The fantastic collection of prizes even includes Brian’s first two solo albums Mondo Magneto and This Way Up both hand signed by the man himself. There is also a limited edition 8×10 Bayonets photo signed by both Brian AND band co-founder Oliver Leiber.

What have you got to do to win? I’ll tell ya!

Just answer one simple question…

What is the name of Brian Ray’s home studio?

Email answers to joshgillcontests@gmail.com by midnight (bst) on the Sunday 23rd June. The lucky winner will be chosen at random and announced the following day on Monday 24th June!

And if you don’t know the answer – be a chancer! You might just get lucky!

Here’s what you could win:

• This Way Up with deluxe packaging including a slip cover, digipak and high quality 16 page booklet signed by Brian Ray
• Mondo Magneto signed by Brian Ray
• Ltd. Edition 8×10 photo of The Bayonets signed by Brian Ray and Oliver Leiber
• Download card for “The Les Paul Tribute” featuring Rick Nielsen and Orianthi
• “Brian Ray/This Way Up” guitar pick
• Red “This Way Up” sticker
• Magnet in the shape of a…wait for it…magnet
• This Way Up condom
• All wrapped up in a natural cotton tote bag with “This Way Up” logo on the side. Perfect for carrying your stuff!

Good luck!

Speaking to host Ken Dashow, Brian was quick to sing the praises of band-mate and Bayonets co-founder: “The Bayonets was started by my friend Oliver Leiber, the son of Jerry Leiber or Leiber and Stroller fame. His father famously wrote Jailhouse Rock, The Boardwalk, Hound Dog, Poison Ivy, Stand By Me…Anyway, the apple didn’t fall far from the talent tree with Oliver, and he’s been my favourite collaborator and best friend for some twenty years now.

“When it came time to write some more solo music of mine, Oliver said ‘why don’t we do a band instead?’ And I said ‘great, okay let’s go!’ Then of course three months of bad band names floated around. We had some good ones, some bad ones and some nasty ones!”

While Brian and Oliver are the brains behind The Bayonets, Brian recognizes that without a little help of his musical friends none of it would have been possible. “It’s Oliver and I and a revolving cast of characters, including but not limited to Lucrecia Lopez Sanz from Buenos Aires band Nube 9, Adam MacDougall from the Black Crows on keys, we have Davey Faragher from Elvis Costello’s band, Scott Shriner from Wheezer, and it’s just a lot of fun. It’s raw, it’s rock and roll, but it still has a pop hook sort of sensibility.”

Growing up in California, Brian picked up the guitar at an early age and was incredibly influenced by the abundance of legendary guitarists that were blasting from the radio at the time. ”When I was a kid the guitar heroes of the day then were Scotty Moore, it was Dick Dale a little later, it was Duane Eddy the king of twang, and Eddie Cochran and guys like Link Wray. They were these maverick, kind of scary, bad sounding guys! They sounded like they were bad men, you know! And it was a visual to me too, because we didn’t really see theses guys, we made up these lives in our minds. So I wanted to bring back some of the earliest guitar heroes in a modern sort of raw rock way.”

The Bayonets’ first two singles Sucker For Love and Smartphone are available as a MP3 downloads to purchase from www.thebayonets.com and www.brianray.com. They can also be found on iTunes, Spotify and anywhere else where digital music downloads are sold.

You can also head over to The Bayonets’ Wikipedia page and find out more about the band and hear the full interview with Brian on Breakfast With The Beatles here!

The single is a brand new electro remix of Nothing Too Much Just Out of Sight, a track originally on McCartney’s critically acclaimed 2008 album Electric Arguments ( recorded with Youth and released under their pseudonym The Fireman).

The song was (apparently) McCartney’s cathartic vent of pent up anger at ex-wife Heather Mills, whom he had recently and acrimoniously split from.

The Bloody Beetroots have taken it and turned it into a potential club hit, cropping the grimy riff into a tight 4 bars and layering it over pounding drums, repeating until the song strips back to a more more relaxed verse consisting of Macca playing piano, drums and bass as he wails the barbed yet heartfelt lyrics.

Despite being wrongly labeled a writer of catchy yet lightweight pop music, McCartney has never shied away from experimenting with music, dabbling in (among other genres) rock, classical, ambient, experimental and dance. Out of Sight and his collaboration with The Bloody Beetroots in general further backs up the fact that McCartney still has a passion for what he does and continues to try to push the boundaries after over 50 years in the business.

The other half of the single, the mysterious Bloody Beetroots, is fronted by Sir Bob Cornelius. Known for sporting a trademark Venom mask and having his birth year ’1977′  tattooed across his chest, has being releasing EP’s and dance singles since 2007, with Out of Sight being his most high profile collaboration to date.

Minutes after the song was premiered online Sir Bob took to Facebook, saying: “This is an important and special moment for me…It’s one of the most significant landmarks in my career and now I give it to you, to listen and share.”

Out of Sight will be available to purchase from iTunes on June 18 and you can listen to the full thing over on the Rolling Stone website.

The two cancelled dates of his extensive and critically claimed tour were scheduled for the Stadthalle in Vienna, Austria on 11/06/2013 and the Schleyerhalle in Stuttgart, Germany on 12/06/2013.

The following statement was published on his official website and Facebook page:

Unfortunately Eric Clapton has had to cancel his concerts in Vienna, Austria and Stuttgart, Germany on his current tour due to severe back pain. He is currently with specialists who will be able to better determine the course of treatment.

He was looking forward to these concerts and regrets that he is not to be able to perform for the fans. He would like to apologize for any inconveniences these cancellations may cause and would like to thank the fans for their understanding. All tickets can be returned to the Box Offices for refund.

It is hoped he will be well enough after the several days of treatment and recuperation to continue with the final four dates of the tour.

This isn’t the first time Eric Clapton has had to cancel a concert on medical grounds. In 2009 he had to pull out of his performance at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame concert to undergo a procedure for gall stones.

Upcoming Eric Clapton tour dates

14/06/2013 - Koenig-Pilsener Arena, Oberhausen, Germany
15/06/2013 - Lanxess Arena, Cologne, Germany
18/06/2013 - Arena Nuernberger Versicherung, Nuernberg, Germany
19/06/2013 - O2 Arena Prague, Prague, Czech Republic

You can keep up to date on all the latest Eric Clapton news at his official website or by liking his official page on Facebook.

The interview, conducted by Ken Michaels and Steve Marinucci, found Rusty discussing his musical tastes and influences, as well as providing a tantilizing glimpse into the world of a professional session musician.

Talking about working with Elton John on his 2001 album Songs From The West Coast, Rusty said: ”It was really interesting. I walked in there and it was sort of a family vibe which was nice. It was really interesting working with Elton and Bernie Taupin because Bernie would have, like, eighty sets of lyrics and he’d hand some lyrics to Elton and he would start writing the song. In 15 minutes he would have a song and I’d sit there next to him and write down the chords while he’s playing piano and then just start tracking the song. It was a very organic process. It was really cool.”

Overlapping with his recording sessions with Elton John, Rusty also began working on Paul McCartney’s 2001 album Driving Rain. He has since being primarily associated with the former Wings front-man, having extensively toured with him and recorded on the majority of his studio albums since their first meeting.

Having played over 200 shows with Paul McCartney since his 2002 Driving USA tour, Rusty mused upon some of the gigs that stood out from the crowd as special: “In a weird way they’re all super memorable even though I can’t remember them all because we’ve done a lot, especially in America when all these arenas sort of look the same from the inside and the backstage and all that. Whereas Europe’s a little more diverse in that department. But yeah, I mean, we’ve played from Red Square and St Petersburg, we’ve played in Japan and we got to go hang out in Kyoto inbetween Osaka and Tokyo, we played the Rome Coliseum, outside that. And inside actually!”

Playing alongside one of the biggest acts in music has its own unique challenges, for example having to overcome nerves and perform consistently and brilliantly night after night to massive audiences. Rusty recalled some of the largest: “As far as people there, physically, the Queens [diamond] jubilee, I think there was said to be over a million people in the street, but I couldn’t see them all. There was a certain cut of point and a lot of it was maybe piped out into the street with PA. Rome was about 500,000. And the Olympics was very unforgettable, that was just a crazy wild spectacle, and that viewership was definitely the biggest. I mean millions and millions of people watched the Olympic opening ceremony.”

Another challenge is having people become emotional during the concerts: hearing music they have grown up with being performed live in front of their eyes can be quite an experience and the band have to deal with the reactions. “It happens all the time, the crying thing. We were at a show and this girl in front of me, probably at about three quarters of the songs we’d launch into, would burst into tears! And I couldn’t look at her cos I understood! Some people you see crying or whatever and you go ‘okay, that’s your reaction’, but with some people you have to be careful because they can suck you in and all of a sudden it’s like you’re experiencing it with them. It can be dangerous when you’re trying to do a job!”

As well as touring with Macca, Rusty has also found time to have a career of his own. He has already released two solo albums, Undressing Underwater and Born On Earth, and the compilation album Until We Meet Again (album review here). Recently the guitarist has formed a new band, Rusty Anderson Afternoon, quickly followed by the release of the hypnotising single Effortless (single review here). Feeling the understandable need to give the other musicians in his band some credit, Rusty decided against releasing the single as a pure straightforwards solo song: ”It’s a band effort. Todd, who plays bass, we’re sharing vocals and sharing songwriting, and so it’s not just Rusty Anderson solo, it’s a band thing. But having the background and stuff I figured it was probably a good idea keeping my name involved [in the band name].”

And fans of Effortless (and the rest of Rusty’s solo back catalogue for that matter) won’t have too much longer to wait as a brand new Rusty Anderson Afternoon album is currently in the pipeline, although a release date hasn’t yet been set. Speaking about the album, Rusty said: “I’m not sure when the album will be out…probably in the next month or two.”

You can hear the full interview over at  the Beatles Examiner website here. You can also download the new Rusty Anderson Afternoon single Effortless from www.RustyAnderson.com and iTunes.

The bands debut single Sucker For Love brought them great success, receiving a nationwide release, heavy promotion on Steven Van Zandt’s Underground Garage radio show on SiriusXM, and climbing into the Classic Rock radio charts top 10. Their second single Smartphone has been following it’s predecessors steps and is emulating it’s massive success.

But while many people have fallen under The Bayonets’ spell, it is a good bet that not many have considered the bands steely sharp and infectiously to the point name.

Speaking to joshgill.wordpress.com, Brian explained the process of hitting upon The Bayonets’ name:

“I was discussing the band name with a friend and after exhausting every joke name in the universe we decided that the name needed to have the feel of something old, archaic and very real that would remind us of a time when people built things with steel and iron with their bare hands. Like when, for instance, if you wanted to start a war you had to be willing to fight that war face to face.

“Anyway, as we were brainstorming I saw the President mention the phrase ‘horses and bayonets’ and thought that was a great name! But Oliver and I decided it was too long and besides, there are already too many bands with ‘horses’ in the title so I lobbied hard for ‘The Bayonets’.

“We essentially agreed to go with it as we had long been at the end of our ‘joke name’ phase. I actually think we should release our joke names so you can be aware of how sick it got!

“Oliver and I both love the name, as do our friends and as do the fans. It’s archaic and a bit phallic/rock/classic too!”

So there you have it, the full story behind how the band’s name came to be! But if you think Brian’s band is the only band with the Bayonets’ name, you would be wrong:

“No, we’re not the only Bayonets: I found there were a few bands using the name and went about getting the rights copyrighted and the Bayonets URL. But the Croatian Bayonets will continue to rock on…as will Oliver, Lucrecia and I!”

Smartphone is available as a MP3 download to buy from www.thebayonets.com and www.brianray.com. It can also be found on iTunes, Spotify and anywhere else where digital music downloads are sold. And to top it all off you can also get The Bayonets’ smash hit debut single Sucker For Love from these places too!

You can also head over to the bands Wikipedia page and find out more about it’s members and their music. Happy listening, Bayonutters!

Smartphone

Sitting comfortably at #14 in the Classic Rock Radio charts via media base, Smartphone is slowly but surely heading up the charts, emulating the success of the band’s debut single Sucker For Love which peaked at #9 several weeks after it’s release in February. Speaking about their latest single’s ascension up the charts, lead singer Brian Ray said: ”We’re psyched to have upward trends in our favor. Fingers crossed that it continues!”

Smartphone originally broken into the Classic Rock Radio charts entering at #18, with Brian describing himself as “kinda just blown away” by both the fan reaction to The Bayonets and the news of their new song’s success, and that he was “enjoying the wave we’ve been riding and continue to ride!”

The band have had plenty of promotion for their latest single: Steven Van Zandt has had the song on maximum rotation on his Underground Garage radio station on SiriusXM, and the release of the sexily rocking music video had also boosted the bands popularity, clocking up over 100,000 views within a week of it being released.

You can read the full story about the Bayonets’ Smartphone music video here as well as a review of the single here.

Smartphone is available as a MP3 download to buy from www.thebayonets.com and www.brianray.com. It can also be found on iTunes, Spotify and anywhere else where digital music downloads are sold. And to top it all off you can also get The Bayonets’ smash hit debut single Sucker For Love from these places too!

Oh, and if you have time, why not head over to The Bayonets’ Wikipedia page and find out more about the band! Happy listening, Bayonutters!

The video depicts the band setting up in a rehearsal space at Robbie’s Wiltshire home and playing a lean mean cover of AC/DC’s Back In Black as Robbie raps his 2000 hit Kids over the top.

A song he originally recorded with Kylie Minogue in 2000, Robbie alters the lyrics in order to work in Olly Murs’ name, a reference to his support act that will be accompanying him on the tour.

Keyboardist and musical director Paul Beard says: “everybody in the band’s really good fun to be around. It’s a band full of characters and I think that comes out in the sound that they make.”

The video also shows the band hanging out, chatting and playing football and table tennis, as well as the surreal image of Om (the giant mechanical man from Take That’s 2011 Progress Live tour) crouching in a wooded clearing.

Speaking at the press conference announcing the tour in December 2012, Robbie said “I want to deliver a huge tour while I still can and while I’m still capable. I want to put my stamp down and go ‘remember me, this is what I’m good at.’”

Moving onto his support act Olly Murs, Robbie enthused: “He’s smashing it! He’s having hit after hit and I see a lot of myself in him!” The pair have previously sung together during the finals of the 2009 X Factor in which Olly was the runner up, and Robbie dropped some sly hints that he pair may once again duet on a song or two during the tour.

Due to massive demand the tour has expanded from an initial 17 dates to 27 dates, getting several extra dates in London, Manchester, and Glasgow, as well as new dates in Dublin, Norway, Croatia and Switzerland.

You can see the first rehearsal video and a full list of tour dates below. A second rehearsal video will be released soon…

Robbie Williams Take The Crown tour dates

09/06/2013 – Wembly Stadium, London, UK
14/06/2013 – Aviva Stadium, Dublin, ROI
18/06/2013 – Etihad Stadium, Manchester, UK
19/06/2013 – Etihad Stadium, Manchester, UK
21/06/2013 – Etihad Stadium, Manchester, UK
22/06/2013 – Etihad Stadium, Manchester, UK
25/06/2013 – Hampden Park, Glasgow, UK
26/06/2013 – Hampden Park, Glasgow, UK
29/06/2013 – Wembly Stadium, London, UK
30/06/2013 – Wembly Stadium, London, UK
02/07/2013 – Wembly Stadium, London, UK
05/07/2013 – Wembly Stadium, London, UK
10/07/2013 – Veltins Arena, Gelsenkirchen, Germany
13/07/2013 – Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands
17/07/2013 – Krieau, Vienna, Austria
20/07/2013 – Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden
22/07/2013 – Parken, Copenhagen, Denmark
23/07/2013 – Parken, Copenhagen, Denmark
27/07/2013 – AWD-Arena, Hannover, Germany
31/07/2013 – Stadio San Siro, Milan, Italy
03/08/2013 – Koning Baudouinstadion, Brussels, Belgium
07/08/2013 – Olympiastadion, Munich, Germany
11/08/2013 – Mercedes Benz Arena, Stuttgart, Germany
13/08/2013 – Stadion Maksimir, Zagreb, Croatia
16/08/2013 – Stadion Letzigrund, Zurich, Switzerland
20/08/2013 – Tallinn Song Festival Grounds, Tallinn, Estonia
25/08/2013 – Viking Stadion, Stavanger, Norway

This Way Up is available as a MP3 download to buy from both Brian Ray’s official website and iTunes, as well as all other places where digital music downloads are sold.

Also be sure to take a look at my other chords/tutorials here or by checking my blogs index!

This Way Up

(intro – can be played as open chords…although power chords sound better!)

D A E x8

(verse)

A_______C#m______F#m
—Lets go drivin’ in my car

____F
Lets hit the gas

________Dm__________G
And we’ll outrun the past

A_______C#m_______F#m
—Lets go drivin’ like the fools they say we are

_____G_______________D
We’ll turn this thing around

_____G__________________F#m
The whole world’s upside down

(chorus)

_____D__A__E___D__A__E______________D___A__E__D__A__E
I said hey, —- hey, hey, —- it’s time to make our getaway

_____D__A__E___D__A__E________D_____A___E__D__A__E
I said hey, —- hey, hey, —-talkin’ bout a great escape

___D___A_E____D__A__E
So hold on tight, ride with me

______D___A__E______D_____A__E
We’ll storm the gates like Steve McQueen

______G_______B
And it’s this way up

D A E x4

Doesn’t matter who you are
Or who you think you are
If you have a heart
Forget the crap you learned
Back in your little school
They changed the rules last night
They said what’s wrong was right

(chorus)

(solo)

C__G__C__G
C__G__B
C__G__D__G
C__G__B

(chorus)

Smartphone is available as a MP3 download to buy from The Bayonet’s official website, Brian Ray’s official website and iTunes, as well as all other places where digital music downloads are sold.

Also be sure to take a look at my other chords/tutorials here or by checking my blogs index!

Smartphone

(intro - keep the B and top E strings open on all the intro chords)

Em G Em Am

(verse – riff on low E)

Hey, now, gather round
Let me tell ya bout the new gun in town
Ready, set, who’s the best
Fingers are flyin’ like the wild west

Oh yeah, oh yeah

New York to Galilee
The sky above to the seven seas
We all got skin in the game
____G____________________B7
The whole wide world’s on the road to fame

(chorus)

____C_________G
So c’mon (ready) aim and shoot it

D_______________Em
Get a smartphone and just get stupid

C___________G___________D
—It’s time for all the world to see (your biology)

__C________________G
C’mon (c’mon) strike a pose and take it

B7_________________Em
Shoot your best shot you just might make it

C______________B7
You’re goin’ (down)

________________B7/Ebm
You’re goin’ down (aaah)

You’re goin’ down in history

(return to riff on low E string)

You can wait til the cows come home
Bored and broke and all alone
Or you can show your face, just a taste
Send your junk into outer space

Oh yeah, oh yeah

(chorus)

(solo 1 – all on top 4 strings. No A or low E strings!)

Em__B7__Asus4__Am-Am6

Am9-Am__Emin(sus4)-Em

B7__Am-Am6__Emaj

(solo 2)

(chorus)