Well, I'm flattered. All I can say about rehearsals is everyone's really happy, getting along great and excited.

Makes me a little nervous as to how Alan didnt speak to the Betts question

I clicked on the Forum and there was your name, Alan.

It was funny as I had thought of a thread for Andy and yourself about your work.

My wife and I have been trying to clear out some things. I have a room in the house that was off limits to kids/wives and anyone not invited in. I just kept putting more into that room until it is ready to burst.

So I start going through things and then that always distracts me from the task at hand. I have collected guitar magazines/books for almost as long as I have been alive. I start going through magazines and I realized a few things.

First - that I was never going to finish anything with 50+ years worth of guitar magazines to read.

Second - I honestly wasn't taking full notice of who wrote various articles of the years. As I go back in time, I have to say that Alan Paul is an incredible writer. You also covered all the artists that I like over the years. Incredible taste in music and subject matter. I raise my glass to you in praise. Your body of work is impressive.

Third - Andy Aledort may be one of the most under rated influences on guitar ever. He has lessons, articles and transcribes songs going back a long way. Sustaining a career in not only music but journalism also is beyond impressive. Then throw in the ability to transcribe all of these classic songs so that millions of guitar players can learn them. And the artists that he covered are again, the class acts of music and guitar.

Aside from transcribing songs, he was part of the cutting edge of notation and providing numbers for those challenged/intimidated by conventional notation.

Toss is all of the various Monthly Lessons under various titles over the years. In an era dating before the internet, you were "The Teacher" for the masses. Incredible accomplishment and more important - you gave the Gift Of Music/Guitar to so many. If you were to ask all guitar players if they had ever learned from a lesson, article and/or transcription - They would all say - YES.

Throw in all the various videos made and again lessons learned. He deserves the HOF based on Influence.

Haven't even mentioned their books.

Thank you to both of you guys.

Anyone want to buy a few hundred pounds of guitar magazines?

Wife yells downstairs to me, battling the music to be heard," What are you doing?".

"Cleaning up and sorting things to make some space and get rid of stuff like you asked me to." I lie as I turn the page and start an article Andy wrote about and with Johnny Winter.

Again you should both be very proud. Great work and even more impressive as I slowly connect the dots.

Al Paul - can you give us a tease? Any add'l guests, etc still torn about taking 2 days off and heading to the city
with virus and work concerns.

Makes me a little nervous as to how Alan didnt speak to the Betts question

What makes you nervous? He was invited and declined. I believe his manager said he can't fly right now. I have not spoken to Dickey or seen him since his 2018 shows. Duane says he's doing well and I wish him all the best. I honestly have no inside info.

I have to say that Alan Paul is an incredible writer. You also covered all the artists that I like over the years. Incredible taste in music and subject matter. I raise my glass to you in praise. Your body of work is impressive.

Thank you very much. I hope we can have a drink some day and swap some tales from the trenches It's been a good run and there were some years when I wondered what the hell I was doing with my life. when OWO came out and did events, went to Wanee, Peach etc and met people who read those articles I was cranking out for years... it was very gratifying and honestly a bit surprising. I did the work for myself and my respect for the artists and because it was my job and I took it seriously. I never quite knew how or if it was being received out there.

Andy Aledort may be one of the most under rated influences on guitar ever. He has lessons, articles and transcribes songs going back a long way. Sustaining a career in not only music but journalism also is beyond impressive. Then throw in the ability to transcribe all of these classic songs so that millions of guitar players can learn them. And the artists that he covered are again, the class acts of music and guitar.

I completely agree. Andy is one of the most influential guitarists of the past 30 years. It's something someone either understands or doesn't. I've known this for a long time, but doing so many events with Andy since TF was released and watching his interactions with so many and hearing their stories ahs again just reinforced this.

can you give us a tease?

No.

The rehearsals have mostly been closed for one thing and I have not heard a lot. And any ability to know things is predicated on not leaking! But everyone is really happy. That's enough to know. I'm increasingly excited.

Alan Paul, whee loves this music and, wheeiz lucky to have You!!!........Thanks........Peace......Joe

hey Canadian mule--

Thanks so much for the very kind words, and thanks for contributing to our SRV book. I know it's hard to clear out all those mags--I do it in a "decade by decade" method, sort of (meaning, I still have a bunch!).

All the best!

Andy

I clicked on the Forum and there was your name, Alan.

It was funny as I had thought of a thread for Andy and yourself about your work.

My wife and I have been trying to clear out some things. I have a room in the house that was off limits to kids/wives and anyone not invited in. I just kept putting more into that room until it is ready to burst.

So I start going through things and then that always distracts me from the task at hand. I have collected guitar magazines/books for almost as long as I have been alive. I start going through magazines and I realized a few things.

First - that I was never going to finish anything with 50+ years worth of guitar magazines to read.

Second - I honestly wasn't taking full notice of who wrote various articles of the years. As I go back in time, I have to say that Alan Paul is an incredible writer. You also covered all the artists that I like over the years. Incredible taste in music and subject matter. I raise my glass to you in praise. Your body of work is impressive.

Third - Andy Aledort may be one of the most under rated influences on guitar ever. He has lessons, articles and transcribes songs going back a long way. Sustaining a career in not only music but journalism also is beyond impressive. Then throw in the ability to transcribe all of these classic songs so that millions of guitar players can learn them. And the artists that he covered are again, the class acts of music and guitar.

Aside from transcribing songs, he was part of the cutting edge of notation and providing numbers for those challenged/intimidated by conventional notation.

Toss is all of the various Monthly Lessons under various titles over the years. In an era dating before the internet, you were "The Teacher" for the masses. Incredible accomplishment and more important - you gave the Gift Of Music/Guitar to so many. If you were to ask all guitar players if they had ever learned from a lesson, article and/or transcription - They would all say - YES.

Throw in all the various videos made and again lessons learned. He deserves the HOF based on Influence.

Haven't even mentioned their books.

Thank you to both of you guys.

Anyone want to buy a few hundred pounds of guitar magazines?

Wife yells downstairs to me, battling the music to be heard," What are you doing?".

"Cleaning up and sorting things to make some space and get rid of stuff like you asked me to." I lie as I turn the page and start an article Andy wrote about and with Johnny Winter.

Again you should both be very proud. Great work and even more impressive as I slowly connect the dots.

Third - Andy Aledort may be one of the most under rated influences on guitar ever. He has lessons, articles and transcribes songs going back a long way. Sustaining a career in not only music but journalism also is beyond impressive. Then throw in the ability to transcribe all of these classic songs so that millions of guitar players can learn them. And the artists that he covered are again, the class acts of music and guitar.

Aside from transcribing songs, he was part of the cutting edge of notation and providing numbers for those challenged/intimidated by conventional notation.

Toss is all of the various Monthly Lessons under various titles over the years. In an era dating before the internet, you were "The Teacher" for the masses. Incredible accomplishment and more important - you gave the Gift Of Music/Guitar to so many. If you were to ask all guitar players if they had ever learned from a lesson, article and/or transcription - They would all say - YES.

Throw in all the various videos made and again lessons learned. He deserves the HOF based on Influence.

Truer words could not be spoken. I have learned and absorbed a lot of stuff courtesy of the above. I have been an avid reader of those mag's for years and still am.

Awhile back I was going through some old ones, always something to be had in there. I have held on to a good portion. I doubt I will give them up. My wife and I are in the process of converting one of our kids bedrooms (that moved out and is a young adult now) to a library type study den room. We are both book readers and other publications also. I still like my hardcopies and newspapers!!

Makes me a little nervous as to how Alan didnt speak to the Betts question

What makes you nervous? He was invited and declined. I believe his manager said he can't fly right now. I have not spoken to Dickey or seen him since his 2018 shows. Duane says he's doing well and I wish him all the best. I honestly have no inside info.

Whenever he CAN fly he should not go to JFK. Go to ISP and take a limo. [safer with the Corona virus]. There are direct 2 hour flights from many Florida cities. Go to Southwest Airlines and look into it.

Makes me a little nervous as to how Alan didnt speak to the Betts question

What makes you nervous? He was invited and declined. I believe his manager said he can't fly right now. I have not spoken to Dickey or seen him since his 2018 shows. Duane says he's doing well and I wish him all the best. I honestly have no inside info.

Whenever he CAN fly he should not go to JFK. Go to ISP and take a limo. [safer with the Corona virus]. There are direct 2 hour flights from many Florida cities. Go to Southwest Airlines and look into it.

Just STOP IT already.

You aren't any sort of public health guru no matter what signals your tinfoil hijab is picking up.

hey Canadian mule--

Thanks so much for the very kind words, and thanks for contributing to our SRV book. I know it's hard to clear out all those mags--I do it in a "decade by decade" method, sort of (meaning, I still have a bunch!).

All the best!

Andy

Every word is well deserved. Before the Internet, you were the only help out there for many players along with a few others of course. But you are a constant through all the years. I have no idea how many magazines you were selling back then but with each issue, you entered so many homes and enlightened the masses.

Impressive. How many guys/girls nailed solos in cover bands because you taught them? How many guitar masters hide in basements but can wail away because of your columns?

As for the magazines, I made two piles. Then one pile as I put them all back. LOL

As for the SRV book, it is my honor. Stevie was a great guy and you two made him proud. I expected no less really but you out did yourselves. Hats off to you both.

First time that he played Montreal, he played the Olympic Stadium. I can't even remember if the first album was released. If it was then it had just been released. He was the first of four acts. SRV, Peter Tosh, Talking Heads and The Police.

I was at the hotel in the afternoon and ended up with Peter Tosh and his crew. The entire floor of the hotel was a cloud of smoke with Rastas walking from room to room carry baseball bat sized joints. LOL

Now I liked Peter Tosh but the Talking Heads and Police - not my thing really. The Police at the time could not be escaped especially in radio. Had to play that sh*t to death. Drove me nuts. But the real reason I was there was to see this new guy that quit Bowie's band. All the hype surrounded him leaving Bowie and they described him as a blend of Hendrix and Johnny Winter in press packages.

Poor guy gets no sound check. He is playing a gigantic toilet bowl with the worst sound at the best of times. SRV is up there laying it down. Intense, guitar flying around, classic guitar faces, behind the back, with the teeth - he did it all. And I could not hear a single note. It f'n looked good. Occasionally some high pitched note would echo around the building.

It didn't matter - I was sold. Now hanging with Tosh may have helped me absolutely love a guy that I didn't actually hear. But I knew immediately that I was going to love this guy once I could actually hear him. Then as I didn't care about the Talking Heads or The Police, my buddy and I headed backstage to meet this guy. Always great when the person turns out to be a genuinely nice person.

My buddy still swears that SRV carried his amp out himself and had no sound check as everyone else ran late with theirs. I came later so can't verify but I don't really remember a crew either.

Stevie returned to Montreal not long after and played a club. It is one of the most traded SRV shows out there. I heard him loud and clear that night and still listen to the show to this day.

Caught every possible show after that and saw some absolutely amazing shows/tours. SRV/Jeff Beck and Jeff Healey among many. Amazing moments like the one I mentioned to Alan when you guys were working on the book. (If you don't know the tale then you didn't buy the book - you should)

All those moments and all because of a show where I couldn't hear him. Thanks to Peter Tosh. Finding the elevator later that night while back on Tosh's floor is an adventure worthy of a book. LOL

I think