Paul Gilbert has visited diggle.fsnet.co.uk

[ricdiggle]

Wow,

Just got an E-mail from Paul Gilbert of Mr. Big and Racer X fame. You know the amazing guitar player.

Said he loved the car and told me to drive safely!

Bit late for that mate but never mind!

Probably only me that's even heard of him but I was really impressed.

[Peter Cox]

Keep the good work up tricky (who the **** is he again?).

Last year, I had an email thread with a record producer from Los Angeles who wondered if I (as the ex-lead singer of "Go West") was interested in recording some new material with him (I have the emails to prove it, if anyone wants a laugh       ).

[furtive]

When is your new single coming out then?  

[Mark Stanton]

Sorry Diggle - but who the bl**** ell is Paul Gilbert  

I've heard and got stuff by Robert Johnson (The God of Guitar Gods), Clapton, Pete Green, BB King, Buddy Guy, Albert King, Keb Mo, Eric Bibb, Steve Vai, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Robert Cray, Albert Collins, Ry Cooder, Walter Trout etc etc etc but to name a few    

But Paul Gilbert    any relation to Les Paul  

[Mark Stanton]

P.S. Pete - how's your mate Richard Drummie    

[Peter Cox]

P.S. Pete - how's your mate Richard Drummie    

"...who the **** is he?" he repeated, though about someone different, possibly someone who he should have remembered. Maybe he'd been in a band with them, but ####, he couldn't remember. He was, after all, an ex-80's pop band lead singer with a bad dose of turkey and more child support summons than he could deal with (allegedly).

[ricdiggle]

Mark,

If you like Steve Vai you should also check out Joe Satriani. He taught Vai to play but has been somewhat overshadowed by him.

You know the crappy old film Crossroads about Robert Johnson? (Not the Motel soap or Britney Spears new film). It had Ry Cooder doing the guitar parts for Ralph (karate kid) Machio's character. Well, Steve Vai played the Devil's Guitar slinger in that film and he was born on the 6th day of the 6th month 1966. Weird or what?

Also check out Eric Johnson - he's like a modern day SRV but without the voice!

Now, as for Paul Gilbert, you must have heard a Mr. Big song or two? He used to play the guitar with a drill on one song. Billy Sheenan was the bass player - he used to play with Vai for David Lee Roth.

He plays an Ibanez Guitar with fake 'f' holes on it.

One last name to check out. The real guitar god of guitar gods is Adrian Legg. His CDs are like rocking horse **** but well worth searching out. He plays acoustic mainly - folky blues -sounds turdy but is unbelievable. Saw him live and realised that all the practice in the world wouldn't make a difference to my playing. I didn't touch a guitar for a year; after ten years of playing 4 hours a day. Didn't seem much point.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go and have a cry now.

[steppenwolf]

Richard,

I play the guitar (and the Autoharp for that matter) and I've visited your site too. Small World isn't it?

Err .... would you like my autograph?

[Mark Stanton]

Do I know about Crossroads or what Amy Turtle Is a goddess, sorry I got the video and soundtrack album and went to see Steve Vai last December. Video is    but Ry Cooder and Vai are   I couldn't get tickets for the Vai/Satriani concert two years or so ago

Yep got some Satriani and Eric Johnson stuff as well. Vai had Billy Sheehan with him but I just can't place Gilbert  

Adrian Legg - is he worth an investment    One advantage to being in the Black Country are the Blues gigs at The Robin Hood 1 & 2 Wolv Civic Hall and other local pubs.

Pete - Richard Drummie was your mate in Go West.

I'll get me anorak - last one out shut the door cos this is gonna be The Blues Thread - what do ya reckon Diggle  

Let them have their wheels and tyre sizes - We got the blues.

[ricdiggle]

The soundtrack is great - shame they missed off the guitar duel at the end (Eugene's Trickbag). I have the MP3 if you want it?

Legend has it that Ry Cooder wasn't able to play the parts on the above as Steve Vai wrote them.

Steve Vai and Stevie Ray Vaughan are often credited with the performance but it's actually all Vai - trust me (I'm a teacher!)

What colour is your anorak? Mines blue with a hood.

Don't even talk to me about Amy Turtle - I saw her first! 'Spose you like Kristy Swanson too - well she's mine too.

Adrian Legg is absolutley worth it. Sounds like he's playing about 8 guitars at once. He has to lubricate his hands as he plays so fast it burns his fingers. Seriously! He often re-tunes the guitar to different tunings during a song as part of the melody. Quite amazing!

I'll make a few CDs if you want and bring them to Curborough or Stoneleigh. I'll do some Paul Gilbert stuff too.

[ricdiggle]

Steve,

You aren't the famous autoharp man that comes to our school are you?

I had a go on his last time he was there and it seemed really easy. Lovely sound too. I was going to buy one off him until he told me the price.

I've just got a piano and that seems really simple too - only had it two days and I can play all-sorts already.

I reckon we're wasting our time with the guitar. It's too hard!

[Mark Stanton]

Deals a good un - I just had fitted a 10 stacker CD unit to my mobile tent and its gonna be filled with the blues, see ya at Stoneleigh.

Yep the duel was the best why not have it on CD  

Cooder is good but not in the same vein as Vai - Got him doing a live gig with a Mexican group - excellent.

I heard the rumour that SRV guested on it but also read an interview with him saying thanks for the compliment but it wasn't him.

You can have Swanson but Amy's all mine - she used to live just down the road from me - so there.

I'll be back - BLUES BEFORE SUNRISE

[ricdiggle]

I used to play in a blues band in my younger days.

We changed our name every week but my favourite was

'Cliff Rescue and the Helicopters'

Made me laugh anyway.

We even wrote lots of our own s***ty songs,

'I went out for fish and chips but came back with crabs' (song for the frustrated husband)

being my favourite.

[steppenwolf]

Richard,

You aren't the famous autoharp man that comes to our school are you?

Sadly not but they do make a beautiful sound and are easy to play. - Anorak on - I play mine is an unusual manner in that instead of it laying across my lap and being 'strummed' horizontally, I hold it semi vertically almost like a guitar and 'claw/hammer' it - anorak off -

oh my god, I feel a photograph of me 30 years ago coming on ...... oh dear its coming .... stand by, its a cracker ..

I can't believe I just posted those ...

[peterg]

Steve

Great pictures          I hope you're going to ask Nick to update the Surrey Area site with those