty team up together. We don't want to start any rumors, but one never knows what's going to happen in the world of professional metal guitarists.

Enjoy!

WATCH NOW! CUTTING ROOM FLOOR EDITION!

2011-05-14T23:04:00.000-05:00

Part1: Oli Herbert, Periphery Backstage Solos and Andy McKee Explaining Fingerpicking 'Dust In the Wind'

Part2: Rusty Cooley's Master Class and Mike Nedd's Guitar Tech

Part3: Los Lonely Boys 'Heaven' Performance

Part4: Rusty Cooley Bloopers and Out Takes

CUTTING ROOM FLOOR EDITION with PERIPHERY, OLI HERBERT, ANDY McKEE!

2011-05-09T10:32:00.000-05:00

This weekend's episode of Rusty Cooley's Guitar Asylum TV will one our upcoming CUTTING ROOM FLOOR EDITION with a backstage jam with all three of PERIPHERY's guitarists (Jake, Misha, and Alex), as well as backstage riffs, licks or solos from Oli Herbert of All That Remains and acoustic phenom Andy McKee.

You will also see another one of Rusty Cooley's Master Class and a guitar tech tip from guitar master builder Mike Nedd. But you got to stay to the very end with a performance from the Los Lonely Boys and shall we say Rusty Cooley bloopers? Yes, ladies and shredders, he is human after all.

NEW EPISODE! THE DIRECTOR'S CUT EDITION WITH RUSTY COOLEY!

2011-05-07T22:44:00.000-05:00

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Rusty Cooley Named One of the TOP 100 Guitarist You Should Know!

2011-05-04T12:27:00.002-05:00

Your host of Rusty Cooley's Guitar Asylum TV has been named one of the TOP 100 GIFTED GUITARIST You Should Know!CLICK HERE! http://truefire.com/blog/gifted-guitarists/part-12/

We want to congratulate our host for this dubious and well deserved honor. Many guitar fans across the globe know that Rusty Cooley is not only one of the fastest shredders on the planet, but one of the most intelligent and knowledgeable guitar teachers in America! If you're dying to get a lesson from the master, head over to www.pmiwoodlands.com and sign up!

Not only is Rusty Cooley one of the best in his field, but he's about the only one that is hosting his very own guitar television show which is not only an overnight success, but now has conquered the planet!

Kudos to our host! Rock on Rusty!

THIS WEEKEND! THE DIRECTOR'S CUT EDITION!

2011-05-02T11:59:00.000-05:00

So you're asking yourself, what is the Director's Cut Edition? Well, for our guitar playing fans out there, it's a whole show of Rusty Cooley teaching, teaching and teaching! With all the response we get from fans and viewers, the segments that are the most popular is Rusty's Master Class lessons.

Not only will you get the best from Rusty Cooley, but you'll see is in-studio performance as well as a surprise ending! So set your clocks, your DVR or just wait and see on TV or here on our website this Saturday night!

Twitter: @GuitarAsylum TV - @RustyCooley1

NEW EPISODE! PEPPINO D'AGOSTINO!

2011-04-30T23:23:00.001-05:00

Part 1: Rusty Cooley Interviews Guitar Great Peppino D'Agostino
Part 2: Rusty Cooley's Master Class and Mike Nedd's Guitar Tech
Part 3: Rusty Cooley continues with his interview with Peppino D'Agostino
Part 4: Peppino D'Agostino Performance in Houston, Texas

EXCUSE OUR MESS!

2011-04-28T08:18:00.000-05:00

We are currently redesigning our site so our viewers and fans can enjoy even more of Rusty Cooley's Guitar Asylum TV! We will continue to add each week's episode, Band of the Week and more!

PEPPINO D'AGOSTINO is OUR GUITARIST THIS WEEKEND!

2011-04-26T16:35:00.001-05:00

World renowned acoustic guitarist Peppino D'Agostino is our guest this weekend. We caught up with him while on tour with Eric Johnson and Andy McKee. Our host Rusty Cooley sits down with the guitar master to discuss many topics ranging from alternate tunings, sounds, songwriting and expanding beyond what you are currently playing and learning.

Peppino D’Agostino doesn’t just play the guitar. He composes, arranges, collaborates, improvises and has even been known to sing a song here and there in both English and Italian. But what he does create on the guitar makes the difference between simply playing and truly making music apparent in the most wonderful ways.

D’Agostino has been hailed as “a guitarist’s guitarist” by Acoustic Guitar magazine as well as “a giant of the acoustic guitar” (San Diego Reader), and holds many top guitar awards, but the San Francisco Chronicle encapsulated the essential difference that distinguishes D’Agostino’s music when it dubbed him “a poet.”

That poetic eloquence, grace and magic suffuses Nine White Kites, his first album of new compositions for the guitar in a decade (during which time he’s done much else wonderful with his musical talents). The set of 11 songs and two bonus tracks launches with the soaring fingerpicking of the title track, leading the listener through a tour de force showcase of D’Agostino’s mastery and artistry.

This is one episode you don't want to miss!

BAND OF THE WEEK! - Throne of Vengenance!

2011-04-25T14:52:00.003-05:00

Throne Of Vengeance pride themselves on true musicianship and see it as a lifestyle as well as an art. Taking influence from all different types of music and talented musicians, TOV delivers a natural heavy rock n roll groove to their music with precision, performance, and production at the focal point of the live show. With the 2011 release of 'Flesh Engine' produced by AOR legend Paul Sabu, the boys will be taking to the road, playing festivals and venues across Canada, spreading and solidifying Throne of Vengeance into the minds and hearts of music lovers everywhere.

The sound can be best described as having a strong love for Metal, while having Rock N' Roll coursing through their veins.

On stage these guys produce an incredible amount of energy, easily sparking the room into a blazing frenzy!

EPISODE #12 - EASTER WEEKEND TV SPECIAL with STRYPER!

2011-04-23T22:31:00.000-05:00

Part 1: Stryper with Michael Sweet and Oz FoxPart 2: Rusty Cooley's Master Class and Mike Nedd's Guitar TechPart 3: Stryper with Michael Sweet and Oz FoxPart 4: Stryper Performance Footage

JEFF LOOMIS Leaves NEVERMORE!

2011-04-21T14:52:00.000-05:00

Jeff Loomis and Rusty Cooley

Rusty Cooley Teaches & Guitar Tech with Mike Nedd

More with Jeff Loomis and Nevermore

NEVERMORE guitarist Jeff Loomis and drummer Van Williams have announced their departure from the group. The two have released the following joint statement:

"In a mutual decision, Jeff Loomis and Van Williams have decided to leave NEVERMORE. The time has come to pursue our own paths from the group. Due to internal struggles and ongoing issues within the band, we feel it is our time to move on. We would like to thank all of our fans around the world for their years of love, support and enthusiasm. This was not an easy decision but a very necessary one at this point, may we all meet again someday, somewhere in time."

Loomis and Williams had been with NEVERMORE since the band's self-titled first album, which came out in 1995.

RUSTY COOLEY DEAN SIGNATURE RC8 AT NAMM!

2011-04-20T14:45:00.000-05:00

EASTER METAL WEEKEND TV SPECIAL - STRYPER is OUR GUEST!

2011-04-18T09:48:00.002-05:00

Stryper's The Covering

Oz Fox and Michael Sweet sign the coveted GATV Straightjacket!

This weekend is Easter and we thought it would be appropriate to have Oz Fox and Michael Sweet of Stryper the guests of our show. Since God did create metal on the 8th, why not? Oz and Michael talk about the similarities of the beginning of their career when the Christian community didn't accept their secular sound to the new album, The Covering where they cover some of the most iconic metal songs of our time. Does the Stryper faithful approve? Watch and find out this weekend!

Stryper, originally known as Roxx Regime, was formed in Orange County, California by brothers Michael and Robert Sweet and guitarist Oz Fox.

Stryper stands for Salvation Through Redemption Yielding Peace, Encouragement and Righteousness. The Isaiah 53:5 under their logo is the bible verse that states "by His stripes we are healed". The band earned their stripes on the Los Angeles metal club circuit and in 1984, after recruiting bass player Tim Gaines, signed with Enigma Records and released their debut mini-album, The Yellow And Black Attack (Y&BA).

On August 19, 2007, Michael Sweet performed with the Legendary rock band Boston at a concert honoring the voice of Boston, the late Brad Delp. Stryper then performed with Boston members at the Station Family Fund Concert on February 25, 2008. Later that year, Boston tapped Michael Sweet to sing for them during their summer tour.

Exactly 25 years after their ground breaking release of the Y&BA, Murder By Pride (MBP) was released on July 21, 2009. At the time of this writing, Stryper is set to embark on their 25th Anniversary Tour in September of 2009. Reuniting for the tour, Tim Gaines will once again play bass. Stryper will also reunite with yellow & black clothing designed by Ray Brown, whom created their classic outfits for THWTD and IGWT.

Stryper's new album, The Covering has received rave reviews. Personally, I found the album fantastic as Styper makes these songs their own. Carry On Wayward Son, Shout It Out Loud, and Over The Mountain in my opinion not only give honor to the originals, in some cases, the remakes are actually better than the original. I encourage you to go purchase The Covering and it a listen.

The Associated Press wrote,

"The Covering," Stryper sets scripture aside for a bit in favor of the sheer joy of plugging in, turning it way up and rocking out to a dozen classic rock tunes.

These are all songs the band grew up listening to and loving, and the treatment they receive here is reverential. The band adds its trademark layered vocal and guitar harmonies to each track, but sticks faithfully to the original arrangements, infusing each with the Stryper sound and style while showing proper respect to the originals.

The best of the bunch is an absolutely molten rendition of Deep Purple's "Highway Star," with a blazing keyboard solo by quasi-band member Charles Foley. On track after track, singer Michael Sweet summons up unfathomable high notes, some of which only dogs can hear.
The Scorpions' "Blackout" sounds almost exactly like the original, minus Klaus Meine's heavy German accent; it's nice to finally hear this song sung in clear English. Black Sabbath's "Heaven And Hell," perhaps the greatest heavy metal song of all time, has made-for-Stryper lyrics like "The Devil is never a maker."

More theologically problematic (but musically gratifying) is the inclusion of Judas Priest's "Breaking The Law," which doesn't exactly take a stand against wrongdoing. "Shout It Out Loud" is more fluid and less pounding than the Kiss original, but the band's harmonies on the choruses are sparkling.

Oz Fox is perhaps the most underrated 1980s guitarist, and he shines on this disc, flawlessly handling complex solos like the Randy Rhoads masterpiece on Ozzy's "Over The Mountain," as well as his own tasty interpretation of the dueling guitars on Iron Maiden's "The Trooper." And he channels his inner Eddie Van Halen with "On Fire."

EPISODE #11 - AN ACOUSTIC EVENING WITH ANDY MCKEE!

2011-04-16T23:28:00.000-05:00

Rusty Cooley interviews Andy KcKee, one of the most talented and amazing modern acoustic guitar players of our time. Part 1: Rusty Cooley interview acoustic guitar master Andy McKee.Part 2: Rusty Cooley teaches another Master Class and our resident Guitar Tech Guru Mike Nedd gives us another tip on keeping your axe in top shape. Part 3: Andy McKee gives us a demonstration on his 12-string harp guitar and then gives us a great performance on his fanned out fret 6-string guitar.

THANKS ZAKK!

2011-04-16T11:30:00.002-05:00

ZakkWyldeBLS Zakk Wylde

@GuitarAsylumTV Rusty Keep KICKING ASS W/All the Hard Work n All the cool SH!t your doing for the Guitar Brotherhood!!! ZAKK - TBLO

JOIN US Rusty Cooley's Guitar Asylum TV FACEBOOK FAN PAGE

2011-04-12T19:46:00.000-05:00

If you love Facebook, you can catch us there many times a day. To see our fan page, just click here: http://www.facebook.com/RustyCooleyGuitarAsylumTV and check some videos, post on our wall or see our Twitter feed (@GuitarAsylumTV) Oh, don't forget to hit the 'LIKE' button while you're there.

ACOUSTIC PHENOM - ANDY MCKEE is OUR GUEST this WEEKEND!

2011-04-11T11:41:00.000-05:00

Andy McKee is considered one of the world’s finest acoustic guitar soloists. His dedicated online community has raised his YouTube video views in excess of 78 million plays and at one point he held the #1, #2 and #3 positions for Top-Rated Videos of All Time on YouTube. McKee’s online media success has impacted both album and ticket sales allowing him to tour internationally with over 200 live shows a year.

Hailing from Topeka Kansas, the self-taught McKee, first garnered international attention as one of the top finalists at the prestigious National Finger Style Guitar Championships in Windfield, Kansas. Since 2001, McKee has released five albums independently selling upwards of 50,000. Andy also had the honor of playing guitar on Josh Groban’s Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum Christmas album, NOEL.

McKee’s live shows are a true testament to his art of stringsmanship and engaging repartee. He manages to capture both the every day music fan and guitar aficionados with his expertise and down to earth wit and humor. Whether it be explaining how his harp guitar tunes or why his frets are backward, Andy maintains his love for both fan and guitar player.

McKee’s unique skill allows him to transform the guitar from a simple stringed instrument to a dynamic calliope of sound. Andy’s deft talents give his music life through altered tunings, syncopated rhythm guitar taps, and his textural use of polyphonic tones and drones. All of these are played on both standard sized acoustic guitars and a hand-built 12 string harp-guitar. His highly-developed two handed technique is reminiscent of some of Andy’s cherished guitar mentors and heroes: Preston Reed, Don Ross, Billy McLaughlin, and Michael Hedges. He honors the path blazed by these pioneers with his unique multi-layering approach as he alone plucks, strums, taps the strings and body to provide the illusion of a full band accompaniment.

Andy was awarded the Acoustic Guitar Magazine worldwide silver medal award for fingerstyle in December 2008.

OLI HERBERT / ALL THAT REMAINS EPISODE IS HERE!

2011-04-09T23:23:00.003-05:00

Part 1: Rusty Cooley Interviews Oli Herbert of All That RemainsPart 2: CORRECTED LINK: Rusty Cooley Master Guitar Class and Mike Nedd Guitar Tech TipPart 3: Oli Herbert Gives You a Guitar Lesson too!Part 4: Oli Herbert Talks about his onstage guitar, amps and pedals!

OLI HERBERT of ALL THAT REMAINS is OUR GUEST this WEEKEND!

2011-04-04T09:05:00.000-05:00

This show is for all the metalheads and All That Remains fans! Rusty Cooley caught up with guitarist Oli Herbert while on tour. This weekend you will get a double dose of guitar madness! Rusty not only will be bringing you another lesson, but Oli gives you a lesson too! Rusty interviews Oli about how he got into guitar and we'll show you all of Oli's onstage gear. Very interesting compared to most musicians.

Oli is all metal (studies jazz too), but he has an incredible talent in music theory. Talking with Oli, you feel you are talking with a professor of music, not a metal of mayhem!

So stay tuned, as this show is one of our best!

PERIPHERY EPISODE IS HERE!

2011-04-03T00:15:00.001-05:00

Part 1: Rusty Cooley Interview PeripheryPart 2: Rusty's Master Class and Mike Nedd's Guitar Tech Tip!Part 3: Dr. B. takes you to NAMM 2011 and interviews DR Strings about their new Neon collection.Part 4: Periphery Video

LIVE REBROADCAST ONLINE NOW!

2011-04-02T12:55:00.006-05:00

This was our 1st LIVE Broadcast for the fans. Let it load and fast-forward through the first 16 minutes. We were doing a sound check. The show is an hour long. We will be doing more in the future, so stay tuned!

Rusty Cooley's Guitar Asylum TV - The Craziest Place on Earth for the Musically Insane!

PERIPHERY on the SHOW THIS WEEKEND!

2011-03-31T11:06:00.001-05:00

Rusty Cooley interviews Jake, Misha and Alex from Periphery. All play 7 string guitars and can rock your face off! Don't miss this great interview along with another Rusty Cooley Master Guitar Class lesson and Mike Nedd's guitar tech tip!

Rusty Cooley's Guitar Asylum TV - The Craziest Place on Earth for the Musically Insane!

ERIC JOHNSON EPISODE is HERE!

2011-03-26T23:55:00.001-05:00

Part 1: Eric Johnson tells Rusty Cooley of Guitar Asylum TV the myth behind the Duracell tone story. Part 2: Rusty Cooley Master Guitar Class and Guitar Tech Guru Mike Nedd with an awesome tech tip!Part 3: Eric Johnson interview continues with a conversation about his new album. Part 4: An acoustic performance with Eric Johnson

ALTER BRIDGE Performing 'Slip to the Void' Houston, TX 2011

2011-03-23T20:02:00.000-05:00

ERIC JOHNSON is Our GUEST this WEEKEND!

2011-03-21T17:08:00.000-05:00

Eric Johnson and Rusty Cooley

This weekend we sit down with world renowned guitarist Eric Johnson. We got up with Eric on his Guitar Masters Tour with Andy McKee and Peppino D'Agstino (those two will be featured on upcoming episodes). Eric is down-to-earth type of guy. Before the interview, Eric looks at Rusty and says, "Aren't you the Rusty Cooley I've seen in the magazines? You're one unbelievable guitarist." That's an understatement Eric! LOL!

Rusty Cooley LICK of THE WEEK #9!

2011-03-21T10:23:00.000-05:00

LIVE with RUSTY COOLEY! The SHREDMASTER Answers Your Questions!

2011-03-20T12:04:00.000-05:00

APRIL 2nd - SATURDAY NIGHT - 9PM - 10PM CST

LIVE with Rusty Cooley - APRIL 2nd!

Rusty Cooley will be taking fan questions via TWITTER and FACEBOOK this Saturday Night, April 2nd at 9pm CST.

He will be shredding his new mighty Dean Xenocide 8 String Guitar. If you haven't it seen it yet, you'll be seeing it LIVE!

Join us for a great evening with Rusty Cooley interacting with his fans from all over the world!

When asking Rusty questions, please state your name, question and country (we have a big following overseas), or state in the USA.

Myles Kennedy and Mark Tremonti from Alter Bridge EPISODE HERE!

2011-03-19T23:33:00.000-05:00

Part 1: Myles Kennedy shows Rusty Cooley his on-the-road guitar collection and gear. Mark Tremonti jams backstage with Rusty Cooley.
Part 2: Rusty Cooley's Master Class and another guitar tech tip from Guitar Guru Mike Nedd Part 3: Myles and Mark sit down backstage to answer questions from the fans. Myles discusses the differences between his playing style and Mark's playing style to create the Alter Bridge sound. Mark talks about how he met Myles and more!

Myles Kennedy / Mark Tremonti: Our Guests this Weekend! Also, Rusty Cooley Jams Backstage with Tremonti!

2011-03-14T19:55:00.000-05:00

Alter Bridges's Myles Kennedy and Mark Tremonti sit down with Rusty Cooley and talk guitar and songwriting. We just featured Mark on the show a couple of weeks ago, but with so much film footage it's time to bring in Myles Kennedy who is on tour with Slash. Alter Bridge hook back up in a few weeks to resume their US tour.

Also, you'll finally get to see Mark Tremonti and Rusty Cooley jam backstage! Definitely a don't miss for all the fans!

Gus G. of Ozzy Osbourne / Metal Band Revocation Episode Is Here!

2011-03-12T21:50:00.002-06:00

Part One: Revocation Interview w/ David DavidsonPart Two: Masterclass and Guitar TechPart Three: Gus G. of Ozzy Osbourne

GUS G of Ozzy Osbourne and Metal Band Revocation - THIS WEEKEND!

2011-03-07T17:30:00.000-06:00

Gus G and Rusty Cooley backstage at Toyota Center Houston

This weekend's guests are Gus G of Ozzy Osbourne, who sits down with Rusty Cooley to talk about his new signature ESP guitars; what's it like to fill the spot once held by Randy Rhoads, Jake E Lee, Zakk Wylde to name a few.

David Davidson, Rusty Cooley, Dan Gargiulo

Rusty Cooley sits down with Dave and Dan, and talk guitar. Watch both of them jam backstage! REVOCATION combines the energy of old-school thrash metal and the twisted musicianship of death metal. In May 2008, Revocation self-released their debut full-length CD 'Empire of the Obscene.' It highlights each band member’s individual talents and showcases their ability to write memorable songs, while still maintaining complexity and aggression.

Los Lonely Boys Henry Garza Episode is Here!

2011-03-05T23:28:00.000-06:00

Part 1: Rusty Cooley sits down backstage at the House of Blues with Henry GarzaPart 2: Rusty gives you a lesson in his Master Class and Mike Nedd gives you another tech tip!Part 3: Rusty continues his interview with Henry Garza. Part 4: Los Lonely Boys perform an acoustic version of Heaven at Cactus Records in Houston!

Los Lonely Boys Guitarist HENRY GARZA is our TONIGHT'S GUEST!

2011-03-05T11:12:00.000-06:00

Executive Producer Dr. B., Henry Garza, Host Rusty Cooley

Henry keeps his gear simple and let's his playing do the talking. Very bluesy player with a sound more like a reincarnation of Stevie Ray Vaughn, some may agree or not agree, but you can't deny Garza's love of the instrument and you'll see in this weekend's inteview who he gives credit to his playing.

It's going to be another rockin' night on Rusty Cooley's Guitar Asylum TV!

Make DAY OF RECKONING #1 on the Houston Reverbnation Charts!

2011-03-04T18:33:00.001-06:00

Please help push Day of Reckoning featuring our host Rusty Cooley to NUMBER 1 on the Houston Reverbnation Chart!

HOUSTON's CHANNEL 55 - Home of Rusty Cooley's Guitar Asylum TV!

2011-03-03T22:11:00.002-06:00

If you are now just finding out about Rusty Cooley's Guitar Asylum TV, you may be thinking, this show is on TV? Actually, YES! This one-of-a-kind television show was presented to Houston's Channel 55 and they wanted it and wanted it badly!

What many people don't realize is that Houston got this incredible TV show first, but the rest of the world got the show online at the same time. Believe it or not, this show has gone global thanks in part to the fan base in Canada, UK, Finland, Germany, Australia, Greece, Italy and South America just to name a few.

Social media has also played a huge role is spreading the word about Rusty Cooley's new television show dedicated to guitar players and the fans of those guitar players. Check us out on Twitter @GuitarAsylumTV and our Facebook page www.facebook.com

"It's been an amazing response in just four short weeks. People are coming up to me saying they love the show and it was about time!," states Rusty Cooley. His band, Day of Reckoning has just finished their demos for their new album (currently looking for a record deal) and will soon be filming an extraordinary music video which is under tight wraps and being directed by Eddie Middleton, the director and creative visionary of Guitar Asylum TV.

Houston's Channel KTBU 55 was so overwhelmed by the response of the show, they posted the logo on their home page at www.houstons55.com. "We couldn't be more excited about being the first television station to air this program and capturing a coveted age demographics that many station only dream about. We give many thanks to the team of GATV for their incredible vision to bring a program that promotes today's musical artists," says Mark Green, KTBU's media representative.

And as for you fans, we are very grateful for your response and continued response. We want to thank our current awesome sponsors, title sponsor Houston Gold Exchange, Intellitouch Tuners - The OFFICIAL Tuner of GATV, Nedd Guitars, Kelly Case Law Firm and Nutritional Living.

Roxy Taylor Reports! Michael Anthony Exclusive!

2011-03-02T19:34:00.002-06:00

Hey my fellow rockers and rockettes!

My recent trip to NAMM 2011 was awesome! Several of today's artists such as Orianthi, Tommy Thayer of KISS, Eric Bass of Shinedown, and Michael Anthony of Chickfoot/Van Halen were there. The highlight of the whole week was my exclusive interview with Michael Anthony, and I mean exclusive. I considered myself very lucky to land the only television interview with him. You will see this interview on an upcoming episode of Rusty Cooley's Guitar Asylum TV dedicated to bass players! Can I hear some slapping da bass man! Being a bass player myself, we should get more credit. If it wasn't for us and the drummer, the guitar players couldn't keep time! Right Rusty Cooley?

Back to Michael Anthony, we talked about them entering the studio to record their next album and a new tour possibly with or without Chad Smith depending if the Red Hot Chili Peppers will be touring this summer. Rumors were flying about Tommy Lee sitting in, but with the announcement of the Motley Crue/Poison summer tour, that's not going to happen. One cool thing you'll hear in my interview with Michael is he has no hard feelings about not being a part of Van Halen anymore. He wishes them the best.

\m/\m/ Roxy Taylor XOXO
Twitter: @RoxyTaylor24

SUPPORT Our SPONSORS! THEY MADE IT HAPPEN!

2011-03-01T10:02:00.003-06:00

We at Rusty Cooley's Guitar Asylum TV want to let you know that this television show is brought to you by some very cool companies and businesses that love what we do!

Rusty Cooley's Guitar Asylum TV acknowledges the following groups for their sponsorship. To find out more about our sponsors, please visit our sponsor's websites by clicking on the links below.

When you want the finest in jewelry, diamonds or a cool Rolex watch, visit the our TITLE SPONSOR Houston Gold Exchange on Westheimer Rd. Want something custom made, this is the place! Need a jewelry repair or a cleaning of that Rolex, this is the place. Get treated like royalty by the staff at the Houston Gold Exchange. We keep going in because they have the finest collection of Rolex watches including Tag Heuer, Cartier, Breitling and more! Want to look like a rock star? Then you found the right place! www.houstongoldexchange.com

The Intellitouch Tuner is really the most awesome tuner we've ever used and Rusty Cooley swears by it! We give each of our guitar guest one of these and their reaction is like you just gave them keys to a new car. It's that awesome. Tunes by the vibration even tunes perfectly in a noisy backstage. Get one! www.tuners.com

Ever once in awhile, you party too much and do something stupid, and if it's really stupid. You need someone on your side who will look at the facts and give you perfect representation. Kelly Case is not only a guitar player, he is one of 650 Board Certified Lawyers in Texas, one of only 100 who can try a death penalty case (please don't into that much trouble) and one of only 10-15 that is a Standard Field Sobriety Testing Practitioner, simply means he can effectively help you if you're charged with a DUI. He's a great guy, professional, intelligent and has integrity. Can't say that about most lawyers! www.kellycaselawfirm.com

Mike Nedd of Nedd Guitars is one cool dude! Not only he is our Guitar Tech Guru each week on the show, he has the best reputation in Houston, TX for setting up and repairing your guitar! Mike is also one of the last true craftsman. He still builds guitars by hand. He even got a thumbs up recently from Paul Reed Smith at NAMM 2011. That's saying a lot! Whatever your guitar needs are, take it from Rusty Cooley, "Mike Nedd is the ONLY person who will touch my guitars!" www.neddguitars.com

And of course, to keep playing guitar or bass, you got to keep yourself in good health. Nutritional Living is the company that can do just that! All natural supplements, nutritional advice and more. Check out their website for the best products. Dr. Ward Bond also helps you with advice by email or a phone consultation. If you're overweight, arthritic, tired and need to go on tour, make the call today and get your energy back so you can give it all you got on stage or at least feel like a rehabbed rock star! www.nutritional-living.com

HENRY GARZA of Los Lonely Boys is OUR GUEST!

2011-02-28T13:53:00.000-06:00

Executive Producer Dr. B., Henry Garza, Host Rusty Cooley

For all you fans out there of the Los Lonely Boys, Rusty caught up with them at Cactus Records in Houston to film there acoustic set for the fans. Then headed over to the House of Blues to have a sit down interview with Henry Garza.

Henry keeps his gear simple and let's his playing do the talking. Very bluesy player with a sound more like a reincarnation of Stevie Ray Vaughn, some may agree or not agree, but you can't deny Garza's love of the instrument and you'll see in this weekend's inteview who he gives credit to his playing.

It's going to be another rockin' night on Rusty Cooley's Guitar Asylum TV!