Probably the first rock band most people think of when they think of the 90's is Nirvana. They lead the grunge movement into the mainstream with their 1991 album Nevermind. Their anthem Smells Like Teen Spirit dominated radio and television in 1992. The album has many great songs but one of my favorites is In Bloom. This song is heavy, noisy and melodic; all the things that made Nirvana great. The chord changes are surprising and seemingly discordant but somehow Kurt Cobain f

This is a classic late 80's alternative rock track by The Pixies. It is a lot of fun to play on guitar. It has an interesting chord progression, an amazing melodic guitar lick and a cool little solo. What more could you want in 4 minute rock 'n' roll song? I have been a fan of The Pixies since March 17, 1988. Now, you may ask, how I could remember the exact date I became a fan of this particular band? Well, as strange as it might sound, that is the night that the band I was i

These two scales are essential for playing blues, rock, country, jazz and almost every other style of music. On the guitar, they have an interesting relationship. If you know the pattern for one, you know the pattern for both. There are five different patterns that spread out across the neck in each. Learn them in minor and you automatically know them for major. How is this possible, you may be wondering. The key is that they are three frets apart. If you play a minor pentato

Here is another great 90's song by R.E.M.. I was a huge fan of this band in the 80's, starting from the time when I first heard the song Radio Free Europe from the album Murmur. I bought their first three albums on vinyl and played them to death. As the 80's progressed, I kind of moved on to other things and didn't listen to them as much. When What's The Frequency, Kenneth? came out in 1994, the band wasn't even on my radar but the first time I heard the song, I loved it. It'

Happy New Year! I thought I would start 2017 off on a creative note by talking about songwriting. If you have never tried, there is no time like the present, especially for those like me who will be living in the cold and snow for the next few months. There is no better time to get creative than when you are cooped up during the cold winter months. There is actually a great February songwriting challenge called The RPM Challenge, which invites you to write and record an enti