Author Archive
How to Play AC/DC’s Thunderstruck on Guitar
January 13, 2011 | 
Author I have had lots of requests for AC/DC, so I will be doing more in the near future. Thunderstruck has a great intro lick by Angus Young which sounds kinda tricky on the record, but actually when you look at it, is it really just a simple patteren which repeats itself, so you just move it up and down the neck.
The only tricky part is keeping it going smoothly without making any mistakes or stutters, in fact, I make a couple of fluffs in the video lol. The secret is to warm up first, then practice playing it correctly at a slower speed, and then building up the speed over time. Get to it 
How to Play Kiss – No No No Intro on Guitar
Bruce Kulick, an ex member of Kiss came up with this lick for the song No No No back in 1987. Although Bruce lacked the on stage presence of Ace Frehley, he was very underrated and was responsible for co-writing some great songs. He then left (well, kinda kicked out) and formed ‘Union’ with John Corabi (ex Motley Crue).
Anyway, this is a cool lick and there’s lots of scope to play around with it to make up your own lick or incorporate it into your own solos. Have fun!
Posted in Guitar Technique | 
Tags: bruce kulick, how to play kiss, how to play kiss lead solos, how to play kiss no no no | 
No Comments »
How to Play Motley Crue – Looks That Kill
This one was a request from a subscriber called Gary, it’s a great track so I was happy to show how to play it. You can play this in standard tuning, unlike Girls,Girls,Girl where you have to play in drop D.
By the way, feel free to send me a video of yourselves playing any of these songs if you have a bash at it yourselves.
Posted in Guitar Technique | Tags: how to play like mick mars, how to play looks that kill, looks that kill, motley crue | No Comments »
How to Play Motley Crue’s Girls, Girls, Girls
This is a song I always wanted to learn back in the day, but never got around to it. When I first tried to work it out, I couldn’t work out the chord until I realised the tuning is drop D, so make sure you tune your low E string down to D before you start. NOTE: In the video I said the D was the 3rd string doh, I meant the 4th of course!
Once you do this, you’ll find there isn’t too much to learn in the song, and you can be playing it fairly quickly. At first, play it at a slower speed so that you get it down well, and then you can start to play it at the correct speed.
Mick Mars is a great guitarist and pretty underrated, I will probably do some more Crue soon, let me know if you like it – Cheers!
Posted in Guitar Technique, Metal Bands | Tags: 80s rock music, girls girls girls, how to play heavy metal guitar, motley crue | No Comments »
Shred Like Vinnie Vincent – Hybrid Picking
Unless you are a massive Kiss fan, there’s a possibility you haven’t heard of Vinnie Vincent. He actually first played for Kiss on the album Creatures of the Night, under the name of Vincent Cusano (even though Ace Frehley was on the original cover lol).
Well, he then played officially on the follow up album “Lick it Up”, and it has some amazing solos on there, I can remember first hearing the unique tone of the notes, despite the speed he played them at and always wondered how he did it.
As you see in the video below, the answered is revealed if you watch his picking hand closely. Basically, he is using what is know as hybrid picking, this is a combination of picking with a plectrum and your fingers, a technique often used in Country music.
Now, Vinnie’s style is probably a bit over the top for most, and the speed was much more important in the 80s than it is now I guess, but it’s an interesting technique all the same, and also note how use moves his whole hand for picking rather than his ‘thumb and finger muscle’.
Paul Di’Anno Plays 30th Anniversary Maiden Gig
Paul Di'Anno at The Stone Pony - Iron Maiden 30th Anniversary
Well, this might make some of us feel a bit old, but recently Paul Di’Anno played at the Stone Pony in New Jersey to celebrate 30 years since the first Iron Maiden album!
I love Bruce Dickison, but at the same time, when Paul left the band, it lost that punk/metal cross-over which made them so unique. I still think Killers is the best maiden album, although probably few would agree with me.
Paul still bashed out classics like Killer, Wrathchild, Phantom of The Opera and more. However, he struggled to finish the set due to a dodgy throat. Apparently a few shots of Jack D got him through the last part…what a legend.
I bought a live DVD of Di’Anno’s a couple of years ago called “The beast in The East” – it’s pretty good mixing the classics with his more recent solo material, but bear in mind that his voice is quite different to how it was in the maiden days.
Paul played a massive part in influencing many other metal bands, not just those from the UK, but from Scandinavia, and the world over.
OPAL – Awesome Band, The Guitarist is a Customer of Mine!
Hey Guys
OPAL - an amazingly passionate band based out of Superior, Wisconsin
Wow, this is awesome, one of my customers sent me a link to his band called OPAL, I think they are amazing, and it shows that these days you DON’T have to have a record deal to get your music out there.
Check out their myspace page below: www.myspace.com/eyesofopal
I dig the song “Just to see me bleed”, cool intro!
Jacob Bunt from the band wrote this:
“Formed in October of 2007, OPAL is an amazingly passionate band based out of Superior, Wis., with songs and performances projecting the fire and drive rooted in raw emotion and love for music. OPAL possesses the ability to write heart-felt music and melodies accompanied with honest, sincere lyrics.
The hearts of OPAL bleed through their songs with an aggressive sound that is a unique blend of heavy rock/alternative metal. Featuring Theron Hayden on vocals, Jacob Bunt on lead guitar, Andrew Gunderson on rythm guitar, Ryan Raprager on drums, and Jordan Bunt on bass guitar. OPAL is currently working on new material for their upcoming album which is due out in the spring of 2011 OPAL would like to thank Phil Wheatly for his support and passion for music, THANK YOU PHIL “
Ever wonder what happened to Xentrix?
Xentrix were a thrash band from the 80s/90s who started life as a Metallica tribute band, but soon found that their own material was getting a good reception at gigs so soon started plugging their own stuff.
Probably their best album to date was Kin which was released in 1992, well worth checking out and was their last album with their main stay singer Chris Astley. However, they did record one further album with a new singer in 1996 called Scourge.
In 2006, they did a very short reunion tour of the UK of which the rare video below is taken from. It seems they don’t plan to do anything more in the future, but then again, how many bands have you heard say that before….here’s hoping. Leave a comment and let me know what you think of them.
Megadeth Uk – Tribute Band (Hanger 18)
Hey Guys
I saw this tribute band in Weymouth, Dorset a couple of weeks ago and they were totally awesome! They are called Megadeth Uk and what I like about them is as well as playing the classics, they also cover stuff which Megadeth don’t even play themselves any more.
This isn’t my video, but one that another fan shot from another of their gigs, give it a few moments as the camera man moves closer to the stage. The sound is a bit raw lol but you have to hand it to these guys are these songs are bloody hard to play!! Enjoy! – Phil
Devin Townsend UK Tour Tickets
Hey Guys
Well I, Always said that if Devin Townsend came back to the UK, I would make damn sure I would see him. There are a few dates around the UK and I can guarantee the gig will be awesome!
Here are the tour dates and tickets: http://www.hevydevy.com/tours/
It seems that as well as supporting his Addicted album from last year, his next album Deconstruction will be out in March also, so it’s highly likely we will hear stuff from that album too. Apparently it is now going to be a double album! …and will be his most technical album to date, awesome!!
Hope to see you at the gig!
Phil
Devin Townsend Teaches “Awake” from his Album Addicted
Devin is the man, and he teaches you how to play the main riffs from Awake, although you have to be a bit observant. The other problem is he uses open tuning which is B f# B F# B F# D….what the!!!!??? But anyway, check it out because it’s interesting to watch, especially as he starts to pull faces halfway through! Cool sound too. Comment below, I’d like to hear form you!
New 20th Anniversary JS Silver Surfer Model
Hi Guys
Ibanez have just brought out 20th addition Joe Satriani and Steve Vai models, I love the Sliver Surfer which is the JS20S, also check out the Black Dog and the M/C Universe,
More details: Click here
Satch's Silver Surfer Model...was that really 20 years ago!!
Check these aweome Ozzy Covers!
Hi Gang
While trawling youtube, I found thiese great ozzy covers, and she’s done many others, check the comments too, there seems to be a mass-debate about whether she is a girl or not!
Kiss – Love Her All I Can Cover
A quick cover I did of an old Kiss Song – Love Her All I can. I dig this song because it shows that you can create a cool solo around a fairly basic pentatonic scale.
Devin Townsend – Addicted
Hi Gang
Have you heard of Devin Townsend? If not, then you should really check him out. Most people who HAVE heard of him only know him as the singer on Steve Vai’s Sex and Religion album, but he then went on to create some of the best metal on the planet.
If you are into the heavier stuff then you should really check out his side project band call Strapping Young Lad! Yes, you read that right, f**king awful name but I think that was the point! The best album without a doubt from SYL is Alien.
For a taster, check this video.
However, he has also created X solo albums to date, which you can find at Amazon, but this week he released his latest of a 4 part series, called Addicted.
The sound of the guitars are amazing and a good mixture of clean and angst vocals. By the way, he used to use ESP but now he has got a deal with Peavey who have been making some very cool guitars for him, including a 7-string flying V. Check him out, he kicks ass!
Get Your FREE Course Below
