The decade of the 1970s marked the end of the emergence of the real guitar pioneers of the last 100 years. In part, this was because the greatest innovations in both the technical development of electric guitar, and the development of  music styles (primarily in jazz & rock), had reached a climax by the time of the mid-70s. After this, we see the appearance of certain excellent stylists; however, the primary 'breakthroughs' had already been made. The emergence of 'digital sound' in the late 80s marked the beginning of a downhill trend for instrumentalists of all kinds, because since 'digital' programs could now imitate almost any sound, living music was becoming, in a sense, 'irrelevant'.

However, the 70s saw the emergence of several players who could be rightly placed in the pantheon of innovators.
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Alan Holdsworth

Alan Holdsworth, from the UK, probably represents the pinnacle of modern electric guitar players. Fluid in the traditional jazz, blues based fusion style, Holdsworth made a major break through with his album 'IOU' which featured his highly developed 'pan-tonal' approach to electric guitar. Whereas most guitarist play in a modal style on the guitar finger board, using 'positions' based on sections of 4-5 frets at a time, Holdsworth expanded this reach to one using patterns and intervals utilizing stretches of 7-8 frets (he has large hands). This technique made extensive use of not only 'altered' scales, but 'pan tonality' since his technique and concept allowed him to imply more than one key at a time.

Holdsworth also pioneered the use of synthesized guitar on a number of albums, and was masterful in it's use. In addition to all of his innovations, Holdsworth also played more 'straight ahead' on earlier releases like 'Velvet Darkness' and with Bill Bruford in the group 'UK'. John McLaughlin was once asked about Holdsworth. His reply? 'Yes, I know Alan from back in the day, and he is a wonderful guy. His guitar playing? If I could figure out what he was doing, I would try to copy some of it.'
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Eddie Van Halen

Eddie Van Halen was probably the last of the electric rock guitar pioneers. He almost single handedly brought electric rock guitar back to the forefront of popular public notice during the late 70s, after years of turgid guitarists playing 'da blooze'. Although preceded by a few 'new generation' players like Randy Rhodes, Van Halen made virtuoso electric guitar playing 'cool' again in the 'punk era' where any kind of technique and excellence were rejected in favor of more 'deconstructed creativity'.

Van Halen was a great technician, building his first 'Van Halen' guitar, and his use of harmonics, 'false fingerings' and, especially, his 'tapping' technique' (where he eschewed use of the pick and played runs using just his left hand, or tapped the strings with his right fingers) opened up a new vista for younger guitarists. Eddie combined raw power with serious technique.
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Pat Metheny

Pat Metheny is a Missouri born guitarist and composer who excells on electric and the acoustic instruments. He is primarily noted for his highly individualistic and lyrical style, his fluency in a variety of forms, including straight ahead jazz, fusion and Brazilian music. Metheny was also an earlier pioneer in the use of synthesized or MIDI guitar. His highly recognizable sound, willingness to experiment and longevity have made him perhaps the last of the great jazz guitar standouts. Metheny was also very fortunate in having strong record label support almost from the start of his career.
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Tom Verlaine & Richard Lloyd

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Tom Verlaine & Richard Lloyd were/are the guitarists for the 'cult rock' band Television. Television were pioneers on the US 'punk' scene, but there music was far removed from punk's musical mentality. Rather, Television was more of an 'evolved' progressive rock ensemble, with a minimalist structure, and literate lyrics. Verlaine & Lloyd formed the 'twin gear guitars' of the group's inter-locking rythmnic sensibility, creating a 'wheel within wheels' effect, using contrapuntal lines and patterns to unique effect. Television still plays a few gigs a year: I saw them in 2003, and they have maintained their trademark style, with new extensions and elements. Verlaine has also played live musical accompaniment for various art  and experimental films in a number of museums and galleries over the past 6 or 7 years.

Television marked a change away from the 'virtuoso' guitar soloist style in general in rock music. Nevertheless, both Lloyd and Verlaine are both exceptional and imaginative soloists with style and technique.
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Robert Fripp

Robert Fripp is best know as the founder/composer/guitarist for the UK group King Crimson. However, Fripp has been pioneering in many ways, including teaching.

Fripp is from the generation of UK guitarists that include Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, John McLaughlin and Alan Holdsworth. His disciplined and 'mathematical' approach to guitar, and his pioneering work with tape loops used in a solo guitar setting make him a true innovator. Fripp continues to compose and play until this day, with various formations of King Crimson, along with other projects.
 
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We have been seeing the scenes of devastation from Haiti for the past few days and nights. I will make a few observations. As an aside, a former room mate of mine is from Haiti, a very nice young man. I have tried to contact him about the situation, but his cell phone is no longer in service.

We don't really understand how bad it is because the news correspondents are themselves restricted to certain areas, out of fear for their lives. For instance, the city of Port-au-Prince has no electricity, which means total darkness at night for the vast majority of the victims. This is something that the average American would find hard to picture. And this in a city of some 2 million people.

So far, it seems as if most people there are still recovering from the shock. With almost no technical means, or infrastructure in place to respond to such a catastrophe, the immediate response of the people there was to try to find loved ones, digging into the rubble with there own hands.

From the reports I have observed, it seems as if almost any structure over two stories was either levelled or severely damaged

The Haitian president, Rene Preval, is essentially helpless. The 'presidential palace' is destroyed, as is his own home. With the lack of any essential services, he is being guarded by UN troops who have been stationed there for a number of years, and by his own 'security forces' or what remains of them.

What we are witnessing here will make Hurricane Katrina look like 'child's play'. We already have reports of Haitinans creating roadblocks with piles of corpses, certainly done out of frustration. There are some reports of organized gang/criminal activity, which is waht occurs when the thin veneer of civilization is stripped off.

The UN troops have been trying to distribute the slow trickle od essential relief supplies that are coming in, but they are scared, and in some cases are met with mob scenes.

Bill Clinton has been on CNN, doing whatever Bill Clinton does: 'mobilizing support' I guess. Iceland actually has a rescue team on the ground, and they are digging people out. Obama has been on TV, too, looking 'serious' and saying the right things. But no real help from any US Government agencies. Hillary Clinton cut short a vacation.

US Marines and Army are reported ready to land at the beginning of next week, and this will bring some needed leadership and mechanics to the situation. But what they are walking into is chaos, and this chaos will not be resolved any time soon, no matter how Herculian the effort.

Those Haitians who live out of the city, no matter how poor, can thank God that they are removed from this present scene.

Haiti has always been the poorest country in our hemisphere, and although some progress has been made economically, this disaster will wipe out much of that. In doing some research for this short article, I have found a profound lack of information about the true economic and political situation in Haiti readily available on the Internet. For instance, who really rules Haiti? Who are the ruling elite who have taken no steps to improve the lives of their people? I can find no names. I read one blog, the Rene Preval Blog, where I tried to gain some insight on the major business people, the rich ones, who they are, but all I read was that 'wealthy mullatoes' were taking the money out of Haiti and building mansions in the US and Europe.

Haiti is a transhipment point for dope, but this money does not go into essential services.

So, we can simply watch as this unfolds. Various service organizations, and Christian charities are attempting to expedite the relief effort. The websites of these organizations can be easily found, say, if you type in 'Haitian relief'.

In the meantime, my prayers are with these people.

Haiti says 200000 may be dead, violence breaks out | Reuters

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A wonderful New Year to all, and God's blessings to you...
 
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Operation 'Cast Lead'

The Israelis sent out a 'Holiday Greeting' to the Palestinians, and to Western Civilization with their brutal January attack against a blockaded and defenseless Gaza by raining white phosphorous, rockets & bombs and 'experimental weapons on the defenseless Palestinians there. 1500 Palestinians were killed, some 5000 wounded and mutilated, including many women and children, almost 6000 homes completely destroyed, some 45000 severely damaged, and 100000 Palestinians left homeless. The cowardly Israelis also destroyed or severely close to 1000 hospitals, police stations, schools, mosques and other public building, almost completely destroying Gaza's infrastructure. Below you can read the Goldstone report, the UN inquiry into 'Cast Lead'. Israelis suffered minimal casualties from a few Hamas rockets that struck settlements and strip malls.

Goldstone Report

Advance Edited Version

Obama Takes Office
The 'Hope for Change' inauguration cost approximately $170 million, financed by Obama supporters, including banks & financial interests already bailed out in the fall of 2008 by former traitor-in-chief George Bush (with Obama's approval). Ultimatley this means the US taxpayer paid for it.
Obama was put in by international global/financial interests to be the 'good cop' to Bush's 'bad cop'. These same global mafiosi realized that America was, to a degree, getting wise to the scams that had been run on the American people during the preceding 8 years, and realized that a 'gentler and more charismatic' front man was needed to continue there ongoing looting of AmeriKa.  Barack was their man. Many liberals fell for the new scam, witness the participation of a variety of 'alternative' musicians and artists in the Inaugural festivities. Obama is no deep thinker, but simply a hired hand who can read well from a tele-prompter.

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Good Cop, Bad Cop

Bailouts

Numerous  banks, along with Chrysler and General Motors Corporation received Federal (Taxpayer) 'bailout' money, sometimes referred to as 'TARP'. All the banks involved were partners to various 'ponzi' and counterfeit schemes involving fake financial 'instruments' including derivatives, and 'collateralized debt obligations' along with partnerships in the various 'hedge funds'. Major Illuminati banks such as JPMorgan/Chase, BOA, Wells Fargo were in on the play, along with 'securities traders' such as Golman Sachs. The transfer of these monies, and their eventual dispursement, not to mention repayment was a shadowy process, probably only known to the FED, or the US Treasury, now an instrument of the FED. Various scandals ensued, probably the one receiving the most publicity was related to AIG, noted CIA/Zionist global money laundry. Most of the complaints from taxpayers related to 'bonuses' received by various executives and operatives of these firms, not to who actually owned/controlled these entities. The names Rothschild or Rockefeller never came up in the ensuing controversy.

Who Received the Money?
Financial Bailout: Who Received What - The Home Front (usnews.com)
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G20 Summit in London

The various mouthpieces for the international banking cartel in London in April, 2009. Gordon Brown, Frau Merkel, Lula De Silva, everybody. This was also Barack Obama's official 'coming out party' on the global stage. Nothing much was accomplished, some big numbers were thrown around, and some ranting and hand wringing took place. A 'new financial order' was, of course, discussed, along with global and regional currencies. President Obama and wife Michele got to meet the Queen (Elizabeth). Michele Obama gave her an iPod. The names Rothschild or Rockefeller were never mentioned, publicly at least.

Read my earlier essay on G20: Illuminati Theatre:
Politiksekonomy
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Iraqi PM Nouri al-Maliki

Iraq 2009

The situation in Iraq was somewhat stabilized in 2009. After almost 6 years of US attacks, occupation and destruction of Iraqi culture and infrastructure, the attention of US corporate police mercenaries shifted toward Afghanistan. Iraqi PM al-Maliki seems to have stabilized the internal situation in the mode of a Hosni Mubarak, allowing US troops to retreat to their enclaves. Still, some 100000 remain, protecting the interests of the Zionists and 'multi-national' cartels. Still, it is clear that US military presence in substantial force will remain for the indefinite future. In late 2009, both Exxon and BP/Royal Dutch Shell were awarded oil 'concessions/contracts'. the names Rothschild or Rockefeller were never mentioned.

The devastating Iraqi occupation served no obvious US interest, and bled the US treasury to the max. Various contractors certainly profited, and the true cost of the war, and where the money went to EXACTLY, will probably never be know. The war made global enemies for America,and destroyed any remaining moral credibility we still had. The Israelis were certainly happy, as this American occupation help increase their covert influence to the Euphrates river, and provided a smoke screen for their 'final solution' for the Palestinians.

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Proposed 'Trans-Afghan' pipeline

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Afghanistan 2009

'Hope for Change' President Obama indeed lived up to his campaign theme fron 2008: 'Hope for Change, because you ain't getting it with me!'.

Obama committed another 60000 US troops to the Afghan theatre of war late in the year.

Now why, or in what conceivable form could America, as a nation, have any interest in an ancient tribal land, half way across the globe such as Afghanistan?
A number of reasons: 1) The building and control of an oil/gas pipeline through Kandahar province that would be owned by the Rothschild and their partners (including some US investors). This particular pipeline deal was on the table before the '911 event', but apparently the rather stubborn Afghan tribesmen (Taliban) were not co-operative enough. So, we send in troops to occupy (supposedly 'searching for Osama Ben Laden'), create havoc, and clear the way for safe construction of this foreign owned pipeline. A Mr. Hamid Karzai, former multi-national oil executive, is made President of the tribal kingdom. An Israeli, Yosei Maiman, head of Israel's 'Merhav Group' is made the watchman for these interests in Turkmenistan and Central Asia. Obama then makes Richard Holbrooke, ultra-Zionist and Rothschild inlaw, the 'main man' on Afghan policy. 2) Opium Production: Opium farming and the resultant heroin production is an extremely lucrative & global cash business. The CIA, Mossad, and many intelligence services and mafia cartels love this cash flow, as it allows them non-traceable monies for 'projects'. The Taliban had greatly reduced opium production. This was unacceptable, as an Australian, European and Asian market awaited new product. 3) Destabilization of Pakistan/Encirclement of Iran:
With Iraq under control, only Iran need fall to make Zionist/US control of the Middle East complete. Nuetralization of Pakistan extends this projection of power into South Asia, and benefits India, where the Rothschilds and other globalists have partnerships with the mega wealthy Mital family and other upper caste Hindus. India also serves as a compliant source for cheap labor.

From Jerry Mazza, with links to Chris Bollyn and many others:
Ramping up Afghanistan War to Control Caspian Oil and Gas ...
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Health Care Reform

Unfortunately this is another money making sham being foisted on the US taxpayer. In a nutshell, the essence of any 'health care reform' will be to consolidate control of the 'medical-industrial' complex, and to concentrate the payments AmeriKans make into a small number of insurance conglomerates. Currently, I believe that approximately 35% of the cost of almost all medical procedures goes to 'paper pushers' that 'administrate' the Health Care industry. This will not change under any proposal, only the 'payees' may change a bit. Any bill regarding 'health care reform' should be understandable and readable, meaning 100 pages or less. Do you see any Congress-people making this point? No, because there must be as much obfuscation as possible to confuse the public, and insulate the profiteers.
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'Terrorism'

Probably the most notable example of 'terrorism' in the Us in 2009 was the shooting spree that left dead about 14 US military personel on the Ft. Hood base in Texas. The perpetrator was reportedly a Palestinian
American and officer,
Major Nidal Hassan. Hassan is conveniently a Muslim. He is also a psychiatrist who has been serving with the military.

This case was spun almost immediately by the Pentagon. There were reports of more shooters being involved, reports of a second shooter being whisked away by special agents. We will never find out the whole truth on this one. Now Major Hassan is being tied to some alleged '911 Terrorists'.  Strangely enough, there are reports that this military mental health specialist attended seminars at Los Alamos, NM with General Jay Hood, who was commander of Guantanamo Bay's 'Camp X-Ray'. A strange 'synchronicity', perhaps?


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General Jay Hood

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Another 'terror attack' was ostensibly attempted during December, by one Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, a Nigerian whose father is a big arms dealer connected with the Nigerian government, in an entity called DICON. Supposedly dad worked very closely with the Israelis, as they are quite powerful in Nigeria, through security services, and the arms trade. The young Nigerian supposedly tried to hide explosive material in his underware while taking the flight from the Netherlands to Detroit. Interestingly enough, an Israeli firm called ICTS apparently is contracted from security at the Dutch airport involved. Readers may remember that various Israeli security 'contractors' ran security at all airports involved with the 911 'event'.

Nigerian Terrorist & Background:
Could Terror War be a Response by GOP and Israel Against Threats ...
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Iran 2009

No yearly review would be complete without mention of the ongoing 'Iran crisis'.

President Ahmadinejad was elected by a sizable majority of Iranians this past year, but it seems the election provided a golden opportunity by 'certain interests' to attempt to cause chaos in Iran, with the hoped for likelihood a 'Color Revolution', like in the Ukraine or Georgia. We also became familiar with something called 'Twitter' an online mixed media chat room, supposedly used by 'Iranians' to communicate with each other as they protested the election results. There were riots, and police action, and innocent people killed. Who stirred all this up is very much open to question.

Meanwhile, warmongers in Wahington and Tel Aviv still haven't given up hopes for an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities. Iran is in complete compliance with IAEA inspectors and regulations. Israel refuses to sign this international treaty, yet not a peep is heard. Why is this?

In my view, Iran is already encircled, and certain European banking interests and 'powers that be' would prefer to seize control of Iranian resources through more 'gentle' means. But you never know.

Twitter and the Iranian elections and 'chaos':
Twitter spearheads Iranian elections coverage in U.S
Economy 2009

The US eKonomy is in the tank, because we don't make things the world wants anymore. We are now a complete 'service eKonomy'. What kind of service and to whom is the question. Certainly our military serves as a police force for 'multi-nationals'. 'Security service' jobs (prison workers, etc.) are a growth industry, as are jobs in the medical-industrial complex. But credit is tight, and monopoly capitalism is firmly in the driver's seat. Even our 'entertainment industry' is hurting because of the garbage that Hollywood produces, and changing means of 'buying and selling' as far as recorded music.

It's bad, and I don't see improvement in the next year.

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Well...

I'm sure I haven't covered it all, but i do my best. I don't get paid for this, I do it out of love. I have been struggling to keep a roof over my head, so I have been quite busy just hustling lately. But I try to give a part of the big picture. Happy New Year to all!