Alan Shenton

What happened to being dangerous?

admin — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 13:03:53 +0000

“Today’s young artists have grown up thinking that being famous is the goal, not to be respected – not to be dangerous” Billy Corgan.

It couldn’t have been said better! Billy Corgan recently ranted this at SXSW, in Austin, Texas.

I wish to be respected, to be dangerous…

Read the rest of the article here: Billy Corgan Rants about ‘Posers’ at SXSW

Nick Cave’s letter to MTV

admin — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 07:54:08 +0000

Somebody directed me to this article, which is such an interesting read! I’m not here to agree or disagree with his stance, but look how well Nick Cave wrote this & hear his conviction & adoration of his musicality! Read his letter that he wrote to MTV way back in ’96 here. Food for thought much?!

http://www.nick-cave.com/mtv/mtv.shtml

Telecaster Pro

admin — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 15:03:09 +0000

A new Telecaster to add to my collection. Every year, the Fender Custom Shop, take the most requested specs of the year and put them all together in one guitar: The 2011 Telecaster Pro. It has a 100 Year Old Pine body & a large ‘C’ shape neck of quatersawn maple. It’s got two Fender Custom Shop pickups, one of which is a ‘Twisted Tele,’ the other a ‘Master Design’ by Paul Waller. It has a Closet Classic finish, but most of all it just sounds good!! It has amazing feel and a little bit of its own distinct ‘mid-range’ sound while still been fully capable of taking the enamel off your teeth, as a Tele should;)

I have a pretty decent guitar-boner now;) A huge thank you to Fender and Music Connection for this!!!

Talent – The lines are so blurred, let’s use the term loosely…

admin — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 20:55:43 +0000

Dr Z Remedy

admin — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 20:34:28 +0000

The sweetest sounding guitar amp ever made?! Man alive I love this thing…with pedals, without pedals, soft or deafening, Full-Power or Half-Power…it just sounds amazing! Just like a real Plexi but better; check out the specs:

Dr Z Remedy
Power Output: 40 Watts/20 Watts switchable
Output Tubes: 4 – 6V6
Preamp Tubes: 3 – 12AX7
Rectifier: Solid State
Controls: Volume High, Volume Low, Bass, Middle, Treble

Tele, tele, tele….

admin — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 20:02:03 +0000

I love Telecaster’s so damn much!!! These are my favorite of what the Fender Custom Shop in California is currently offering: (the ‘Boracha’ is technically a Jazzmaster, but is inspired by a ‘La Cabronita’ Tele® & has the headstock;)

Limited Wildwood “10″ 1959 Relic® Telecaster® Custom

1967 Relic® Telecaster®
Limited Relic® Bigsby® Telecaster®

Limited Edition La Cabronita “Boracha” Jazzmaster®

Yes, a coffee shop…

admin — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 17:29:08 +0000

Someone asked me today, “how come i’m 25 years old and i work in a coffee shop?” The answer is simple really. Or not. I am a musician, a barista, a video editor, and a studio/producer manager. I would not want to give up any one of my above ‘loves’ to be confined to one thing! Being able to play music all the time, is something which i am truly honored to do. Being able to work in a coffee shop/deli and enjoy the finer things in life, like amazing coffee and fine food, whilst meeting some of Joburg’s most interesting people is so much more than rewarding! Being able to create, edit, distort and recreate reality in an edit suite, has taught me patience, and a love for a medium which i knew little about. Managing a professional recording studio, means I get to be directly involved with other like minded individuals on a daily basis, who are passionate about creating & sharing music, in an environment that is a business, however a creative business, a business of creative thought. There are no boundaries as to what I am prepared to do, to live and enjoy my life. So my question to you, Anonymous, is: “Why are YOU, NOT working in a coffee shop at 25?”

Hotel California

admin — Fri, 13 May 2011 22:06:07 +0000

Last day in California! I have learnt many things! JHB hardly has homeless Dresden people compared to SF & LA! Driving on the wrong side of the road is pretty crazy, but easy! Driving in snow is hardly different! Tahoe is beautiful! Vegas is fun for only 1 night, or if you have endless money! Small town America is like the Karoo with ghost mining towns! Tax isn’t included, & is different in every state! Eveytime you turn on the radio, Hotel California is playing. Hank Moody isn’t driving around in his black Porsche all the time! Dresden solo man on Venice Beach plays guitar solo’s 24/7 whilst on his fruit boots! West Hollywood is called ‘boytown’ for a reason I do not wish to disclose! SA has much prettier girls! Russian cab drivers ‘rig’ the meters! You pay for parking everywhere, except Vegas! Blue Bottle coffee is the best! Starbucks sucks badly, but the ‘free’ wifi is essentially what you are paying for. It’s always 4pm in LA, & the sunsets are beautiful! Angels & Kings is a damn rad club on Hollywood blvd with a plastic impala with AK 47′s coming out of it’s horns!!! Um, that’s about all I can say about that for now! Damn good times with Darren Leader Andrew Maskell Gregory Ross Carlin Wrighteous Mike Ryan Fray Findlay and a bunch of other crazy Noonga’s on the way!

a million little pieces

admin — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 19:43:18 +0000

The Young Mam came to the Old Man seeking counsel. ‘I broke something, Old Man. How badly is it broken? It’s in a million little pieces. I’m afraid I can’t help you. Why? There’s nothing you can do. Why? It can’t be fixed! Why? It’s broken beyond repair. It’s in a million little pieces’

James Frey

We are what we do?

admin — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 11:37:27 +0000

We all like to believe “we are what we do” until of course we do something completely out of character, and furthermore get caught up in this. Point fingers if you will, I know a time will come when everyone does something out of character. I’ll be the first to make sure I don’t point a finger at you.