My Tagline: Attempt #2

Okay, so this is another stab at my personal tagline. The first one is a tad over-the-top. A bit of an over-promise. While this one takes some liberties, I think I'm honing in.

Style Icon Of The Month: Rickenbacker

Pete Townshend
John Entwistle
Paul Weller
Bruce Foxton
John
Paul
George
Johnny Marr
Peter Buck
Mike Mills
The Edge
Roger McGuinn
Tom Petty
Thom Yorke
Noel Gallagher
Rick James
Lemmy

Me

It’s not as easy to play as other guitars. It’s sound is not versatile. Other guitars are more adaptable and more comfortable.

It’s a commitment. But like making a commitment to the woman of your dreams, it’s not hard to make. You can get a Stratocaster or Les Paul and play anything on them. With the right effects and amp, you can make them sound like whatever you want, really.

But the Rick has a voice. A style. That’s what Ricks stand for. Plug it in and it begs you to make something special. It pushes you to stand out. Whether it’s Pete Townshend windmilling his way to the top of cultural relevance or just little old me in my living room.

A distinctive look. Clean, mod lines. The sound. That British Invasion, guitar rock sound. Damn, brother. It’s cool and sexy as hell. And that’s when music is at its best.

Now THAT'S Diversity

This is a great image for reasons that should be obvious.

COOL-ASS LOCAL CULTURAL LANDMARK: SOUND CITY, PART 2

So I'm shooting a commercial down the street from this dingy, unassuming CULTURAL LANDMARK in the middle of an industrial neighborhood. I found this nice video tour of the place online - so no, the bearded gentleman in the video is not yours truly. Maybe I'll get up the courage to knock on the door and check it out for myself. Dang. I'd be starstruck just looking at an empty studio.

COOL-ASS LOCAL CULTURAL LANDMARK: SOUND CITY

I was shooting a commercial in Van Nuys and I recognized the neighborhood so I had to walk a block over and check this place out. I love locations like this. Growing up and living in this city I’m constantly learning about amazing, innocuous places like this that are all around us. Places where artistic and cultural brilliance occurred.

This is Sound City Studios. It’s tucked back on a dirty, industrial street deep in The Valley surrounded by metal shops and auto garages which only adds to the allure, in my mind. It doesn’t have the obvious, “look at me” glamorous façade of other temples of music like Abbey Road, but a mind-scrambling list of artistic geniuses practically lived here while they spawned some of the greatest masterpieces in music history. It happened right here. A lot. As dingy and unassuming as this building is, in my mind it should be a national landmark and should be preserved.

Who recorded here, you ask? A short list:

Fleetwood Mac recorded Rumours here, for God’s sake. Elton John, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers recorded “Damn The Torpedoes” and “Wildflowers”, Neil Young, Nirvana (“Nevermind” was recorded here! Holy Crap!), Johnny Cash, Metallica, Dylan, The Breeders, The Cult, Guns & Roses, George Harrison, Donovan, Garbage, Cheap Trick, Rage Against The Machine, Dio, Slipknot, Nine Inch Nails and many others came in, opened up their hearts and became immortal. All within these dirty, stucco walls.

My New Tagline

All the brands I do ads for have taglines, why not me? May be a tad over-the-top, however.

A Day In The Life Of Eliza Miller (in under a minute)

This is very incomplete. It's the bare minimum. But it's still fun.