Slash is more than just a musician, he’s a legend. Best known for his work with Guns N’ Roses and Velvet Revolver, Slash has also served as a first-call studio gun-for-hire who has played on records by Alice Cooper, Daughtry, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, and Iggy Pop. But for the first time since he shot onto the scene more than two decades ago, Slash is going the “lone gunman” route and releasing his first bona fide solo album. Unlike Slash’s Snakepit, which released two albums, and Slash’s Blues Ball, the group he toured with in the late Nineties, this new project, called simply “Slash”, is not a band but rather a true solo effort that features a variety of different singers, musicians and songwriting collaborators. As a result it exposes more of Slash’s breadth as a musician than his band efforts. This month at Guitar Center we have the distinct honor of featuring Slash on the cover and within the pages of our February Guitar Guide. Join us as we converse on all things music, recording, his solo record and the weapons of mass aural destruction that have made him one of the greatest guitarists to ever live.
Guitar Center has teamed up with one of the greatest guitarists to ever walk the face of the earth to present YOUR NEXT RECORD with SLASH, a groundbreaking unsigned band competition that will give one up and coming band the chance to win the ultimate career-altering opportunity: record a 3-song EP with the legendary producer behind Guns N’ Roses - Mike Clink and have Slash write, record and perform on the winning artists’ single.
Starting today, February 1st through April 30th bands across the U.S. are invited to submit their music at YourNextRecord.comfor a chance to win the sweet prize package that also includes…
A management development deal with “The Collective” (the team behind Linkin Park, Slash and Avenged Sevenfold)
A feature of winning artists’ single on iTunes
Worldwide distribution of winning artists’ music through Tunecore
$10,000 Guitar Center Shopping Spree
An opening slot on Slash’s Monster Energy Bash
$10,000 in new gear and endorsement deals from Ernie Ball Music Man
An editorial feature on the winning band in Guitar World Magazine
Slash says:
“The formula that used to work for discovering new artists has been decimated and the opportunities for really talented bands to be heard is extremely limited. That’s why it’s so important to me and Guitar Center to provide a situation where new talent can be discovered. This is an incredibly interesting way to find and help launch a really great band that hasn’t been able to get their foot in the door otherwise.”
Guitar Center has also teamed with Ernie Ballon their Shred with Slashpromotion which offers musicians the chance to win over $50,000 in prizes, including a private master class with Slash, upon finding one of five custom, limited edition Slash guitar picks in select packs of Ernie Ball electric guitar strings sold exclusively at Guitar Center between February 1st and April 30th. Bottom line, you find the following picks, you win big. More infoHERE
Slash has a new record coming out this April featuring guest performances by Ozzy Osbourne, Kid rock, Chris Cornell, M. Shadows (Avenged Sevenfold), Andrew Stockdale (Wolfmother) and more. We’ve heard it…. It slays. Learn more at myspace.com/slash
Like a lot of great bands, Dream Theater formed when their members were attending school together. But the band’s core members did not meet at any ordinary school. Rather, guitarist John Petrucci, bassist John Myung and drummer Mike Portnoy met at Boston’s legendary Berklee College of Music. Filled with students of above average compositional skills, technical playing abilities and music career ambitions, Berklee proved to be the perfect breeding ground for an innovative progressive metal band like Dream Theater. Guitar Center recently caught up with John Petrucci when he visited our Boston location, only a few steps from the Berklee College’s main campus, to participate in a very special Guitar Center Sessions event. “I feel like I’m back to my second home,” says John. Along with a wealth of tips, tricks and knowledge, attendees at Petrucci’s Sessions event got an exclusive sneak peek at several new Ernie Ball/Music Man guitars, including the John Petrucci 10th Anniversary model and a variety of limited-edition Ball Family Reserve versions. Check out the interview below. Sterling Ball of Ernie Ball makes an appearance as well.
We’re keenly interested in tools that allow musicians to use the Internet to collborate. We keep our eye on emerging serial-collaboration sites like kompoz.com and real-time oriented sites like eJAMMING.com (which just announced a partnership with our friends at Fender).
And then there’s InBflat.net, pictured at the top of the post. Simple genius. A 4 x 5 grid of video clips with musicians all performing in the key of B Flat, and the simple instructions: “play these together, some or all, start them at any time, in any order”. Rather than wasting words on what happens next, I just recommend that you click the link and experience it.
Performing in front of a capacity crowd this January 8th at The Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles, 19-year-old Ramon Sampson from Cordova, Tennessee beat out four other Drum-Off finalists from all across the country, winning a prize package worth more than $40,000 and earning the title of Guitar Center’s Drum-Off Champion. Ramon was chosen by a panel of judges that featured some of today’s most respected and distinguished drummers including the legendary Peter Erskine (Steely Dan), Taylor Hawkins (Foo Fighters), Drew Hester (Foo Fighters / Joe Walsh), Thomas Lang, Jason Sutter (Chris Cornell), Kenny Aronoff (John Mellencamp / Sessions Legend), John Tempesta (The Cult), Tony Royster Jr. (Jay-Z), Nisan Stewart (Jamie Foxx / 50 Cent) and Ray Luzier (Korn).
The evening’s competition was the culmination of months of local and regional competitions held at each of Guitar Center’s 214 stores across the country - competitions that resulted in selecting the top five undiscovered drummers in the nation from nearly 5,000 competitors. As Guitar Center’s Drum-Off champion, Ramon takes home a grand prize package worth more than $40,000 including $25,000 cash, a Roland TD-25 electronic drum kit, a custom designed drum kit by Tama, a set of custom signature cymbals from Zildjian, drum, stick, cymbal, and drum head endorsement deals as well as a feature in Modern Drummer magazine, along with a VIP appearance @ NAMM 2010 and a Monster Energy Drink endorsement deal.
Guitar Center’s Drum-Off Finals, hosted by Stephen Perkins (Jane’s Addiction), also paid homage to the drum greats of past, present, and future and featured exclusive performances by many of today’s drumming elite. The evening began with a collaboration by metal heavyweights Danny Carey (Tool) and Brann Dailor (Mastodon), followed by the Drum-Off finals where the top five undiscovered drummers in the nation competed for the drum world’s ultimate prize. Following the Drum-Off finals was an emotional performance by Jason Bonham and special guests Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple) and Joe Bonamassa as they paid tribute to his father, the legendary John Bonham of Led Zeppelin. Next came a surprise performance from drum legend Billy Cobham, whose work with Mahavishnu Orchestra, Miles Davis, and Carlos Santana, as well as his own acclaimed solo work earned him the second induction in Guitar Center’s Drum Legends of the night. Guitar Center’s Drum-Off finals culminated in with Tommy Lee and the Street Drum Corps’ Frank Zummo presentation of “BEZERK.” The wild production, exclusively commissioned by Guitar Center, featured some of the world’s most accomplished drummers including a phenomenal duet by Max Weinberg (Bruce Springtsteen’s E-Street Band / NBC’s The Tonight Show) and his son Jay Weinberg, Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Matt Sorum (Guns ‘N Roses, Velvet Revolver), José Pasillas (Incubus), Abe Cunningham (Deftones), DJ Aero, Sully Erna (Godsmack), BANG! and more.
For Ramon Sampson, winning Guitar Center’s Drum-Off is the result of his lifelong passion for music. Born in South Africa to a family of musicians, Ramon began drumming with his father at age two. By the time he was 14, he was touring South Africa, playing with his own jazz group, and studying at South Africa’s prestigious National School of the Arts. In 2006, Ramon’s family emigrated from South Africa to the U.S., and in 2007, he signed up for Drum-Off at his local Guitar Center. Ramon didn’t make it past the preliminary rounds that year, but with much practice made it all the way to the Drum-Off Finals the following year. This year, Ramon beat out over 4,000 other drummers from around the country in five rounds of intense competition, becoming Guitar Center’s Drum-Off Champion. After winning the competition, Ramon is keeping his career options open, but is especially interested in educating other drummers about the craft. “I believe that in life if we are given a talent, it’s meant for us to share with other people,” Ramon said following his victory.
