Re: rock 'n roll

From: Leslie Shill (icehouse@redshift.com)
Date: Fri May 26 2000 - 07:43:30 MET DST

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    Mark,

    Elvis Costello is, quite frankly, unable to play a real guitar solo, even he
    is able to warble a note or three. The guitar players I chose for that list
    were the guitar monsters and listed them for that reason. Now, having said
    that, were I to list all my fave gutiar players period, the list would look
    quite different, then I would have to include Wes Montgomery, Sonny Sharrock
    and a host of others. I was looking for waht people perceived as being rock.
    The idea was not to insist that who I thought were best were just so, but
    instead to try and elicit some opinions, remember this all started with
    Corgie and his hiccupy Pumpkin friends. Now, having said that Mark, I would
    hardly call Hendrix a guitar wanker, I think that it is not that much of a
    stretch to call him one the most influential musicians of the era that began
    with the Beatles and the Stones. Hendrix' use of electronics made him a
    pioneer in many respects. Each person I listed was there because of the
    influence they have had on popular music and Elvis Costello owes to some of
    these folks. Well, Stevie Ray is a stretch I suppose, I just like his
    bluesiness. Jeff Beck was arguably the first of the rockers to really bring
    jazzy notions to the fore in his music. I could make cogent arguments for
    all of these musicians, the beauty of lists however is to see the
    differences in people's tastes. I play the guitar so I am inclined toward
    guitar players. Still, Elvis Costello is an equally acquired taste and
    personally, rather twee and faint for me. As I said I want to hear what
    other people consider rock, to me Costello is a songwriter who uses some
    rock elements but does he really rock? I am more inclined toward the
    headbanging when I think of rock. The list you made included many people I
    think are totally stellar, even if slightly inclined to the avant side of
    rock. I would be very, very surprised if you had told me that you were a big
    Zeppelin fan, but then at least you and i have met, even if it was only once
    briefly, and I do see your playlists.
    anyway, blah blah blah yap ayap yap ayap nuff sed

    leslie

    ----- Original Message -----
    From: Mark Turner <nugroove@pacbell.net>
    To: <acid-jazz@ucsd.edu>
    Sent: Thursday, May 25, 2000 9:43 PM
    Subject: RE: rock 'n roll

    > Leslie Shill said:
    >
    > >So, my list of guitar players, drawn mostly from the ranks of the
    > >rockers but with some crossovers, but all of whom I consider germane to
    > >most areas of modern music today are:
    > >
    > >1/. Jimi Hendrix
    > >2/. Jimmy Page
    > >3/. Pete Townshend
    > >4/. Duane Allman
    > >5/. Carlos Santana
    > >6/. John McLaughlin
    > >7/. Eric Clapton
    > >8/. Jeff Beck
    > >9/. Stevie Ray Vaughn
    > >10/.Steve Howe
    >
    > Seeing your list, Leslie, I now realize how LITTLE I actually care for
    rock
    > guitar! Certainly these guys are all major players in the "Rock and Roll
    > Hall of Fame." But to me, rock is at it's best when it's at its most
    > basic, without all the guitar wankery. My all-time favorite rock "artist"
    > for years has been Elvis Costello, who happens to play guitar but I don't
    > think
    > anyone would ever think of him as a "guitarist" because he never plays a
    > solo!
    > (Well, almost never.)
    >
    > But, if I had to list a few guitarists I find interesting and/or
    > influential, it would be probably be something like:
    >
    > Marc Ribot
    > Fred Frith
    > Sonny Sharrock
    > Baden Powell
    > Robert Fripp
    > Charlie Hunter
    > Nile Rogers
    > Wes Montgomery...
    >
    > That's about all I can think of, off the top of my head. Certainly
    nobody's
    > idea of a definitive list, but all players that you would easily recognize
    > for their distinctive/individual styles.
    >
    > ______________________________________________
    > Mark Turner nugroove@pacbell.net
    >
    > Hear "Jazzadelica" with Rocky Rococo on KFJC
    > Sundays 10pm-2am, 89.7 FM, Los Altos Hills, CA
    > Web: http://home.pacbell.net/nugroove/
    > ______________________________________________
    >
    >
    >



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