Guitarists you just don't understand

[romanianreaper]

You guys are going to think I sprinkled my Frosted Flakes with low-grade PCP, but here are a few:

Steve Vai - Before I get beheaded, I love the guy. He is super-talented, I know he is one of the best, etc. and I dig a lot of the things he has done. For whatever reason though, I don't "get" him or feel attached to his music like I do when I hear a few others. Like I said though, phenomenal.

Jeff Beck - I can appreciate the guy and his talent but again, don't feel a connection with his stuff.

Keith Richards - I love the Stones and he has written some classic riffs, but I wouldn't even put him in the category of any of the guitarists we all talk about. I can't even think of a solo right now of his. Great dirty, bluesy riff dude but don't get him.

 

[Goat]

You guys are going to think I sprinkled my Frosted Flakes with low-grade PCP, but here are a few:

Steve Vai - Before I get beheaded, I love the guy. He is super-talented, I know he is one of the best, etc. and I dig a lot of the things he has done. For whatever reason though, I don't "get" him or feel attached to his music like I do when I hear a few others. Like I said though, phenomenal.

Jeff Beck - I can appreciate the guy and his talent but again, don't feel a connection with his stuff.

Keith Richards - I love the Stones and he has written some classic riffs, but I wouldn't even put him in the category of any of the guitarists we all talk about. I can't even think of a solo right now of his. Great dirty, bluesy riff dude but don't get him.

Question: Do you "get" the stylings of Warren DiMartini, and George Lynch?

 

[lll]

Tom Morello - Rich suburbanite kid plays up the activist schtick and rides the wave to semi-fame. You can tell by listening to him (talk and play) that he has more than a few screws loose.

 

[DiezelMonster]

Tom Morello - Rich suburbanite kid plays up the activist schtick and rides the wave to semi-fame. You can tell by listening to him (talk and play) that he has more than a few screws loose.

You mean his Harvard education doesn't mean he has any "street cred"?

 

[Wizard of Ozz]

Steve Vai - Before I get beheaded, I love the guy. He is super-talented, I know he is one of the best, etc. and I dig a lot of the things he has done. For whatever reason though, I don't "get" him or feel attached to his music like I do when I hear a few others. Like I said though, phenomenal.

+1,000,000,000

Steve Vai. I completely respect and understand his talent and impact... but he is more like a guitar ninja to me. Amazing to watch or listen to once... but the feel isn't there for me. I've heard all of his albums/songs several times... but just 2-3 really are memorable to me.

 

[311boogieman]

I liked Steve Vai with DLR (and Whitesnake) a lot more than solo. Weird how that works sometimes.

 

[Wizard of Ozz]

I liked Steve Vai with DLR (and Whitesnake) a lot more than solo. Weird how that works sometimes.

Me too. I was going to say the same thing. Those bands gave his talent purpose.

 

[gtrwun]

Again, who do you guys actually like? Throw me a bone if your going to throw out there that you don’t like David Gilmour, Gary Moore, Jeff Beck etc....who the f do you listen to and appreciate? There is no context without both opinions.

 

[Fret-Shredder]

Not a knock on them personally but a few I just could never relate to:

Jeff Beck: Undeniably talented but just a bit weird to me and could never get into his music. Another is Tom Morello I've never understood the attraction to his playing and same goes for Vernon Reid. Vernon's solos are like fingernails on a chalkboard to me. For good measure I'll throw Carlos Santana in there too. I have plenty more I could mention but these guys came to mind first.

 

[romanianreaper]

You guys are going to think I sprinkled my Frosted Flakes with low-grade PCP, but here are a few:

Steve Vai - Before I get beheaded, I love the guy. He is super-talented, I know he is one of the best, etc. and I dig a lot of the things he has done. For whatever reason though, I don't "get" him or feel attached to his music like I do when I hear a few others. Like I said though, phenomenal.

Jeff Beck - I can appreciate the guy and his talent but again, don't feel a connection with his stuff.

Keith Richards - I love the Stones and he has written some classic riffs, but I wouldn't even put him in the category of any of the guitarists we all talk about. I can't even think of a solo right now of his. Great dirty, bluesy riff dude but don't get him.

Question: Do you "get" the stylings of Warren DiMartini, and George Lynch?

Yes, those are two of my favorites!!

 

[alan67]

I liked Steve Vai with DLR (and Whitesnake) a lot more than solo. Weird how that works sometimes.

I liked Vai with DLR - I think that really fit. But with Whitesnake and Alcatrazz it just didn't work for me.

 

[311boogieman]

Again, who do you guys actually like? Throw me a bone if your going to throw out there that you don’t like David Gilmour, Gary Moore, Jeff Beck etc....who the f do you listen to and appreciate? There is no context without both opinions.

If you look at the OP this thread was in juxtaposition to the "Top 5 Rock Guitarists" thread. Not 5 you like/5 you don't like - which would be fun too.

For the record I like Gilmour and Beck. I have 5-6 Floyd albums and Blow by Blow and Wired by Jeff Beck.

Truck worthy.

 

[PeteLaramee]

I know I'm going to hear about this, but I don't understand why anyone likes Joe Perry, Keith Richards, or Jimmy Page.

 

[paulyc]

Vai, Holdsworth, Yngwie, the whole Shrapnel gang, Petrucci, and a whole bunch of others. I respect and admire ALL of them for their talent, but give me EVH, RR, Lynch, Di Martini, Gary Moore, and Andy Timmons any day.

As far as Gilmour, Page, Keef and Joe Perry, I’m a “late Bloomer” with most of these guys, especially Gilmour. Again, I respect them all, but it took me getting older to appreciate it.

As far as Clapton and Beck... sorry, STILL don’t get it. I don’t think I ever will at this point either.

Don’t really care for Mick Mars or CC Deville either, and I HATE Vernon Reid, don’t know why people like Santana so much, Tom Morello doesn’t do it for me at all, but for some reason I really like The Edge, I know, I know... he can’t play for shit but I dig U2, one of the 3 best shows I’ve ever seen. (The other 2 were Billy Joel and Elton John) Great tunes.

 

[romanianreaper]

I know I'm going to hear about this, but I don't understand why anyone likes Joe Perry, Keith Richards, or Jimmy Page.

Yes dude, you are going to hear from at least me. LOL!! Jimmy Page man!! The other I can budge a bit on but Jimmy Page is one of my favorites. Just the acoustic songs with crazy tunings, the sounds and tones he was able to conjure up, the big chords, etc. He was always evolving. The early bluesy Zeppelin, into crunchy riffs, into acoustic bliss, then into arena rock staples, etc. Just amazing what he was able to do.

 

[PeteLaramee]

I know I'm going to hear about this, but I don't understand why anyone likes Joe Perry, Keith Richards, or Jimmy Page.

Yes dude, you are going to hear from at least me. LOL!! Jimmy Page man!! The other I can budge a bit on but Jimmy Page is one of my favorites. Just the acoustic songs with crazy tunings, the sounds and tones he was able to conjure up, the big chords, etc. He was always evolving. The early bluesy Zeppelin, into crunchy riffs, into acoustic bliss, then into arena rock staples, etc. Just amazing what he was able to do.

Sorry man, I just never liked anything about Zep. I know I'm in the minority, but it is what it is.

 

[ClintN667]

Some guys like Vai, yngwie, satriani etc are amazing players but I can't listen to any of it.

 

[ewill52]

Steve Vai - Before I get beheaded, I love the guy. He is super-talented, I know he is one of the best, etc. and I dig a lot of the things he has done. For whatever reason though, I don't "get" him or feel attached to his music like I do when I hear a few others. Like I said though, phenomenal.

+1,000,000,000

Steve Vai. I completely respect and understand his talent and impact... but he is more like a guitar ninja to me. Amazing to watch or listen to once... but the feel isn't there for me. I've heard all of his albums/songs several times... but just 2-3 really are memorable to me.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I like Vai in the constraints of a band better than on his own. He's amazing. Unbelievable talent, freak of nature. I just like him in a band context better.

 

[ewill52]

Again, who do you guys actually like? Throw me a bone if your going to throw out there that you don’t like David Gilmour, Gary Moore, Jeff Beck etc....who the f do you listen to and appreciate? There is no context without both opinions.

right now I'm really on an Andy Timmons kick. he's stupid-good. can shred but does so in the context of the song. Really like Andy Wood. Dozens more but that's whats been on the playlist for the last couple of weeks. My current non-shred addiction is The Steel Woods.

 

[splatter]

The title should be "popular guitarist I don't like"

But if you want to explore the original title I would have to say Gorge lynch.
I can't understand why any guitarist would want to play eastern Indian scales over western music. It just sounds horrible to me.
I like the old Lynch and some of the new stuff .

As for popular guitarist I don't listen to
Clapton
Beck
SRV
Wylde
Dimebag