Name your Top 5 favorite bands.☆ Rock Thread ☆

[gunns]

Originally Posted by Tombstone RJ

Fantastic guitar players I've seen in concert over the years, in no particular order:

Eric Clapton
Pete Townsend
Jimmy Page
Todd Park Mohr
Billy Gibbons
Dicky Betts
Alex Lifeson
Steve Stevens
Billy Duffy
Frank Black (Black Francis)
Billy Joe Armstrong
Bob Mould
Jim & William Reid
Elliot Easton

To name a few, can't remember all the bands I've seen over the years and I'm sure I'm forgetting some good ones...

Top ones that I've seen are

Jimmy Page
Stevie Ray Vaughn
Ritchie Blackmore and Steve Morse
Carlos Santana and Neal Schon
Frank Zappa
Peter Frampton (Humble Pie)
Bo Diddley
BB King
Tony Iommi

[Rohirrim]

Just following up on the Eric Clapton argument, I'll bet there are a million guitarists who are "better" than BB King. And yet, he's still filling halls at the age of 89. Why?

[Tombstone RJ]

Originally Posted by Bronx33

My wife of 20 years was a fin head.

Jimmy Buffett? "Fins to the left, fins to the right"?

[Tombstone RJ]

Originally Posted by gunns

Top ones that I've seen are

Jimmy Page
Stevie Ray Vaughn
Ritchie Blackmore and Steve Morse
Carlos Santana and Neal Schon
Frank Zappa
Peter Frampton (Humble Pie)
Bo Diddley
BB King
Tony Iommi

Nice...

I wish I could have seen Zappa...

[Hogan11]

Originally Posted by Rohirrim

Just following up on the Eric Clapton argument, I'll bet there are a million guitarists who are "better" than BB King. And yet, he's still filling halls at the age of 89. Why?

It's a losing battle Roh...you'll just never convince some that feeling trumps technical ability. My advice is to just write the whole thing off.

[Hogan11]

Originally Posted by Tombstone RJ

Jimmy Buffett? "Fins to the left, fins to the right"?

His best song IMHO.

[Dudeskey]

In no particular order:

Deftones
Tool
Nirvana
Pink Floyd
System of a Down

I like so many, so its real hard for me to have a 'top 5' as it is...™

[Rohirrim]

Originally Posted by Hogan11

It's a losing battle Roh...you'll just never convince some that feeling trumps technical ability. My advice is to just write the whole thing off.

Yep. BTW, wasn't it nice that nobody opened a thread for Allen Klein finally dropping dead?

[BroncoBuff]

Originally Posted by Rohirrim

Just following up on the Eric Clapton argument, I'll bet there are a million guitarists who are "better" than BB King. And yet, he's still filling halls at the age of 89. Why?

Nah nah nah, that's not MY argument. In fact I said he's had some really great songs. But (and pay close attention here): STRICTLY from a technical standpoint as an electric guitar player ONLY, Eric Clapton is overrated. A lot.

And on your point, it is a very very rare artist that "fills halls" based solely on his guitar prowess. Even some of the best of them, e.g. Eddie Van Halen, it's the band, the songs and the attitude that fill the arenas.

I suppose Robin Trower is a guy who fills mid-size halls based almost entirely on his guitar work ... not many others, though ... maybe jazz/fusion guys, but very very few pop/rock artists.

[Punisher]

Originally Posted by Rohirrim

Yep. BTW, wasn't it nice that nobody opened a thread for Allen Klein finally dropping dead?

Yea i didn't seen one up either but i wasn't going to make a Thread about him like 6 days after his death.Ive learn my lesson after the Heath Ledger Thread.

[Rohirrim]

Originally Posted by BroncoBuff

Nah nah nah, that's not MY argument. In fact I said he's had some really great songs. But (and pay close attention here): STRICTLY from a technical standpoint as an electric guitar player ONLY, Eric Clapton is overrated. A lot.

And on your point, it is a very very rare artist that "fills halls" based solely on his guitar prowess. Even some of the best of them, e.g. Eddie Van Halen, it's the band, the songs and the attitude that fill the arenas.

I suppose Robin Trower is a guy who fills mid-size halls based almost entirely on his guitar work ... not many others, though ... maybe jazz/fusion guys, but very very few pop/rock artists.

[BroncoBuff]

Originally Posted by Rohirrim

I suppose the lesson here is that good sarcasm doesn't require long sentences?

Allen Klein ... the guy who took over for Brian Epstein? Didn't he steal their money or something?

[DeusExManning]

Originally Posted by Rohirrim

Nope. More people relate more deeply to what he has to say musically. The man plays with soul. I'm sure there are all sorts of finger wizards who can fly all over the fretboard faster, and with more agility than Clapton. Unfortunately, they've got nothing to say. Robin Trower (the Hendrix clone) being a prime example. Trower could probably play Hendrix under the table, but so what? He'll never produce the same soul. People "feel" Clapton. That's what makes him great.

Robin Tower is OK, not even close to Hendrix or Clapton on so many levels, stylistically, technically. What are talking about?

[BroncoBuff]

Originally Posted by DeusExShanahan

Robin Tower is OK, not even close to Hendrix or Clapton on so many levels, stylistically, technically. What are talking about?

Stylistically is a matter of taste, I'll defer there. But technically, Robin is superior to either Clapton or Hendrix.

Hendrix was a monster innovator, literally a decade ahead of anybody and everybody ... so far ahead it was kinda strange really, kinda like when Captain Kirk went to present-day Earth and hooked up with Teri Garr

But what Trower did - and this is a pretty widely held consensus - is take what Jimi was doing, and refine and clean it up. He became a technially better version of Jimi. Whatever you think of Trower, it's likely he's the closest thing to what would have been Jimi's path forward.

Technically, Clapton does have a killer vibrato, definitely. The guy's got jackhammers for fingers. But other than that, I don't hear anything special about the way he plays, not technically anyway.

But again ... style is different, all opinions are valid.

[Hogan11]

Originally Posted by BroncoBuff

Stylistically is a matter of taste, I'll defer there. But technically, Robin is superior to either Clapton or Hendrix.

Hendrix was a monster innovator, literally a decade ahead of anybody and everybody ... so far ahead it was kinda strange really, kinda like when Captain Kirk went to present-day Earth and hooked up with Teri Garr

But what Trower did - and this is a pretty widely held consensus - is take what Jimi was doing, and refine and clean it up. He became a technially better version of Jimi. Whatever you think of Trower, it's likely he's the closest thing to what would have been Jimi's path forward.

Technically, Clapton does have a killer vibrato, definitely. The guy's got jackhammers for fingers. But other than that, I don't hear anything special about the way he plays, not technically anyway.

But again ... style is different, all opinions are valid.

It's too bad Trower hasn't been all that memorable since leaving Procol Harum all those years ago ( I kid, I kid......well, sorta )

[Hogan11]

Originally Posted by BroncoBuff

Allen Klein ... the guy who took over for Brian Epstein? Didn't he steal their money or something?

Yeah, that's him....he swindled quite a few acts in his day.

[worm]

It is a shame that Rory doesn't ever seem to get his due from the general American population when talking about great rock guitarists.

[gunns]

Originally Posted by BroncoBuff

Stylistically is a matter of taste, I'll defer there. But technically, Robin is superior to either Clapton or Hendrix.

Hendrix was a monster innovator, literally a decade ahead of anybody and everybody ... so far ahead it was kinda strange really, kinda like when Captain Kirk went to present-day Earth and hooked up with Teri Garr

But what Trower did - and this is a pretty widely held consensus - is take what Jimi was doing, and refine and clean it up. He became a technially better version of Jimi. Whatever you think of Trower, it's likely he's the closest thing to what would have been Jimi's path forward.

Technically, Clapton does have a killer vibrato, definitely. The guy's got jackhammers for fingers. But other than that, I don't hear anything special about the way he plays, not technically anyway.

But again ... style is different, all opinions are valid.

I liked Trower when he was with Procol but I didn't find him anything to write home to mom about. After Harum he did have a Hendrix influence but to say he "refined" Hendrix is off the wall. Hendrix did not need to be refined or cleaned up. If he had then it wouldn't have been Hendrix and Trower was in no way, shape or form better than Hendrix IMO.

[BroncoBuff]

Originally Posted by worm

It is a shame that Rory doesn't ever seem to get his due from the general American population when talking about great rock guitarists.

I LOVE Rory Gallagher ... in fact I once had an argument, got kinda loud even, with a friend of a friend at a bar in Larimer Square years ago. He thought Alvin-freaking-Lee was better than Rory Gallagher or Tommy Bolin. That's not even an opinion ... I mean, Alvin Lee was cool for sure, but a bit overrated technically.

Anyway, this guy gets in my face, he was drunk and loud - Jaegermeister loud - and I didn't even know him.



But now that I think of it, he did look a lot like Popps ...

[Tombstone RJ]

Originally Posted by BroncoBuff

I LOVE Rory Gallagher ... in fact I once had an argument, got kinda loud even, with a friend of a friend at a bar in Larimer Square years ago. He thought Alvin-freaking-Lee was better than Rory Gallagher or Tommy Bolin. That's not even an opinion ... I mean, Alvin Lee was cool for sure, but a bit overrated technically.

Anyway, this guy gets in my face, he was drunk and loud - Jaegermeister loud - and I didn't even know him.



But now that I think of it, he did look a lot like Popps ...

I've never heard Rory Gallagher but when I was a kid I bought some Ten Years After albums and one was a live album with Alvin Lee absolutely smoking on the guitar.

But, I think Alvin Lee was also wasted drunk too when he was live. You could here him talking into the mike between songs it's like, yah this guy is wasted!!

That being said, his raw talent on the six string was impressive.

[BroncoBuff]

No doubt Alvin Lee had very impressive raw energy and drive ... I really like Alvin Lee and Ten Years After. But he was a kinda sloppy player, and used some "tricks" ... well "tricks" is not the right word, but similar to Neil Young, he did simple things that SOUND complicated if you know what I mean

BTW ... Neil Young has gotta be technically the worst guitar player in popular music.

I think I'm gonna get some incoming here ... better go get LABF

[crawdad]

One point here, where is Robin Trower today and where is Clapton. Don't dis Eric Clapton around me..Just not proper. I say this tongue in cheek but Derek and the Dominoes was one great album and Cream. Robin Trower just doesn't have the history that Clapton does!

[Rohirrim]

Originally Posted by Hogan11

Yeah, that's him....he swindled quite a few acts in his day.

Keith Richard's famous quote about Klein was "Well, we got an education."

[Tombstone RJ]

I'm a big Big Head Todd and the Monsters fan because I grew up listening to them and watched them evolve from a local band to a pretty well known national band back down to a 2nd tier venue act (The Fillmore in Denver, for example).

I've listened to thier albums a lot over the years and unfortunately, the band is only known for one or two songs that got popular with their Sister Sweetly album.

Bittersweet is perhaps their most popular song and one of the songs that BHTM plays live almost every where they go. It's not one of my favorite songs becuase it gets overplayed. I did a quick search for some live BHTM and found this vid, which is of course, Bittersweet.

I'd say that when BHTM were truly at their best was perhaps between the years 1989-1994 when Todd Park Mohr was really just coming on to the scene and his guitar playing style was getting some recognition outside of the Denver/Boulder music scene. I've seen them live 2-3 times and when Todd Park Mohr really wants to ripp on his guitar, his right hand is moving so fast, its hard to focus on. It's just a flash down around the pick ups.

Anyhoo, here's what I did find and you can see a little of it in this vid:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LSP17visk8

It's more substance than style, more feeling then technical perfection.

[Rohirrim]

Originally Posted by BroncoBuff

No doubt Alvin Lee had very impressive raw energy and drive ... I really like Alvin Lee and Ten Years After. But he was a kinda sloppy player, and used some "tricks" ... well "tricks" is not the right word, but similar to Neil Young, he did simple things that SOUND complicated if you know what I mean

BTW ... Neil Young has gotta be technically the worst guitar player in popular music.

I think I'm gonna get some incoming here ... better go get LABF

Now you deserve a kick in the balls. I don't even know what you mean by "technically." I mean, who gives a ****? I guess the people that go to concerts and worry about technique are the same ones telling everybody else to sit down. I was never a big Neil Young fan, but a friend of my mine who is, once came up and handed me a ticket and said, "You're going to go with me and see Neil Young live." One of the best shows I've ever seen. Rock and Roll is not for technicians. Good rock and roll comes from the gut.

PS, you know there are some people out there who say Randy California was the best guitar player ever. I don't agree with that, but he influenced a lot of people, including Hendrix.