I'm excited to say the new website has been launched, as you can tell if you've been here before. A quick list of changes include:

• New color scheme
• Social media buttons (Facebook, Twitter, etc)
• Old and new photo galleries and a more modern way of viewing them
• A new video player
• More info on novels and an author bio
• ...

The prologue from The Champions Series: The Dragon Gate is now online and offers a peek into the fantasy novel's premise. A blurb is also available. Th book is complete and should be one of the first novels published.

Two Randy Ellefson instrumental albums have been scheduled for mixing to begin the third week of June 2013. The Firebard re-release and the new, 5th album will both be re-amped at the same time. Following this will be mixing for the latter, which is due for release later this year, probably in the fall. The Firebard release will be on the 10-year anniversary next summer, so mix...

This year will see major progress on several books as I begin preparing for publication of my fantasy novels. One is virtually ready to go now but it takes preparation to properly publish something. This includes finding beta readers for feedback (if interested, email me), professional editing, getting a cover designed, and most importantly, learning how to properly and effectively do marketing ...

I’m an instrumental guitarist. I admit it.

Is it embarrassing?  I wouldn’t quite put it that way, but the fact remains that the field of instrumental guitar music isn’t given much esteem. There are really only two kinds of us that anyone talks about:

1. The big guys
2. The ones who play insanely fast all the time

The Big ...

What’s the difference between “race” and “species” and when should you use what in your fantasy settings?  I’ve taken a look into this myself and made the right choice for me.  Read on for ideas on making the right choice for you.

Race

What’s a race?  The answer can be complicated (but interesting rea...

Over Megadeth’s career, they’ve had a handful of lead guitarists who’ve received varying degrees of praise, but I’ve always felt, and still do, that Dave Mustaine is the best of them. As the band leader, spokesman, main songwriter, lyricist, singer, guitarist, and troublemaker, his lead guitar playing is often overlooked in favor of the second guy, with whom he splits shr...

Last year I watched an episode of That Metal Show, where they do this “throw down” thing of comparing two bands, people, or whatever. That night, they asked who was the best Scorpions guitarist. The choices were Michael Schenker or Uli Roth. And I thought in surprise, “What? How about Matthias Jabs?”

Who is Matthias? He’s the only lead guitarist that most ...