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The Super Bowl: a history of musical halftime shows

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:10:00 GMT

With an expected viewing audience upwards of 110 million, the Super Bowl is a big, big show all right But it's still dwarfed by other "football" matches like the World Cup, which last year reached an estimated 700 million viewers.

One thing is certain, however: if you want to hit a captive, tortillas-and-chicken-wings-eating crowd with some new music, the Super Bowl is a slam-dunk opportunity. Oh, wait, wrong sport. But you know what we mean.

This year, Madonna performs at XLVI - and according to rumor, her set will feature guest appearances by M.I.A., Nicki Minaj, LMFAO and Cee Lo Green. The Material Woman's, uh, Girl's performance follows recent gridiron gigs by the Black Eyed Peas, Paul McCartney, Prince, The Who, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty and U2. Oh, and Janet Jackson - how could we forget Janet Jackson?

While Super Bowl halftime shows might be regarded by some as mainstream - let's face it, you're never going to see Cat Power on the 50 yard line - the truth is, they were a whole lot worse back in the day. We're talking marching bands, Mouseketeers and the like.

The following is a brief video look at the development of Super Bowl halftime shows over the years. Prepare to be stunned.

Super Bowl VII, 1973, featuring the University Of Michigan Marching Band, Woody Herman, Andy Williams

Super Bowl XI, 1977, The Mousetekeers

Super Bowl XIV, 1980, Up With People

Super Bowl XVI, 1982, Up With People

Super Bowl XVIII, 1984, Disney dancers

Super Bowl XXI, 1987, Disney, various performers

Super Bowl XXVII, 1993, Michael Jackson

Super Bowl XXXI, 1997, The Blues Brothers

Super Bowl XXXV, 2001, Aerosmith, 'N Sync, Britney Spears, Mark J Blige

Super Bowl XXXVI, 2002, U2

Super Bowl XXXVIII, 2004, Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake, Nelly, P Diddy, Kid Rock

Super Bowl XLI, 2007, Prince

Super Bowl XLIII, 2009, Bruce Springsteen And The E Street Band

Super Bowl XLIV, 2010, The Who

Super Bowl XLV, 2011, The Black Eyes Peas, Usher, Slash

UPDATE: Black Sabbath respond to Bill Ward's threat to quit band

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:25:00 GMT

Bill Ward, Ozzy Osbourne, Geezer Butler and Tony Iommi announce the Black Sabbath reunion in Los Angeles, November 2011. © Axel Koester/Corbis

UPDATE: Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler have responded to drummer Bill Ward's announcement that he would not participate in a Black Sabbath album and tour unless he received a "signable contract." Our original story is below, with the response from Osbourne, Iommi and Butler directly following.

Another problem has beset the much-anticipated Black Sabbath reunion. Last month, guitarist Tony Iommi revealed that he had been diagnosed with lymphoma, forcing the group to shift their plans for recording a new album from Los Angeles to London, near where Iommi lives. Now Bill says he might sit the album and tour out, and it's not because of health reasons.

Ward has gone public with a statement on his website indicating that he will not participate in the reunion unless he is presented with a "signable contract." Below is the original text of Bill Ward's letter:

"Dear Sabbath Fans, Fellow Musicians and Interested Parties,

At this time, I would love nothing more than to be able to proceed with the Black Sabbath album and tour. However, I am unable to continue unless a 'signable' contract is drawn up; a contract that reflects some dignity and respect toward me as an original member of the band. Last year, I worked diligently in good faith with Tony, Ozzy and Geezer. And on 11/11/11, again in good faith, I participated in the L.A. press conference. Several days ago, after nearly a year of trying to negotiate, another 'unsignable' contract was handed to me.

"Let me say that although this has put me in some kind of holding pattern, I am packed and ready to leave the U.S. for England. More importantly, I definitely want to play on the album, and I definitely want to tour with Black Sabbath.

"Since the news of Tony's illness, and the understanding that the band would move production to the U.K., I've spent everyday getting to or living in a place of readiness to leave. That involves something of a task, and as I've tried to find out what's going on with the U.K. sessions, I've realized that I've been getting 'the cold shoulder' (and, I might add, not for the first time). Feeling somewhat ostracized, my guess is as of today, I will know nothing of what's happening unless I sign 'the unsignable contract.'

"The place I'm in feels lousy and lonely because as much as I want to play and participate, I also have to stand for something and not sign on. If I sign as-is, I stand to lose my rights, dignity and respectability as a rock musician. I believe in freedom and freedom of speech. I grew up in a hard rock/metal band. We stood for something then, and we played from the heart with honesty and sincerity. I am in the spirit of integrity, far from the corporate malady, I am real and honest, fair and compassionate.

"If I'm replaced, I have to face you, the beloved Sabbath fans. I hope you will not hold me responsible for the failure of an original Black Sabbath lineup as promoted. Without fault finding, I want to assure everyone that my loyalty to Sabbath is intact.

"So here I am. I lay my truth down before you. I'm good to go IF I get a 'signable' contract. I don't want to let anyone down, especially Black Sabbath and all the Sabbath fans. You know I love you. It would be a sad day in Rock if this current situation fell to the desires of a few.

"My position is not greed-driven. I'm not holding out for a "big piece" of the action (money) like some kind of blackmail deal. I'd like something that recognizes and is reflective of my contributions to the band, including the reunions that started fourteen years ago. After the last tour I vowed to never again sign on to an unreasonable contract. I want a contract that shows some respect to me and my family, a contract that will honor all that I've brought to Black Sabbath since its beginning.

"That's the story so far. Stay safe and stay strong. I love every single one of you - Bill Ward"

Update - Here is the response from Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler:

"We were saddened to hear yesterday via Facebook that Bill declined publicly to participate in our current Black Sabbath plans...we have no choice but to continue recording without him although our door is always open... We are still in the UK with Tony. Writing and recording the new album and on a roll... See you at Download!!! - Tony, Ozzy and Geezer"

MusicRadar Deals Of The Week

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:03:00 GMT

33 killer guitar, amp, drum and tech bargains from our recommended retailers

VIDEO: The Rolling Stones record Sympathy For The Devil

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:35:00 GMT

In June 1968, French "New Wave" director Jean-Luc Godard and his crew took their cameras to Olympic Sound Studios in London to shoot The Rolling Stones as they recorded the song Sympathy For The Devil.

Godard's footage of the Stones was part of a film titled after the song (done so by the producer; the unconvential filmmaker original called it One Plus One), which also included segments involving rifle-toting Black Panthers and used a voiceover promoting Marxism.

Now, the studio footage of the Stones (with a faraway-looking Brian Jones, and augmented with keyboardist Nicky Hopkins) has made its way online, and it's a fascinating time capsule. Check out the clips above and below, which depict the way that the song morphed from a mid-tempo country-folk number into the sinister, conga-and-maracas-heavy rocker we all know today.

Brann Dailor's Mastodon drum setup in pictures

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:58:00 GMT

Mastodon began leaving their mark on the hard rock world 10 years ago with the release of their first album remission. Since then, they've continued to grow and develop their skills as a band by releasing a string of daring yet critically acclaimed albums.

The latest is The Hunter. It could very well be the album of their career. Chock-full of grooving, catchy songs, the album maintains Mastodon's proggy style presented in shorter, concise cuts.

One quarter of this musical equation is Brann Dailor. Brann not only handles the complex rhythmic duties of Mastodon but also writes lyrics, arranges songs and sings as well.

Big brands line up for Great British Guitar Show 2012

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:32:00 GMT

PRESS RELEASE: Following an extremely busy trip to the NAMM show in early January, UK Musicshows Ltd has revealed a raft of new exhibitors for its Great British Guitar Show on 25-26 February.

Big names recently confirmed for the inaugural GBGS include Yamaha and Orange amplification, Paul Reed Smith Guitars, Brian May Guitars, TC Electronic, Elixir strings, Overwater and The Bass Centre.

The above join Ibanez, Laney, Bose, Rotosound, Santa Cruz, Vigier, Tokai, Line6 and many other instrument and accessory brands at Birmingham's Bingley Hall exhibition venue for the Great British Guitar Show, making it the most comprehensive guitar event in the 2012 calendar.

UK Musicshows' Jason Castle said, "We're really pleased that so many of the guitar industry's biggest brands will be taking part in the Great British Guitar Show in February. We always wanted GBGS to showcase all that's great in our industry, from electric and acoustic guitars to bass gear, amplification and accessories – it's going to make for a great weekend for exhibitors and visitors alike.

Tickets for the Great British Guitar Show are priced at £10 in advance and are available from www.greatbritishguitarshow.co.uk

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Information taken from official press release, for more visit Great British Guitar Show

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5 reasons why Buddy Holly is still cool

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:49:00 GMT

Today (3 February) marks 53 years since the tragic, untimely death of Buddy Holly in a plane crash that also claimed the lives of Ritchie Valens, The Big Bopper and pilot Roger Peterson.

Despite a painfully brief recording career that lasted just three years, Holly – real name Charles Hardin Holley – changed the landscape of popular music forever.

Here are five reasons why Buddy Holly still matters in 2012…

1. Buddy Holly influenced the greatest bands of all time

Buddy Holly was a huge influence on The Beatles in their formative years and his hold over John Lennon would continue throughout his solo career in the 1970s.

The 1995 Anthology series unearthed Lennon, McCartney and Harrison's first ever studio recording – a cover of That'll Be The Day recorded as The Quarry Men – and they would perform numerous Holly songs during their time in Hamburg, later recording Crying, Waiting, Hoping and Words Of Love. Paul McCartney now owns the publishing rights to Holly's song catalogue.

Meanwhile, a teenage Keith Richards witnessed Holly play live on his 1958 UK tour, and The Rolling Stones went on to release perhaps the definitive Buddy Holly cover version.

Here's The Stones' rip-roaring version of Not Fade Away from 1964:

2. Buddy Holly made it OK to wear glasses

The first rock 'n' roller to make spectacles cool onstage, Holly paved the way for Hank Marvin, Roy Orbison, John Lennon, Elton John, Elvis Costello, Rivers Cuomo and many more.

Holly's optician J Davis Armistead was instrumental in the selection of frames that would become iconic: "Those heavy black frames achieved exactly what we wanted – they became a distinct part of him. Had Buddy lived, I do not think he would have worn contacts or had surgery… those glasses in that heavy dark frame added to his personality and his act."

3. Buddy Holly set the bar for '60s beat groups

With their initial twin guitar, bass and drums line-up, The Crickets established the blueprint for what would become the standard for a rock 'n' roll band by the mid sixties. Holly experimented with unusual instrumentation in the studio and the self-contained Crickets could write their own songs.

And when they didn't, just like The Beatles a few years later, Holly would put such a stamp on a song that for many listeners it would become the definitive version. Here's proof:

4. Buddy Holly was one of the first rock 'n' rollers to play a Stratocaster

Along with those glasses, a Fender Stratocaster was the other vital component part of Holly's image. From Hank Marvin to Jimi Hendrix, so many would follow his lead over the following decades.

Amusingly, 1978's The Buddy Holly Story movie starring Gary Busey featured Busey, as Holly, playing a number of mid-'70s Fender electric guitars that didn't exist in the 1950s. Click here to read the full list of errors.

5. Buddy Holly's music still sounds vital

Whether it's primal Bo Diddley-influenced R&B like Not Fade Away, or a tender ballad like True Love Ways, to our ears Holly's canon still sounds fresh and energised half a century later.

We'll leave the final word to the man himself:

Classic interview: Paul Weller talks acoustic guitar, 2002

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:30:00 GMT

With his new album, Sonik Kicks, set for release on 26 March 2012, we look back to a decade ago when the Modfather was taking a stripped-down acoustic set out on the road.

"You know the problem with guitar magazines?" barks a thick London accent. We get the feeling we're about to find out. "It's always the same shot – some bloke there posing like this [mocks obligatory holding- guitar-plus-moody-expression]. Why don't you have more live shots? Can't we do a live shot?"

"Er, we don't really know," we reply nervously. We'd heard Mr Weller could be a little bit 'difficult' when it comes to interviews. After all, 20-plus years of getting kicked in the nuts by journalists might make a man wary.

By way of explanation, we manage: "Something to do with picture quality, I think." Pathetic. He's going to tear us to shreds. "Oh," he shrugs matter of factly, tucking into a box of KFC. "D'you want some food? Or a drink – whatever, help yourself. Anyway, go on mate, fireaway..."

"In the '90s, I rediscovered my guitar."

So goes Guitarist's first two minutes face to face with Paul Weller. And what a face: the chiselled features, the piercing eyes. The same set of facial furniture, in fact, that first belted out The Eton Rifles and That's Entertainment; that first crooned You're The Best Thing, Wild Wood and You Do Something To Me.

We're backstage at Bristol's Colston Hall to talk about his current record Days Of Speed, a warts-and-all live solo acoustic affair that's as remarkable for concept as it is content. No MTV, no huge fancy production and no pseudo unplugged band. Just Weller and his guitar.

Then again, renaissance is something he's good at. Old Frenchie coined the term in the 1500s with his music, art and literature, but even the French only managed one. Weller, Modfather, Dadrocker, Britpopper, British Neil Young – whatever tag you give him – is currently on renaissance two, somehow managing to widen both creative horizons and commercial reward with each shift.

Now the man from Woking has embarked on a new challenge. Not another direction shift of Jam-to-Style Council or Council-to-solo career magnitude, but something which draws together the common denominator in all his work and lays it bare for all to see: the humble song. What better way to demonstrate than hit the road with just a head full of lyrics and a handful of guitars?

What made you decide to do this record?

"I thought of the idea at the end of 2000. I wanted to do something difficult, just to have that challenge of whether I could hold an audience, me on my own: me and my songs.

"And it sort of spiralled from that because, originally, I was talking about little clubs, like 300-400 capacity. Now it's got really big, and not just in this country – we've been back to Germany twice this year which is bloody unheard of! The States, Japan... something like 10 countries."

A good test of the songs then.

"It's been all sorts of things, but it's been a personal triumph for me. It makes me reappraise my own stuff, in a good way. You can see what's strong, what people like. It's also been a good way of getting back to my audience.

"Even though they're fair-sized gigs, there's this kind of intimate thing. No distractions, no flashing lights. It's just the songs on a very simple level of communication. Sometimes you can forget that with all the other malarkey."

What's been the most challenging aspect of the tour?

"Well, sitting in front of God-knows how many thousand people with just a guitar is a challenge in itself – you're shitting yourself! And it's the same every night, to be honest.

"At times I've looked around and thought, I could do with Whitey [Steve White, drums] kicking in about now. It's hard work on your own."

What guitars are you currently using?

"I've got a Gibson 12-string, which I've had for some time, and a J-45 I've also had for a while; they're the main ones. One that I got recently is the Gibson Everly Brothers; that sounds nice.

"And I've got another guitar that was bought for me by the guy who owns the record company, it's called a Mossman. It sounds like a piece of shit, but apparently it's like, 12 and half grands' worth, which is completely beyond my comprehension!"

What made you pick up the guitar in the first place?

"Overall I think it was The Beatles. I was such a massive fan of all the '60s pop bands, but if I had to single out one band, it would definitely be The Beatles."

How do you view your change of sound in the '90s? Did you mellow out a bit?

"I think what happened to me is that I started listening to a much broader spectrum of music. Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, a lot of Neil Young, in fact. Also Van Morrison; stuff I wouldn't have listened to before, things I wouldn't have been aware of before. So that was a real learning experience for me.

"And in the '90s, I think I rediscovered my guitar. The Jam was obviously very guitar-based, but in the Style Council I just got really disillusioned with playing the guitar. The further it went on, the less and less I played, to a point where I couldn't pick it up any more.

"You know, when you stop picking it up at home... I never really felt I was really getting it together with the Council. I'd lost that love relationship with it.

"And then I started to get it back again, and also I really got back into playing live again as well. With the Council, it had got really stodgy and boring towards the end, and I didn't want to play live.

"But for me the best thing I can do is play live. The best way for me to put over what I'm trying to do is to play live. Whether it's an acoustic show, electric or whatever... if I shine at all, that's where it all really happens – it just took me a while to rediscover that."

Read the track-by-track review of Sonik Kicks, Paul Weller's new 2012 album.

SampleRadar: 250 free modular synth samples

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:07:00 GMT

Continuing the synth riff from last week's SampleRadar, our latest collection features sounds from a modular analogue creation.

This Eurorack machine contains modules from the likes of Doepfer, Plan B, Make Noise and Bananalogue, and you'll be able to experience its charms very soon.

What you need to know

The modular synth samples are split into two folders: FX and Loops.

All the samples are supplied as 24-bit WAV files so can be imported directly into your DAW or sampler of choice. Because they're royalty-free, you're welcome to use the samples in your music in any way you like - all we ask is that you don't re-distribute them.

The modular synth samples are supplied in a zip file, so you'll need to extract them before you can see them. Enjoy!

Example sounds

Loop 32

Loop 132

FX 14

FX 78

Modular synth samples: click to download

Modular synth samples (209MB)

These samples originally appeared on Computer Music magazine's cover DVD. Check out the latest issue for many more.

Interview: Phil Collen talks 30 years with Def Leppard, Rock Of Ages film

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:10:00 GMT

Phil Collen shreds on stage with his Jackson PC Supreme. © Helen L Collen

"The first show we played with Pyromania was at the Marquee Club in London," says Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen. "We started that tour at a 500-seat place, and we finished up at the Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego - 55,000 seats. Pretty incredible."

What's also incredible is the fact that it's been 30 years since Collen joined Def Leppard and played a vital role in turning the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal upstarts into a global behemoth, one which has sold over 100 million records.

This June, the music of Def Leppard will rock multiplexes when the big-screen treatment of the hit Broadway musical Rock Of Ages opens. The all-star cast includes Russell Brand, Alec Baldwin, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Paul Giamatti and Mary J Blige - and for a little added wattage, there's Tom Cruise, belting out Pour Some Sugar On Me, no less. "It's going to be something else," Collen says of the Adam (Hairspray) Shankman-directed spooler.

To mark his 30th anniversary as a member of Def Leppard, MusicRadar caught up with Phil Collen to share some memories. In addition, we talked about his home recording setup, what the summer holds for the Leps and, most important of all, we asked that burning questing: What's it like seeing the world's biggest movie star singing your song?

Take us back to the time you joined the band. Was there an audition process?

"No. Nothing like that at all. I already knew the guys. What happened was, Pete Willis was having some problems with the band – things were just not going well – and one day, during the High 'n' Dry tour, I got a phone call from Joe Elliot, who was in the States at the time. 'Can you learn 16 songs in two days?' he asked me. 'Uhh, yeah,' I said. 'Why is that?' And then he told me that things weren't great with Pete, that it wasn't working out.

"Funny thing is, Joe called me two days later and told me that things were OK again. But when they started the next album, the one that would become Pyromania, they called me up and said Pete wasn't in the band anymore, and could I come to the studio to play a couple of guitar solos?

So it wasn't stated that you were joining the band.

"No. I went to the studio and was asked to play a solo to Stagefright. I did a first pass and everybody loved it – that's the take that's on the album, actually. From there, I played on Photograph, Foolin', Rock Of Ages, and then I started singing – basically, I finished the album off with the guys. From that point, we went on and on. There was no real joining process."

But still, you had to quit Girl, the band you were in at the time?

"Actually, I had already left. When I was going to go on tour with Def Leppard, I had to leave the other band. It worked out, though – we had kind of come to the end of our thing in Girl. Creatively there was a lot of potential in it, but we never really followed it up. There were lots of problems with management, our record label, all sorts of things. It would have imploded whether the Def Leppard thing happened or not."

Soon after you joined Def Leppard, the band suffered a massive tragedy when Rick Allen had his car accident.

"That's right. And what I soon learned about the band was that it was always about the people in the band, not just about the business. When bands lose that personal element, when they stop looking out for one another, that's when they run into all kinds of problems. We were a team – still are. We don't have egos and any of that crap.

"When the thing happened with Rick, it was shocking. To have somebody you know go through something that terrible… I remember I was with Steve Clark when we got the phone call: 'What do you mean severed?' And they told me his arm was off. I couldn't comprehend it; I never had any experience with something like that.

"We were all stunned. The guy was fighting for his life, you know? So we never really thought about us personally, the band and all that – it was all about Rick as a human being. And then, once we found out he was going to be OK, we were worried about him psychologically, how he was going to be when he got out of the hospital.

"I remember when Steve and I went to see him. We were so scared. Again, we had no idea how to act, what to say. But we walked in and he was like, 'Hey, guys, what's going on?' It was great to see him that 'up.' And then, of course, he worked his ass off. To do what he's done, psychologically and physically, what can you say? It's beyond impressive. Rick has made us work harder, really."

Thirty years ago, could you have imagined Rock Of Ages – the film?

"No. I don't think anybody could!" [laughs]

You were on the movie set when Tom Cruise sang Pour Some Sugar On Me. What was that like?

"It was surreal. What happened was, we were in Florida on tour, and we got a phone call telling us that they were filming just up the road. They were literally shooting that sequence that day.

"We went to the set and met Tom Cruise, who was absolutely great. Brilliant! I really appreciate when other people do such hard work - it's inspiring. We were just knocked out by his singing, which he was doing for real. We said, 'We didn't know you could sing.' He smiled and said, 'I couldn't – I just learned five months ago.' He was having lessons and practicing five hours a day – crazy stuff. Extremely impressive. But you know, that's the kind of guy he is, swinging from cables and jumping off buildings. It's pretty nuts!"

OK, now you've seen people cover Def Leppard songs on YouTube clips and on American Idol and the like. But what's it like when the biggest star in the world is singing your song?

"You think about it in a totally different way. You get over the song and the subject matter, and all you can focus on is that somebody so iconic doing it. With a lot of people, their 'iconic-ness' gets in the way. Take Beyonce, for example: She's a really good singer, an amazing singer, but nobody even notices how good she is because they're so focused on her being Beyonce. Her whole aura gets in the way.

"It was a little bit like that with Tom Cruise. You're like, 'Oh my God, it's Tom Cruise!' But he's got it down. He looked a little bit like Iggy Pop and some… I don't know, some cool rock star! [laughs] It was trippy. But what's great is that he can really sing. On his track, he sings the backgrounds, so he's doing my parts, as well."

When you first heard about the idea for a Broadway musical called Rock Of Ages, what did you think?

"When they first mentioned the play, I thought, Oh God, this is going to be hideous! But then I went to see the play and I was really surprised. It was kitsch, it was camp, and it was really funny. I thought it was going to be some tragic '80s rock thing, and it wasn't that at all. There's a bit of a West Side Story-esque thing to it, but it's fun. When we were told it was going to be a movie, we were all for it."

Adam Shankman is directing. Given what he did with Hairspray, he's got the right sensibilities.

"Absolutely. Some people miss the balance you have to strike, finding the humor and the heart, but Adam knows what he's doing. I can't wait to see the whole thing."

Recently, you collaborated with Bret Michaels for a Supercross dirt-bike racing song, and last year your band Man Raze put our their second record, PunkFunkRootsRock. You did both in your home studio, right?

"Well, it's my laptop. It's great working like this. Def Leppard stuff, the track I did with Bret Michaels, most of the Man Raze album – yeah, I have Logic on my Mac.

"It's very easy. I can get a Phil Collen sound, and it's killer. There's a band called Oedipus, they're from LA – a little 311 meets My Chemical Romance in sound – and I played some stuff on one of their songs. I did that on the laptop, too."

So if we wanted to do a pictorial of your home studio, it'd just be a picture of your laptop.

"That's about it, yeah! [laughs] I'll send you a photo. I do vocal things upstairs – I've got some stuff set up there – but a lot of tracks I record in my kitchen. No one would even know."

Phil Collen's home recording studio. Hits are born here. © Helen L Collen

Because one can dial up sounds so easily these days, do you ever miss that time when it was you, your guitar, your amp and some pedals?

"No. Not even slightly. I've spent so many hours working with amps, fucking around and trying to get sounds. You waste so much time. What's funny is, I always go for the same sound, which is my live sound, and that comes from a JPM Marshall and a Randall solid-state power amp. So with technology, if I can get what I want from just hitting a switch, why not?"

Any plans for the next Def Leppard record?

"Recording, yes, but it'll probably be a Def Leppard song or two. We're going to go on tour this summer, so we're going to try to have a new song together. Coming up with material shouldn't be a problem - I wrote two new songs this week.

"A whole album won't happen this year, I can be pretty sure on that. There's so much involved with putting a record together, and the demographics for the people who buy albums is shrinking. We'll do a record next year, but it would be cool if we could do it differently. I'd love to do what we did with the Man Raze album, recording the entire thing in two weeks."

Why couldn't you? Everybody in Def Leppard must have laptops.

"Yes, but not everybody in the band records that way. I'm the only one who does that. If they could do that, it would be killer. It'd be really good."

Thinking about the summer, the tour, Rock Of Ages… what would you guys do if Tom Cruise showed up at a gig and wanted to sing?

"We'd let him! [laughs] Absolutely. That would be amazing. Him singing Pour Some Sugar On Me? Totally! Hey, he knows the words…"

UPDATE: Drummer Bill Ward may quit Black Sabbath

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:41:00 GMT

Bill Ward, Ozzy Osbourne, Geezer Butler and Tony Iommi announce the Black Sabbath reunion in Los Angeles, November 2011. © Axel Koester/Corbis

"Dear Sabbath Fans, Fellow Musicians and Interested Parties,

"That's the story so far. Stay safe and stay strong. I love every single one of you - Bill Ward"

Update - Here is the response from Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler:

Drummer Bill Ward may quit Black Sabbath

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:41:00 GMT

Bill Ward, Ozzy Osbourne, Geezer Butler and Tony Iommi announce the Black Sabbath reunion in Los Angeles, November 2011. © Axel Koester/Corbis

"Dear Sabbath Fans, Fellow Musicians and Interested Parties,

"That's the story so far. Stay safe and stay strong. I love every single one of you - Bill Ward"

Interview: Leslie West on his first show since leg amputation

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:09:00 GMT

Leslie West soars on stage at BB Kings, 31 January 2012. © Joe Bosso

Soundcheck in New York City: Leslie West in onstage at BB Kings, unleashing paroxysms of sound from his Dean guitar. He's leading his two-piece band, drummer Bobbie Rondinelli and bassist Rev Jones, through a furnace-blast version of Curtis Mayfield's People Get Ready. West's voice is sandpaper-soul, gruff but impassioned, and after a last chorus his fingers take flight, dancing about the instrument with teenage-like agility and a grown man's purpose.

In other words, it's just another pre-show ritual for the guitar legend. Only it's not: West is stuck in a wheelchair. The jeans he's wearing are cut off and hanging lifeless where his right leg once was. Seven months after diabetes-related complications resulted in a life-saving leg amputation, West is playing his first public show. He heaves a sigh into his mic and says "OK, let's get me off of here."

At the same moment, Mike Goldberg, a thickly muscled recording engineer who doubles as West's caretaker/assistant, anticipates this directive and commandeers the guitarist's motorized wheelchair and guides it around the amps and cables and down a steel ramp that leads to a nearby dressing room.

"It sounded good," West says to Goldberg as the door closes behind them. It comes out not entirely as a statement but somewhat of a question. Goldberg assures West that everything sounded great.

"Jesus Christ, it's boiling in here!" West says a few minutes later. He's sipping red wine and a Madras while wiping sweat from his forehead with a paper towel. The windowless dressing room is cramped and stuffy, and West isn't thrilled.

"I'd crack the window, but there isn't one," he says. "Is it too much to ask for some air conditioning or something? And what about that ramp? That thing scares me. They say 'wheelchair-accessible' in all these places, but that doesn't mean 'wheelchair-friendly." Here I've come all this way, I've made it here, and I gotta go break my neck trying to get on stage? I don't know..."

Running down songs with drummer Bobbie Rondinelli and bassist Rev Jones. © Joe Bosso

West's vibrant, statuesque wife of three years (and 26 years his junior), Jennifer, leaps in and gives her husband a meaningful hug and kiss. All at once, the guitarist's demeanor changes and the whole room feels lighter. "There she is!" he gushes. "There's my reason for living, right there."

Jennifer, who's handling merch and guest-list matters for tonight, plops on the floor with pile of T-shirts that she starts neatly folding. "Is Leslie complaining? Don't let him fool you, he's excited about tonight. He's been looking forward to this show, no matter what he says."

"I'm excited!" West protests. "I'm just... Look, here's the thing: Everything is different now. I'm different! It's not about the big things anymore; it's about getting through the day, trying to be normal, trying to get from here to there – and those are big things now."

He sips his Madras, thinks for a second. His eyes give way to an emotion he's been keeping at bay until now. "I'm nervous," he says. "I've played a million gigs. I've played everywhere. Tonight I'm nervous."

Jennifer pats his arm and says, "It's OK to be nervous. But everything will be fine - you know that."

West nods slightly, shifting in his chair. "It doesn't really matter if I play a great show or a terrible show. All that matters is that I get up there and do it. That's it. Anything else... it is what it is."

The look of love: Jennifer West-Weinstein and Leslie, backstage at BB Kings. © Joe Bosso

Asked if he ever gave thought to retiring after enduring such a life-changing event - a perfectly reasonable question - West takes it one step further and quickly says, "Oh, I thought of packing it in, sure. I definitely thought of killing myself. Believe me, this is a bitch and a half being in this chair. If it weren't for Jenny, I probably might have killed myself."

Hearing these words, Jennifer, who goes by her husband's surname and stage name, pipes up: "And you know what? I might keep Leslie going, but he does the same thing for me. Seeing him get out of bed and into that chair each morning, it makes me get up. He's an inspiration - and not just to me, but to so many people. I know what he's doing is helping others."

West's face glows. He looks slightly embarrassed by his sudden candor. Heaving a sigh, he says, "When the guitar is in my hands and I sound good, I'm OK. Any other time right now, I'm a wreck. If I could just play the guitar all the time, everything would be fine."

Jennifer pulls a bottle of water from the tiny fridge. Opening it, she looks at West and says, "He owes me 17 years still. Seventeen good years. I told him when we got married, I wanted 20 years and we've only had three. He's not going anywhere till I get my 17!"

And with that, West puts out his arm and Jennifer rushes in for a hug. "This is what it's about," he says. "Look at her. Am I a lucky guy, or what?"

West pauses for thought before showtime. © Joe Bosso

A couple of hours later, BB Kings is packed and the atmosphere is thick with anticipation. West is sitting in the same spot in his dressing room, and he looks like a scared little boy. Friends, fans and business associates have been been streaming in to wish him well. West is cordial, shaking hands, posing for pictures, but it's clear he's distracted.

Finally, to one friend but directing it to everyone in listening distance, he barks, "It's not like I'm kicking you out, but can you get the fuck out?" Message received, the room clears and the door is closed. West takes a few minutes to get his head together.

Not long enough, though. Goldberg comes in and directs West out the door. While roadies tend to last-minute show preparations, the guitarist sits in his chair. He eyes the ramp that leads to the stage. The steel structure is perhaps 15 feet long, but it might as well be 15 miles.

West nods his head, then says, "OK, let's do this." Goldberg grabs the arms, guides the guitarist up and onto the stage, into the light, and the place erupts. West's smile is big as the open sky. He cradles his guitar and looks like he can do just about anything. It's going to be a good night after all.

Interview: Air talk new album Le Voyage Dans La Lune

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:21:00 GMT

Check out the video above to see a clip of the latest Air project, a soundtrack to the George Méliès 1902 film, Le Voyage Dans La Lune.

The casual Parisian pairing's last release Love 2 was yet another Air classic and returned Air to their roots of self-production at their brand new Atlas studios in Paris. Love 2 served up luscious melodies, electronic and acoustic contrasts and that delicious pinch of psychedelic influences that Air do so well.

Now the duo are set to release a new album, based on their soundtrack to the coloured re-imagination of George Méliès groundbreaking 1902 cinema piece, Le Voyage Dans La Lune. We caught up with them at the EMI HQ in London to talk about the new project, their approach and what the future holds for Air.

"We used a lot of sound design tools from Reaktor and iPad software."

It's much more live and percussive sounding than other albums.
Nicolas Godin: It was all done at our studio, Atlas again but we wanted to do something more home-made because the nature of the film is hand made. We knew something that something clean would be in horrible taste against the film.

Would you say there was less synthesis on this record?
NG: "I don't know if that's true. We used a lot of sound design tools from Reaktor and iPad software."

For such an old film the project's tools were actually very modern.
NG: "Yeah because when you're using new technology, you make some mistakes and that makes the overall sound very broad. When you take something and see how it works it keeps the same spirit as cinema in 1902. Then, cinema was a new technology that people want to explore. We've always tried to blend the old and the new together."

"We've made so many albums already that I don't want to do another for no reason."

What was your approach?
Jean-Benoît Dunckel: "We were watching the film constantly and searching for something that can fit. It was a constant battle to try and get things down as fast as we can and synchronize the music. Once we had the main scenes then we could start then to make them thicker, more interesting and add melodies and other musicians."

NG: "Many times, because I do the bass guitar I try to say to my self how can I do something differently? For instance on Talkie Walkie I decided not to do the bass. For this project we decided to use the Timpani's a lot for the bass. It's very cool because you have a pedal for tuning so you can play any note you want. But then it's hard to mix it because it takes up so much space.

"When we saw the film for the first time in colour we really got all of these images of Sergeant Pepper in our mind. It was as if adding the colour had taken the movie from Paris 1902 to London 1967. We weren't directly trying to sound like Sergeant Pepper, it was just as soon as we saw the colour on the movie, we knew it had to have that element. We explored this with the styles of the drums particularly."

How did you then translate this short film soundtrack into a full, new Air album?
JBD: "Many of the tracks were much longer and were edited down for the film, other tracks were recorded during the sessions but weren't right for the movie."

What projects are next?
NG: "Well I don't know because, it seems like five minutes ago we were offered this opportunity from nowhere. We have a lucky star in the sky that puts some interesting projects like this in our path."

No chance of another commercial Air album?
NG: "I don't know because it's kind of depressing to make records nowadays. That's why this was cool because it was an excuse for us to it. We've made so many albums already that I don't want to do another for no reason. I think if you like air we have done some amazing albums already that you can listen to still now. That's the strength of those albums, that you can listen to them again and again."

Can you still listen to them?
JBD: "No, only when we go on tour when we have to learn the songs. But we toured for a whole yeah before so for now a think we need to take a year at home."

Paul Weller: Sonik Kicks track-by-track review

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

The music he made with The Jam some 30 years ago is enough for Paul Weller to have earned his place in the history books, an impressive enough body of work for fans to overlook the occasional missteps that followed.

The Style Council weren't everyone's cup of tea, but still produced some powerful and vital work, especially the album Our Favourite Shop. Weller's second rebirth, as a solo artist, started well, the albums Wild Wood and Stanley Road both musically eloquent and lyrically articulate statements, the man himself growing up at the same pace as his original new wave audience.

A patchy period followed, but he was back on track with 2008's 22 Dreams and 2010's award-winning Wake Up The Nation, a genuinely reinvigorated writer and performer with little to prove but a lot more still to say. Subsequently, Weller's new album has been eagerly awaited; would be able to sustain such an astonishing level of quality? Would he be content just to rest on his laurels?

This is Paul Weller, though, one of the most passionate artists of his generation, and Sonik Kicks finds him refusing to sit still. Laurel-resting is not on the agenda...

Green

The abrasive electronica of the opening bars appears to map out new territory for Weller, a symptom of his recent conversion to the vintage 1970s sounds of Krautrock figureheads Neu.

Staying on the same chord throughout, synths and feeback guitar breaks weave from speaker to speaker across the vocals. Lyrically, the free form half-spoken words bring to mind Pop Art Poem, a rarity from the days of The Jam.

The Attic

A further meshing of musical styles, this cryptic tale of forlorn love is underpinned by pizzicato strings that could have been borrowed from the early '60s hits of Adam Faith, yet the rhythm track and thunderous bass belongs to the raucous garage rock of a few years later.

With Noel Gallagher helping out on guitar, Weller places himself in the middle of the maelstrom, the attic of the title referencing happier, less romantically fraught days.

Kling I Klang

More German influences, with the wiry instrumentation of Krautrock battling for supremacy against a strident melody reminiscent of pre-war Berlin cabaret, with a smidgen of Eastern European folk thrown into the mix.

For all its mannered vaudeville, the song actually couches a serious lyric, with Weller cataloguing a string of observations about war in the Middle East.

Weller onstage at Coachella festival. © Tim Mosenfelder/Corbis

Sleep Of The Serene

An abstract instrumental soundscape, originally meant to be the opening of a longer piece that has yet to see the light of day. Weller and fellow guitarist Aziz Ibrahim exchange disjointed passages, the chaos and improvisation tempered by melodic strings, arranged by Sean O'Hagan of The High Llamas.

By The Waters

Ibrahim and O'Hagan loom large again, with Weller revisiting the reflective pastoral hues of 1993's Wild Wood album on a delicate ballad. The soft-strummed guitars resound with ghostly Nick Drake motifs, but it's O'Hagan's strings that give the track extra depth and texture.

That Dangerous Age

The 53-year-old Weller is in gently self-mocking mode on a song initially inspired by onlookers' reactions to the age gap between him and his young wife Hannah (more of whom later).

A not altogether serious study of a perceived mid-life crisis, the falsetto backing vocals and clipped funky rhythms owe a debt to Motown and Stax, although the descending chords of the bridge are closer to 60s Brit psychedelia.

Study In Blue

Hannah steps up to the mic for a trippy, jazzy duet that drifts toward atmospheric dub in its second half. Weller himself describes it as one of the most uncomplicated, straightforward love lyrics he's ever written, and also acknowledges its musical debt to his Style Council days.

Dragonfly

Continuing the family motif, the trance-like space rock with a vibrato bass line by Marco Nelson is complemented by a lyric inspired by a poem his youngest daughter Jessie wrote at school. "I just took the first line from each verse and built on them," he says.

Blur's Graham Coxon weighs in on both angular guitar lines and Hammond organ.

When Your Garden's Overgrown

Featuring Noel Gallagher on guitar and bass, this rousing singalong and portrait of English eccentricity has an obvious connection to The Kinks' songs of Weller's childhood, although he says the free-spirited central character of the lyric is more inspired by Syd Barrett, pondering what the Pink Floyd founder might have been had he not pursued a career in music.

The Jam. © Denis O'Regan/CORBIS

Around The Lake

Another Krautrock adventure, with added Goth elements. The monotone of the verse gives way to an anthemic chorus with more than a hint of Joy Division.

The most striking musical compoment however, is the intermittent injections of fractious guitar, similar to the Rickenbacker riffs of The Jam.

Twilight

Following on from Sleep Of The Serene, this is a second brief instrumental interlude ("a soundscape," as Weller himself describes it). Again condensed from a longer piece which may still turn up as a bonus track or download, there's not much to say about the twisty synths of this 20-second segment.

Drifters

Co-written with Ocean Colour Scene's Steve Craddock, who also plays guitar, the mystical eastern rhythms veer towards flamenco, although Weller's initial inspiration for the song was the eloquent jazz of John Coltrane.

The dirge-like vocal line brings to mind George Harrison's more experimental work, while the guitars rage with old school punk venom.

Paperchase

A gentle elegy for lost souls, the song's sombre reflection, chugging guitar and understated harmonies recall the quieter moments in Blur's back catalogue (Beetlebum, in particular).

Weller says the song was written quickly to a drum loop, a practice he's rarely employed previously, and concedes that the lyric may have been subconsciously inspired by the deaths of two friends, Amy Winehouse and fashion designer Alexander McQueen.

Be Happy Children

Weller first wrote about family and fatherhood on Moon On Your Pyjamas from Wild Wood, and here he again celebrates his offspring, two of whom are along for the ride.

His six-year-old son Mac adds a backing vocal to the last chorus, but the most striking vocal contribution comes from his daughter Leah, sounding uncannily like her mother Dee C Lee.

An uplifting, positive end to an eclectic album, it's arguably the most immediate and accessible of the 14 songs, a gorgeous pop soul anthem with Weller's voice rarely sounding better.

Conclusion

The law of averages probably dictates that Weller might falter slightly after the high watermarks of 22 Dreams and Wake Up The Nation, and while it's true that Sonik Kicks isn't quite a match for its two predecessors, its strengths more than outweigh its weaknesses.

Some of the more experiment numbers don't quite hit the mark, and may have benefited from a longer gestation period, a little more application in the studio. But his sense of adventure and hunger to challenge both himself and his audience should be applauded, when many other artists of his age might have settled for simply trading on past glories.

iPhone/iPad iOS music making app round-up: Week 57

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:46:00 GMT

There's still time to vote for the best iPhone/iPad music making app in the world today, but if you're on the lookout for a new tuneful iOS plaything or two, read on.

Also make sure you check out these regularly updated features:

The best iPhone music making apps

The best iPad music making apps

If you've got a new iOS app, make sure you let us know about it by emailing musicradar.pressreleases@futurenet.com with all the details.

NEXT: Bastus Trump Orphion

Build a guitar in beautiful northern Tuscany

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:03:00 GMT

Tuscany might not be an obvious destination when thinking of guitar building. Perhaps this is one of the main reasons Thomas Lloyd Guitars of Australia opted for one of the most scenic parts of Northern Tuscany to run their popular custom built guitar crafting workshops.

Benabbio is perched some 600 metres above the spa town of Bagni di Lucca. The views are simply breathtaking and the villa where guests reside and where the two week workshops take place is quite magical.

The 12 bedroomed, beautifully restored 17th Century Baroque villa boasts a lofty studio overlooking the walled gardens, a private olive grove and the mountain ranges beyond. This is where anyone who wishes to spend 14 days focusing on building a personalised guitar interrupted by the occasional mountain walk or trip into the beautiful walled city of Lucca should come.

Guests hail from all over Europe and have varying degrees of knowledge when it comes to guitars - let alone guitar making. Last year two grandmothers chose to spend their holiday making guitars which they crafted for their grandchildren. Until then they had never even picked up a guitar.

Of course you get the real guitar gurus who are very much part of the jamming sessions that take place every evening after dinner. Even those who can't play the guitar are grabbed by the bug. According to one frazzled businessman who came 'simply to focus on something different' - this was one of those truly memorable holidays.

The two week workshop holiday is quite flexible, the villa welcomes couples who want to come and stay with only one person on the actual guitar making course. The two weeks including guitar crafting workshop - and regardless of your skills you do come away with a beautiful, fully tuned guitar to call your own, accommodation and lavish breakfasts costs £3200.

Those wishing to join their guitar making partner and stay at the villa for the two week period are offered guided tours, Italian language classes and Tuscan cookery tuition for which the cost is £1200 for the two weeks. Check out the website for more detail or send an email.

The Aristocrats to hit the road in the UK in March

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 10:56:00 GMT

UK fans of progressive trios with outrageous levels of musicianship are in for a real treat in March when Guthrie Govan, Marco Minneman and Bryan Beller's band The Aristocrats will tour the UK, with support from much-fancied South Wales three-piece Godsticks.

The full dates are as follows:

7 March 2012 - The Peel, London
8 March 2012 - The Robin 2, Bilston (buy tickets)
9 March 2012 - Night & Day Cafe, Manchester (buy tickets)
10 March 2012 - The Cluny, Newcastle (buy tickets)
11 March 2012 - Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh (buy tickets)

Visit The Aristocrats online for more information.

Andy Grammer's top 10 tips for buskers

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 21:06:00 GMT

Busking, or street performance, is frequently looked down upon in today's society, but many popular artists actually started their careers in the public open-air - KT Tunstall, Tracy Chapman and the Violent Femmes are but a few examples.

Add to that list Andy Grammer, a dedicated street musician who honed his chops on the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, California. Grammer recently performed on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and shared stages with Taylor Swift and Colbie Caillat. He's watching his debut single, Keep Your Head Up, go past gold on its way to platinum, status. Still, outside is where it all started began for Grammer, and he's giving like-minded artists some sage advice.

A few days ago, Grammer began tweeting his Top 10 tips for buskers, the first three of which are:

#10 - Its not them its u:) Listen to what crowds tell u.If CDs arent selling switch up ur show.Its a great focus group!

#9 - Get there early.The best spots go fast.U might have to hold a spot for up to 4 hrs.Its usually 1st come 1st serve.

#8 - Dont beg.U will make more in the end creating demand based on quality.Begging sucks the magic out of the experience.

As you might have guessed, there will be a new tip each day until we get to number one. Hey, it worked for KT, Tracy Chapman and the Violent Femmes - it can work for you! Follow Andy Grammer on Twitter.

Interview: Lamb Of God's Mark Morton talks new album, Resolution

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:55:00 GMT

"It's very flattering to hear what is being said about us," says Lamb Of God guitarist Mark Morton. "I don't know if I personally see this year as being different from any other year. Still, it's nice to know that people really like this album. It's connecting, and that's good, of course."

The album Morton refers to is Resolution, the Richmond, Virginia-based quintet's seventh offering, which has just stormed its way onto the charts. A dazzling, sophisticated blend of thrash aggression and classic metal precision, its 14 cuts unfold as a seamless, collective whole, and has already been compared to landmark works by the likes of Metallica, Iron Maiden and Pantera.

Every so often, a metal band claims the title of 'the biggest' or 'the best,' and this year Lamb Of God (who also include singer Randy Blythe, bassist John Campbell, along with brothers Chris and Willie Adler on drums and guitar, respectively) are being hailed genre groundbreakers.

"What might be coming through on this album is the fact that we're more comfortable in our own skin," says Morton, responding to industry and internet chatter. "Over the course of our discography, we've learned a lot and tried some things. On the whole, I'd say that we feel secure in our identity. We're confident about our abilities, so that's where everything might be coming from."

MusicRadar sat down with Mark Morton to discuss the making of Resolution, his approach to guitar playing and recording, along with his thoughts on how the internet affects the way music is marketed.

Does ego ever come into play with Lamb Of God? Being called 'the biggest' and 'the best' is part of a musical tradition. And not just in metal - The Rolling Stones bill themselves as 'the greatest rock 'n' band in the world.'

"Yeah. I don't know how that fits in with us. We don't walk around saying, 'We're the best.' We strive to get better, sure, and we definitely try to make the best albums we can and put on the best shows we can. I'm not sure if it's ego-driven, though. I think it's more about wanting to enjoy what we do and challenge ourselves creatively and technically.

"There some other metal bands that are bigger than us. Metallica, certainly, is the biggest in the world; Slipknot's a very big band, too. Do I feel that I'm in direct competition with them? Not really – because they do things musically that are very different from Lamb Of God. We respect them, we've worked with them, and that's where it sits."

Aside from making a great record, did you have a specific goal in mind when cutting Resolution?

"I think, more than ever before, we had a free-form approach. The past few records have been a little... reactionary. Ashes Of The Wake was kind of rushed because we had just gotten our major label deal – the label invested in us and wanted their own record out fast, so we put that out quickly.

"Sacrament was a reaction to that. We took our time and had our first heavily produced record. Next we reacted to that record and stripped away all of that production and layering – we made a very live-sounding record with Wrath. That stream of records was us responding to what we had just done.

"That wasn't the case with Resolution. We resolved all of that – the title kind of plays on that. This time, we were very free and open. There were no anxieties about what we should or shouldn't try. If it sounded right and felt right, that's what we did."

What bothers you about the current state of metal?

"I don't spend a lot of time yearning for the old days, but one thing that bothers me is… well, it's the internet. A certain amount of excitement has gotten lost about music, and it's because of the internet, really.

"Look, I'm on the internet every day just like everybody else – if you have electricity, you're on the internet. But I don't like how it's spoiled some of the fun of a new record coming out. I remember, when I was younger, I would wait and wait for that new Slayer record or that new Testament record. And when it did come out, I'd have to drive with my friends 30 or 40 minutes to a record store to get it. It was a big deal. There was a lot of joy when you finally got that record.

"That's lost now. When a band is putting out a record, they leak tracks for weeks and even a month beforehand. It makes records seem not as special, especially when you hear these bad-quality leaks. It's a shame. I do miss how it used to be."

Is there anything you can do as a band to combat that, or at least do things differently?

"I don't think so. No, not really. I think if there was a different way, somebody would have done it by now. We try to make our album packages special, and we try to put out different versions. It's not for commercial reasons, it's just because we value what we do."

Your singer, Randy Blythe, recently criticized digital recording and 'technically perfect' albums. He said they were making bands disappear. Do you share his feelings?

"Yeah, a little bit. I think that the way people make records nowadays, especially in metal, there's a lot of cutting and pasting going on. It makes records sound the same, very sterile. Pro Tools and Logic are wonderful things, but they can make for lifeless records. We'll consciously choose takes that aren't perfect, because we want some life in our music."

So if you could go back to analogue, would you?

"No, I don't think so. I think that even if you record analogue, it's going to be converted to digital anyway. I do have a lot of vinyl, though, and I think that vinyl records on a good turntable sound better than music delivered on any other form."

You're not strictly a metal player – you have some very distinct blues leanings. Do some licks or riffs ever get nixed by the band as being 'not metal enough'?

"Certainly not in a lead context. There have been times when I've brought in song ideas and they'll be questioned collectively whether they're right for the band. Usually, we find a way to make things work.

"There's a song on the new record called To The End, and it's a real ZZ Top/Just Got Paid kind of reference. What's funny is, once we did a few passes at it, I was the one who said, 'What do you think, guys? Can we get away with this?' [laughs] But you have to take risks; you have to try new things."

How did you go about writing the riffs for the new record? Do you have any kind of process?

"I just pick up the guitar! [laughs] That's it, really. I sit and I play and I see what comes out. I don't have an approach. I don't play every day – I'd be lying if I said I did – but I play most days. When something cool comes up, I know I should build on it. I do record to programs on my laptop, and that makes it easy to document my ideas."

Let's talk about some of the new songs. Ghost Walking recalls the vibe of Redneck [from 2006's Sacrament] somewhat – you go from blues to some really crazed metal shredding.

"I've heard that lately, but I didn't think of those terms while we were doing it. Most of the blues influence comes from classic rock, a lot of the British blues guys: Keith Richards, Jimmy Page and a little bit of Peter Green. And Jimi Hendrix – I could make a strong argument that Hendrix is a British blues player. [laughs] They discovered him before we did. But there's also Southern rock guys like Gary Rossington and Billy Gibbons.

"Lots of great players weave the blues into heavy music. Certainly Zakk Wylde and Vivian Campbell. I think I take it all in and it comes out."

Cheated is pretty punk rock. Did punk inform your guitar playing?

"Sure. There were some great punk guitarists, most immediately Dr Know from Bad Brains – he's a great player from the riff side. I think our whole band has a strong punk influence."

Insurrection has a very intense drum groove – how do you work out what you're playing to what Chris is doing? Do you ever make him change what he's playing to fit your riffs?

"Really, the guitar parts come first, so Chris invariably plays to what we're doing instead of the other way around. Quite often, Willie and I will have a pattern and we have an idea of where the snare should fall. Most of my directions to Chris involve just that – where to put the snare.

"Whether it's a groove thing, or if it's up-time, double-time, cut-time or that stuff, I'll have ideas. What Chris does with his feet or his fills, that's up to him. I'm certainly not going to tell him what to play. He's a great drummer and I'm not." [laughs]

Desolation is based on a low E-string riff. Do you find that you go to the E-string a lot when writing?

"I do go to that top string a lot, sure. For Desolation, it's tuned to C# - a lot of the songs are in C#. I've been criticized online lately for using the top string for riffs, but for me it's a tonal thing. Yeah, you could play that riff on any of the top strings if you want to minimize the position changes. But I like the way that string resonates – it's very rich. I like the way that string responds, so it's a tension thing."

What were your main guitars for recording?

"I used my Jackson signature Dominions, and for the rhythms I primarily used my Les Paul Goldtop. For most of the lead stuff, I used a Jackson Soloist. And I used a Telecaster for the clean, arpeggiated intro on King Me. Let's see, there was a Les Paul Junior, and I also used a Guild D5 for the acoustic stuff."

Finally, let's talk solos. Visitation has a very striking, classic-metal solo. What's your criteria for creating the kind of lead spot you want to hear?

"I try to treat solos as being mini songs within the songs. If they can be their own composition, building and peaking and resolving, then I've done my job. If I don't hear anything, I won't do it. A solo should be exciting and definitely add something important musically. Showing off my chops a little bit, yeah, there's a little bit of that. [laughs] But I like to be spontaneous. On this album, I sketched things out, but in the end, the solos were very spontaneous."

Read what Mark has to say about his live guitars here

NAMM 2012: Gibson Guitar highlights in pictures

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:41:00 GMT

NAMM 2012: Gibson Guitar is definitely one of the biggest and arguably one of the most eccentric guitar manufacturers on the planet, but despite the company's amazing heritage, it's fair to say that the Nashville-based brand had a challenging 2011.

Happily, 2012 looks brighter as Winter NAMM in Anaheim saw the launch of a raft of new models. What follows is a selection of some of our favourites.

VST/AU plug-in instrument/effect round-up: Week 37

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:26:00 GMT

Get ready for EQs, an emulation of a famous piano and a virtual steel drum. Don't say we don't give you variety here.

Also make sure you check out these regularly updated features:

The 20 best VST plug-in synths in the world today

The 14 best VST plug-in drum machines in the world today

If you've got a new PC or Mac plug-in, make sure you let us know about it by emailing musicradar.pressreleases@futurenet.com with all the details.

NEXT: G-Sonique GSXL4070

Cool and classic basses: Gibson EB-2

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:06:00 GMT

Introduced as the bass version of Gibson's popular ES-335 guitar the EB-2 has a narrow neck with a 38mm nut and substantial depth. Although semi-hollow the body construction features a large central core that makes it heavier than it looks and gives it a neat combination of solid and acoustic bass sounding elements.

The baritone switch appeared about 1959 and was originally a push button but soon became a regular switch. The banjo tuners disappeared during 1960 to be replaced with the more common sideways 'elephant ears' open gear design. The rather basic bridge/tailpiece offered little adjustment values and originally the strings were anchored over a foam strip to offer damping. Like all early basses they were supplied with tapewound strings so the bass had a plummy but substantial thud of a sound.

Lamb Of God's Mark Morton talks about his live guitars

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:05:00 GMT

With the just-released album Resolution, a modern-day masterpiece of bludgeoning brilliance, the Virginia-based band Lamb Of God have climbed to the top of the heavy metal mountain. Despite the bird's-eye view, guitarist Mark Morton is keeping a level head. "People are saying we're the latest and greatest thing," he says, "which is flattering, of course, but a lot of these folks don't know how long we've been around. This is our seventh album. We've been building steadily to get where we are now."

While the band's career trajectory has been relatively unhurried, the riffs on Resolution are rapid-fire. Morton re-creates every lick on stage with a modest collection of guitars. On the following pages, he describes the axes he uses live.

New guitar gear of the month: review round-up (February 2012)

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:58:00 GMT

Every month MusicRadar's industry-leading sister magazines - Guitarist, Computer Music, Total Guitar, Rhythm and Future Music - publish the world's best independent and in-depth music-making gear reviews.

This is a collection of electric and acoustic guitars, amps and effects - all of which have been tested meticulously by either Guitarist or Total Guitar in recent months and published on MusicRadar throughout January 2012.

Flick through this month's picks and follow the links to read each product's full review.