As far as greatest guitarist goes, I do love Petrucci of course, saw them live on the 6 degrees tour and he nailed that crazy fast part 10 minutes or so into the song The Glass Prison. His live version of Hollow Years is one of the greatest guitar solos ever, not from a technical standpoint but from a "oh my god that's so beautiful friggin goosebumps" kind of thing.
From 2:12 to 2:38 it's nothing but chills and goosebumps every time. Perfect, I wish the recorded version had this solo.
I've always liked Satriani, how can I not like the teacher of one of my favorites Kirk Hammet (Kirk is crazy sloppy, but I love his playing anyway - why oh why do they cut the solo short every single time they have ever played Blackened... I don't think he can pull off that little section they cut out). I have a G3 concert with Satriani, Steve Vai, and Eric Johnson. All are very good but Satriani steals the show.
Still, my favorite - hard to believe - is Eddie Van Halen. Here is what I had to say after seeing him live for the first time last May.
My opinion hasn't softened since then, he was that good. I've seen so many guitarists try to play eruption, or a version of eruption. Eddie toys with it. Watch the whole video it blows my mind. Love the middle section where he plays Cathedral, I always thought that he was playing the synthesizer on that song.
As far as greatest guitarist goes, I do love Petrucci of course, saw them live on the 6 degrees tour and he nailed that crazy fast part 10 minutes or so into the song The Glass Prison. His live version of Hollow Years is one of the greatest guitar solos ever, not from a technical standpoint but from a "oh my god that's so beautiful friggin goosebumps" kind of thing.
From 2:12 to 2:38 it's nothing but chills and goosebumps every time. Perfect, I wish the recorded version had this solo.
I've always liked Satriani, how can I not like the teacher of one of my favorites Kirk Hammet (Kirk is crazy sloppy, but I love his playing anyway - why oh why do they cut the solo short every single time they have ever played Blackened... I don't think he can pull off that little section they cut out). I have a G3 concert with Satriani, Steve Vai, and Eric Johnson. All are very good but Satriani steals the show.
Still, my favorite - hard to believe - is Eddie Van Halen. Here is what I had to say after seeing him live for the first time last May.
My opinion hasn't softened since then, he was that good. I've seen so many guitarists try to play eruption, or a version of eruption. Eddie toys with it. Watch the whole video it blows my mind. Love the middle section where he plays Cathedral, I always thought that he was playing the synthesizer on that song.
Great solo! John is definitely my favorite guitarist/metal composer. I get goosebumps constantly when he plays! By the way, the DVD that video is from (Live at Budokan) is amazing in Blu-Ray format. The sound quality is incredible for a metal band, and I highly recommend it. Speaking of Dream Theater DVD's, a new one is due out soon:
I have every live dvd they have, I haven't bought the Budokon Blu Ray but I need to, I do have it on dvd.
WOAH MAN!!! That preview got me all fired up, when does that come out? I'm ALL over that, looks incredible.
Too bad that Portnoy isn't a part of it, I always thought those guys fit so well together it was weird when it all fell apart. I don't have a side in the argument, just disappointed. When you see them like he is easily the most charismatic personality on stage which is hard to pull off as a drummer.
Satriani is so humble too. I saw him in an interview discussing his policy on giving lessons. He was teaching Vai years ago and he said he came to a crossroads where he could hold back or just give out all his secrets. He said screw it, I'm giving him everything and he said he knew Vai would someday better than him. Of course I don't think that's true and neither did the interviewer, but that's just how he is so humble.
My opinion hasn't softened since then, he was that good. I've seen so many guitarists try to play eruption, or a version of eruption. Eddie toys with it. Watch the whole video it blows my mind. Love the middle section where he plays Cathedral, I always thought that he was playing the synthesizer on that song.
Warning: Spoiler!(Click to show)
I know it's not metal, but any Rush fans out there? I'm on a Rush kick today. I'm not a huge fan, but I really like most of their stuff from the 70's and first 2 albums in the 80's. A few songs since then are pretty good too. It seems they are an either love them or hate them band but I just like them a lot, well at least through Moving Pictures. I'm noticing today that most of their old stuff is pretty well recorded. Haven't heard these albums on my new speakers yet and it sounds great.
I'm a proud Rush geek. They went through a synth phase a while back but are back and as good as ever imo. Some of their songs have some great riffs too. If you get a chance, watch one of their concert videos, great live band.
I"ve been listening to an album I meant to buy years ago but never got around to it. The album is called Plastic Planet by G/Z/R which is Geezer Butler's solo project. The singer is the lead singer from Fear Factory (I'm a big fan of them espicially the album Obsolete). Well, it's pretty damn good I suggest you guys check it out. It came out in 95, surprised it took me this long to hear it.
I've always liked Satriani, how can I not like the teacher of one of my favorites Kirk Hammet (Kirk is crazy sloppy, but I love his playing anyway - why oh why do they cut the solo short every single time they have ever played Blackened... I don't think he can pull off that little section they cut out). I have a G3 concert with Satriani, Steve Vai, and Eric Johnson. All are very good but Satriani steals the show.
Still, my favorite - hard to believe - is Eddie Van Halen. Here is what I had to say after seeing him live for the first time last May.
My opinion hasn't softened since then, he was that good. I've seen so many guitarists try to play eruption, or a version of eruption. Eddie toys with it. Watch the whole video it blows my mind. Love the middle section where he plays Cathedral, I always thought that he was playing the synthesizer on that song.
Eddie is why I play the guitar. As I became more interested/immersed in music in the very early 80s, I heard VH's Fair Warning album one day for the first time @ a friend's house. At that moment I both became a serious VH fan AND demanded that I get a guitar that XMAS. 30 years on....I still can't do what Eddie does (or I can...but not nearly as well ; ) ).
But I will qualify my VH fandom by stating that Hagar eventually ruined the band IMO. 5150 was a pretty good album - and had 3-4 songs on it originally intended for Roth. After that, they (for me at least) became a band with maybe 1-2 decent tracks and a bunch of sappy **** & more of Sammy's dunderheaded double entendre lyrics. He may be 10 to 50 times the singer Roth is, but Hagar was/is nowhere near the witty lyricist or showman Diamond Dave is. As Adam Sandler once so eloquently put it, "If anyone tells you Van Halen is better with Sammy Hagar, they are a narc."
As to the brief time with Gary Cherone...I pretend it never happened. It was right before VHIII was released that I met EVH @ the Winter NAMM show in 1998. He was friendly, gracious & humble....and appeared sober! Was very excited for folks to hear the new stuff w/ Cherone...so maybe he was not as sober as I assumed.
Not my fave VH album, but the most recent w/ Roth was better than it should have been/was expected. And as much as I find Wolfgang to be a very solid musician & backing vocalist, I still hold out hope that the VH brothers & Dave will one day reunite w/ Mike Anthony. Dave has said as much in the press recently (while also praising Wolfie) and gives the impression that Alex would be down with Anthony's return as well....it is Ed who apparently still holds the grudge.
Cathedral is simply Ed using the guitar volume knob to swell levels after hammering left hand notes along w/ an echo pedal. Yeah...."simply".
Butt Trumpet...I'm Ugly and Don't Know Why...not the most metal band but this song is hilarious. Found the cd in a bargain bin in the mid90s. http://youtu.be/HB-dDRShHho
My worst pit was Iggy Pop. Our young grunge asses were not prepared for big black Doc Martens and white tank t shirts. Everybody was cool until the drummer kicked in. Next thing I know I was looking up at the sun through a cloud of dust. That was the first five minutes.
My worst pit was Iggy Pop. Our young grunge asses were not prepared for big black Doc Martens and white tank t shirts. Everybody was cool until the drummer kicked in. Next thing I know I was looking up at the sun through a cloud of dust. That was the first five minutes.
Been there. Could always tell who'd been in the pit by the bruises the next day.
Eddie is why I play the guitar. As I became more interested/immersed in music in the very early 80s, I heard VH's Fair Warning album one day for the first time @ a friend's house. At that moment I both became a serious VH fan AND demanded that I get a guitar that XMAS. 30 years on....I still can't do what Eddie does (or I can...but not nearly as well ; ) ).
But I will qualify my VH fandom by stating that Hagar eventually ruined the band IMO. 5150 was a pretty good album - and had 3-4 songs on it originally intended for Roth. After that, they (for me at least) became a band with maybe 1-2 decent tracks and a bunch of sappy **** & more of Sammy's dunderheaded double entendre lyrics. He may be 10 to 50 times the singer Roth is, but Hagar was/is nowhere near the witty lyricist or showman Diamond Dave is. As Adam Sandler once so eloquently put it, "If anyone tells you Van Halen is better with Sammy Hagar, they are a narc."
As to the brief time with Gary Cherone...I pretend it never happened. It was right before VHIII was released that I met EVH @ the Winter NAMM show in 1998. He was friendly, gracious & humble....and appeared sober! Was very excited for folks to hear the new stuff w/ Cherone...so maybe he was not as sober as I assumed.
Not my fave VH album, but the most recent w/ Roth was better than it should have been/was expected. And as much as I find Wolfgang to be a very solid musician & backing vocalist, I still hold out hope that the VH brothers & Dave will one day reunite w/ Mike Anthony. Dave has said as much in the press recently (while also praising Wolfie) and gives the impression that Alex would be down with Anthony's return as well....it is Ed who apparently still holds the grudge.
Cathedral is simply Ed using the guitar volume knob to swell levels after hammering left hand notes along w/ an echo pedal. Yeah...."simply".
LOVE Fair Warning, probably my favorite VH album, but the first 4 are all so good.
Yeah, they became pop rock with Sammy and lost their edge. I too like some songs from 5150, but never thought of it as really Van Halen. I wasn't crazy about 1984 when it came out either to be honest.
Sammy does seem like a nice guy and I like the first Chickenfoot album, haven't been able to get into the 2nd one yet.
My worst pit was Iggy Pop. Our young grunge asses were not prepared for big black Doc Martens and white tank t shirts. Everybody was cool until the drummer kicked in. Next thing I know I was looking up at the sun through a cloud of dust. That was the first five minutes.
heh that sounds like what happened to me the first time i saw the Deftones play
I first saw these guys touring with Dream Theater a few years ago. I actually have one or two of their albums but forgot about them until now. They're an all instrumental band, which is kind of cool.
I'm going to Beale Street Music Festival this year. Not a total metal fest but something for everyone. Alice in Chains, Deftones, Smashing Pumpkins, Patti Smith, Yngwie Malmsteen, Papa Roach, and a few others. OH YEAH AND HALL AND MELONFARMING OATES.
Saw The Cult, Megadeth, and Jane's Addiction last year.
It's hard to beat all that for 100 bucks for 3 days. I'm getting old so a festival a year is about all I can muster and not a lot of really awesome shows come my way.
Very cool thread. Some the bands I grew up on and still listen to today are below.
Started with Kiss in the late 70’s
AC/DC, my all-time favorite band. My brother got to see them on the Highway to Hell tour. I have seen them about 4 times and I did get to take my daughter to the “Black Ice” tour. I am sorry but nothing beats Powerage at volume “11”!!
Black Sabbath
Ozzy
Judas Priest
Jimi Hendrix
Led Zeppelin
Metallica (took me a while to get into them)
Motley Crue (seen them a few times)
Scorpions (Virgin Killer)
Van Halen
Iron Maiden (took my daughter to the Maiden England 2012 last year with Alice Cooper)
To be honest I do not listen to much new rock and roll. Unfortunately for me most of what I hear has the damn lead singer growling. I personally like to understand the damn words, that is why Bruce D and Rob H are my favorite metal singers.
I have (maybe) weird taste in music since I can listen to Iron Maiden “Killers”, then some Johnny Cash, then on to old ZZ Top. All over the map for me.
