Gibson X-press July 21, 2004

Free Nick & Duke Package from Epiphone

Epiphone's giving away a Broadway electric archtop and a Toby Pro 6-string bass to honor Epi artists Nick Colionne and Duke Robillard. The package includes microphones and CDs, and the contest runs through July 31. Enter here!!

Happy Solidays!

About 200,000 people gathered in the suburbs of Paris, France, to celebrate the 6th annual Solidays Festival a music celebration (July 9-11). Gibson Europe was the official sponsor this year. Gibson and Epiphone artists La Ruda and Spanish rockers Sergent Garcia performed, as well as rock artists Dolly, Les Hurlements D'Leo, La Grande Sophia (pictured below) and rock/funk artist -M. Gibson donated several guitars which were autographed by the artists and will be later auctioned off to benefit international associations in the fight against AIDS. For more photos Epiphone At The 2004 Solidays Festival - Paris, France

Attention Steinheads and Kramerheads

Watch for headless bass fans (interpret that any way you want to) at the NAMM trade show in Nashville this week (July 23-25). Ned Steinberger, famed designer of headless basses and guitars will be on hand as we unveil a cool new line of Steinbergers. Ned will also make an appearance at the Kramer Konvention (which also includes Steinberger fans) at Nashville's Hotel Preston. Check Kramerkonvention.net or Steinbergerworld.com for KramerStein details and keep an eye on gibson.com for the Steinberger line.

A Gibson Minute with Coldplay

When the guys from Coldplay, one of the world's most widely recognized bands, stopped by the Gibson/Baldwin New York City Showroom to check out some of our guitars, we couldn't help but hit up Johnny Buckland, the group's lead guitarist, for a Gibson Minute interview

Gibson: When did you begin playing guitar?
JB: When I was 11
Gibson: What Gibsons do you all have and when did you acquire them?
JB: We have two 335s and a 345. All are vintage, and I think purchased on tour in America.
Gibson: On what songs have you used this particular vintage ES-335?
JB: "A Rush of Blood to the Head."
Gibson: Who are your musical influences?
JB: Johnny Marr, Steve Cooper, Kevin Shields, and Neil Young.
Gibson: What are your favorite performances (of your own)? When have you been the most nervous?
JB: Most nervous and best show: Glastonbury Festival 2002
Gibson: How do you feel your sound/playing has developed from "Parachutes" to "Rush of Blood to the Head," and how are you developing it now?
JB: I play half as many notes, but twice as well!
Gibson: What is the best/worst aspect of touring?
JB: Best: Playing guitar really loud everyday; Worst: Going deaf!

...for more check out these features on epiphone.com :

Epiphone Catches Up With Alejandro Fernandez

Maria Conchita Alonso Set To Release New CD

Bello Epi

Superstar Alejandro Fernandez, who plays the lead role in the new film Zapata, signed an Epiphone DR-300S at a ceremony in San Antonio celebrating the premier issue of bello magazine. Fernandez is featured on the magazine cover as Emilio Zapata, the Mexican revolutionary. With Fernandez, from left, are bello founders Julio Gudino, Fernando Diaz and James Juarez.

Over fifty years ago, Alejandros father Vicente, the famed singer known as king of the rancheros, signed on guitar on the same red carpet at the Alameda Theater, and both guitars will be displayed in the refurbished theater. Film star Maria Conchita joined in the celebration for the magazines premier.

Photo by LAT Photographic

Look for us

Rockin' the Apple Store in Japan Gibson Japan donated a Les Paul to the new Apple Store in Ginza, Japan, to demo Apple's Garage Band music software. The Ginza store is the first Apple retail outlet outside of the U.S.

In the winner's circle at the Nashville Superspeedway, where NASCAR and IRL race winners get a custom Gibson guitar trophy.

If you're in Tennessee, check the latest issue of Tennessee Home & Farm magazine for a feature on the track and the trophies.

On "Things I Hate About You" tomorrow on the Bravo channel at 9 pm ET. Gibson provided a guitar and map for the prize package for the premiere episode, which will air throughout the week.

On "Guts and Bolts" on the History Channel, July 24, 6:30 pm ET.

On "Gimme the Mike" on KSAT in San Antonio, where host John Schneider tries out a Faded Les Paul Special before he has to give it away as part of the prize package.

			Sign your Yellowcard After a performance for the MTV concert series "Nokia Presents Hard Rock Live," members of Yellowcard - from left, Longineu Parsons (drums), Pete Mosely (bass, vocals), Ryan Key (vocals, guitars), Ben Harper (guitar) and Sean Mackin (violin, vocals) - get ready to add their signatures to an Epi DR-100. Gibson and the show's producers, Fearless Entertainment, have teamed up to have the concert series artists sign guitars.

Gibson Goes Back in Time

Gibson Guitar is sponsoring the Stromgitarren exhibition, July 30 - November 30 at the Deutsches Technik Museum in Berlin. More than 80,000 expected visitors will get a glimpse back in time to the cultural and technological history of the electrical guitar, and take part in a host of events and concerts including guitar clinics, workshops and collection fairs. The festival will feature the contributions of guitar legend Les Paul and the museum will display some of Gibson and Epiphone's finest guitars.

Black to Black

Andrew Goodsight of Black 47 is rocking a Tobias bass he borrowed for the band's performance of their song "Mychal" for the upcoming documentary on the life of Father Mychal Judge, OFM. Fr. Judge was killed in the World Trade Center, and the documentary will be aired throughout Europe (BBC) and America (BBC America) in September 2004. Black 47's performance will be featured in the film.

Take me out to the ball game

Baseball stars David Deluci of the Texas Rangers, and Orlando Palmerio of the Houston Astros, are not only professional athletes, but guitarists as well. These two guitars are part of a series that each team will receive and place on their website for auction later in the season. The guitars are produced by Gibson and designed by Key Accounts, a Houston-based company that specializes in sports graphics. Proceeds from the auctions will go to each team's foundation which supports various charities in each city.

Epiphone runnin' with the Big Dogs

The Big Dogs rocked the festivities for "In the Mix: Latin Music," a reception for the Latin Music Industry Network hosted by the Recording Academy's Texas Chapter. From left are Sean Gamboa with an Epiphone Vintage G-400, drummer Emilio Navaira, Shawn Gamboa with an Epi Thunderbird IV and Diego Navaira with a Casino. The Navaira brothers bring a strong pedigree into the band; they're the sons of Tejano legend and Grammy winner Emilio Navaira.

May we have the envelope, please

Gibson racked up three nominations from readers, in Guitar Player magazine's first annual Reader's Choice Awards. The winners will be announced on July 23rd at the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville during the Annual Summer NAMM Convention. The Gibson Les Paul is nominated in the Solid Body Electric category, while the Gibson ES-335 is running in the Hollow Body Electric category and the Gibson Hummingbird is up for best Acoustic.

The Tide is rollin' in

Nick Perri, guitarist from Silvertide is on the road with Van Halen. These pics are from a Maxim magazine party Silvertide did with The Darkness, John Mayer and Velvet Revolver. Nick has nicknamed the Firebird "Uma" and has painted a pick guard and truss rod yellow to complete the look.

Nuge shows his colors

Rocker bad boy, Ted Nugent joined country music giant Toby Keith in performances for our U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Nugent had members of the Armed Forces sign his treasured Red, White & Blue Gibson J-200 Super Patriot guitar (pictured) and will be auctioning it off to raise funds for the families of our troops serving overseas. Sean Hannity of the " FOX Newschannel show Hannity & Colmes" and host of his own ABC radio syndicated show will auction it on the air for Nugent.