[Bootlegs]

From what I understand, trading bootlegs are OK as long as no money changes hands

[HELP with acoustic variation!]

Listen to a Elmore James record, like Dust My Broom

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Alistair has it right. Go listen to Elmore James. He's very very good.

[Next planned buy...]

$3,000..... what would that be in pounds?

[Next planned buy...]

My next planned buy is a '67 vintage acoustic Gibson. Unfortunately, it will remain only a plan as I have nowhere near enough money for it!

[AMPS ARRGH!!!]

Lazz does indeed know all. Is there anything you don't know, Lazz?

[My god, why doesn't somebody...]

tom you are never gonna get a passport till you learn to get your whole face in a picture...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

are you sure we want to see his whole face?

[My god, why doesn't somebody...]

eye-eye

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Aye-Aye cap'n!

[How did you start out as a songwriter?]

Let the hurt out through your songwriting.

[Oops, she did it again.]

HH - all you have to do to join is the following :

In large print, write "Member of the Lazz Fan Club" in your signature

[What are your favourite plectrums/plectra?]

I think John perhaps deleted his original post about the stones? Now everyone will be confused. And Alistair looks foolish for saying that John posted something twice....

[dangerous singing technique]

Uh-oh boys. I think we have the first ever Nose-Bandit on our hands...

[dangerous singing technique]

Why Philadelphia?

[Guitar Tuners]

as LMK mentioned above, the Intellitouch tuner is great. I use one too - Because they pick up the vibrations, they're easy to tune even in crowded, noisy rooms

[New website look]

That story about the kittens is really depressing.

[How did you start out as a songwriter?]

From the time I was about 7, I'd make up horrible little lyrics. Absolutely dreadful. Then I got my first guitar at age 13 and a few months later started writing somewhat not-so-dreadful songs.... This was the beginning of my "trying-to-be-Dylan" stage. This lasted for about a year and a half and yielded 22 songs - none of which have (or ever will) see the light of day. Then around August '03 I got slightly more serious and started writing decent stuff.

[What are your favourite plectrums/plectra?]

I use medium strings - and whatever picks I can find. I like Taylors and Brains (.73mm). The Brains have grips on them, so they don't slip as much

[How did you learn to play?]

my family is fairly musical. My father plays acoustic guitar, my stepmother plays the piano, and my mother is pretty lyrical - she writes some poetry. I have an uncle who is a great mandolin player, and another uncle who plays the banjo fairly well. I have a cousin who sings like an angel. The only female singer I've heard that's better is Emmylou Harris. pretty fair company to be in. I have another cousin that plays the piano, and another cousin that plays the guitar and trombone. So, yup, we're pretty musical people

[How did you learn to play?]

Well, back when I was 12, [last week. Ed.]

Tom

Hahaha. Very funny

[How did you learn to play?]

Well, back when I was 12, [last week. Ed.] My musical taste was questionable at best. Basically, it was the bad pop music my generation has been subjected to. So, my dad got two cheap acoustic guitars (one for me, one for him) and said "look here, we're gonna learn to play together" . This essentially meant that we were going to learn all the old country songs he liked, which i didn't. Through learning them, I gained an appreciation for them, however, and they are now some of my favorite songs.

Anyways, so we both took a few lessons, but learned more from chord books (The Beatles book taught me a lot) and just playing off each other, figuring out what sounded right.

Tom

[List all the guitars you have ever owned]

I started out on a cheap Alvarez acoustic - not a very good guitar. Tone was horrible.

Then I got a Fender Stratocaster which I still have but don't play all that much. I just prefer acoustic.

At some point my dad picked up a red f-hole Epiphone electric - not sure of the model. But it's a decent guitar - Has a fuller sound then the Strat - better for rhythm playing.

Then I got a cheap Martin acoustic - again not sure of the model. It's an OK guitar, not spectacular. If I wasn't so lazy, I'd get a job to buy a better acoustic.

Mainly, however, I play my dad's Martin D-35. By far the best guitar in the house.

[How many songs do you write a year?]

Ironically enough, while eating at a pizza place today, they played "Jet" over the speaker system

[How many songs do you write a year?]

I've been picking up speed since I started writing. I wrote two songs in late '03, then i wrote 25 in '04 ( mostly in the latter half, from about July onwards) and so far this year I've written ten. I'm bound to slow down sometime soon - I'm running out of topics!

[Guitar Strings]

I use either Martins, D'Addario, or Elixir. I can't tell a whole lot of difference between the three.... but I don't have a partiuclarly good ear, so....

[How many songs do you write a year?]

One Song, and Two lyrics without music (but they'll have music soon) so far this year. A solid start

[How many songs do you write a year?]

i often take good lines from crap songs to make new songs. Why waste a good rhyme, correct?