Guest Michael Rife
GuestForum Replies Created
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Happy 4th everyone. Had a strange night of fireworks last night. We were close to a thunderstorm with lightning when the fireworks were on display. It was like the lightning was part of the fireworks. All were safe and sound but the strikes were kinda close.
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Hi Bill;
I second that emotion (to quote an old song). I’ve been retired since June 2020 and we have just moved to WV and NC. Six months in WV and six months in NC. We completed the move about a month ago and have not yet unpack everything in NC. Both my wife and I have caught some strange NC mountain germs and have not been able to unpack. Then we get to unpack things all over again in WV some time in August. So, I guess we have been busier during retirement than any time I worked for companies and teaching. Still it beats working for someone else. Mike.
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This is a song I have been stuck on for awhile. There are others but this has been for the last few months. Very much underrated. That one line hits me like a ton of bricks: “I love you in a place where there is no space or time.” Who writes that???!!!!??? He also wrote This Masquerade https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37dw2r45Xzg
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The number 1 song when I was born was Vaya Con Dios by Les and Marry Paul (might have been foretelling in a sense). https://img.youtube.com/vi/QqZ0Sdz_V40/hqdefault.jpg
On my graduation date the number one song was It’s Too Late by Carole King.
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If I may add something here concerning having several guitars……… It may be well to work out a schedule of certain guitars on certain days. Guitars are meant to be played and improve in sound as the guitars are played more often. If you are in a climate that changes often, then the wood in the guitar stretches and contracts which causes the guitar to be very much out of tune the next time you play it. So, by playing it often (tuning it each time) corrects for the stretching and contracting and keeps the guitar in position more often. Guitars that sit for a while and are not played often can have the neck of the guitar shift some. You can see this effect by looking down the guitar from the very top of it. If the neck looks a little ‘bent’ from the body of the guitar, it means the guitar has been sitting for too long. All of this is especially true for acoustic guitars. Sorry to ‘geek out’ on this but I kinda like guitars. Mike.
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There is a story about Charlie in Keith’s book. It is a rather famous story that has gained mythological status over the years. It is the one where Charlie punches Mick and I have heard several versions of the story. Just Google ‘Charlie Watts punches Mick’.
Also, I have been studying Charlie’s drumming for years and he was not a power drummer like Bonham or Moon. He was not quirky in his drumming like Ringo. But, what he was was steady and kept time in a song exceptionally well. Very much a dependable and steady drummer. And sometimes that is harder to find than a drummer like Bonham or Moon. Mike.
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They influenced everyone from the Beatles to Simon and Garfunkel and points in between. Whenever anyone thinks of the word ‘harmony’, Phil and Don are near the top of the list.
On another side of this……..we continue to lose those who we looked up to in the musical realm. I know this happened to our parents, too, with Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, Bing Crosby and many others. But, I think it is a little different for us because we are of the first TV generation where we could watch the early rock and rollers on TV, bought a bunch of their records, and revisit these groups on YouTube. It is also a reminder that we are not getting any younger either. Oh well…..I imagine this will continue. Mike.
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Hi all;
Just wanted to add that there are multiple ways to play any individual chord. For example, an F can be played the way we have all struggled with at the beginning…..though much easier now with practice…..or you could capo 3rd fret and play an open D chord which translates to an F. For B7 there are again many ways to play it. One is to put your fingers on 1st string/second fret, 3rd string/second fret, 4th string/1st fret, 5th string/2nd fret. Another easier way is to bar 4th fret from the first through 4th string and put your pinky finger on the 1st string/5th fret. Also, keep in mind that for most songs if you have to do a B-chord of any kind (B7, Bm, etc.) the next chord is often some E chord (Em, E7, etc.)……so you would have to be ready to make that switch.
Mike
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Good set-up. Now all we need is a rim-shot!!
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Please come to Boston!!
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My Sharona often gets panned by the ‘critics’. But, I think it has one of the best guitar breaks going. It starts with the singer playing some chords up and down the neck and then the guy on the LP comes in and goes crazy. My philosophy has always been when you put a Strat and an LP together, good things happen, e.g., Clapton and Allman in Layla.
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Hi Bill again;
We used to live and work in Charlotte (1979 – 1994) and we would go to Myrtle Beach about three times a year during the summers. I have not been to Myrtle since 1994 and I have heard it has gotten dicey there (some nickname it as Murder Beach). Even so, I would love to get back to Myrtle Beach now that we are in the NC mountains. But, we would likely stay in North Myrtle Beach or south of the town (Seaside??). Mike.
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Over the last year I learned this song on guitar. It was a playing breakthrough that led to learning many other songs. So, the song has a special place in my heart.
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Oh no!!!! I am crushed!!! I always thought Mona’s favorite was her Rick!!! J/K. Mike.
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Hi Mona;
Thanks for the reply!! Hope you are safe and well. The linkage happened with me too….when I was in a larger group, my wife (who plays violin/fiddle) would tell the other players during a new song that if they wanted to keep on beat to listen to Mike (me) and that my strums were always on the beat…….we didn’t and don’t have a drummer so I would use the rhythm part to keep others on the beat. Once they knew the song I would put in some fancier strumming but the four or 3 beats could still be heard. Mike.
