A few months ago I did a blog about my Beckers Muscular Dystrophy. This is just an update as to my condition and how I am coping with it.
First of all I can still walk ok. However I can feel myself getting more fatigued than I can ever remember being. For example, I have recently started a new job for which I sit down a lot. Yet when i get home I feel like i have walked for 5 miles, which is very frustrating.
I still have the contractures with my ankles as my Achilles Tendons are still very tight. However, it has become very noticeable that I am spending more and more time on my tip-toes. I have also noticed that I am doing this more often whilst wearing shoes. This is very frustrating.
My arms still hurt as much as before, although because I have been carrying more stuff they have been hurting more often, However, I have noticed that because I am constantly lifting my arms up/down (because of work) I have had to take breaks just to rest them. Even as I am typing this my arm is hurting a bit. My slouch remains the same, although I have felt the odd bit of back pain every now and again. It is a very obvious slouch to both myself and my family. This is caused by a curvature of the spine known as either Kyphosis or Scoliosis. This is something that may require surgery in the future.
I have to say that I have been dieting for the past 4 months which may have affected my muscles. This is a doubled edged sword though as BMD means a higher risk of cardiomyopathy and other Heart and respiratory problems. So I lose weight, I affect my muscles, I don't then I highten my already high risk of Heart problems. How annoying eh?
I have also been really struggling emotionally with it. If you follow me on twitter then you will know that I haven't been particularly happy recently. 90% of this is because of my MD. I worry about it every day. I think about it everyday. I am reminded of it everyday. I think about it when I'm on my tip-toes, when my legs hurt and when my arms hurt. The things that have really caused me emotional problems though are as such: I worry about the fact I may need spinal surgery in the future. I worry about the fact that I will lead to an early death. I worry about the fact that I will need to rely on others in the future to do simple things such as going to the toilet. The biggest worry I have had though is that I will be in a wheelchair by the time I am 40. I think about these everyday. Its not something I can get away from or something I can just forget about. I try to keep positive about it as best I can. Talking to people online has helped me understand what may/may not happen. But as much as that can help, this is a battle I face by myself.
Recently though I have joined my local MDC group, helping to promote awareness of all forms of MD through fundraisers etc. I have also declared an interest in becoming an MDC Trailblazer. This may help myself and other people with the condition in the long run as I will be helping with investigations and trying to get more understanding about the disease.
Anyway I hope you understand this was quite hard for me to write. Hopefully it will make me feel better though as now people know how I feel. I will do another update in a several months again. I hope you liked this and I have helped understanding of the emotional side of the problem. Feel free to comment and I will answer as best I can.
Thankyou.
Monday, 30 April 2012
Monday, 27 February 2012
Buckethead - Electric Sea
In a change from the last 2 weeks I'm actually reviewing an album from an artist who I've actually heard of. Oh Buckethead, Buckethead, Buckethead... what a great album you have made.
1 - Electric Sea.
This song starts out with an acoustic rhythm. Then Buckethead starts to play a smooth, almost soulful tune. It definitely has some sort of classical guitar playing influence on it. To say it is made on an electric guitar the tune is very relaxing. It's a song which could easily send you into your own little world. One of the amazing things about this song is it is a Buckethead song which doesn't feature many effects.
2 - Beyond The Knowing.
This is an acoustic. A sweet melody which obviously has classic guitar picking style. The song is not too long, quite repetitive, but still good.
3 - Swomee Swan.
Another great song. Because of the title it did remind me of relaxing near a river (at least the intro did). Then he decides to go to a proper guitar solo, showing off his amazing guitar skills. This song sounds relatively simple compared to his usual stuff. However don't let that fool you. This song is quite frankly beautiful.
4 - Point of Doom.
This song isn't as downbeat as the title makes it sound. It's another song with an acoustic rhythm. However, the quick, intricate playing of Buckethead is what separates it from the other acoustic sounding tracks. This song is much faster than most of the tracks. It doesn't have the sweet melodies of the other tracks either. For me this is the weakest track on the album. Although I'd still recommend it.
5 - El Indio.
This is probably the most "rock" track on the album as it has a clear riff. It is also another song that has an obviously Spanish influence (as suggested by the title). It's hard for me to say anything about this song that I haven't already said about the previous tracks. It does have a sweet guitar solo on it though.
6 - La Wally.
Quite simply a fantastic track. I cannot say anymore about it.
7 - La Gavotte.
When I first heard this it reminded me of Greensleeves. It sounds quite simple, but that's what makes it excellent. Tbh if you're in a bad mood and need cheering up, this is a song you should listen to. If only we heard more people playing stuff like this.
8 - Bachethead.
This shows how truly amazing Buckethead is. He can take a orchestral tune by Bach and make it sound as if it were meant for a guitar. Just amazing.
9 - Yokohama.
Another nice track. The tone he uses in this song makes it what it is. I sincerely hope he plays this song whilst touring as I feel this could be a standout live track. It's very short though which would be my main criticism of this song (if that is a criticism).
10 - Gateless Gate.
This is another short track. This is probably one of the only filler tracks on the album. Although this filler song is better than most of the music produced by modern artists today.
11 - The Homecoming Beacon.
A fantastic ending to this great album. It's similar to most of the album as the effects are kept to a minimum, allowing the song flow well. This is a song I really could imagine falling asleep to.
It also has a real classic feel to it. His style of picking really lends itself to this song as its a relaxing song with no complicating effects such as wah wah. I'd love to hear him do another album similar to this.
Quite frankly, this is the best album I have heard in ages. It's not like many of the Buckethead tunes I've heard. But then again I'm guessing you cannot really predict what a person who wears a mask and a KFC bucket on his head is going to do next. I feel sorry for the album I'm going to listen to next week as it has a lot to match up to.
Standout Track = Electric Sea 10/10
Album Review = 10/10
1 - Electric Sea.
This song starts out with an acoustic rhythm. Then Buckethead starts to play a smooth, almost soulful tune. It definitely has some sort of classical guitar playing influence on it. To say it is made on an electric guitar the tune is very relaxing. It's a song which could easily send you into your own little world. One of the amazing things about this song is it is a Buckethead song which doesn't feature many effects.
2 - Beyond The Knowing.
This is an acoustic. A sweet melody which obviously has classic guitar picking style. The song is not too long, quite repetitive, but still good.
3 - Swomee Swan.
Another great song. Because of the title it did remind me of relaxing near a river (at least the intro did). Then he decides to go to a proper guitar solo, showing off his amazing guitar skills. This song sounds relatively simple compared to his usual stuff. However don't let that fool you. This song is quite frankly beautiful.
4 - Point of Doom.
This song isn't as downbeat as the title makes it sound. It's another song with an acoustic rhythm. However, the quick, intricate playing of Buckethead is what separates it from the other acoustic sounding tracks. This song is much faster than most of the tracks. It doesn't have the sweet melodies of the other tracks either. For me this is the weakest track on the album. Although I'd still recommend it.
5 - El Indio.
This is probably the most "rock" track on the album as it has a clear riff. It is also another song that has an obviously Spanish influence (as suggested by the title). It's hard for me to say anything about this song that I haven't already said about the previous tracks. It does have a sweet guitar solo on it though.
6 - La Wally.
Quite simply a fantastic track. I cannot say anymore about it.
7 - La Gavotte.
When I first heard this it reminded me of Greensleeves. It sounds quite simple, but that's what makes it excellent. Tbh if you're in a bad mood and need cheering up, this is a song you should listen to. If only we heard more people playing stuff like this.
8 - Bachethead.
This shows how truly amazing Buckethead is. He can take a orchestral tune by Bach and make it sound as if it were meant for a guitar. Just amazing.
9 - Yokohama.
Another nice track. The tone he uses in this song makes it what it is. I sincerely hope he plays this song whilst touring as I feel this could be a standout live track. It's very short though which would be my main criticism of this song (if that is a criticism).
10 - Gateless Gate.
This is another short track. This is probably one of the only filler tracks on the album. Although this filler song is better than most of the music produced by modern artists today.
11 - The Homecoming Beacon.
A fantastic ending to this great album. It's similar to most of the album as the effects are kept to a minimum, allowing the song flow well. This is a song I really could imagine falling asleep to.
It also has a real classic feel to it. His style of picking really lends itself to this song as its a relaxing song with no complicating effects such as wah wah. I'd love to hear him do another album similar to this.
Quite frankly, this is the best album I have heard in ages. It's not like many of the Buckethead tunes I've heard. But then again I'm guessing you cannot really predict what a person who wears a mask and a KFC bucket on his head is going to do next. I feel sorry for the album I'm going to listen to next week as it has a lot to match up to.
Standout Track = Electric Sea 10/10
Album Review = 10/10
Monday, 20 February 2012
Sleigh Bells - Reign Of Terror
I decided to review this album because, even though I've never heard of the band, the preview sounded like something I would enjoy. How wrong I was. I was very disappointed with the album.
I find it hard to describe the sound of this album and I cannot really compare it to any acts out there. But here goes...
1 - True Shred Guitar.
This is a live song. It reminded me very much of 80's acts such as Bon Jovi and Europe. It's sounds ok, guitars and vocals are ok. I found myself struggling to understand what was being said some of the time.
2 - Born To Lose.
This is an ok track. It's not great though. As before, vocals and guitars are fine but it really sounds like an album filler.
3 - Crush.
This very much reminded me of Avril Lavigne's "Girlfriend" only it's less catchy. Yet again it's another track which I couldn't hear properly. This song could be a grower though. If the vocals were more powerful or the guitars less prominent then it could be a good track. It's also very short which doesn't really allow the track to develop much. Shame really.
4 - End Of The Line.
It was at this point in the album that I started checking to see how long it had left to run. I'm really not sure what this song was supposed to be. Was it supposed to be a bit of a ballad or a pop song about heartbreak. I have a feeling this song could be very radio friendly. I also feel that a dance remix of this track could work very well. Lyrically it seemed ok (ok meaning I could tell what was being said).
5 - Leader Of The Pack.
I really don't know what to say about this track. It's not particularly brilliant, I couldn't understand the lyrics (again). At least it's short. I feel that as a live track it could be ok.
6 - Comeback Kid.
I actually think song is ok. It's catchy, has a good melody and rhythm. It's probably the most pop song on the album. It's also a song which I could easily find myself singing along too when going for a walk.
7 - Demons.
Probably my favourite track on the album. It's a good rock song. I could easily imagine a band like No Doubt performing this song. The riff is very good. It's quite a headbanger. The repetitive lyrics means its easy to sing along to. I feel if they are to improve as a band, they should use this song as an example of what they can do.
8 - Road To Hell.
Pretty similar to the last song. An ok rock song. Lyrically it's not great as half the song is just a repetition of the title.
9 - You Lost Me.
A good track. Good melody, good rhythm and the vocals actually work quite well with this song. This song sounds like a mixture of Kylie and No Doubt (an odd combination). The guitars are used to good effect in this song as I think the solo towards the end works well with the song and doesn't sound out of place.
10 - Never Say Die.
Yet another song I couldn't understand. The vocals on this song seem very weak. Not that good a track although it will get some people tapping their feet. The guitar saves (and possibly hinders) this track. The guitarist obviously has talent, they just need to home it more.
11 - D.O.A
When I first heard this track I thought it would be like the Foo Fighters song of the same name. I was wrong. It's nothing like it. It's an ok track. It's epitomises the whole album though. It lacks anything that makes it stand out from the crowd and is pretty meagre to be honest. It's a very poor end to the album.
All in all this album is pretty average. If they are going to improve then they need to become a bit more like No Doubt. They need to have more of a rock or pop edge to them. Otherwise they will just become mediocre.
Standout Track = Demons 7/10
Album Review = 6/10.
I find it hard to describe the sound of this album and I cannot really compare it to any acts out there. But here goes...
1 - True Shred Guitar.
This is a live song. It reminded me very much of 80's acts such as Bon Jovi and Europe. It's sounds ok, guitars and vocals are ok. I found myself struggling to understand what was being said some of the time.
2 - Born To Lose.
This is an ok track. It's not great though. As before, vocals and guitars are fine but it really sounds like an album filler.
3 - Crush.
This very much reminded me of Avril Lavigne's "Girlfriend" only it's less catchy. Yet again it's another track which I couldn't hear properly. This song could be a grower though. If the vocals were more powerful or the guitars less prominent then it could be a good track. It's also very short which doesn't really allow the track to develop much. Shame really.
4 - End Of The Line.
It was at this point in the album that I started checking to see how long it had left to run. I'm really not sure what this song was supposed to be. Was it supposed to be a bit of a ballad or a pop song about heartbreak. I have a feeling this song could be very radio friendly. I also feel that a dance remix of this track could work very well. Lyrically it seemed ok (ok meaning I could tell what was being said).
5 - Leader Of The Pack.
I really don't know what to say about this track. It's not particularly brilliant, I couldn't understand the lyrics (again). At least it's short. I feel that as a live track it could be ok.
6 - Comeback Kid.
I actually think song is ok. It's catchy, has a good melody and rhythm. It's probably the most pop song on the album. It's also a song which I could easily find myself singing along too when going for a walk.
7 - Demons.
Probably my favourite track on the album. It's a good rock song. I could easily imagine a band like No Doubt performing this song. The riff is very good. It's quite a headbanger. The repetitive lyrics means its easy to sing along to. I feel if they are to improve as a band, they should use this song as an example of what they can do.
8 - Road To Hell.
Pretty similar to the last song. An ok rock song. Lyrically it's not great as half the song is just a repetition of the title.
9 - You Lost Me.
A good track. Good melody, good rhythm and the vocals actually work quite well with this song. This song sounds like a mixture of Kylie and No Doubt (an odd combination). The guitars are used to good effect in this song as I think the solo towards the end works well with the song and doesn't sound out of place.
10 - Never Say Die.
Yet another song I couldn't understand. The vocals on this song seem very weak. Not that good a track although it will get some people tapping their feet. The guitar saves (and possibly hinders) this track. The guitarist obviously has talent, they just need to home it more.
11 - D.O.A
When I first heard this track I thought it would be like the Foo Fighters song of the same name. I was wrong. It's nothing like it. It's an ok track. It's epitomises the whole album though. It lacks anything that makes it stand out from the crowd and is pretty meagre to be honest. It's a very poor end to the album.
All in all this album is pretty average. If they are going to improve then they need to become a bit more like No Doubt. They need to have more of a rock or pop edge to them. Otherwise they will just become mediocre.
Standout Track = Demons 7/10
Album Review = 6/10.
Monday, 13 February 2012
Emeli Sande - Our Version Of Events
I have to admit until very recently I hadn't heard of Emeli Sandè. This was one of the reasons for choosing her as my first musical blog subject. Anyway,here goes.
I found the first 4 songs very hit and miss. It wasn't until I heard the song Clown that I truly appreciated how good this album could be. The song has a great piano melody, allowing miss Sandè to show off her great vocal range. Mountains is also a very solid track too. Not brilliant but a good addition to the album. Maybe is another great track. It's one of the more upbeat tracks. The song is about heartbreak which is very obvious when you listen to the lyrics "We broke up last sunday night
Keep on thinking about the fight
Rest my head against the wall
Your bags are by the door
Then your key turns in the lock
I see you on the stairs and stop
Have you had a change of heart
Can we go back to the start"
Suitcase is another very good track. The acoustic intro immediately hooks you in. However the intro is quite misleading as the song itself isn't an acoustic song.
The next 2 songs are very good, solid solid songs with "Next To Me" being the most Pop song on this album. The song will be very popular with radio stations such as Radio 1. The next 2 songs River and Lifetime are good tracks well worth a listen. The final three tracks (Hope, Read All About It Part III and Tiger) however are outstanding tracks. They have sweet, simple melodies, they're not too long and show off Emeli's great vocal range.
I would hazard a guess and say many people would be comparing this album to Adele's albums. However I never heard any of them. I they are as good as this though I shall be buying them tomorrow. All in all this is a great album which you should buy ASAP.
Standout Track = Clown 9/10
Album Review 8/10.
I found the first 4 songs very hit and miss. It wasn't until I heard the song Clown that I truly appreciated how good this album could be. The song has a great piano melody, allowing miss Sandè to show off her great vocal range. Mountains is also a very solid track too. Not brilliant but a good addition to the album. Maybe is another great track. It's one of the more upbeat tracks. The song is about heartbreak which is very obvious when you listen to the lyrics "We broke up last sunday night
Keep on thinking about the fight
Rest my head against the wall
Your bags are by the door
Then your key turns in the lock
I see you on the stairs and stop
Have you had a change of heart
Can we go back to the start"
Suitcase is another very good track. The acoustic intro immediately hooks you in. However the intro is quite misleading as the song itself isn't an acoustic song.
The next 2 songs are very good, solid solid songs with "Next To Me" being the most Pop song on this album. The song will be very popular with radio stations such as Radio 1. The next 2 songs River and Lifetime are good tracks well worth a listen. The final three tracks (Hope, Read All About It Part III and Tiger) however are outstanding tracks. They have sweet, simple melodies, they're not too long and show off Emeli's great vocal range.
I would hazard a guess and say many people would be comparing this album to Adele's albums. However I never heard any of them. I they are as good as this though I shall be buying them tomorrow. All in all this is a great album which you should buy ASAP.
Standout Track = Clown 9/10
Album Review 8/10.
Wednesday, 12 October 2011
My Family Tree
First of all let me explain why I wanted to do my family tree. I've always been interested in history and I wanted to know where my family came from. I always wondered if any of my family had been part of any major event.
I started by asking my grandma if she she knew anything about my Geordie roots. She then said my cousin Lindsay had done a family tree a few years back. The next time I saw her, she let me borrow what she had done (I still have it lol). I'd always assumed that most of the family were from the Newcastle area. However, my dads cousin Nigel had also done some research and found the Atkinson side of my family actually originated from a place called Kirklinton in Cumberland. Not only that, he found out that they were all Mormons. Just as important as finding this out, he also provided me with photos of my granddads side of the family which I had never seen before. The census records Lindsay provided also showed that my family were based all over the North East in places such as Prudhoe, Durham and their was even some Makem blood in there too. There was also some Scottish blood. And as I am writing this I am sure there is some French too. As you can tell the majority of my dads side of the family was done for me. However, my mums side was a lot harder to do as you'll find out.
This side was a lot harder to do for many reasons. First of all we have no idea who my Granddads father was. Also, my great grandma was adopted by her Aunty. With regards to my Granddads family all I really had to go one was the name Winifred Baker. I found a Winifred Baker born in 1909. I traced her paternal side of the family back to 1841 in Knutsford. I then traced one of my great great grandmas family back to 1798 in Lichfield. I'd done all the brothers and sisters families too. I thought I'd done really well and put lots of effort in. Then my uncle came to my house and I showed him the tree. With one sentence my work was undone. He said "who are these people?". That's right I'd worked hard for a month tracing the ancestry of the wrong family. He then rang one of his uncles asking for a bit of info so I could get started again. Eventually I traced the Bakers back to 18th century Derbyshire. We still have no idea who my Granddads father was.
My mothers maternal family was also quite hard to follow. This was because of my Great Grandmother and her mother. My grandmother was born in Newark in 1900 but raised in Spilsby, Lincolnshire. She was raised by her Aunty. So she had at least 2 surnames when she was young. I had no idea who her mother was until my mums cousin showed me a birth certificate. This showed her mother and fathers name. However at this time her mother was married and her surname would've been Wilson. The male on the certificate was called William Blatherwick. That's right, she had an affair. I assume because of this, her husband left her and she gave up my Great Grandmother. So not only had we found out her birth name, we also had the name of a father. However we don't have birthdates etc.
So far on my mums side of the family I have traced them back to mid 19th century Staffordshire, early 19th century Notts, mid 16th century Lincolnshire and early 19th century Newcastle. Thus bringing the tree full circle.
As for finding any people who've done something famous or been well known, well my family appear to have been very working class.
I started by asking my grandma if she she knew anything about my Geordie roots. She then said my cousin Lindsay had done a family tree a few years back. The next time I saw her, she let me borrow what she had done (I still have it lol). I'd always assumed that most of the family were from the Newcastle area. However, my dads cousin Nigel had also done some research and found the Atkinson side of my family actually originated from a place called Kirklinton in Cumberland. Not only that, he found out that they were all Mormons. Just as important as finding this out, he also provided me with photos of my granddads side of the family which I had never seen before. The census records Lindsay provided also showed that my family were based all over the North East in places such as Prudhoe, Durham and their was even some Makem blood in there too. There was also some Scottish blood. And as I am writing this I am sure there is some French too. As you can tell the majority of my dads side of the family was done for me. However, my mums side was a lot harder to do as you'll find out.
This side was a lot harder to do for many reasons. First of all we have no idea who my Granddads father was. Also, my great grandma was adopted by her Aunty. With regards to my Granddads family all I really had to go one was the name Winifred Baker. I found a Winifred Baker born in 1909. I traced her paternal side of the family back to 1841 in Knutsford. I then traced one of my great great grandmas family back to 1798 in Lichfield. I'd done all the brothers and sisters families too. I thought I'd done really well and put lots of effort in. Then my uncle came to my house and I showed him the tree. With one sentence my work was undone. He said "who are these people?". That's right I'd worked hard for a month tracing the ancestry of the wrong family. He then rang one of his uncles asking for a bit of info so I could get started again. Eventually I traced the Bakers back to 18th century Derbyshire. We still have no idea who my Granddads father was.
My mothers maternal family was also quite hard to follow. This was because of my Great Grandmother and her mother. My grandmother was born in Newark in 1900 but raised in Spilsby, Lincolnshire. She was raised by her Aunty. So she had at least 2 surnames when she was young. I had no idea who her mother was until my mums cousin showed me a birth certificate. This showed her mother and fathers name. However at this time her mother was married and her surname would've been Wilson. The male on the certificate was called William Blatherwick. That's right, she had an affair. I assume because of this, her husband left her and she gave up my Great Grandmother. So not only had we found out her birth name, we also had the name of a father. However we don't have birthdates etc.
So far on my mums side of the family I have traced them back to mid 19th century Staffordshire, early 19th century Notts, mid 16th century Lincolnshire and early 19th century Newcastle. Thus bringing the tree full circle.
As for finding any people who've done something famous or been well known, well my family appear to have been very working class.
Wednesday, 14 September 2011
My Top 10 Underrated Guitar Solo's
10. NUNO BETTANCOURT - Flight Of The Wounded Bumblebee.
The best solo from the most underrated guitarist. Its fast, tough and really good. Its just a shame that Extreme's most famous song is an acoustic song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6DYsi9lBcI
9. MARK KNOPFLER - Local Hero.
Slow, rhythmic and classy from one of the greats. His style of finger picking is put to great effect throughout this whole song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqTXXOqIPts
8. LED ZEPPELIN - Rock and Roll.
For me this Led Zeppelin's most underrated solo. Whilst it may not be as great as Whole Lotta Love or Stairway To Heaven, most guitarists would kill to write a solo this good.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeJkDewhTEw
7. IRON MAIDEN - Run To The Hills.
Just as good as The Trooper but doesn't get the same recognition. In short an awesome solo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9OAfOwTZaU
6. AC/DC - Let There Be Rock.
A solo that shows everything Angus is about. Fast playing, hard rocking and putting on a great show. As it says in the title LET THERE BE ROCK!!!!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVLRKk0EJTI
5. SANTANA - Smooth
Santana's biggest hit was a collaboration with Rob Thomas. Whilst its a great pop song the guitar solo is brilliant.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXp413NynFk
4. BUCKETHEAD -Jordan
Kind of hard to describe this solo so i'll just say one of the best solo's from one of the best guitarists.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTcg9JybEp8
3. THE KNACK - My Sharona.
Not an obvious choice but I just love this solo and don't think it gets the love it deserves.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbr60I0u2Ng&ob=av3n
2. TOTO - Hold The Line
Hard to chose one specific reason for this. I think its better than the song Africa and think its a greatly underrated solo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9okL8JucF-o
1. MICHAEL JACKSON - Beat It.
Typical EVH solo. Fast, hard to play, involves lots of intricate fret movement, tapping, hammer ons and pull offs. Maybe not as good as Eruption, but still a perfect example as to why EVH is one of the finest guitarists ever.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ym0hZG-zNOk&ob=av3n
The best solo from the most underrated guitarist. Its fast, tough and really good. Its just a shame that Extreme's most famous song is an acoustic song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6DYsi9lBcI
9. MARK KNOPFLER - Local Hero.
Slow, rhythmic and classy from one of the greats. His style of finger picking is put to great effect throughout this whole song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqTXXOqIPts
8. LED ZEPPELIN - Rock and Roll.
For me this Led Zeppelin's most underrated solo. Whilst it may not be as great as Whole Lotta Love or Stairway To Heaven, most guitarists would kill to write a solo this good.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeJkDewhTEw
7. IRON MAIDEN - Run To The Hills.
Just as good as The Trooper but doesn't get the same recognition. In short an awesome solo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9OAfOwTZaU
6. AC/DC - Let There Be Rock.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVLRKk0EJTI
5. SANTANA - Smooth
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXp413NynFk
4. BUCKETHEAD -Jordan
Kind of hard to describe this solo so i'll just say one of the best solo's from one of the best guitarists.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTcg9JybEp8
3. THE KNACK - My Sharona.
Not an obvious choice but I just love this solo and don't think it gets the love it deserves.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbr60I0u2Ng&ob=av3n
2. TOTO - Hold The Line
Hard to chose one specific reason for this. I think its better than the song Africa and think its a greatly underrated solo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9okL8JucF-o
1. MICHAEL JACKSON - Beat It.
Typical EVH solo. Fast, hard to play, involves lots of intricate fret movement, tapping, hammer ons and pull offs. Maybe not as good as Eruption, but still a perfect example as to why EVH is one of the finest guitarists ever.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ym0hZG-zNOk&ob=av3n
Tuesday, 13 September 2011
My Life With Muscular Dystrophy.
First of all, let me explain what Muscular Dystrophy is. Muscular Dystrophy is a lack of Dystrophin being produced by the body causing the muscles to break down. There are many types of MD including Duchenne MD, Beckers MD, Spinal Muscular Atrophy, Limb Girdle disease plus many other types. Duchenne is by far the most common of all Muscular Dystrophies and is fatal in every case.
I have Beckers Muscular Dystrophy. This is similar to DMD however it is much milder. It affects around 3-6 of every 100,000 boys. Both my brother and I have the problem. The disorder is inherited with an X-linked recessive inheritance pattern. The defective gene is located on the X chromosome. Only females can be carriers of the disease. It usually only affects men as we only have 1 X chromosome whereas women have 2. There is more information about it in this link:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001725/
The first sign that I had the problem was when it took me until I was 18 months old to walk. To find out what I had, a piece of muscle was taken from me. It was then we found out.
My legs are the worst affected area of the body but my arms are still affected. When I was younger I would get severe cramps in my legs. To get rid of these cramps I had to use an electric wellies machine which would increase in pressure to get my blood circulating again. Of course my brother would always turn the pressure up when no-one was watching. I also had to wear splints for the first 10 years of my life. I hated those things. To get them made I had to have Plaster of Paris all over my legs to get the shape. I had to wear them at school. I also had to wear them at night. However I always ended up taking them off as I would get too hot. It was the same when I wore Gators too. I also had to have physio once every week. When at Primary School it was done at home, but when at Secondary School it was done there, meaning i could skive off for a bit.
I have to visit the Hospital every year so I can have an Ultrasound and Lung Function tests. This is because my Heart and Lungs will eventually become affected. I also have a curved Spine which will cause some problems later in life. I also have especially big calfs. Because so much muscle has been wasted I can't run or walk particularly far. Neither can I stand for hours or lift heavy objects. By the age of 25-30 BMD may find their ability to walk severely hampered. In a worse case scenario I may end up in a wheelchair.
However, recently great gains have been made in the fight against MD. For example just this year an exon skipping clinical test showed encouraging results in the fight against DMD. These results can be viewed in greater detail here:
http://www.muscular-dystrophy.org/research/news/4180_encouraging_results_of_uk_duchenne_exon_skipping_clinical_trial_published
Essentially what is showed is that by skipping exon 51, the drugs used showed increased Dystrophin activity with the people who were tested. It may only be a start, but its the biggest break through we've had since the discovery of the recessive gene.
Anyway, thats my life coping with MD.
I have Beckers Muscular Dystrophy. This is similar to DMD however it is much milder. It affects around 3-6 of every 100,000 boys. Both my brother and I have the problem. The disorder is inherited with an X-linked recessive inheritance pattern. The defective gene is located on the X chromosome. Only females can be carriers of the disease. It usually only affects men as we only have 1 X chromosome whereas women have 2. There is more information about it in this link:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001725/
The first sign that I had the problem was when it took me until I was 18 months old to walk. To find out what I had, a piece of muscle was taken from me. It was then we found out.
My legs are the worst affected area of the body but my arms are still affected. When I was younger I would get severe cramps in my legs. To get rid of these cramps I had to use an electric wellies machine which would increase in pressure to get my blood circulating again. Of course my brother would always turn the pressure up when no-one was watching. I also had to wear splints for the first 10 years of my life. I hated those things. To get them made I had to have Plaster of Paris all over my legs to get the shape. I had to wear them at school. I also had to wear them at night. However I always ended up taking them off as I would get too hot. It was the same when I wore Gators too. I also had to have physio once every week. When at Primary School it was done at home, but when at Secondary School it was done there, meaning i could skive off for a bit.
I have to visit the Hospital every year so I can have an Ultrasound and Lung Function tests. This is because my Heart and Lungs will eventually become affected. I also have a curved Spine which will cause some problems later in life. I also have especially big calfs. Because so much muscle has been wasted I can't run or walk particularly far. Neither can I stand for hours or lift heavy objects. By the age of 25-30 BMD may find their ability to walk severely hampered. In a worse case scenario I may end up in a wheelchair.
However, recently great gains have been made in the fight against MD. For example just this year an exon skipping clinical test showed encouraging results in the fight against DMD. These results can be viewed in greater detail here:
http://www.muscular-dystrophy.org/research/news/4180_encouraging_results_of_uk_duchenne_exon_skipping_clinical_trial_published
Essentially what is showed is that by skipping exon 51, the drugs used showed increased Dystrophin activity with the people who were tested. It may only be a start, but its the biggest break through we've had since the discovery of the recessive gene.
Anyway, thats my life coping with MD.
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