HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL from all of us at Skinny Devil Music Lab! Quick word on how we polish off the year here at SDML..... 1) We had a guitar student recital recently (Dec 7 2008). All the students we incredible, and you can see most (with luck, that'll be "all" very soon) of the performances at our new YouTube channel : http://www.youtube.com/user/SkinnyDevilMusicLab ...at the "student recital" playlist: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=1F93F2DC1FE7A0E3 2) At the recital, I sat quietly in the corner and played the C major scale. The goal was 1000 reps (which, at 92bpm, takes 42 minutes), but I went for an hour for a total of 1440. Here are some clips, including the joking and snippets of some of my students: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQ2iNtcbjGc&feature=channel_page We had fun and the students did a fabulous job. A big thanx to all who performed, and to Dave Peterson, Paul Felice, Chris Simpson (who Paul recruited on the spot!), and Dave Cubine for all their help! 3) We are recording the basic tracks for the new ALIEN BLUE release over the holidays! Songs include "Virtual Light", "Ragamuffin Voodoo", "Cool Cat Cool", "Skinny Devil Shuffle" and more...including the song some of you have already heard, "That You're Gone" (likely the first single to be released). It will also feature a more produced approach, with added instruments - I'll be playing spoons, congas, some blues harp, and more, plus singing lead on about 50% with Blue taking up the other half on lead vocals. We'll have clips available soon at our MySpace page as well as the YouTube channel, so check those often! 4) Be sure to check out Paul Felice's new band, Down Jupiter, at their MySpace page...and I'll keep you posted on gigs & CDs coming from Half Past Sundown, Almira Fawn, What Katie Said Last Night, Decking Ceasar, Prealius, Akin to Chaos, and others... http://www.myspace.com/downjupiter 5) ALIEN BLUE is booking now! We plan to perform first in Lexington (February/March) and then extend to the Lex area (March/April) and then do a small regional tour into the summer. Dates should include stops in Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, and perhaps even Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South & North Carolina, and Virginia. More info soon. Let us know if there is a venue near YOU where you want us to play! 6) I also turned 44 in late October. Some of you know I'm a bit of a health nut, so here I am a couple of days before my birthday proving that age is not an issue (no excuses, kiddo!). Bear in mind the world record is 44 when you see me pound out 40 chin-ups (that's NIN in the background), though my form is in need of improvement: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjkV3peEF9A&feature=channel_page That's all for now! Everyone have a safe and happy holiday!!!! -- -- David M. McLean Skinny Devil Music Lab http://www.skinnydevil.com http://www.youtube.som/user/SkinnyDevilMusicLab "....embrace your fear..."

Couple quick up-dates from all of us at Skinny Devil Music Lab...... 1) Just want to welcome aboard our new partner's in crime, Paul Felice and Nathan Elkins, who, along with Joe Volpe, will be doing some serious work (and having serious fun!) here at Skinny Devil Music Lab. More on that soon.... 2) Come check out SKINNY DEVIL TV, our new channel at YouTube, complete with some older footage as well as some brand new teaser clips from the demo sessions for the new ALIEN BLUE release. Come visit, subscribe, send a message.... http://www.youtube.com/user/SkinnyDevilMusicLab 3) Yes, we're done with the demo stages & pre-production and are about to start recording the new ALIEN BLUE release now. This is NOT the off-the-cuff style of the last CD (fun though it was). This time we'll be incorporating percussion & addtional instruments, won't shy away from over-dubs, will feature some vicious guitar work, and will feature the vocal harmonies missing from the last CD but that are a staple of the live show. Plus a few surprises! 4) We're also about to embark on the recording of the debut CD from my percussion ensemble SKINNY DEVIL CIRCUS. Not your average percussion ensemble, the Circus features a strong vocal element, body percussion, industrial loops, "native" instruments, a large degree of improv, and more....maybe even some screaming electric guitar! 5) Problems at the web-site will be resolved soon, and you'll get the up-dates you've been waiting for (new free lessons, more Guitar Gods interviews, gig up-dates, etc.). We're not sure what is wrong with the player at the MySpace page, but we're working on that, too. 6) STUDENTS: Big cheer to Almira Fawn (Southworth) who took top honors at several recent talent events (including an invitation-only Disney event) and was heard on WUKY radio; Decking Ceasar, who are still on their US tour; Chris Simpson's band EyesUponUs, who has released their debut CD; and Luke Jackson, whose band is in the studio putting the finishing touches on their CD. 7) For Lexington-local guitar students, we have a recital coming up on Sunday, December 7 at 2pm at the North YMCA (Loudon Avenue). No special guest this time around, but... 8) ....Paul Felice and Dave Peterson will be holding the reins once things get under way so that I can step up to what the Youth Guitar students asked me to do long ago. Namely, to play the C major scale 1000 times! So, I'll be sitting quietly in the corner playing at a modest 90-92bpm for the 47 minutes it takes to cycle thru 1000 repetitions. If I'm feeling good at that point, I will continue for an hour for roughly 1300 reps. After that, when I say your scales are important...(hahaha!!) 9) Early 2009 recitals will see special guests who include Dr. Dennis Davis (director of guitar studies at EKU), Glenn Ginn (director of guitar studies at MSU), and other. That's all for now - stay tuned!!!! "Follow your bliss" - Joseph Campbell -- David

So much going on it's hard to keep up... 1) New "Guitar Gods" interviews are up: Grammy nominee & Dove Award winner & guitar legend Phil Keaggy, Between the Buried and Me (BTBAM) guitar wiz Dustie Waring, and award winning blues burner Kelly Richey: http://www.tinfoilmusic.net/guitar-gods-mainmenu/79-guitar-gods/1908-guitar-gods-phil-keaggy http://www.tinfoilmusic.net/guitar-gods-mainmenu/79-guitar-gods/1912-guitar-gods-dustie-waring http://www.tinfoilmusic.net/guitar-gods-mainmenu/79-guitar-gods/1915-guitar-gods-kelly-richey Be sure to rate the stories and leave these folks some nice comments! 2) InsaneGuitar.Com founder and guitarist for DarkShift (and former Guitar Gods interviewee) Joel Wanasek has released the book "The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Guitar Virtuoso". Here is my review of this excellent book: http://www.tinfoilmusic.net/news-mainmenu/38-reviews/1913-joel-wanaseks-qshred-guitarq-guide 3) I'm honored & humbled to be the recipient of the YMCA's 2008 "Spirit Award". WOW! Thanx to Dave Peterson, Jan Brucato, and everyone at the Y! 4) Speaking of the Y, be sure to check out Keeneland Magazine for a cool article that mentions our award winning Gibson Guitar sponsored music program, as well as the Keeneland TV story. Also, you might be interested in this reel (if you don't want to watch it all, just forward to 2:45 to catch a quick spot - including a few words from your's truly - on our guitar instruction). http://www.ymcaofcentralky.org/media/video/Outreach_Stream.wmv 5) Yes, Alien Blue is in pre-production for the new CD. Lots of surprises! More crazy acoustic guitar, original songs, maybe a cover or two, lots more vocal harmonies.....and packed full of those rhythmic & harmonic illusions.....sound clips from the demos will be available soon. 6) We'll up-date the "gigs" page soon to include all the area performances from Alien Blue and the new Skinny Devil Circus. 7) Need guitar lessons? Check out the new SDML guitar instructor network page! http://www.skinnydevil.com/guitar-network.html Much more going on (new instructional DVD, performance DVD, job opportunities, CD projects, studio news...), but that's all the time we have for now. Stay tuned!!!

Just a quick note to everyone to let you know a few things going on in the Skinny Devil Universe! 1) I had the pleasure of interviewing the incredible Badi Assad for the "Guitar Gods" series (be sure to vote and, instead of e-mailing them to me, leave Badi your comments so she can read them). If you've never heard her before, do yourself a favor and read the interview with music from her MySpace page playing in the background. You will not regret it! http://www.tinfoilmusic.net/guitar-gods-mainmenu/79-guitar-gods/1906-guitar-gods-badi-assad 2) Joel Wanasek - creator of InsaneGuitar.Com and "Guitar Gods" interviewee - has released a new E-Book that I will be reviewing soon. Hint: It's awesome! 3) For Lexington area locals: May 10 & 11 are the dates for the next guitar student recitals, and after the recital on May 11 we'll be holding a percussion jam (informal drum circle) outside on the patio of 3rd Street Coffee (recital at 2pm, drumz at 3-ish). Come join us! 4) My audio interview with Grammy winning guitarist Steve Stevens will be on-line soon - complete with samples from his new CD (you'll get to hear the parts we discuss in the interview). Steve took some serious time answering these, so don't miss it! 5) For those who missed it, part 2 of my interview with multi-talented Tonya Kay is on-line at Tinfoil Music. Again, be sure to vote on the story and leave Tonya your comments using the "comments" function at the bottom of the page! http://www.tinfoilmusic.net/artists-at-the-edge/84-bleeding%20edge/1888-20-questions-with-tonya-kay-part-2 That's all for now - enjoy!!! -- --- David M. McLean Skinny Devil Music Lab http://www.skinnydevil.com “…embrace your fear…”

My recent interview with Tonya Kay can be found (in 2 parts) at Tinfoil Music here: http://www.tinfoilmusic.net/artists-at-the-edge/84-bleeding%20edge/1866-20-questions-with-tonya-kay 20 Questions with Tonya Kay http://www.tinfoilmusic.net/artists-at-the-edge/84-bleeding%20edge/1888-20-questions-with-tonya-kay-part-2 20 Questions with Tonya Kay (part 2) ...and my brief review of the new Steve Stevens CD "Memory Crash" is here: http://www.tinfoilmusic.net/news-mainmenu/38-reviews/1885-qmemory-crashq-steve-stevens "Memory Crash" - Steve Stevens Leave comments, rate the stories, etc....but mostly, enjoy! I'll be interviewing Steve soon, so stay tuned!