GREG V. guitarist-composer

I made this video after visiting the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, Korean Memorial and Vietnam Women’s Memorial in Washington DC. Somber, sobering and sadly beautiful monuments to fallen soldiers….

In honor, respect and remembrance of the US servicemen and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice. The song “Autumn Kiss” is from my CD “Tailgate Troubadour” visit http://www.gregv.us for more info.

I recommend to watch in HD “Hi-Definition” and full size for better audio and video resolution: YouTube direct link Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall

Here’s a YouTube video I put together using my arrangement of “Amazing Grace” from my solo CD “Tailgate Troubadour”. My movie is about the duality of humanity, extreme and surreal, where we can create extraordinary artful beauty and then turn around and smash someone’s brains into it.

Amazing Grace, The Duality of Humanity, YouTube Video

“Amazing Grace” was composed by John Newton (1725-1807) a Slave-ship captain turned Evangelical Preacher who later renounced slavery after years of personal torment.

Over the years my interest in playing loud has diminished to the point that 1×12″ combos with 5, 10 to 25 watts are about perfect volume wise for me. FOH soundmen and lead singers never get concerned that my stage volume is too loud and I can turn these amps up to their sweet spot so the tubes-transformers-speakers can all dance together. I love Tweed amps and used to have a Victoria Double Deluxe that was incredible but ultimately became too loud for my sensitive hearing and stage levels.

Searching for a 20 wattish Tweed Deluxe I discovered Adam Palow of Tungsten Amps at the Nashville Amp Show and felt an instant connection to his amp designs. In talking with him I discovered a humble cat whom loves great vintage tweed-tone and understands skillful tone shaping of various components in amp circuits. I plugged into his Crema Wheat, a classic 1×12″ 5E3 Tweed Deluxe style amp but with more headroom, tonal choices and tighter bass at full volume and a week later ordered one…..

The Crema Wheat just arrived and has been a blast to play at all volume levels, always singing sustain and thick harmonic grind at higher volumes. A real treat is how the treble is super clear and articulate, never piercing or thin and sounds like a decades old amp, broken in and comfortable at all settings. Humbuckers stay focused, even on the neck pickup and my Teles scream through the grinding mid-range butter. The stock Scumback M75 speaker sounds beautiful with the Crema Wheat as well, vibey and vintage tones. The Normal channel is voiced with classic fat mids and the Bright channel has more highs and lows, with plenty of gigable volume for my needs. Just uploaded a YouTube video on my new account “GregVmusic” be sure to subscribe to my video posts.

Just got called from my friend Jace Everett to do a couple of shows in August. Jace’s song “Bad Things” is the opening theme music for the hit HBO show “True Blood” It’s a cool, dark and at times funny show about vampires and regular folk in Louisiana. I’ve done some gigs with Jace in past and look forward to playing his music in Iowa and Nashville, he’s just put out a brand new CD as well, great cat, cool as hell singer and one of the funniest people I’ve ever met…. Good times for sure!

On June 20th, after seeing Neda Agha-Soltan’s death via a Twitter video link, I posted the following Tweet on my Twitter page GregVmusic to express my sadness:

RIP NEDA, The World cries seeing your last breath, you didn’t die in vain. We remember you. GregVmusic #iranelection #tehran #gr88#neda8:51 PM Jun 20th from web

Within a few hours thousands of websites including CNN Anderson Cooper AC360 and The Huffington Post quoted my Tweet above. After seeing her death, I realized I must go deeper “within” to help me process the pain and suffering I was seeing and feeling. My requiem “Song For Neda” MP3 and the YouTube video below is the result of trying to quell the visceral, vortex of emotions I felt and I’m grateful for music in my life for the needed balance and solace in these troubled times….

Many thanks to those kind souls whom have contacted me with their positive and heartfelt thoughts for my composition “Song For Neda”. RIP Neda you didn’t die in vain. We do remember you… Greg V.

*Update* Because of the attention of my Tweet above I was contacted for a newspaper interview which has been also posted online at the  “Nashville Past and Present” website.

Listen to SONG FOR NEDA mp3

Her name is Neda Agha-Soltan, she died on June 20, 2009 on the streets of Tehran, Iran from an angry bullet to the chest. Like the rest of the world, I will never forget seeing her take those final breaths, forever seared into mine and all of humanities memory.

I saw her death, moments after it was posted on Twitter and knew this was a defining moment for us all.  I posted via my “GregVmusic” Twitter account the Tweet:

“RIP NEDA, The World cries seeing your last breath, you didn’t die in vain. We remember you” GregVmusic (See CNN news story above for details)

In every corner of the world we all want to be heard, loved and respected. Neda just wanted to be heard, she wanted her vote to matter and paid with her life for the hopeful dawn of a new day.

In a different place and time it could have easily been you or I, our brother or sister but that day it was Neda. Her name means “voice”, “calling” or “divine message” in Persian and though that bullet has taken her away, her voice will never be silenced. I wrote “Song For Neda” in memory of her but this is really Neda’s song.

Greg V. 6.25.09

Listen to SONG FOR NEDA mp3

I’ve also posted my video requiem SONG FOR NEDA on YouTube

“Driftless” is one of many documentaries here on MediaStorm   The stories are gritty, honest and dark glimpses of the human condition and suffering. Driftless is a six part, 30 minute series about Iowa’s small town farms being lost, wasted youth and more…. No Starbucks or Pottery Barns here…. Be sure to see the other excellent movies there as well.

 Holly Williams release: “HERE WITH ME” has a song I co-wrote with Sarah Buxton and Tom Bukovac called “Gone With the Morning Sun”  Holly is the daughter of Hank Williams Jr. and grand-daughter of Hank Sr. She’s a cool artist, real and honest singer-songwriter here in Nashville, which is unique for sure.

You can hear the GV-Buxton-Bukovac version of  “Gone With The Morning Sun” on my MySpace. It’s a song about loss and regret….

So here’s a few random pics of various subjects for fun, more pics on my website photos page .

What better way to start out than a gaggle of turkeys in my Nashville backyard-

Live shots from some Jewel shows-

I used to live right around the corner from the BRADY BUNCH house in Studio City, CA. just over the hill from Hollywood. Being a kid growing up in the ’70’s the Brady’s suburban house was pretty cool at the time. Mike Brady was an amazing architect, he fit six kids into two bedrooms and one bath….

I played in the house band for CMT’s “GONE COUNTRY” Season 2, we played the music live for the celebrity contestants: Sean Young, Jermaine Jackson, Lorenzo Lamas, Sebastion Bach, Chris Kirkpatrick, Mikalah Gordon, Irene Cara, John Rich-

I was in a coffee shop here in Nashville with my good friend Doug Belote and we saw this add on the bulletin board, it’s a tough life to be musician for sure-

 

Here’s a new YouTube video I did using my Swart SST amp (with EL34 tubes) into the Swart 2×12″ cabinet. Also used my Hamer Talladega, PaulC Timmy overdrive, Electro Harmonix Memory Man delay, Arion Sch-Z chorus. Fingers only, no pick gives a rounder tone. Just messin’ around….

Tone and Effects pedal timeline:
0:00 to 1:25 = Swart Clean tone, no pedals used
1:25 to end = EHX Memory Man delay
2:09 to end = PaulC Timmy overdrive, as low gain boost
3:23 to 4:10 = Arion Sch-Z chorus for leslie effect
4:11 to end = Swart SST tremolo