Interesting Book: Power Chord by Thomas Scott McKenzie

[brenn]

Being in Afghanistan, I get my reading material mainly from online library checkouts. I was looking through books in the Army Digital Library and found this one and, a few chapters in, it's pretty interesting.
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I picked it up because it's about guitars and the author is from a small town a few miles from me. He's a guy who loves guitars, and owns a bunch, but can't play, and he tells the story of his quest to meet and get guitar lessons and interviews from his heavy metal/glam metal guitar heroes. He seems to be an especially big KISS fan. Mainly, he's an entertaining writer.

May or may not be interesting to you, but I found a lot of similarities to my life, aside from both being Kentuckians. Like him, I always wanted to be a guitarist, from early childhood, but never had the patience and concentration to really learn and, after owning many guitars, I didn't start actually playing until I was in my late 20's.

So, anyhow, here's the guy's web page:
http://thomasscottmckenzie.com/?themebros_portfolio=power-chord

 

[Sharp5]

Very cool.

And thanks for what you do! Merry Christmas.

 

[kevoz]

Thanks Brenn, sounds very interesting. There's a big void in the market for this type of thing. Bit of a KIss fan here.

 

[brenn]

In my teens, I went more toward the punk rock, but this book has got me looking up Kiss and Scorpions videos from the 70's and 80's on Youtube. I can relate to McKenzie's childhood plan to become a guitar hero either by getting super powers or by finding a magic guitar.

 

[telestratosonic]

Interesting. It's never too late to learn to play an instrument. Merry Christmas and be careful over there.

 

[brenn]

I've read over half of Power Chord, so far. Great book. It's chapter after chapter of McKenzie talking to guitar greats and telling about their lives and how they became guitarists and their advice to oother musicians and such, but it's written in such a way that it's really enjoyable to read. The guys he's talking to, Steve Vai, Warren Demartini, Oz Fox, Stavey Blades, etc. are not my favorite guitarists (although he spends plenty of time on Ace Frehley, who may have been my earliest inspiration) but reading their stories has me checking out trhe pointy guitars on Ebay. I have been listening to 80's metal and Kiss on youtube while I read.

I f you like guitars or 80's metal at all (don't have to love both) you'll like this. Just reading the stories of how those guys all came together, like Warren Demartinin sitting around on the floor with Jake E. Lee coming up with the music for Bark at the Moon and Round and Round (in the chapter I'm on now) is pretty cool. It's making me wish I hadn't mailed my guitar home.

 

[Rasmuth]

love Warren DeMartini...on over the most underrated great players out there.

 

[brenn]

I just got to the Chapter about John 5 and his Telecaster collection, so if anybody is strictly a Tele fan, there is something in the book for you. Just finished a good chapter about McKenzie going to Rock & Roll Fantasy Camp and playing with Rudy Sarzo and Ace Frehley, even though he couldn't really play guitar and a sad chapter about Vinnie Vincent. There is kind of a sad undercurrent in some of the stuff, talking to some guys who were on top of the world and lost it all. But, over all, it's pretty inspirational from my point of view as a guitarist who has nearly quit playing. Now I'm getting the urge to really get back into it.