Guitar Heroes
G S Jarvela
I know this is trouble, but when people talk of guitar heroes, why
is it that only tossers like Satriani and Vai are mentioned? I've
heard them play, and I'm not impressed. Their music doesn't just
doesn't say anything to me.
How come people like Johnny Marr (ex-Smiths, The The, Electronic)
are seldom discussed? He's one of the more innovative and hard
working guitarists of the 80s and 90s, yet not many guitarists know
his name.
Also, I never see nods to some of my other heroes Mick Ronson, Johnny
Thunders, and Marc Bolan (all three RIP).
Ronno was fantastic (Check out Bowie's _Hunky Dory_, _Ziggy Stardust_,
and _Aladdin Sane_!) and has been clearly influential and yet remains
relatively unknown.
Johnny Thunders wasn't any kind of a technical player, but what he lacked
in skill he made up for in heart and soul. He played a really jagged guitar,
as is evidenced on the two albums by the New York Dolls, his album _LAMF_
with the Heartbreakers, and his solo records.
And Marc Bolan.. well.. =) =) =) T.Rex's _Electric Warrior_ is really
all the proof anyone should need of his talent, but he does some awfully
neat stuff on his other records, especially _The Slider_ and _Tanx_.
I'm also very fond Blixa Bargeld's rather unique style of playing on
Nick Cave's albums, and Morrissey's two current guitarists Alain Whyte
and Boz Boorer do an awfully nice job.
There's so much more out there beyond Eddie Van Halen. I just wish it
was recognised more often.
--
"Ah but in such an ugly time the true protest is beauty"
-Phil Ochs
Who5558
I'm gonna have to go with Pete "the man" Townshend.
Not so much for his technique, even though he is a genius and started it all in
the first place, but...
he's got more passion than any guitar player/rock star I ever didn't meet.
I mean, Pete defies (at least he used to, I'm assuming he still believes) that
rock and roll/ music can save the world. At least to the individual.
If it weren't for Pete Townshend...I would've gotten a nose job. Wait. That's
not what I was gonna say. What I'm trying to say is that Pete truly believes
in music , whereas, unfortunately, many musicians of more recent years only
became interested in music for all the wrong reasons.!!!!
(Excuse the rant, - I'm buzzed on cheap beer.)
-M. Wilkinson
"The Wilkmeister"
"The guitar is a weapon". Pete Townshend
Gtrplyr857
who...@aol.com wrote:
>I'm gonna have to go with Pete "the man" Townshend.
>Not so much for his technique, even though he is a genius and started it all
>in
>the first place, but...
>he's got more passion than any guitar player/rock star I ever didn't meet.
I've gotta agree with you here.......I saw The Who for my first concert in 1971
(Who's Next tour) and I'm still waiting for an act to match the power and
intensity of that show. Pete's an amazing player--not so much what he plays
but how he does it. I've never seen a show since with that much passion.
Sean
"Life's too short to spend it with a crappy guitar." Rick Nielsen
Robert McFarlane
Greg Ginn
Jadehaus
>I know this is trouble, but when people talk of guitar heroes, why
>is it that only tossers like Satriani and Vai are mentioned? I've
>heard them play, and I'm not impressed. Their music doesn't just
>doesn't say anything to me.
>
>How come people like Johnny Marr (ex-Smiths, The The, Electronic)
>are seldom discussed? He's one of the more innovative and hard
>working guitarists of the 80s and 90s, yet not many guitarists know
>his name.
>
>Also, I never see nods to some of my other heroes Mick Ronson, Johnny
>Nick Cave's albums, and Morrissey's two current guitarists Alain Whyte
>and Boz Boorer do an awfully nice job.
>
>There's so much more out there beyond Eddie Van Halen. I just wish it
>was recognised more often.
>
>--
>"Ah but in such an ugly time the true protest is beauty"
> -Phil Ochs
>
I'm with you, I'm not really into Vai and Satriani but it comes down to taste.
Some will like fancy fast playing like Vai and Satriani and some won't. That
is all there is to it. Some will like Marr and Boz Booer and some won't. Some
will like Mick Ronson and some won't.
Now, to who I like. I'm a big fan of Johnny Marr. I was a fan of The Smiths
before it was cool to be a fan Morrissey the solo artist. Yes, I was a teen
ager in the early to mid eighties. I love the guitar playing of Johnny Marr
because every note he plays counts. He doesn't try to be fancy or play useless
solos. If he solos they are solos that count. Solos that complement the song
rather than are an erratic array of endless notes. I admire Marr a lot because
after The Smiths broke up he was right away being asked to play on other bands
albums and tour with them. He played a lot of good stuff with The Talking Heads
on The Naked album. He borrowed some techniques from African High Life music
for this album. Now how many guitarist do you know who would be so creative to
use African High Life music? None really. I saw Marr on Saturday Night Live on
guitar for Bryan Ferry. He didn't play flashy but he was impressive because he
made the guitar seem effortless. He did some work with David Gilmour but not
on a Floyd album. I think it was on a Kristy McColl album or something like
that. He toured with The Pretenders. Marr is the man. I pretict that The
Smiths will reform around the year 2000. Be ready to buy your concert tickets.
But I don't think there has to be a dichotomy between liking stuff like Marr
and not liking stuff like EVH. Granted I'm not really moved by the guitar
playing of Vai and Satriani but that doesn't mean in my opinion that some hot
shot players can't be good. I do like EVH. I didn't say I like VH the band
but I like EVH. Even though he is a hot shot player and I'm not usually into
that, I really like the songs and the guitar playing on VH I and Diver Down.
Diver Down is actually a good pop album. It's just a pop album with fancy
playing. VH 1 is very very good. But for the most part I really don't go for
those hot shot players other than VH. I don't like post David Lee Roth days.
Another player that I like a lot is Elliot Easton of The Cars. His playing was
amazing. Even though I usually like UK bands from the late seventies and early
eighties such as The Clash, Bow Wow Wow, Adam and the Ants, Echo and the
Bunneymen, Elvis Costello, The Smiths and much more, I do like other music and
The Cars were great. If Elliot made a solo in the song it would fit the song.
Like Marr, he wouldn't do some useless array of endless notes like those heavy
metal players do. Even though Marr and Easton had different styles the two are
a like in the sense that they are more concerned with song writing than fancy
flashy playing.
That's the thing about Marr. He had a strong dislike for your typically blues
based rock rather than play the atypical blues pentatonic scale over and over
again, Marr preferred to play simple melodies on his guitar. His solos if
anything would be melodies rather than notes just for the sake of it..
I also like the late Mick Ronson's guitar playing. His playing on The Rise and
Fall of Ziggy Stardust is amazing. I like the solo on "Moonage Day Dream".
Like Marr and Easton, every note in a solo was there for a reason, it was not
there just for flash.
I'm really a new waver from the eighties. I was in high school in the early to
mid eighties so I really love fellow new wavers The Cars, Duran Duran, Missing
Persons and more. The guitar playing of Warran Currurullo was great with
Missing Persons, very great but I don't care for his Duran Duran work. But
Duran Duran was great with the playing of Andy Taylor. I wouldn't call The
Smiths "new wave" in the atypical sense but I do like Brit Rock of the late
seventies early eighties. I really like The Cranberries because in a day and
age of so called "alternative" these days, The Cranberries are great because
they are a throw back to the same vein of music of The Smiths and U2. Funny
how "alternative" today is basically long haired hard rock but in the eighties
it was music for those who didn't like hard rock but didn't like soft rock and
boring stuff. Stuff like The Smiths, Echo and the Bunnymen, Psych Furs and
more. But Bush, Pearl Jam and the like are just long haired garage band music.
What is so alternative about Pearl Jam and Bush? Two worst bands in the world
today. Wasn't Pearl Jam before Nirvana broke the so-called grunge scene a
Heavy Metal cover band under a different name? But they never admit to it now
but claim they were such punk rockers? Those long haired rats used to be punk
rockers? I don't think so. Ungrateful millionaire that Eddie Vedder. If he
doesn't like the money and fame why doesn't he quit music and give me his
millions. He wouldn't go through Ticket Master because he claimed that they
were causing fans to pay to much for concerts because of the service charge.
Maybe he could have lowered the price of the concert itself 2 dollars so the
customers would pay $2.00 less. But no, he didn't and it made it difficult for
his loyal fans to see them in concert. Doesn't he realize that Ticket Master
need to make money? They are a business and to need a profit. But now that
record sales aren't as good as they used to be, now he is willing to go through
Ticket Master. What does that tell you? Now he feels he needs to promote his
band to make more money even if this means going thru Ticket Master even though
he hates them. Bogus. This is off the topic but just making clear that
"alternative now" is nothing what it was considered in the past. Listening to
"alternative" in the eighties such as the very talented The Smiths and Echo and
the Bunneymen compared to talentless Pearl Jam and Bush is really said.
James
Jadehaus
>>Also, I never see nods to some of my other heroes Mick Ronson, Johnny
>
>>Nick Cave's albums, and Morrissey's two current guitarists Alain Whyte
>>and Boz Boorer do an awfully nice job.
>>
>>There's so much more out there beyond Eddie Van Halen. I just wish it
>>was recognised more often.
>>
>>--
>>"Ah but in such an ugly time the true protest is beauty"
>> -Phil Ochs
>>
It doesn't bother me a bit that Marr and other fine guitarist aren't as
recognized as Vai, VH, or even so called "alternative" bands such as Bush and
Puke Jam, oops, mean Pearl Jam. Let the masses all follow the leaders and
follow Puke Jam, Bush, Vai, VH (although I have tremendous respect for him),
while the really cool guitarist such as Johnny Marr remain true to form and the
few who have taste like you and me enjoy the inovations of Marr.
About Mick Ronson. I think you are wrong about Ronson. I believe that plenty
of people recognize his fine guitar playing. Well, okay in the UK mostly but
even in the U.S. You ask older people in their 40's who were fans of Bowie
back in the '70s and they'll tell you that Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust is a
great album and the guitar playing of Ronson is great. Ronson is well known.
Boz Boorer. You have good taste in mentioning him. He was great with the Pole
Cats and great with Morrissey. He comes up with some really intersting guitar
parts. He's really got that natural talent. He played on Adam Ants
"Wondurful" album or whatever the name of the album was. Also I think Alan
Whyte (spell) might have been on that album as well.
Another good guitarist now that we are mentioning Adam Ant is Marco Peroni. He
was with Siouxie and the Banshees before Adam and the Ants and Adam Ant the
solo artist. That guitar playing of Peroni is very simple yet effective. Also,
Will Sergent (spell?) of Echo and the Bunnymen is another good one. Let's not
leave out Roger Dog Morris of the Psychadelic Furs.
If you want to talk about other great guitarist, we can not forget Billy Zoom
of X. Listen to his playing. He's a great rockabilly guitarist. Rather than
playing straight rockabilly, he built upon it to make his own style and sound
and techniques. (Billy, if you are reading this and I described your guitar
playing not quite on the mark, please forgive me, but regardless of my
conclusion that you built upon rockabilly to your own level and style of
playing, you are the greatest. Only you can really describe how you came up
with yoru style but that's my guess). I love his tone too. That Gretsch
Sparkle Jet with DeArmonds has a great sound through his own home made amps in
old Fender cabinets.
Speaking of Zoom, lets mention Cliff Gallup of Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps.
Scotty Moore of Elvis fame also. Even a more modern rockabilly artist such as
Mr. Brian Setzer.
Last but not least, let's mention Hank Marvin of The Shadows. How can we leave
him out? He was such an influence on a lot of English guitarist that he
deserves mention.
Yes, as you can see, not everything is heavy metal or so-called '90s
"alternative". There are so many great guitarist who play other styles of
music but are over looked because of they are not considered what's in now.
James
Stratoman
Jadehaus wrote:
> >>Also, I never see nods to some of my other heroes Mick Ronson,
> Johnny
> >
> >>Nick Cave's albums, and Morrissey's two current guitarists Alain
> Whyte
> >>and Boz Boorer do an awfully nice job.
> >>
> >>There's so much more out there beyond Eddie Van Halen. I just wish
> it
> >>was recognised more often.
> >>
> >>--
> >>"Ah but in such an ugly time the true protest is beauty"
> >> -Phil Ochs
> >>
>
> It doesn't bother me a bit that Marr and other fine guitarist aren't
> as
> recognized as Vai, VH, or even so called "alternative" bands such as
> Bush and
> Puke Jam, oops, mean Pearl Jam. Let the masses all follow the leaders
> and
> follow Puke Jam, Bush, Vai, VH (although I have tremendous respect for
> him),
> while the really cool guitarist such as Johnny Marr remain true to
> form and the
> few who have taste like you and me enjoy the inovations of Marr.
>
> About Mick Ronson. I think you are wrong about Ronson. I believe that
> plenty
> of people recognize his fine guitar playing. Well, okay in the UK
> mostly but
> even in the U.S. You ask older people in their 40's who were fans of
> Bowie
> back in the '70s and they'll tell you that Rise and Fall of Ziggy
Ok, I was gonne flame ya and call ya a name , but you made up for it
with the Hank Marvin inclusion.
Stratoman
Gianfranco
Stratoman wrote:
> Jadehaus wrote:
>
> > >>Also, I never see nods to some of my other heroes Mick Ronson,
> > Johnny
> > >
> > >>Nick Cave's albums, and Morrissey's two current guitarists Alain
> > Whyte
> > >>and Boz Boorer do an awfully nice job.
> > >>
> > >>There's so much more out there beyond Eddie Van Halen. I just wish
> > it
> > >>was recognised more often.
> > >>
> > >>--
> > >>"Ah but in such an ugly time the true protest is beauty"
> > >> -Phil Ochs
> > >>
> >
My guitar heroes?
Marty Friedman & Jason Becker
Gianfranco
Stratoman wrote:
> Jadehaus wrote:
>
> > >>Also, I never see nods to some of my other heroes Mick Ronson,
> > Johnny
> > >
> > >>Nick Cave's albums, and Morrissey's two current guitarists Alain
> > Whyte
> > >>and Boz Boorer do an awfully nice job.
> > >>
> > >>There's so much more out there beyond Eddie Van Halen. I just wish
> > it
> > >>was recognised more often.
> > >>
> > >>--
> > >>"Ah but in such an ugly time the true protest is beauty"
> > >> -Phil Ochs
> > >>
> >
david martin
Hank Marvin....... yeah! My hero!
Jeff Conrad
"david martin" <davidm_...@email.msn.com> wrote:
>Hank Marvin....... yeah! My hero!
>
>
I don't suppose Frank Zappa ever considered himself a guitar hero but
I certainly place him in that league along with Robert Fripp, Trey
Anastasio and many others.
Jadehaus
>>
>I don't suppose Frank Zappa ever considered himself a guitar hero but
>I certainly place him in that league along with Robert Fripp, Trey
>Anastasio and many others.
>
>
>
>
>
Funny you should say this. He didn't even know who Fripp was. Not saying that
Frank was no less a guitarist but I mean I just read that in an interview he
never heard of Fripp then you mention him in the same sentance as Frank. Small
world.
Later,
James