Is This Some Kinda Joke?

[Larry F]

Some of the gripery I read about JB strike me as sour grapes. So what if you dislike something that he can do his way that others can't do their way. If you see him on a cover, just walk on by. Maybe Tal Farlow will be on the cover next month.

I recently retired from teaching composition. If he brought in a score of his playing, I'd recommend hanging on a few notes a little longer and a little more often. No matter what the notes are, a lot of music sounds better when it doesn't run at the mouth so much. JB does it, and it sounds like his technique gets the better of him in some ways. Not that big a deal (speaking to you Mr. J.S. Bach, Oscar Peterson, and John McLaughlin). They are all just riding different trains than the critics are on.

His "heads" are nothing special (talking to you Mr. Charlie Parker and Sonny Rollins). Not a big deal if the heads sound like nothing much; the best is coming right up).

Anyway, you can't please intolerant musicians who lack humility regarding their own styles, foibles, and naivety. Why pick on JB for your likes and limitations, instead of just walking by with just a tip of the hat?

Why not grieve over Slash?

BTW, concert pianists are always complaining that they played like pig.

 

[nvilletele]

Edit:

I just had an argument with my wife

I'm sorry, but people need to sell magazines.

There is no emotional investment for me in Bonamassa's music.

What is technicality without emotion?

I find myself in total agreement with your last two lines there.
I also share a sentiment you expressed in your pre-edit post: "I was really impressed watching him, when he was younger, playing blues on a Strat, until..."

He is a better player than I am, by a long shot (light years better). But his music doesn't move me at all emotionally.

'nuf sed.

 

[boxocrap]

That’s what’s known as a….!

humblebrag
/ˈhʌmb(ə)lbraɡ/

INFORMAL
noun

1. an ostensibly modest or self-deprecating statement whose actual purpose is to draw attention to something of which one is proud.
   "social media status updates are basically selfies, humblebrags, and rants"

verb

1. make an ostensibly modest or self-deprecating statement with the actual intention of drawing attention to something of which one is proud.
   "she humblebragged about how ‘awful’ she looks without any make-up

interesting how a noun and a verb can "describe" the same thing..it's no wonder people who are trying to learn english often have such a tough time

 

[Frodebro]

technicality and emotion...do those work together? maybe i don't really know

They most definitely do, but often times people who are accustomed to BB King-style emotional playing aren't seeing it in, say, Malmsteen, even though his playing is every bit as emotional.

 

[boxocrap]

Some of the gripery I read about JB strike me as sour grapes. So what if you dislike something that he can do his way that others can't do their way. If you see him on a cover, just walk on by. Maybe Tal Farlow will be on the cover next month.

I recently retired from teaching composition. If he brought in a score of his playing, I'd recommend hanging on a few notes a little longer and a little more often. No matter what the notes are, a lot of music sounds better when it doesn't run at the mouth so much. JB does it, and it sounds like his technique gets the better of him in some ways. Not that big a deal (speaking to you Mr. J.S. Bach, Oscar Peterson, and John McLaughlin). They are all just riding different trains than the critics are on.

His "heads" are nothing special (talking to you Mr. Charlie Parker and Sonny Rollins). Not a big deal if the heads sound like nothing much; the best is coming right up).

Anyway, you can't please intolerant musicians who lack humility regarding their own styles, foibles, and naivety. Why pick on JB for your likes and limitations, instead of just walking by with just a tip of the hat?

Why not grieve over Slash?

just walking by with just a tip of the hat..ya i like that

 

[boxocrap]

I think more would be better known if guitar based music was still a top seller in popular music, but things aren't the way they used to be. Rappers are the new rock stars, and have been for the last couple of decades. There is still great stuff out there and great players, but it's more on the fringe than center stage.

i'll drunk to that

 

[GreatDaneRock]

I'm not a big fan of modern blues players anyways. I don't think any one of them rises above a very big crowd and none approach the classics we grew up with.

Enter JOSH SMITH...

 

[Larry F]

Sh*t, I was way off base about the comment about Parker and Peterson's heads. They usually used showtunes and the like. Maybe better examples would be Horace Silver and that genre and time.

 

[telemnemonics]

They most definitely do, but often times people who are accustomed to BB King-style emotional playing aren't seeing it in, say, Malmsteen, even though his playing is every bit as emotional.

Yeah Ingvay (pronunciation) is even more of a mystery in terms of "Guitar players" loving to say he sucks as a guitar player.
Indeed he plays with lots of emotion, plus all the other stuff like devotion, technique, individual style, stage presence (which many seem to enjoy), long career, and carrying some torches that keep some history in the now.

I very very often wonder how different individual perceptions or experiences are.
If nothing else, I see my boss and her teen daughter argue and cannot follow the English language as they talk fast and overlap points of argument.
Maybe some listeners who hate fast guitar do so because it takes effort to follow thus it is not enjoyable for them?

Whereas listening to BB King is like slumping into a comfy couch with snacks.

 

[telemnemonics]

Sh*t, I was way off base about the comment about Parker and Peterson's heads. They usually used showtunes and the like. Maybe better examples would be Horace Silver and that genre and time.

I think I know what you mean though?
Sometimes Jazz tunes start with a head that makes me scratch mine?
Is this like the assembly required instructions in an import toy box?
(some are hard but others are obvious yet include instructions)
First we go this way then we go that way, keep up now...

IDK, I'm peculiar, uneducated, and may be missing the mark...

 

[Frodebro]

Yeah Ingvay (pronunciation) is even more of a mystery in terms of "Guitar players" loving to say he sucks as a guitar player.
Indeed he plays with lots of emotion, plus all the other stuff like devotion, technique, individual style, stage presence (which many seem to enjoy), long career, and carrying some torches that keep some history in the now.

I very very often wonder how different individual perceptions or experiences are.
If nothing else, I see my boss and her teen daughter argue and cannot follow the English language as they talk fast and overlap points of argument.
Maybe some listeners who hate fast guitar do so because it takes effort to follow thus it is not enjoyable for them?

Whereas listening to BB King is like slumping into a comfy couch with snacks.

I think "language" is a very fitting description of the various playing styles. If all you ever listen to is old-school blues, you're going to "get" BB King and Yngwie may very well seem like a foreign language. But if you listen to any classical music, Yngwie will make much more sense to you.

 

[BerkshireDuncan]

He's a way better guitarist than most of us, richer too- and has more hair than many of us. I like Joe.

 

[2HBStrat]

What strikes me is that they could be putting any number of other, lesser known but hugely talented guitar players on the cover and inside with interesting interviews and playing tidbits.

Who would you suggest? Who is a 'lesser known" guitar who enough people WOULD know, and would be interesting to read about, and would sell magazines?

 

[Frodebro]

Who would you suggest? Who is a 'lesser known" guitar who enough people WOULD know, and would be interesting to read about, and would sell magazines?

 

[Obsessed]

IDK, imagine for a moment that you spent decades playing music you loved, as well as you could, and creating a veritable museum of valued vintage gear but instead of putting it in a vault you dragged it around the world so we could all see two cranked Tweed Twins live and hear the glory of the old gear played buy a guy who gave it his best shot.
And packed arenas with I guess kind of middle class white folks who love music but most don't play.

Then masses of guitar players spewed hate at you on every corner of the internet?
I mean the sheer quantity of hate spewed at the guy says a whole lot about the haters, and really isn't indicative of his bad playing or weak musicianship.

We generally hope our peers will be kind if we are doing our best, right?
Why are guitar players so damn unkind to Joe?

And if his playing gets him so much hate?
IDK, bummer to do your best and be hated for it by so many.

Sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction...

Good point. He is quite the technical player and has been since a young age and I doubt anyone here would disagree. I think a few people in this thread have it wrong about the hate being “jealousy”. His music just does not reveal emotion, so it does not resonate with most guitar players. He is a humble guy and his “Nerdville” series is very interesting. I like him more as a person than a musician. He does know a heck of a lot about the history of gear, which is priceless. Just not enough for me to listen to him play.

 

[kbold]

"Got Wood?" ..... on the first line.

More click bait? Gotta sell them magazines .. somehow.

 

[Old Deaf Roadie]

I, too, hate the way I play guitar and on a typical day, so does everyone within earshot.

 

[2HBStrat]

I thought Li'l Wayne was a rapper? Is he known as a guitarist?

 

[Billy3]

Context is very important. Don't judge a book by it's cover. But... shame on "guitar player". It's funny to me how marketing executives are exploiting negatives all the time and always have. Suckers we must be right?

 

[Frodebro]

I thought Li'l Wayne was a rapper? Is he known as a guitarist?

Only amongst hip hop fans who don't spend any time listening to other guitarists...