Rockschool Launch Hot Rock Guitar 4 & 5

Rockschool have launched the highly anticipated Hot Rock Guitar 4 & 5 transcription books adding to their Hot Rock Guitar 1, 2 and 3 series of guitar books that accompany the 2012-2018 Rockschool grade syllabus.

Each transcription book packs 8 classic rock tracks complete with two versions of each track (1 edited exam version for use in the grade exam and 1 full-length transcription) and play along backing tracks. Plus fact files, walkthroughs and introduction to tone.

Hot Rock Guitar Grade 4 includes:

The Boys Are Back in Town – Thin Lizzy
For Whom The Bell Tolls – Metallica
Before I Fall To Pieces – Razorlight
Don’t Look Back in Anger – Oasis
Edge of Darkness – Eric Clapton
Whole Lotta Rosie – AC/DC
Iron Man – Black Sabbath
Ice 9 – Joe Satriani

Hot Rock Guitar Grade 5 includes:

Sweet Home Alabama – Lynryd Skynyrd
Surfing With The Alien – Joe Satriani
The Crying Machine – Steve Vai
Fall Tp Pieces – Velvet Revolver
The Pretender – Foo Fighters
Radioactive – Kings of Leon
Sad But True – Metallica
Back in Black – AC/DC

Hot Rock Guitar – Grades 1-5

The books are available now to pre-order from musicroom.com. All pre-orders get exclusive video walkthroughs of 6 of Rockschool’s favourite tracks:

AC/DC – Back In Black
Foo Fighters – The Pretender
Razorlight – Before I Fall To Pieces
Thin Lizzy – The Boys Are Back In Town
Metallica – Sad But True
Joe Satriani – Ice 9

Pre-order: http://www.musicroom.com/rockschool

Find Rockschool on the Web:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rockschool/137412866820
Twitter: http://twitter.com/rockschool
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/RockschoolExams

Ricky Gervais Launches ‘Learn Guitar With David Brent’

British Comedian Ricky Gervais has brought back his character David Brent in a video teaser to promote a new series of online guitar lessons on his YouTube channel: The Ricky Gervais Channel - http://www.youtube.com/user/plumplard

The series is due to launch on Monday 20th May, 2013. You can watch the teaser below.

Learn Guitar With David Brent | Teaser

Find Ricky on the Web

Website: http://www.RickyGervais.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/RickyGervais

Commander Chris Hadfield’s Top Guitar Space Videos!

Canadian Astronaut and Commander of Expedition 35 on the International Space Station, Chris Hadfield returns to Earth today (13.05.13) after a 133 day stay aboard the multi billion dollar ISS.

The social media savvy Astronaut has been a world-wide sensation since his return to space; Hadfield flew on two space shuttle missions in 1995 (STS-74) and 2001 (STS-100).

Chris has been thoroughly enjoyable to follow on both Twitter (@Cmdr_Hadfield) and Facebook; posting amazing space pictures, quirky science videos and answering questions from space fans!

To celebrate the astronaut’s safe return to planet Earth I have compiled Chris’s Top guitar related videos – Enjoy!

Space Oddity – David Bowie [LATEST!]

Chris Hadfield and the Barenaked Ladies

Music Monday Comes To Space

Guitar on Space Station Mir (1995)

How To Play Guitar In Space

If you interested in the acoustic guitar that Chris Hadfield plays while on board the ISS check out Larrivée Guitars on the web:

Website: http://www.larrivee.com/
Facebook: http://facebook.com/larriveeguitars
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LarriveeGuitars

Metal Legends Black Sabbath Announce December 2013 UK Tour

British metal giants Black Sabbath have announced a UK tour in December 2013.

The band begin their long awaited tour at London’s O2 Arena on 12th December, before visiting Belfast, Sheffield, Glasgow and Manchester finishing up with a homecoming show at Birmingham’s LG Arena on 20th December.

The tour supports Black Sabbath’s brand new album ’13′, which is due to be released on 10th June. This album is the first album Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler have recorded together in 35 years (since 1978′s ‘Never Say Die!’).

The metal legends recorded the album in Los Angeles with producer Rick Rubin (Johnny Cash, Metallica, System Of A Down) and features Rage Against The Machine’s Brad Wilk on drums, replacing original drummer Bill Ward.

Black Sabbath 2013 UK Tour Dates

London O2 Arena – Tuesday 10th December
Belfast Odyssey Arena – Thursday 12th December
Sheffield Arena – Saturday 14th December
Glasgow Hydro – Monday 16th December
Manchester Arena Wednesday 18th December
Birmingham LG Arena – Friday 20th December

Tickets for Black Sabbath’s UK arena tour go onsale on Friday 12th April (priced £45-£55) at 9am. Visit Ticketmaster.

Find Black Sabbath on the Web

Website: http://www.blacksabbath.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BlackSabbath
Twitter: http://twitter.com/OfficialSabbath
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/OfficialSabbath

HMV saved by Hilco in rescue deal worth ~£50m

The troubled music store HMV has today been saved by restructuring company Hilco for a estimated £50m.

The music and DVD retailer, which is the UK’s last surviving music store chain, first ran in to trouble back in Jan 2013; although the company had seen signs of strain months in advance due to tough competition with online rivals, supermarkets and digital downloads.

The Hilco takeover secures 132 HMV stores (66 were closed during administration), 9 Fopp branches, and saves up to 2500 jobs in the UK.

HMV posted a message on Facebook at 14:00hrs:

“Great news – we’re officially out of administration and now under the new ownership. 

The whole team here is working hard behind the scenes to bring you a new and improved hmv – a new website and digital service, a rebooted Pure rewards scheme and a fresh approach to our stores are all in the works.

We’ve got some exciting stuff in store for you, but all of this is going to take us a little time to perfect. For now, we’ll do our best to keep you up to date as we get everything ready to come back with a bang later in the year. 

So a big thank you for all your support and patience during the past few months. We really appreciate it and it makes us even more determined to provide you with a better hmv experience.

To sign up for email updates or to locate you nearest hmv store please visit www.hmv.com

Finally, we’d also like to thank and acknowledge the valued contribution of all our store, distribution centre and head office colleagues, past and present.

Thanks, team hmv”

Find HMV on the web

Website: http://www.hmv.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/hmv
Twitter: http://twitter.com/hmvtweets

Tribute to Jimi Hendrix made from plectrums unveiled in London

A brand new portrait of guitar legend Jimi Hendrix has been made entirely from 4,000 Fender plectrums, and is on public display for the very first time in London from this week.

The mosaic, which measures 105 x 80cm, was created by Manchester artist Ed Chapman who was commissioned by Fender to mark the release of a new album of studio material recorded by Hendrix before his untimely death in 1970.

The plectrum portrait was unveiled as part of the launch of the new record, called People, Hell and Angels, at a Hendrix pop-up store in Ganton Street, West London.

Artist Ed Chapman said: “I was totally thrilled when I was called by Fender and asked to create my version of Jimi Hendrix’s iconic image and it’s a real honour. Jimi’s sister, Janie L. Hendrix, will see it at the store and I’d love to hear her thoughts on the portrait.”

Chapman added “I usually work in ceramic tile, but plectrums are a great medium to create art and I hope they are a fitting tribute to an amazing musician.”

Find Ed Chapman on the Web

Website: http://www.edchapman-mosaics.co.uk/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/EdChapmanMosaic
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/edchapmanmosaics

Eric Johnson Kicks Off 6-Date UK Tour

Renowned US guitarist Eric Johnson begins his second UK tour in a year this week; only his second tour of these shores, ever! The 6-date tour kicks off at the London O2 Shepherds Bush Empire on 3rd April and finishes up at Salisbury City Hall on 8th April.

Tickets available from the GiG Cartel HERE - (UK Tele: 0844 478 08 98)

London o2 Shepherds Bush Empire – Wednesday 3rd April
Harrogate Theatre - Thursday 4th April
Edinburgh Queen’s Hall – Friday 5th April
Manchester Royal Northern College of Music – Saturday 6th April
Birmingham Town Hall – Sunday 7th April
Salisbury City Hall – Monday 8th April

Check out Eric performing fan favourite ‘Cliffs Of Dover’, with obligatory long intro solo section, live at Komedia, Bath back July, 2012.

Find Eric on the web:

Website: http://www.ericjohnson.com/
Twitter:  http://twitter.com/guitaristej
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/GuitaristEricJohnson

See also: Eric Johnson announces first ever UK tour!