A few months back I ordered the Justin Guitar Rock Songbook and started learning some of the songs. I was inspired by @alexisduprey’s AVOYPs.
I’ve messed around on-and-off with a few of the songs occasionally, learning some of them while mainly working on other stuff. Those that have seen Justin’s songbooks know that there are three tick boxes for each song: Started, Learned, Performed. Well, I had no performed ticks, and a few started and learned ticks… I figured I’d better finish some songs.
The other thought that was kind of related I had, was I was working on a whole bunch of different songs. Some developer songs, some dreamer songs. Too many dreamer songs. Some songs I’ve played almost every day for months and still have a long way to go to get to a decent level. So I’ve decided to try a bit of a different approach, and that’s basically: volume. Trying to learn lots of songs that are very close to my skill level to build my skill level up, which would theoretically make the much harder songs easier to play in time.
The idea is to take songs to what I would call “Pub cover band level”. Not album level, not live concert from the original band level, but a performance quality that would keep a bunch of punters at a pub listening to a cover band happy and enjoying their drunken night. Certainly the playing needs to be good enough to do that, but no need to be perfect.
So here we go. With the new AVOYP rules, I figured why not make a thread, and just post things when they’re ready. Frequent, infrequent, whatever. Mainly rock songbook songs, maybe some other ones at times. Oh yeah, and I’m not going to do all the songs either, some of them I just don’t like that much.
The chords are pretty straightforward. The hardest parts were doing the D5/F# → G, I had to refinger it from most lessons because I don’t have good flexibility between ring and index fingers. Also, getting the pauses right with the little Dsus4 riff.
And I really need to figure out what facial expression to pull and where to look… when’s Justin going to have a lesson on that?
(Edit: I updated the backing track and re-uploaded)
A good challenge to go through the whole book like Alex. And if this a sample of what’s to coming, I’m looking forward to the rest. Guess there’s more in the RSB for you youngsters. I’ve thought about doing similar for a number of years and just find myself cherry picking the “old” stuff. I hope you stick with it, as you two young pups may get me jumping on board an RSB challenge. But only after the dust settles on the current “projects”.
Sounded incredible JK! Loved everything about it, the tone was spot on, you hit the rhythm really well, and you played it with ease.
I haven’t played this song since I posted my video last year, watched the video twice and picked up my guitar the second time and played along with you. Forgot how fun this song was despite it being relatively simple. It’s the rhythm that makes it really fun, when you hit it just right.
Most definitely the hardest part of playing the rhythm for this. The fingering that Justin points out using your thumb to hit the low E string was impossible for me, so I used the second one he suggested. Yours looks like a slight variation on that one it looks like.
I can’t end my comment without gushing about how your guitar sounds again. That’s one mean sounding Tele!
Hi JK,
Liked it
I’m already looking forward to the rest because you played this super tight and the sound was great … the only thing I don’t understand is that Agnus’s solo is not in tune??? I’ve listened to it a few times now and also with 2 different versions on you-tube, How is that possible?
Hopefully I’m not the only one hearing it since it’s not mentioned by people above…(help me )
And oh yes, this is your guitar face and you’ll have to deal with that …but there’s nothing wrong with it, and by the time you play this in the pub it’s so well in your head you can smile at the lad ----your wife in the hall
Greetings
Nice project to have JK and a great start to it! I could do with the facial expression lesson too! I’ve noticed recently I always look like I’m in pain for some reason!! The body movement at the end showed a good bit of beginnings of rocking out
I’ll look forward to the next postings, you’re getting a great tone from the Tele there.
Hi Jk, I like your idea of creating a rock songbook thread like @alexisduprey and will bookmark the thread. You sound pretty awsome. Don’t care about your guitar face…you haven’t seen mine . I look like a rabbit, nibbling (?) some grass, as I’m making some really strange movements with my mouth out of concentration
Hey JK,
That flat rocked. Seemed you got the tone going, the pauses, the strumming and all is working well together. Really enjoyed it as well. Nice play, good sound and production.
Just one thing, when you play without them it sounds very good. At times it seemed to my ears (and since I wear bionics, which can fool me), that something was off in there when they came in. Like sort of out of tune or something? I could give exact locations in time by seconds if you want to check it out. At any rate it could certainly be my ears or possibly there is something there? At this point I don’t know exactly what it is I think I hear specifically. It could be an off chord or something…?
Again though, you have this one down and great job!
Great sounds, totally badass!
About the faces, suggest you look at some of the best, like Gary Moore RIP he was pretty good, otherwise look up Gurning, it’s a UK thing, there’s some on YT, like this…. Longest time gurning - Guinness World Records - YouTube
That was outstanding JK. Love the sound and tone you are able to get out of the guitar. I was too busy watching to and listening to your playing to notice your facial expressions. Love that song and loved your cover!
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…but there’s nothing wrong with it, and by the time you play this in the pub it’s so well in your head you can smile at the lad ----your wife in the hall 
. I look like a rabbit, nibbling (?) some grass, as I’m making some really strange movements with my mouth out of concentration 
