ABOUT MY MUSIC

Gibson Guitar

Phone is a replica of the 1957 Les Paul Custom Black Beauty guitar and amplifier.

Real music plays when the phone rings.


£ 72
Item No. 5083

Robert Nesta Marley was born on the 6th of February 1945 in the Saint Ann Parish of Jamaica. His father Norval Sinclair Marley was a white man in his 50s and his mother Cedella Booker was a black woman who was 18 years old. Due to this, he suffered a lot of racial prejudice in his childhood. Although his father provided the family with financial support, he was away most of the time on his work related trips. Bob Marley was ten years old when his father died.

His family moved to the Trenchtown slum in Kingston after his father died. Since he was of a short stature and due to his mixed origins, Bob Marley had to endure a lot of bullying. So he learnt self defense and eventually gained a lot of physical strength. This earned him the nickname of ‘Tuff Gong’.

This is also the time he met Neville Livingston (later known as Bunny Wailer) and they began playing music together. At 14 he apprenticed at a local welder’s shop and began to make music in his free time with Livingston and Joe Higgs, who was a local musician and a devout Rastafarian. It was at one such jam session, that Bob Marley also met Peter McIntosh (later known as Peter Tosh).

Bob Marley History

In 1962, Bob recorded his first two singles called ‘Judge Not’ and ‘One Cup of Coffee’ with Leslie Kong under the pseudonym Bobby Martell. Later on he and Leslie split up due to money issues.

In 1963 Bob Marley, Bunny Livingstone and Peter Tosh and others joined together to form a band. They initially called themselves ‘The Teenagers’ but later on changed the names several times, finally settling themselves on the name ‘The Wailers’. Bob Marley began to sing along with composing the music and lyrics for the band. They recorded two songs called ‘I’m Still Waiting’ and ‘It Hurts to be Alone’ with record producer Clement Dodd. Dodd also gave Bob a place to stay in the back room of the recording studio and in return Bob would do assignments for Dodd.

In one such assignment, where Bob was coaching a group of vocal singers called ‘The Soulettes’, Bob met Rita Anderson. He later married her in 1966.

While with Dodd, The Wailers recorded several songs. However, one of them called ‘One Love’ became extremely popular. Comprised of elements from the Rastafarian faith, the song called for unity, peace and love. This song was completely different from the radical and sometimes anti-authority songs that The Wailers used to sing.

Bob Marley also recorded the song ‘Simmer Down’ in 1964 with Dodd which became extremely popular and made The Wailers one of the top bands in Jamaica. They then followed it up with ‘Soul Rebel’ and ‘400 Years’.

In 1966 after marrying Rita Anderson, he moved with his mother in Wilmington, Delaware. However, less money and record producers wanting him to compromise on his Rastafarian messages in his songs meant a lot of conflict in his life. Therefore, he came back to Jamaica and began working in a factory to earn his living. Marley also began wearing his trademark dreadlocks in keeping with his Rastafarian faith.

Between 1968 and 1972, The Wailers along with Rita Marley tried to re-cut a few of their old songs with JAD Records in London. However, this did not prove to be a very good idea.

Then, in 1973 The Wailers released their first album worldwide. It was called ‘Catch a Fire’ which did quite well. Then a year later, they released another album titled ‘Burnin’. This album included their hit songs like ‘Get Up, Stand Up’ and ‘I Shot the Sheriff’. This introduced Marley on the international stage.

In 1974, The Wailers broke up with each of the three band members wanting to pursue solo careers. But Bob Marley continued calling his band ‘Bob Marley and The Wailers’ and teamed up with new members to form another band. These included Carlton and Aston ‘Family Man’ Barrett (drums and bass), Junior Marvin and Al Anderson (lead guitar), Tyrone Downie and Earl ‘Wya’ Lindo (keyboards), Alvin ‘Seeco’ Patterson (percussion), and the ‘I Threes’ (backing vocals) which included his wife Rita.

In 1975 Bob Marley had his first international hit ‘No Woman, No Cry’. After this he released his album ‘Rastaman Vibration’ in 1976 which became a Billboard chart topper for four weeks.

In December 1976, Bob Marley, his wife and his manager Don Taylor were wounded in an assassination attempt made before the ‘Smile Jamaica’ concert. Marley’s wife and manager were seriously wounded, and Bob Marley had just some minor wounds. They all recovered, and Bob went on to play at the concert.

Bob Marley then went to London and recorded his next two albums ‘Exodus’ and ‘Kaya’ which included the hit songs ‘Exodus’, ‘Waiting in Vain’, ‘Jamming’ and ‘One Love’. ‘Exodus’ stayed on the British music charts for 56 consecutive weeks. He was also arrested for possession of a small amount of cannabis.

Death

In 1977, Bob Marley was diagnosed with cancer. He had sustained an injury on right toe which had never healed. But Bob Marley refused to go ahead with any amputation surgery as it was against the Rastafarian faith. His strong faith in his religion meant that he had to keep his body ‘whole’ and also that he should not register a will as it would symbolize the acceptance of death as inevitable, thus giving a total disregard for the concept of everlasting life. Rastafarian faith also believed that smoking marijuana was an uplifting experience which would connect the human body to the divine.

Eventually the cancer spread to his lungs, liver, stomach and brain. However, he continued to play on in concerts and recording albums such as ‘Survival’ in 1979 and ‘Uprising’ in 1980.

Bob Marley died on the 11th of May, 1981 at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital in Miami, Florida. He was 36. His final words to his son Ziggy were ‘Money can’t buy life’. As per his wishes, he was buried with his guitar, a soccer ball, a marijuana bud, a ring given to him by the Prince Asfa Wossen of Ethiopia and a Bible.

After Death

After his death, too, Bob Marley’s reputation as a great singer and Rastafarian continued to add to his popularity and fame.

Bob Marley received many posthumous awards, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001 and the induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

This Bob Marley biography is an account of this great musician and his contribution to the Rastafarian faith. He popularized the tenets of the faith through his music and his life. He was revered by many as a ‘prophet’ or a ‘messiah’ for his religion. He propagated many thoughts including radical non-violent action. To put it in his words:

‘Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery
None but ourselves can free our minds...’

John Winston Lennon was born in the Liverpool Maternity Hospital, Oxford Street, Liverpool, to Julia Lennon (née Stanley) and Alfred (Alf, or Freddie) Lennon, during the course of a German air raid in World War II. Julia's sister, Mary "Mimi" Smith, ran through the blacked-out back roads to reach the hospital. During the two-mile trek to the hospital, she used the explosions to see where she was going.[7][8][9] John was named after his paternal grandfather, John 'Jack' Lennon, and Winston Churchill.[9] Alf was a merchant seaman during World War II, and was often away from home, but sent regular pay cheques to Julia, who was living with the young Lennon at 9 Newcastle Road, Liverpool, but the cheques stopped when Alf went AWOL in 1943.[10][11] When Alf eventually came home in 1944, he offered to look after his wife and son, but Julia (who was pregnant with another man's child) rejected the idea.[12] After considerable pressure from her sister, Mimi Smith (who contacted Liverpool's Social Services to complain about Julia), Julia handed the care of Lennon over to Mimi.[13] In July 1946, Alf visited Mimi and took Lennon to Blackpool, secretly intending to emigrate to New Zealand with him.[14] Julia followed them, and after a very heated argument, Alf made the five-year-old Lennon choose between Julia or him, and Lennon chose him twice. As Julia walked away, however, Lennon began to cry and followed her. Alf then lost contact with Lennon until the height of Beatlemania, when father and son met again.[15]
Mendips, George and Mimi Smith's home, where Lennon lived for most of his childhood and adolescence.

Throughout the rest of his childhood and adolescence, Lennon lived with his Aunt Mimi and her husband George Smith, who had no children of their own, in Woolton, in a house called "Mendips" (251 Menlove Avenue). Mimi bought volumes of short stories for Lennon, and George, who was a dairyman at his family's farm, engaged Lennon in solving crossword puzzles, and bought him a harmonica. (Smith died on 5 June 1955).[14][16] Julia Lennon visited Mendips almost every day, and when Lennon was 11 he often visited her at 1 Blomfield Road, Liverpool. Julia taught Lennon how to play the banjo, and played Elvis Presley's records for him. The first song he learned was Fats Domino's "Ain't That A Shame".[17][18]

Lennon was raised as an Anglican and attended Dovedale Primary School until he passed his Eleven-Plus exam.[19][20] From September 1952 to 1957, he attended the Quarry Bank High School in Liverpool, where he was known as a "happy-go-lucky" pupil, drawing comical cartoons and mimicking his teachers.[21][22][23]

Julia bought Lennon his first guitar in 1957, which was a Gallotone Champion acoustic (a cheap model that was "guaranteed not to split").[24] Julia insisted it be delivered to her house and not to Mimi's, who hoped that Lennon would grow bored with music; she was sceptical of Lennon's claim that he would be famous one day, often telling him, "The guitar's all very well, John, but you'll never make a living out of it".[24][25] On 15 July 1958, when Lennon was 17, Julia was killed in Menlove Avenue (close to Mimi's house) when struck by a car driven by an off-duty police officer.[26][27] Her death was a bond between Lennon and Paul McCartney, who also had lost his own mother (to breast cancer) on 31 October 1956.[28]

Lennon failed all his GCE O-level examinations, and was only accepted into the Liverpool College of Art with help from his school's headmaster and Mimi. There, Lennon met his future wife, Cynthia Powell, when he was a Teddy Boy.[29] Lennon was often disruptive in class and ridiculed his teachers, resulting in them refusing to have him as a student.[30][31] Lennon failed an annual Art College exam despite help from Powell, and dropped out before his last year of college.[32]

[edit] The Beatles: 1957–1970
Main articles: The Quarrymen, Lennon/McCartney, and The Beatles
Further information: The Beatles discography
The Beatles arriving in the U.S. in 1964.

When Lennon decided that he wanted to try making music himself, he and fellow Quarry Bank High School friend, Eric Griffiths, took guitar lessons at Hunts Cross in Liverpool, although Lennon gave up the lessons soon after.[33] Lennon started The Quarrymen in March 1957.[34] On 6 July 1957, Lennon met McCartney at the Quarrymen's second concert at the St. Peter's Church Woolton Garden fête.[35][36] McCartney's father told his son that Lennon would get him "into a lot of trouble", but later allowed The Quarrymen to rehearse in the front room at 20 Forthlin Road.[37][38] There, Lennon and McCartney began writing songs together. The first song Lennon completed was "Hello, Little Girl" when he was 18 years old, which later became a hit for the Fourmost.[39] McCartney convinced Lennon to allow George Harrison to join the Quarrymen (even though Lennon thought Harrison to be too young) after Harrison played the song "Raunchy" for Lennon on the upper deck of a bus.[40] Harrison joined the band as lead guitarist, and Stuart Sutcliffe — Lennon's friend from art school — later joined as bassist.[41][42] After a series of name changes, the group decided on The Beatles. Lennon was always considered the leader of the group, as McCartney explained: "We all looked up to John. He was older and he was very much the leader - he was the quickest wit and the smartest and all that kind of thing".[43][44]

Allan Williams became the Beatles' first manager in May 1960, after they had played in his Jacaranda club.[45] A few months later he booked them into Bruno Koschmider's Indra club in Hamburg, Germany.[46][47] Lennon's Aunt Mimi was horrified when he told her about the trip to Hamburg, and pleaded with him to continue his studies.[48] After the first residency Sutcliffe left The Beatles to concentrate on his artwork, and to be with his girlfriend, Astrid Kirchherr. McCartney took over as bass player for the group.[49] Koschmider reported McCartney and drummer Pete Best for arson after the two attached a condom to a nail in the 'Bambi' (a cinema where they were staying) and set fire to it.[50] They were deported, as was Harrison for working under age.[51] A few days later Lennon's work permit was revoked and he went home by train.[52]
Lennon's guitars.

After Harrison turned 18 and the immigration problems had been solved, The Beatles went back to Hamburg for another residency in April 1961. While they were there, they recorded "My Bonnie" with Tony Sheridan.[53] News of Sheridan and The Beatles' record was published on the front page of Mersey Beat — a Liverpool music magazine — which was available at Brian Epstein's music store, and prompted Epstein to order extra copies from Polydor.[54] In April 1962, The Beatles went back to Hamburg to play at the Star-Club, and were told that Sutcliffe had died two days before they arrived.[55] This was another blow for Lennon, after losing his uncle and his mother.[55]

On 9 May 1962, George Martin signed The Beatles to EMI's comedy label, Parlophone. After their first recording session, Martin voiced his displeasure with Best.[56] It was decided that Ringo Starr, drummer with Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, should join, although it was left to Epstein to inform Best. Epstein dismissed Best on 16 August 1962, almost exactly two years after Best had joined the group.[57][58] The Beatles released their first double-sided original single, "Love Me Do" b/w "P.S. I Love You" on 5 October; it reached #17 on the British charts (although Starr did not play on these tracks, Martin having secured the services of Andy White, a session drummer, before he knew Best had been replaced). On 11 February 1963, the group recorded their first album Please Please Me in one day with Lennon suffering from a common cold.[59] Originally the Lennon-McCartney songs on the first pressing of the album, as well as the single "From Me to You" and its B-side "Thank You Girl", were credited to "McCartney-Lennon", but this was later changed to "Lennon-McCartney".[60] Lennon and McCartney usually needed an hour or two to finish a song, most of which were written in hotel rooms after a concert, at Wimpole Street — Jane Asher's home — or at Cavendish Avenue; McCartney's home[61] or at Kenwood (Lennon's house).[62] The album and single hit #1 in Britain, and EMI offered the album to their U.S. subsidiary, Capitol Records, but they turned it down.[63] Epstein finally secured a deal with Vee-Jay Records; a predominantly black R&B and gospel label.[64] Neither the single or the accompanying album, Introducing The Beatles was successful in the US. By the time the group recorded "She Loves You", they were dropped from Vee Jay and once again, Capitol declined to release their records. EMI were forced to release it on the even more obscure Swan Records label.[65] It did eventually hit #1 in January 1964, after Capitol Records finally released "I Want To Hold Your Hand" in America. Following their historic appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, The Beatles would embark on a two-year non-stop period of productivity: constant international tours, making movies, and writing hit songs. Lennon wrote two books, In His Own Write and A Spaniard in the Works,[66] while The Beatles achieved recognition from the British Establishment when they were appointed Members of the Order of the British Empire in the 1965 Queen's Birthday Honours.[67]

In My Life (1965)
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A Day in the Life (1967)
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John Lennon in 1964

Lennon complained that nobody heard them play for all the screaming, and their musicianship was beginning to suffer.[68] By the time he wrote his 1965 song "Help!", Lennon had put on quite a bit of weight and said he was subconsciously crying out for help and seeking change.[69]

The catalyst for this change occurred on 4 March 1966, when Lennon was interviewed for the London Evening Standard by Maureen Cleave, and talked about Christianity by saying: "Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. I do not know what will go first, rock 'n' roll or Christianity...We're more popular than Jesus now".[70] Five months later, an American teen magazine called Datebook reprinted part of the quote on its front cover.[71]

The American Bible Belt protested in the South and Midwest, and conservative groups staged public burnings of Beatles' records and memorabilia.[72] Radio stations banned Beatles music and concert venues cancelled performances. Even The Vatican got involved with a public denouncement of Lennon's comments. On 11 August 1966, the Beatles held a press conference in Chicago, Illinois, in order to address the growing furore.
“ Lennon: "I suppose if I had said television was more popular than Jesus, I would have gotten away with it, but I just happened to be talking to a friend and I used the words "Beatles" as a remote thing, not as what I think - as Beatles, as those other Beatles like other people see us. I just said "they" are having more influence on kids and things than anything else, including Jesus. But I said it in that way which is the wrong way".

Reporter: "Some teenagers have repeated your statements - "I like the Beatles more than Jesus Christ." What do you think about that?"

Lennon: "Well, originally I pointed out that fact in reference to England. That we meant more to kids than Jesus did, or religion at that time. I wasn't knocking it or putting it down. I was just saying it as a fact and it's true more for England than here. I'm not saying that we're better or greater, or comparing us with Jesus Christ as a person or God as a thing or whatever it is. I just said what I said and it was wrong. Or it was taken wrong. And now it's all this".

Reporter: "But are you prepared to apologise?"

Lennon: "I wasn't saying whatever they're saying I was saying. I'm sorry I said it really. I never meant it to be a lousy anti-religious thing. I apologise if that will make you happy. I still don't know quite what I've done. I've tried to tell you what I did do but if you want me to apologise, if that will make you happy, then OK, I'm sorry".[73]
”

The governing members of the Vatican accepted his apology and the furor eventually died down, but the Beatles soon decided to stop touring, and never performed a scheduled concert again.

Lennon later wrote, "I always remember to thank Jesus for the end of my touring days; if I hadn't said that The Beatles were 'bigger than Jesus' and upset the very Christian Ku Klux Klan, well, Lord, I might still be up there with all the other performing fleas! God bless America. Thank you, Jesus".[70]

In a 2008 article marking the 40th anniversary of the Beatles' "White Album" release, the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, issued the statement: "The remark by John Lennon, which triggered deep indignation, mainly in the United States, after many years sounds only like a 'boast' by a young working-class Englishman faced with unexpected success, after growing up in the legend of Elvis and rock and roll. The fact remains that 38 years after breaking up, the songs of the Lennon-McCartney brand have shown an extraordinary resistance to the passage of time, becoming a source of inspiration for more than one generation of pop musicians".[74]

Lennon left The Beatles in September 1969 but agreed not to make an announcement while the band renegotiated their recording contract. He became irate when McCartney issued a self question-and-answer interview in April 1970, declaring that he was no longer a member of The Beatles.[75] Lennon's reaction when told was, "Jesus Christ! He [McCartney] gets all the credit for it!" Lennon later told Rolling Stone: "I was a fool not to do what Paul did, which was use it to sell a record." (McCartney's first solo album) and later wrote, "I started the band. I finished it".[76]

In 1970, Jann Wenner conducted an interview with Lennon for Rolling Stone (known as "Lennon Remembers") that revealed his bitterness towards McCartney and the hostility he felt that the other members had for Ono. Lennon said: "[W]e got fed up with being sidemen for Paul... After Brian Epstein died we collapsed. Paul took over and supposedly led us. But what is leading us when we went round in circles?"[77]

[edit] Solo career

At the end of 1968, Lennon performed as part of the group Dirty Mac, in The Rolling Stones' film Rock and Roll Circus. The supergroup, made up of Lennon, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards and Mitch Mitchell, also backed Ono's performance.[78] Lennon and Ono were married on 20 March 1969, and he soon released a series of 14 lithographs called "Bag One" depicting scenes from their honeymoon,[79] eight of which were deemed indecent and most were banned and confiscated.[80]

Lennon and Ono recorded three albums of experimental music together: Unfinished Music No.1: Two Virgins,[81] an album known more for its cover than the musical content, Unfinished Music No.2: Life with the Lions, and Wedding Album. His first "solo" album was Live Peace in Toronto 1969—recorded prior to the breakup of The Beatles—recorded at a Rock 'n' Roll Festival in Toronto with The Plastic Ono Band. He also recorded three solo singles: the anti-war anthem, "Give Peace a Chance", "Cold Turkey", and "Instant Karma!". Following The Beatles' split in 1970, Lennon released John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, a raw emotional album that dealt with Lennon's pain in losing his mother and split with The Beatles. It included "Working Class Hero", which was banned by BBC Radio for its inclusion of the word "fucking".[82]

His album Imagine followed in 1971, and the title song would later become an anthem for anti-war movements. It also included the track "How Do You Sleep?" -- a musical attack on McCartney. Although Lennon softened his stance in the mid-70s and claimed he wrote the song about himself,[83][84] he revealed in 1980, "I used my resentment against Paul... to create a song... not a terrible vicious horrible vendetta... I used my resentment and withdrawing from Paul and the Beatles, and the relationship with Paul, to write 'How Do You Sleep'. I don't really go 'round with those thoughts in my head all the time".[36]

On 31 August 1971, Lennon left England for New York, and released the "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" single in December 1971.[85] To advertise the single, Lennon and Ono paid for billboards in 9 major cities (and 7 different languages) which declared: "WAR IS OVER!... if you want it".[86] Some Time in New York City was then released in 1972. Recorded with Elephant's Memory, it contained songs about women's rights, race relations, Britain's role in Northern Ireland, and Lennon's problems obtaining a United States Green Card.[87] Lennon had been interested in left-wing politics since the late 1960s, and reportedly donated money to the Trotskyist Workers Revolutionary Party.[88]

In 1972, Lennon released "Woman Is the Nigger of the World". Many radio stations refused to broadcast the song, although Lennon was allowed to perform it on The Dick Cavett Show.[89] On 30 August 1972 Lennon and Elephant's Memory gave two benefit concerts at Madison Square Garden in New York to benefit the patients at the Willowbrook State School mental facility on Staten Island.[90] These were to be Lennon's last full-length concert appearances.[91]

In November 1973, Lennon released Mind Games, which was credited to "the Plastic U.F.Ono Band". He also wrote "I'm the Greatest" for Starr's album Ringo (his own demo version of the song appears on the John Lennon Anthology) and produced "Too Many Cooks (Spoil The Soup)" for Mick Jagger. In September 1974, Lennon released Walls and Bridges and the single "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night" (a #1 duet with Elton John). A second single from the album, "#9 Dream", was released in December. He wrote "Goodnight Vienna" for Starr, and played piano on the recording.[92] On 28 November, Lennon made a surprise guest appearance at Elton John's Thanksgiving concert at Madison Square Garden after he lost a bet with John that "Whatever Gets You" would reach #1.[93] Lennon performed "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds", "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night" and "I Saw Her Standing There".

In January 1975, Lennon co-wrote and recorded "Fame" with David Bowie and Carlos Alomar which became Bowie's first U.S. #1 hit.[94] Lennon released Rock 'n' Roll, an album of cover songs, in February 1975 – with Phil Spector as co-producer.

Lennon made his last stage appearance on ATV's 18 April 1975 special called A Salute to Lew Grade performing "Imagine", "Stand By Me" (cut from the televised edition), and "Slippin' and Slidin'" from his Rock 'n' Roll LP.[95] Lennon's backup band was BOMF (known as "Etc." that evening).[96] The band members wore two-faced masks which were digs at Grade, with whom Lennon and McCartney had been in conflict because of Grade's control of The Beatles' publishing company. Dick James, The Beatles' publisher, had sold his majority share in Maclen Music (Lennon's and McCartney's publishing company) to Grade in 1969. During "Imagine", Lennon interjected the line "and no immigration too", a reference to his battle to remain in the United States.[87] In October 1975, Lennon fulfilled his contractual obligation to EMI/Capitol for one more album by releasing Shaved Fish, a greatest hits compilation. Lennon wrote and recorded "Cookin' (In The Kitchen of Love)" with Ringo Starr in June 1976, his last recording session until his 1980 comeback.[97]

In 1977, Lennon announced he would be taking three years off to raise his and Ono's son, Sean. He emerged from retirement in November 1980, releasing Double Fantasy, which also featured Ono. That previous June, Lennon traveled to Bermuda on a 43-foot sloop, where he wrote songs for the album.[98] The name of the album refers to a species of freesia flower that Lennon had seen in the Bermuda Botanical Gardens and saw it as a perfect description of his marriage to Ono.[99] Lennon had written and recorded enough material for another album and was already planning his follow-up, Milk and Honey, which was released posthumously in 1984

Mike Portnoy was born on April 20, 1967 and raised in Long Beach, New York, where his interest in music started at an early age. "My father was a rock n' roll disc jockey, so I was always surrounded by music constantly. I had this huge record collection when I was real young and loved the Beatles and then later on Kiss. It was inevitable that I'd become a musician."

Although Mike taught himself how to play the drums, he did take music theory classes in high school. During that time he began playing in local bands Intruder, Rising Power and Inner Sanctum, the latter of which released their own album. Mike left the band after being awarded a scholarship to attend Berklee Music College in Boston.

An avid collector of many things, Mike has a vast array of Dream Theater memorabilia including bootlegs, posters, clippings and everything else under the sun with the band's name on it. He is also responsible for capturing everything the band does on video tape and DAT. His huge video collection includes favorite films as 2001, A Clockwork Orange, Jacob's Ladder and The Wall along with episodes of The Simpsons and memorable boxing matches.

Mike says his biggest influences are Rush drummer Neil Peart and the late Frank Zappa. Other favorites include drummers Terry Bozzio, Vinnie Colaiuta, Simon Philips, John Bonham and Keith Moon and bands such as The Beatles, Queen, Yes, Metallica, Jellyfish, Iron Maiden, U2 and Jane's Addiction. He is also a fan of rap music.

Born into family of artist, his deceased father was a painter and his mother is a dancer. I Wayan Balawan or Balawan (Which means powerful in Sanskrit, Ed.) learned to paint, but unlike his siblings, who chose to be a painter or a dancer like either of the parents, he didn’t stop there. He next ventured into music, especially playing guitar. He started to learn playing guitar at eight. Then at 14, together with his big brother’s friends, he played music in a band playing Deep Purple’s and The Beatles’ songs. To sharpen his skills, he learned jazz guitar and vocas at The Australian Institute of Music, Sydney after finishing his senior high school in Bali. Because of his achievements, he was granted a three-year scholarship after one year studying there.

In 1997, after finishing his studies and experiencing the life of a professional guitarist in Australia. Balawan went back to Bali and formed BATUAN ETHNIC FUSION, a group of musicians who combine traditional Balinese music with Jazz. In 1999 they released their first album, GloBALIsm. But since this was a pure jazz album and not many Indonesians were fond of jazz at the time, the album didn’t attract much attention. Watching some rock musicians using the tapping technique in playing guitars, Balawan was inspired to learn this skill. He started to fully adopt this technique in 1999 and it has become his trademark ever since. If we pay attention to the way Balawan plays guitar, we’ll see that he plays it as if he were playing the piano. Yes, he taps on in instead of picking or strumming it. And for your info, he’s the first guitarist in Asia to use this technique.

His second album, Balawan Solo, was released in Germany in 2001. Afterwards he held q promo tour fromone city to another to promote it. Since German people had no objection to jazz, his album really received a warm welcome there.

After a lengthy exploration of his talent, Balawan felt that it would be great to be able to play the guitar and bass at the same time. Then he ordered a special guitar and bass at the same time. Then he ordered a special guitar to be made, called Stephallen Guitar Custom 13 Strings Balawan Sries with two necks, one for guitar, the other for bass. And last year, after about a year playing the two-neck guitar, he decided to make an album using this new instrument. So here comes I Wayan Balawan, The Magic Fingers.

Early life

Saul Hudson was born on July 23, 1965 in West Hampstead, London, England [5] Slash's African-American mother, Ola Hudson, worked as a costume designer for David Bowie among many other actors and musicians, and his British father, Anthony Hudson, was an artist who contributed live ensembles for famous musicians including Neil Young and Joni Mitchell.[6]

Slash was raised in the city of Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, until the age of 11, when his parents relocated the family to Los Angeles, California. His parents separated and he lived primarily with his mother. He was given the nickname "Slash" by family friend Seymour Cassel because he "was always in a hurry, zipping around from one thing to another."[7][8]

As a young boy, Slash was influenced by a musical school teacher:
“ Tangerine from Led Zeppelin III was the very first song I mastered. I had a teacher at school who had a Les Paul and he was always playing Cream and [Led] Zeppelin licks and whatever. And when I heard him do that I said "That's what I want to do".[9] ”

After deciding to form a band with friend Steven Adler, Slash decided to pick up the bass guitar. This is due to the fact that Steven had declared himself lead guitarist. Slash stopped in at Fairfax Music School and told the receptionist he wanted to play the bass, and at that time met his teacher Robert Wolin. Robert told him to learn he would need a bass of his own. Slash went home and asked his grandmother and was given a worn-out, single stringed flamenco guitar. After hearing Robert play "Brown Sugar" by ear Slash realized that the guitar was his calling. He subsequently dropped out of high school to focus on music. In a Rolling Stone magazine article, he remarked:

My big awakening happened when I was fourteen. I'd been trying to get into this older girl's pants for a while, and she finally let me come over to her house. We hung out, smoked some pot and listened to Aerosmith's Rocks. It hit me like a fucking ton of bricks. I sat there listening to it over and over, and totally blew off this girl. I remember riding my bike back to my grandma's house knowing that my life had changed. Now I identified with something.[10]

Early career (1983–1985)

In 1983, Slash formed the band Road Crew, a Motörhead tribute band (named for the Motörhead song We Are The Road Crew) with childhood friend Steven Adler. He placed an advertisement in a newspaper for a bassist, and received a response from Duff McKagan.

When Road Crew disbanded, Slash joined a local band known as Black Sheep. Headed by Willie Bass, the band shared an agent with another new group known as Hollywood Rose. In 1984, both bands opened for Christian metal band Stryper. After the show, Slash and lead singer Axl Rose were introduced to one another by a friend. The two quickly became friends, and several months later, Slash and Steven Adler were invited to join with Axl Rose, Duff McKagan and Izzy Stradlin as the band, Guns N' Roses.

Guns N' Roses (1985–1996)

Guns N' Roses toured bars and opened for larger acts throughout 1985 and 1986. It was during this period that they wrote most of their classic material, including "Welcome to the Jungle", "Sweet Child o' Mine", and "Paradise City." During this time, they were scouted by several major record labels, and signed with Geffen. From the start, they spent half of their advance on clothes, and the other half on alcohol and drugs. It was during this period that the "Most Dangerous Band In The World" tag was first attached to them. In 1988, Slash remarked:

For some strange reason, Guns N' Roses is like the catalyst for controversy, even before we had any kind of record deal.[citation needed]

With 28 million copies sold (18 million just in the United States), Appetite for Destruction is the best-selling debut album of all time worldwide and in the US[11][12]. By 1988, Guns N' Roses scored its first #1 hit with "Sweet Child o' Mine," a song spearheaded by Slash's riff and guitar solo.

In 1988, Guns N' Roses released G N' R Lies. Though this album only had eight tracks (four of which had already been released), it sold over 5 million copies. In 1991, after a four-year hiatus, the band released Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II.

That year, Guns N' Roses embarked on the 28-month Use Your Illusion tour. Upon completion of the tour, Slash was naturalized, becoming an American citizen.

In the mid-'90s, Slash wrote several songs for what would have become Guns N' Roses' follow-up album to Use Your Illusion I and II. Rose rejected the material, leading Slash to form Slash's Snakepit, a side-project that saw support from Matt Sorum, Gilby Clarke, Dizzy Reed, Mike Inez, and Eric Dover. The band recorded Slash's material and released It's Five O'Clock Somewhere in 1995. Critically, the album was praised for ignoring the conventions of grunge and alternative music. It also fared well on the charts, eventually selling over 1.2 million copies in the United States with little promotion from Geffen Records.

Side projects and session work (1990–2002)

After his departure from Guns N' Roses, Slash focused on his side-project, The Snakepit, playing a few tour dates before disbanding the group in 1998. Over the next decade, Slash became an in-demand session musician, recording music with the likes of Alice Cooper, Sammy Hagar, Insane Clown Posse, Ronnie Wood, Bad Company, Cheap Trick, Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder.

In 1990, Slash was contacted by Michael Jackson to work on his upcoming album, Dangerous. Slash played guitar on two hit singles, "Black or White" and "Give In to Me"; he also appeared in the music video of the latter. On several occasions, Slash appeared onstage with Jackson, performing "Black or White" during the Dangerous World Tour. Slash and Jackson appeared together at the MTV Video Music Awards of 1992 and 1995.[13] Slash played guitar on "D.S.", a controversial song from the HIStory album of 1995 and "Morphine" from the 1997 remix album Blood on the Dance Floor.[14][15] In 2001, Slash joined Jackson on stage at the Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Special playing guitar while Jackson performed his songs, "Black or White" and "Beat It".

In 1995, Quentin Tarantino asked Slash to contribute some songs to the soundtrack of his adaptation of the film Jackie Brown. Several Snakepit compositions can be heard throughout the film. In 1996, Slash collaborated with Marta Sánchez to record the flamenco-inspired song, "Obsession-Confession" for the Curdled soundtrack. The song was received well by Smooth Jazz radio stations. Later that year, Slash also played live with Alice Cooper at Sammy Hagar's club Cabo Wabo in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. The show was recorded and released the following year as A Fistful of Alice.

In 1997, Slash (alongside the late Ol' Dirty Bastard and hit alternative rock band Fishbone) appeared on BLACKstreet's rock remix version of their hit single "Fix". In 2003, he participated in the Yardbirds' comeback record Birdland, released on the Favored Nations label. He played lead guitar in the track "Over, Under, Sideways, Down." In early 2003, Slash also made an appearance at a rally to protest the coming War in Iraq called "Peace on the Beach", performing the song "Imagine" by John Lennon. Ed Kowalczyk provided vocals during this performance.

In 2000, he chose to regroup Slash's Snakepit to release his second solo effort, titled Ain't Life Grand. The album did well on the charts, reaching platinum status. To promote it further, Slash embarked on an extensive world tour with AC/DC in the summer of 2000.

In 2002, he reunited with Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum for a benefit/tribute concert for Randy Castillo. Realizing they still had the chemistry of their days in Guns N' Roses, they decided to form a new band together. The band that featured Slash, McKagan, and Sorum also featured former Buckcherry members Keith Nelson and Josh Todd. Later Duff put out a statement that Josh and Keith didn't quite fit with the band, and they added Dave Kushner as rhythm guitar and, after a long search, Stone Temple Pilots singer Scott Weiland. In 2006, Slash performed a guest spot on keyboardist Derek Sherinian's solo album Blood of the Snake covering the 1970 Mungo Jerry hit single "In the Summertime", also featuring Billy Idol on vocals. A video was also made featuring Slash, Billy, and Derek for this song.

Velvet Revolver and future endeavors (2002–present)
Slash with Velvet Revolver in 2004

Velvet Revolver began as "The Project", a venture by Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum to find a new lead singer. On rhythm guitar, they initially worked with Izzy Stradlin, and they were offered to open for The Rolling Stones but Slash, Duff and Matt wanted to have a lead singer; after this Izzy became less involved. They would find their second guitarist in the form of Dave Kushner, who had previously played with McKagan in "Loaded" prior to this project. For many months, the four of them listened to demo tapes of potential lead singers, a monotonous process (documented by VH1). After many months, Slash and the others were almost ready to give up. However, Stone Temple Pilots had recently imploded, allowing lead singer Scott Weiland to volunteer to record a song with the band. Realizing there was chemistry between each member, Weiland officially joined the band in 2003.

Velvet Revolver played several concerts in the summer of that year and released their first single, "Set Me Free" as part of the soundtrack for The Hulk. In June 2004, they released their first studio album, Contraband. A 19-month long tour ensued, as the album went double platinum and re-established Slash as a mainstream performer. After the tour concluded, he and his bandmates took a lengthy break before beginning work on their second album. In July 2007, Velvet Revolver released the critically acclaimed Libertad, a follow-up to their multi-platinum debut. Following their second studio album, Velvet Revolver also began a second tour. On March 20, 2008 during a glasgow gig, Weiland announced to their audience that it would be Velvet Revolver's final tour. Matt Sorum posted a message on his website the next day discussing the band's situation and said, "You could tell who was unhappy last night," and "some people in this business don't realize how great of a life they have." Weiland shot back by telling Blabbermouth.net, "Well, first of all, the state of my family affairs is really none of his business, since he is too immature to have a real relationship, let alone children. So don't attempt to stand in a man's shoes when you haven't walked his path." On 1 April 2008, Scott Weiland officially split from Velvet Revolver.

On May 31, 2006, Slash was joined by Rob Zombie on vocals, another former Guns and Roses axeman Gilby Clarke on rhythm guitar, Scott Ian of Anthrax on bass, Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee on drums, and surprise guest Ace Frehley of Kiss for a rendition of God of Thunder. The occasion was a one-time supergroup tribute to Kiss for the VH1 Rock Honors Award Show.
Cover for the video game Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock with Slash in the middle and two other playable characters in the game, Judy Nails (left) and Lars Ümlaüt (right).

Slash is a playable character in the video game Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, and his likeness appears on the game cover. Slash did motion capture with RedOctane to record his movements for the game. Beating Slash in a one-on-one competition (playing an original composition he recorded solely for the game), unlocks him as a playable character. Beating him in this challenge leads to the player and Slash playing the master track of "Welcome to the Jungle" as an encore song.[16][17]

In 2007, Slash performed with Paulina Rubio on the hit Latin single "Nada Puede Cambiarme".

On March 12, 2007. Slash and Velvet Revolver paid tribute to Van Halen by inducting the band into the Rock N' Roll hall of fame. The band also played two covers.

Slash appears on the cover of Guitar World magazine for their July 2007 issue, the "20 year salute to Appetite for Destruction". The title is "The Cat In The Hat Is Back" and it pictures him holding his guitar with a snake crawling up the neck.

Slash made numerous contributions to The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star by Nikki Sixx, published September 18, 2007.[18] He also played guitar with them at Crüe Fest.

An autobiography titled simply Slash was published on October 30, 2007.[19] It was co-written with Anthony Bozza. Slash will also be appearing in the HBO book and Documentary The Black List vol.1, he can be seen in a portrait on the cover of the book.

It was announced by Kerrang! Magazine that Slash was going to appear on Ace Frehley's next solo album.[citation needed]

Slash has planned to record a solo album after the third Velvet Revolver album, but after the departure of singer Scott Weiland and time-consuming searches for a new singer for the band, he decided to record a solo album first. On September 30, 2008, he began recording demos for the upcoming album. Slash was quoted saying that the work alone in the studio on the solo album is "cathartic", and that he's really enjoying the work alone in the studio. He also said he plans to bring a different singer for each song on the album, and that he has a list of guests to appear on the album, and most of them are already committed, though he refused to tell who are those guests. Rumored singers for the project include Slash's close friends Lenny Kravitz, Sebastian Bach, Alice Cooper and Vince Neil as well as his past Guns N' Roses pals, Izzy Stradlin and Duff McKagan.[20]

According to Slash's wife during an interview with Rockerrazzi.com, both Ozzy Osbourne and Fergie will make appearances on Slash's upcoming solo album, saying, "It's going to be Slash and friends, with everyone from Ozzy [Osbourne] to Fergie."[21] Other musicians set to appear on the release include Josh Freese, Chris Chaney, Travis Barker and Jason Bonham.[22]

In 2009, he played the guitar parts on the film score of The Wrestler composed by Clint Mansell.

Television

Slash appeared as a recurring caricature of himself in Robert Evans' animated television series Kid Notorious which aired in 2003 on Comedy Central. As in real life, Slash is Evans' close friend and next-door neighbor.[23] He appeared as the guest mentor for rock n roll week of American Idol (Season 8) on 5 May 2009.

Honors

Slash won the "Best Guitarist" prize in the 2005 Esky Music Awards in Esquire magazine. A write-up in the magazine announced Slash's win read as follows:

He's who we see ourselves as every time we strap on an air guitar. The top hat. The hair. The dangling cigarette. The near-death experiences. He'll always be Slash of Guns N' Roses to us, but we also congratulate him for beating the comeback odds with a surprisingly legitimate and vital outfit, Velvet Revolver."[24]

Slash accepting the award has issued the following statement:

This is my first guitarist award ever. It's very humbling. I'd like to thank my parents, and I'd also like to thank everyone I've ever fucking worked with in the music business from the point I started at up until now - the bands I've been in, the sessions I've done, and the artists I've worked with. My wife is at least half of the reason I'm still walking. I'd also like to thank Robert Wolin; he got me to switch from bass to guitar. Thank you."[25]

In January 2007, Slash was honored with a star on the Rock Walk of Fame; his name being placed alongside Jimmy Page, Eddie Van Halen and Jimi Hendrix.

In 2007, Slash was awarded the coveted title of "Riff Lord" during the fourth annual Metal Hammer Golden Gods awards.[26]

Slash was selected to perform "Hey Joe", a signature song of the late Jimi Hendrix in a posthumous tribute at the UK Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Steve Winwood as vocalist, Billy Cox playing bass, and Mitch Mitchell on drums; the latter being the only original member still alive from the Jimi Hendrix Experience.

"Welcome to the Jungle" ranked #2 on VH1's 40 Greatest Metal Songs, #467 on the Rolling Stone Magazine list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, #764 on Q Magazine's 1001 Best Songs Ever and #26 on VH1's 100 Greatest 80s Songs. Most recently, the song was named the "Greatest Song About Los Angeles" by a poll in Blender magazine.[citation needed]

"Sweet Child o' Mine" placed #37 on Guitar World's list of the "100 Greatest Guitar Solos", number three on Blender's 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born, number 196 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and in March 2005 Q magazine placed it at number 6 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks. The introduction's D-flat based riff was also voted number-one riff of all-time by the readers of Total Guitar magazine. It was also in Rolling Stones 40 Greatest Songs that Changed the World.[citation needed]

"Paradise City" is ranked #21 on VH1's 40 Greatest Metal Songs of All Time,[1] #3 in Total Guitar Magazine's list of the 100 greatest solos of all time and #453 on Rolling Stones' "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".

"November Rain" holds the record for the longest guitar solo in a U.S. top 10 hit. The song is also listed at number 6 in the "The 100 Greatest Guitar Solos" by Guitar World. Additionally, "November Rain" was voted #1 on the Rock 1000 in 2006, an annual countdown of the top 1000 rock songs by New Zealand radio listeners.

Personal

In 1990, a heavy metal video called "Hard N' Heavy" was released containing music, concert footage and interviews. The video included Slash and McKagan appearing with the band Great White at a "Children of the Night" Benefit concert in LA for abused homeless children, the performance helped raise money for housing to aid the underprivileged.[27] He also performed at an anti-Iraq War festival in 2003.

Slash is married to Perla Ferrar, with whom he has two sons.[28] The family lives in Los Angeles.

Feud with Axl Rose

In 2007, Slash admitted to going to Rose's home with the intention to settle a long-standing legal dispute and make peace with his former band mate. Slash elaborated on the incident in his autobiography, claiming that what actually occurred was that he simply went to Rose's house while intoxicated and left a note asking Rose to contact him to settle a pending lawsuit. He also added that he had not actually spoken to Rose in person since leaving Guns N' Roses in 1996 [29]. Slash further stated that incident's publicity created a rift in Velvet Revolver; as his bandmates were unsure of what Slash had actually done and Slash had confronted Weiland over his scathing reply to Rose, feeling that Weiland did not have the "right" to criticize Rose, not actually knowing him.[30] In March 2009, Slash responded to an interview in which Rose referred to him as "a cancer", saying that "it doesn't really affect me at all. The fact that he has anything to say at all it's like 'Whatever, dude'."[31]

Equipment
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Guitars

Slash owns more than 114 guitars. The guitar he recorded Appetite For Destruction with was a hand made flame-top 1959 Les Paul replica with no pick guard and 2 Seymour Duncan pickups. His main live guitar is a 1987 Les Paul Standard with 3 piece top (Factory Second). It has a cracked neck in 2 places, but he has had it repaired and continues to use it. Most of Slash's electric guitars have Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro pickups which are low output pickups.

His guitars include:

* B.C. Rich Mockingbird
* Fender Stratocaster
* Fender Telecaster
* B.C. Rich Double neck
* Gibson EDS-1275
* Gibson Flying V
* Gibson Explorer
* Gibson Melody Maker (used for slide during "Bad Obsession")
* Slash Custom Les Paul Gold Top Guitar
* At least 30 Les Paul Guitars

Slash's favorite guitar is the aforementioned hand-made Gibson Les Paul Copy. He received it during the recording sessions for Guns N' Roses debut album, "Appetite for Destruction". When he couldn't get the right sound he was looking for, the band's manager found a 1959 Les Paul Standard copy.

He has used that guitar on every album he has recorded with Guns N' Roses and Velvet Revolver. the guitar was also the basis of the instrument his doppelgänger used in Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock.

He favors Ernie Ball Slinky R.P.S gauge 11-48 strings as well as Dunlop Purple Tortex (1.14 mm) picks and Seymour Duncan APH-1 Alnico II Pro and Vintage Gibson PAF pickups. He keeps his guitars in tune with a Peterson Strobe tuner.

Some of his favorite effects boxes are:

* Dunlop Rack Mounted Crybaby (controlled with an Ernie Ball volume pedal for live shows)
* Rocktron Hush II CX
* DBX 166 Compressor
* Yamaha SPX 900 Multieffect
* Boss DD-3 Delay (for solos)
* MXR 10-band graphic EQ
* Dunlop Heil Talkbox
* Boss GE-7 (for solos)
* Dunlop Q-Zone

Amplifiers

On stage, he only uses Marshall amps. He used a rented vintage 1960s Marshall 1959 modified by Tim Caswell at SIR studios for the recording of Appetite for Destruction. Slash liked the amp so much he tried to keep it, telling the store that it had been stolen, but it was returned accidentally by a roadie. During the 1980s Slash was using a Marshall JCM 2555 Silver Jubilee Anniversary amplifier made in 1987. It featured EL34's power tubes and three ECC83 preamp tubes.

For the recording of Velvet Revolver's debut, he used a Vox AC30 and small Fender tube amps (for "oddball" sounds). For the recording of Velvet Revolver's second album, he used the new Marshall Vintage Modern 2466 amp.

Signature equipment

Gibson Custom Shop

The Gibson Guitar Corporation custom made two guitars for Slash in 1988. The first "Inspired" Slash Les Paul is a replica of one of the two guitars given to Slash by Gibson in 1988. The guitar is finished in a faded Heritage Cherry Sunburst, fitted with Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro pickups and the neck is made to the exact specs of Slash's original Les Paul.

Gibson USA

Slash Les Paul Standard is a recreation of Slash's favorite Les Paul and is made of solid mahogany and is finished with a Antique Vintage Sunburst. Just like the custom shop version the guitar is fitted with Seymor Duncan Alnico II Pro pickups and a neck modeled after Slash's original. The guitar will be made in a limited run of 1600 guitars. He says "It's sort of a trip for me to see it because it looks exactly like the guitar after I had it refinished in 1988. This is what it looked like when it was brand new."

Epiphone

The Epiphone Les Paul Standard Plustop is made to be a more affordable version of the two Gibson versions while still being able to offer a high quality instrument. As the Gibson versions it is equipped with Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro pickups which he says he decided to place in all his guitar models, and is finished in Dark Tobacco Burst.

In 2008, the Slash signature Les Paul "Gold Top" limited edition guitar became available. Epiphone's Les Paul model has a solid mahogany body with a gold top finish, and the standard long neck he came to request on all his guitars, preferring the closest similarity in the neck as his first Les Paul. Again, Seymour Duncan Alnico II pro humbuckers, a standard item on all his guitars. This version also featurs Epiphone's locktone stop tailpiece and tuneamatic bridge system, which Slash feels makes it an easier instrument to play, particularly for newer guitarists.[32]

Marshall Amplifiers

Slash was the first musician to own a signature amplifier created by Marshall for him.[citation needed] In 1996 the Marshall Slash JCM 2555SL was launched, it was built with the specs of Slash's own original 1987 Marshall Silver Jubilee 2555 amplifier. A total of 3000 of these amplifiers were made before it was discontinued.

Dewa Budjawa merupakan salah satu gitaris papan atas Indonesia yang hasil karyanya turut mewarnai dunia musik Indonesia. Ia memiliki teknik dan sound yang menarik, dan yang terpenting pengalamannya di dunia musik Indonesia tidak perlu diragukan lagi.

Saat ini Dewa baru saja merilis sebuah buku yang berisi tentang riwayat hidup serta karirnya di dunia musik serta. Yang paling menarik di dalam buku tersebut juga dilengkapi dengan teknik dan teori bermain guitar lagu lagu yang diciptakan Dewa Budjana.

Buku ini layak beli dan perlu untuk dikoleksi bagi para gitaris sekalian. untuk lebih lengkapnya silahkan baca informasi mengenai buku dan Dewa Budjana yang disarikan dari berbagai sumber :

Dewa Budjana adalah gitaris grup band GIGI yang juga tengah merintis karir solonya. Dilahirkan di Waikabubak, Nusa Tenggara Timur, 30 Agustus 1963

Ia baru saja melaksanakan dua hajatan besar di bulan Desember ini. Yakni, meluncurkan buku semi biografi dan pertunjukan konser tunggalnya.

Mengenai buku semi biografinya, suami Putu Borrawati ini mengatakan dalam bukunya yang bertajuk Gitarku: Hidupku, Kekasihku itu akan memuat perjalanan hidupnya dan juga beberapa ilmunya saat memainkan dawai gitar.

"Musik itu tidak seperti bela diri, jadi tidak ada rahasia. Yang ini harus dibagi karena tiap musik atau seni berbeda. Kalau dianggap susah ya nggak apa-apa juga. Main musik juga perlu perjuangan. Di buku ini teori musik banyak nggak dipakai. Jadi lebih seperti tips sama trik. Biografinya juga diambil dikit aja. Ada juga part dari lagu-lagu yang saya mainkan bersama GIGI,"

Beberapa komentar dari rekan rekan Budjana mengenai buku ini :

* "Yang paling istimewa dari buku ini adalah pemaparan teknik-teknik permainan gitar, di mana Budjana berbagi rahasia di balik penciptaan dan permainan musiknya, lengkap dengan tipsnya. Ini karya langka yang dibutuhkan penikmat musik dan khususnya musisi muda Indonesia dalam pengembangan teknik permainan gitarnya." (Addie MS)
* "Buku yang penuh passion. Terasa sekali cinta Budjana pada musik dan apa yang musik telah berikan pada hidupnya... patut dibaca tidak hanya oleh mereka yang mencintai musik, tapi untuk semua yang mengerti arti sebuah dedikasi." (Mira Lesmana)