Were the Brit Awards ever actually good?

In short, the answer is neither yes or no. 

However, if you're asking me, the Brits were actually more memorable, rebellious and interesting in the past. This isn't a post whining about them being better 'back in my day', I know they have obviously never been at the cutting edge of music throughout their history.

When Buying your first guitar...

There are many things to consider, but the most important thing to remember is that learning to play is great fun and can be a hobby that lasts for many years. Not only is it great fun, but it could lead to joining a band with your friends or becoming a musician in your own right. For a complete beginner it may be worth considering a cheaper learning guitar and using that to see if its a hobby for you. 

1) Budget - If you're a complete beginner keep your budget low. Consider guitars around the £150-£300 mark if you're buying a new guitar. You might even find a bargain in the second hand guitar market on sites such as eBay or your local guitar shop. Please remember that with guitars you get what you pay for, cheaper guitars could be very poorly made and have bad sound quality. If your hobby becomes more serious, it is likely you will have to buy another more expensive guitar later on.

2) Research the Subject - There aren't many specialist items it would be advisable buying without having researched the subject first and a guitar is no different. If you have a friend who is an enthusiastic guitarist, make sure you ask their advice. Also look at guides online that tell you which brands to look for and which ones to avoid.

3) Acoustic or Electric? - There are many factors which decide which is best for you, for example an electric guitar is generally easier to play but require more equipment, where as an acoustic is a lot more portable and convenient. Ultimately your decision is likely to be based primarily on what genres you like and what style of guitar you would like to play.

4) Shop - You should never buy a guitar without playing it first, so you know what you're getting. Not doing this is a huge mistake. If you have a guitar playing friend bring them along, it is likely they'll be able to recognise subtle tone qualities that you can't. 

When buying a guitar. Whether it is your first, second or third. It is highly likely the person selling your guitar knows more about it than you do. So you should be researched and prepared, as you don't want to pay over the odds. 

Each guitar - down to make and model - has its weaknesses. You'll want to do your research to find these out. There are however a few universal truths with guitars, which you should always check before buying:

Check the fretboard. 
Every guitar's got one. Are the frets lined up? Are any damaged? If so, test those out first. 

Check the Action 
What's the "action", you ask. Action is the space between the fretboard and the strings. You'll want this to be as comfortable as possible. The better your action, the better your playability.

Check the pick-ups. (Electric Guitars only)
Pick-ups are the plaques behind the strings where you strum. They pick up the sound and translate it out. You'll need these in tact if you're going to rock. If you're buying second hand, the seller may have stripped out nicer pick-ups and put in worse ones. Make sure you check these out. 

These three are universal, you'll need to check them on all guitars you look at it.

5) Play the Expensive Ones - Try out the expensive guitars so you get a feel for them and can compare it to the ones in your price range. Then make sure the assistant shows you the guitars in the higher end of your price range first.

6) Check the Tuning - Before trying the guitar, make sure it is tuned to concert pitch or standard tuning. This acts as a good bench mark when comparing guitars.

7) Check the Feel - Try as many guitars as you can whilst sitting and standing. If for any reason they do not feel natural it is likely they are wrong for you. Once you find a guitar that feels good in your hands and on your body, then you have the right one for you.

8) Test the Frets -  Place your index finger directly behind the first fret on the fattest string (E6). The fret is the raised metal "line". Now pluck the string with some force. If there are buzzes, pops, or odd noises there could be something wrong. Apply that hard pressure to check behind each fret on each string. If there is any "non musical" noise, ask the salesperson to adjust and re-tune the guitar. After the retune try the guitar again, if the problem persists, don't get it! The most important thing when buying a guitar is to judge each one by feel, sound and appeal.

9) Buying the Guitar - When you've finally settled on a guitar you like and you feel completely happy. Make sure you ask for a warranty, some new strings, a gig bag and a tuner. If you're new to the guitar you won't have any of these, so it will be a good investment. It is worth considering that most dealers leave the factory strings on their guitars, a new set of strings will brighten up their sound instantly.

10) Start Learning! - Now you've got the guitar you want plunge head first into learning the basics, whether from a private tuition, books or even Youtube videos. The more you practice the better you will get, as with anything worth doing.

Born To Be Wild: The Golden Age Of American Rock

Born To Be Wild: The Golden Age Of American Rock - Tonight on BBC4

The 80's was the decade of poodle rock. The likes of Van Halen, Mötley Crüe, and Poison sported heavy make-up, flashy clothes and huge hair. The song's featured sex, hard partying, plus the obligatory drink and drugs in excess.

The final part of this fascinating documentary series covers the the 1980's and the eventual demise of what had been a golden era of rock.

The 80's saw the birth of MTV, which changed the music industry for good and created superstars like Billy Idol.

In LA a new scene emerged, party pop-metal anthems perfect for the MTV generation was its forte. However, the other side of the American rock mainstream was still rebelling. John Mellencamp, Tom Petty, and Bruce Springsteen produced music tackling social and political issues, whilst still appealing to America's working and middle classes.

As the decade went on, the industry realised that its artists getting MTV exposure could produce massive profits for the labels. Pop-Metal began to dominate and saturate the market. Power ballads, big choruses, and even more ridiculous hair were the order of the day, with Bon Jovi a perfect example.

The rot had set in, and it was time someone brought about a change. It was Guns N' Roses who stepped up as the antithesis to what they considered fake rebellion, soft-rock drivel. Even they, though, in the end, would become neutralised by the commercialisation of the rock industry.

Of course American rock music didn't die with the end of the 1980s,  However, it is arguably the last era when singers were gods, guitarists were axe-men and songs were anthems. Once Grunge came along in the early 1990s it ridiculed this traditional rock star image overnight. This is where the series ends.

Tom Petty summed up this end of an era perfectly: "I think the seismic eruption in rock was the Nirvana period. Kurt Cobain came and mowed them down like wheat before the sickle. And you saw what was left of those hair guys, trying to get into plaid shirts and looking a little less sprayed up because they were done for. And if that can happen to you then you're doing the wrong thing.

He concludes by saying, "Right after that, rock slips from the music of the day into the background. Hip-hop is in the foreground now. Young people identify with that music, and rightfully so."

5 of the Greatest Rock n Roll Movie Moments

Since there has been sound in movies there has been music, some of the most iconic scenes in movie history would not be the same without the perfect soundtrack for that moment. 

Over the year Rock has played a big part in some of the biggest and best movies of all time. There are many classic Rock moments, but we've focused on some of the funniest and most iconic. 

1. Queen, 'Bohemian Rhapsody' in 'Wayne's World' (1992)

A simple scene that shows the power of music to effect those who love it. A standard Saturday night for these suburban losers cruising the desolate streets of Illinois. Then once they hit play on the "Bohemian Rhapsody" cassette they are transformed into a choir of rock gods and to they suddenly become some of the coolest guys on earth. This scene shows perfectly you how music functions in the day-to-day lives of those of us who truly love it and there are few funnier examples of how to incorporate music into a film.

2. Creedence Clearwater Revival, 'Lookin' Out My Back Door' in 'The Big Lebowski' (1999)

One of the ultimate air guitar scenes in cinema history, the dude finally gets his car back and his music. Much celebratory smoking, drinking and drumming ensues. This Creedance backed scene is not only brilliantly funny, but shows how music can be so much fun and the best release.

3. Chuck Berry, 'You Never Can Tell' in 'Pulp Fiction' (1994)

Quentin Tarantino uses music masterfully throughout his films, managing to perfectly match events with appropriate yet often unexpected music. There are so many different examples we could use throughout his back catalogue, such as the Reservoir Dogs "Stuck In the Middle With You" torture scene. One of the most memorable is this Chuck Berry sound tracked scene in Pulp Fiction, where John Travolta and Uma Thurman do the twist and dance around their sexual attraction. A hit man lured into doing the twist is not only funny, but you know its destined for a bloody result. 

4. Spinal Tap, 'Stonehenge' in 'This Is Spinal Tap' (1984)

The Spinal Tap film is one of the funniest there is associated with Rock'N'Roll. In this scene the parody metal band perform their ode to the Druids of Stonehenge. A perfectly pitched satire on the music of the era and also a comedy musical delight. The video below only contains the song, but do seek out the original film if you haven't seen it a perfect combination of music and comedy.

5. Alice Cooper, 'School's Out' in 'Dazed and Confused' (1993)

This portrait of small-town Texas in the summer of '76 has the music of the era at its centre and is a constant presence in the life of these kids. The musical highlight and one of the best uses of Rock'N'Roll in a film is the righteous use of the Alice Coopers classic. The scene shows the kids finishing school, breaking off their shackles and captures the mood of youthful exuberance perfectly.

Nirvana to be elevated to Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

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In 2014 the US Rock and Roll hall of fame are set to induct among others Nirvana and Peter Gabriel.

The ceremony takes place next April where Kiss, Hall and Oates, Peter Gabriel, Linda Ronstadt and Cat Stevens will also be elevated to the elite musical club.

This is first year Nirvana have been eligible to win their place in the Hall of Fame as it is 25 years since their first release and a panel of industry experts put them forward to receive the nod.

Brian Epstein the former Beatles manager, who died in 1967, will also be honoured for his life's work.

Another award winner is Andrew Loog Oldham, the record producer and manager who propelled the Rolling Stones to worldwide fame, collecting an award for his contribution to the music industry.

US group the E Street Band, known for their collaborations with Bruce Springsteen, are also being inducted into the Hall of Fame through a musical excellence award.

Nirvana shot to fame in the early 90s as the most prominent band in the Seattle grunge scene, they produced a series of hits including Smells Like Teen Spirit and Come As You Are.

The three critically acclaimed full-length studio albums were a revelation, they went on to be one ofthe best-selling rock bands in history with an estimated 75 million sales. Famously frontman Kurt Cobain's committed suicide in 1994 aged 27.

British musician Peter Gabriel was already inducted in 2010 as a member of rock band Genesis, while Cat Stevens - now known as Yusuf Islam - has been nominated for the honour in the past.

With trademark black and white make-up and costumes Kiss are known for their extravagant performances, where as Darryl Hall and John Oates the song-writing and performance partners have scored six US number hits in their career.

This year's inductees were selected by more than 600 music industry personnel from a long-list of candidates, whose first work must have been released at least 25 years ago.

Would you like to be able to play your guitar as if it were a keyboard?

There are many different guitar add-ons of varying quality and usefulness, each claims to add another dimension to the guitar playing experience and often many do not deliver. The Hammer Jammer however, may just be one that does deliver on its potential.

It's an interesting concept in that it allows you to add a percussive element to you guitar and almost play it as if it were a keyboard. This claim is that this could act as a source of inspiration for both acoustic and electric guitar players, allowing you to innovate playing styles and techniques.

Check out the demo video above and don't forget to let us know what you think. Would this device be useful for you or do you think its a waste of time? Or has anyone actually used it and what were the results?

I believe the video is a interesting demonstration of how useful this device could be in your performances, not only for providing inspiration for composing, but also for adding textural layers when recording. It comes cheap at around £20 too and fits on any guitar without modification!

Click here for more details

Gibson Full Guitar Line-up for 2014 Revealed

The 2014 guitar line-up has just been revealed by Gibson, with the prestigious manufacturer making some interesting and innovative changes.

Check out a gallery of the new guitars over at Music Radar. 

2014 also signals the 120th anniversary of the manufacturer, leading them to roll out a whopping 28 models, many of them with distinctive new pickups, features and finishes. Including some nice colour variations, new specifications to their existing guitars and some reductions in pricing. Some of the more eye catching colours include a transparent seafoam green colour on the Les Paul Classic, a transparent faded denim colour on the Les Paul Traditional and the SG Futura – Min-ETune in glossy turquoise!

On many of the new models a 120th Anniversary logo has been placed on the 12th fret position. Alongside other new features like the widespread implementation of the Min-ETune automatic tuning unit, PLEK fingerboard set ups and four new pickup types, alongside undercut frets (meaning many models with lack the 'nibs' of binding that have traditionally covered fret edges on Gibson fretboards).

Not to mention other new additions such as redesigned strap buttons, cryogenically treated fret wire, Max Grip speed knobs and the widespread deployment of GraphTech nuts.

If you would like a full run down of each new guitar Music Radar have a detailed breakdown (linked above) and of course visit the official Gibson website for more details.