Bill M.'s definitions

fretboard

The long area of the guitar under the strings where the player applies pressure with his or her non-strumming in order to produce different notes; the long, flat area on the front of a guitar neck

Wow, that guitar player is fast! His fingers were really flying up and down the fretboard.

by Bill M. July 27, 2004

upright bass

Another term for a double bass, acoustic bass, or bass fiddle. It's the largest of the string instruments (resembling a giant violin) and lowest-sounding instrument found in an orchestra. Can be played with a bow or plucked with the fingers. The word "upright" means that it is to be played while standing up while holding the instrument upright, as opposed to how a bass guitar is held (on the lap or at a 45 degree angle). Also not to be confused with the cello, which is smaller and played while sitting down.

Paul Chambers and Ron Carter each played the upright bass at one time or another for Miles Davis.

by Bill M. August 27, 2004

cheesy

1) Any form of entertainment (music, movies) or aesthetic (hair style, photo pose) that the status quo has deemed fully open to ridicule, usually with no explanation. More specifically, the status quo here being that of Generation X. "tacky" and "dated" are closely related words, but far from being exact synonyms.

2) Anything the speaker doesn't like, which makes it an immensely vague adjective

3) A term embraced by young self-proclaimed non-conformists, to hypocritically distinguish what they've been taught to dislike from what they've been taught to like

"Family Ties? That show was so cheesy!"

"Ha ha ha...Cameron just bought these used hair metal CDs he found in the store. The CDs are so cheesy! In fact, we hated them so much, that we kept listening to them last night and singing along until 4 in the morning."

by Bill M. July 23, 2004

Dio

1. Heavy metal band fronted by Ronnie James Dio, formed in 1983 after leaving Black Sabbath.
2. Ronnie James Dio himself, a heavy metal singer best known as popularizing the "horns" hand guesture in the world of heavy metal, which is still seen at heavy metal concerts today
3. (adjective) refers to a band's albums or time span that feature Ronnie James Dio; more specifically in reference to Black Sabbath and Rainbow

1. The songs "Holy Diver", "Rainbow In The Dark", "The Last In Line", and "Hungry for Heaven" are by the band Dio.
2. "Dio? Yeah, he rocks!"
3. "When it comes to the band Rainbow, I really like the Dio years. I also like Dio-era Black Sabbath."

by Bill M. September 10, 2004

bomb

1. (before 1997) Something really bad; a failure

2. (after 1997) Something considered excellent and/or the best (uses modifier "the")

1. I hated that movie! I'm not surprised that it was a total bomb at the box office.

2. I loved that movie! It was the bomb!

by Bill M. July 27, 2004

power chord

A musical chord formed by a root note, its fifth, and its octave. Among the easiest types of chords to play on the guitar, due to an easily shiftable fingering position, and the power chord's ability to "fit" over both major and minor melodies. Vital to heavy metal and punk music.

Old Black Sabbath and AC/DC albums have a lot of simple yet great power chord-strumming songs.

by Bill M. September 20, 2004

geezer

In the U.K.: A guy, a bloke, a person in general. The British equivalent of the American slang word "dude".

In the U.S.: An old man, particularly one who is either cranky or eccentric. Rather derogatory term.

(UK) "You're looking for Johnny? Yeah, he's that geezer over there in the green coat."

(US) "Old man Anderson keeps yelling at the kids playing outside. That geezer!"

by Bill M. September 20, 2004