Review: "The Life of Kid Grayson"

Barry Miller debut novel "The Life of Kid Grayson" is the best indie debut I've ever read.

Chock full of history and music, Barry brings the story to life with his expert use of the pen, weaving words into images, transporting the reader like few writers can really do. In the case of this book, through the backwoods of Kentucky to the jungles of Viet Nam, from the bright lights of Nashville to the long American highways....kills a man before his 18th year, fights side by side with his fellow soldiers, plays guitar from hollers to bar stages & backrooms, and has his share of run-ins with those on both sides of the law.

Music is woven through this novel like a living pulse. And our own cultural history.

This is a must-read for all music lovers AND book lovers.

Get it at Smashwords HERE.

(ed note: October 2014, you can download it FREE)

Diana Chittester "Find My Way Home"

Diana Chittester is a one woman music machine. With multiple albums to her credit and shows all over the eastern US (and Canada), she's been burning up the concert stage, the speakers, the ear-buds....and clawing her way to the top of the heap by shear force of her formidable musical will.

She's also been featured right here at Skinny Devil Magazine: both Guitar Gods and Guitar Gods: LIVE.

Now, she has released a new album. Her first that features her as she performs: One woman, one guitar, and no gimmicks.

The album is "Find My Way Home" (Fighting Chance Records), and on it, Diana is on fire!

Gregory: "...in a matter of days"

Completely unexpected turn from Gregory with his new release "...in a matter of days". No crunching guitars, soaring vocals, deep pondering lyrics, bone-crushing rhythms....

The new album is 9 songs that are primarily contemplative, introverted, and will likely transport the listener to lost inner worlds.

A mix of electronic and acoustic instruments, the shortest song clocks in at just under 5 minutes. The longest at over 14 minutes! With titles like "the sacrifice of pawns", "after the fall", and "the perfect emotion", this is a meditative collection that will not only sooth and transport, but also likely bring up images and poetic fragments from your mind.

GET IT.

"GUITAR GODS: George Lynch"

What do you say about George Lynch? The man is known as one of the finest rock guitarists in history, one of the most influential guitarists from the 1980s, the man who wrote (and performed) "Mr. Scary"! Guitar World Magazine lists him as #68 in the "100 Best Guitarists" poll and on their "100 Best Metal Guitarists" at #47, and he even ranks at #10 on Gibson Guitar's "Best Metal Guitarists" poll.

Mark Kendall (guitarist of Great White) claims Lynch was using tapping techniques prior to Eddie Van Halen, and his "signature" guitar & musical techniques are so specific that to use his slide vibrato or "gothic octave" or even just hitting that diminished lick over a pedal tone just make the rest of us sound like we're copping his style.

His work with Dokken in the 1980s (and for a reunion in the 90s) is incomparable. Lynch joined Dokken in 1983 and left in 1989, which exactly coincides with their commercial success, which includes over 10 millions albums sold, 3 platinum and one Gold album, and a Grammy nomination in 1989. The band made him an instant international star.

In 1990, after his departure from Dokken , he formed Lynch Mob and proceeded to release - from then to now - 10 albums with 4 top 40 charting singles.

In addition to these 2 major bands, Lynch has played for a wide array of other bands (his newest is KXM with dUg Pinnick of King's X and Ray Luzier of Korn - see our review of their video and album), released a dozen solo albums, and done studio work doing guest solos for others (from Tony MacAlpine's debut release in the 1987 to Raven Quinn's debut in 2010).

In addition to this, George - a long-time ESP Guitar endorsee - makes his own custom Mr. Scary Guitars; he is working on a documentary film; he has released instructional videos, done clinic tours, taught at the Rock-n-Roll Fantasy Camp, and appeared on countless covers of guitar magazines; has long had his own signature guitars for ESP and signature pick-ups with Seymor Duncan; and has designed his own high-nickel guitar string for Dean Markley.

Visit George on-line here.

I had a chance to talk to George recently. Check it out!

"Neuromancer" The Most Influential Book of Your Lifetime?

What? You haven't heard of "Neuromancer"? Yes, my friend, you have....

"Neuromancer", published in 1984 by then-unknown author William Gibson, came out of nowhere and immediately changed the face of science fiction. It was the first book to ever win the sci-fi "triple crown" (Nebula, Hugo, and PK Dick Awards) and defined the cyber-punk genre.

That would be enough of an accomplishment to revisit this book 30 years later. That would be enough to make anyone's career.

But it didn't stop there.

KXM - Album Review

It was at a birthday party for the son of Ray Luzier (drummer of the band Korn) that George Lynch (Dokken, Lynch Mob) and dUg Pinnick (King's X) got the tour of Ray's home recording studio. And it was in that studio that Ray suggested that the 3 get together as a classic power trio.

Fortunately, George and dUg agreed, and KXM was born.

"Delayed Train" - new video from Preston Reed

Preston Reed has released a new video - this one for the song "Delayed Train" from the album "In Here Out There". Filmed at Loch Lomond in Scotland on July 2nd of this year, the song features Preston working his usual; magic plus some tasty slide guitar!

Check it out:

KXM: "Gunfight"

My buddy Mike Froedge mentioned in passing one day that I should listen to KXM, so I filed in the back of my mind that I'd get around to it at first opportunity. Then I heard it was George Lynch's new band and thought I best make time! Turns out KXM is not only Lynch, but Ray Luzier (drummer for Korn) and dUg Pinnick (bass/vocals for King's X).

Note to self: When Froedge says listen, do it.

GUITAR GODS: Kelly Richey (the lost interview)

Among our lost interviews is this 2009 interview with the amazing blues guitarist Kelly Richey. The original intro was lost forever, but we found theraw interview, and so present it below un-edited.

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Kelly started playing in late 70s when she was 15, and soon was practicing a mind boggling 12 hours a day. She joined the band Stealin' Horses in 1986, which afforded her the opportunity to tour a large part of the US. She left in 1990 to start her own band and relocated to Cincinnati, OH. She released her first solo record in 1996 and since then has released 13 albums, including the instrumental album "Speechless" (2006).

In addition to a grueling recording and performance schedule, Kelly maintains a private teaching studio and is also actively involved in community outreach through a variety of projects.

Visit Kelly on-line at http://www.kellyrichey.com/

Here is the original interview.....

"GUITAR GODS: Dave Martone"

Another of our "lost interviews" (from 2010)......

I don't remember how I first learned about Dave Martone (though I think it was on the advice of one of the "Guitar Gods" interviewees like Greg Howe or Jennifer Batten or Marty Friedman or Billy Sheehan...all of whom Martone has played with at some point), but I do remember that when I first heard him I was blown away.

Martone has a super fluid style that seems to at once draw on myriad musical styles and at the same time none at all....somewhere off in the stratosphere influenced by nothing but the intersection of heart, mind, and the musical moment. His technique is flawless, his sound impeccable, his compositions seemingly of some sacred geometry, his improv not of this earth.


Dave Martone started playing acoustic and classical at an early age, followed briefly by flamenco, and then leaped both feet into the world of rock guitar. After school, he secured a certificate in recording engineering from Fanshawe College and then headed to Berklee College of Music as a performance major, where he graduated in the mid 1990s.


Since then, he has conducted teaching clinics at Berklee, music stores, The National Guitar Workshop, and beyond, written for Guitar9.com, hosted The Satcvh Zone with Joe Satriani, released multiple albums on Magna Carta Records, operates his own recording studio, and more.


You can visit Dave on-line, where his site is full of music, lessons, videos, and more,


I had a chance to speak to Dave recently (ed note: this was 2010 and is one of our "lost interviews"). Check it out!