Style Rookie

Another inspiring place to visit.
http://tavi-thenewgirlintown.blogspot.com/

Her Bio:

Tiny 13 year old dork that sits inside all day wearing awkward jackets and pretty hats. Scatters black petals on Rei Kawakubo's doorsteps and serenades her in rap. Rather cynical and cute as a drained rat. In a sewer. Farting. And spitting out guts.

92 Year Old Woman Outsells Beatles to Top UK Charts

This story is truly inspiring and allows me to breathe better. Bravo.....

Vera Lynn, who made her name entertaining troops in World War II after recording her first song 70 years ago, has become the oldest living artist to have a number one album.

The 92-year-old's album "We'll Meet Again -- The Very Best of Vera Lynn" took the top spot in the British charts on Sunday, even outselling much-hyped re-mastered versions of the Beatles' back catalogue, according to the UK's Official Charts Company.

"I am extremely surprised and delighted, and a big 'thank you' to all my fans for putting me there," Lynn said, according the UK Press Association.

During the war, Lynn was known as the "Forces' Sweetheart" for hits such as "The White Cliffs of Dover" which struck a chord with British soldiers fighting overseas and audiences at home.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/09/14/lynn.charts.uk/index.html

The Uniform Project is a a year-long fundraiser for the Akanksha Foundation, a grassroots movement that is revolutionizing education in India. At the end of the year, all contributions will go toward Akanksha’s School Project to fund uniforms and other educational expenses for children living in Indian slums.

http://theuniformproject.com/home/monthly/August.html

I'm currently very inspired by this site; it proves how creative we can be with very limited resources and conscientious living.

Movie Review "It Might Get Loud" - the story of Jack White/The Edge/Jimmy Page

A little over a week ago, one of my students suggested seeing this movie so we arranged a Ladies Night Out trip to the movie theatre, a "class" field trip involving the group of us. We were an amusing crew, when we walked in we realized we were the only women there except for a few girlfriends of dudes, but mostly SINGLE men, sitting alone with their arms crossed and very serious expressions. To top it off, one of us was extremely pregnant (and has since had her baby in that week since then); us all in our 20's, 30's, 40's -professional and definitely non-rocker looking types. But we are all guitar or bass people so we KNEW what we were getting in to.

I was expecting that we'd be heckling, cringing at every turn, or plain out throwing our diet cokes at the screen with every sexist/Guitar Center comment. Our group had one loud laugh and snort when Jimmy Page compared the guitar to the curves of a women early in the film.., but in general the movie was non-offensive, exciting, and a guitar/pedal nerd's DREAM...okay, like MYSELF; and I even teared up a few times....those TONES...whew...and when JP played "Ramble On" by himself and showed us the mansion and hallway they recorded the drum intro to "When the Levee Breaks"....wow. And The Edge, minus the pretentious and annoying name, also charmed me into loving his guitar playing and song writing for the first time since "Sunday Bloody Sunday" came out. Bono...well, thank god he wasn't IN the movie, except the first U2 clips when they were New Wave and 18 years old was pretty thrilling to see.

So if you like guitar and amps and grew up with your parents Led Zeppelin albums, you will love this movie on the big screen. If you are a musician and don't care much about amps, you should see it on video. ... but see it.

It Might Get Loud

"CHICKS WITH PICKS"

Here's some information on a new fall class I'm teaching...

A GROUP GUITAR CLASS FOR WOMEN aka "CHICKS WITH PICKS"
Taught by Sara Landeau

THURSDAYS 7:30-9:00pm Begins September 24th - October 29th (6 weeks)
SUNDAYS 12:30-2:00pm Begins September 20th - October 25th (6 weeks)
Costs $150.00

This is a fun adult's guitar class I've taught at the Willie Mae Ladies Rock Camp and the Learning Annex in NYC. We'll cover everything to get you playing and confident – whether you are an absolute beginner or long time player in need of reviewing the basics.

Learn:
- easy tuning and upkeep
- proper hand technique, fretboard theory
- strums, fingerpicking, capos
- songs – we'll choose together
- buying strings./changing strings, checking intonation
- rhythm guitar and playing with a band or other guitarists
- sight reading, best online resources for guitar music
- chord progressions - how to start writing
- easy fast ways to learn lead guitar

I'm located in Greenpoint at the corner of Greenpoint Ave and Franklin Street. All information/ location/ directions about my studio, onmy website -

www.saralandeau.com

The Slips

http://www.myspace.com/theslipsny

This is my band from a few years back that I put on hold...or maybe we can say ideas are "marinating" while the drummer Wendy had 2 babies! I just gave it another listen and....who knew, it rocks (well to me it does). I can hear how I would do my guitar parts differently the next time around. 

And so...

Its all about the process... 

Tim Gunn

There's a contest out right now, maybe the only contest I would REALLY want to win, and its "25,000$ and LUNCH with Tim Gunn". Whoa.

I can't think of anyone I'd rather have lunch with tomorrow than my favorite television EDUCATOR, as he calls himself, and he really is. It doesn't matter WHAT you teach, a good educator/teacher will change your life. I love this guy... But I won't enter the sweepstakes, just would like to see what lucky person gets that lunch date... :-)

Lunch with Tim Gunn

The Story of "Roxanne's Revenge"

"Twenty-five years after the first queen of hip-hop was stiffed on her royalty checks, Dr. Roxanne Shante boasts an Ivy League Ph.D. - financed by a forgotten clause in her first record deal".

This story is the kind of thing I live for and has been on my mind ever since I read about it last week. She came from a poor place - apparently the projects - and was able to get herself through not just high school or college, but by finishing her P.H.D. from Cornell, an Ivy League school. Now she helps educate young musicians on the business aspects of their career and does social work for kids in her old community as well as the Hip Hop Association.

I relate to this story because I did HORRIBLE in high school, barely finished, and basically never went...or even tried in the slightest. My home life in this small Wisconsin town was not good, and basically I didn't feel that I had a home to go to and thus had absolutely no foundation to build from. Getting into an Ivy League college, Columbia University in NYC, at 24 was the hardest thing I ever did and graduating with that B.A. even harder....but I did it. It took me 5 years just to figure out how to get scholarships and loans...how to even GO to college. My grades weren't the best and I damn well tried my hardest..but I just lacked the right background so everything took me so much longer to write, research etc. Also the teachers KNOW you don't fit in and will give you a B+ instead of an A- EVERY TIME...Its not fair, but well...they can see you are not like the others and maybe its subconscious behavior of theirs, I don't know, but I forgive them now. So Dr. Roxanne Shante's story is the type I live for - proof that if you keep going, you can even get a Masters... AND a Doctorate regardless of your upbringing. 

Anyway this is why I am a teacher today.

For the full story from the Daily News, click here:  READ MORE

And the original video is awesome too...:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsaepyi8MR0

Screaming Females

I saw this band, "The Screaming Females", a few months ago and just noticed they are playing again this week at the Mercury Lounge. I'm not sure how much of the music I can take - I mean, 15+years ago I would've ate it up. But for new generations of girls and women that are playing music, well, you NEED to see this gal play guitar. I hate using the word "shred" but that is the only close definition I can come up with...she rocks, she is hyper fast and smooth on that electric and yes, SHREDS. SHREDS..... Hell yeah. Oh and she's probably about 4'9".

PHOTOS from Austin Rock Camp for Girls

This summer, July 09, I band-coached and taught guitar at the Austin Rock Camp for Girls. It was 103 when I stepped off the plane, and what I imagined Mars to be like... I like this photo on the right. It looks like the girls are outside their Mack Truck tour bus...More photos like this one are on Flickr and the Purple Text Link above will take you there!!!!!!

Between Austin Rock Camp for Girls and the incredible Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls in NYC, as well as my own classes and students, I must've worked with over 225 girls and women JUST this summer. Wow.

This is also my first blog ever, which I feel obligated to say... Okay that moment is done.