40 PREMIER GUITAR NOVEMBER 2009 www.premierguitar.com
Red Hot Chili
Peppers:
Me and My
Friends
Every family has
one. You know,
that inconspicuous
lens-snapper who never stops taking pictures
even during the most obvious of inappropri-
ate times. But with all these ill-timed and
obnoxiously private photos, you’re able to
capture real people and real emotions. And
that’s just what rock photographer Tony
Woolliscroft does in Red Hot Chili Peppers:
Me and My Friends.
Woolliscroft has been documenting the
band through his still lens all over the world
for nearly 20 years, capturing them at their
most vulnerable times. For instance, when
the Peppers reunited with long-time guitarist
John Frusciante in 1998, he shot the band
in a pre-show huddle that was later used on
the Californication sleeve. And of course, we
can’t forget the band’s legendary get-ups,
or lack thereof, which includes the tube sock
incident at the Nassau Coliseum, flaming hats
at Lollapalooza ’ 92 and the light bulb outfits
at muddy Woodstock ’ 94.
The book is chronologically laid out with
sections dedicated to the Peppers’ albums—
Mother’s Milk through Stadium Arcadium—
and the resulting tours. Mixed in between
the collection of photos, Woolliscroft adds
some personally intimate anecdotes that add
another layer to the visually-driven book.
Some of the stories weaved between photos
include having to crash on the Peppers hotel
floor, By the Way recording sessions with Rick
Rubin and the record-breaking three consecutive sold-out shows at London’s Hyde Park.
With over 300 photos on 225 pages, Me and
My Friends provides a confidential look at a
group of exuberant characters. With his near-obtrusive clearance inside the Peppers’ lives,
Woolliscroft tears down the rock star fantasy
and exposes four friends who’ve been on a
musical journey for over 20 years. —CK
List $24.95
abramsbooks.com
Videos
B.B. King: Live
at Montreux
1993 Blu-ray
Anybody that’s
seen B.B. King in
concert knows the
man can play the
blues. After all, the “King of the Blues” was prac-
tically born with a Gibson ES-345 in his hands.
Add the fact that he’s been performing live for
the better part of the last 60 years and you get
the makings of a timeless performer that knows
how to work his way around a stage.
Unfortunately, working his way around a stage
has become somewhat of a problem for the
84-year-old legend, as he now takes a seat for
most of his performances. He still, however,
maintains a rigorous touring schedule that rivals
many of today’s much younger musicians. And
of course, he continues to deliver the same
awe-inspiring blues guitar playing that made
Englishmen the likes of Page, Clapton, Beck
and Richards first pick up a guitar.
All of this makes us appreciate B.B. King
Live at Montreux 1993 that much more. No
one knows for sure how many times King
has played the renowned Swiss festival, but
suffice to say the number is more than 20.
Fortunately, B.B. King Live at Montreux 1993
captures one of the best ever. His band revs
it up like an old-time blues revue, warming
up the crowd with three standards before the
King—dazzling in his beautiful blue and pink
paisley tuxedo jacket—takes the stage to a
thunderous reception. His band is as tight as
it gets, but the show is all King and his flawless, amazing guitar playing. From the stirring
“Let The Good Times Roll” to the classic
“Caledonia” to the incomparable “The Thrill is
Gone,” King delivers a vibrant and eclectic mix
of classic blues that only he can deliver.
So grab yourself a cold one, pop this into your
Blu-ray player and watch the King do his thing.
For this is certainly the teacher’s finest hour. —GH
List $24.98
eaglerockent.com
The Moody
Blues: Live
at the Isle of
Wight Festival
1970
Whether you’re a fan
of the rock fusion
symphonic group
that so proudly
incorporated the flute or not, you have to
acknowledge the role they played influencing
musical styles by meshing rock and classical
music in a way that has sold over 50 million
albums worldwide. And in 1970, The Moody
Blues were in the midst of a creative and
commercial high point riding on the success
of A Question of Balance.
This DVD features the renowned 1970 Moody
Blues performance in front of more than
a half million people at the Isle of Wight
Festival, which was previously only available
on CD. However, unlike the CD, the DVD
only features 10 tracks from the set because
some of the video footage has been lost.
That said, the existing tracks include “Ride
My See Saw,” “Tuesday Afternoon” and the
epic “Nights in White Satin.” While the audio
and video are raw—guitarist Justin Heyward
admits this—they provide a true nostalgic
representation of the historic festival, and the
Moody’s wide spectrum of tones can still be
fully appreciated. Also, the band does delineate from some of the traditional recordings
and song structures for improvisation, but
they still crank out their hits note for note. It’s
a pleasant mix for avid and new fans alike.
After the concert, the DVD includes 20 minutes of contemporary interviews from four
band members—excluding flautist/vocalist
Ray Thomas—who fondly reflect on their Isle
of Wight performance. The best part is when
pianist and technical contributor Michael
Pinder describes and walks through the mel-lotron featured all over Moody records and
performances. All and all, this is a great offering that accurately captures an early incarnation of the Moodies at a pinnacle. —CK
List $14.98
eaglerockent.com
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