What is This?

I want to talk about music. Specifically guitars. That's my realm of interest. I love hearing what the six strings and the wood and the pickups can do. I'm inspired differently when I hear the soul-clenching sounds of an old Strat vs. the roaring vibrance of a Les Paul. 

I want to share what I'm hearing. Guitars, amps, effects. All of it. I'll share pics and videos. I want there to be open discussion. We can get into all sorts of topics.

So for starters, this is who I am. My profile if you will.

I've been playing guitar since I was eleven. My parents spent a little over $100 on a small bodied fender acoustic guitar. My guitar teacher was Mike Bruce, former lead guitarist for Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band. I took from Mike for about a year. Unfortunately, Mike  developed a lot of medical problems and passed away in the summer of 2005. One of my favorite memories of Mike was him coming over early for a lesson so we could jam on my new electric guitar and amp. I remember them well: dark blue Squire Strat with a small Squire practice amp. He rode up on his Harley, matted gray hair wind blown straight back, and walked straight into the house to my room, picked up my guitar and started playing. With the solid state overdrive cranked to his liking and my mom's video camera in hand, he said as the amp hummed, "I'm creating a nightmare!"

I'm sure, in my mom's head, she was thinking, "What the heck have I gotten my son into?" But now, years down the road, I'm glad my parents made the investment for weekly lessons. Mike taught me how to play by ear and within the first month I was learning chord structure and patterns. Technique was big with Mike. He wanted everything crystal clear. No muted strings. 

A few months before Mike passed away, my mom took me to his house. We usually met at my house, but Mike's system was shutting down, making the simplest of tasks very difficult. I took my Alvarez acoustic guitar just in case he felt up to playing. We caught up and talked guitars. I played what I had been learning: "Stairway to Heaven." I played the intro for Mike, then handed the guitar to him. There's nothing like listening to a great guitarist play a great song. It was a nostalgic moment. Even when his body was shutting down he could still play. 

I hadn't had a lesson in months, but before we stopped meeting, Mike told me to keep playing. I did. I am the guitarist I am today because of him. Thanks Mike.