Paul Gilbert is awesome

[Big Hath]

his solo near the the end of Neal Morse's "The Door" (Sola Scriptura) is spectacular.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

Paul Gilbert is #1 for me.  Been my favorite for a VERY long time.

More PG discussion here:

https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=5219

[Sycsa]

Why aren't these in the A-Z index? Well, I'm not opening more threads here any time soon.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

Hmph.  I don't know.  Hadn't even realized it.  I don't know if I've ever looked at the index. 

[Jaq]

It happens all the time. People search the forums, don't find a thread for the artist, post a thread, and then it turns out there WAS one. 

The forum search feature is a troll.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

It totally is.  I've had it not return results for things that when I rephrase the search criteria, it will find.

[Lowdz]

I love his playing, I love his sense of humour and I love Mr Big, I just don't like alot of his other stuff other than  his first couple of vocal albums ( Beehive and Flying Dog). Strange because I do like instrumental guitar albums. Not sure what's up with that but there you go. Bought his first couple of Racer X albums and whilst some of it is good I found it lacking  in the songs dept.
And yes the Sola scriptura solo is sublime.

[bl5150]

I love his playing, I love his sense of humour and I love Mr Big, I just don't like alot of his other stuff other than  his first couple of vocal albums ( Beehive and Flying Dog). Strange because I do like instrumental guitar albums. Not sure what's up with that but there you go. Bought his first couple of Racer X albums and whilst some of it is good I found it lacking  in the songs dept.
And yes the Sola scriptura solo is sublime.

I agree ..........great player but never found songs/band to consistently display his talent to best effect IMO.  Good teacher too - been in touch from time to time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGH9b8iQG74
   

[rumborak]

In the same boat as many here. Love the guy and his playing, but he's part of the group of musicians who strangely were beyond awesome when they were in band X, but on their own only produced very lukewarm stuff. All Extreme members fall into the same category.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

Here's something interesting.  Probably not news to anyone, but still cool.  In 1991, Mr. Big released Lean Into It, which had the song "My Kinda Woman" on it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gA40OsvEFO8

Then in 2000, Racer X releases Superheroes, which has the track "Mad at the World", which is pretty much the exact same song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFrkPLocq60

Apparently MATW is a much older Racer X track that Paul brought to Mr. Big.  It got tuned up and given new lyrics to become MKW.

Video of them performing MATW live in '87:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QavrsxSA7Zo

[Lowdz]

Some good stuff from that album there. Not sure I like the Godzilla cover as much as the original BOC track but its cool.

[wolfking]

Love Racer X and I like Mr Big and his guitar playing is amazing, but I've never really taken the time to check his solo stuff.  Being a guitarist, I probably should.

[Lowdz]

Love Racer X and I like Mr Big and his guitar playing is amazing, but I've never really taken the time to check his solo stuff.  Being a guitarist, I probably should.

Flying Dog is a great album. Cool little poppy riffs and PG's humour in the lyrics.

Gilberto Concerto is 
The riff to Going Down To Mexico is one of my all-time favourites.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

Burning Organ is one of my favorite albums. Those two and Alligator Farm are must haves.

[bosk1]

MERGED (just to make sure we don't lose one thread or the other, since they are both quite good)

And while we're at it, I think a little Paul Gilbert vs. Marty Friedman is in order.

Pt. 1:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIFHR9otUZE

Pt. 2:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLWH5a8ohYA

Pt. 3:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hb4DSDcp06s

Somehow, I don't mind that I can't understand a single word of any of it. 

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

For those that haven't seen/heard it yet, the video for Enemies (In Jail) from Vibrato is outstanding.  Classic Paul Gilbert sense of humor in the lyrics AND cartoon video.  I love this song. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZ1ODg-HN50

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

Oh shit. I forgot I'd already posted it upthread.

[bl5150]

Oh shit. I forgot I'd already posted it upthread.

Go back to the drinking thread 

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

The video for Everybody Use Your Goddamn Turn Signal.  So fucking excellent. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzlJQyURUIU

It should go without saying that the audio may be NSFW, depending on how uptight your work is.

[matthewmatt]

The video for Everybody Use Your Goddamn Turn Signal.  So fucking excellent. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzlJQyURUIU

It should go without saying that the audio may be NSFW, depending on how uptight your work is.

I discovered it completely separately today! I have never heard any of his songs, concentrating more on others (Satch and MacAlpine etc.) and I kept postponing him because of that. Then this weekend I've tried out the last album and it's really good. I also like how he manages to be so colourful - unlike some other shredders you don't have to be in a guitar mood to put it on and enjoy. Also it's really cool he obviously doesn't take himself that seriously (I mean, playing with his ass and all). Today I found out about the video and it really got me. The song is great, but the message is even greater.  Also, I really like how he managed to squeeze out the "turn signal" sound out of his guitar. I think I never heard that before. 

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

Check out his back catalog of solo albums. You won't be disappointed.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

I'm giving I Can Destroy a listen today and I'm loving it.  I LOVE that he got the Makita out again for an Electric Drill solo on One Woman Too Many.

I read an interview with Paul, where he describes the album as follows:

The album sounds like an electric brontosaurus, dropped from a 40-story building, landing on a giant sheet of aluminum foil, plugged into a 200-watt Marshall, in the key of F#!

Awesome.

[matthewmatt]

So, where to go next? (Only 1-3 albums, please  )

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

My personal favorites are Burning Organ, Alligator Farm, and Flying Dog.

[matthewmatt]

My personal favorites are Burning Organ, Alligator Farm, and Flying Dog.

Thanks. Will try.

[Stadler]

My personal favorites are Burning Organ, Alligator Farm, and Flying Dog.

Three of the best titles ever.  At least the first and last are. 

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

Another one I've been digging of late is United States.  Freddie Nelson is a fantastic singer and Waste of Time is just amazing.

[Lowdz]

Flying Dog is by far my favourite PG album. Such catchy songs and riffs. And the Gilberto Concerto 

[Kwyjibo]

I love Paul Gilbert and I love his humor, there's always something whacky going on. For a long time his website was a treasure trove of hilarious and stupid funny things, now he (sadly) comes of a little bit more serious.

I haven't listened to his latest records but the ones I know are all good. I prefer the stuff with vocals over his purely instrumental records, although they are good too. A good overview is Paul The Young Dude, kind of a best of. And that United States thing with Freddie Nelson is a killer record.

[MinistroRaven]

Tracklist
1.      Havin' It
2.      I Own a Building
3.      Everywhere That Mary Went
4.      Love Is the Saddest Thing
5.      Sir, You Need to Calm Down
6.      Let That Battery Die
7.      Blues for Rabbit
8.      Every Snare Drum
9.      A Snake Just Bit My Toe
10.    I Love My Lawnmower
11.    A Herd of Turtles
12.    Things Can Walk to You

Tour dates Masterclasses:
March 30 - Larvik (NO) – Larvik Gitar Festival
March 31 - Zoetermeer (NL) – De Boerderij
April 1 – Edinburgh (UK) – The Caves
April 2 – Birmingham (UK) – Mama Roux’s
April 3 – Stockholm (SE) – Nalen Klubb
April 4 – Orebro (SE) – Frimis
April 6 - Vaureal (FR) – Le Forum
April 7 – Diest (BE) – Moonlight Music Hall
April 8 - Esch sur Alzette (LUX) – Rockhal
April 9 – Wiesbaden (DE) - Georg-Buch-Haus
April 10 - Budapest (HU) - A38
April 12 - Coimbra (PT) - Auditσrio da Casa do Juiz
April 14 – Valencia (SE) - Sala Peter Rock
April 15 – Bologna (SE) - Alchemica
April 16 - Naples (IT) – Accademia Giuseppe Verdi
April 17 - Roma (IT) - Let It Beer
April 18 - Pistoia (IT) - Santomato Live
April 24 – Martellago/Venice (IT) – Cΰ della Nave
April 25 - Verona (IT) - Hangar 18
April 26 – Velden am Worther See (AT) – Bluesiana
April 27 - Castel Goffredo (IT) – Teatro San Luigi
April 28 - Milano (IT) – Zio Live Music Club Milano
April 29 - Geneve (CH) – Salle Ernest-Ansermet
April 30 – Marseille (FR) – Cherrydon Club
May 3 – Torino (IT)

The first song of the album entitled Havin’ It premieres today with this new video:

Paul comments on Havin’ It: "I finally wrote a song with long guitar solos! It took me decades to stretch beyond my pop song structure habits, and it feels great to be FREE, and just play, and play, and play. The song still has melodies and themes, and those were inspired by the idea that when you have something good... You still want MORE. Havin' it... don't make me stop wantin' it!"
 
After his recent move to Portland, Oregon, Paul set out to connect with the best and grooviest musicians in the area, and record an album in his brand new hometown. Brian Foxworth (drums) and Asher Fulero (keyboards) were both obvious choices to play Paul's mix of rock, blues, jazz, and pop flavors. When Paul's regular Portland bassist Kelly Lemieux was unavailable (due to his touring with Buckcherry), Paul reached out to New Orleans bass legend, Roland Guerin. Roland came to Portland weeks before the recording dates for intense rehearsing and arranging sessions.
 
With the band complete, Paul enlisted legendary producer and engineer John Cuniberti. John is well known for his work with Joe Satriani, but Paul was primarily interested in John's expertise with "one mic" recording. Paul explains, "It's so easy to make albums with overdubbing and editing these days, but I really prefer playing live and just getting the music to sound right because the musicians, the songs, and the performances are good." After hearing Paul's band, John recommended a few more mics, but still agreed that the music worked best as live performances with no overdubs. "There is not one overdub on the record. Everything you hear is four guys jamming, listening to each other, and making room for each other. The music almost mixes itself that way! And it's just a great mindset to have. When you know that you won't be fixing or adding parts later... It keeps your mind very active to get things right!"
 
Paul will be touring with his band this year to support "Behold Electric Guitar." Make sure to catch him at the peak of his powers! Behold Electric Guitar!
 
Paul’s extensive tour schedule will bring him to Europe and the US and the dates can be found here: http://www.paulgilbert.com/tour

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_c0aoOgWVg

 

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

[axeman90210]

Looks like he's got a three night run at the Iridium in NYC, will definitely be in for one of those nights.

[goo-goo]

Damn, that was good. That toooooone.

[ProfessorPeart]

I've had this album since last year as I was part of the pledge campaign. It took me some time to adapt to it. I was expecting more of the hard rock style instrumentals with crazy soloing but this is much more of a Fusion record where he is more subdued and tasteful rather than crazy. It's a laid back instrumental album for him with lots of Jazz elements.

[MinistroRaven]

I've had this album since last year as I was part of the pledge campaign. It took me some time to adapt to it. I was expecting more of the hard rock style instrumentals with crazy soloing but this is much more of a Fusion record where he is more subdued and tasteful rather than crazy. It's a laid back instrumental album for him with lots of Jazz elements.

Ohhh cool!!!

I can't wait to get it