Surprize [to me] douche alert...

[Red_Label]

You guys should read an interview of the 2 guitar players from Blind Melon. They RIPPED, and I mean RIPPED Satriani and Dream Theater when they were commenting of a few songs while they were In The Listening Room for a Guitar World column. But they were kinda funny when they wished they could punch the guys from the Spin Doctors in the face for being so happy in the videos.

Yeah... I remember that. I remember thinking they were douches and then forgetting about it... because NO ONE really cares what those guys think (or even knows their names).

 

[Red_Label]

This happens on every guitar forum I see by 100 guys every single day....LOL....by the likes that dont have 1% the talent as Al D..... I think its more shocking to hear a professional musician do it though....

That's the real kicker and why it bothered me. I expected more from someone of his stature. No one expects anything different from a bunch of anonymous internet posters. If I was Al and wanted to shit-talk, I'd assume an anonymous internet persona on boards and do it. But of course, his ego would never let him do that -- because he'd want people to know just who it was that was doing the talking and want them to me impressed by the weight that his opinion carried.

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

Does it really matter what he thinks? Maybe he should ask himself how many people listen to him or have bought his albums over the course of 30 years and we'll see if he stacks up even to Warrant sales. (Cherry Pie!) The guy runs up and down the neck playing a mile a minute big deal on an unplugged instrument.. I have zero interest in being able to do that because the guy who plays 3 chords on an acoustic and can sing reasonably well will always get the pu$$y when he sings around a campfire!

 

[Red_Label]

So Al shared his opinion and it let you down.

It was negative about others you thought highly of.

This thread is the same thing, sharing a negative.

Al only knows why he had that attitude at that moment.

He put out some great music. It stands on it's own.

Sometimes people just have a bad day.

Agreed on all counts... but the part in red is what got me. Vai, Zakk, and EVH have done the same and graced the covers of more guitar mags than Al will ever dream of. That is a fact. And probably why he dislikes them. But you take a guy like Holdsworth (who is on a completely different level in my opinion than Al)... I haven't seen such sour grapes from him. He's certainly struggled financially at times because of his devotion to create his art purely. So I'm sure that it grinds his gears on some level that these rock "hacks" are more well-known and much richer than he is. But he seems to take it in stride and accept the world for what it is. I would think that a guy of Al's age would have done that long ago...

 

[Red_Label]

Does it really matter what he thinks? Maybe he should ask himself how many people listen to him or have bought his albums over the course of 30 years and we'll see if he stacks up even to Warrant sales. (Cherry Pie!) The guy runs up and down the neck playing a mile a minute big deal on an unplugged instrument.. I have zero interest in being able to do that because the guy who plays 3 chords on an acoustic and can sing reasonably well will always get the pu$$y when he sings around a campfire!

On the one hand I agree with your statement. One the other, I disagree. Clearly he doesn't do what he does to get "pu$$y at the campfire". He's an artist and what he does is every bit as valid as a singer-songwriter who gets the 'tang (hello John Mayer). Same goes with EVH, Vai and Zakk. It's all valid.

Speaking of Mayer... I seem to remember him being a bit of a douche in an interview recently as well in regards to slamming other very well-known and respected players. If I'm not mistaken Satch was one (or maybe Vai). I saw Satch play a few years ago. I've always liked him, but I never really "worshipped" him as one of the true greats. I stood 5 feet from him all night and I left with a whole new level of respect for the guy. Here was this guy who was obviously putting 100% into everything he played the whole night, with an ear-to-ear grin across his face all night. He clearly loved every single minute of it. Hard not to love a guy like that...

 

[Lution]

gotta link to the article?

 

[Red_Label]

gotta link to the article?

I don't. I was reading the magazine at my local Barnes & Noble.

 

[Red_Label]

At any rate... my world didn't collapse because of reading this article. I just thought it was a low-class move and it kind of surprized me coming from a guy who's been around as long as him. Doesn't take away from his accomplishments. Just reminded me that talent and personality are not always encountered in equal measures.

 

[PaulyPanacea]

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

this pretty much sums up 90% of the music biz!! People who have it all really take it for granted!

 

[King Crimson]

I met Al, spent a day filming him in the studio, he was great, super nice.

You do know that Di Meola translates to Mericon.

 

['63-Strat]

No doubt Al is a great musician and RTF is gonna be up there forever as one of jazz's high points IMO. I think the reason why guys like Al get so bitter against rock guys is that their harmonic and rhythmic abilities are just undeveloped compared to latin jazz guys and on that level, I agree. As far as pure chops, no, Al is no better than them. But NO WAY can any of those guys blaze over changes and odd meter latin grooves like Al can.

But that's his choice to have played jazz, he could've gone for more commercially viable music if he'd wanted to. Vai can play over changes, but not like Al, but EVH and Zack? No chance, sorry they just don't have the vocabulary. It's just playing in one key center the vast majority of the time, whereas Al's burning over changes and throwing in subs etc. It's just a very different thing. I'd still rather listen to Mike Stern though and he's not nearly as much of a jazz elitist either

 

[mixohoytian]

I have yet to hear an al dimeola melody that I like
I think this is a little more relevant than technique...

 

[Spaceboy]

I'm sure we all have our own cockheaded opinions on music too.

 

[mentoneman]

was mr electric guitar back in the 70s. in many people's eyes the king. and the super trio concert i saw him play at the waikiki shell in the early 80s was incredible. race with the devil on a spanish highway was the quintessential di meola solo moment.
as was this with the trio:

but it seems he bought in to the showers of praise too much, coupled with being a product of the schooled music realm--you wanna see critical weirdos?? -- and has always had that cocky arrogant thing going, on which in a strange way makes him great but turned me off to fully supporting his solo music. i don't feel compelled to love something made by an ass.

it's funny to read blatant slamming like that. yngwie hammered vai and morse. comes with the territory for certain players trying to be the best gunslinger, and in a way that arrogant confidence comes though their playing in cool daring ways. bravado and fearlessness separate average players from legends. and listen even the "nice" guys slam other players in private.

that clip reza posted sounded like he was sort of feeling his way and not owning it, but even though i'm not enthralled by him i still root for him as an old hero of mine. impossible to compete with gambale as far as chick corea guitar players go.

keaggy is a master in his own right but i don't know if he could hang with that odd time/corea fusion, nor would he want too??

in any event you can't deny al is a legend.

 

['63-Strat]

was mr electric guitar back in the 70s. in many people's eyes the king. and the super trio concert i saw him play at the waikiki shell in the early 80s was incredible. race with the devil on a spanish highway was the quintessential di meola solo moment.
as was this with the trio:

but it seems he bought in to the showers of praise too much, coupled with being a product of the schooled music realm--you wanna see critical weirdos?? -- and has always had that cocky arrogant thing going, on which in a strange way makes him great but turned me off to fully supporting his solo music. i don't feel compelled to love something made by an ass.

it's funny to read blatant slamming like that. yngwie hammered vai and morse. comes with the territory for certain players trying to be the best gunslinger, and in a way that arrogant confidence comes though their playing in cool daring ways. bravado and fearlessness separate average players from legends. and listen even the "nice" guys slam other players in private.

that clip reza posted sounded like he was sort of feeling his way and not owning it, but even though i'm not enthralled by him i still root for him as an old hero of mine. impossible to compete with gambale as far as chick corea guitar players go.

keaggy is a master in his own right but i don't know if he could hang with that odd time/corea fusion, nor would he want too??

in any event you can't deny al is a legend.

Agreed.

 

[Red_Label]

Ditto all of that mentoneman. And I still think that he is a great player (who happens to come across like an ass).

I will admit that Yngwie has always been my main "guitar god" and even though he used to be a sizeable ass, for some reason I could deal with that. Maybe because he was the young gun slinger/neo-classical metal player or whatever. He's QUITE a bit more gracious these days from what I've read and I'm glad. One should age gracefully and become more mature as one ages IMO. I'm old school that way...

 

[JTyson]

was mr electric guitar back in the 70s. in many people's eyes the king. and the super trio concert i saw him play at the waikiki shell in the early 80s was incredible. race with the devil on a spanish highway was the quintessential di meola solo moment.
as was this with the trio:

but it seems he bought in to the showers of praise too much, coupled with being a product of the schooled music realm--you wanna see critical weirdos?? -- and has always had that cocky arrogant thing going, on which in a strange way makes him great but turned me off to fully supporting his solo music. i don't feel compelled to love something made by an ass.

it's funny to read blatant slamming like that. yngwie hammered vai and morse. comes with the territory for certain players trying to be the best gunslinger, and in a way that arrogant confidence comes though their playing in cool daring ways. bravado and fearlessness separate average players from legends. and listen even the "nice" guys slam other players in private.

that clip reza posted sounded like he was sort of feeling his way and not owning it, but even though i'm not enthralled by him i still root for him as an old hero of mine. impossible to compete with gambale as far as chick corea guitar players go.

keaggy is a master in his own right but i don't know if he could hang with that odd time/corea fusion, nor would he want too??

in any event you can't deny al is a legend.

Agreed.

+2, and for whatever its worth, I've read where he complemented a handful of rock players on occasion
Might be rare, but it happened

 

[thegame]

An artists personality has absolutely zero bearing on my status as a fan. Its the music and only the music that counts.

 

[mentoneman]

An artists personality has absolutely zero bearing on my status as a fan. Its the music and only the music that counts.

if i had no idea about is personality but just heard him play, i'd agree.
and reza said he was a nice guy so i have no reason to believe he is always lame.

but just look at the way he shakes his head after every blazing phrase, like he's fabio the magic italian stallion shaking his imaginary mane full of gold powder in the wind, and his expression is so "that just happened you lucky mortal"--even when he's looking at paco and mcglaughlin, it's kind of a crack up--

let's face it guys like him, holdsworth, lane, guthrie, are so far beyond the santanas and claptons on the skill scale it's not even the same galaxy, but did/will they ever sell like carlos and eric. not a chance. i can understand the tragic injustice making one a bit bitter.

 

[Red_Label]

An artists personality has absolutely zero bearing on my status as a fan. Its the music and only the music that counts.

The music comes first for me. But when I become aware of an artist whose views I disagree with, it does affect me and my willingness to support their art financially. They'd be better-off to SHUT THEIR TRAPS. But many just can't help it.

I'm a VERY politically-motivated person. I often rant at work and to friends and family on a regular basis. But I'll tell you that in 25 years and hundreds or thousands of gigs played... I've NEVER uttered a political phrase into the mic. Never even been tempted to. Not the place. Granted, Al wasn't talking politics. However... being a public figure who's being quoted in a magazine, I would have expected him to choose his words more carefully. Many like it when these guys shoot off-the-cuff. We're getting the REAL person that way. That's fine. But none of that takes away from the fact that he would have been smarter to just keep it shut in regards to potentially alienating would-be fans. But hey... it's his paycheck...