Anyone still think Hoekstra can't hang with Aldrich?

[Kapo_Polenton]

I remember a while back people doubting that Hoekstra was on the same level as Aldrich... just for fun, check him rip it up on burn. Crushes it at the 3:06. In fact, kind of makes Beach look average. He's f_cking killer, what a monster player:

 

[Beyond Black]

Joel is an absolute demon and could hang with anybody out there and then some. And he's as cool as he is talented. Do yourself a favor and check out his solo albums. Phenomenal....

 

[aizenx]

Joel is an absolute demon and could hang with anybody out there and then some. And he's as cool as he is talented. Do yourself a favor and check out his solo albums. Phenomenal....

+1

An amazing player. Saw him live for TSO and he just effortlessly killed it. I've seen TSO 5 times and he was easily the best lead guitarist they've had thus far.

 

[bionicmark]

Reb is anything but average.

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

Reb is anything but average.

Of course he isn't, I am just saying for sake of comparison, it is hardly like there is a gap on stage now that Aldrich is doing something different. I checked out Reb's live solo on this tour too, pretty cool. I sometimes think he leans on the whammy a bit too much but I dig him too don't worry.

 

[BYTOR]

I'm so over the Jeff Watson 8 fingered tapping stuff...........matter of fact I was never into it

Hopefully Hoekstra doesn't tap too much because Reb is already overkill with it


Both great players for sure though.......

 

[Joe-TX]

I saw Winger on the last club tour and Reb absolutely slayed it on his solo! I've been lucky enough to catch him at NAMM a couple of times way back in the day and this was the best he's ever played IMO.
But when I saw Whitesnake recently, for some reason Reb seems to be holding back and it's always seemed that way to me even back when Aldrich was still in the band. Honestly, if I had to pick one based on performances outside of Whitesnake I would lean Reb Beach.

 

[4406cuda]

I think Reb is great and Joel is amazing. Both fantastic players. Hoekstra can definitely hang with anyone in hard rock.

 

[mystixboi]

Joel is an absolute demon and could hang with anybody out there and then some. And he's as cool as he is talented. Do yourself a favor and check out his solo albums. Phenomenal....

+1

An amazing player. Saw him live for TSO and he just effortlessly killed it. I've seen TSO 5 times and he was easily the best lead guitarist they've had thus far.

Me too. He killed it with tso. When I found out that he was going to be in Whitesnake, I got excited because I thought that he was a more melodic version of Doug anyway. Anyone can shred the wood Joel has that I love is a sense of melody.

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

I think Beach is there not only for his playing but his voice. Seems to me he plays more of a support role in the band and is in charge of the rythm section now while a slinger is hired to handle the bulk of the lead work. I also wonder if he ever resents that. That said, his style can be a little overkill on the tapping sometimes and a lot of the Sykes leads require more picking to sound their best. I did see a live vid of Beach with Dokken a few years back though and he did handle the lead in that really well so who knows what the deal is with Coverdale. If I had to guess, I would say Coverdale is a control freak and makes all the decisions. He probably has it in his mind that Beach is not the type of player he would want to listen to all night and that is the way it is gonna be.

 

[Rock Bodom]

My hangup with Joel certainly isn't his playing, it's that I don't know him and I don't look to a Whitesnake at this stage of their career as a showcase for talent I don't already know, I want to see the older guys who either were part of their history (like Sykes) or alternately guys back from that era who are a good fit (like Aldrich).

I know that sounds a bit close-minded, but most times I'd rather see an aging old favorite band give it a best shot to perform their legacy with familiar faces rather than talented hired guns who may do everything right musically and perform well but I've got no attachment to.

Reb is a different subject to me, I love his playing but I don't like the Whitesnake support role, and I don't think the band is a great fit in general for him (even if he was in the "lead" role). Winger, Dokken, his very cool Fusion Demos album in the 90's...much better IMO, but I can understand the paycheck. Not like he's humiliating himself with some country crossover fad type thing either, it's still rock & roll.

 

[bionicmark]

Let us not forget this version.

Richie is one bad m***********!

: )



https://youtu.be/KbVl3nPbLFE

 

[SFW]

Joel is certainly a gifted player. I just miss Doug's swagger. Whitesnake is about swagger and groove.

 

[messenger]

Let us not forget this version.

Richie is one bad m***********!

: )



https://youtu.be/KbVl3nPbLFE

Richie is great but what does that have to do with anything?

 

[El Mariachi]

Joel is certainly a gifted player. I just miss Doug's swagger. Whitesnake is about swagger and groove.

Agreed

 

[Chubtone]

I'm so over the Jeff Watson 8 fingered tapping stuff...........matter of fact I was never into it

Hopefully Hoekstra doesn't tap too much because Reb is already overkill with it

I agree 100%! It was a cool novelty for one song when Jeff Watson did it 30 years ago. After that one song it was enough already for anyone. When I think of the amount of time it would take to master something like that just to sound like the soundtrack for Galaga, well

 

[thiswaythatway]

Joel is certainly a gifted player. I just miss Doug's swagger. Whitesnake is about swagger and groove.

And love songs.

 

[BMoore77]

Joel is certainly a gifted player. I just miss Doug's swagger. Whitesnake is about swagger and groove.

And love songs.

LOL!!! Way too many, in fact.

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

Have to disagree with you guys.., I think hoekstra has plenty of rock star swagger and he stays more or less in the vein of the original where sykes is concerned. The 8 finger tapping is more for the original stuff vs the classics. For me, it totally works. He has brought some energy back into this band.

 

[Beyond Black]

Have to disagree with you guys.., I think hoekstra has plenty of rock star swagger and he stays more or less in the vein of the original where sykes is concerned. The 8 finger tapping is more for the original stuff vs the classics. For me, it totally works. He has brought some energy back into this band.

Absolutely. Lack of swagger? Are you kidding? The guy's a beast and a consummate showman! And as far as the eight finger tapping goes, that's just one of his tricks from a hefty bag that's full of them. That motherfucker can play anything. If you don't believe me, get his solo albums.