Los Lonely Boys Live in Austin (review)

GopherTele · April 25th, 2005, 08:35 PM

I was at Wally yesterday with the financee and I came upon a Los Lonely Boys Live DVD for less than ten dollars, so into the cart it went.

Yanked it out tonight and stuck it in and here are my impressions.

- Great singing. Harmonies (three part) were beauty-ful
- Very tight band. For a three piece, they really grooved
- Good showmanship. These aint no shoe-gazers.

But...

The guitar playing. It was dreadful. That a professional musician could be such a Vaughn-abee, such a hobby hack, really surprised me.

He did all of the cliched Stevie Ray tricks: the figure eight strumming, the infernal rakes!, the neck pickup on every solo, the tube screamer, the wah wah on every OTHER song, the "intense" face, the Albert King big bends, the non-stop pentatonic minor noodling. It was maddening.

That such a great band is marred by this amateur hackery is stunning. I just wanted to yell "Dude, throw me a little something else you freaking hack!"

Sorry to those that love this style, but I liked it when Stevie did it and everyone else sounds like a hack when they try it.

WallyArms · April 26th, 2005, 12:38 AM

I'm gonna scratch my head on this one for a while before I attempt a reply. You are joking, right?

noodle_world · April 26th, 2005, 01:22 AM

i dont think he is... haha

denny · April 26th, 2005, 04:05 AM

Los Lonely Boys have made a great deal about how they were influenced by SRV and covered Double Trouble tunes. But... for an indy band to come up as fast a they have, and have two major hits, they are doin fine. It will be interesting to see where the Garza boys go from here.

And I REALLY LIKE the live DVD.

They will be playing here in Ft. Worth for Willie Nelson's 4th of July bash. We'll see if they come up with something new and if they can escape their "roots" and expand into their own sound.

AND, let's not forget that Vaughn copied Hendrix extensively.

denny

GopherTele · April 26th, 2005, 06:54 AM

Between SRV and the guy from LLB is that Stevie took bits and pieces from the Kings, Hendrix, jazzers, etc. and created his own sound.

This guy takes SRV's whole thing, lock stock and barrel and copies it. It's totally lame.

Do you guys seriously think this dude is a good guitar player? Completely aping another player--especially such a copied player--is hackery in my book.

I seriously can't believe no one took him aside and said "Dude, you HAVE to stop the SRV stuff!"

Totally ruins a great band.

Jakedog · April 26th, 2005, 07:35 AM

Gopher, I am actually starting to feel frightened. This is twice now I completely agree with you.

I heard sooo many great things about that band, that I just had to check 'em out. Then my wife bought the CD, so I got to hear it. Killer band, great grooves, awesome singing (harmonies and melodies), and some of the songs on the album are pretty well written too. Most of the lyrics are junk, but these guys are young, and I feel that they will probably grow into somthing far better than they are now.

The guitar playing though, hideous. Henry has all the makings of a great player. I hope he can grow up a little and realize his potential. He understands the instrument very well, and if he would get off his silly, and downright pedestrian SRV impressionist kick, he could probably grow to be a very influential player in his own right. If he doesn't, well, flash in the pan doesn't begin to describe these guys careers. In no time flat they'll be down at IHOP having coffee with Hootie and the Blowfish and wondering what the hell happened.

Jake

mk · April 26th, 2005, 07:39 AM

Gotta agree. A good bar band, at best -- that's a fine thing, but this is a wildly over-performing stock. I'm really sick of hearing them on the radio here.

Oskar · April 26th, 2005, 07:54 AM

that Henry Garza's playing is hideous and think that's an unfair assessment. I recall when SRV was first getting on the scene and he was criticized for being a Hendrix clone and his playing was dubbed derivative by some. Every guitar player has to start somewhere. Jonny Lang is another player who I think gets unfairly slammed. I find it interesting that much of the negative stuff about Lang has subsided, but he's still playing in his own style.
Blues is one area where there is so much that is begged, borrowed and stolen that it's often hard for a new player to break through, unless they are truly superb and original. Country is another area that suffers from the same fate, but it is rife with studio clones spewing out the same tired riffing behind a big hat name.
I guess it pretty much boils down to individual likes and dislikes. I wonder what people would think of Los Lonely Boys if they were just another bar band. Sometimes big fame brings out more criticism and in some cases just plain jealousy.

GopherTele · April 26th, 2005, 08:11 AM

Of course Oskar.

The point is they have sold a boat load of records AND the critics like them.

They are going to be judged on a higher plane than a bar band, I think that goes without saying.

I personally think they have been coddled somewhat by the press and would genuinely benefit from a few accurate, hard disses of the dreadful guitar noodling.

A few of those lyrics are pretty bad too. Baby I miss you, I can't stand to be without you--stuff.

Teletwang · April 26th, 2005, 10:29 AM

Gopher, you mean this guy is suffering from the " Strat In A Hat " syndrome. Lord, not another KWS, please.

Essex Boy · April 26th, 2005, 10:40 AM

I think they suck, straight up. There's no originality - you might as well go and listen to one of the many groups that do the Texas shuffle thang, and do it better to boot.

dhdfoster · April 26th, 2005, 10:45 AM

I gotta agree with Gopher, here. I realize that every guitarist borrows stuff, but this is just a flat-out imitation.

Recreating is much easier than creating.

Jimo · April 26th, 2005, 11:33 AM

They are very young and will probably progress. Rolling Stones/ Black Crows---kinda the same deal, although I like a lot of the crows songs better. John Mayer rips Stevie, on some of his tunes. The trick is to steal from a lot of different ones so as not to get caught!! :D :D cheers!--JIMO

Oskar · April 26th, 2005, 11:33 AM

he started out. Seems like he's the standard everyone is measured by these days. Early SRV was a Hendrix clone. There are many out there now under the radar, Tinsley Ellis, and the group Indigenous come to mind.
I agree that when people get to the top they are more closely scrutinized, but I still think it's a matter of opinion. Frankly I find more boring, repetitive and cloned guitar material among today's popular country music more than any other genre. When was the last truly original million plus selling aritst in country that didn't sound/look like every other one. The fact that most use studio musicians adds to the plainess of it all.
I think Los Lonely Boys should be cut a bit of slack. Wait at least until their next CD. If that sounds like the first I would be more prone to dropping them a notch or two, if for nothing else, lack of being creative.

GopherTele · April 26th, 2005, 11:51 AM

He was never a straight-up Hendrix copper. Robin Trower was, and is, but Stevie has always had the Albert and Freddie thing going on IN ADDITION to his obvious Hendrix influence.

Stevie was influenced, LLB dude just steals.

Oskar · April 26th, 2005, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Stevie was influenced, LLB dude just steals

Teletwang · April 26th, 2005, 12:16 PM

A little off topic but if you go into Sam's BBQ in Austin (& I recommend you do), among all the other promo pics of local & national musicians, you'll see one of these Menudo looking kids....The Los Lonely Boys. I guess they've been around awhile.

dhdfoster · April 26th, 2005, 12:36 PM

Despite SRV's obvious influences, he sounded very distinctive with just a couple notes.

Dono · April 26th, 2005, 07:35 PM

(Quote) In no time flat they'll be down at IHOP having coffee with Hootie and the Blowfish and wondering what the hell happened.(End Quote)

Watched any Golf Channel lately? I know that's not standard Tele fare, however, John Daly and Hootie are tearing it up down south at the Pro-ams. Golfers love 'em. And, from a demographic perspective, Golfers=$$$$$$$$$[/quote]

Gene Machine · April 26th, 2005, 09:49 PM

as far as Black Crowes... ya a bit of stones, mostly Faces...

but i digress....

I am probably the first person to be guilty of the Vaughan-a-bee syndrome, especially when I'm playing a strat. That's why i play a Tele and a LP too :)

So I love SRV, and i am heavily influenced by him, but I'm not him, and I can't live to be him....

So, I cop some of his riffs, a bit of his tone, but i also do the same with a multitude of other players to make my own thing.

I'm also 34 and been doing this for 20 years....
maybe Mr. Garza just needs some time....
he sounds like he has the spark, he just needs a bit of individuality. i hope he finds his niche because i enjoy the band. I hope he has a long successful career at this...

but i agree, you can't live your life as someone else, and too many people, including Mr. Garza, are copping SRV a bit TOO much...

my $.02

jpkusa · April 26th, 2005, 09:56 PM

I don't like either LLB or SRV.

When I mention Texas blues, I'm referring to Lightnin' Hopkins.

April 25th, 2005, 08:35 PM	#1 (permalink)
GopherTele Tele-Holic Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 939	Los Lonely Boys Live in Austin (review) I was at Wally yesterday with the financee and I came upon a Los Lonely Boys Live DVD for less than ten dollars, so into the cart it went. Yanked it out tonight and stuck it in and here are my impressions. - Great singing. Harmonies (three part) were beauty-ful - Very tight band. For a three piece, they really grooved - Good showmanship. These aint no shoe-gazers. But... The guitar playing. It was dreadful. That a professional musician could be such a Vaughn-abee, such a hobby hack, really surprised me. He did all of the cliched Stevie Ray tricks: the figure eight strumming, the infernal rakes!, the neck pickup on every solo, the tube screamer, the wah wah on every OTHER song, the "intense" face, the Albert King big bends, the non-stop pentatonic minor noodling. It was maddening. That such a great band is marred by this amateur hackery is stunning. I just wanted to yell "Dude, throw me a little something else you freaking hack!" Sorry to those that love this style, but I liked it when Stevie did it and everyone else sounds like a hack when they try it.

April 26th, 2005, 12:38 AM	#2 (permalink)
WallyArms Tele-Holic Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: TN Posts: 870	I'm gonna scratch my head on this one for a while before I attempt a reply. You are joking, right? __________________ Save The Hymnals!

April 26th, 2005, 04:05 AM	#4 (permalink)
denny Tele-Meister Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: North of Dallas Posts: 454	Yeah but.... Los Lonely Boys have made a great deal about how they were influenced by SRV and covered Double Trouble tunes. But... for an indy band to come up as fast a they have, and have two major hits, they are doin fine. It will be interesting to see where the Garza boys go from here. And I REALLY LIKE the live DVD. They will be playing here in Ft. Worth for Willie Nelson's 4th of July bash. We'll see if they come up with something new and if they can escape their "roots" and expand into their own sound. AND, let's not forget that Vaughn copied Hendrix extensively. denny

April 26th, 2005, 06:54 AM	#5 (permalink)
GopherTele Tele-Holic Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 939	The difference Between SRV and the guy from LLB is that Stevie took bits and pieces from the Kings, Hendrix, jazzers, etc. and created his own sound. This guy takes SRV's whole thing, lock stock and barrel and copies it. It's totally lame. Do you guys seriously think this dude is a good guitar player? Completely aping another player--especially such a copied player--is hackery in my book. I seriously can't believe no one took him aside and said "Dude, you HAVE to stop the SRV stuff!" Totally ruins a great band.

April 26th, 2005, 07:35 AM	#6 (permalink)
Jakedog Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Cleveland,OH But my heart's still in TE Posts: 2,746	Gopher, I am actually starting to feel frightened. This is twice now I completely agree with you. I heard sooo many great things about that band, that I just had to check 'em out. Then my wife bought the CD, so I got to hear it. Killer band, great grooves, awesome singing (harmonies and melodies), and some of the songs on the album are pretty well written too. Most of the lyrics are junk, but these guys are young, and I feel that they will probably grow into somthing far better than they are now. The guitar playing though, hideous. Henry has all the makings of a great player. I hope he can grow up a little and realize his potential. He understands the instrument very well, and if he would get off his silly, and downright pedestrian SRV impressionist kick, he could probably grow to be a very influential player in his own right. If he doesn't, well, flash in the pan doesn't begin to describe these guys careers. In no time flat they'll be down at IHOP having coffee with Hootie and the Blowfish and wondering what the hell happened. Jake __________________ "Them that don't know him won't like him, and them that do sometimes won't know how to take him..."

April 26th, 2005, 01:22 AM	#3 (permalink)
noodle_world Tele-Meister Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 273	i dont think he is... haha

April 26th, 2005, 07:39 AM	#7 (permalink)
mk Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 253	Gotta agree. A good bar band, at best -- that's a fine thing, but this is a wildly over-performing stock. I'm really sick of hearing them on the radio here.

April 26th, 2005, 07:54 AM	#8 (permalink)
Oskar Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Northampton, MA Posts: 3,047 1 Photos	Well, I like them a lot and disagree that Henry Garza's playing is hideous and think that's an unfair assessment. I recall when SRV was first getting on the scene and he was criticized for being a Hendrix clone and his playing was dubbed derivative by some. Every guitar player has to start somewhere. Jonny Lang is another player who I think gets unfairly slammed. I find it interesting that much of the negative stuff about Lang has subsided, but he's still playing in his own style. Blues is one area where there is so much that is begged, borrowed and stolen that it's often hard for a new player to break through, unless they are truly superb and original. Country is another area that suffers from the same fate, but it is rife with studio clones spewing out the same tired riffing behind a big hat name. I guess it pretty much boils down to individual likes and dislikes. I wonder what people would think of Los Lonely Boys if they were just another bar band. Sometimes big fame brings out more criticism and in some cases just plain jealousy.

April 26th, 2005, 08:11 AM	#9 (permalink)
GopherTele Tele-Holic Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 939	If they were a bar band no one would talk about them Of course Oskar. The point is they have sold a boat load of records AND the critics like them. They are going to be judged on a higher plane than a bar band, I think that goes without saying. I personally think they have been coddled somewhat by the press and would genuinely benefit from a few accurate, hard disses of the dreadful guitar noodling. A few of those lyrics are pretty bad too. Baby I miss you, I can't stand to be without you--stuff.

April 26th, 2005, 10:29 AM	#10 (permalink)
Teletwang Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Connecticut Age: 40 Posts: 1,275 1 Photos	Gopher, you mean this guy is suffering from the " Strat In A Hat " syndrome. Lord, not another KWS, please.

April 26th, 2005, 10:40 AM	#11 (permalink)
Essex Boy Tele-Holic Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: London, England Posts: 674	I think they suck, straight up. There's no originality - you might as well go and listen to one of the many groups that do the Texas shuffle thang, and do it better to boot.

April 26th, 2005, 10:45 AM	#12 (permalink)
dhdfoster Tele-Holic Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: San Francisco, CA Age: 40 Posts: 923	I gotta agree with Gopher, here. I realize that every guitarist borrows stuff, but this is just a flat-out imitation. Recreating is much easier than creating.

April 26th, 2005, 11:33 AM	#13 (permalink)
Jimo Tele-Holic Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 578	Well they also steal from Santana...lol... They are very young and will probably progress. Rolling Stones/ Black Crows---kinda the same deal, although I like a lot of the crows songs better. John Mayer rips Stevie, on some of his tunes. The trick is to steal from a lot of different ones so as not to get caught!! :D :D cheers!--JIMO

April 26th, 2005, 11:33 AM	#14 (permalink)
Oskar Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Northampton, MA Posts: 3,047 1 Photos	Well, SRV copied extensively when he started out. Seems like he's the standard everyone is measured by these days. Early SRV was a Hendrix clone. There are many out there now under the radar, Tinsley Ellis, and the group Indigenous come to mind. I agree that when people get to the top they are more closely scrutinized, but I still think it's a matter of opinion. Frankly I find more boring, repetitive and cloned guitar material among today's popular country music more than any other genre. When was the last truly original million plus selling aritst in country that didn't sound/look like every other one. The fact that most use studio musicians adds to the plainess of it all. I think Los Lonely Boys should be cut a bit of slack. Wait at least until their next CD. If that sounds like the first I would be more prone to dropping them a notch or two, if for nothing else, lack of being creative.

April 26th, 2005, 11:51 AM	#15 (permalink)
GopherTele Tele-Holic Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 939	Gotta disagree a little on early Stevie He was never a straight-up Hendrix copper. Robin Trower was, and is, but Stevie has always had the Albert and Freddie thing going on IN ADDITION to his obvious Hendrix influence. Stevie was influenced, LLB dude just steals.

April 26th, 2005, 12:16 PM	#17 (permalink)
Teletwang Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Connecticut Age: 40 Posts: 1,275 1 Photos	A little off topic but if you go into Sam's BBQ in Austin (& I recommend you do), among all the other promo pics of local & national musicians, you'll see one of these Menudo looking kids....The Los Lonely Boys. I guess they've been around awhile.

April 26th, 2005, 12:36 PM	#18 (permalink)
dhdfoster Tele-Holic Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: San Francisco, CA Age: 40 Posts: 923	Despite SRV's obvious influences, he sounded very distinctive with just a couple notes.

April 26th, 2005, 07:35 PM	#19 (permalink)
Dono Tele-Meister Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Frisco, Baja Oklahoma Age: 51 Posts: 133	(Quote) In no time flat they'll be down at IHOP having coffee with Hootie and the Blowfish and wondering what the hell happened.(End Quote) Watched any Golf Channel lately? I know that's not standard Tele fare, however, John Daly and Hootie are tearing it up down south at the Pro-ams. Golfers love 'em. And, from a demographic perspective, Golfers=$$$$$$$$$[/quote] __________________ Dono in Frisco Hear my tunes at: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...?bandID=590292 If you live in North Texas please visit www.andersonguitargallery.com, an emerging guitar community.

April 26th, 2005, 09:49 PM	#20 (permalink)
Gene Machine Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Trenton, Ontario Posts: 300	well, IMO as far as Black Crowes... ya a bit of stones, mostly Faces... but i digress.... I am probably the first person to be guilty of the Vaughan-a-bee syndrome, especially when I'm playing a strat. That's why i play a Tele and a LP too :) So I love SRV, and i am heavily influenced by him, but I'm not him, and I can't live to be him.... So, I cop some of his riffs, a bit of his tone, but i also do the same with a multitude of other players to make my own thing. I'm also 34 and been doing this for 20 years.... maybe Mr. Garza just needs some time.... he sounds like he has the spark, he just needs a bit of individuality. i hope he finds his niche because i enjoy the band. I hope he has a long successful career at this... but i agree, you can't live your life as someone else, and too many people, including Mr. Garza, are copping SRV a bit TOO much... my $.02 __________________ * I AM CANADIAN *

April 26th, 2005, 09:56 PM	#21 (permalink)
jpkusa Tele-Holic Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Nowhereseville Posts: 585	It's guitar heresy, but... I don't like either LLB or SRV. When I mention Texas blues, I'm referring to Lightnin' Hopkins.