They've been running one of his concerts on Palladia lately. While I don't think he's running jubilees now, it looks like late 60's plexis, and a friedman. I wish his songs weren't so lame, but his playing and tone is excellent. Thanks for sharing, Mark. I wonder why he didn't even look at the Trainwreck, much less talk about it.
I also don't get it with Bonamassa. Clearly, he's got the chops. (I wish I had 1% of what he's got.) I've watched a bunch of his stuff on youtube. I am not at all moved by it. I can't understand all the excitement about this guy. I keep thinking I must be missing something. What is it?
Phil_S wrote:I can't understand all the excitement about this guy. I keep thinking I must be missing something. What is it?
Unexpected return of the child prodigy. 25 years ago Joe was stumping around stages, a kid dressed up as SRV, playing the bejeezus out of his guitar. Then again, I don't know if his current fans have any notion of that history. The guitar mags seem to luuuuuuv him too, but that doesn't always mean "draws a crowd."
thank you for saying that; I thought it might have been just myself that felt that way.
Sometimes people are extremely talented, but they just fail to *move* us artistically. I personally feel this way about Al DiMeola. The last time I saw DiMeola play live, he just seemed like (to me) that he was un-leashing the same lightning-fast execution of perfect "what-mode-is-he-in-now" playing style -- I swear to you -- every song sounded exactly the same to my ears. By "song" I pretty much mean long guitar solo. I soon got so bored that I left around half-time. (Ironically, DiMeola looked bored too, barely aknowledging the audience). Others, however, had a different experience and raved about his playing. Different folks....different strokes, I guess......
It's the blues. I'm not going to put on a blues album and kick back and listen more than once. Most people wouldn't either. That's the reason he had to start his own record label. No existing labels thought he could move enough blues records to make it worth their while.
That said, I like 'driving towards the daylight' and 'ballad of john henry'. Both solid songs in my opinion.
To really appreciate Bonamassa, you need to see him live. He brings it.
Leo_Gnardo wrote:.......The guitar mags seem to luuuuuuv him too, but that doesn't always mean "draws a crowd."
I think the trick with a lot of that is getting product endorsements. It is like a feedback cycle: if a player is already appearing in a bunch of ads for amps, guitars, strings, etc -- why not also have an *article* about that player? It almost seems like a sort of cross-confirmation: the product ad supports the player (while the player supports the product), the article adds credibility to the player's status.
I first heard of Bonamassa via some Buddha Amplifier ads, but I don't know if he actually plays that brand of amp with any regularity.
Phil_S wrote:I also don't get it with Bonamassa. Clearly, he's got the chops. (I wish I had 1% of what he's got.) I've watched a bunch of his stuff on youtube. I am not at all moved by it. I can't understand all the excitement about this guy. I keep thinking I must be missing something. What is it?
Bonamassa is a technically skilled player. I have several of his CDs and concert DVDs, all testaments to his proficiency and tone. He is a local legend hereabouts, being a child prodigy from Utica (next city 45 minutes east from here).
But .............. now that I know what he is capable of, and having heard his tunes more than once, I find no compelling reason to keep going back to that well.
I much prefer listening to Peter Green, or Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Duanne Allman, Sonny Landreth, etc.
Hmm...OTOH, it is hard to argue with success and I didn't mean to rag on the guy. He's apparently living his dream. Just not my cup o' tea. Glad to hear I'm not the only one. Interesting to hear the comment that you need to see him live. If he manages to pass through my town, maybe I'll buy a couple of tickets.
JB doesn't really do it for me that much either and I have often wondered why he is so popular. He has created a financial niche for himself with product endorsements and the trade rags, so kudos to him. Check out Live at the Royal Albert Hall DVD if you haven't already. This is JB at his best IMO. There are some damn fine tones and technical playing on that release. The mix is very good. Make sure to seek out one of the acoustic tracks on that release before you yawn and give up on it completely. The guy can tear up an acoustic, which I wasn't aware of until I saw it.
vibratoking wrote:JB doesn't really do it for me that much either and I have often wondered why he is so popular. He has created a financial niche for himself with product endorsements and the trade rags, so kudos to him.
Same here, I've brought a few of his records and never managed listen to them for maybe more than twice and then I put them down. I think he's a great guitarist, but he just doesn't carry me like other artists have. Some artists I can listen to them daily in the car for 2 weeks, he's never pulled me in that much.
vibratoking wrote:JB doesn't really do it for me that much either and I have often wondered why he is so popular. He has created a financial niche for himself with product endorsements and the trade rags, so kudos to him.
Same here, I've brought a few of his records and never managed listen to them for maybe more than twice and then I put them down. I think he's a great guitarist, but he just doesn't carry me like other artists have. Some artists I can listen to them daily in the car for 2 weeks, he's never pulled me in that much.
TM
I feel the same way. I have met him at a couple of LA Amp shows. He is a true pro, gentleman, heck of a player, down to earth. I wish him all the success in the world! But, his music does not move me. I have a few of his CD's and I haven't played them in months...
Some artists I can listen to them daily in the car for 2 weeks, he's never pulled me in that much.
JB is too predictable for me to listen to more than a time or two. He is technically advanced, but he has a lack of creativity IMO. I heard an interview with him where he admitted it is a problem. For me to listen over and over, the music has to be unpredictable, quirky, extremely funky, or harmonically advanced...i.e creative in a way that interests me. That ain't JB.
Some artists I can listen to them daily in the car for 2 weeks, he's never pulled me in that much.
JB is too predictable for me to listen to more than a time or two. He is technically advanced, but he has a lack of creativity IMO. I heard an interview with him where he admitted it is a problem. For me to listen over and over, the music has to be unpredictable, quirky, extremely funky, or harmonically advanced...i.e creative in a way that interests me. That ain't JB.
Last night I watched Warren Haynes on Palladia (cable music channel). I've seen him on TV and concert DVDs a bunch of times, with his own band and the (so-called) Allman Brothers.
I feel the same way about him as I do about Bonamassa. They both are exceptional players, and decent singers too. But Haynes, in my estimation, never filled the void left by Duane or Dickie Betts in his (so-called) Allman Brothers role. I can't quite put my finger on it. At first I thought his writing isn't up to the standard of the Allman Bros (with respect to his work as band-leader), but that doesn't explain why his playing covers of the classic Allman repertoire seems ....... less ...... than Dickie and/or Duane. You know what I mean?
By the way, Haynes was playing through Diaz head, and Paul Reed Smith combo amps.
