Advantages: High Quality, solid non slip pan stands, top space.
Disadvantages: A little noisy.

...I recently replaced a fifteen year old Philips four burner hob with the Smeg SRV 576 GH (five burners). I chose the cast iron pan supports as I had experienced heat distorsion with the enameled 'wire' pan supports on the previous hob. This was a good decission, heavy or full pans and small ones alike are much more stable. The cast iron offers a high level of slip resistance so pans tend to stay where you put them, the heavy handed use of a potato masher does not cause, previuosly experienced problems, of the pan bouncing, slipping off or bending the supports. The extra 100 mm (an increase from 600 mm), provides much more room for pan parking well away from the heat. The gas control takes a few attempts to get use to as there is no stop between low to high flame and through to off, (on a few occasions when turning the heat up I've gone... Read review

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Advantages: Good music, nice location
Disadvantages: Not on enough, a little boring

...Survivor was launched a few months ago by ITV after they spent a lot of money on it developing the island where it would be shot and creating props etc. Its objective was to compete with Big Brother, but Survivor did not live up to it's name. But who is the best? Which is the best programme to watch? I think it's about time someone finds out, and that is exactly what I'm going to do. Beginning... The beginning of Big Brother gave us information about the contestants, the rules and the house - it was very useful, helping us to get to know the contestants, what they were like and also what they disliked. This helped give the show a boost, because we knew who we were watching. Survivor, after all the huge hype, started in the most boring way - we watched some people sitting on a ship and then they went for a swim. Pretty... Read review

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Advantages: It's SRV!
Disadvantages: Minor thing with the album sleeve, hardly worth mentioning!

...price to pay and certainly value for money. I would thoroughly recommend this album to anyone interested in either rock or blues - it may even appeal to country fans, as Stevie has somewhat of an 'Austin-twang' to his playing. Guitarists and non-guitarists alike should find 'Texas Flood' an enjoyable addition to their collection. Track Listing: 1) Love Struck Baby 2) Pride And Joy 3) Texas Flood 4) Tell Me 5) Tesitfy 6) Rude Mood 7) Mary Had A Little Lamb 8) Dirty Pool 9) I'm Cryin' 10) Lenny Bonus Tracks: 11) SRV Speaks 12) Tin Pan Alley (aka Roughest Place In Town) 13) Testify (Live) 14) Mary Had A Little Lamb (Live) 15) Wham! (Live)... Read review

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Advantages: the skill, money, talent, guitars
Disadvantages: not everyone will agree

...and drew praise from the likes of Led Zeppelin members Robert Plant and Jimmy Page. Unfortunately, Jeff died in a drowning accident in Memphis on May 29, 1997, and he remains near the top of the list of people I wish I had seen but didn’t get around to. Best of Jeff: Track: Lover You Should’ve Come Over Alum: Grace 8 – Stevie Ray Vaughn Stevie Ray was born and raised in Texas, and his fiery blues playing reflected that kind of upbringing. As a youth in Dallas, he played in blues-rock bands such as the Chantones and the Blackbirds. SRV (as he was also known) went on to form Double Trouble with Tommy Shannon playing bass guitar, and Chris Layton on drums, with Stevie Ray handling the vocal and guitar parts. He became renowned for regenerating interest in the blues during the 1980s when hairspray heavy metal... Read review

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Advantages: An album for guitarists and music fans alike
Disadvantages: Johnson is often overshadowed by more "popular" guitarists

...and even a trumpet. His approach to playing guitar is not overwhelming and shouldn't intimidate anyone, so this could be a great introduction to guitar-based music for the uninitiated. The production is excellent, with all the instruments placed well in the mix. Everything is clear and distinct and happily stands out on its own, but whilst still working well as part of the overall sound - everyone seems to know what they're doing and the production really just helps the playing stand-out. Some of the lyrics are a little cheesy, but others more than make up for that. There's not really any songs on the album I tend to skip over, which is quite a rarity for me - there's usually at least one track I tend not to bother with on any album. Equally though, there's not any that I particularly skip back to. There are stand out songs, (such as S.R.V... Read review

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Advantages: Great climate, low prices.
Disadvantages: 21 to drink, altitude.

...Dinosaur Ridge. Here there are fossils and evidence of a time when the Central American Seaway still existed however many millions of years ago. Interesting but not everyone's cup of tea. Also out that way is Red Rocks. This is a park with some fascinating red sandstone rock formations. Now I wouldn't normally be excited by rocks, so you have to understand this is something special. And not only that, but in the same park is the Red Rocks Amphitheatre which is used as an outdoor concert venue. Many big stars have played there including Bon Jovi, U2 (who used it in one of their videos), SRV, and many more. Whilst I was there, Incubus played. On nights when there are no concerts on, they also show something called Film On The Rocks. After sundown they show a movie on the giant screen they have. This is quite a sight to see, especially... Read review

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Advantages: Great Tone!! Great sounding Solo's and Lead work!
Disadvantages: None!

...The Ibanez Tube Screamer TS9 is little box of pure tone! If your looking for an overdrive pedal that will instantly beef your sound and make you cut through the music when you take a solo then this is for you. All the great players from SRV, Clapton, ZZ Top all own tubesreamers and they are all known for the tone and sound of there guitars. I personally play in a rock/blues band and i have gigged the TS9 all over London, the build quality is good as with most things to do with Ibanez and this thing has taken a few knocks and its still solid and working great!! With the TS9 you can get a light blues overdrive to hard driven rock! Go and buy one!!... Read review

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Advantages: Immensely playable
Disadvantages: None

...for their taste but the Deluxe's three Samarium Cobalt Noiseless™ pickups add an extra "oomph" to the standard Strat sound - easily as meaty as a humbucker and comparible for "spank" and "crank" to the Texas special pups on the SRV signature model. But there's more, the S-1 switch, positioned in the centre of the volume knob, switches the pick-ups from series to parallel, changing the sound to something like a fat-strat fitted with humbuckers, exponentially increasing the tonal possibilities. The action is as silky smooth as a 12 year old malt whiskey providing an easy "playability" that encourages showy bends and rip-roaring licks while the two-point tremolo, unlike other systems, never seems to put the guitar out of tune. With the wide range of sounds available via the S-I switching, the American Deluxe is the most versatile Strat in Fender... Read review

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Advantages: Superb in-yer-face live rocking blues
Disadvantages: Doesn't feature a live favourite "Don't shake my Hand"

...and countless other blues bands is the sheer energy enthusiam they inject into every note. Imagine two guitarists in the SRV mould, an incredibly poweful and soulful vocalist in the Paul Rodgers vein and a powerhouse of rhythm section laying it down and you've got a storming, lowdown. gritty and in-yer-face blues band. Carlsberg don't do blues bands, but if they did. You get the idea. Live is where the band excel, and I was fortunate to see them play their last ever gig in Londons Astoria venue. Well this album makes you feel as if you are there, as if the band are in your front room rocking out. The atmosphere is in abundance and the sound is soaked in sweat, in a good way. The band open with a blistering version of "Twenty Ton Weight", a favourite of mine, a funky chunky blues number, featuring some superb vocals and harp from Hugh Coltman... Read review

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Advantages: A fairly decent mix containing some of my favorite songs.
Disadvantages: I didn't have room to list all eight million of my favorites.

...attitude?) *Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble – Anything off the “Live At Carnegie Hall” disc. Seriously, this disc is absolutely stunning. The opening riff from SRV is the best though, as the listener can feel the supercharged energy in the atmosphere. Please, do yourself a favor and pick it up. *The Eagles – “Hotel California” I would be mad not to include this song, now wouldn’t I? If I need to explain, there’s something seriously wrong here. *Harvey Danger – “Flagpole Sitta” This Seattle-based alternative band only put out one good single so far, but it’s a good one. The lyrics themselves are the best part: “Been around the world and found that only stupid people are breeding / The cretins cloning and feeding / And I don’t even own a T... Read review

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