Remembering Jim Dunlop, 1936–2019: Founder of Dunlop Manufacturing and enormously influential innovator of picks, capos, and other guitar accessories, Jim dedicated his life to making it easier and more enjoyable for musicians to express themselves. Driven by a fearless, innovative spirit, he tirelessly sought out ways to improve and expand the options available to players around the world. Today, we remember his contribution to music history."
Rest In Peace Joe Hardy.
His comment about Joe being like a cat walking on hind legs!
Not often we go high-brow here, but sad to hear of Andre Previn's passing He was a German-American pianist, conductor, and composer. Previn won four Academy Awards for his film work and ten Grammy Awards for his recordings (and one more for his Lifetime Achievement).
In 1938, his Jewish family left Berlin and via Paris sailed to New York on October 20 and from there to Los Angeles on November 26. His father's second cousin Charles Previn, was music director for Universal. André grew up in Los Angeles and became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1943. At Previn's 1946 graduation from Beverly Hills High School he played a musical duet with Richard M. Sherman; Previn played the piano, accompanying Sherman (who played flute). Coincidentally, both composers won 1964 Oscars for different films, both winning in musical categories.
Previn was nominated for 11 Academy Awards. He won four times, in 1958, 1959, 1963 and 1964. He is one of few composers to have accomplished the feat of winning back-to-back Oscars, and one of only two to have done so on two occasions (the other being Alfred Newman). Previn was the only person in the history of the Academy Awards to receive three nominations in one year (1961). In 1970 he was nominated for a Tony Award as part of Coco's nomination for Best Musical. In 1977 he became an Honorary Member of the Royal Academy of Music. The 1977 television show Previn and the Pittsburgh was nominated for three Emmy awards.
Previn was appointed an honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1996.(Not being a citizen of a Commonwealth realm, he was permitted to use the post-nominal letters KBE but was not called "Sir André".) Previn received the Kennedy Center Honors in 1998 in recognition of his contributions to classical music and opera in the United States. In 2005 he was awarded the international Glenn Gould Prize and in 2008 won Gramophone magazine's Lifetime Achievement Award for his work in classical, film, and jazz music. In 2010, the Recording Academy honoured Previn with a Lifetime Achievement Grammy.
Keith Flint lead vocals for Prodigy. Not really my cup of tea but the kids played them all the time growing up. Wish I had a pound for every time I heard Firestarter!
Oh no. So sorry to hear one of our best Bonabuds is gone.
I only knew him via his posts here ... and his Avatar ... and must admit ... was a bit intimidated as a Freshman member here ... if I saw a reply to a post I made. This was more because of his Avatar picture ... with his glasses on ... cool ... but intimidating ... than because of his posts. I always enjoyed seeing his posts in the Actives ... with his musical perspective / history coloring his words.
Oh no!! Big Jeff always had some witty post on the forum, my condolences to his entire family. Im really taken back from this, thanks Cathy for posting.
Bernie Tormé (born Bernard Joseph Tormey; 18 March 1952 – 17 March 2019) R.I.P.
Very sad to have just learned that Irish guitar-slinger passed at the week-end of virulent double pneumonia".He died on 17 March a day shy of his 67 birthday.
Inspired by the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Rory Gallagher, and Gary Moore, Tormé formed his first band at a young age. His first paid performance came when Don Harris, a 14-year-old drummer he played alongside when he was 17, secured a gig at the local Girl Guides' dance in Kilmainham in Dublin. Tormé then played in Dublin band The Urge in the early 1970s before relocating to London in 1974, where he initially played with heavy rockers Scrapyard, whose bass player, John McCoy would later be re-united with Tormé in Gillan. Inspired by England's burgeoning mid-1970s punk rock scene, Tormé formed the Bernie Tormé Band in 1976. With this group, Tormé toured with successful groups of that period such as The Boomtown Rats and Billy Idol's Generation X, among many others. Tormé later revealed that his band secured the supporting slot with the Boomtown Rats by agreeing to go around London putting up posters advertising the tour.
In 1981 Tormé left Gillan, citing frustration over a lack of money despite the success the band was seeing. He was replaced by guitarist Janick Gers. He played as a live session man for Atomic Rooster and was hired in March 1982 by Jet Records to replace the recently deceased Randy Rhoads in Ozzy Osbourne's band. Tormé flew from England to Los Angeles with the promise that the job was his, even being paid an advance by Jet before leaving England. Though Osbourne had already settled on Robert Sarzo to replace Rhoads, he was forced to abide by the record company's decision and Tormé began rehearsing with the band. After only a handful of shows it became apparent that Tormé's bluesy style was not a good match for Osbourne's brand of heavy metal, and he elected to return to England to continue work on a solo album. He was quickly replaced by Brad Gillis and the tour continued.
Beginning in 1982 Tormé led his own band under various names and lineups (including a version of Torme with singer Phil Lewis, formerly of Girl and later with LA Guns). Tormé spent several years with the band Desperado with former Twisted Sister singer Dee Snider. Although the record saw limited release, Snider re-used a number of the songs for a subsequent project, Widowmaker (not to be confused with the 1970s English band of the same name). Tormé also played guitar on René Berg's solo album, The Leather, The Loneliness And Your Dark Eyes, released in 1992. In addition to the continued release of new Tormé recordings and re-issuance of his back catalogue titles, Tormé also became involved with the 'Silver' project, which also included former Michael Schenker Group vocalist Gary Barden.
In 2006, Tormé announced the formation of Guy McCoy Tormé (aka "G.M.T"), with former Gillan bassist John McCoy and drummer Robin Guy. In 2007, Tormé contributed lead guitar and sitar parts to "Smile In Denial", track #4 of Yoni, a solo album from Wildhearts frontman Ginger.
Of pertinent interest on the form, Bernie was the producer of Ben Poole's debut EP Everything I Want.
Bernie had only recently release his latest album 'Shadowland', featuring drummer Mik Gaffney (The Last Resort) and Sy Morton on bass in November 2018 after which the trio was planning on heading out on Bernie's 'Final Fling' tour starting on November 22nd. This was to be a final tour due to the pain of 40years wear & tear on his body though he did plan to continue recording. Sadly Shadowland is his swan-song.
Dave started out as a DJ in Newcastle under the name Dave the Rave and progressed through the ranks to working for the Forces Radio. I personally liked his Youtube where he would invite blues artists to do a session on his boat on the Thames.
Dave's involvement with the UKBlues Federation of which he was a founding Board member and Treasurer, was hugely influential and important to the Federation and played no small part in the UKBlues Federation being the organisation it is today, less than four years after it was created.
"Saying goodbye to a loved one is always a difficult affair and yesterday was no different. Yes there were tears and sorrow as we bid a beautiful man farewell, but there was also much love and joy at being part of a very special community. One is always reserved on these occasions, particularly when the man that has left us was taken so young and the feeling of loss is so great. But come the day, come the man and when that man is of the calibre of Alex Fothergill reality will be checked. Whilst his many stories of growing up with his kid brother left us all thoroughly entertained, his summary of how Jules wanted us to approach life in the aftermath was so pertinent. Live life to the full, do not be sad and seek out all those nuggets of happiness that lay around us and we all take for granted. How typically Jules that was. Even in his darkest hours he cared about US. Those that would be here after his passing, those that still had the opportunity to live and hug those they loved and those who just don't know how bloody luck they are.
Oh and he also wanted us to get checked out for the evil YOUCANTSAYTHATHERE of a disease that took this wonderful boy from us all. So, if you've got that niggle you cannot explain, or there are other tell tell signs you are ignoring, get it sorted; we have been told.
So today is a new day. The first day of a new life where friends and families will start again without this beautiful man in our lives. So let's live it and live it to the full. Let's grasp every opportunity we can with both hands and let's do it with gusto. Oh and while we are doing it, let's Shine, Shine, Shine…....he'd have liked that.
It never got closer to home then on Friday night, when the sad news of Johnnies passing spread over the internet and to every corner of the North East. I was in the Cluny when I was told, Jonnnie's died; the words that passed people's lips before anything else.
You might not know the name, but in the North East he was the God Father of blues slide .
Severe illness (9 mths in the ICU) dogged his later years, but he was still revered in the highest of guitar circles.
Scott Walker (Jan 1943 - March 2019) R.I.P.
News is just breaking of the death of one of the great voices of contemporary music, The Walker Brothers star Scott Walker has died aged 76, his record label said.
The US pop trio enjoyed hits like The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore and Make It Easy On Yourself in the 1960s. The band moved to Britain and at one point their fame in their adopted country rivalled that of The Beatles.
Listened to some of Scott Walker and remember his two big hits from the Sixties. A very talented singer who influenced people like David Bowie.
A once crowded room has thinned considerably.