“What Passes For Love” by David Grissom

Posted on January 12, 2012 by tastychops

David Grissom is a tasty player of monstrous proportions but weirdly enough this is his first entry into the hallowed pages of tastychops. I have never been a PRS fan but his signature PRS is really intriguing (I’ll take the goldtop please!) – really versatile axe. The audio isn’t amazing when the band and vox kicks in but enjoy the guitar tones.

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“I Worship You” by The Little Willies with Jim Campilongo

Posted on January 12, 2012 by tastychops

Love this performance by The Little Willies on Letterman … Jim is such a delightful player.

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Renegade Creation “High and Low” Free Download

Posted on December 23, 2011 by tastychops

A great little holiday treat from mikelandau.com:

Renegade Creation is in the studio working hard on our second release scheduled for March of next year. We’re very proud of this one, we have the mighty Ed Cherney doing all the engineering and mixing this time around, it’s coming out strong… We are offering this song, which we have just finished, as a free download Holiday gift. The song is called “High And Low”.

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Oz Noy’s New Travel Pedalboard

Posted on December 3, 2011 by tastychops

Another great board here by David Phillips of LA Sound Design. This time for my favourite jazz / fusion Sonic Assassin, Oz Noy. Lots of delays, delays, delays, delays.

He packs them one on top of the other in a case for for travelling. The signal chain is as follows:

Wah > Octavio > AC Boost > TS-808 > Fuzzy Drive > Tuner Mute Box > Phase 90 > Swamp Thang Tremolo > Deja Vibe > Rotosim > Boss DD7 > Boss DD7 > Boss DD 7 > Memory Man > Line 6 M9.

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End the GAS

Posted on December 3, 2011 by tastychops

On the whole tastychops has probably encouraged GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) rather than discouraged it. With a very tight budget these days though I’m making the best of what I’m already lucky to have. I just caught this great little article on GAS by Walter Becker of Steely Dan.

“It’s called G.A.S. – Guitar Acquisition Syndrome. You undoubtedly know someone who has it. Reading this rag, you probably have it yourself. Or will have it someday soon or would like to have it. You may think it’s cool. But it’s not cool. Not anymore. How many Strats do you need to be happy? How many Strat copies, each extensively modified to be able to produce the variations in tone that once would have required maybe four different guitars? How many knobs and switches does that Strat need?” Read the full article here

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Jim Campilongo Interview

Posted on December 3, 2011 by tastychops

This is a really neat 40 minute interview with Tele-meister Jim Campilongo. Lots of interesting stuff about his learning and development as a player. Watch and learn.

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Kenny Wayne Shepherd’s New Pedalboard and Effects Collection

Posted on November 5, 2011 by tastychops

This is Kenny’s new pedalboard by boutique builder, Helweg. I can spot an Ibanez TS808HW, Analogman KOT, Dunlop Univibe, Analogman Bi-chorus, Chicago Iron Tycobrahe Octavia, Boss Tuner, MXR Blue Box, Butler Tube Driver, Dunlop MC-404 CAE Wah and a Jam Pedals Delay LLama … all connected via the Voodoo Labs Pedal Switcher. Nice work!

And for a comprehensive walk through of his immense pedal collection check this video…some fantastic vintage pieces in here!

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Michael Landau Interview in Australian Musician

Posted on October 31, 2011 by tastychops

“As a talented teenage guitar player Michael Landau found himself playing the LA club scene and touring with guitarist friend Robben Ford and vibrant young bassist Jimmy Haslip. Little did they all know then, that in 2011 the same three guys, with the addition of drummer Gary Novak, would be touring the world together as Renegade Creation, but this time under the label of musician’s supergroup. For Landau, the four decades in between has been filled with prestigious gigs with artists such as Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell, BB King, Ray Charles and James Taylor to mention just a few. In 1993, he won Guitar Player magazine’s readers poll as Best Studio Guitarist in the world. Make no mistake, Michael Landau is a guitar player of great significance. Australian guitarist and long-time Landau fan SIMON PATTERSON had the rare opportunity to catch up with Mike Landau prior to the October Australian tour by Renegade Creation.”

Read full interview

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Renegade Creation “What’s New”, Adelaide, 11/10/2010

Posted on October 14, 2011 by tastychops

This clip from the Adelaide show of the recent Australia tour. Please watch this all the way through and acknowledge the genius that is Landau. Also listen out for the punter who yells out “look at his right hand!” and “volume swells – trademark” … classic!

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Renegade Creation, Sydney, 8/10/2011

Posted on October 9, 2011 by tastychops

Edit: Some videos are now popping up on YouTube from the Australian tour. My favourite is Soft in Blue Jeans (above) – check the Landau solo at 1:50.

Still quivering in delight / denial after seeing this show last night. As an exhibition of pure musicianship I doubt I will ever see it topped. Just to provide a little backstory I am a huge Michael Landau fan. I’ve come to him late but for the past year or so he has been the only guitar player I’ve been listening too. Its bordering on an obsession. He just does everything right, and in his own incredible way, and there’s so much to be gleaned by how he approaches the instrument. I’m less into Robben Ford but I still remember sitting down to learn ‘Talk to Your Daughter’ when it was released…that was quite a while ago now! In any case its pretty rare to be able to catch musicians of this calibre on one stage and not too far from home.

And some more videos from the tour…

By means of a quick bullet point review:

- Landau is IT. So much vibe, tone and such a unique voice on the guitar. The way he wrangles every nuance out of his guitar is ridiculous … melding Jeff Beck, SRV, Knopfler etc into something all of his own. Pure inspiration. And he seems like a great guy too. I spotted him outside the venue and gave him a wave (whilst holding two hot dogs and two beers … no mean feat!) and he seemed genuinely chuffed at my awkward enthusiasm. I dig that.
- Landau and Ford complemented each other superbly. The sweetness of Ford’s tone and playing set alongside the more gritty vibe of Landau just works so well. Ford mainly playing a Goldtop Les Paul and Landau on his sunburst Strat all night. When they hit big open chords together the tones meshed together as one huge sweet wall of tone.
- Ford’s voice is much better live than on record. I thought he delivered a great live vocal performance. I gotta give the guy more credit … he killed it.
- I’d also say the Renegade Creation material comes across much better live too. I haven’t played the record that much but live the songs really hit the mark. The way the band shifts dynamics is something to behold and this doesn’t really translate quite so effectively on record.
- The rhythm section of Jimmy Haslip and Gary Novak was insane. Hypnotically good.
- I’m getting too old for venues without seats.

If you have a chance to catch this tour do not miss it! Also, if you are a guitar player and you have not explored the work of Michael Landau or Robben Ford get to it … you will get schooled. I promise.

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