Tap-Tap-Tap-a-roo!!

I don't play the guitar, i barely play the Bass. I wish i had more patience for it like my friend Steven, he good and has a desire. I wish i could wake up one day and just be awesome at guitar. And by awesome, i don't mean boring technical guitar playing. I mean innovative, being able to create complex, thick, unique, diverse and epic music. That is extremely rare to see music anymore. Most mainstream, use boring power chords and call it a day. Power chords are good, don't get me wrong. Too much gets lame and boring. Too twangy so-called "complex" songs that "guitar gods" are playing are ELEVATOR music. That is not good guitar playing, thats boring guitar playing.

with that disclaimer....

One of the only few bands that i find flawless (by my definition) with regards to guitar playing is AFI. Diverse, epic, bulletproof. Jade knows how to create, new innovative power chords, while switching back and forth from that to ripping complex guitar segments. Some bands have 2 (or more) guitarist, which allows for one playing rythm and the other playing the power chords. AFI has 1, and he does both, Jade said that he rarely (if ever), records anything that he cannot recreate live. I've noticed how he has progressed throughout the years.

I have been thinking about the guitar technique of lately. I technique that is rarely or never used in mainstream music. which is lame, cause its way cool to hear and watch.

In 2003 AFI had a single from their album Sing the Sorrow called The Leaving Song pt. 2. Which is opened by jade tapping. I love the song for 1 million reasons and that is definatly one of them. It was a unused technique at the time, and Jade made it his own.

Since Decemberunderground came out in 2006, whenever he plays The Leaving Song pt. 2, he slows the tapping down and it becomes distorted. I have the audio from about 15 live shows from 2003 to now of AFI, and its something i have noticed. Only a nerd like me would have noticed this. Its funny when i see lamers on the message boards say that he can pull it off in the studio but not live, which is an ignorant statement. You cant just slow tapping down on an electric guitar without it being distorted.

Examples...
Here is the studio recording from the Music video where you can see Jade playing it in 2003..


The Leaving Song Pt. 2 live at the Hard Rock in Orlando, FL in 2003, sounds just like the studio recording...


Here it is from the I Heard A Voice DVD in 2006...



i am aware that probably no one cares about any of this, so don't feel bad. I don't expect you to :)

random GOODNESS!

Differences!

So Beka and i have differences. Every couple does. Its healthy and I've noticed how i learn and discover new things because our differences. I have eaten food that i would never have touched if Beka hadn't forced to me eat, which now i cant live without. Styles of clothes and shoes that Beka has got me into. Music that i wouldn't normally listed to, i have....learned to tolerate :P

But we differ most when it comes to music. Beka and other people use to and still do tell me that i'm close minded when it comes to music, which is definitely a false statement. Where as she listens to lots of laid back stuff, with some hip/hop and emo type music but only goes so far into rock and the "harder" and/or "darker" stuff that i listen to. Where as i not only listen to mellow and dive into legit hip hop and rap stuff but listen to the darker and harder stuff that i enjoy and started out listening to. Even Beka caught me trying to download Garth Brooks greatest hits CD, which she made fun of me for, and also Amy Grant's "heart in motion" CD which is off the hook!

Close minded? Absolutely not! I dont buy into the mainstream hype, that the general public buys into for whatever reason. but thats just how i roll.

To me its like, settling for Taco Bell because there is one on every corner instead of driving a little further to get some authentic Mexican food. Taco Bell is good but no Manuel's :)

So I have talked about Tiger Army before. There is a Song on their newest CD "Music from Regions Beyond" (get it! its amazing, like all their other CDs) which Beka likes a lot. I like it to but i prefer the Remix version that Jade Puget (AFI, Blaqk Audio) did.

We laugh and use this a a prime example of our musical differences. So here they are, they both a so amazing.....

The Original song "Where the moss slowly grows"


Here is the version i like better, the Jade Puget remix...

rockabilly....Jade style.

On Jade's blog, he payed tribute to past and present Rockabilly stars by playing some Rockabilly guitar.

you need to watch this







(its the first video on the page)