Surprize [to me] douche alert...

[Red_Label]

Was flipping through the current issue of Total Guitar at the newstand because I was interested in the article on Al DiMeola (and I'll admit it... I was curious about the article on The Darkness).

I've only read a few articles on DiMeola over the past 2.5 decades, but I don't remember thinking that he was such a douche after the few that I'd read. This one sure did it. He managed to completely dismiss Vai, Zakk, and EVH in it. Basically said that if you unplugged them from their Marshall stacks, they'd be screwed/nothing/whatever. Was very disappointing to see someone of his tenure/stature be so lacking in diplomatic skills. I mean crap... even Yngwie has grown a lot over the years in regards to taking shots like that.

I used to be a pretty big DiMeola fan (although I was always more into Holdsworth as far as fusion goes). But the validity of his body of work is no more than that of the guys he put-down (veiled or not). Pretty friggin' lame. He also took a shot at sweep pickers. I know what he was getting at with that comment, but Frank Gambale is a sweeper and he's the guy I think of when I think of sweeping.

I'm surprized that he didn't take a shot at Yngwie (maybe he was with the sweeping thing). Al can play a mean nylon string acoustic, but so can Yngwie.

Anyways... I'm pretty disgusted with the guy at this point. You'd think he was some testocerone-filled 20 year old young gun the way he talked smack, not a seasoned player of several decades who should be able to let his playing do ALL of his talking. For cripes sakes, Govan hasn't taken shots of players that I'm aware of and the guy can shred Al into the freakin weeds. Oh... and Al hates the term "shredding" as well.


Dear Al: Grow-up and let your playing do your talking. Oh... and enough with the five O-clock shadow already...

 

[Badronald]

Unfortunately, over time, you may come to realize that many people you have admired over the years are miserable human beings.

 

[Red_Label]

Unfortunately, over time, you may come to realize that many people you have admired over the years are miserable human beings.

Werd.


He was also chest-thumping about being THE guy who "discovered" Paul Reed Smith. Gave Santana his due, but said that he was first. You'd think a guy who's been there, done that for as long as him would be a little less juvenile about things. Guy's ego is obviously HUGE. On the other hand, every interview that I've read with one of his main cohorts (John McLaughlin) has been very understated, and seemingly humble. I'm not as familiar with McLaughtlin's body of work (except his stuff with DiMeola and Paco), but I know that he's certainly at least as well-respected among players as DiMeola is.

 

[rupe]

So it's not cool to call 'em like you see 'em? Right or wrong, I'd rather have him be real than read another sanitized, politically correct interview...f**k that garbage. The pussification of society...I can't stand it.

 

[Red_Label]

So it's not cool to call 'em like you see 'em? Right or wrong, I'd rather have him be real than read another sanitized, politically correct interview...f**k that garbage. The pussification of society...I can't stand it.

Actually, you're right. I do like honestly.

But he dismissed some BIG time players as if they were mosquitos. THAT is the "garbage". Vai could do whatever he wanted to (plugged-in or otherwise). And EVH, though seemingly now irrelevant, sure as hell is one of the all-time biggest guitar influences there is. MILES more influential than Al will ever be (admittedly, because Eddie plays/played "popular" music).

At any rate... Al came off like a total douche to me in that article. I just called it as I saw it...


Oh... and Al's talent and discography notwithstanding, there are guys out there who have played him into the weeds with less of an ego and more mature of an attitude. He came-off like a Yngwie's early interviews (when he was NINETEEN years old). Yngwie sounded like a bit of a douche when he did that, but a guy Al's age (you know... GRANDPA age) REALLY sounds douche-tastic when they're still talking smack at that age.

 

[Red_Label]

Very cool post Rez. And it's good to hear that he was cool to you. Still leaves a very bad taste in my mouth that he talked smack about such big names (names much more well-known than his outside of guitar-worship circles), but sounds like he's not a douche to every one -- which is cool. Dunno why he dropped names unsolicited in that article. Comes-off like sour grapes because he's chosen to play a genre that's not as popular.


ETA: my memory is getting fuzzy already. The interviewer may have dropped the names and let DiMeola respond to his statement. Wanted to clarify that in case I was wrong about him mentioned the names specifically. Though he may have. I just don't remember at this point.

 

[Anonymous]

Was flipping through the current issue of Total Guitar at the newstand because I was interested in the article on Al DiMeola (and I'll admit it... I was curious about the article on The Darkness).

I've only read a few articles on DiMeola over the past 2.5 decades, but I don't remember thinking that he was such a douche after the few that I'd read. This one sure did it. He managed to completely dismiss Vai, Zakk, and EVH in it. Basically said that if you unplugged them from their Marshall stacks, they'd be screwed/nothing/whatever. Was very disappointing to see someone of his tenure/stature be so lacking in diplomatic skills. I mean crap... even Yngwie has grown a lot over the years in regards to taking shots like that.

I used to be a pretty big DiMeola fan (although I was always more into Holdsworth as far as fusion goes). But the validity of his body of work is no more than that of the guys he put-down (veiled or not). Pretty friggin' lame. He also took a shot at sweep pickers. I know what he was getting at with that comment, but Frank Gambale is a sweeper and he's the guy I think of when I think of sweeping.

I'm surprized that he didn't take a shot at Yngwie (maybe he was with the sweeping thing). Al can play a mean nylon string acoustic, but so can Yngwie.

Anyways... I'm pretty disgusted with the guy at this point. You'd think he was some testocerone-filled 20 year old young gun the way he talked smack, not a seasoned player of several decades who should be able to let his playing do ALL of his talking. For cripes sakes, Govan hasn't taken shots of players that I'm aware of and the guy can shred Al into the freakin weeds. Oh... and Al hates the term "shredding" as well.


Dear Al: Grow-up and let your playing do your talking. Oh... and enough with the five O-clock shadow already...

Fuck Al DiMeola. I guess he never heard "Spanish Fly"... Even Gilbert has trouble getting through that on nylon string...

Steve

 

[Red_Label]

Fuck Al DiMeola. I guess he never heard "Spanish Fly"... Even Gilbert has trouble getting through that on nylon string...

Steve

Or how about the intro to "Little Guitars". Granted, Eddie "cheated" on that, by hammering the bass notes and tremolo picking the high notes (instead of playing with his fingernails flamenco-style). But damn... anytime I get to thinkin' that maybe EVH wasn't "all that" in his prime, I just listen to that intro to remind me that he could lay it down. Certainly not even in the same league as DiMeola -- but with a natural swagger, coolness, and tonefullness that Al never had.

 

[rupe]

So it's not cool to call 'em like you see 'em? Right or wrong, I'd rather have him be real than read another sanitized, politically correct interview...f**k that garbage. The pussification of society...I can't stand it.

Actually, you're right. I do like honestly.

But he dismissed some BIG time players as if they were mosquitos. THAT is the "garbage". Vai could do whatever he wanted to (plugged-in or otherwise). And EVH, though seemingly now irrelevant, sure as hell is one of the all-time biggest guitar influences there is. MILES more influential than Al will ever be (admittedly, because Eddie plays/played "popular" music).

At any rate... Al came off like a total douche to me in that article. I just called it as I saw it...


Oh... and Al's talent and discography notwithstanding, there are guys out there who have played him into the weeds with less of an ego and more mature of an attitude. He came-off like a Yngwie's early interviews (when he was NINETEEN years old). Yngwie sounded like a bit of a douche when he did that, but a guy Al's age (you know... GRANDPA age) REALLY sounds douche-tastic when they're still talking smack at that age.

I agree with the douche part...I'm just glad he said what he felt as I'd rather he be "real" than PC. And its cool you called him out on it rather than try to rationalize why he might have said those things.

FWIW, I've sat in a room with Zakk playing the acoustic and the man can tear it up...in fact Al is one of his biggest inspirations.

 

[Milerky2]

this is why my hero is Phil Keaggy.

 

[mikehickey]

the real issue here is that you were looking for an article on the Darkness

Al can pick like a mutha... but those dudes can surely rip unplugged...

 

[rupe]

Fuck Al DiMeola. I guess he never heard "Spanish Fly"... Even Gilbert has trouble getting through that on nylon string...

Steve

Funny you brought that up. My freshman year in college I had a senior in my dorm who was a DiMeola disciple and an amazing guitarist. He turned me on the the stuff that Al did with McLaughlin and DeLucia and in turn I brought up Spanish Fly and Dee. He proceeded to berate me for listening to that "garbage" and went on to rip Eddie as a shit player and Randy as an amatuer. He was not a friend to me after that

 

[alan67]

I wouldn't give a fuck less if any of those guys really were so far beneath "AL" technique-wise. Let's see, when was the last time any of his tunes were pounding through my car stereo?....hmmm.....never! Yeah, the guy can play but I really couldn't give a shit because I don't dig his music, that doesn't mean it's bad, it's just my opinion, much like how he's expressing his; although I really don't give a fuck what he thinks.

 

[rupe]

this is why my hero is Phil Keaggy.

 

[Milerky2]

Fuck Al DiMeola. I guess he never heard "Spanish Fly"... Even Gilbert has trouble getting through that on nylon string...

Steve

Funny you brought that up. My freshman year in college I had a senior in my dorm who was a DiMeola disciple and an amazing guitarist. He turned me on the the stuff that Al did with McLaughlin and DeLucia and in turn I brought up Spanish Fly and Dee. He proceeded to berate me for listening to that "garbage" and went on to rip Eddie as a shit player and Randy as an amatuer. He was not a friend to me after that

lol. Did you go to Belmont? And was the senior in question from Jersey?

 

[Red_Label]

I agree with the douche part...I'm just glad he said what he felt as I'd rather he be "real" than PC. And its cool you called him out on it rather than try to rationalize why he might have said those things.

FWIW, I've sat in a room with Zakk playing the acoustic and the man can tear it up...in fact Al is one of his biggest inspirations.

Yeah, didn't mean to discount Zakk either cause that guy's a monster as well. He's such a charicature of himself anymore that it's hard to take him seriously, but I saw him live with Ozzy a couple of years ago and he was a freakin' machine. His solo was just insane. I have generally looked more at the "elite" players over the years as my influences (ala the aforementioned DiMeola, Holdsworth, etc... and especially Yngwie). But after seeing Zakk lay it down like he did live, I had to admit that the guy smokes me into the weeds. I was surprized at his endurance and there was no slop. Definitely the most technically able player ever to accompany Ozzy IMO (though I will admit that I'm unfamiliar with any of Gus G's work at this point). Randy will always be my favorite Ozzy sideman, but as a technical shredder, he wasn't the machine that Zakk is.

Speaking of Gus G... I brought home a Gus G Ltd sig model (EC) yesterday on trial from my local music store. I dig it. May have to keep it...

 

[Red_Label]

the real issue here is that you were looking for an article on the Darkness

Al can pick like a mutha... but those dudes can surely rip unplugged...

I admit it man... I'm a fan of The Darkness! I've got the balls to do that even though I know it's not cool to admit that on an internet forum.

Yup... I've got both of their first two CDs (they are coming-out with a new one) and I enjoy them. My current cover band plays "I Believe In a Thing Called Love". I'm a child of the 80s and it's cool to hear a band with that vibe. Dan and Justin lay-out the good old 80's Marshall tones and remind me of the heyday of ACDC and Leppard.

 

[chumbucket]

I've heard that DiMeola's rug gets its own dressing room.

 

[The Hoff]

Unfortunately, over time, you may come to realize that many people you have admired over the years are miserable human beings.

Definitely a disappointing reality....

 

[Badronald]

The point is that he has no class. Why not rip on BB King or Buddy Guy because they play three note solo's or Angus Young or SRV because of their limited knowledge of the fretboard?
It's ridiculous and it sounds like a grade schooler. Same as when Bonamassa bashed his contemporaries because he felt he wasn't getting enough attention.