Mostly Ignored
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Fear and Patriotism in America
If fear is the yoke that keeps the American people living in ignorance, then patriotism is a set of horse blinders, preventing them from seeing that things can, or should be, any different. The media tells Americans that they live in the greatest nation on Earth. Everything is great in America. Kinney is the Great…
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All Hail Wal-Mart
All hail Wal-Mart, the largest employer in America. It ranked sixth on the Forbes 500 list of companies in 2003. As a result of it’s huge influence on local economies, Wal-Mart has come to expect generous incentives (popularly dubbed “corporate welfare”) from state governments, in return for building in their area (Meyerson, 2003; Associated Press,…
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Election 2004: Choose A or a
Americans are a strange breed. Paradoxical. I’m quite amused as I watch the growing fervour on television concerning the race for the Democratic Presidential candidacy, and the inevitable “Dubyah vs. Someone” race for the White House. Where’s the excitement? For a nation that would riot in the streets if it was forced to endure the…
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Before You Quit Playing…
Boredom, burnout, depression, disillusionment… Am I the only one who’s hit the wall and put down their instrument for some length of time, wondering why they still play? I doubt it. The love of music, like any relationship, is cyclical; highs and lows are part of the natural order of things. Maybe you’ve quit developing…
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Your First Audition (refresher course, anyone?)
Life is sweet during the garage band days. You buy an instrument, you hook up with friends, and you are born a musician and bandmate simultaneously. There are no questions about ability; you’re all learning together. But eventually, in your life as a musician, there comes a time when you can’t just walk into a…
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Top Seven Reasons to Play Bass
This month, the lighter side of bass playing. Welcome to my tongue-in-cheek Top Seven list for bass players only. It should have been a Top Ten, but there aren’t 10 good reasons to play bass. At least none that I could think of, and I should know. Paul… can I have some theme music please?…
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Beginning Bass: Posture and Finger Technique
What’s so hard about playing bass? You pick it up, hang it on a strap, and pound the crap out of it with your hand. You can play it around your knees like Geezer Butler, or play it with the headstock pointed at the ceiling like Fieldy. It ain’t rocket science. Is it? If you’re…
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So you want to be a musician…
If you want to be a musician, be prepared to spend most of your time, at least initially, playing with yourself… Start a daily routine. Lock yourself alone in your bedroom (or even the bathroom). Take out your equipment. Always treat it with care. Remember, you want it to last a lifetime. Start out slowly,…
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Beginning Bass: How To Choose The Right Gear
New bassists, young and old alike, ask this question all the time: What gear should I buy? I generally answer them with a level of detail that makes their eyes glaze over. Is it fear? Boredom? It’s difficult to tell sometimes. To spare you the pain of experiencing this yourself, I felt that writing an…