How many musicians on Kiwibiker?

[riffer]

"They keep me locked up in this cage..." - Sanitarium

See, Metallica are bikers too!

You're not too far wrong there madcat.

James Hetfield (singer and rhythm guitarist) is the only member of Metallica that regularly rides motorcycles.

A self-confessed bogan and hot-rod freak, Hetfield owns a 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air and a Harley Davidson chooper, both of which he customised and rebuilt himself.

[riffer]

A correction. His motorcycle was built by Jesse James (West Coast Choppers) to his specifications.

[vifferman]

One thing I've noticed is how many motorcyclists also seem to be musicians (and IT professionals, come to think of it).

How many of you guys play music, what sort of music do you play, and what are your favourite instruments?:spudguita

Yeah, well.... err... I'll come clean.
I'm an IT professional, and I also occasionally massacre the guitar (Washburn acoustic, or one of my sons' electrics). Started playing about 15 years ago, I guess.

I always wanted to learn a musical instrument, but figured I'd be useless at it. While it was just a dream, it was safe; if I actually started playing and couldn't then BAM!! the dream's lost. I was talking about this to a girl I worked with who played the cornet, and she said "Hey! I've got a guitar you can borrow." So then I had no choice. I figured, "If I can tune this sucker, then that's a good start", and after a few hours, I got there, and was away. Then the guitar got repossessed a few weeks later (it wasn't hers, just borrowed), and I had to decide whether to commit or quit. So, I bought my own (Yamaha), and it sounded SO GOOD after the crappy cheap classical one, that I was really away. Then that got stolen when our house was burgled, and it was a few years before I got around to replacing it.

I'm glad I did take the leap. I'm still a crap guitarist, but that's from not spending enough time practising. If I hadn't got into it, then maybe my sons wouldn't have either. One is a very talented musician (guitar and keyboard), and the other is just very keen, and makes up for lack of talent with enthusiasm. Now he enjoys playing with a band he formed with some mates - mostly metal, and covers of bands like Metallica, the Chillis, DejaVoodoo, etc. It's really good to see the pleasure he gets from it. (By the way - he's not in the IT industry, but the other one is.)

[Eddieb]

Yeah, well.... err... I'll come clean.
I'm an IT professional, and I also occasionally massacre the guitar (Washburn acoustic, or one of my sons' electrics). Started playing about 15 years ago, I guess.

Sounds much like me. I have a semi acoustic and Strat replica. Still love playing them but don't get much oppotunity. Never really had any lessions and usually just turn the stereo up and figure out whatevers playing.

Would love to be able to play some lead though. even just a bit.

[riffer]

Sounds much like me. I have a semi acoustic and Strat replica. Still love playing them but don't get much oppotunity. Never really had any lessions and usually just turn the stereo up and figure out whatevers playing.

Would love to be able to play some lead though. even just a bit.

There's only one way to get good on guitar. Play every day, even if its only for 5-10 minutes.

I have an acoustic guitar in the lounge for that very reason. It's a 30 year old Diplomat acoustic. I got it for my 7th birthday from my parents. Diplomat were the "budget" division of Yamaha back in the 70s. Still, it's lasted well considering.

It's got a nice narrow neck and the action, while not the same as my Les Paul (shit there's not many electrics with action as low as a fretless wonder) is still good enough for everything except fast lead work.

Anyway, I tend to just play around with it until someone gets hacked off cause they can't hear the telly but hey, even if its a couple of minutes at a time in the ads it still makes a difference.

[phil_elvey]

Man, there are a lot of muso's here! Well I can add my lot to the list:

Main instrument: Drums - played for eight years now. My perfect day is to go out for a primo ride and then come back and have a bash on the bangers for an hour or two. Kit at the moment is very modest due to constantly moving (including countries) - one of those mass manufactured asian ones. Looking to upgrade soon. Best kit in the past was a Pearl.
Jim2: you are the man! You'll have to show me some stuff some time (just don't tell me when you and your family are going away for the weekend or you might come back and find some extra marks on your heads!)

Other instruments: started on the piano, also played the trombone for a few years

It is interesting that the CN6 noted both musicians and IT pros, because it is highly possible there is a link there. One of the conductors of a production I was in once used to go on about how music is related to maths. She reckoned by learning music at a young age, you are actually teaching your kids pretty advanced maths and so these kids do well at school and (if they haven't gone off the rails and rebelled from society) will go on to do tertiary education. Bit of a generalisation I guess but there is definately some sense in it.

[nicko]

Played the piano as a kid...but got into the guitar when I found out I could play songs that I heard on the radio.

Now have a Yamaha steel-string acoustic, an Ibanez Joe Satriani signature electric (JS100) and a Marshal VS265 amp. My fingers are too dopey and slow to play any lead Satriani but god loves a tryer.

[Motu]

I have an acoustic guitar in the lounge for that very reason. It's a 30 year old Diplomat acoustic. I got it for my 7th birthday from my parents. Diplomat were the "budget" division of Yamaha back in the 70s. Still, it's lasted well considering.

It's got a nice narrow neck and the action, while not the same as my Les Paul (shit there's not many electrics with action as low as a fretless wonder) is still good enough for everything except fast lead work.

My daughter has a semi acoustic Diplomat,F slots and stuff like that,looks like they copied it on tracing paper cause it looks backwards.It needs some serious work now - splitting body and distorted neck,so she just has it around as an acoustic to pick up.When the Diplomat became unplayable we got her a cheap Les Paul copy,I knew she wouldn't be happy with a Strat lookalike,everyone has one of those,but a classic looking Les Paul with humbuckers is right up her street (60s freak) My other daughter has the Strat copy,in left handed.

[riffer]

My daughter has a semi acoustic Diplomat,F slots and stuff like that,looks like they copied it on tracing paper cause it looks backwards.It needs some serious work now - splitting body and distorted neck,so she just has it around as an acoustic to pick up.When the Diplomat became unplayable we got her a cheap Les Paul copy,I knew she wouldn't be happy with a Strat lookalike,everyone has one of those,but a classic looking Les Paul with humbuckers is right up her street (60s freak) My other daughter has the Strat copy,in left handed.

I had a '62 Fender Stratocaster, black with white scratchboard, you know, like the one on the cover of Eric Clapton's Timepieces.

Beautiful guitar, one of the first with the narrow radius neck profile, not like those ugly 50's strats with the neck profile at the back that was almost circular.

I pulled out the standard pickups and replaced them with Seymour Duncans and threw 10-52 strings on it, 'cause that was what Stevie Ray Vaughan had on his guitar and I desparately wanted that "fat" sound.

Then Stevie Ray lost his life in that helicopter accident. Pity - I heard he was going to marry a New Plymouth girl and settle down here for a while....

And a few days later my Strat was stolen. Hmmm. Must have been an omen.

My mum and dad's Insurance paid out $2600 on it (back in '87), as it was ripped of from their garage where my band was practicing. So I went out and bought a brand spanking new Jackson - strat body shape, active electronics, Floyd Rose, the works. F*&king expensive guitar. No wonder all I could afford for transport was a CB350 twin and an old VH V8 Valiant.

And then that got stolen at a breakin at my uncles practice room. I'd been doing some session work for his jazz band. With a Jackson metal guitar! You should have seen the look on these guys faces when I turned up with that an a Marshall stack!!! Priceless!

So with the insurance money from that one and a bit I had saved, I bought my favourite guitar, a 1988 Gibson Les Paul Custom. Cause they were a classic, and I could afford it, and Billy Duffy from the Cult played one and he was cool back then, and Thin Lizzy used them too and shit if I could get that sound then I was in...

and I've still got it now.

And I try and play it every day too....


:love2: I love my guitar.

[Racey Rider]

Wondered how long it would be before someone brought up music.
Good to see a few other musio's around.

I started out playing piano when young, but packed it in.
In my late teens I got back into playing music.
Play: drums, bass, accoustic guitar and Saxophone.
Mainly Church stuff, but a bit of "Dire Straits" to warm up the sax never goes amiss.
I Play a lot by ear and do a bit of singing when needed.

Like Jazz and Blues.

Don't like Country

Always told myself, "One day, I'm gunner take that GeTar, & do a bit of Busking" Bring out the Elivis songs ("Thanyou very much!")
But, that day hasn't come yet!

[pete376403]

(snip guitar stuff) ...and Thin Lizzy used them too and shit if I could get that sound then I was in...

and I've still got it now.

And I try and play it every day too....


:love2: I love my guitar.

So didja play "Whiskey In The Jar" at the gargre night??

[riffer]

So didja play "Whiskey In The Jar" at the gargre night??

LOL. nice one Pete.

Unfortunately any REAL Thin Lizzy fan knows you just can't do it without two guitars.

Kinda like doing "duelling banjos" with one banjo.

... Now watch some smartarse chime in and proclaim he can play all the two part 5th harmonic solos on his own - actually I better watch it with that - last time I said something like that I had to sit by and listen to Phil Knight (Pacifier) prove to me he could play all the guitar parts from Yngwie Malmsteen's trilogy album). After an hour of pain I had to concede...

[vifferman]

It is interesting that the CN6 noted both musicians and IT pros, because it is highly possible there is a link there. One of the conductors of a production I was in once used to go on about how music is related to maths. She reckoned by learning music at a young age, you are actually teaching your kids pretty advanced maths and so these kids do well at school and (if they haven't gone off the rails and rebelled from society) will go on to do tertiary education. Bit of a generalisation I guess but there is definately some sense in it.

Mebbe. There are quite a few musos at work (IT software house), and apparently over 60% of Microsoft employees are musicians.
My kids are all very good at maths, so I'd imagine that the link is quite true. The youngest is apparently quite musically talented (according to one of his teachers), and started to learn keyboards, but gave it away after a few weeks. I think having to live up to his brother, and having his brother rubbishing him all the time didn't help. Shame though, as he's got long slender fingers which look ideal for playing.
The middle son is actually left-handed, and although I tried to get him to play a left-handed guitar, he won't have a bar of it (no pun intended). Would've made it easier for us to teach one another. Because of his keyboard training, he decided when he took up guitar that he wanted to learn it PROPERLY, which meant chord theory, position of all the notes on the fretboard, learning both classical and rock, etc. etc. I went the opposite way, and told my teacher (I had lessons for a few weeks a couple of years back) that I didn't want to learn any theory, don't want to be able to read proper musical notation, just tablature, and that I just wanted to learn some techniques and a few pieces. So I did.
I should really have lessons again, as the discipline was good (the teacher used to give me a beating every week), but having four (4!!) of us doing lessons at one stage was getting a bit pricey...

[Motu]

I'd go along with the music and maths bit - my wife is skilled in both maths and music theory...but can't add a colum of figures,she's also no muso,asked to sit in on a jam she just sits there not knowing what to do.But she can play any instrument,sight read unknown piano music and duet on her clarinet,transposing on the fly,if I ask her for a song,she will just write it down on manuscript paper,straight from her head,in any key,using the pencil to finger recorder notes.She can't believe I can't hear the difference between two notes,multiply in my head...or spell....some of us were just born stupid I reckon.

[vifferman]

She can't believe I can't hear the difference between two notes,multiply in my head...or spell....some of us were just born stupid I reckon.

Ehhhh... left brain vs. right brain stuff, I guess.
I've found that I can't play the guitar well if I think about it. When I bought my guitar after several years without one, I couldn't for the life of me remember WTF most of the fingering was for even basic chord shapes. As soon as I tried to play a song I'd known really well, and stopped thinking, I just played. I also have trouble sometimes playing and singing, because as soon as WORDS (lyrics)are involved, the old left brain goes "AHa!! This is my department!", and interferes. Shades of Homer Simpson...