HARD N' HEAVY

Hard N' Heavy suspended

2010-02-12T15:20:00.000+01:00

Hi,

Due to a recent development and reduced free time I decided to suspend Hard N' Heavy indefinitely.

I might come back sooner or later, but for now I'd like to say goodbye to you all and wish you all the best.

Until next time,

Tune the essence!!

Error

2010-02-09T22:31:00.000+01:00

Hey there,

I have some issues with the code of my blog and the the design is a bit off. So I just wanted to let you know that I'm suspending my writing until I figure out what's wrong or until it fixes itself (just like it happened by itself).

Stay tuned!

Wake up!!!

2010-01-25T22:57:00.000+01:00

My last fitness related post dates Tuesday, October 14, 2008. This is also the date of my last significant fitness effort. To say that it's been a while would be an understatement. It's time to wake up and face the reality! Long story short, I don't like what I see in the mirror any more. It's time for a change!

Today I face two mayor challenges. No.1 - What do I eat?! No.2 - What do I do fitness wise?! Let's answer this questions, shall we. What I eat will be a topic for some other occasion since I haven't really decided what to do here. I'm aware that I should eliminate a lot of unhealthy things, I just have to figure out how to do that :). So that aside, lets see what to I do fitness wise - lately nothing at all. In the last few months I gained more weight than in the previous 2 years combined. This is terrible and I just have to do something about it!

When it comes to fitness I'm a firm believer that you can get great results with a carefully planned home workout rather than a long and expensive gym routine. Since I started working and my "free time" is even shorter now, I'm always striving to come up the shortest possible workout routine that actually gives results.

So, having spent some time on-line researching what's good and what's bad, what's effective and what's not, I came up with a home workout routine that is simple yet effective. It requires only one fitness "machine" - a pull-up bar, and your own body weight. It only takes about 15 minutes and sums up a total of eight elements.

Here's what you have to do!

Warm up - Do a regular whole body warm up just as you did on your gym class in high school. Make sure you're doing this properly especially if it's been a while since your last workout (like in my case)..
Jump rope (2-3 minutes) - This is my favorite cardio exercise! You can't melt the fat without cardio.
Pull-ups/Chin-Ups (12-15 repetitions) - The master of upper body exercises. It works most of the muscles in the upper body, focusing on the back and biceps.
Squats (12-15 repetitions) - A truly basic exercise that activates the biggest muscles in the body which raises the metabolism and burns the fat.
Push-ups (12-15 repetitions) - A classic! Do I really have to say anything?!
Butt Lifts-Bridge (12-15 repetitions) - Works the butt but has an impact on the lower back as well. I do it because other lower back exercises simple won't go hand in hand with my back issue. If you're feeling up to it, feel free to replace this one with a more intensive lower back exercise.
Mountain climber abs (12-15 repetitions per leg) - A interesting exercise. At first it seems like a time waster. But trust me it really works the abs without the back stress associated with the regular crunches.
Stretch - Make sure you cool down and stretch. This will eliminate the unnecessary next day pain and give the muscle a proper base "to heal".

So, warm up, do three sets with one minute breaks between sets and no breaks between the exercises then cool down and stretch. That's it. It's as simple as that. In time as you progress you can do one of two things - add another set or add more repetitions. Since I believe that several correct repetitions bring more results that a hundred wrong ones, If you feel you're up to it, I recommend you add another set. This way the 15 minutes might become 20 or 30 but it still beats going to the gym for a 2 hour workout.

There's only one catch, one magic word that will bring you the results - COMMITMENT. Yep, that's it. Make it a habit!

Stay tuned!

Vlatko Stefanovski - A living Macedonian legend

2010-01-23T17:16:00.009+01:00

Hi folks,

Today we'll pay tribute to a living Macedonian legend - the one and only Vlatko Stefanovski.
"Vlatko Stefanovski was born in 1957 in Prilep / Macedonia in a theatrical family. He started playing guitar at the age of 13. In his late teens he formed the group LEB I SOL which became one of the most important names in the mu-sic scene of former Yugoslavia. The band played a particular style of fusion music, a blend of Macedonian traditional irregular rhythms and contemporary rock. LEB I SOL released 14 albums and toured around the world. Recently Stefanovski has developed a very successful solo career."

Knowing about Vlatko is not about reading a biography. It's about listening the virtuoso doing what he does best - playing the guitar. One of the things he's most famous about are his interpretations of Macedonian folk music. Here's Vlatko playing "Kalajdzisko Oro".

His arsenal is consisted of several Gibsons, a couple of Fenders, Hammer, Taylor and Yamaha acoustics, a couple of classical guitars etc.

Vlatko's guitars

Source: www.vlatkostefanovski.com.mk

Gibson J-200

2010-01-20T23:19:00.001+01:00

It's been a while since I "reviewed" a guitar here at Hard N' Heavy. I've always been into Gibson so as you may assume that's my today's choice.

I recently watched one particularly interesting movie, titled August Rush. You might have heard of it. It's a relatively old one, dating somewhere in 2007, and I encourage you to watch it. It is a musically rich movie, which inspired a lot of mixed feelings. But that's another story. You may wonder why am I writing about a movie in a guitar review post and the answer is simple. There's one very special guitar featured in the movie - a Gibson J-200, which is the true topic of this post.

Well it's a Gibson. That's more than enough for me, but lets add some technical info as well. Since this is not really a review I'm not going to bother you with the actual technical features. There's the link, if you're interested. With a price tag of over $4.000 this guitar comes in lots of different finishes and many famous players, such as Elvis Presley, The Edge, Bob Dylan, Jimmy Page, have made it their primary instrument of choice. Here's another photo with a sunburst finish.

At the end I considered posting a video with a review of this guitar, but instead I decided to attach a scene from the August Rush. I hope you'll like it. Enjoy.

There's more coming soon. Stay tuned!

Shine

2010-01-20T00:09:00.000+01:00

Time to promote some cool Macedonian music.

Some time ago I became aware of Shine, a relatively new (at least to my knowledge) band in Macedonia. The first thing that caught my attention was the guitarist. I'm referring to Damjan Pajcinovski, a truly awesome player from what I can see on YouTube and some acoustic videos on TV. I later become aware that he as one of the 12 finalists of Guitar Idol 2009, and came in second in the Strings on Fire competition.

So I really don't like to waste any more words here. I believe that Shine can have a bright future in Macedonia, and maybe even abroad. With the today's state of the Macedonian music, I'm definitely cheering for them. I'm attaching some pretty cool videos, so see and "judge" for yourself.

That's it for now. Stay tuned!

Does it get any better?! (Part 2)

2010-01-15T11:41:00.000+01:00

This is an update on one of my previous posts. I'm not going to bother you with stuff I already said, I just wanted to share one picture from the same event.

Here it is.

Me and my friends with Jakov Drenkovski

Stay tuned!

Something beautiful

2010-01-13T13:19:00.001+01:00

Celebrating life's extraordinary combinations... feast your eyes! :)

Source: Guitar World

A "difficult" choice

2010-01-13T09:57:00.001+01:00

Motivated by a recent comment on one of my older posts, I decided to share a burden that I've been struggling with for some time now.

I picked up the guitar about 2 years ago and first bought a cheap classical, no name, guitar that served me well in my early days of playing. After 6 or 7 months I invested in a quality steel string guitar. Soon I almost discarded that classical and focused on playing the steel string one. But recently I became quite fond of the classical sound, especially in playing classically arranged rock songs (like Ozzy's Dreamer for an example).

So you may wonder what's the dilemma, what's the "difficult" choice?! Well, because of my job and other obligations I only have about an hour a day for the development of my guitar playing skills, and I believe that you will agree with me that with an hour a day it'll take ages to get to a proficient level. Lately I simply can't decide which guitar to play, on what to focus. Should I play the classical one, and perfect my finger-style playing on nylon strings or play the steel string one, and develop the pick techniques?! On the other hand, after a while on the nylon the steel becomes quite painful.

So, I'm stuck between two worlds, as you can see. I've been combining the styles for a while and having considered the amount of time, or better said, the lack of time, I've noticed that I made no progress at all.

That's it! Feel free to share an input, advise or just comment..what ever suits you best :)

Stay tuned...

Sweet Child O' Mine - Trace Bundy

2009-11-09T13:29:00.001+01:00

Lately, YouTube has become my biggest time consumer when browsing the web. I recently stumbled upon one of the best performances of this song ever. It simply consumed my attention an it's been my "hit of the day" ever since. :)

The performer is Trace Bundy. I just have to get his discography!

Here's Sweet Child O' Mine, originally by Guns N' Roses, re-arranged and performed by Trace Bundy.

Enjoy!

Composite acoustics

2009-11-03T13:35:00.001+01:00

The cold and wet weather inspired my latest concerns about the well being of my acoustic guitar. You probably know the effects of temperature and moisture on an acoustic guitar so I won't bother you with that. Never the less, I solved my concerns but it inspired me to write this text.

Imagine that you have a guitar that is not affected by weather, heat, cold, moisture but is still a top quality instrument, durable, strong and reliable. You don't have to imagine anything. Someone already did.

I recently discovered the website of an innovative company called Composite Acoustics. Their line of work - producing carbon fiber acoustic and recently electric guitars. You can read all you want at their website, but the bottom line is that the guitars are works of art. Not only they sound great they look great as well.

I decided to present one of the models that caught my eye. It an acoustic, model OX.

Here are the guitar's features.

I would definitely like to put my hand on this guitar but at a price of $ 1.099 it will have to wait some better times (and maybe even a dealer in Macedonia).

Stay tuned!

Lawson Rollins, Guitar Virtuoso

2009-10-15T15:15:00.001+02:00

This song and video are the highlight of my week. I listened it over and over and it never stops to impress me. It's a happy sound that simply lifts your spirit and mood. Regarding his style and technique, well... see for yourself.

Enjoy!

Black and tight

2009-10-14T09:09:00.000+02:00

Make sure to trow a glimpse at the guitar as well ;)

ZZ TOP Live in Skopje!

2009-10-02T15:37:00.000+02:00

19 days remaining! Counting the days till October 22nd, the date of the ZZ TOP concert in Skopje, Macedonia. Here's some more info.

Can't wait!!! :)

Iris by Goo Goo Dolls

2009-09-25T11:18:00.000+02:00

The original is kind of weird :). It's in BDDDDD tuning. It you strive to play it like the original, you can find the tabs HERE.

But, I'm not going to share the original here. There's a version in standard tuning (EADGBE) that sounds great on a acoustic guitar.

Here are the chords. (Download PDF file)

Click to enlarge

Dean girl

2009-09-24T11:37:00.000+02:00

Buy the guitar, get the girl ;)

Walden D350CEB

2009-09-13T01:53:00.000+02:00

I'm definitely not objective when it comes to Walden Guitars as I own one my self and I'm deeply pleased to do so. I bought a Walden Natura D670 some time ago and got truly surprised, positively of course, by the craftsmanship, look, feel and sound of this particular guitar. With the low price range it's definitely a great value for your money.

The model I want to present here is the D350CEB from the standard series. I was captured by its looks but I'm sure that it offers the same pleasure and performance as the other Waldens. I've always wanted to have a black guitar. This just might be the one.

Use the link to see the specs if you're interested in the details.

Just add a guitar

2009-09-08T02:06:00.001+02:00

I know that it's not fair to compare music, especially if the songs are completely different style, but I'll be comparing the same song, or better said the original and its cover, so it's OK.

First just let me say that I didn't like this song when it became popular, but over the time I warmed up to it.

This is a perfect example of how you can turn a shitty song (my personal opinion!) into something nice when you add a guitar into the picture.

Enjoy!

* If you want to see the original (by 50 cent) go to YouTube and watch it there, since the author requested to disable the embedding option (which lowers my low opinion for that music even more!)

I Love Guitar

2009-09-07T09:55:00.002+02:00

You know I do! If you're reading this blog probably you do as well.

I Love Guitar is the my new awesome discovery. It's the vault of guitar knowledge. It offers guitar systems, chords, scales, arpeggios, reading, theory and more in a structured manner. Unlike many guitar sites that offer loads of information, including lessons, without any or just some structure, here you have all the knowledge you'll ever need organized in easy to grasp blocks and categories.

If you are learning the guitar this is the first and last place you will have to visit, ever! So, good hunting.

Stay tuned!

Metronome and tuner

2009-09-03T23:45:00.000+02:00

I've been busy in the past days and couldn't find the time for a new post. Sorry for that. Now, that asside, here's the new thing that I "discovered" yesterday and instantaneously made my guitar playing efforts so much easier.

I'm pretty sure that the experienced player uses a metronome all the time, but I doubt that a noveice player is aware of the benefits of such a tool.

I was planing to buy one when I had an "Ahaaa" moment and realized that there must be some sort of software that can help me. So I found Metronome Online. But my revelation didn't end there. Now I have a metronome/tuner as a Java application in my cell phone. this particular one is not freeware. You have a 7 days trial and after that it'll cost you $5.99 to get the full version.

But, there are a lot of other applications like this one. Apparently the idea is a common one :) Visit GetJar and type metronome or tuner in the search bar. You'll get a lot of hits, just pick the one you like the most. I'd have to say that Metronome Online is by far the best one, both in terms of design and functionality, hence the cost.

Yaay! :) I saved a descent amount of money and I spared myself from having to carry around another gadget.

Stay tuned!

McPherson MG 4.0

2009-08-29T13:24:00.001+02:00

I woke up today wondering about my next blog post. I already decided it to be a guitar "review" (remember I'm not reviewing the guitar, I'm simply not qualified to do so. I'm just offering the info), so now I had to find a mind blowing guitar to write about.

I was Google-ing the web in my quest when I came across a company called McPherson Guitars. It is there that I saw it. The McPherson MG 4.0, a mind blowing craftsmanship and one cool looking guitar. Specs and details are available via the links. The price tag for this particular model - $6.000.

As Afiqme wrote in his blog, I'm just overwhelmed by the amount of exceptional guitar makers and brands out there. You can easily say that making a guitar is not a trade, it's art. I mean look at this images. Loot at how every detail stands out, how much greatness each instrument has in it self. WOW!

Until next time, Tune the essence!

40 years Woodstock - An event that defined a generation

2009-08-29T03:23:00.001+02:00

August 15th, 16th and 17th 1969. Three historical days that defined a generation.

Yes, you now what I'm talking about. Woodstock. The famous festival that your parents told stories about. 186.000 people bought the "first" tickets for the three day show. In the end half a million people witnessed the greatest music show in history!

Sex, drugs and rock n' roll! This August 2009 we celebrate the 40th anniversary. Unfortunately I was born in a different time. I couldn't be a part of it. I'll have to satisfy with the stories and dream that something like that will define my time as well.

Read the Woodstock Story and try, just try, to imagine what was it like...

The Godfather Music Theme (Acoustic )

2009-08-27T11:51:00.006+02:00

It's time for some truly musical contribution. From time to time, I'll post chords and tabs for different songs that I have in my song book, and a lot of new ones as well.

OK. A first of many, I'm giving you The Godfather Theme tabbed for Acoustic Guitar. It's a absolutely magnificent piece. You can click on the image to view a larger version, or you can download a PDF version bu clicking on the link below.

The Godfather Theme Tab (Acoustic).

The video is the actual performance of this song by this tab, so it's a great video "lesson" to accompany the tab.

That's all for now. Have a great time practicing this one.

Ana Vidovic (Female guitarists #01)

2009-08-26T22:06:00.000+02:00

There's something mysteriously beautiful in the girl-guitar combination. Most of the time I can't figure out what exactly that is. Probably it's a simple personal preference. Probably.

I'm not gonna rate, judge or compare the any of the artists posted here at any time. Every musician brings his/her own value and is special in a certain way.

So, what's today's pick?!

Her name is Ana Vidovic, originally from Karlovac, Croatia. She plays the classical guitar since age 5. (daaamn!) With countless prizes and recognitions behind her name, she's literally part of the guitar elite. If you're interested in more details about her life and accomplishments check out her Bio.

Although I'm not very fond of the musical style and her repertoire, I'm no less than impressed by her performance, filled with awesome technique and emotion.

I'm about to offer you a glimpse of her abilities during the performance of Isaac Albeniz's Asturias at the New York Guitar Festival's third biennial Guitar Marathon. Enjoy!

That was lovely. I'm sure it's great to be a world class guitarist and play a custom made guitar, in this case a Jim Redgate , that's worth a small fortune! Ahhh, maybe some day :)

Benedetto, La Venezia

2009-08-25T09:31:00.001+02:00

Every now and then I stumble upon a cool guitar. Now every guitar is special, for on reason or another. This one is special because of many things but mainly its price tag.

Personally I'm not into jazz guitars. A Benedetto is created to be "The signature of Jazz Guitar" and my preferences aside, I kinda like it.

Here's what the manufacturer has to say about it - "The La Venezia represents the pinnacle of pure acoustic archtop design, materials and craftsmanship—and is a culmination and celebration of Robert Benedetto’s experience as both a guitar and violin maker. Every aspect of this guitar has been designed, built and tuned to present the premium tonal palette for the most discriminating player. From its hand–selected European cello woods, ebony cello–style tailpiece, and finely carved re–curve in the top and back, to its aesthetically classic design—void of binding and inlays—La Venezia’s beauty is unpar alleled."

If you are interested in the specs visit www.benedettoguitars.com.

Now, back to my point. I previously mentioned the price tag. Well, it's worth mentioning. With an U.S. retail price of $26.500, it's probably the worlds most expensive production line acoustic guitar. I'll say it again - It's not a custom, signature or any other "special" model. It's a regular Benedetto. If there is anything regular about a Benedetto in the first place, and I say this in a good way.

Fire

2009-08-24T21:05:00.003+02:00

How can you not like guitars :)
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Ultimate Guitar

2009-08-23T23:36:00.005+02:00

Hi people,

Today I pay my tribute to the website that's been my guide and inspiration in the past months. I can't remember the precise date (I believe it was February 2008) when I bought my first guitar and started to learn, but roughly it's about a year and a half ago and Ultimate Guitar is my companion ever since.

Ultimate-Guitar is a complete guitar utopia. It offers quite a lot... for free! I downloaded my first tabs there, and constantly get the latest news in the music world. The part I enjoy the most are the reviews, guitar reviews in particular (like I'm gonna buy them all or so... I can only dream :))

Here's the preview and that's all from me. Visit the site and let its rich content do the "talking".
Until the next time,
Tune the essence

Does it get any better?!

2009-08-23T16:33:00.010+02:00

Hello my dear readers, if you are still following this blog. I won't blame if you don't. Despite the effort to come back here and find the inspiration, I've been absent for quite some time. Sorry for that! I'll try to stop by 2-3 times per week and give you some interesting "news" or my insights on different topics, but mainly guitars, guitar players and music.

So, lets get back to the topic! The title is "Does it get any better?!". What does?! Well I'll share my story with you, right now, right here.

This weekend was one of the best in my life, mainly because of two reasons. The first one is personal and will remain so, at least for the time being. The second one is an event. The exceptional, awesome kind of event :).
I'm pretty sure that for the foreigners (and for the most of the Macedonians as well) the name Jakov Drenkovski doesn't mean much! Well, it means a lot to me! With all due respect to the rest of the Macedonian musicians (only a few of them!!!) Jakov is probably the best ever! So this event we went to was called "Jakov and friends" and was and hour and a half acoustic performance! And WOW what a performance it was.

He sang his greatest songs and ended the night with the magical "Skitnik". Here's the music video. It's antique by the way :).

I really can't find the right words to express what I truly want to say here. Let's put it this way - "Does it get any better than to listen your favorite song ever, at a live performance by its creator?!" I don't think so! The emotions were all over the place. He was one with the songs and he was one with the crowd! His latest CD, The Best Of, is on sale so make sure you buy it! It's a piece of Macedonian music history!

His music, "Skitnik" in particular, was my inspiration to pick up the guitar in the first place. So, having that in mind, thank you Jakov, for being the musician that you are, and maybe more important, for being the one of a kind person!

Pink Sabbath :D

2009-06-17T13:05:00.006+02:00

Lately my writing here has come down toa an once a month post. Sorry about that but time is an asset I simply don't have enough.

Never the less, here's something that must be seen. Target audience - people from the Slavic group of languages. So, brace yourself...

Цигла у зиду... :D Лудило

SANTANA LIVE IN SKOPJE

2009-05-08T10:01:00.005+02:00

Great news people! The grand master himself is coming, here in our country!

Tikes on sale from May 25th. The price is not determined yet but my decision to go regardless the price is :) See details on www.avalon.com.mk.

Enjoy the video!

G3 - The holy trinity

2009-04-08T09:11:00.016+02:00

OK! Three bows, a prayer and a sacrifice! :D

Well you don't really have to... but they are the Guitar Gods (I'd add one or two more, but lets leave as it is for now) so beware!

G3 is an idea that Joe Satriani brought to life in 1996. Throughout the years many great guitarists were part of the tour. Here's the lineup: Steve Vai, Eric Johnson, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Yngwie Malmsteen, John Petrucci, Robert Fripp, Paul Gilbert, Uli Jon Roth, Michael Schenker, Adrian Legg and many other special guests, including Tony MacAlpine, Johnny Hiland, Steve Lukather, Steve Morse, Chris Duarte, Andy Timmons, Neal Schon, Gary Hoey,Brian May, Billy Gibbons, Johnny A, George Lynch, Patrick Rondat, Michel Cusson, Alejandro Silva and Eric Sardinas.

My personal favorite is G3 - Live in Tokyo. This particular show featured Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and John Petrucci. There's nothing more to say really. G3 is about the ultimate guitar perfomance(s)! It's pure perfection!

Now scroll down just a bit and enjoy the performance. It's Smoke On The Water, player on G3 - Live in Tokyo.

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Air on G String

2009-04-06T23:17:00.006+02:00

What you are about to see are two totally different performances of the same piece.

The first one's a classical performance by an exceptionally tallented young man called Sungha Jung.

The second one's a "slightly" different performance by the one and only Yngwie Malmsteen.

As you can see, it's all about interpretation. It's about adding a personal touch and a unique feel to the piece. It's about the power of music and the beauty of the different styles, it's about emotion...it's about what you want it to be about!

Tune the essence!

Custom Guitar

2009-03-30T20:56:00.004+02:00

We all love playing the guitar. But someone has to make it first!

Custom Guitar - a guitar that is designed and built exclusively for you, the artist. At least that's how S.B. MacDonald defines it.

Making a unique instrument is not just a skill, a trade, it's art. It requires knowing the needs of the musician, the playing style, the personality of the player. It requires passion and complete devotion during the whole process.

S.B. MacDonald knows this. That's why his guitars are one-of-a-kind works of art.

Here are a few examples of these unique guitars, each one built according to the specific requirements of its owner.

...and a few more.

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Guitar Idol

2009-03-29T23:27:00.008+02:00

Recently, in terms of TV, I'm frustrated by two major things: One - the election talks and endless debates and Two - the Bulgarian Music Idol. This two things are almost on the same level, but the latter is a bit more frustrating because I detest politics but I love music and I can't stand the desecration.

Never the less, recently I made a discovery. It's almost expected some balance to exist somewhere and it does. It's called Guitar Idol. WOW what a show!

Guitar Idol 2009 is in progress. It's still in the online phase so feel free to register and vote for your favorite.

I'm still a bit overwhelmed, watching the entry videos. All this greatness at one place!

The following video is a part of the Guitar Idol 2008 Finals. Is's the performance of Gustavo Guerra, the 2008 winner. Enjoy!

Do I have what it takes?! Hell no! At least not yet. :)

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Parallel Universe

2009-03-28T16:39:00.005+01:00

Some time ago I stumbled upon a blog post which was announcing a gig in one of the clubs in Skopje. During the "mandatory" MySpace preparation for the gig, I was impressed by a band called Parallel Universe. I was informed that they do covers from Satriani and that was all I needed to hear.

Parallel Universe is a band from Tetovo, Macedonia. Their style is influenced by: Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Billy Sheehan, Richie Kotzen, Dream Theater, Jimmy Page, Paul Gilbert, Greg Howe, Whitesnake, Yngwie Malmsteen...

Bellow I'm presenting you a video by Damir Puh, the lead guitarist in Parallel Universe, doing a cover on Joe Satriani's Surfing With The Alien.

I suggest you follow this download link and listen their original material. You'll be surprised.

DOWNLOAD

Here's another sample.

Hmmm... I hope "04-03-2009: Born:2007 Rocked:2008 Died:2009" doesn't mean that Parallel Universe fell apart.

Tune the essence!

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Extraordinary guitars (Part 2)

2009-03-27T10:10:00.007+01:00

Here's another beauty. A Black Beauty, to be more precise.

What we have here is a Gibson '57 Custom Les Paul Black Beauty a.k.a. "The Fretless Wonder", nicknamed like this for its low frets.

Features

-3 Classic humbuckers

-Mahogany body with Carved Mahogany top

-Single-piece mahogany neck

-22-fret ebony fretboard

-Pearl block inlays

-tune-o-matic bridge with stopbar tailpiece

-Body, neck, and headstock binding

-Classic Black Gloss finish with Gold Hardware

-ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic o-matic Bridge with Stopbar Tailpiece or Bigsby Tailpiece

-Vintage Tulip Tuners

-Includes hardshell case

If you decide that you must have one, it comes with a price tag of a bit over $6000. Nice! :)

I did mention this is my ideal present didn't I?! :)

Crossroads (1986)

2009-03-26T10:32:00.005+01:00

This one's an oldie. The movie was first released in March, 1986. I watched it for the first time sometime in 2002 or 2003, can't really remember. Back then I didn't have the appreciation towards music and especially guitars that I have today.

So, from today's perspective it has a whole new significance.

"Eugene is an extraordinary talent in classic guitar, but he dreams of being a famous Blues guitarist. So he investigates to find a storied lost song. He asks the legendary Blues musician Willie Brown to help him, but Willie demands to free him from the old-people's prison first and to really learn the blues on the way to it's origin: Mississippi Delta. Eugene doesn't know yet about Willie's deal with the devil, that he now wants to revoke" (Source IMDB)

It's an amazing movie. Especially the music in it. "Crossroads" won a prize (the only one) for Best Original Music at the Flanders International Film festival.

Cast: Ralph Macchio, Joe Seneca, Jami Gertz and no other but Steve Vai himself.

In the video bellow you have the final guitar battle (The Headcuttin' Duel) from the movie.

Enjoy!

Tune the essence!

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Extraordinary guitars (Part 1)

2009-03-23T09:30:00.005+01:00

This is a beginning of a new thread here at H&H. I'm gonna try to bring closer to you some of the world's most extraordinary guitars.

So, lets start.

What we have here is a standard issue Fender Stratocaster. You may ask what's so extraordinary about a standard issue Stratocaster?! And you'll be right. Nothing! At least nothing in terms of manufacturing or playability. It's a totally regular Fender Stratocaster with all the specs assigned to the brand.

The extraordinary thing in this particular guitar is its price. It managed to get a price tag of $2.8 million at a charity auction in Doha, Qatar. It was auctioned as an aid to the 2004 tsunami disaster victims.

The guitar is special because it's signed by a bunch of famous musicians such as:

- Jimmy Page

- Eric Clapton

- Mick Jagger

- Brian May

- Liam Gallagher

- Jeff Beck

- Pete Townshend

- Ray Davies

- David Gilmour

- Bryan Adams

- Tony Iommi

- Mark Knopfler

- Angus Young

- Malcolm Young

- Keith Richards

- Ronnie Wood

- Paul McCartney

- Sting

- Noel Gallagher,

hence it's value and price (if you have a bottomless pocket).

That was the first on 'the list'. See you soon with some more extraordinary guitars.

Stay in tune.

---

OCC Peavey Chopper - A killer combination

2009-03-22T01:25:00.007+01:00

People rarely succeed to combine their passions in life. Never the less, such things are possible. Some time ago Orange County Choppers (OCC) and Peavey merged their creative incentive and made a unique combination of pure beauty.

Yep, they combined two of my passions in way that only a picture can describe. So following bellow are some samples of the final result of that project.

What you saw here are two major things: one - a killer OCC Peavey custom chopper and two - a limited edition OCC signature Peavey electric guitar.

A trivia information here is the presence of Joe Satriani at the unveiling of the bike.

Nice!

---

Widescreen guitar wallpapers

2009-03-19T10:47:00.008+01:00

Hey there,

While trying to find some quality widescreen guitar wallpapers, it occured to me that there's actually a lack of them on the WWW.

Here are a few that I've stumbled upon. Enjoy!

---

Redesign in progress

2009-03-19T00:20:00.010+01:00

Hey people,

I decided to freshen up the blog. As you can see the banner is already changed. Some subtle changes will be made in the next few days that will, hopefully, contribute to a overall new look.

My regards

---

My precious

2009-03-17T16:08:00.008+01:00

Hey folks,

I've been away for a while, again. I kinda' neglected my blog due to obligations and lack of free time. Never the less, I have some personal news that I wanted to share.

I made an update in the Guitar playing aspect of my life. I recently bought a new guitar and now I have my own Walden Natura D670. I finally have a guitar that has a name (a brand) :).

I'm no expert but the the sound is awesome. It's a change for me, form nylon to steel strings, so my fingers still hurt and the wrist is not used to the additional pressure required here, but never the less I've never felt better playing.

So, there it is, my precious!
---

Sweet...

2009-02-12T22:24:00.004+01:00

Hey folks,

I've been away for quite some time haven't I?! Well, sorry about that, work had to be done, and still has to, at that matter. Anyways, I'm finishing Slash's autobiography and under the impression I just had to post here one of their best ever.

Enjoy

P.S. Read the book. You won't regret it! :)
---

Old School Beast

2009-01-05T02:51:00.005+01:00

Here's a nice way to begin the blogging year of 2009 :). I stumbled upon this old school bobber. I truly hope that the owner knows how lucky he is. I'd be proud :)

Enjoy.

P.S. Happy New Year :D
---

Klingons on wheels

2008-12-08T15:30:00.005+01:00

I'm not sure what to write for the following pictures. :) One thing's for sure, it's a cool combination of two things I enjoy very, very much. See for yourself.
---

10.02.2009

2008-12-08T03:00:00.004+01:00

This will unquestionably be a great day. Why?! Because...
...I just hope that I'll be able to have a day off from work. We'll see. Now you have something to look forward to in 2009 :D.
---

Harley-Davidson Road King - A piece of history

2008-11-27T02:18:00.006+01:00

This one is the true monument in the history of Harley-Davidson. It's the No.1 at my list of best bikes ever built. I definitely wouldn't mind owning one some day :). Enjoy.
---

Finally got it

2008-11-26T19:57:00.004+01:00

After a very long time, thanks to my girlfriend, I finally got my original copy of Slash's autobiography. I can't wait to start reading it. :)
So some time ago, I promised a review after I got the e-book version, but now I'll finally write it. I don't have any more excuses. :)
---

Where no one has driven before

2008-11-19T02:02:00.003+01:00

Engage!

---

Hell Ride - The rebellion against all there is

2008-11-12T04:12:00.007+01:00

I just finished watching the movie. Yep, in 4:13 AM and I'm not sure if it was worth it. I'll let you help me answer that.

OK. Here are several facts about the movie. One, it gathers a bunch of well known actors that I'm used to seeing in a low budget, action packed movies. Two, it almost has no story at all. Three, it's 120 minutes of bloody fights, shooting and throat slashing. Four, it shows some very, very nice choppers. And, last but definitely not the least, it has more nudity than any other "regular" movie I've ever seen.

Rated R for strong violence, sexual content including graphic nudity and dialogue, language and drug use.

So, is it worth staying up till 04:00 AM?! You decide.

Hell Ride

---

The perfect gift

2008-11-09T15:52:00.004+01:00

I finally decided to write the post that's been pending on my TO DO list for quite some time now. Recently I celebrated my university graduation and I got the perfect present from my friends. A book. But not just any book, THE BOOK, the one that I've been meaning to buy myself.

It's THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE HARLEY-DAVIDSON. :D I can't wait to start reading it. :D

So, expect a review soon and a lot of cool posts with topics inspired by it. :)
---

Discoveries

2008-10-31T01:25:00.004+01:00

This world we're living in is facing some serious issues with itself. Nations fight wars in which there's no winner, people are starving around the world, we take diseases for granted instead of directing resources to find a cure, we live day-by-day without having any global perspective about the future of mankind.

You might say that I'm a freak since I'll be referring to a movie quote, said by a fictional character, as a solution, but you also might agree with me that there is a slight possibility that what this man said it the path that this world ought to consider if we are to survive.

Here it is.
Captain Jonathan Archer
Enterprise NX-01

"Up until about 100 years ago, there was one question that burned in every human, that made us study the stars and dream of traveling to them. Are we alone? Our generation is privileged to know the answer to that question. We are all explorers driven to know what's over the horizon, what's beyond our own shores. And yet the more I've experienced, the more I've learned that no matter how far we travel or how fast we get there, the most profound discoveries are not necessarily beyond that next star. They're within us, woven into the threads that bind us. All of us, to each other. The final frontier begins in this hall. Let's explore it together."
---

Back to the roots

2008-10-26T23:52:00.005+01:00

OK. These days I've became totally anxious about three things. One - Diablo III, Two - StarTrek Enterprise and Three - Starcraft II.

You might think - WTF?! And you won't be wrong :). I recently graduated and instead of looking for a job, I got back to the roots (the three things I mentioned) :).

Stacraft: BroodWar was the absolute first thing that I learned about PCs, IT or similar technology and offcourse gaming. I remember that I even had the disk bought a whole month before my first PC. :) The last couple of days I started playing the game again. It's 10 years old but it still fells fuckin' great. And why I started playing it?! Because of THIS. I can't wait to try it (if my PC isn't antique by the time Blizzard release it) :)

Note: I believe that BroodWar is the best PC game ever made. No exceptions!!! :)

The same goes abour Diablo III. While waiting for the new release I decided to waste some more time swinging some axes with the barbarian in Diablo 2.

I know I'll have to wait some more, but with Blizzard at least you are sure that when it actually gets to you it's TOP quality.

Now, STARTREK: Enterprise, which I might add, is not connected to this previeous two things, fist because it's not that old, and second because it's a movie (series) and not a game. Anyway, the picture bellow explains my "new" facination with the series and why I'll start wathing it for the secong time.

The wall in my room - finally :)

---

A new chapter...

2008-10-23T23:36:00.007+02:00

Hey folks

Yep, that's right, I graduated. I now have a Bachelor's degree in Economics. Yeeeeey. :D I believe that I am prepared for what follows, but we'll see. One thing's for sure - Now the fun starts :).

C ya
---

Who will rule the Ancient Earth -- and Beyond?

2008-10-17T00:48:00.007+02:00

There's nothing like a bunch of friends having a good time. And sure, there are a lot of ways to do that. Playing board games is one of them.

Recently my friend bought this really cool game called Risk: GodStorm. If you are into board games check out the link. Beware - it's addictive :). I just wanted to share some game play photos with you all.

Enjoy

Click to enlarge

---

The Road to Hell

2008-10-15T23:43:00.005+02:00

Words are needless... :)

---

Coffee - It's a friend

2008-10-14T02:37:00.005+02:00

Hey people. I haven;t written anything for quite some time. I was 100% uninspired, a bit bored and maybe a little bit busy. :)

So, as a comeback, here's a everyday topic - COFFEE.

You probably drink it several times a day. Alone, with friends, during work and other activities, to wake up and many other reasons. OK. So So far I haven't said anything you didn't know. What I want to emphasize in the following few lines is the aspect of coffee as a fitness friendly drink.

There are two main reasons for this. One, coffee increases the speed of your metabolism which in simple terms means that you will burn more calories. Two, it eliminates the hunger in the "wrong" periods of the day. For and example, you sit in front of your PC at 1:00 AM. The last thing your body needs is food at this late hour, but you are hungry. The solution - a cup of coffee. This goes during the day as well.

But, this doesn't mean that you can replace your meals with coffee. It doesn't mean that you can drink as much as you like as well. Make sure that you know what you're doing and that you CAN (maybe even consult with a doctor) drink coffee first before making it a vital part of your daily food and drink intake.

Mine is ready :) See you soon.
---

Richard Wright (1943 - 2008)

2008-09-16T23:36:00.005+02:00

Richard Wright - Musician and founder of Pink Floyd
R.I.P.

---

Legends of the Fall

2008-09-16T22:35:00.004+02:00

Every once in a while a TV channel "surprises" me with an awesome movie. Tonight was one of those days. Legends of the Fall is a movie that I've seen more than once, but it still feel like the first time every time I see it. Casting some of the finest actors ever (Anthony Hopkins, Brad Pitt, Julia Ormond) it offers 133 minutes of pleasure.

It's just of those movies that MUST be seen. If you haven't please do so, you won't regret it.

---

Book of heavy metal

2008-09-12T22:58:00.009+02:00

It constantly occupies my time (both home and on mobile devices) this month. It is one of the best albums that I've heard lately.

Dream Evil - Book Of Heavy Metal

Released: May 2004
Century Media Records

01. The Book Of Heavy Metal
02. Into The Moonlight
03. The Sledge
04. No Way
05. Crusaders' Anthem
06. Let's Make Rock
07. Tired
08. Chosen Twice
09. Man Or Mouse
10. The Mirror
11. Only For The Night
12. Unbreakable Chain
---

Slash's guitars

2008-09-07T17:18:00.006+02:00

How many do you actually need?! :) Probably one or two would be just fine. Never the less, if you CAN then you probably WOULD. And this goes for anything. In this case, the number of guitars that Slash has in his collection.

"Slash owns over 100 guitars. 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 "Psycho Killer")
At least 30 Les Pauls".

The more the merrier :)

*Quotation source: Wikipedia

---

Don LaFontaine (1940 - 2008)

2008-09-03T13:02:00.006+02:00

Probably the most important man in the business.

R.I.P.
Read more HERE (MKD)

---

Mean machine

2008-08-31T15:38:00.003+02:00

I love the old school design and the paint job. Simply awesome.
---

Rockstar

2008-08-29T16:38:00.004+02:00

Nickelback - Rockstar

I'm through with standing in line
to clubs we'll never get in
It's like the bottom of the ninth
and I'm never gonna win
This life hasn't turned out
quite the way I want it to be

I want a brand new house
on an episode of Cribs
And a bathroom I can play baseball in
And a king size tub big enough
for ten plus me

I'll need a credit card that's got no limit
And a big black jet with a bedroom in it
Gonna join the mile high club
At thirty-seven thousand feet

I want a new tour bus full of old guitars
My own star on Hollywood Boulevard
Somewhere between Cher and
James Dean is fine for me

I'm gonna trade this life for fortune and fame
I'd even cut my hair and change my name

I wanna be great like Elvis without the tassels
Hire eight body guards that love to beat up assholes
Sign a couple autographs
So I can eat my meals for free

I think I'm gonna dress my ass
with the latest fashion
Get a front door key to the Playboy mansion
Gonna date a centerfold that loves to
blow my money for me

I'm gonna trade this life
For fortune and fame
I'd even cut my hair
And change my name

'Cause we all just
wanna be big rockstars
And live in hilltop houses
driving fifteen cars
The girls come easy and
the drugs come cheap
We'll all stay skinny
'cause we just won't eat
And we'll hang out in the coolest bars
In the VIP with the movie stars
Every good gold digger's
gonna wind up there
Every Playboy bunny
with her bleach blond hair
And we'll hide out in the private rooms
With the latest dictionary and
today's who's who
They'll get you anything
with that evil smile
Everybody's got a
drug dealer on speed dial
Hey hey I wanna be a rockstar
Hey hey I wanna be a rockstar

I'm gonna sing those songs
that offend the censors
Gonna pop my pills
from a pez dispenser
When they ask why I drink all day
I'll say because I can

I'll get washed-up singers writing all my songs
Lip sync em every night so I don't get 'em wrong
Then listen to the fans tell me how damn good I am

I'm gonna trade this life for fortune and fame
I'd even cut my hair and change my name

Cause we all just wanna be big rockstars
And live in hilltop houses driving fifteen cars
The girls come easy and the drugs come cheap
We'll all stay skinny 'cause we just won't eat
And we'll hang out in the coolest bars
In the VIP with the movie stars
Every good gold digger's gonna wind up there
Every playboy bunny with her bleach blond hair
And we'll hide out in the private rooms
With the latest dictionary and today's who's who
They'll get you anything with that evil smile
Everybody's got a drug dealer on speed dial
Hey hey I wanna be a rockstar
Hey hey I wanna be a rockstar

---

Words of wisdom

2008-08-28T22:58:00.004+02:00

Finally! I stumbled on a text that says something so much logical and so much old regarding the right way of eating or if you'd rather say Nutrition.

It's simple.

"Everything you need to know about nutrition was taught to you by your mother.

-> Eat more fruits and vegetables.
-> Don't drink soda.
-> Take your own lunch to school or work.
-> Don't spoil your dinner with cookies or other mindless munching.
-> Plan your meals. Avoid fast food.

All those old classics are still great tips today."

Think about this when you'll be considering to start some famous diet that so awesome and give fast "results". ;)

Source: www.turbulencetraining.blogspot.com
---

Cardio

2008-08-28T21:01:00.002+02:00

OK. Simply put, you can not loose weight without Cardio exercises. Always remember that the more muscles you engage in your workout the more calories you will burn, and burning calories is the key for weight loss.

People workout because of different reasons. Some are too skinny and want to add muscle mass, others want to tone and shape, some else want to loose weight and some are preparing for different competitions.

As in everything else in life, you simply have to align the activity with the goal. I decided to make a combination - burn fat while toning the muscles. That's why my fitness routine is as it is. You can see there that there are four key things that are the backbone of the routine.
1. It's consisted of body weight exercises only
2. It's a combination of Cardio and strength exercises
3. It's meant to take only 20 to 30 minutes
4. It has a flow that doesn't allow the body to adapt during the workout
All of these make their contribution in maximizing the effects both while you workout and on the long run.

Never the less, if have deiced to burn fat so that you can loose weight you need Cardio exercise. Following, are my 3 favorite Cardio exercises with the good and the bad sides.

No.1 - Running or Jogging

GOOD
- Burns a lot of calories ina short period of time
- It's an open air exercise

BAD
- Depends on the weather conditions
- Takes "going to" and "comming back" which takes additional time
- Has a significant impact on your knees and ancles

No.2 - Climbing/Running stairs

GOOD
- Burns even more calories compared to the jogging
- It's more intensive so you can do less km/floors/sets

BAD
- It's easier to get injured
- You can anoy the neighbous if you live (and run) in a bulding
- Depends on having access to an open air stairs or a higher building

No.3 - Jump/Skip Rope (My personal favorite)

GOOD
- It's interesting and fun
- It's easy to learn
- There are a lot of jumping styles so you can combine
- Burns 900-1000 calories per hour

BAD
- Requires good weather, gym or a larger room
- If not done properly can put a lot of stress on the ancles

Generaly all of the upper mentioned exercises are quite OK, so whatever you choose you won't be making a mistake.

At the end, remember, Cardio does not only burn fat and keep you in shape, it also contributes to your health which is maybe even more important.

One more thing, here is a Jump Rope video. Some results on display here :) Enjoy.

Till the next time, bye
---

Motivation is the key!

2008-08-28T20:50:00.007+02:00

Hey, hey! What's up?!

Getting fitness results takes time and time sometimes can be a will killer, so it's more then necessary to keep yourself motivated to continue the effort. Find something to motivate you, whatever that is. For an example, some very, very good results achieved by others, like in the pictures bellow.

Pretty awesome bodies, wouldn't you agree?! :) Bye.
---

To begin - BEGIN!

2008-08-27T00:38:00.016+02:00

Hi again. As I said since this post onwards I'll be introducing the new topic - FITNESS. I've been involved in different kinds of fitness activities since 6th grade in primary school. First it was volleyball combined with fitness and endurance training, then it was plain body building and then back to combined fitness again. Regardless of the many years of different trainings, I never had any special results worth "celebrating", until now.

Why in NOW so special? What was that I did so differently this time that makes it so much better than all the times before? It's quite simple actually. This time I was (and still am) 100% determined to achieve my goal. No excuses! Not this time.

In the past there was always something that was "in the way". I was telling to myself that I had no time, that I had too much to study, too this, too that, bla, bla, bla. Excuses, excuses, excuses. No more!

So, I got online, made a pretty extensive research in order to find the right fitness program ( it will be explained further down the text) and started. Before I go into details I'd like to share few points on the motivation and the determination to do all of this.

Why?
Because I was sick and tired off seeing myself in the mirror and not like what I was seeing. Because it was time to end all the talks about, how I should get back in shape and actually DO THAT.

How?
All I ever needed was right there. A strong will, determination, dedication and continuous effort. I had to find the motivation inside of me. No one else could do the job for me - it was up to me!

The changes
Before I even started I knew I had to make some changes. But what was I supposed to change?! I had no idea. I had to do it through trial and error so that I can finally come with the "perfect combination" (there's actually no such thing) of important things - Exercises, nutrition, life style.

So this is what the "final" outcome was. I changed the way I eat. I stopped eating late in the night - no food (except fruit) after 21h. I stopped eating the unnecessary things like mayonnaise, sweets, excessive amounts of bread, fast food etc. I substituted the chocolate based sweets (chocolate, cakes, ice cream etc). with fresh and dry fruit. I try to eat as little as possible, things like chips, snacks, peanuts etc. I stopped missing meals (maybe the most important thing I changed) and last but not the least I stopped drinking carbonated soft drinks (CocaCola, Pepsi and all the other, even worse, Macedonian labels) and alcohol (except a glass or two of some quality wine with a good meal or a toast at a celebration).

And this was easier than I initially thought. It was all in the mind. Now I think why was I even putting all this stuff in me in the first place?! :)

The life style
First and foremost I quit smoking. You will never have lasting fitness results if you keep poisoning your body. Next, I realized that 6-7 hours of sleep is the absolute minimum if you want to function on a "peak" level during the day. I stopped spending so much time in front of the PC and especially in front of the TV. I switched from PC games to workout routines, from a 3 hour movie, that I have already seen, to a good afternoon nap or a book. To workout is not some difficult task that I MUST do, it's a thing that I'm eager to do.

It's very important to set your priorities. If you want results you'll have to give up some "pleasures". I decided that somewhere between 18h and 20h it will be the workout time, no exceptions and no excuses. Remember that your results depend on your priorities. For an example you can decide to workout twice a week and don't lay-off the candy, that is quite OK. But then don't expect to be fit in a blink of an eye.

The program
After all the experiments this is what I do to achieve what I've set as my primary goal.

1. Warm up
2. Chin-ups (shoulder wide inward grip)
3. Push-ups (wide)
4. (c)Jump Squats
5. Pull-ups (wide front grip)
6. Explosive Push-ups
7. (c)Alternating Jump Squats
8. Bench dips
9. Double crunches
10. (c)Burpers
11. Pull-ups (narrow front grip)
12. Lean and Rest (left-middle-right)
13. Push-ups (narrow)
14. (0)Calf raise (one leg at a time)
15. Strech
* Maximum repetitions each

First some explanation. (c) means Cardio, (O) means Optional. As you can see it's as simple as it can be. It takes ONLY 20-30 minutes so you can never say that you didn't have the time. It's a unisex program. It's a little bit intensive, but it has to in order to deliver results in 20-30 minutes only once a day. The best thing is that your own body weight is what determines the actuall difficulcy because all the exercises are body weight only! (The details for each exercise will be in some of the following posts.)

Another good thing is that when you loose the weight it stays lost. :) This is because you loose the the weight gradualy, little by little, and the body has time to adjust to the new condition. So simply put, you loose the fat while you gain muscle in a short, simple and fun manner.

At the end of this long post, remember all you'll ever need to achieve fitnes results is to have the will and determination to dedicate yoursels to a continuous effort towards your goal.

To begin, BEGIN!

---

No excuse

2008-08-27T00:21:00.004+02:00

I've been absent for a while, and as the title says, I have no excuse. OK, maybe I do have one, but never mind that. Lets just say - I've been lazy. :)

Lazy to type and figure up what to write here, because I've been busy as hell in the past few weeks. Besides the fact that I'm preparing the last two exams, I was experimenting with some different fitness routines and food habits in order to finally get myself back into shape and my guitar playing is coming along well due to the continuous effort and practice.

So this short excerpt of the majority of my activities actually sums up the three goals that I set in January, all of which WILL BE accomplished till the end of this year.
1. Buy a guitar and learn to play (DONE)
2. Loose weight and get back in shape (Doing just fine)
3. Graduate in 2008 (I'll let you know after the 16th of September) :)

OK, so that's all I have for you now on a personal level. Regarding Hard & Heavy I'm announcing some changes. I decided to include a new topic of interest - FITNESS.

I'll be back soon...very soon.

Bye
---

The sun, the beach, the sea and... CHOPPERS

2008-08-07T00:42:00.005+02:00

During the great time I had in Becici, several "works of art" made my stay there even more pleasurable. :D

See for yourself.
Damn...I wish at least one of them was mine! :) Bye
---

I'm baaack :)

2008-08-02T13:05:00.004+02:00

Hello my dear people :)

I'm back from my summer vacation. Montenegro was excellent. The sea was warm, the weather was OK, although the sun was hiding behind the clouds for couple of days, the beer was cold and everything else was just as it should be. :)

Anyway, the point is that I had a great time. I recharged by "batteries" and now I'm back to face the cruelty of the "hell" in Skopje :). I saw couple of great "things" in Becici/Budva, but that will be the topic for my next post (since I still don't have the pictures on my PC.

Bye
---

Hot in the desert

2008-07-14T16:21:00.004+02:00

Lovely combination...

---

Maceto + "chopper"

2008-07-08T15:27:00.004+02:00

...the one I'll get will be better! :)
---

On the streets of Skopje

2008-07-03T21:51:00.008+02:00

Hey people, what's up?!

During the past few days I was lucky enough to bump into some pretty good bikes in my city (Skopje for those of you that don't know) :). With one exception (the red one) , this bikes are not custom, they are factory mass produced editions but are still quite OK.

I'll let the pictures to "say" the rest... bye

---

A Scent Of A Woman

2008-06-24T00:57:00.005+02:00

Today I'm starting a new thread on my blog. I've seen a lot of very good movies in my life. I'm pretty sure I've seen a lot of shitty ones as well :). I think that most of you would agree that some scenes are just not meant ot be forgotten. Some great movie scenes in some extraordinary movies.

So, for starters, here's on of the best movie scenes I've ever seen. Who else if not the "devil" himself.

Enjoy

---

My ideal present :)

2008-06-21T12:35:00.011+02:00

It's my birthday soon. Only two more days to go. It you are by any chance wondering what the perfect present is, I'll help you :) :P

Anyone of these would be just fine :D

One day...

Edit: I looked up the GIBSON on the net :). It's a 1957 Gibson Les Paul Custom - Black Beauty with gold plated elements and pearl fret inlays. It's only $4299 :D
---

Band Of Brothers

2008-06-20T00:39:00.012+02:00

I just finished watching the last episode of this epic mini series. I hope you've seen it. If not, make sure that you'll do that. It's absolutely amazing, it's unique in its own way, it's touching and it's definitely realistic. It is what happened to those brave men during the Second World War. They lived through it. All we can do is watch and admire.

My writing capabilities are far beyond what I meant to express here. I'll just end it with two quotes from the film. Enjoy.

"I cherish the memory of a question my grandson asked me the other day, when he said: 'Grandpa, were you a hero in the war?' Grandpa said no. But I served in a company of heroes."
Maj. Richard "Dick" Winters

"From this day to the ending of the world, we in it shall be remembered. We lucky few, we band of brothers. For he, who today, sheds his blood with me, shall be my brother."
2nd Lt. Carwood Lipton, quoting Henry V

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Night Wolves International Bike Festival - Reflection

2008-06-19T21:38:00.011+02:00

Let's star with the overall impression. Been there, done that! Honestly this year's event was nothing special. The last year's festival was a lot better. Maybe it was the combination of the bands, maybe it was the poor lighting... I don't know. I went there to see the bikes, besides the other stuff, but unless you took a picture first you couldn't see a thing. The music was, OK...I think. :) I missed Day Off (we all did).

Still I did manage to take some (poor quality) pictures from some of the nice bikes. That was another disappointment. The majority were racing bikes which I almost hate. :) Here are some pictures.

Enjoy and hope to see more from the party this weekend.

Vatreno Ludilo

2008-06-18T23:31:00.005+02:00

A slightly different topic from what I usually write about, but it's worth every word! As you know EURO 2008 is going into the Quarterfinals phase. My bellowed Croatia is there as well. Hey, we have a reputation to defend. We are third in the world, aren't we. :)

Anyway, what's so specific about all of this. The coach - Slaven Bilic. :) He is an ex representative (from the 1998 winning team), a lawyer and last but definitely not the least a lead guitar player in RAWBAU, a Croatian rock/metal band that wrote a unique fan anthem for EURO 2008. Enjoy the video.

*** NAPRED VATRENI ***

Killer combination

2008-06-18T15:58:00.006+02:00

Imagine yourself at a gas station. The guy comes to you and says: "What can I do for you?". You answer: "Fill it up please... the gas tank too". :D

All you need is a bikers party! :)
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Anniversary Hill Party

2008-06-15T02:14:00.007+02:00

POTFAT MC are celebrating their 1oth anniversary with an awesome party. It's during the next weekend (20-22 June 2008) on Vodno (Skopje). Bellow you have the poster with more information.

IVth International Bike Festival

2008-06-11T21:12:00.006+02:00

Hey there,

Most of you probably already know about this event (there are posters all over the city). Regardless, I think that it's worth to be mentioned once again. Bellow you have the official poster with all the info you'll need to know (except the price of the ticket :)).
Maybe we'll see each other there. I'm definitely going... (and back with the chopper...I hope :D) Bye :)

Beefy companions

2008-06-01T16:20:00.007+02:00

Hey people! How are you? I've been away for a while. Actually i wasn't anywgere in particular, I just was too busy to care for my blog. Here are some photos I stumbled upon on the net. I hope you'll like them. These are some trully beefy bikes. I mean, look at those tires?!

Enjoy!

Album of the week

2008-05-12T23:46:00.007+02:00

Artist: Andy McKee
Album: Art of Motion
Year: 2005
Genre: Fingerstyle Acoustic Guitar

Songs:
1. Art of motion
2. When she cries
3. Drifting
4. For my father
5. Practice is perfect
6. Shanghai
7. Into the ocean
8. Nocturne
9. Heather's song
10. Samus' Stardrive
11. Keys to the Hovercar
12. Rylynn

Youtube Sample (Andy McKee - "Rylynn")

Miss February 2008

2008-05-06T23:44:00.003+02:00

Before you even begin to wander, NO this is not some "official" Miss contest! :) It's just a bit different picture that I think looks great.

Enjoy...
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Barbecue + Beer + Camp fire + Guitar...Ahhh (Part 1)

2008-05-03T19:38:00.009+02:00

Hey folks

I just got back from "Sonje". The 1st of May (one of our holidays) is over. I hope that all of you had a great time whereever you were. I just want to share my experience with you, in a few short words, a picture and a very nice video.

It couldn't have been any better. As the title says, the combination was superb. Three days, we, the chosen few :) spent an amazing time at my fiend's house in Sonje. The second night was the absolute cream of the whole experience (maybe it even was the cherry on top of the cream) :). All of us, sitting there by the fire, battling the rain and having the time of our lives (I hope we'll have more moments like this in the future.)

For me it was even better. I learned a couple of new tunes (as I "might" have mentioned I started up learning the guitar) :D Yupiiii :D

The time spent there is beyond my words, so for the end I'll just share a video with you, a short one, to complete you idea of how things looked like. :) (and nope, we are not in the video) :)

"Skitnik"

2008-04-27T20:08:00.006+02:00

Hey there. It's been a while since my last post. I've been busy (read bored and without ideas) :). But, now I'm back again. You will find the inspiration for this post HERE. In the same time it is a kind of a rebirth of a older post of mine (published on the first H&H blog), that you can find HERE.

For me, this is probably the best Macedonian song ever written and my absolute favorite. Bellow you will see two videos. The first one is the original song by Jakov Drenkovski recorded in the Macedonian National Television aka MTV (but not he famous music channel), and the second one is a nice reproduction by some people I don't know (it was the only video of its kind on YouTube). I hope you'll enjoy them both.

Till the next occasion... Happy hollidays

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Tunnel ahead

2008-04-16T00:45:00.005+02:00

Three reasons why this post became "alive".

First - Because I was (and still am) impressed by the picture itself, especially the tunnel moment.
Second - Because the bike is truly magnificent.
Third - Because I haven't written a "chopper post" because of the chopper, for quite some time :)

So, here it is.

click to enlarge

It was bade by Big Bear Choppers which you can visit here. I don't have anything more to add. The picture said 1000 words :)

C ya
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Black beauty

2008-04-12T23:00:00.005+02:00

Hey, hey,

Just to let you know that I won't be able to write something meaningful these days. What can you do, obligations... :D. But that doesn't mean that I won't be here at all. I'll try to be up to date with all the things that you write or comment and in the meanwhile, some nice pics should be enough to keep you coming back here :)

C ya, enjoy.
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Slash by Slash

2008-04-09T01:34:00.011+02:00

This is a book that I ran into today that was actually published last year. The title is simple - "Slash". It's his autobiography written after the breakdown of Guns'n'Roses, and as Slash himself says in the Latterman show, the breakdown of G'N'R is the reason he wrote this book. I'm not sure what to expect from it but one thing's for sure it's next on my reading list (as soon as the half-broken torrent finishes the download) :).

Pending my personal review (which will most probably not happen anytime soon) here's some magic from the "Guitar God" himself.

The Godfather, performed by Slash

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Welcome to the family

2008-04-06T00:56:00.007+02:00

Finally :) After two years of "buying" a guitar today I finally bought one. It's time to transfer the little bit of theory that I have into practice.

Here it is and it's all mine :). It a beauty (at least for me). I bought it really cheap and I hope that it will serve it's time, as my first "teacher", well.

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"Iron Maiden"

2008-04-03T23:44:00.009+02:00

It can't be any better than this. An Iron Maiden Chopper. Beautiful :)

...and not the only one. Bellow you can see (if you want) another example of a bike that was made as a tribute to Iron Maiden.

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Professor Satchafunkilus and the Musterion of Rock

2008-03-28T02:06:00.006+01:00

Hi there.

I've been away for some time. I was preoccupied with my faculty exams (5 more to go) so I didn't have the time to write. Anyway, as you can imagine quite a lot happened in this short time, so I was in a doubt what to choose as a topic for the "comeback" :)). Well, after making my casual daily click on this blog I follow, I made up my mind.

"Professor Satchafunkilus and the Musterion of Rock" is "alive" :). Joe Satriani's latest creation. I've been eager to listen to it. Now you can do that as well. You can find more details and a download link HERE.

Enjoy

The beauty & the beast

2008-03-22T03:40:00.006+01:00

Arthur C. Clarke (1917 - 2008)

2008-03-20T02:09:00.007+01:00

"There is hopeful symbolism in the fact that flags do not wave in a vacuum."
Arthur C. Clarke
(16 December 1917 - 19 March 2008)
R.I.P.

Tribute to the legend

2008-03-19T19:52:00.013+01:00

After reading this one you might say that I've become quite annoying whit this topic (if two post can actually be annoying), but I decided to write it anyway.

Again I'm going pay my humble tribute to a truly great man in the bikers culture - David Mann. For those of you who don't remember this is the guy that made all those fabulous pictures published in the Easyriders magazine. Bellow you can see some of his pictures.

Anyway, my topic for this post is not Dave himself but what others have done to commemorate his life and deed. Recently I saw this episode of American Chopper on the Discovery Channel in which the Teutuls (OCC) were building a chopper in his honor. Now if someone asked me what was my favorite OCC bike, this would be my choice. A work of art. This one can't be disregarded even by the biggest "enemies" of OCC. Why?! I'll let you just see for yourself.

"Radical" design

2008-03-16T04:11:00.007+01:00

If some things deserve to be tagged as radical, this is definitely one of them. Don't get me wrong here, I'm not saying that I like it, I just think that it deserves to be seen :)

...and I thought I've seen it all :)
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Wanna ride...

2008-03-15T23:30:00.005+01:00

Sorry for the delay folks. :) I barely got this 5 minutes to post yet another combined beauty. I'm preparing to post something "special" in some foreseeable future, but till then enjoy the sight on your screen... c ya

Perfection in simplicity

2008-03-12T16:24:00.008+01:00

Another one on my favorite topic :).

This is a king of bike I'd like to own some day. Simple yet perfect! It's big, it's beefy, it's a work of art. This bike is proof that you don't have to make it all shiny and sparkling to achieve a cool look.

The designer and manufacturer is Russell Mitchell owner of Exile cycles. He participated in the "World Bike Build-Off" in 2004 with another bike, again proving that he is a master of the old school look. All the bikes created by Exile cycles are amazing, but I definitely declare this one to be my favorite.

How small we really are

2008-03-08T13:07:00.008+01:00

Have you ever wandered how small we really are? I bumped into this site that, in a very cool way, shows us how tiny we are and how some "big" things are actually quite small. The universe is enormous. Here's a fun way to explore it.

Click on the image to visit the site