The other day I was reminiscing about the “Ripper” days of Judas Priest. In the late 90s, Tim “Ripper” Owens joined the band, replacing singer Rob Halford after leaving. But Ripper only stayed with them 7 years. So why did Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens leave Judas Priest? Here’s what I know from being a long-time fan: … Read more
Left-handed guitars are harder to find. So for natural lefties who want to learn guitar, picking a side can be troublesome. So, they often wonder: Can a lefty play a right-handed guitar? Here is what I have found from talking to left-hand guitarists: Left-handed guitarists can play a right-handed guitar either by holding their guitars … Read more
Jimi Hendrix is, without question, one of the greatest musical artists the world has ever known. Even his bio in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame states he is “…arguably the greatest instrumentalist in the history of rock music.” So what made Jimi Hendrix so good at guitar? Here’s what I know being a … Read more
If you are a fan of modern music, you may have noticed that some acts sound similar. This can be heard when listening to Fall Out Boy alongside Panic! at the Disco. The two groups are different, but why do Fall Out Boy and Panic! at the Disco sound the same? Here’s what I know … Read more
The widespread use of autotune has caused music listeners to question all artists about their potential use of autotune. Michael Jackson, who is known as the King of Pop, got his start before technology was heavily utilized. So did Michael Jackson use autotune? Here’s what I know from looking into it: Most of Michael Jackson’s … Read more
The impact John Lennon made on the music world is evidenced by the 350+ songs that he wrote and recorded during his career. There is no question that he was an incredible musician, but Did John Lennon have perfect pitch? Here’s what I know from being a long-time Beatles fan: John Lennon did not have … Read more
Everyone thinks of Rob Halford when they think of Judas Priest. But singer Tim “Ripper” Owens temporarily replaced him from 1996 until 2003 and was much younger with a similar voice. So is Tim “Ripper” Owens a better singer than Rob Halford? Here’s what I think, having listened to both: Technically speaking, Owens is a … Read more
We know that left-handed people are about 10% of the population. But not everyone plays guitar. So, I wondered, are left-handed guitarists rare? Here is what I found from my research: 1-2 guitarists out of 70 will be left-handed. 1 in 7 people play guitar, and 10% to 20% of those guitarists will be left-handed. … Read more
Fans of the Ramones know that Johnny Ramone was the king of the barre-chord, playing downstroke chords at breakneck speed. But starting with their 4th album, guitar solos began appearing. Did Johnny Ramone play the guitar solos? Here’s what I know from being a fan for more than 40 years: Johnny Ramone did not play … Read more
Panic! at the Disco is one of the most successful emo bands to come out over the past 15 years. But there have also been significant changes in its lineup since its inception. Specifically, fans often want to know why did Ryan and Jon leave Panic! at the Disco? Here’s what I’ve learned: Jon Walker … Read more