OFF: Is Guitar Rock Dead?--Sort of

Bolts of Ungodly vision scruto19 at POTSDAM.EDU
Wed Sep 10 02:30:40 EDT 1997


>One of the Guitar magazines has a cover story about the lack of
>imaginative guitar playing in todays modern music scene.  Didn't read
>the  whole thing but several people suggested that Techno-dance music is
>about to take over in a big way and that rock may be leaving the scene
>all together (fat chance).  Still there is a huge gap in todays music as
>none of the newer bands seem to care or are able to perform the old
>standard flaming guitar solo.  Any of you professional out there have an
>opinion on this?  Have we seen the last of virtuosos like Buck, Ted
>Nugent, Frank Marino, Robin Trower?
Well, seeing that the ol' warhorses the Rolling Stones are supposedely
incorporating "fance" (funk and dance music) into their trademark sound,
I'd have to say the Solo just hasn't found the right vehicle/song type to
re-emerge as something original..  As siad by another poster in this topic,
the 80's big hair speed guitarist shindig did mar some palates irreprably.
However, you can look at the fact that the G3 tour (comprised of
Vai,Satriani, sometimes Eirc Johnson, and a blues guitarist whose name
escapes me (not to mention that they had R.Fripp as an opening act) exists
is a testamemt to the fact solo guitar passages are far from extinct..
Speaking of Trower, he has a new LP out called _Somenthing Blues_ (or is it
_something blue_?) of all blues tunes--if anyone repesented The guitar
rock hero in the 70's (or tried to anyhow) it was him.  So I wouldn't worry
too much.
As for modern musicians grooving on a steaming hunk of guitar notes, they
might not because technological advances in music industry might make it
just plain easier for the non-viruoso to be musical...'sides, creating a
solo that's just right in length for a tune isn't easy.

>I know there are several young guys who can play but they don't appear
>enamored with the mosnter solo.  Thoughts anyone?
Maybe they want to feel comfortable composing song structures first and add
a solo later if need be?

Like a hurricane,
Jason



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