Bonamassa is wierd

  • Thread starter Thread starter Sick Michael
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skoora said:
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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When you mentioned Mountain and Cactus I thought of this-

 
Like Mayer, I don’t have a problem with him, I just haven’t heard anything that’s done it for me yet. I dig that ”Ballad Of John Henry” tune. I’d love to go see him live, but that kind of music isn’t what I listen to in general. Don’t give a shit what the guy wears, I’m a huge Mudvayne and Slipknot fan, I can’t really say shit here.
 
He plays really good . But he caters to the old guys who bought a Les Paul or strat and only like a bit bit classic rock or blues . I teach them so I know
 
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He rubs me the wrong way too.

He has always seemed exactly like one of those know-it-all guys who thinks he's better than everybody else because he's technically competent, but deep down there's just not much soul in in music. He's a white well groomed millionaire with an underbite who wears a suit on stage and drags around $300,000 worth of gear every time he plays live but then he tries to sound like a slave when he sings with his fake deep south "OH LAWD HEP MEH!" bullshit.

You know who really loves Bonamassa? Those people who think it's not "music" unless it's an entire band recording live in a single take to analog tape (otherwise it's "cheating") where hitting the right notes, and doing "instrumental acrobatics" are the most important things about it, but the way the music makes you feel? Who cares, not important.

And don't compare him to shredders either. Full on shredding wizards try to make their thing all about technicality. That's their whole deal. Bonamassa, by contrast, has chosen a genre that is typically 100% all about soul and feel, but the guy still approaches it like it's a math problem.

He's the Thomas Kinkade of guitar players.


Credit where it's due though, the dude does have some serious gear haha and I bet it would be fun to hear it cranked up live, but the music itself? Doesn't move the needle at all.
 
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CarlF said:
When you mentioned Mountain and Cactus I thought of this-

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Not bad but the sweater over the collared shirt spoke louder than his Marshall’s….lol
Often when he plays I imagine how Gary Moore would be just adding so much more to what is going on. But Gary treats a fretboard like it owes him money. Like someone who knows how to handle a 90lb pitbull. Gary’s guitars after a gig don’t know whether to call a help line or forgo their parents and get ready to move in with him at the compound.
 
The dude has chops, yawn! Doesn't have the soul and feel or the lyrics to rip my heart out.
 
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No doubt the dude can play his ass off. Technically the guy is brilliant.

I wouldn’t even consider going to see him play. But, I appear to be in the minority as he sells out large venues all over the world. I don’t like his singing, his live show in his zoot suit, his back up singers, his sunglasses because it all seems pretty contrived to me.

But, he has a bitchin collection including multiple dumbles and many killer Les Paul’s, tele and strats. His Eric Johnson licks are on point. He admits to ripping off EJ. At least he is honest about it. Unlike Greta Van fleet, those bozos.
 
mooncobra said:
No doubt the dude can play his ass off. Technically the guy is brilliant.

I wouldn’t even consider going to see him play. But, I appear to be in the minority as he sells out large venues all over the world. I don’t like his singing, his live show in his zoot suit, his back up singers, his sunglasses because it all seems pretty contrived to me.

But, he has a bitchin collection including multiple dumbles and many killer Les Paul’s, tele and strats. His Eric Johnson licks are on point. He admits to ripping off EJ. At least he is honest about it. Unlike Greta Van fleet, those bozos.
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He’s got technique, but if I wanna see technique I can see even better for that with guys like Graham or Ostro and none of them have the musical content part down anyway, so that’s the reason I’d listen to them: technique

He does have some incredible gear for sure including also like a dozen Jim Kelley’s, Gjika, I think even Larry’s (or at least pics with them iirc) and so much more. I think it’s partly because his dad owned a guitar store

I personally wouldn’t mind a rip off if it actually was as good or better than the original. In some ways srv was like that and I think he’s great
 
I think everybody’s probably got their mind made up already but this is early in his career . Just a three piece band rocking out and some dancing girls

 
I like Joe - he is a legit player in many styles when he wants to be. His love of english blues is something I can dig too as I love Cream. I saw him before he put on the suit and he was killer. He did some amazing things. When Kevin Shirley got a hold of him his style changed into something more marketable. And it worked. He lives the life any of us would want. Touring the world with real 59 LPs and killer gear. I admire him and his success and how they did it. I think all great players have some eccentricities. I do not hate on any of them though because I work a regular gig and wish I had had the balls to do what they have done.
 
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