'Scales

First single sounds just fine to me - Americana radio friendly, straight ahead rocker with nice melody shift, cool bluesy soloing, and foot tapping beat. Decent. Cool. Nice work.

Sounds right to me Saturn - Tool would be in their 50's and GnR/Metallica about 60. I reckon so long as the singers can still hit most of the notes pretty well (or get Axl to sub in for them ) then the older acts usually put on a strong show and pace themselves well. ...and yep, its all well and good for cynics to mock them whilst still putting their own shtuff on YouTube.

too far for me too I'm afraid Rabs (hey, I don't know if I've ever used the two different versions of too in one short sentence)... anyway, that must be a mighty big 'polo club' If it were at my local pub and I only had money for one night I'd probably pick the Sunday for Too-l ( ) , but I'm sure all the bands will please the fans and the vibe would be laid back.

I'm sure I've told this true story before, but its late 1987 and I am at high school. My friend with whom I share a love of the heavier end of rock (and who is now the drummer in our band) throws me a cassette and says - see what you think of this. I have never heard of them but duly take Appetite... home and do as he requests. Next morning at school: him: so what do you think? me: these guys will be the biggest band in the world. ....nothing for 6 months or so, and then all of a sudden they were!

I very much liked Lies when it came out, and much of the Spaghetti Incident too! I have never really listened to the Illusions.... my brother bought them and I thoroughly enjoyed some songs but I struggle a bit to stay focused for long albums, let alone doubles - I definitely should make the effort to. speaking of which - Appetite for Destruction....its very easy to become jaded with familiarity, but one fine sunny day soon, when my mind feels free, I will sit outside, put it on Spotify through my excellent Samsung ear buds, and imagine its '87, I am 17 again, and hearing it for the first time ever, open my mind - and really listen....

I was never into pop or country music so couldn't comment on those, but am happy to share that round my area there are a lot of rock bands of many styles (punk, metal, alternative/indie, psychedelic, grunge, thrash... etc etc) of original music and its a mix of all ages. My band has played gigs this year on the same bill as 'kids' 18-22 and regular young bands through to those aged 60 - and its all been good guitar oriented rock. Many of these bands do record (which seems easier to achieve these days) and promote their music but its all independent of course, so only played on local stations...but assuming the same thing is going on in cities and country town all over, then rock (and other) music seems as strong as ever at the grass roots level. I don't listen to mainstream music stations (but then I never did) but what I hear occasionally seems like what you all said - same-y and repetitive uninspired formulas - but there is more to music than the mainstream radio - especially nowadays when there would be next to no promotion - do mid-sized record companies still exist?. I think many kids still play instruments - my own kids don't play in bands but both learned instruments, at least 4 of my 6 nephews play and 2 are probably better guitarists than anyone here, and my great old friend our band's drummer's son is already a great drummer (in bands) just turned 18. Possibly not as high a percentage of kids play an instrument as back in my day - though I'm not certain of that, but neither am I certain that if we had all had the lures of computer gaming in particular and many other modern options that we'd have all spent as much of our leisure time getting into music either (?)... so there is still some good news for the want of looking!

reckon Neil just loves writing and recording music - a nice life if you can do it. He must have put out an album a year for last 50+ years! Most of them I've never heard...but hey, with Spotify maybe its time for an NY binge sooner or later - I haven't really listened to much after Ragged Glory and Harvest Moon - I'm sure there's been some good stuff in the last 30 years too Beside Harvest and Tonight's the Night (totally agree) - my highly honourable mentions would include Re-ac-tor, Freedom, and the first 2 albums (Neil Young and Everybody Knows...). I saw Neil live in '89 in Australia when he was touring the Freedom album (first time I ever heard Rockin' in the Free World was from the very man himself live in Brisbane ) - as teenagers we thought he seemed so old for a guy who rocked out hard....he was 43 at the time...

all this discussion....I'm almost starting to get a bit excited about a Stones album for the first time in decades now

I'm in Oz and and only really listed to a bit of Oasis in those days (though I've heard of the others - can't believe I never heard any Radiohead cos their stuff sold pretty well down here I believe) - I didn't mind a couple of songs by the Verve who I assume were also part of the same skinny wasted looking dudes UK 90's music scene?

I tried to... and I also had a one word review, only it wasn't near as polite as yours. (Thankfully 18 minute songs have lots of opportunity for fast forward ) ...which all goes to prove the point you made - different strokes for different folks - and thank goodness cos otherwise it would be a boring musical world. girl in shorts, you say?

I seem to be missing the problem there Sarge (if indeed there is one you are pointing out) - people within their organisation support them to make an album, they play some rock shows in lots of places, folks sell some stuff to those who want to buy it, lots of people show up at their performances....that's all good isn't it?

That was a good album, and for me American III was even better...mind you its been more than 5 years since any of the Stones was as young as Johnny was then!

Nice looking guitar Sparky. By the way, I think that actually is a Leo Bowler 100 signature model - from memory Leo was some dude who had a YouTube channel or something really important like that

why?...my guess is that they probably just enjoy hanging out and playing at being rock stars every so often, much like my band when we get together for a jam this weekend...a few tunes, a few beers... I don't think the Stones have much more delusion of relevance than we do - though some promoter will probably cash in somewhere down the road but so what. I'll probably have a listen to a few tracks just out of mild interest like millions of others. and why not? If there's an age where you have to stop playing in a band and start wearing slippers all day and complaining about everything and everyone I'm hoping I already missed it!

Indeed. I've seen videos of Richard playing outside of GnR and I really liked his style. GnR actually had some awesome guitarists over the years but relatively few people noticed them amongst all the bs that went with the band.

Hi gerv, as you said you are new to electrics, its worth noting that there are a significant number of fake Les Paul's of oriental origin out there, and you will unlikely be able to tell the difference at first sight - unless its dirt cheap which is a bit of a telltale - reputable dealers might be a good place to consider.

Just finished watching PiL doco - and I really quite enjoyed that. Not a band I'm too familiar with but they didn't seem to try and fit in with what others were doing and got (and kept) a large and loyal following worldwide for it. Their music isn't really what I'd choose to listen to, but I can hear how they influenced many others with songs like Public Image...and for all that they were, the same old sh!t most of us have been through with quitting's and firings and substances etc ... anyhoo, good luck to the man, I reckon I'd enjoy having a beer or two with him from what i saw and heard.

Their music seems pretty appropriate for the time but not all that ear-catching. ..hey, they played Carnegie Hall though. The guitarist (as older lady) has a physical resemblance to (older man) Jimmy Page to my eyes

watching Fanny right now...amazing times in those days in those places. I'll probably watch The Public Image is Rotten during the next few days - both docos are on public TV here in Oz.

lovely - if a Strat ever followed me home, one just like that would probably be it

I was thinking to myself just the other day that AI might in fact be the last best chance for long term continuance of tolerable society in times to come - albeit with some damned unpleasant stuff to suffer through in the interim... Then I thought of other things.

we had the best down here in Oz around 1976 - most notably The Saints and Radio Birdman, though many others too. The aforementioned didn't call themselves punk of course, but the media was and remains a law unto itself... great bands though!

SG, Flying V, Explorer

I can relate to your feelings. I drive a 2000 model Toyota Avalon, which is actually the 1995 US model where they shipped the tooling to Australia in 2000 and tried to pass it off as a new design ...which it clearly wasn't, but they were big and fairly cheap. We got this one in 2007 with extremely low milage for a third of what it cost new. This car has basically given me no trouble in the 16 years and (I'll use US figures) 180k miles I've owned it. It is comfortable, has the biggest trunk/boot and best aircon of any car I've known or ridden in and can carry 3 adults in the back seat in total leg stretching comfort. It has a main seal leak which has been there for years and doesn't quite stop it passing inspections each year but otherwise just cheap consumable parts required. It will cost me a few hundred for a couple of (much needed) brake pads and 2 tires shortly to get it registered again this year, plus an annual service so say $1000 all up, and that's it other than tax. insurance and fuel. My 20yo son works in the city and bought exactly the same model a couple years ago with only 100k miles on the clock - we both pay very little in insurance as our cars would be the last ones any thief would look at. The old 3000 V6 still runs smooth whilst not exactly fast or economical by modern standards is just fine. I'd really get more value out of a smallish SUV like a Rav4 but my ego is car-proof and virtually all my cars have gone to the graveyard (or dirt track racers) over the years rather than being sold - ya don't get an old pet put down when it its still getting around ok it seems with me and cars! I keep saying I'll get something nice when this becomes uneconomic but it just keeps going. When I do, it'll likely be another Toyota - and heck, I've always liked cars...but I guess the Toyotas we've owned have been so reliable that that's worth more to me than pretending I look cool and there's some perverse pleasure in watching others ride around in their 'cool' looking debts whilst driving this and knowing I could get anything if I particularly wanted... So unless its completely uneconomic, I say make it 34 years and keep smiling!

yup - JPS, Camus etc on regular rotation for years (plus Henry Miller, Bukowski, Joe Bageant...man, I need to buy some new books!)