I was recently recruited to join up with a couple of mates in their band called "STR8 UP". One of my very best friends from my childhood (I started him on the bass actually) Shawn Martin (Pipestone, The Wales, Dr. Hook) and my buddy and former Radio Flyer bandmate "Bugs" (Mark Joseph Wirkus) found themselves in need of a guitar player when their guitarist Gary Palen (another friend and "top notch" musician as well) was offered a gig he couldn't turn down. I was more than glad to say yes and we spent the first couple of weeks woodshedding at Chateau Le Martin (Shawn's house) learning some 40 odd songs. Shawn threw me into the fire (with my first gig after just 3 rehearsals) at "My Second Home" in La Crosse back on January 19th. No one was the wiser that it was my very first time onstage in quite awhile. As Bugs says: "Ace sets the pace." Guitarist Bob Weeth and Shawn's better half Shelby rounds out the lineup on vocals throughout the night and provides a welcomed breath of fresh air. Bob contributes a wealth of musical talent whenever he sits in. So we're having fun. Making new friends. Seeing some beautiful countryside. Please check out our show dates and if we're in your area, why not come on out and party with us??? We're doing a really wide variety of music. We are the proverbial "something for everyone" band in that we do songs that range from classic radio hits like "Brown Eyed Girl" by Van Morrison to "Rock Candy" by Montrose. Shawn's wife, the lovely Shelby joins us onstage singing several songs throughout the night and that really spices things up nicely. One aspect of my playing that I take great pride personally in is the execution of the signature guitar parts that we've all come to know and love over the years. We all do actually in our respective roles. Bugs is an incredible percussionist having extensive training from since his youth, and Shawn (a truly world-class bassist) and I (Rock God) shared 1st and 2nd Baritone Horn duties all the way through high school. We progressed to such a high degree of prowess that by our sophomore year we were playing college level horn and no longer required to partake in our lessons. Shawn and I like to boast that it was our horn playing that won us (La Crescent) the state band championship (circa 1976). OK. I'm back. I do open up on some of the more "jammy" stuff solo-wise, but on songs like the aforementioned "Brown Eyed Girl" there is only one way to play the intro and all of those little nuance guitar parts. The RIGHT way! Just between you and me though, that was the hardest song I've ever had to learn. It's not as easy as it sounds believe you me... To give you a little idea of some of what we do song-wise: "Push" by Matchbox 20, "Call Me The Breeze" and "Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynyrd Skynyrd, "Fast As You" by Dwight Yoakam, "Move It On Over" by George Thorogood, "Picture" by Kid Rock and Cheryl Crow, "Bitch" by Meredith Brooks (yummy), and "What's Goin' On" by Four Non Blonds to name but a few. We're not doing any of my original material yet but I know that Shawn has some cool stuff in the can that we'll be pulling out at some point, so between his stuff and mine we should have no shortage of kick ass tunes to throw at you as things progress. So again, come on out and join us for a great evening of fun and frolic. The songs we do are very danceable and we all know them by heart. As for my CDs available here... Had to do everything myself out of necessity. My band SILENT SCREAM had just broken up before we were able to get the new material I'd written recorded. So, instead of pissing and moaning about it I got to cracking on doing it myself. I'm seeking musicians now for a band (recording and touring) and I am also NOW ACCEPTING beginner and intermediate guitar students who are serious about learning to play "old school" style classic guitar rock like KISS, Boston, Scorpions, Black Sabbath, Cheap Trick, UFO, Thin Lizzy etc... If you're in the La Crosse (Wisconsin) area and want more information just send me a message up top and I'll be glad to answer any questions you have. You tell me the songs you want to learn and I'll teach you how to play them JUST LIKE THE PROS... Hope to hear from you. XO Ace...
Influences
Mozart, Van Halen, KISS, T. Rex, Marc Bolan, Roy Wood, Jeff Lynne, ELO, The Sweet, Slade, Heart, Cheap Trick, Black Sabbath, The Everly Brothers, Roy Orbison, The Beatles, Deep Purple, Rush, UFO, Led Zeppelin, Yngwie J. Malmsteen, Jeff Buckley, The Bay City Rollers (Just making sure you were paying attention.) Graham Bonnet, Uli Jon Roth, more as I think of them...
what's good!! ya know i had to cum thru and show this real g'luv.checkout my music & tell all your friends if you are feeling real recognizes real and i wouldnt have it any other way dont be uh stranger hitchaboi up sometimes let's network or something. PAUL JONES BETTER KNOWN AS PJ
