"i'm on fire" is classic, but the real killer on that record is the guitar solo on "sincerely", which was played by roger linn, who designed all those pedals and electronics.
Who is your overall favorite guitarist?
At 44 years of age, I personally feel fortunate to have lived in an era along with some of the finest guitarists who have ever lived. I have always had an overwhelming love of music. As I look back to my earlier years of music appreciation (I took formal piano training for 17 years) I remember how my instructor would suggest exposing myself to the many different styles and disciplines of music.
These were such valuable words of wisdom. Considering the fact that this suggestion, more or less, forced me to be more open to musicians other than those that played in strictly rock and roll bands.
Wow, was I surprised to find that I could be as entertained by Chet Atkins and Les Paul as I could be by Ritchie Blackmore or Carlos Santana. Just think about some of the finest from our time. Jimi Hendrix, John McLaughlin, Robin Trower, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Eric Johnson, Steve Howe, Al DiMeola, the list could seem almost endless. All such incredible musicians.
Although it's very hard to pick one person or style in particular, let's remember the key words, "overall favorite".
I would probably have to say that my overall favorite would have to be Steve Morse (from Dixie Dregs fame).
Who is your favorite?
These were such valuable words of wisdom. Considering the fact that this suggestion, more or less, forced me to be more open to musicians other than those that played in strictly rock and roll bands.
Wow, was I surprised to find that I could be as entertained by Chet Atkins and Les Paul as I could be by Ritchie Blackmore or Carlos Santana. Just think about some of the finest from our time. Jimi Hendrix, John McLaughlin, Robin Trower, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Eric Johnson, Steve Howe, Al DiMeola, the list could seem almost endless. All such incredible musicians.
Although it's very hard to pick one person or style in particular, let's remember the key words, "overall favorite".
I would probably have to say that my overall favorite would have to be Steve Morse (from Dixie Dregs fame).
Who is your favorite?
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100% surely, the most under appreciated little guitar break ever: Carl Hogan's intro on "Ain't That Just Like A Woman" by Louis Jordan and the Tympany Five. I can't link from this device, but check out the studio (not live where it's played by a horn) version on YouTube. I think you'll all recognize it pretty quickly. |
Loomis, I had forgotten about "Sincerely". Double (at least!) tracked guitar, backwards tape, very creative. Marty, Louis Jordan is a lot of fun, used to play "Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens" in a band in the 70's. I just boxed up the CD's of his I have (preparing for a move) or I'd listen to "Woman" right now! |
When asked Chuck Berry would readily acknowledge where he got the lick. Furthermore, a lick does not constitute a songwriting credit, the standard is lyrics and/or a melody. Berry borrowed a riff, what Jimmy Page did was a whole 'nother thing. |
To be clear - I wasn't attempting to dis Chuck in my post. My Page comment was more in the way of noting that some very famous music often gets misattributed. Page borrowed whole songs (albeit often with brilliant new arrangements) and never credited the original songwriter. I wasn't suggesting that that's true of Chuck. However, it is true that Chuck Berry remains (deservedly) an iconic guitarist. I agree that Chuck wrote the rules of rock n roll guitar. But, let's be fair - although Chuck Berry certainly put his own fingerprints on that lick, his single most recognizable passage was borrowed from the work of Carl Hogan.....who remains entirely anonymous. I was focused more on the result than the artists' intent. If that was poorly worded - mea culpa. |
Some of the most amazing guitar playing by Wes Montgomery on this record; amazing nuance, direction and shape in his solos. And that tone! Check out his "comping" while Jimmy Smith solos. https://m.youtube.com/?#/watch?v=AQrcyI8zIOw |
I think Chuck gets too little credit from the average person and average guitarist for his contributions. I have no doubt that folks like Keith and Dave appreciate him. I'm sure he was their idol. Chuck's songs are mini-wonders. Each one tells a complete story in two minutes with lots of catchy scraps of singing and playing. Who knows what he could have done had his career not been interrupted by his incarceration. |
I kinda take both sides on this point. Check this thread. How many mentions of Chuck do you see? (I think I mentioned him, so I'll pat myself on the back.) That near absence from a pretty savvy 'goner thread on this very subject makes him under-appreciated, no? Conversely, Chuck is widely admired (and often revered) by those who play rock music on electric guitar. A large number of the '60s first-gen guitar heros cite him as a major influence. My favorite quote on this subject came from George Thorogood (who only did covers, not originals, for many, many years). When an interviewer asked him why he didn't write his own songs, GT replied: "Because Chuck Berry has already written all of the great rock n roll songs." Still, the non-playing fans of guitar music tend to overlook him somewhat. So, depending on the crowd you're polling, he may or may not qualify as under-appreciated. Just my take. |
i generally agree with marty (which is usually good policy). i think chuck berry is probably the second (or third or fourth) greatest lyricist ever, and his influence on other guitarists is unquestionable. personally, however, i never really dug his guitar style--to me it's repetitive and narrow, and not in the hypnotic bo diddley way. a lot of folks, myself included, always believed that his piano player was the real defining element of his sound. |
Chuck's style is SO iconic---it IS Rock 'n' Roll guitar! And though his playing is pretty basic, not requiring a lot of chops, remember the scene in "Hail Hail Rock & Roll" where Keith is playing the guitar part in "Oh Carol" (I think it was), which starts with the strings "bent" up for the first note? Keith mistakenly plays the strings unbent, then bends them up to the note. Chuck repeatedly shows Keith how to play the part correctly, and Keith just can't do it! Rock 'n' Roll may not be "hard" to play, but it's hard to play "right"! Dave Edmunds has mastered Chuck's style, and there are many others who obviously use it as the base for their style, Keith being number one. |
Isochronism---Regarding tone, small amps cranked up is the key. In '69 I was a teenager in a band with a guitarist who, like many teenage guitarists at the time, had Eric Clapton as his role model. He therefore had a burgundy Gibson SG, plugged into a Fender black face Dual Showman (nobody in San Jose had a Marshall yet). When the rest of us complained about his excessive volume, he explained that to get good tone, he had to crank up the volume knob on his Showman. Kids didn't yet know that it was over-driven tubes that made good tone, and that if you used a lower-powered amp you could get it at a lower volume. It took seeing the pics on the inside gatefold of the 2nd Band album to realize a Fender combo amp was the way to go. He soon had a black face Deluxe Reverb, which is a favorite amp of a lot of good guitarists, Evan Johns and Bill Pitcock IV being just a couple. It was when I started hearing the original Blues and Rockabilly guitarists from the 50's that I really saw where the early R & R guitar sound came from. Paul Burlinson of The Rock 'n' Roll Trio (Johnny Burnette) is a particular favorite of mine, though it's not he on their version of "The Train Kept a Rollin". Now THAT'S great tone! |
Bdp, I think we agree on a lot: I'm with you on the beauty of overdriven, low output amps. I don't play a ton of electric guitar these days, but when I do it's either thru a 12 watt (dual 6v6) Nolatone Rotten Johnny or a 20 watt Swart AST (same output tube config). Give me that creamy, overdriven 6v6 sound and I'm happy. My issue with Fender amps is the one you ID'd: They're usually too loud to get the tone I want at the volume I want. The low powered Fenders that I've played have usually been equipped with EL-84s, which work great for rhythm parts IMO, less satisfying for lead. The classic 6L6 equipped Fender amps usually have too much power/headroom to get the break-up I want at reasonable SPLs. These days I just usually stick to my acoustics. |
There is one Fender combo amp I hope I never have to play with again---an early silver-face Twin Reverb. OMG what an obnoxious amp! I auditioned with a band in '71, the guitarist of which had that amp facing me with a Guild Starfire plugged into it. The audition included some pretty long jams (in the literal sense, not like kids use the term now), the last one maybe an hour long, ending just as the sun came up. I was shocked and then terrified when the guys started talking, and I couldn't hear a word they were saying. My ears had closed down to protect themselves from the piercing brightness of that guitar/amp combination. I have moderate tinnitus from a lifetime of nights like that (I started wearing protection---custom molded plugs with attenuators---in my early 30's, but by then a fair amount of damage had already been done). Luckily, I was soon playing with guys who had Telecasters and Deluxes (though an even smaller amp, like the Vox AC15, would have been even better), and now play Martin acoustics (even a bass!). The guitar I want now is a Gibson J-200, a great acoustic for chords/rhythm. |
If you're looking for a J-200, you should try to find a Kopp Trail Boss to compare. Kevin Kopp is an ex-Gibson guy who makes great (and unfortunately very expensive) variations on the standard Gibson models. The Trail Boss is his take on the J-200, but he adds a 12 fret neck. It ends up sounding like a (very beautifully finished) J-200 on steroids. You do give up some upper fret access, tho. Either way, if you can find one to try (and that's tricky given the very limited distribution) the Trail Boss is a very cool instrument. BTW, Rainsong does something similar in carbon fiber body. Not nearly as cool looking, but a great sounding guitar at not much more than half the price of a J-200. |
I'll look into those Marty. I have been meaning to go play the Epiphone version of the J-200, which is pretty cheap, though how it sounds I don't know. Tostado, I've never heard an AC-15 by itself, only as a group of amps. Speaking of which, have you ever seen Ry Cooder live? He has a whole pile of little combo amps, switching between them for different songs. I saw/heard him with Little Village, and his playing was just fantastic. Ry is probably my all-around favorite guitarist, now that I think of it. |
I did a three night gig a couple of years back with Jonny Kaplan, and he was getting great tone out of his simple set-up: A Les Paul Jr. (with two P-90 pickups) into a current Deluxe Reverb cranked just enough to put a little bite into the sound. Just enough sustain, too. He's the rhythm guitarist in his band, and that set-up worked really well for his brand of country-rock/Stones style music. |
Guitar is obviously the most important instrument in Blues and Rock music. But prior to the mid-60’s, it’s primary function, it’s role in the making of Rock ’n’ Roll (as opposed to Rock), was NOT the playing of a solo. First Clapton and then Beck in The Yardbirds, then Hendrix, Clapton and Peter Green in John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, and Page (along with many other guitarists) changed that. Their Blues-based playing (George Harrison was a Chet Atkins/Carl Perkins/Scotty Moore/James Burton influenced player, Keith Richards almost purely Chuck Berry) brought the guitar solo front-and-center, and a guitarist’s talent became at that time assessed first-and-foremost in terms of his abilities at playing a Blues-scale solo. In 1971 I had had it with jamming, and made a considered, deliberate decision to involve myself exclusively with songwriters, singers, and musicians who were focused on the playing of superior songs. I was not alone in that; Nick Lowe was following that path in The Brinsley Schwartz Band, Richard Thompson the same in Fairport Convention (though he could and did play great solos. Not Blues-scale ones, however.), as did the guys in Fleetwood Mac after Peter Green left, Moby Grape, Spirit, Little Feat, NRBQ, and many others. In my opinion, many of them made that decision after hearing Music From Big Pink, but that’s another story ;-) . But the influence of The Yardbirds, Cream, Hendrix, and Led Zeppelin remained overwhelming. The style of guitar playing found in the music of those artists (and those they influenced) was the new norm. I sadly watched as the departure of pianist Matthew Fisher from the great Procol Harum resulted in the guitar playing of Robin Trower shift from contributing excellent song parts to, yes, primarily playing Blues-scale solos. Procol Harum, a group whose music with Matthew Fisher had been song-focused, and those songs Classically-informed. Trower’s subsequent guitar playing turned Procol Hrum into just another white Blues-based band. What a shame. In 1974, I was talked into jamming by a guitarist I had met. He had a nice Gibson L-5 (the guitar Jerry Miller played in Moby Grape, a fantastic instrument), so I figured how bad could he be? He was terrible. He brought along another guitarist who, while better, was just another average Blues player. I cut the jam short, and mentioned The Band, to give them an idea of the kind of work I was looking for. The second guitarist said something to the effect that he didn’t think much of Band guitarist Robbie Robertson’s playing. I started pointing out examples of what I considered great guitar playing on the Band’s albums, and all I got out of the guy was a blank stare. I then realized, the guy related only---solely---to guitar playing in terms of Blues-scale solos. All Robbie’s beautiful, musical, song-enhancing guitar parts were wasted on him. Pearls before swine. |
I haven't heard at any length many of the guitarists mentioned previously, but the guitarists I enjoy listening to the most (recordings and live) is Phil Keaggy. So he'd be my favorite. After him, I also really enjoy listening to Mark Knopfler, early Pat Metheny, Roy Buchanan, Leo Kottke, SRV. I'm sure if I listen more, I'll be able to add many more names. I can't really like a guitarist's performance unless I also like the music. |
I am once again reminded of how few people have heard Danny Gatton. He is one of the "Pro's Pro" guitarists, one who was nicknamed The Humbler by a "pretty good" guitarist himself, Vince Gill. Dave Edmunds is a big fan of Albert Lee, and he's not alone. I saw Albert in the late-90's at a little club on the coast between L.A. and Santa Barbara, and the place was packed with guitarists watching his hands. |