Bonamassa is wierd

  • Thread starter Thread starter Sick Michael
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Sick Michael

Sick Michael

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Like not even on a good way....(like primus or Adrian bellew, or Yes)

I feel like he's trying so hard to cop every other blues person and he has no voice of his own. I can't remember any of his songs, and the whole suit and shades act is, a bit odd.

Like, is it me? Just a strange dude
 
I totally get that. Incredible technician, for sure. First few times I heard him I was blown away. But I agree that it’s hard to think of any of his songs or solos when they aren’t playing. By contrast, I can ’hear’ the opening riffs and leads to almost any SRV song in my head. And some players’ look / style does come off a bit forced and affectatious.
 
Sick Michael said:
Like not even on a good way....(like primus or Adrian bellew, or Yes)

I feel like he's trying so hard to cop every other blues person and he has no voice of his own. I can't remember any of his songs, and the whole suit and shades act is, a bit odd.

Like, is it me? Just a strange dude
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Just you? No, disliking JB is not exactly a “hot take“. Bonamassa illicits a lot of shade on gear forums. Like Meyer I always assume people are just player hating. Both guys are great players who seem to love the instrument like we all do. Esp JB, dude is a gear hound and seems like a cool guy.
 
He's a blues Yngwie, lol.

Yeah there is something aloof about him but agree he is really talented.
 
PDC said:
I totally get that. Incredible technician, for sure. First few times I heard him I was blown away. But I agree that it’s hard to think of any of his songs or solos when they aren’t playing. By contrast, I can ’hear’ the opening riffs and leads to almost any SRV song in my head. And some players’ look / style does come off a bit forced and affectatious.
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And guitar players in the 80s dismissed SRV as a Jimi clone with no original voice. What did SRV write 15, maybe 20 songs?

Best thing JB could do for his legacy is die in a fiery helicopter crash.
 
bonamasa has a weird fan base, ive told the story of how i found out about him.. i worked with these two dudes almost 20 years ago who were probably close to 50 id say who were THE stiffest dudes ever, "fun" was not in these guys vocabulary and it was just brutal working with them. one day though they were all giddy talking about the concert that night they were traveling from CT to long island for, and they were taking the next day off which they were really struggling with cause it messed up their years long perfect attendance streak. i asked them who could it possibly be to make you two stiff fucks travel to another state AND make you take a day off from work?? "Bonamasa!!" i had no clue who he was lol. how these dudes who know nothing about anything knew who he was i never really figured out. i never really knew anyone else since who is really into him either so i gotta think the majority of his fan base are people like my stiff fuck coworkers
 
I get what you guys are saying.. I DO like his love of guitar collecting and that he uses them live.. I also like his approach to a live sound with amps on stage and loud volume. He's not a cork sniffer, even though he bought a few dumbles..lol He freely admits the whole eric johnson thing..lol

Overall, he plays well and he can sing. Not many solo guitar players left out there
 
JackBootedThug said:
I used to hate John Mayer….then I realized he is legit….now I hate him more…
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i grew up a couple blocks from him :LOL:. it seems playing with the dead was the best career move he could have made, i know dead heads who hated and couldnt believe the dead picked him of all people, then they went to the show and wouldnt shut the fuck up about how amazing he was. hes got 50k new fans a night now and id assume probably gonna carry the torch for them
 
to add to my story, i went and downloaded a few albums and all i really remember is boring elevator blues with a couple tasty solos in there, nothing really of note, cant say id even remember a song if you played it for me now :dunno: its cool he plays vintage gear but id rather watch someone i actually like play a 5153 or some shit lol
 
RaceU4her said:
i grew up a couple blocks from him :LOL:. it seems playing with the dead was the best career move he could have made, i know dead heads who hated and couldnt believe the dead picked him of all people, then they went to the show and wouldnt shut the fuck up about how amazing he was. hes got 50k new fans a night now and id assume probably gonna carry the torch for them
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Yeah too bad that run is coming to an end but I get how playing someone else’s tunes every night would get old. He filled Jerry’s shoes as well as anyone could.
 
When he smoked buddy guy I knew he was the real deal. Plus he’s a funny dude…at least the comedic shit he did with chappel… then the ex girlfriend and groupie stories were icing on the cake. How could you not like Mayer? The guy, not his music. Let’s not get that twisted…
 
I was a fan very early on when it was just 3-piece and he played a Marshall Jubilee. Way more rock oriented. I saw him like that for $30 when he opened for Peter Frampton in a smallish auditorium. He was great. Then many years later I payed $100 to see him in the suit/shades big band act and didn't enjoy it nearly as much. He still played his ass off. I have a ton of respect for what he's done because it's been a ton of hard road work. I'd be buying old bursts and tweeds too if I could.
 
He can play the hell out of a guitar. No denying that, but he’s too much of a EJ clone, his tone has no balls, and yes, he’s a weird dude. Or comes across that way.
 
I like Joe B, but I agree w/ the suit and shades. Eric Clapton did that better in his Armani Suit period.
I like stuff like this. Regular dude without the suit and the most amazing Strat tones.

 
I don’t find him weird. His music doesn’t do it for me, but I respect his great passion for the instrument and it’s history and in interviews he seems like a chill guy. He’s probably been one of the only major faces out there for years who plays blues/rock and is successful. His stage persona doesn’t work for me because it comes off at trying too hard to have a persona. It may be he really feels that is him and is very comfortable in it. It just doesn’t come off that way.
He made a career decision years ago to stick with Kevin Shirley, who may also be playing a part in molding his all over approach for commercial success. All I know is since he did that his music got more smooth and nice (boring), when early vids showed some fire and balls. Would like to see him hook up on a one off with another producer just to make something ballsier that Mountain or Cactus would have put out in ‘71.
 
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