| | | Hey Friend,
Even though I've become the rocker you know (and love), the transition took a while to manifest itself.
I was listening to some classic Foreigner yesterday and the song "Dirty White Boy" came on. Took me back to my teenage days...
Do you remember Columbia House Record Club?
For you kids out there that have never experienced the wonder of vinyl, Columbia House was a subscription service you signed up for. You'd get a list of albums in the mail (snail mail) each month with all the latest releases. Today, they only offer DVDs...
To get you hooked, the initial offer was something like "pick out ten albums for a penny" and shipping/handling. Then you were on the hook for another three albums at full price over the next year or two. Every month thereafter, they'd send you a new release based on the style of music you told them you like most.
Don't like it? Just send it back.
They figured once they got you to order all that good music for so cheap, you were more likely to buy more over the coming months.
It was a pretty good racket, and I loved it. Even when they transitioned to CDs versus vinyl. I even talked my next door neighbor into letting me use his name and address to double up on my collecting!
Anyway, back to Foreigner.
One day in the mail, the album of the month showed up. It was "Head Games" and I didn't even give it half a chance. I immediately sent it back without listening to it.
Now up to this point, the 'grittiest' music I had in my collection was Styx's "The Grand Illusion." The rest of my stuff was the Eagles, Electric Light Orchestra, John Denver (and don't forget Barry Manilow)...
This Foreigner album cover showed a girl trying to wipe her phone number off a men's restroom stall (maybe that's where Tommy Tutone got the inspiration for "Jenny, 867-5309").
Something about the cover just didn't sit well with my W.A.S.P. upbringing (White Anglo-Saxon Protestant). I was pretty sure my parents would have a cow over it, and frankly, I'd heard the song "Dirty White Boy" on the radio and wasn't sure I wanted to associate myself to such a vulgar idea, ha ha.
Oh how far I've come...
Had I taken a chance and played the album, I would have found songs like "Head Games" and "Rev On The Red Line." I would have come to realize that "Dirty White Boy" wasn't all that bad. That album probably would've become a regular in my rotation, as this was the about time I was getting myself into my first band.
You live and learn through experience, am I right?
Maybe you're struggling through your transition from guitar playing wanna-be to a competent player. While there's a ton to learn and all of it takes time and practice (there is no "hey, I picked up guitar yesterday and now I teach Jimmy Page how to do stuff!), you can go from nothing to playing a song in one day. Your first day.
Don't laugh, I've taught people to do this.
True, it wouldn't be "Stairway To Heaven" but Jimmy Page didn't start out there, either. Give yourself a break!
With Easy Power Chords, I could have you playing a simple chord progression to a song you want to learn. I could also show you how to play the melody from said song.
How would that feel?
Even if you've been hammering away at guitar for a while (and I know how that goes - sometimes it feels like nothing but a hammer would help!) power chords can inject energy and the Rock vibe you're going after.
You can check out Easy Power Chords right here. Rock on!
Peace~
Dave
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