Telecaster: The Original Rocker

I'd like to start off by apologizing to any frequent readers for my noticeable absence, as of late. I've had a hectic schedule and haven't had time to get my Rock N' Roll mojo flowing. But I'm back and with a vengeance!

So, NAMM '13 ended since my last article, and lots of cool guitars came out of it! More so than last year, by far! But this year I started a new obsession: the Telecaster! A classic staple not only in Rock, but in the world of guitars. Usually, I'm a Les Paul (and similar-styled) kinda guy when it comes to guitars, and Strats have been cool and all, but the Tele is something that is just now catching my ear.

Seen (or rather heard) with hundreds of guitar heroes, such as Punk legend Joe Strummer or ZZ Top Bluesman Billy Gibbons, the signature "twang" and simplicity of the Telecaster has stood the test of time more than any electric guitar in history. In fact, the Fender Telecaster (originally know as the Broadcaster in its early days) was the first solid-body electric guitar! Leo Fender's (pictured above) design, with a solid hunk of Alder for a body and a bolted-on maple neck, was revolutionary to some and barbaric to others. The design caught on, however, and soon led to an arms-race of electric guitars that still runs today. Case-in-point, the NAMM show!

Telecasters are instantly recognizable in any mix, like its titanic rival, the Les Paul, or its sister-model, the Stratocaster. The bright twang and sharp attack have made it a Blues staple, and its simple design has inspired players to create interesting and new takes on it, even by many (if not most) rival-guitar brands.

Love it or hate it, the Telecaster is a true Rock N' Roll original, one that's been there from the beginning and will last till the end. I'm starting to really appreciate them for what they are, and I hope my readers will start taking note every time they hear one in a song!

BRIAN "HEAD" WELCH TO REUNITE WITH KORN FOR LIVE PERFORMENCES

In 2005, Brian Welch (known as "Head" to fans), lead guitarist Korn, departed permanently from the band after quitting drugs and converting to Christianity. Welch was addicted to meth and speed throughout much of Korn's career, and felt that in order retain his new found sobriety, he needed to leave his band and the destructive lifestyle that followed it.

Now that all is said and done, Korn moved on as a 4-piece band and the fans have, for the most part, made peace with that. But now, the moment most fans (myself included) have been waiting for since, Head has announced that he will be joining his old bandmates for the first time in 8 years! Head has announced that he will be playing with Korn at the Rock At The Range, Rock am Ring and Rock im Park festivals.

In an interview with Artist Direct, Head shared his thoughts on the reunion: “When they hit me up about the shows this year, to me, it was time. This is the proper time. The reason I felt like it would never happen because it wasn’t the proper time yet. As soon as the day hit when I felt it was right, it felt so good. I’m really excited about this year with them.”

Head also shared what songs he most looked forward to playing again: “I’d definitely say “Freak on a Leash”, “Falling Away from Me”, “Dead Bodies Everywhere”, and “Blind” is always a great one.”

Rise Of The 7-String!

I was looking at some of the new guitars on Guitar Center's website and I noticed, more than ever, that seven string guitars becoming a mainstay in the guitar community. I saw entry-level seven string guitars for under $200 and thought to myself "wow, can you imagine starting at seven strings?" Furthermore, can you imagine finding a teacher who'd be familiar enough with 7-string guitars to teach a student from the ground-up on one? I thought long and hard about it, and yes. Yes I can see that happening in the near future.

So why? 7-string guitars have been around since 1990, when Ibanez made the first mass-run model for Steve Vai. They didn't catch on at first, but Jazz players had started picking them up initially. Then Korn made them a popular Metal axe beginning in 1994, and a few other famous bands used them in the Nu Metal years. Other than that, they never really caught on on a massive level. So why are they so big now? Maybe due in part to the major-brand introduction of the 8-string guitar, with models coming from the likes of Ibanez, ESP, Dean and many others, along with up-and-coming 8-string guitar heroes like Tosin Abasi [pictured above], Andy James and Rusty Cooley. With that much guitar, 7 strings might not sound like a lot anymore.

Also, 7-strings have become almost a staple in the metal community, with popular bands such as Whitechapel and Suicide Silence all sporting down-tuned 7-string guitars. The demand is higher for companies to produce these models to compete. We've started seeing, although very slowly, 7-string models from the likes of Gibson and PRS, even! They must be getting big for Gibson to come out of they're Les Paul-saturated comfort zone, so don't be surprised to see more and more young guitar heroes sporting extended-ranged guitars in the years to come!

What are your thoughts on extended-ranged guitars? Is there such a thing as too much, or do you like the idea of the range they provide? Do you own one maybe? As always, I encourage comments and opinion-sharing!

MICHAEL SCHENKER'S TEMPLE OF ROCK WRITING NEW ALBUM

Legendary guitarist and former Scorpions and UFO member Michael Schenker's current band Temple Of Rock is currently gearing to write a new album. In a recent interview with Metal Forces, Schenker explained some of his ideas, motives and plans for the new release, including the title, Bridge The Gap. “I already know that the title of the album is gonna be ‘Bridge The Gap’, and so this time I have a blueprint in my head, like a map that I see. I can see that it’s a concept I have, and so I have a very clear direction of what I’m doing," Schenker stated.

The band plans to have the album done in 2013 and hopes to have some material ready for their upcoming tour in April, starting in the UK. Schenker had this to say about playing in the UK, and how it differs from other European shows:  “I don’t know why, but in the U.K. they’re just happy right from the beginning. In Germany, Holland, and some other places, they just check you out for the first four to five songs. I don’t know why, but that’s what they do. A third into the set, they then start getting into it. I guess maybe they try to figure out what we’re gonna be doing. If it’s anything good and they like what they see, then they get into it.”

Furthermore, Schenker says that Bridge The Gap will be much heavier, due in part to vocalist Doogie White's style of singing. “When I’m writing, of course, I have Doogie in my head because I know he’s gonna be doing the vocals. He’s a more metal singer, and so automatically it will be more metal. It will be more on the level of ‘Before The Devil Knows You’re Dead’ [from 2011's 'Temple Of Rock'] of course, because that’s Doogie singing there," Schenker explained.

SOUNDGARDEN'S KIM THAYIL RESPONDS TO "CASH-GRAB" CLAIMS

If you haven't already heard, Grunge legends Soundgarden recently released their first album in sixteen years, King Animal. The album received massive amounts of critical acclaim across the musical board, and even reached no. 5 on the Billboard charts. Well played, Soundgarden, well played, especially considering most Rock reunions end up looking like half-assed attempts at making money.

In fact, these same claims were made about Soundgarden, even by some famous rockers, such as the Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan, who called the reunion a "cash-grab". Soundgarden's lead guitarist Kim Thayil [left] spoke out against these claims in an interview with The Phoenix, asking  “How is it a cash grab? Since when is there money in making records anymore [laughs]?”

 He continued “… and by the way, since when do we need money? We’re not like the Afghan Whigs or Pavement. We had a fairly successful career. [drummer] Matt Cameron played in Pearl Jam for God’s sake! What the hell does he need to spend another, you know, 20 hours a week dedicated to writing and rehearsing Soundgarden songs and tending to Soundgarden’s business? He’s doing just fine thank you.” Thayil said he believes that Cameron was the driving force behind the band's reunion and writing.

The band is currently on tour in support of King Animal, and is even auctioning off special meet-and-greet ticket packages to hang out with frontman Chris Cornell [right] at the tour stops. Two tickets are being auctioned off for each show and all proceeds go to the Chris and Vicky Cornell Foundation, which helps children suffering from homelessness, abuse, neglect and poverty.

Guitar Talk, NAMM '13 and Why You Should Care

For this article, I'd like to focus on a big aspect of Rock: guitars! I myself am a guitarist and I'm sure many readers are as well, so I figure "why not do the occasional article whats going on in the guitar industry?" I'd like to get musicians involved in reading ToshMosh as well as music-fans, and I believe this could attract a new crowd!

More specifically, I'd like to talk about the upcoming NAMM show that starts on the 24th in Anaheim, California. The NAMM show is one of the world's biggest music trade shows, and is a press-only event where instrument companies come to show off the new models of the year. Sounds boring on paper, doesn't it? Rest assured, its really cool! I'm talking walls and walls of fancy new guitars, over-the-top custom shop models that are more art than anything, and big-name endorsers and musicians hanging out and answering questions. Maybe its just me, but that sounds like one hell of a time!

More importantly, NAMM almost acts like a pissing match between major guitar brands, providing an opportunity to bust out the big guns to the world right in front of each other. I'm a big fan of ESP's work, owning two models of theirs, and I'm personally excited to see what they come out with this year!

So that's my nerdy rant of the day. I'm really interested to know what any musicians out there play, and what they'd like to see come out of this year's NAMM. It's more than just guitars, so comment on what you'd like to see! Don't be shy, share your passion to the world!

ALBUM REVIEW: L'enfant Sauvage by Gojira

While this album dropped earlier this year in June, I felt a review was still necessary due to the sheer amount of genius jam-packed into this Metal masterpiece. That's right, I said masterpiece, and I think any Metal critic who gives L'efant Sauvage a listen will agree.

The French Prog-Metallers hadn't had much more than what could be described as a cult-following here in the States until recently, surprising for a band that's career has spanned over ten years and has had great success in Europe. When L'enfant Sauvage (Gojira's fifth LP) was released, the Metal community was abuzz, and for good reason.

If you listen to Gojira's earlier work, you'll gain an ear for the band's stylistic, unique approach to Progressive Metal, a genre that's been booming as of late with relatively new acts such as Periphery, Animals As Leaders and Between The Buried And Me. Utilizing complex time signatures, tight grooves, harmonic-drenched rhythm work and brooding, dramatic leads, Gojira's work paints a dark and unique picture that still manages to move and inspire far more than the average Metal band.

This in mind, L'enfant Sauvage is arguably Gojira's best work yet. From the moment you start the album, you're throw aback by the rhythmic, low-end assault and complex time signatures of the opening track, "Explosia", an almost-seven minute epic that sets the stage and heightens the expectations of listeners only one track into the album. From there, you're met with the first single and title track of the album. The leads and lyrics of this track produce a desperate, dramatic sense of fear, hope and meaning that remains consistent throughout the album. While most Metal lyrics are dark or doom-saying, Gojira's lyrical styling focuses more on the full spectrum of the human experience, comparable to that of fellow Prog Metallers Tool.

The rest of the album follows suit with the standards imposed in the first two tracks, throwing out long, epic songs with the band's signature attitude and style. Tracks like "Liquid Fire" and "The Gift of Guilt" provide somewhat-uplifting tales of resilience and compassion, while cut-throat tracks such as "The Axe" dish out piercing guitar riffs and hearty full-band grooves that appetize even the heaviest of Metal fans.

The whole way through, L'enfant Sauvage is a masterpiece on almost every level, from its brilliant songwriting, technical innovations, unique styling and brilliant storytelling. This album is a must-listen for every Metal or Prog fan and a strong recommendation to any music enthusiast regardless of taste. One can't underestimate the brilliance of this particular piece of music, and I'm convinced that Gojira's work in it will go down as a highlight in Metal history.