ClumsyMonkey.net

In Sociology the other week, my teacher Mr. Obispo said that our generation doesn't have any good guitar players that can REALLY play... not like Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, and all them like they used to have... He also said that this is probably because record companies know what sells and that would be that whole boy band junk.

well anyhow, i said that we can at least make our case for having Kenny Wayne Sheperd and Dave Matthews...

Well anyhow, let's all argue about how we do SO have good guitar players (then i will hit print and show him all of the great guitar players of our generation we came up with)

What About 'The Edge" from U2? He's a excellent guitarist...I think he's one of the best today.

YES!

I also kind of thought about Lenny Kravitz but I decided that he doesn't count because he's just a watered down Jimi.

Or perhaps Joe Satriani?

By The way Lenny is pretty good but, you are right about the water down jimi part

Naveeder Val wrote:In Sociology the other week, my teacher Mr. Obispo said that our generation doesn't have any good guitar players that can REALLY play... not like Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, and all them like they used to have... He also said that this is probably because record companies know what sells and that would be that whole boy band junk.

I think the part you have to focus on is "record companies know what sells and that would be the whole boy band junk part". This again brings in the whole pop culture thing. If pop = popular music, then you have to realise that having an awesome guitarist is no longer essential to a band's popularity. Do you really think that a band with a guitarist like Jimi Hendrix in this time of age can get anywhere? The most you can get is a kid beside the radio saying "Wow that's a great guitar solo", and that's it, whether that kid would spend his money on this band's new release or some CD by Default is still in doubt. Personally, I would rather hear the over all sound of a band instead of just focusing on how well the guitar works are, I think all the instruments should be an accompany of the overall sound, not something that stands out and overshadows everything.

He is amazing. I haven't seen many play an acoustic like that. Guess what? My brother got a cd out from the library, and guess what was hidden in the sleeve? A brand new busted stuff cd! HOw lucky is that?

Your teacher is right Val. Music is piss poor nowadays. Just look at the projected Billboard charts to come out next Wednesday. They predict that ICP will debut ahead of a Dave Matthews cd. I am not a fan of either, but what the fuck is ICP even doing in the top 200? They're not talented, they're just two jackasses who paint their faces and scream about raping people and shit.

The rock scene nowadays is pretty damn pathetic. The really huge bands have to sell their souls to get noticed, not like Led Zepplin, who could come out with whatever the hell they wanted, and people would listen because it was music, and what they wanted to do. Now, you have to make something with an edge, a jackass DJ scratching a record in the background, and a tool rapping over a guitar. Music today is sickening.

If people want to find real music and real talent, you really have to look in the local and underground scenes. Maybe if you're lucky, you'll find a band signed to a major label that still has some integrity and plays good music, but that's few and far between. I am happy with the stuff I listen to. The bands aren't well known, they play the same music they played when they were unsigned, and they usually don't care about selling millions of records. Yeah, they want to make money, but they won't change their sound or style to get recognition. You all should just look into your local scenes, or look into lesser known labels to find the real talent in music today. If you wait for Columbia or Geffen records to give you a truly talented act that plays the music they started with, and tries to be technical, you're gonna die waiting. Every band will be like the Goo Goo Dolls or Sugar Ray, once was true to their sound, but once you wave money in their face and say "We'll put you on MTV," everything becomes overproduced pop bullshit. God bless emo and punk music, they don't tend to sell out nearly as quickly as other genres.

Emtee, of course
Alex Lifeson
Martin Tielli

Yeah, they're all great Suzan, but they aren't exactly household names.....

Alex Lifeson should be a household name. He's the guitarist for Rush.

But you do have a point.

su7an wrote:Alex Lifeson should be a household name. He's the guitarist for Rush.

But you do have a point.

Yeah, I am an "American" and we "Americans" don't know what good music is, so we're not too keen on knowing Rush. He might be popular in Canadia, but here, we respect dancing, and now musical ability.

But hey, it's best to find one unknown band or semi-known band, share them with friends, and get the word out about them. That is why I keep telling people to download Alkaline Trio. They make good music, and their stuff has been the same since they released their demo tape in 97. Matt and Dan have gotten better at the guitar and bass, their lyrics are getting a bit more complex, and they're respected by all the good "punk" bands out there today. So just find good bands with good music, let people on here know, and be happy with it.

Back to the topic at hand, music sucks nowadays. If you're looking at the pop scene for musical talent, give up. You know it's gone to shit when the most recognizable guitarist in America is some one like Wes Borland formerly from Limp Bizkit. People don't talk about Tom Morello or Jerry Cantrell nearly enough as they should. Just paint your face like a ass clown, play a simple rhythm, and watch the praise roll in.

I smell intelligence in this thread. I wish I was older sometimes. I wish I lived in another time when music was good. Do you want to see it? I'm 12 and it'll probably SUCK ASS big time, but... I did say I was gonna work on lyrics this weekend. I want to add in something. I know music sucks nowadays and whenever you guys talk about it, it makes me feel so helpless, I mean, I wish there was some kind of revolution too but all my friends at school just don't get anything. I don't know if they're not trying hard enough or just not smart enough to understand what music is about. I tell some people at my school what I think real music is and they cuss me up saying that I haven't begun to understand what a "sweet bod" usher has. Goddamnit, to hell with ALL the music nowadays. Except Our Lady Peace but even they are selling out.

i try hard to find something good and different, and ive been successful so far, but its hard because i dont get many suggestions from people. but i guess thats the fun of it all...not knowing what to expect.
now im finding escape in the jam-band scene.

Look into Alkaline Trio. I cannot say it enough, ever. They're worth the time you spend downloading it. Alkaline Trio is one of those bands where anyone in the band can play anything. I finally got to hear the Dan Andriano solo project (bassist to ALK3) and not only is he an awesome bass player, he is fucking awesome on the guitar. Then there's Matt Skiba, the guitar player. On his solo cd, Matt played the acoustic guitar, the bass, the drums, and the piano. Now that's pure talent. I can't wait for Alkaline Trio's next cd, I am just waiting to see who does what on the cd. They will probably go big, and probably would have went big if their songs were more pop oriented. They opened up for New Found Glory and Blink 182, and fans and Green Day said the only band worth seeing on that tour was ALK3, and this is after Green Day went in a world tour with Blink. Just wait for it, ALK3 will be well known.

Oooo Dave Navarro, Probably one of the best guitarists in the last decade, not really well known though, he the guitarist of Jane's Addiction, and filled in for John when he quit the Peppers, his solo album's pretty good, and he's worked with almost every one in show business form Korn to Janet Jackson, not to mention he started the biggest Alt-rock festival of all time, Hmmmm i know John Fruciante isn't exactly technically as good as Hendrix or them but something about his guitar playing really catches my ear...there's tons of others to i just can't think of them, i think guitar playing just isn't as showy anymore

ill make sure to listen to Alkaline Trio.

Dave Navarro