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General => General Music Discussion => Topic started by: LTE on April 18, 2010, 05:12:02 PM
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I had this idea to showcase a few underrated guitarists, like one every few days or weeks or whatever haha.
On to the first one!
Roy Buchanan(https://img638.imageshack.us/img638/9797/rbuch06721475.jpg) (https://img638.imageshack.us/i/rbuch06721475.jpg/)
This guy has been called "The greatest unknown guitarist in the world." Cited by Jeff Beck as one his biggest fans, compared to Hendrix by none other than Les Paul. And offered numerous times to play with Mick Jagger, Bob Dylan, John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Roy never wanted to hit it big and retained a strong cult following, usually playing small club shows. A true pioneer of the "Telecaster sound", and as imaginative as Hendrix, with the ability to coax new and unorthodox sounds out of the instrument. A perfect representation of a blues guitarist, that played with so much emotion.
Roy kept it simple with just a lone 53' Telecaster into a Fender twin. He was famous for his trebly, singing sustained tone. Roy has been credited with INVENTING the pinch harmonic, or atleast, having the first recorded one. His constant tweaks with the volume and tone controls allowed him to get any sound he desired out of such a simple rig. Roy created soaring volume swells, and occasionally used his pinky to quickly roll on and off the tone control while playing to simulate a wah pedal. Roy also dabbled in staccato effects and quick chromatic runs. I have never seen or heard any playing by Roy that was not incredibly emotional and soulful.
He has a few original songs, but mostly played Hendrix covers, or instrumental covers of gospel, blues and country songs. Roy recorded a ton in the 70's, and mostly sat in for small studio affairs, but has so much live material being released even now. He never received the credit and recognition he deserved, but many would wonder if he even wanted it. Roy delt with alcohol abuse and one night in 1988 he was arrested for public intoxication, and found hanging in his cell, apparent suicide.
All of the following videos are from a newly released gig in 1976 at the Austin City Limits, this is by far the BEST recorded footage of Roy out there.
Sweet Dreams
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swX9oq6TVAU
Roy's Bluz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDOIL5OqvYs&playnext_from=TL&videos=GNTwbfIsmsM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMcjPZgK9GM&playnext_from=TL&videos=GNTwbfIsmsM
If this gets any hits at all, i will be compelled to continue this list haha.
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I'll check out those videos after the Pens game is over.
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I thought LTE only had one guitarist. :neverusethis:
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I thought LTE only had one guitarist. :neverusethis:
2.
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Oh you guys. :rollin
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Anyway, back to the topic... :lol
That's great stuff, and I'm really impressed with him. Great tone. And I love how he doesn't seem to care at all about his vocal performance. :lol
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The first vid sounded a bit too much like Santana. If you've heard Samba Pa Ti you'll know exactly what I mean.
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The first vid sounded a bit too much like Santana. If you've heard Samba Pa Ti you'll know exactly what I mean.
Really? I looked that up and see no real similarities. Plus Sweet Dreams is a cover of a Don Gibson song from 1956.
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I can just about see similarities between the two, but it's not really something I'd pick up on if it wasn't pointed out. Great recommendation LTE, I eagerly await a second installment!
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Based on those two songs, this guy is amazing.
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You spelled blues wrong...
nah but he's good
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Eric Johnson
(https://www.wiels.nl/Rialto%20-%20Calexico_bestanden/eric_johnson.jpg)
If I had to choose my favorite guitarist ever, it might just have to be EJ. While he isn't as underrated as Roy Buchanan, many people just know him as "that guy with the song on guitar hero", and while Cliffs of Dover is his most famous track, and the definition of a PERFECT song, ALL of his material is equally as musical, sophisticated and just incredible sounding music. EJ was already making a name for himself in Texas at the age of 15, when he formed the Electromagnets, Austin's first jazz/rock fusion band. Many other Texas guitar slingers like Stevie Ray Vaughan and Billy Gibbons praised EJ even in his young age. After two poorly produced albums "Seven Worlds" and "Tones", EJ decided to focus completely on the mixing and production of any future records. The result was an ethereal, wall of airy, natural sound. His other records "Ah Via Musicom" "Venus Isle" and "Bloom" are all great and should be checked out. Also great is a 1988 live album from Austin.
I would consider EJ a fusion guitarist, not really in the sense of Jazz-fusion like John Mclaughlin or Al Di Meola, but the way that EJ took all of his influences from many different styles and combined them to form his own fusion of genres and playing. He has bits of country, rock, blues, and jazz all melded together. I absolutely love his philosophy of the instrument. He has said he wanted to give the guitar that classical brilliance and respect, like a violin. I would say he accomplished that. He never plays anything for the sake of playing, and it's easy to see that he takes his music to heart. EJ's is most famous in the guitar world for his tone, and every instance of it is the best guitar tone I've ever heard. His clean tone is shimmering, crystal clear. His lead tone is liquidy, fat, natural, heavenly. I could go on and on with these adjectives. But what I think gets overlooked the most, is his songwriting. While some may be turned by his love ballads, I find them very emotional and sweet. Most of his lyric based songs are about presumably his wife, love and emotions. Unlike most other "guitar virtuosos" EJ never has written a bland love ballad, never played fast for the sake of playing fast, his songwriting is a perfect example of simply good music.
Nothing Can Keep Me From You- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByD6Ok8shfY&feature=related
Forty Mile Town- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR_YYmv2LF8&feature=related
When The Sun Meets the Sky- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3GOTEzn8lU&feature=related
Song For George- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBwVwckJSn0&feature=PlayList&p=8A07E8F72548E48E&playnext_from=PL&playnext=1&index=31
I'm expecting some negative views regarding his voice, and the lyrical content, but its all opinions.
Possibly the best way i've heard EJ described is "he's like Jimi Hendrix if he locked himself away for 5 years and studied music theory and practiced day and night." So in a sense, a more cultured Hendrix.
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Eric Johnson is definitely awesome. He opened up for Rush the first time I saw them, but that was way back in '91, so I barely remember any of his set, except for "Cliffs of Dover" kicking major ass. Also, Venus Isle is a terrific CD, from start to finish. And I have no problem with his vocals at all. :tup :tup
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Eric Johnson's 'Manhatten' makes me warm and happy inside.
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I've played Cliffs of Dover on guitar hero, so I am, of course, an expert on Eric Johnson.
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Stop it Nick :D.
Can't say enough about Eric. His tone is so recognizable, yet, how many guitarist can you say that about?
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I love Eric Johnson. Trademark is probably my favorite EJ song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB6HA350kv8
This dude has the most unbelievable lead tone on the planet. It's sooooooo warm and smooth and huge. The solo on this song is absolutely stratospheric.
One thing about EJ is that he pulls off some of the most ridiculously unorthodox licks, position-wise. Really crazy seeing some of the ways he plays things.
I can see the critique of his voice, but I've always liked it. Bristol Shore is another good example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JFJxGA5kMg
Also, Mtv used to do a thing called the Rock n Jock Softball Game, Athletes and rock stars playing softball. They always got a big guitar player to do the National Anthem. EJ did it one year and it was awesome. The sound quality ain't the greatest, but still - awesome:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8_TOy4cNMA
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Eric Johnson, good choice. Amazing guitarist. I quite like his voice myself, suits his music well.
Favourite songs; Lonely in the Night, Emerald Eyes, Trail of Tears, Manhatten etc.
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Figured I'd bump this finally, I've got some time on my hands.
I could go on and on about this next one.
Allan Holdsworth
(https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/wiki/images/f/f1/Ah1.jpg)
I made a thread a while ago about Allan, it got a few hits, but he really needs more attention. Allan grew up almost being forced to play guitar, and he never really "liked" it, he preferred the sound of horns and other brass instruments. You can definitely see this approach in his playing, it is so unorthodox, atonal, completely unique. Almost impossible to describe. He plays the oddest, complex clean chords that are so fucking hard to fret, and progresses between them in the oddest ways effortlessly. His lead playing is so melodic and accessible, but at the same time, so alien and to the untrained ear simply regarded as "wank". There is a lot more to his playing than it seems at first glance. Allan played at early ages in Canterbury Scene fusion bands, most notably The Soft Machine and Gong. He was also on the first UK album, and then was primarily a solo artist, releasing 12 so far. Currently, he's been touring occasionally, and been featured in small supergroups.
Here's a great old clip of Allan playing with The Soft Machine:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIC-nJRcgeU&feature=related
A great video of Devil Take the Hindmost live, iffy sound though, great view of his playing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkWAbnvgF3Y
And A short clip of one of his later "get togethers":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3COq4fElfRA
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I love City Nights. Allan Holdsworth and Vinnie Colaiuta. :hefdaddy
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A guitar God!! The live at Yoshi's DVD is AMAZING!!!!
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(https://clubfuji.com/Ash/thread%20necro.jpg)
I ended up checking out Roy Buchanan because I'm focusing more on playing blues in my spare time, my teacher also endorses it and we get to do a blues jam with a few other guys in my class on some weeks. Excellent feeling you can achieve in this sort of music, it's nothing if you can't feel it. But once you do... my god it's some experience. So I remembered that someone here showed us Roy Buchanan and I felt like bumping.
TL;DR
I got his self titled from '72 and it's awesome. Listening to it again twice in a row so far now. Really digging this dude's style, fuck yeah LTE.
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Great thread. How about another one.
I vote Tony Macalpine or Vinnie Moore next, or even Jason Becker.
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Allan Holdsworth is greatness, and he inspired the soloing in Meshuggah
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I nominate Steve Hackett as the next underrated guitarist
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I'd heard Allan's work with other artists and bands, and particularly love his work with the original U.K. lineup, so I downloaded a bunch of his albums. Very cool, lots of variety in the tunes, but after a while, all of the actual guitar work started sounding the same. Great tone, unique feel for melody within the improv, but a "sameness" to it all set in and wouldn't leave.
Or maybe after listening to eight or 10 albums of instrumentals by the same guy, they're bound to start sounding samey anyways.
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I'd heard Allan's work with other artists and bands, and particularly love his work with the original U.K. lineup, so I downloaded a bunch of his albums. Very cool, lots of variety in the tunes, but after a while, all of the actual guitar work started sounding the same. Great tone, unique feel for melody within the improv, but a "sameness" to it all set in and wouldn't leave.
Or maybe after listening to eight or 10 albums of instrumentals by the same guy, they're bound to start sounding samey anyways.
This may explain that while I listen to Holdsworth fairly regularly, I've never gone on a binge of his work. He must be a REAL treat to experience live.
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Allan Holdsworth is greatness, and he inspired the soloing in Meshuggah
All that needs to be said really.
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Allan Holdsworth is greatness, and he inspired the soloing in Meshuggah
All that needs to be said really.
Another thing worth mentioning. Most of the crazy Holdsworth-inspired soloing by Fredrik Thordendal in Meshuggah is playing with two hands tapping. Allan Holdsworth does it with one.
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That's insane.
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Look at that stretch. Four fingered legato. Fuck.
(https://img687.imageshack.us/img687/2449/aholdsworth.jpg)
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This man's technique simply cannot be matched, possibly the best I've ever seen.
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Petrucci's solo in Trial of Tears is very Holdsworth-influenced, at least the first half is.
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I've always thought that as well. They had been doing covers ("Side Two" of A Change of Seasons is all covers from some show they did) and one of them that didn't make onto the EP was "In the Dead of Night" by U.K. Holdsworth's solo in that song is amazing, one of my favorites. I figure that JP had picked up some Holdsworth influence from learning "In the Dead of Night".