Six Strings : A Guitar Documentary

Six Strings is a documentary currently in production from director James Player. James is trying to find guitarists from all over the world with stories to tell. Skill and technical proficiency, nor style are genre are necessarily important, it's about the story of how the instrument you love has affected the guitarist's life. In a bid to find interesting subjects, James and his crew are opening up to the internet, asking people to submit their 100 word stories of their guitar related experiences, plus a link to an example of their playing.

If you don't think you'd cut it and still want to show your support, you can sponsor, donate or invest in the project by going here.

I really don't think my personal story would get me there, but it's something I might share. I think without guitar, I would probably be a washed up alcoholic. Several years ago, my mother fell ill with cancer, and I quit my job and moved home to look after her during the days when my father was at work. Around this time, to make some money I started playing with a band in the local pub scene around Newcastle, Australia. As my mother got worse, I fell into a depression, drinking heavily. The only nights I wouldn't drink were the nights I was playing (well 99% of them). I took it so seriously that I even went on a two week tour and only drank on the second last night, and ended up being the only guy to come home with money. I may not play my guitar as much as I wish to right now, but at least I know it's there when I need it.

I would love to be financial enough to help monetarily, however I can't, but I personally endorse this project 100% and will soon be running advertising on GuitarToyBox and the new sister site GuitarDVDReview as a sign of support.

GUITARISTS WANTED!
This is your opportunity to feature in a major documentary film about one of the most
revered musical instruments in the world – the guitar.
We are searching for passionate guitarists to feature in the SIX STRINGS documentary
film from around the world who have developed a unique playing style or have an
intriguing story to tell about guitar music and how it influenced or changed their lives.
The aim is to produce an inspirational film to be marketed for theatrical and broadcast
distribution worldwide and is set to begin production in Summer 2010
For this exciting opportunity to appear in SIX STRINGS, guitarists are asked to submit
their story in 100 words and provide a link to their website.
The SIX STRINGS production is currently offering sponsorship opportunities to specialist
businesses and organisations involved in all things guitar as well as seeking donations
from enthusiasts. All sponsors and donators will receive a number of exclusive benefits.
About James Smith
James Smith is a highly experienced director, who combines a creative flare with a
passion for classic film making techniques. As well as corporate film, James is also
involved developing a slate of fresh and highly commercial feature film projects and his
writing and exciting storylines have been well received in both Hollywood and London.
His past documentary productions have won awards and he now plans to ‘go global’ with
the Six Strings project and produce a film with a varied and international feel.
For more information, visit the official website:
www.sixstringsfilm.com

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-01-22

• I favorited a YouTube video -- John Mayer: "Crossroads" Guitar Lesson (Teaser) http://youtu.be/dxQ3iCw9BAY?a #
• New blog post: NAMM 2010 Day 2 Highlights http://www.guitartoybox.com/2010-01-16/namm-2010-day-2-highlights/ #
• I subscribed to gearwire's channel on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/user/gearwire?feature=autoshare_twitter #
• I subscribed to audiofanzinetv's channel on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/user/audiofanzinetv?feature=autoshare_twitter #
• I favorited a YouTube video -- JOE BONAMASSA PLAY "TAKIN' THE HIT" AT ROCKPALAST GERMANY 2006 (openin't... http://youtu.be/DY-oJw1wUgc?a #
• YAY! New MXR pedals! http://tinyurl.com/ycy276h #
• Shite! Just sliced the top off my pinky finger on my fretting hand! No guitar for me for a while. #
• @JessamyRush Not too bad. Just the very tip.. I'll live in reply to JessamyRush #
• Interesting read The Psycology of Tone http://bit.ly/64Hi2o #
• Currently working my way through these. http://bit.ly/6oH0ed . Expect reviews coming soon. #
• RT @guitarnoize: New Post: Chicks playing Les Pauls: This made me smile http://bit.ly/4QG5LG #
• New blog nearly done. Been wanting to do this for ages. Necessity is the mother of all true and important action. #
• BlogToyBox: temporary test http://bit.ly/8PYTQC #
• Almost ready for launch. Half a dozen more posts and ready to go. #
• I'm done working on it for the night. Study in the morning then off to work. Some more tomorrow. #
• I subscribed to IbanezOfficial's channel on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/user/IbanezOfficial?feature=autoshare_twitter #
• @davenavarro6767 I hope you're changing the music at the gym. When I listen to Ghosts my mind leaves this planet. in reply to davenavarro6767 #
• Site map almost finished. Now for the initial content. About a dozen posts to go. #
• I'm working on a new post. Who are the best pro bloggers to follow on twitter? #
• I subscribed to MAdMChannel's channel on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/user/MAdMChannel?feature=autoshare_twitter #

2009 Top 10 Albums

As I do every year, it's time to give you my Top 10 albums. I have to say, this year again it was hard for me to find 10 stand out albums. As it is, I short listed 15, and the remaining five will be in the honourable mentions.

Also keep in mind this s MY favourite ALBUMS, not my Top 10 GUITAR albums of the year. I listen to music, not guitars so this list may have some not so guitar biased music in there.

So here we go. Starting from 10

10.Full Circle - CREED

Yep, that one is out of left field to start with. The Tremonti love on this site is no secret, and this is by far the best Creed album. It sounds more like Alter Bridge musically, but there is something about Stapps voice that sits much better. The lyrics are still crap (seriously, "Bread of Shame". WTF?!?!?!) but the album does indeed rock.
Highlights : On My Sleeve, Overcome

9. Black Clouds & Silver Linings - DREAM THEATER

The kings of modern progressive metal hit a home run with this one. A massive concept once again executed to perfection. Petrucci and Co. still set the standard when it comes to this style of music. Brutal in parts, melodic in others, and even some pure singalongs in there as well. Petrucci is one of the rare who know when and when NOT to play, and Dream Theater stand out because of it.
Highlights : A Rite Of Passage, The Count of Tuscany

8. Inshalla - Eskimo Joe

Unfortunately the only Australian album to make my list this year. "Black Fingernails Red Wine" was always going to be a hard album to follow, and Eskimo Joe were up to the task. Kicking off with Foreign Land (inspired by the death of friend Heath Ledger) and ending with the powerful Morning Light, "Inshalla" is one of those "once in a career" albums. But then again, we said that about "Black Fingernails" as well. How these guys have not broken internationally yet is beyond me.
Highlights: Foreign Land, Inshalla, The Sound Of Your Heart, Please Elise

7. Horehound - THE DEAD WEATHER

Jack White is one of these guys who just has to keep pumping stuff out or his head will explode. This album is a dark, twisted, screaming, blues explosion of pure aggression. From fuzz bass tones, to screaming vocals, screeching organs, this album has it all. More proof that like Family Guy, Jack is better off without Meg.
Highlights: I Cut Like A Buffalo, Hang You From The Heavans, Treat Me Like Your Mother, Will There Be Enough Water?

6. Glitter and Doom Live - TOM WAITS

You either love Tom Waits or you hate him. I definitely fall into the former. This live album, culled from his many performances from his latest tour, breathes new life into these songs, letting each song's personality cut through like never before. These aren't just live performances of studio creations, they are brand new interpretations of these twisted little stories from the mind of Waits.
Highlights: Lucinda / Ain't Going Down, Goin' Out West, Dirt in the Ground

5. The Ballad of John Henry - Joe Bonamassa

Bonamassa is like fine wine. He is just getting better with age. He's slowed down the blistering runs, and has really developed as a dynamic blues performer, rather than just a guitarist. These are the best vocals I have heard from him on any release. A couple of great covers, some rocking originals, and this blues rock album is bound for greatness.
Highlights: Stop, The Ballad Of John Henry, Feelin Good

4. Them Crooked Vultures - Them Crooked Vultures

The supergroup of Homme, Grohl and Jones really stumbled across something special. I was not expecting this album to be so good, but you can tell there is a genuine chemistry between each member. A rollicking good rocking time is found in this album. QOTSA riffing with Foo Fighter style arrangements, mixed with the other-worldly sounds of Led Zepplin. A killer record.
Highlights: Mind Eraser No Chaser, Scumbag Blues, Warsaw or the First Breath You Take When You Wake Up, Elephants, New Fang

3. Only Revolutions - Biffy Clyro

The best band you never heard of (unless you from the UK). If this album doesn't break them nothing will. Puzzles was great and they have topped it with this. Think of it as progressive alt emo rock. Bizarre lyrics, odd time signatures (4/4 is a rare thing for these guys), and a sea shanty to open the album! This was my most anticipated album of the year and it was worth waiting for.
Highlights: Captain, That Golden Rule, God & Satan, Mountains, Many of Horror, Know Your Quarry

2. Black Gives Way To Blue - Alice In Chains

I initially wrote this album off, but I forgot that AIC's music tends to grow on you like a cancer. It starts slow but then works it's way through, eating your flesh until you and it become one. Those trademark harmonies are there, the dirge like drones hypnotise you and before you know it the album is finished. This album is nearly as good as Dirt.
Highlights: All Secrets Known, Check My Brain, Lesson Learned, Take Her Out

1. The Resistance - Muse

It's scary when you think an album this good, the best album of the year, could have been better. So far every radio edit I have heard has made the songs more concise and focused. That said, there are no weak tracks on this album, a broad sweeping concept album full of synth rock and crushing riffs.
Highlights: The entire album

HONOURABLE MENTIONS

Chickenfoot - Chickenfoot
Backspacer - Pearl Jam
By A Thread - Gov't Mule
Sick - Duff McKagan's Loaded
Already Free - The Derek Trucks Band

Top Guitar Twitter Users List – Updated

Lately I have become a huge fan of Twitter. At first I didn't get it, but know I see how useful it is at getting quick messages and thoughts out to people. It's also a great way to make new contacts, and that is something that is slowly happening for me.

But where do you find the people you want to follow? Seeing as you are reading this, I guess you are after guitarist and guitar related Twitter users. Well, it felt like a journey down the rabbit hole, but here is a good starting point for those of you looking for new guitar related users to follow. This list is made of guitarists, manufactures, and guitar bloggers.

If you have any others that you follow that are not on the list then please leave a comment. I'll be coming back to this list regularly with updates.

Hope you all enjoy.

[EDIT] As pointed out by Chaz, I forgot to include my own account. @chrislwatson is the link, and unlike some of these, I use Twitter in a more personal manner, so not only do you get updates when GuitarToyBox is updated, you get other radoom thoughts and also will get updates as my other online projects hit completion. Thanks for the reminder Chaz!

Manufacturers
Gibson - @gibsonlifestyle
Fender - @fender
Yamaha - @TheYamahaHub
Bugera Amps - @bugera_amps
Mesa Boogie - @MesaBoogie
Fender Custom Shop - @FenderCustom
Taylor Guitars PR - @TaylorGuitarsPR
Tone Factor -@Tonefactor

Musicians
Tom Waits - @tomwaits
Vernon Reid - @vurnt22
Dave Navarro - @davenavarro6767
Steve Isaacs - @SteveIsaacs
Slash - @slashHudson
Sebastian Bach - @sebastianbach
Gene Simmons - @genesimmons
Tom Morello - @tmorello
Joe Bonamassa -@JBONAMASSA
Duff McKagan - @duff64
John5 - @john5guitarist
Bumblefoot - @bumblefoot
Greg Howe - @greghoweguitar
Joe Satriani - @chickenfootjoe
Tommy Emmanuel - @tommyemmanuel
Steve Lukather - @stevelukather
John Mayer - @johncmayer
Martin Cliffe - @martincliffe
Peter Frampton - @peterkframpton
Eric Friedman - @ericfriedman

Bloggers
Guitar Noize - @guitarnoize
Truth In Shredding - @lauriemonk
FretBase - @fretbase
Rock House Method - @therockhouse
Stratoblogster - @stratoblogster
IHeartGuitar - @iheartguitar
MadStratter - @madstratter
GuitarLifeStyle - @guitarlifestyle
GuitarPlayetZen - @guitarplayerzen
Little Rock Jams - @littlerockjames
Pickstroke - @pickstroke
Whats That Dude Play - @wtdpblake
GuitarFlame - @fantasmastudio
ITalkGuitarnews - @italkguitarnews

Site Update

Yep. Sites been pretty dead. And frankly, so have I. Here is a quick update from the last few months.

As most know, I just moved about 200kms to a new home, new job, new life really. It was a massive move done very fast and highly stressful. However it has been worth it. My new job is fantastic, if time consuming, and for the first time I can remember I am loving what I'm doing.

Unfortunately, about two months ago I contracted Ross River. This is a lingering virus that has chronic fatigue type symptoms that come and go. So basically my life has been drag myself out of bed, work, come home and collapse. No gym, no guitar, and definitely no updating of the site.

I'm hoping to change that now. I'm starting to feel much better and have a lot more energy. There are still going to be bad days, where I don't post for a while, but they should hopefully be shorter and shorter.

If you have stuck around this long, thank you. Hopefull I can repay your kindness in some way.

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