You gotta laugh at yourself:

We're always on the lookout for good jokes about musicians. Check out these Guitarist Jokes, Bass Player Jokes, and Drummer Jokes.

• Todd Rundgren is a big favorite of ours. A brilliant songwriter with an incredibly varied career, you can learn more about Todd at The Todd Rundgren Connection. Todd has also just signed on as lead vocalist & guitarist for The New Cars. The Cars were a legendary New Wave band from Boston that had some huge hits, now the band has reformed, at least temporarily, with Todd & former Utopia bassist Kasim Sulton so there's some possibilities here for some great new music. Click the banner below for more info.

  

• Brad listens to Doug Powell whenever he needs to get his songwriting juices flowing. His songwriting is literate, emotionally charged and sweepingly moving... some of the catchiest, craftiest songs you've (n)ever heard. Visit his website and discover this brilliant artist for yourself -- you'll see why he's one of our favorite songwriters.

• One of the best bands to record & perform in the '90's was Jellyfish. Few people are familiar with them, but the two albums they released-- "Bellybutton" and "Spilt Milk"-- have endeared them to many hardcore fans around the world. There's no substitute for hearing these albums yourself (so go buy them!), but in the meantime, you can learn more about Jellyfish on the fan website Jellyfish Homepage.

• Bruce Cockburn is a great songwriter, and Scot, Mike & Brad are all big fans. You can learn more about Bruce from Gavin's Woodpile, The Bruce Cockburn Newsletter, or check out some of the sites on the Bruce Cockburn WebRing.

• Mike and Brad can't get enough of Aimee Mann. Her pop songs are infectious, her heartbreaking ballads are, well, heartbreaking... plus we still remember when she used to work behind the counter at Newbury Comics. Check out her Official Website (where you can order her latest album).

• Ten Story Love likes great songs. Matthew Sweet writes great songs. For more info on Matthew, there's the Ugly Truth Fanzine, and there's a nice Matthew Sweet fan page here.

• Where do you go after Uncle Tupelo? Brad likes Wilco, Mike prefers Son Volt; either way, both are great, so everybody wins!

• We're all big fans of Cheap Trick, a band that pretty much defines the sound of late '70's Power-Pop, and they're a big influence on the way we approach the guitar. They've got a great website at CheapTrick.com.

• One of Brad's favorite songwriters is Paul Westerberg. Arguably the premier songwriter of his generation, Westerberg released classic albums with The Replacements and continues to record terrific solo work. You can find out more about him on the Unofficial Paul Westerberg Page. And check out the Replacements Web Page from Twin Tone Records.

• You'll often hear the music of Lucinda Williams and Chris Knight blastin' out of Scot's CD player. Maybe it should be coming from your speakers, too.

• Adrian Belew is one of the most innovative guitar payers of all time, but he's also an amazing songwriter. The Adrian Belew website is a nice site with frequent contributions from Adrian himself.And don't miss the The Bears, yet another of Adrian's projects-- these guys are absolutely brilliant!

• XTC is another favorite of ours; They've released album after album full of incredible music. Everything you ever wanted to know about XTC can be found at the Chalkhills website, but you can also visit their Official Website, too.

• For years, Scot has been diggin' the soul-deep guitar styles of Ry Cooder and David Lindley. If you're a guitar player, you gotta appreciate these masters. And don't miss the great guitarist Johnny A., who's following in the footsteps of the guitar giants.

• If you love power-pop music as much as we do, then you've got to check out the artists on Not Lame Recordings, a record label dedicated to the art of rocking pop, meaty hooks, and crafty tunes. Some of the best power pop acts in the world are at Not Lame. They carry great CD's from artists like Myracle Brah, The Shazam and Starbelly (you might not know their names but you'll LOVE their music). Not Lame has a "listening booth" where you can sample some of these artists. Not Lame Recordings sets the standard for the power pop genre, so if you're looking for the best of the best, this is the right place to start. Give them a shot-- you'll be glad you did.

• Speaking of Power-Pop, Badfinger practically defined the sound. Badfinger issued a series of seminal albums before self-destructing (founding member Pete Ham, frustrated & distraught, took his life in 1975; bandmate Tom Evens followed suit 8 years later). Visit the Badfinger Library website, or spend some time on the Badfinger WebRing to learn more about this seminal band.

• One of Brad's all-time favorite bands was Small Faces. Never meeting with much success in the U.S. or getting the respect they deserved, Small Faces were nonetheless one of the best groups on the British rock scene in the '60's, mixing the mod intensity of The Who with the Kinks' veddy-British roots. Room for Ravers is a great site dedicated to the lads.

• The Chicago band Enuff Z'Nuff has been on the scene for over a decade, mixing Beatle-ish power pop with straight-ahead rock. Although big commercial success never came to pass, the band has a loyal following, including members of Ten Story Love. Check out the Official Enuff Z'Nuff website and turn yourself into a fan.

• What can we say about The Beatles? We're all big fans. There's only about a million Beatles websites... start at the UBL and you can surf to your heart's content. Or just fisit the Official Beatles Website.

• And speaking of the UBL... if there's a band you can't live without, you can learn more about them (and almost any band you can think of) at The Ultimate Band List.

There are a lot of terrific musicians out there that you may not be aware of. In a better world, they'd all be household names. Ten Story Love hopes that you take the time to check out these artists-- some are friends, some are just people we admire; all are worthy of your attention.

• Rob Lamothe paid his dues with hard rockin' bands like Aircraft and The Riverdogs in Los Angeles during the heyday of 1980's Heavy Metal. After years of struggles & broken dreams, Rob eventually headed north to Canada, and underwent a renaissance as a songwriter. Having found his own voice at last, Rob writes and records *his* way, putting his heart & soul into some really fine tunes. Check out any of his albums and you'll see what we mean.

• We met Mike Lasala at the IMX Conference in New York, where he spoke on a panel discussion. His dedication and love for music impressed us; his songs impressed us even more. Check out Mike's website for his own unique brand of "Acoustic Groove with Attitude".

• There's nothing quite like a Billy Dare & The Pumps show. As Boston Rock Magazine put it, "There's life after Rocky Horror and its name is Billy Dare & The Pumps!" Ribald & rockin', these guys (and gal) give a whole new meaning to "tongue-in-cheek".

• Whether you call it "Alternative Country", "Americana" or "No Depression", October Sons make a glorious sound that deserves to be heard. Lend them your ear and you won't be disappointed.

• The folks at Mojo Music Studios run an excellent recording studio in Northern New Hampshire. It's a great place to work. We highly recommend it. Check 'em out!

• Mike enjoys reading The Onion and Salon Magazine. Check it out for yourself.

• We're still big comics fans; check out the Marvel, DC, and Dark Horse Comics websites to see what the leading comic publishers are up to.

• And don't forget the master-- Jack Kirby! Visit the Jack Kirby Collector website for all things Kirby.

• The Simpsons is the Official Ten Story Love Favorite TV Show, and with good reason. Check out The Simpsons Archive, an excellent fan site, as well as the new "official" Simpsons website. And you must check out the TV series Futurama by Simpsons creator Matt Groening. Futurama did to Science-Fiction what The Simpsons did to the American family.

• As well as playing guitar and writing songs, Scot is also known around town for his photography. Here are a few his favorite photographers: Helmut Newton, Joel Peter Witkin, David Hamilton, and Richard Farber.

  The main principle of Buddhist thought is impermanence. Artist Andy Goldsworthy has integrated the idea of impermanence into much of his work, creating art that incorporates its own temporary, brief lifespan as part of its beauty. Goldsworthy says, "Each work grows, stays, decays. Process and decay are implicit. Transience in my work reflects what I find in nature." Brad, who really enjoys Goldsworthy's artwork, says "His art finds its beauty not only in its physical appearance, but in its very fleeting existence as well. Captured on film at its peak, we are intrinsically aware that the work will not last. It really helps me to see the joy & beauty in our own short lifetime. "

  In Dumfriesshire, Scotland, in 1995, Goldsworthy made a spiral from individual icicles found on-site.

• Brad also has the artwork of H.R. Giger throughout his house, even though it scares away visitors (or maybe *because* it scares away visitors...)

• If you like the films of Director Kevin Smith as much as we do, you should check out his View Askew website. (Mallrats is a great film-- critics be damned!)

Music Resources: If you (or someone you know) is a musician, here are some resources and tools that'll come in handy:

Our illustrious drummer Ken Carpenter uses & endorses Silver Fox Percussion drumsticks. They're a local New England company that really puts craftsmanship into their sticks. Not your ordinary tub-thumpers. Visit their website http://silverfoxpercussion.com/ for more info.

There's one piece of software that is essential to our recording process-- Cubase SX. We simply couldn't have recorded our albums without it.

MusicToyz.com is one of the best places on the 'net to buy guitar stuff, like pedals and such. They offer extansive samples to listen to so you can get an accurate idea what the pedals really sound like.

Brad has made a few attempts to paint his own guitars, but wasn't happy with the results until he learned a few tricks from the Paint Your Own Guitar book. If you have any interest at all in painting your own custom guitar finishes, this is a great book to have, well worth the few bucks.

GuitarVision.com is another good site for guitar lessons online & scales. As they say, "GuitarVision is the revolutionary new way to learn how to play your favorite songs on the guitar."

Here are a ton of guitar-related websites:

Allen Guitars
Allparts - Replacements guitar parts & accessories
Ampatch - Custom Tolex Repair Kit
Ampeg
Andersen Stringed Instruments
Antique Electronic Supply
Applied Research and Technology (ART)
Arpeggio Korina Guitars
Atomic Amps - Tube amps for digital modelers (like Line 6 POD)
Auralex - Acoustic treatments for studios
AXON MIDI Controllers
Mike Baker's Guitar Accessories
BBE Sound
B. C. Rich Guitars
Ken Bebensee Guitars
Benedetto Guitars
BP Strings
Breedlove Guitars
Budda Amplification - hand-crafted amplifiers
Burns Guitars
Buscarino Guitars
Carter Steel Guitars
Carvin
Catalyst Instruments - ceramic-graphite body guitars
Chandler - Guitars, Electronics, Parts & Accessories
Clayton Guitar Accessories
Harvey Citron
Clark Amplification
Colorado Case Company
Conklin Guitar Company
Cort Guitars
Crate Amps
Curbow String Instruments
D'Addario Strings
D'Aquisto Strings
Dean Markley Strings
DOD -Guitar effects and pedals
Double Treble custom instrument straps
Dr. Z Amps
Ducks Deluxe - guitar accessories
Jim Dunlop
EBow Electronic Bow
Elixir guitar strings (Gore Music)
Ellis Guitars - Handcrafted acoustic guitars
EMG Inc. electric guitar & bass pickups
EPM Ltd. - Acoustic guitar transducers
Ernie Ball, Inc.
ESP Guitars
Evergreen Mountain Instruments - custom acoustic guitars and mandolins
Exotic Woods Company
Fender Guitars
Fernandes Guitars
Fishman pickups and electronics
Flight Form Cases, Inc.
Fossil Ivory Guitar Accessories
Fuzzy Pedal Steel Guitar Products
Fylde Acoustic Guitars
Gallien-Krueger amplification
Gator Cases - hardshell cases for instruments & equipment
George L's - Pickups & cables
GHS Strings
Gibson Guitars
Girl Brand Guitar
G&L Guitars
Godin & Seagull Guitars
Granata Guitars
Graph Tech Guitar Labs - graphite nuts & saddles
Gretsch
Groove Tubes
Grosh Guitars
Guild Guitars
Hembrook Custom guitars and basses
Heritage Guitar Inc.
Highlander Musical Audio Products
HIWATT
Hoffman Amplifiers
Hosa cables
Hughes and Kettner amplifiers
Ibanez Guitars
Jackson/Charvel Guitars
Noah James Guitars
J.B. Player Guitars
JJ Hucke Guitars
Just Strings.com - order strings via the web
Kaman - Hamer, Ovation, Takamine, and Applause guitars
Klein Electric Guitars
Koch Amps
Kustom
Kyser Musical Products
Lace pickups
Mark Lacey Guitars
Lakewood Guitars
Legend Picks
Levitch Guitar Works
Line 6 digital modeling amps
The Lobster Guitar
Malhavok's guitar patches for Line 6 POD
Manne Guitars
Maranita picks
Marshall Amplifiers
Martin Guitars
Matchless Amplifiers
Matlin Guitars
McSwain Guitars
Mesa/Boogie Amplifiers
Mike Lull's Custom Guitars
MJ Guitar Technologies
Modulus Graphite
Monster Cable
Brian Moore Custom Guitars
Mosby Guitars
Moses, Inc. Graphite
Motion Sound - rotary speakers - Awesome!
National Reso-Phonic Guitars
David Neely Custom Guitars
NGM Pedalboard Systems
Neutrik USA - High-quality plugs and connectors
NailedBoard - Nicely designed pedalboard at a very reasonable price
Novax Fanned Fret Instruments
NS Design (Ned Steinberger)
Olson Guitars
OnBoard Research - tuners
Only Guitar Strings - Bulk Guitar Strings
Optek Music Systems
Orange Instrument Amplification
Peavey
Pedalboard.net - pedalboards & supplies
Perfect-Tune piezoelectric tuner for acoustics
Phantom Guitars - faithful reproductions of Vox guitars
Pickguards.com - fancy guitar & bass pickguards
Pickture Picks - custom imprinted guitar picks
PicPocket Guitar Straps
Primacoustic - Studio acoustic materials
ProCo Sound
Pyramid Strings
Quik Lok stands
RainSong Graphite Guitars
Read Custom Instruments
Jim Redgate Guitars
Reed Kotler - Transcribing Aids
Reunion Blues gig bags
Reverend - some of the best guitars & amps on the planet!
Rhinehart Guitars
Rickenbacker
Rio Grande Pickups
Rivera amplification
Robin Guitars
Robles Roadcase - hi-tech gig bags
Rocktron
Roland
Sadowsky Guitars Ltd.
Samson Technologies
Santa Cruz Guitar Company
Schaller Guitar Parts & Accessories
Sever Guitars & Basses
Seymour Duncan pickups
Shubb guitar accessories
Silver Fox Percussion
SIT Strings
SKB Cases
Sky Pickups
Slider Straps
Paul Reed Smith Guitars
Snarling Dogs effects
Sound Sculpture - makers of the Switchblade GL Guitar Rack Switching System
Soundsmith, Inc. amplifiers & spearkers
Sovtek
Spectraflex cables
Sperzel guitar tuning keys
Starr Labs - electronic guitar accessories
Steward-MacDonald Guitar Shop Supply
StrapKing - the best guitar straps around!
String Swing Mfg.
Sunrise Pickups
Sustaniac - Sustain-generating guitar pickups
Tacoma Guitars
Taku Sakashta Guitars
Taylor Guitars
Tech 21
Thomastik-Infeld strings
Timtone Custom Guitars
TommyHawk Travel Guitar
Trace Elliot
Tric Pick - picks that light up
James Trussart Custom Guitars - Amazing guitars!
Rick Turner Renaissance Guitars - highly recommended
Ultimate Support Systems - stands
Vero Amplifier Company
Visual Sound - EXCELLENT effects pedals
Warmoth - simply the best bodies & necks on the planet!!
Washburn International
WD Music Products - guitar bodies, necks, parts & accessories
Weber Vintage Sound Technology
Webstrings.com - buy strings over the 'net
Whirlwind cables
Yamaha Corporation
Zion Guitars

 

If you need stage lighting, here are two great sites to research and shop for lighting gear: SLD Lighting and Starlight Entertainment.

Guitarist Alert! Check out The Guit@rists Network for tablature, info on guitar tunings, Scale Finder, Chord Finder, and guitar news. It's also a good place to locate other guitarists who share your interests.

Here are a few of our favorite places to buy music gear:

• If you're looking for acoustic or electric guitars and basses, you should check out The Guitar Gallery. They always have some great vintage guitars in stock and good deals on new ones, too.

• For an all-purpose music store, it's hard to beat Daddy's Junky Music. A great place for amps, PA, drums, keyboards and guitars.

• Both Mike & Brad are addicted to buying gear on eBay... this auction site always has a TON of excellent guitars, amps and everything you can think of. Next time you're looking for some new equipment, start here!

 

Visit Media51 for one of the best Internet Radio shows focusing on indie artists.

One of the best resources for independent musicians is the Indie Contact Bible, which contains tons of information on fanzines, clubs, radio shows, etc. You'll find this book extremely useful.

If you're an independent, unsigned artist or band and would like to promote your own music, a good place to start is www.recycledmusic.com. As an artist, you can promote and sell your music on their site, and as a fan or listener, it's a great place to become exposed to new music.

One of our favorite places that promotes new bands is The CD Music Page http://www.cdmusicpage.com/index.shtml - Promoting independent music with text, sound, images, video and news.

If you're a Do It Yourselfer, visit The DIY Search. If you're a musician, artist, writer or creator of any kind, and you're doing it all on your own (we are, too), then this site is where you can communicate with other DIY'ers and find those of like minds.

Discover new bands or add your own group to the list at Indie-Music.com

A terrific website for discovering indie bands is www.stompinground.com.

Whether you're a musician or not, here's a few great sites where you can find some great music:

• You can find a ton of great music at Amazon.com. Use the search box below to locate any item on the Amazon.com website:

  Search: Popular Music Classical Music Video Books	Enter keywords...
  In Association with Amazon.com

• If you're looking for imports, collectible, or hard-to-find CD's, the best place to start is Silver Moon Music. Silver Moon has a great selection of imports and rare stuff that you just won't find any place else.

• And while we're on the subject of rare albums... if you have some rare, hard-to-find or impossible-to-replace records (you know, the old vinyl LP), then you should check out LP2CD.com, a business that specializes in converting old albums into CD's. Very cool!

Web Resources: So you wanna be a Web Meister? Here are our favorite sites for designing & Building websites.

Elated has a great "toolkit" website where you can download buttons, graphics, and whole website layouts called "PageKits". This Ten Story Love website was heavily influenced by their PageKits, and we've used a few of their graphics here & there. Please check them out!

All of our HTML pages were authored in Edit Plus, which can best be described as "Notepad on steroids". It's not WYSIWYG, but for those of you who prefer to roll your own HTML code, this is the best product out there. Download a shareware copy from www.editplus.com.

Miscellaneous & Sundry:

As you may have noticed, we have a bit of a fascination with space, the cosmos, and all things astral. Here's a great place to view the heavens-- The NASA NSSDC Photo Gallery.

Ten Story Love supports Free Speech on the Internet and the Blue Ribbon Campaign for Online Freedom Of Expression. For more information please visit the Electronic Frontier Foundation website.

This page is always growing and changing... please check back soon for more links!