Here’s a bunch of song-based lessons. Easy ones, hard ones, classics and obscurities; basically just stuff that I like, that I think you might enjoy learning. We’ve all had the dreary experience of going on the internet in the hope of learning a song only to find some guy teaching you how to play it completely the wrong way. I hope these lessons will be different. I’ve been conscientious in making these videos as accurate as they can be, so you can play the songs as they were played on the original recordings. I can’t guarantee my versions are 100% correct, but they are, I hope, very close. So have fun playing these songs. And remember to always listen carefully to the original recording, as there are always going to be nuances of feel and timing which are impossible to learn any other way.
I’m always open to suggestions for future lessons, but I’d prefer to look at songs that haven’t already been done to death on You Tube (though admittedly I have broken this rule a few times!) And since it’s quite time consuming to put these lessons together, I’ll only do stuff that I really like.
September Gurls A power pop classic from 70s greats Big Star.
Sleigh Ride This year’s Christmas Special, a great bit of 60s twang from The Ventures.
4 Happy Mondays Riffs Catchy and brilliant riffs from Mark Day of the Mondays.
The Headmaster Ritual By popular demand, some more Smiths/Johnny Marr. The greatest Smiths song?
Clean Up Woman A soul-funk classic.
Plastic Factory Some bluesy weirdness from Captain Beefheart
Another Girl, Another Planet Classic ’70s power pop from The Only Ones.
3 Gang of Four Riffs Some innovative post-punk riffage from Andy Gill.
Pale Blue Eyes, Part 1 A Velvet Underground classic. Here’s Lou Reed’s easy rhythm part.
Pale Blue Eyes, Part 2 This lesson focusses on Sterling Morrison’s lead part and solo.
Johnny B Goode They don’t come more classic than this! Here’s the right way to do it.
Gimme Danger More Stooges, and one of the greatest guitar riffs of all time.
Back To The Old House You asked for it kids, so here’s some more Johnny Freakin Marr.
Transmission A third and final (for now) Joy Division lesson.
Shadowplay Double Joy Division
She’s Lost Control An easy to play but awesome Joy Division song.
That Was The Worst Christmas Ever by Sufjan Stevens A depressing but beautiful Xmas special.
Freight Train by Elizabeth Cotten A must-know fingerstyle classic.
Chinese Rocks by The Heartbreakers An easy to play punk classic from Johnny Thunders’ band.
Public Image by Public Image Limited More British guitar anti-heroics.
Venus by Television One of my all-time favourites.
Soul Man by Steve Cropper/Sam & Dave So this is how you play rhythm guitar kids.
Purple Rain by Prince Break out the chorus pedal for an 80s classic.
Spellbound by Siouxsie and the Banshees More McGeoch. Rhythm guitar perfection.
The Theme From Joe 90 Learn how to play the fantastic 60s TV theme.
Shakin’ All Over by Johnny Kidd & The Pirates. Great song, great riffs, great solo. It’s all…great.
Shot by Both Sides by Magazine. Classic bit of post -punk with sterling guitar work from John McGeoch.
Rumble by Link Wray. An easy to play, totally bad-ass piece of instrumental rock n roll.
White Christmas as played by Kenny Burrell. A great solo jazz version of your favourite Xmas song.
I Walk The Line by Johnny Cash An all-time classic; learn Luther Perkins part note-for-note.
Breakdown (and then…) by Rowland S Howard Great tune from cult guitar hero par excellence.
It’s Over by Badfinger A bit of an obscure riff I suppose, but undeniably brilliant. Give it a go.
Terrapin by Syd Barrett Oddball acoustic brilliance.
Breadfan by Budgie Some fun rock riffage.
Kid More James Honeyman-Scott.
Brass In Pocket Some stunning rhythm guitar from James Honeyman-Scott.
Race With The Devil, Part 3 Another amazing Cliff Gallup solo.
Race With The Devil, Part 2 More Gallup, and some rockabilly proto-shredding in this great solo.
Race With The Devil, Part 1 How to play Cliff Gallup’smasterpiece of rock ‘n’ roll guitar.
Christmas Time Is Here A melancholic festive classic, chord melody style.
Needle of Death by Bert Jansch A fingerstyle masterpiece by one of my favourite acoustic players.
Pictures Of Matchstick Men by Status Quo Not a 12-bar boogie in sight, but a classic psychedelic riff.
Iron Man by Black Sabbath I am Iron Man…
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida by Iron Butterfly Heavy psychedelic vibes, man.
Mystery Train by Elvis A masterclass in rock ‘n’ roll guitar from Scotty Moore.
Teenage Kicks by The Undertones Iconic and easy to play pop-punk.
This Charming Man by The Smiths A detailed, geeky look at how to play an alternative classic.
Joy To The World by John Fahey A beautiful fingerstyle arrangement of the Christmas carol.
Sound and Vision by David Bowie Great song, two great guitar parts.
Cinnamon Girl by Neil Young Beautiful chords, some proto-grunge riffing, and the greatest solo ever. Seriously.
Loser by Beck A classic and easy to play slide guitar riff.
Search and Destroy by Iggy and The Stooges Awesome rock riffage.
Girls and Boys by Blur Amazing, inventive rhythm guitar.
Anji by Davy Graham An acoustic fingerstyle classic.
Get Lucky by Daft Punk A modern classic of funk guitar.
It’s A Shame About Ray by The Lemonheads A great, easy to play indie song.