GBGC #60: Big Yellow Zombie Mash-up

The grand prize winner (from last month's first and probably last GBGC quiz), Konstantinos Kostis, was nice enough to give me 6 songs to choose from for his request, but in a fit of indecision, I decided to roll them all up into one. Here's what happened. I hope you like it!! Get your headphones ready ...

(and introducing the new GBGC jingle!)

GBGC #59: As Yet Unbridled (a GBGC Original, and LIVE to boot!)

For those of you who could unfortunately not come to my 40th birthday party, show and jam session, here's a bit of the entertainment. For the first time on the GBGC, I am playing a regular sized guitar, albeit not loudly enough. That doesn't matter, though, since the emphasis was on the words. For the 55 people that were there that night (some of whom even got up on stage to play, too!), thanks for being such a wonderful audience and good company. Let's do this again sometime! (Oh, and special thanks to Norman for filming!!)

GBGC #58: Almost Heaven, West Virginia: Grahamophone Travel Guide

Part of being an artist (pronounced "ar-TEEST") is convincing your audience that you are enjoying what you are doing, even if you aren't. Case in point, I had to sing in a wedding last week, and of course the lovely couple picked "All I Ask of You" from Phantom of the Opera . I don't like that song one bit! So the trick is to figure out what other people like about it, and try to go from there. I sang so convincingly, that I practically teared up myself during the blessed event.  

"Take Me Home, Country Roads" is another song I don't particularly like to sing nor play, but my stint in a country band forced me to. And, as I promised the winner(s) of my first GBGC Quiz to play their request(s), I again had no choice but to play a song I probably wouldn't otherwise choose for myself.

It was indeed a challenge, which I believe to have successfully portrayed in the deceptive minor chord phrase beginnings and melodic alterations. Still, I think John Denver would've liked it. I took this opportunity to give my other fans another virtual tour of a place I know well - whether I like it or not is besides the point.

So, Tim, the runner-up winner of the quiz, I hereby present to you your request: "Take Me Home, Country Roads"  Thanks for playing! Enjoy!

GBGC #57: Farewell to Bad Baby Banjo - Missing You (John Waite)

How much time have I wasted being upset over losing something that didn't belong to me? Now ask yourself that same question. Then watch this video.

I enjoyed the pleasure of your company, Bad Baby Banjo. You allowed me to play chords unfathomable on the Bad Guitar. Your resonating drum gave new percussive depth to the GBGC sound. You gave fresh perspective to the timeless hits of the 80s. But, Bad Baby Banjo, the truth is you didn't belong to me.  The whole time we were together, four innocent children were deprived of playing countless refrains of "Yellow Submarine." It was time for you to fly (see GBGC Track #23) back to them. The truth is, I didn't love you. And I ain't missing you at all. Really.

GBGC #56: Bad Baby Banjo plays "Bad" (Michael Jackson)

So, the GBGC Top 40 Countdown went down without a glitch. I celebrated my birthday fantastically and reached my goal of making a Bad Guitar video every day for 30 (+2) days. After a well-deserved break, I felt an itch to start playing again, even though I still have tons of stuff on the back burner that should probably take precedence.

I share a birthday with Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, but he didn't write any decent songs (Lyrics, yes. Songs, no). The day after, however, would have been Michael Jackson's 52nd birthday (and Ingrid Bergman's 95th, but she didn't write any songs, either. Movies, yes. Songs, no). So, as a tribute to a fellow Virgo and artist, and as a farewell to the Bad Baby Banjo, which I intend to give back to its rightful owner tomorrow, here's "Bad." Bad. Really, really bad. Shamon!

QUIZ: what "mistake" did I make in this video that faithful fans of the GBGC might notice?
PRIZE for the correct answer - I will take your request!!
CONDITIONS: you have to be a "follower" on Blogger or NetworkedBlogs or a subscriber on YouTube. One entry per contestant.
For the WINNER:  your request must be a song with chords I know how to play!