Guilty Pleasures!!

[Lev]

OK so there's no doubt that we've all been influenced by some of the coolest guitarist to have ever lived (Jimi, SRV et al). But who out there is honest enough to admit their not so cool influences?? (e.g. the CC Deville's of this world).

I'll start with my two guitly pleasures!!

1) Richie Sambora (I even bought his signature strat in the early nineties)
2) John Mayer (I love this guys playing even though many blues pureists insist he's not fit to be on the same stage as Clapton, BB, Buddy Guy etc)

[Nelskie]

Great post, Lev. I have three that fit that bill:

1.) Davey Johnstone (Elton John Band) - I was an immediate object for jest back in the mid-80's, when I tried to explain to my friends how cool Davey's stuff was - Funeral For A Friend, Saturday Night's All Right For Fighting, The Bit** Is Back, etc. Sadly, at that time, with MTV broadcasting the leaping, prancing folly of Elton's "I'm Still Standing" video, it just didn't happen.

2.) Jeff LaBar & Tom Kiefer (Cinderella) - If ever a hair metal band was blessed with the gift of the sweet, hard rock guitar hook, it was Cinderella. These two guys churned out some of the most memorable riffs & songs of the entire glam / metal genre, and not surprisingly, are still rocking hard in present day. Always great tone, too. Some things just never go out of style.

3.) Willie Nelson - Normally known for his troubles with the IRS, and penchant for hookah, Willie is oft overlooked for his incredible guitar playing. However, few modern players can compete with his incredible off-rhythm / tempo picking style, which forms the perfect conuterpoint to his guitarist's (Jody Payne) rhythm lines. Willie performed up here in Fargo two summers ago, and being lucky enough to watch the entire show from the front row, I came away with a whole new appreciation for his skill on the guitar. Indeed, less is more.

[Spudman***]

For me it's:

Tim Kelly from Slaughter. A tragic ending to a guy in his prime who put so much into everything he did, made people feel good and could tear up a guitar like anybody...and with such a passion. My wife turned me on to Slaughter and they have a lot of really good material. Tim had a really good band to work with.

John Mayer. I find him very credible. I know others dis him but his music has a sincerity that resonates with me. He's really honest with his songs. Plus, he gets great guitar sounds and doesn't overplay. John's latest album Continuum is really good too. Very heartfelt.

My wife is also a Cinderella junkie and I admit to covering their material with my bar bands.

[Iago]

Stephen Malkmus (ex-Pavement) used to be my major influence when I started. I still think hes a great guitarrist. Saw him live some years ago, and it was incredible.. I never saw anybody playing guitar like that before.

Ira Kaplan from Yo La Tengo too. But it`s been years I dont listen to them though...

[Hogfullofblues]

Some of my surprises were:

Roy Clark. Yup, from the old Hee Haw TV show. Got to see him play for real and never forgot it.

Danny Gatton. Probably nothin new to you knowledgable guitarists here, but was turned onto him years ago when the style he played wasn't really the popular thing, but i liked it. Only since I started tryin to play was I able to realize just how incredible he really was.

Frank Zappa. We all liked him back in the day for his humor and lyrics, until I saw him in concert and man, he was excellent. Many style changes over the years and just seemed to get better with age.

Hog

[Tone2TheBone]

I see a lot of really cool players mentioned up the list actually. Roy Clark was AWESOME, I'd watch Hee Haw not only for the chicks in the hay but to see him JAM! Jerry Reid was a killer player too in that genre.

I like Henry Garza's sound and style with Los Lonely Boys so I'd say he was my "CC Deville" loco style. *viva la raza*

I just remembered Vito Bratta from White Lion. Good amp tone and different player.

[zeusse]

Man I just looked at my collection and I am guilty....still stuck in the 80's and I miss my hair..lol

Dave Murray: Iron Maiden how can you not just love Number of The Beast and I guess Adrian Smith that was a tag team match at its best.

George Lynch: What a tone and what a player lick after lick you can hum his licks in your head can't decide Under Lock and Key or Tooth and Nail both just bolt out of the doors

Steve Stevens: This guy is a damm tone monster and a lot better than he is with Billy Idol probably not the most technically brilliant but this guy could kill with a kazoo and a delay pedal...might cover one of his

[kerc]

For me: The Edge and Jack White.

[Justaguyin_nc]

I really enjoyed "The Monkeys" watched the show alot growing up... umm well ok..I admit it..

[Lev]

Wow, the Edge, Danny Gatton, Zappa - way too cool to be Guilty Pleasures! I think I'm guilty on so many levels - I just found my Def Leppard TAB book from the eighties.

[jpfeifer]

Good topic. Here are the guys on my list.

Andy Summers : I don't know if he would be classified as un-cool or not. But he is not usually on most guitar player's list of greats. The guitar parts he came up with in the Police are some of the most interesting things I've seen. I loved his love of interesting guitar tones and unusuall chord voicings. I don't think that Sting's music has the same impact without Andy Summer's guitar parts to go with them.

Pat Metheny : For some reason most guitar players hate Pat Metheny. I'm not sure why that is. But he is one of those guys that really impresses me. He doesn't play guitar like a guitar player. He phrases more like a horn player or something. I like his writing and his guitar playing imensely. The only problem is that there are a lot people who copy his sound now but I still tell when it's him playing or some copy cat.

Glenn Campbell : Yeah, I know that he's a little too "Branson Missouri" ... but man this guy can really play. My Dad was a big Country Music fan when I was growing up, so we always watched HeeHaw and the Glenn Campbell show every week. One night I remember seeing Glenn Campbell play "Flight of the Bumble Bee" on a guitar. He ripped that song apart. I was amazed that this guy could play like that. Then I found out that he had been a studio guitar player for years in L.A. before hitting it big as a singer. He played guitar on a bunch of the classic hits of the 60's from the Beach Boys and other artists. I've heard that he does a special bit in his show now where he plays through a snippet of all these songs from the 60's that he played on.

Brad Paisley : One of my friends played a track from a Brad Paisley record for me recently. It was an all instrumental tune with lot's of extremely up tempo wild Telecaster soloing.. I couldn't believe how good this guy is. He sounds like Albert Lee or something. To top it off he sings really well too, and he's like 20 something .... life isn't fair! He has that same gene that George Benson has where he is just as good a singer as he is a guitar player.

-- Jim

[Plank_Spanker]

jpfeifer,


SIGNED!

[tot_Ou_tard]

Brad Paisley : One of my friends played a track from a Brad Paisley record for me recently. It was an all instrumental tune with lot's of extremely up tempo wild Telecaster soloing.. I couldn't believe how good this guy is. He sounds like Albert Lee or something. To top it off he sings really well too, and he's like 20 something .... life isn't fair! He has that same gene that George Benson has where he is just as good a singer as he is a guitar player.

-- Jim

OK, OK, I've heard too many people mention Brad Paisley. I've never heard him. I guess I'll have to fix that. Any suggestions?

All the folx that people mention are great (Zappa a *guilty* pleasure. Come on! ) For a real guilty pleasure try

Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers...

That's my Dodge Veg-a-matic there in the parking lot....

[Spudman***]

Brad Paisley? Woa! That is sum dad blame guiltiness fur shur.

He really is good though. If you can find his Austin City Limits performance you'll be very surprised how he kicks butt through the whole thing. One cheesy spot to watch for but still nicely executed.

[Plank_Spanker]

Brad Paisley is an exception to the modern country norm - he actually plays!..........and quite well!

[jpfeifer]

Plank Spanker,

I didn't catch what you meant by SIGNED ?

-- Jim

[SuperSwede]

Jim, I have to agree with you. Pat Metheny is one of the finest jazz guitarists ever. He has a great sense of melody, I especially like when he plays on his midi guitar. Tone heaven...

[Nelskie]

Andy Summers : I don't know if he would be classified as un-cool or not . . .

Andy Summers is cool. Way cool. I love his playing for the same reasons as you've stated, as well as his unique ability to create airy, atmospheric tones as backdrops to a song using layered and textural guitar parts. A good example of this in action is found on the mondo-hit "King of Pain" off their Synchronicity album. Simply beautiful. And then, put that all together with a modified, almost reggae-style groove - pure genius!

The guitar parts he came up with in the Police are some of the most interesting things I've seen . . .

You see guitar parts? Wow. Now that's a real player for ya'! To think I've been wasting my time listening to them all these years . . . !

[Plank_Spanker]

Plank Spanker,

I didn't catch what you meant by SIGNED ?

-- Jim

It means total agreement.