Yeah, it’s complex and it takes a huge chunk out of your life. I didn’t see my wife and kids for 4-5 years as I buried head-first into it. Worth it though.
Going from surgery to lock and weir keeping is quite the career change. I can completely appreciate why he loves it though. Anything medicine relate takes such a huge toll, both personally and professionally.
Welcome Stu, I am also located in Melbourne (out Mentone way). Enjoy your time learning guitar and make sure you take plenty of breaks between lessons to consolidate and learn songs.
Welcome to the community Stu. I’m also in Melbourne, Mornington Peninsula area.
This is the place to find help and motivation with plenty of good people here who are always willing to help.
Go see him (free entry 
) this weekend. He’s launching his new single.
Tell him Brian (from Merseyside) sent you and remind him of his plans to tour the UK 
He’s fab!
Brian, I gotta tell you that it’s really good. I listened to two latest singles and three most poular songs on Spotify and all of them are just so good. Thanks for the excellent recommendation.
Now I wish I was in Melbourne to listen to the new single live. Actually, the first bar was enough, I’m a huge fan of sax and its part is so tasty here. But everything else is also great.
Now I know what band I’m listening to next.
Haha, my work is done 
It’s a very long shot, but I’m hoping he’ll play in my living room one day 
I got my family and Chris to to a cover of one of my favourites a couple of months ago.
Apologies for the ‘hijack’, Stu, back over to you 
Nah, don’t apologise - it’s music talk so the more involved the better :-).
Thanks for flicking the flyer. I’m about to listen via Spotify on my way to Ballarat, which should be a welcome distraction for me 
Thanks! How long have you been playing? It’s a huge learning curve, akin to learning a new language, yet it’s a whole lot of fun.
Love Mentone I’m in Abbotsford and fairly close to live music venues such as the Corner Hotel, The Tote, etc. You hit the nail on the proverbial head when you said, ‘take plenty of breaks’ and ‘consolidate’. So very true.
Hi Stu
I’ve been learning here with Justin for two and a half years. Sure, it’s a long road and a bit of a grind at first but before long things start to fall into place like finger placement, chord changes and feeling the rhythm.
Motivation was probably the biggest hurdle for me. I got a lot of inspiration watching Justin learn left handed on the Nitsuj series of videos, but becoming part of this community has been the best source of motivation and advice. You soon see that there’s not a problem you’re having that hasn’t been experienced by plenty of others here.
The most important thing though, is it’s fun.
Hello Stu & welcome!!!
Reading your intro was fun with some of the Community regulars chiming in!!!
What I don’t remember reading is what you play, what’s your favorite type of music, where do you want to go with this journey we call “learning guitar”?!?!
Like Rachel aka @Libitina says, if I’m getting to personal, don’t answer & no biggie!!!
Tod in New Mexico USA 
P.S. Gear pics are always welcome!!! 
G’day Stuart. Great to have you here with us. I’m from Melbourne too (Ringwood East) and a relative newbie (started Jan 2023). Lot’s of great people here to help and inspire you. Enjoy the ride! 
Cheers, Dale.
Nah, there’s nothing off limits here :-). This ‘learning guitar’ business is wild. It’s a humbling experience to learn something when older, particularly with no base knowledge. Admitting you suck at something is very humbling. Love the community gang chipping in though as that’s what I was hoping for. The more the merrier. My music? I’m a huge Blink 182 fan … love 'em and can’t get enough of their music. I’ve been a fan for 20 odd years and will be a fan for 20 more. Strangely I’ve been an electronic music artist all my life, playing clubs (vinyl only of course) and mucking around with production. This came naturally; picking up a guitar was like ‘whooaaa, what’s this chord business’.
My taste is pretty diverse. While I love pop punk, I enjoy learning Taylor Swift songs (to keep my daughter happy) and random stuff like The Fugees. I’m listening to Justin’s blues section at the moment and can’t wait to give it a try. That’s enough about me, over to you… your music taste?
It’s a wild ride for sure!
In a word - eclectic.
You may be sorry you asked!!!
Classical - Silvia @SILVIA posted a video of Ana Vidovic in her learning log that is amazing! I really like Michael Lucarelli - his version of Malaguena is an incredible watch & listen… Marco Cirillo has a great YouTube channel with a mostly Classical slant.
Jazz - Mostly the Big Band Jazz from the late 30s & 40s… Glenn Miller, Count Basie… so many others. Linda Ronstadt did a couple of Jazz standard albums with Nelson Riddle & his orchestra that’s really good. Turn off the lights late in the evening, little glass of your favorite spirit & let the Oldies but Goodies from that era play…
Rockabilly from the 50s… too many artists to name but I will say that before he went Country, Conway Twitty was a “Rocker” for his day - check out his version of Lonely Blue Boy. You’ll be surprised!!!
50s, 60s (British Invasion groups), Almost anything from the 70s…
Bluegrass!!! Alison Krauss!!! I absolutely LOVE her version of Looking in the Eyes of Love!!!
Flamenco, R&B, Hawaiian music - gotta love that slack key guitar!!!
SURF ROCK!!! OMG!!! I love surfer music!!!
Country music from the old time stuff to the most modern of Country singers…
Whew!!! I could go on & on & on & on…
I guess mostly I’m really glad we have music streaming services or I’d have no room left in my house because of all the 8 tracks, cassettes, cds, video cassettes & dvds everywhere!!!
Back to you! Tod
PS Almost forgot Blues!!! Mostly I love me some good Instrumental Blues! Too many words spoil the mix!!!
Hahaha. That’s pretty cool. And you’re right, the video is very, very good.
Glenn Miller… I agree completely. I love listening to Big Band style vibes but wouldn’t attempt to replicate it. It’ll be a travesty if I did. I’m not overly familiar with Rockabilly music from the '50s, but the late '70s, particularly the early days of the punk movement, caught my attention, despite me being too young at the time to appreciate it. Surf rock…, yep - I’m also with you on that. I grew up in London in the early '90s and fell in love with the rave, acid house movement and was hooked up electronic music, and continue to be in different guises. But I was also in the UK for Brit Pop and loved the music that came out of those golden few years - Pulp, Oasis, Ocean Colour Scene, Kulashaker, Blur, Embrace, and I could go on. And then grunge, particularly Pearl Jam. But then pop punk came along with the likes of Green Day, Sum 41 and my ultimate favourite, Blink 182. All fairly commercial stuff, but I the rifts, power chords, and energy got me hooked. Saying that, I can listen to anything as I also like hip hop (playing Slim Shady on guitar is fun) and early '90s R&B remains seminal. So, there you have it. I stream stuff but was DJing for years upon years and have quite the vinyl collection now. So much so that anything rock band that releases new material I’ll order it on vinyl :-).
I could sit and listen to the Blues anytime, and jazz, too. Basically, good music is good music. There’s so much I want to play but learning guitar is a slow burn.
I’m with you on all you just said… well, 2 exceptions… I have really tried to enjoy Pearl Jam & Oasis… really given a lot of their songs a go & both bands just do not move me at all!
Want to hear something blasphemous - I am not a Stones fan either… I do enjoy some of their stuff but can totally take ‘em or leave ‘em.
As far as Rockabilly, if you’ve heard early Elvis, you’ve heard Rockabilly!!! Elvis had a really, really good guitarist in the first part of his career, Scotty Moore! Scotty was pretty amazing - he invented some of the techniques that we aspire to play today! I heard that Brian Setzer lists Scotty as one of his big influences! I felt my last was running too long & didn’t really get started!!! Like you say, good music is good music! There was a trumpeter back in the 20s& 30s named Bix Biederbecke who was a prodigy… he could teach Louis Armstrong a thing or two! Unfortunately, he drank himself to death at 28 years of age. My favorite female vocalist is Linda Ronstadt… she had such an incredible range & versatility… Pop, Rock, Country, Big Band & Mexican cultural music!!! Wow! So much talent! Neil Diamond, Herb Alpert, Perry Como, Nat King Cole & his daughter Natalie… all my parents faves, I still love ‘em!!!
My generation’s music, Van Halen, Boston, Scorpions, Rush, Pink Floyd… too many to count!
My kids’s music, Blink 182 is righteous! Love some rap in small quantities! MC Hammer, Eminem, it just keeps going!!!
Enough!!!
Tod
PS - almost forgot DEVO!!! 
PPS - MOTOWN!!! Sam Cooke, The Supremes, Aretha….
Stop Tod, Stop!!! 
I should clarify: Pearl Jam (from the album Ten) was fantastic. Their other stuff was a bit hit and miss, for me anyhow. I’ve always been a fan of Oasis, and their first two albums are incredibly powerful. But then then ego took hold and then they churned out a fair bit of drivel afterwards.
Nat King Cole will always be timeless I reckon. But yes, Elvis … there are many an Elvis song I wish I could play. Maybe one day, but I’m not there just yet. I’ve not heard of Scotty Moore but I’ll need to search him up now that you’ve mentioned his name. Ever since I started to learn I’m fascinated by guitarists and their different styles. It’s so much more noticeable now that I’m playing myself.
I’m the same - pop, rock, Big Band, anything that moves me, basically. And yes, Motown… hugely influential on today’s music. The Big Rock sounds from the '80s I still love, like you. Boston and Van Halen, Guns ‘n’ Roses, Bon Jovi, Heart. Love it!
I know Linda Ronstadt, and while I was never a huge Amy Winehouse fan, I appreciated her voice and music (with help from Mark Ronson). I’ve seen a few dudes play 50 cent and Eminem using fingerpicking style. It’s amazing what you can do.
I’ve been trawling throwing some of the '80s music that I used to like. Tears for Fears, Men at Work, New Order etc., most of their ‘big’ tunes can be played using open chords or a few basic barre chords. Have you heard of a bloke called Nik Kershaw? He was big in the UK around ‘86 and played at the Live Aid concert. I saw him live a few weeks’ back and was blown away by his guitar skills. He must have used every fret on the board … incredible. Despite this, I always come back to Blink 182. Even my 8-year-old daughter sings along when I’m learning their songs.
The Supremes and Aretha remind me how shallow some of today’s music really is. No soul or originality. I also just freaked myself by saying that as I sounded like my dad
I know, right? It’s funny how sometimes your Mom & Dad did get it right!!! 
Never heard of Nik Kershaw - I’ll look him up!
Another fantastic guitar player - Prince! Have you seen the Tribute concert for George Harrison with Tom Petty, Prince, Jeff Lynn & George’s son Dhani? Prince’s solo is phenomenal!!!
Tom Petty is another favorite, I really enjoy the Traveling Wilburys!
You mentioned Heart. Have you ever seen this:
It’s Saturday morning and yard work beckons!!!
Have a great day!!!
Tod
Prince… the ultimate guitarist. I love his work with the New Power Generation, particularly with Rosie Gaines on vocals. Nik Kershaw is very new wave/electro pop, UK style, but listen to a few of his songs closely and you’ll pick up on his guitar playing.
That video is awesome! I mentioned Heart as they often get missed. Thanks for sending… how cool.
Apparently mum and dad talk sense. I wonder if my kids think that? Probably not :-).
It’s approaching 5pm Melbourne time so I’d best get a move on. Hope the yard work is done and dusted.
