Why don't 90's guitar players get talked about here?

[dallasb]

Demographics mostly. I'm a big 80's fan but also huge into 90's bands and modern rock or bands like todays Opeth. Tool is amazing, Muse is a synthy version of Dream Theater.

To say that stuff is easy to play is lol

When I joined a modern rock band the timing sort of messed with me. Not the standard straight up 4/4 stuff that was most of the 80's. Rythym's for most modern rock song is far more impressive. It's usually more dynamic too. Not the same 80's palm mutes and open it up at the chorus. Not the same predictable style as intro verse verse chorus 30 sec lead solo, chorus and fade I was used to. 90's changed it all. Not just the emo part. Look beyond that lyrical style and explore the crafting of the music itself.

Both eras were cool. Most of my influences were Zep. Not quite the VH godlike status some like to promote. Just to me each era needs its own thing.

80's guys are doing what their parents were by saying the only good music was from my (50's) days.

80's you had standard tunings and shredders mostly. 90's ushered in many many alternate tunings, more back beats, 7 string guitars, baritone guitars, baritone tunings, and then bands like Goo Goo Dolls that really took tuning to the extreme and made it sound bad ass. Not since the Rain Song had a I heard a detuned song so cool and tough to pick up on. Then I heard Name, Iris, and so many others. Until the tuning was given so many people played that song so wrong.

Like the Rain Song, it made me appreciate the minds of the creators. Here tune to DADAEE, DDDDDE, BDDDDD, DADDAD, and write songs as profound and see how easy it really is. If it was so easy, how come the 80's shredders never attempted it?

80's shred and glam metal was done for at the right moment. 50's music died, 60's music went away when new innovators changed the game in the 70's. I appreciate all those eras. I only wish there was more of a new shift in this new era. My kids listening to my music from HS years just feels weird.

 

[Heritage Softail]

so were creed ,hanson ,ace of base and limp bizkit bands of the 90's
so to simply say the 80's sucked because of certain bands is rediculous , there is good and bad in every era of music , not every band wore lipstick and hairspray, thats like saying every band today are fat guys with beards and forearm and calf tattoos

This is it.

Trotting out the doofiest shit from the 80's and comparing to the best of the 90's is

Get a guitar, drop tune it to be a bass, and get lost in a mix. There were few leads in 90's songs because a band with all bass players can't reach those notes.

 

[thiswaythatway]

80's had the best TONEZZZZ Ever.

 

[Mr. Willy]

The 90's only where good for me until about '95, maybe '96. Everything after that got all Creed and Limp Bisquick, not to mention the massive take over of boy bands and Britney Spears stuff in the late '90's. 1990 might as well have been an extension of the 80's. There was great stuff and shitty stuff in both decades. I like what I like, and I don't care if it's cool or lame anymore.

 

[Spaceboy]

For the record, all my posts in this thread have not 100% serious. I listen to plenty '80s bands. The '80s were like every other genre, a lot of crap wth gold sprinkles here and there. I never got much into the hair things although I adore Van Halen. I love a lot of '80s pop and those ethereal rock bands though, The Cure, Depeche Mode, U2, The Church, Echo & The Bunnymen, and of course being a mostly punk guitarist, there were great punk bands from that era. I thought this thread was lighthearted but it seems like some around here are a little too serious. Who cares who likes what bands, really? To me, '90s rock is more relatable and interesting, although the '80s had much more pure skill when it comes to guitars. But, I play guitar because I love music, I don't listen to music because I love guitar. I don't care much to be impressed if a band doesn't write music that means something to me.

It's all good hombres.

 

[Spaceboy]

The 90's only where good for me until about '95, maybe '96. Everything after that got all Creed and Limp Bisquick, not to mention the massive take over of boy bands and Britney Spears stuff in the late '90's. 1990 might as well have been an extension of the 80's. There was great stuff and shitty stuff in both decades. I like what I like, and I don't care if it's cool or lame anymore.

Yeah, music sucks when you don't take the time to find something worthwhile. There were plenty of great bands in the late '90s. They may not have been on the radio, but they were there.

 

[paulyc]

Vinny Vincent is a PRIME example of a great player gone bad because he wanted to be SO over the top...he did his best work in Kiss, when Gene and Paul ruled him in. The 80s were the decade of excess, but the whole culture was wrapped up in it, whether it was keeping up with the Jones' next door, junk bonds, cocaine, or guitar playing, EVERYONE was in on it. It's funny to me that the photo of Pretty Boy Floyd looks like Steel Panther to me, but Steel Panther are selling out everywhere they play and the real 80s bands can't do anything but the summer circuit. Laugh all you want at Bon Jovi, Poision, and Motley Crue, but they busted out and made it big, no HUGE...they have nothing to be ashamed of...I'm not a big fan of those bands, but I really liked Dokken, Ratt, Dio, Scorpions, Accept, Whitesnake, White Lion, etc...but it kills me when people say Seattle killed 80s rock...no way. It was the final nail in the coffin, but the record execs and A&R guys killed 80s rock by signing SO many copies of bands that were already on their rosters...and 80s rock death was slow, baby steps. It started with Metallica and Guns & Roses showing people another way, even AIC went to LA and played shows and recorded their first album there (and we've all seen the glamour shots of AIC's early days), people got fed up with SO many sub par bands in heavy rotation all the time. The 80s were the decade of business "greed is good" mentality, if one Poison or Motley Crue was good, then 10 MUST be better.

 

[Mr. Willy]

The 90's only where good for me until about '95, maybe '96. Everything after that got all Creed and Limp Bisquick, not to mention the massive take over of boy bands and Britney Spears stuff in the late '90's. 1990 might as well have been an extension of the 80's. There was great stuff and shitty stuff in both decades. I like what I like, and I don't care if it's cool or lame anymore.

Yeah, music sucks when you don't take the time to find something worthwhile. There were plenty of great bands in the late '90s. They may not have been on the radio, but they were there.

Plenty? I say maybe a handful. Who are you referring to?

 

[paulyc]

Demographics mostly. I'm a big 80's fan but also huge into 90's bands and modern rock or bands like todays Opeth. Tool is amazing, Muse is a synthy version of Dream Theater.

To say that stuff is easy to play is lol

When I joined a modern rock band the timing sort of messed with me. Not the standard straight up 4/4 stuff that was most of the 80's. Rythym's for most modern rock song is far more impressive. It's usually more dynamic too. Not the same 80's palm mutes and open it up at the chorus. Not the same predictable style as intro verse verse chorus 30 sec lead solo, chorus and fade I was used to. 90's changed it all. Not just the emo part. Look beyond that lyrical style and explore the crafting of the music itself.

Both eras were cool. Most of my influences were Zep. Not quite the VH godlike status some like to promote. Just to me each era needs its own thing.

80's guys are doing what their parents were by saying the only good music was from my (50's) days.

80's you had standard tunings and shredders mostly. 90's ushered in many many alternate tunings, more back beats, 7 string guitars, baritone guitars, baritone tunings, and then bands like Goo Goo Dolls that really took tuning to the extreme and made it sound bad ass. Not since the Rain Song had a I heard a detuned song so cool and tough to pick up on. Then I heard Name, Iris, and so many others. Until the tuning was given so many people played that song so wrong.

Like the Rain Song, it made me appreciate the minds of the creators. Here tune to DADAEE, DDDDDE, BDDDDD, DADDAD, and write songs as profound and see how easy it really is. If it was so easy, how come the 80's shredders never attempted it?

80's shred and glam metal was done for at the right moment. 50's music died, 60's music went away when new innovators changed the game in the 70's. I appreciate all those eras. I only wish there was more of a new shift in this new era. My kids listening to my music from HS years just feels weird.

The fucking Goo Goo Dolls ? Really ? Time to change your tampon...I can't think of a band I would like to kill more them, except Nirvana...oh wait, he did it himself. Nevermind.

 

[dirtyfunkg]

The 90's only where good for me until about '95, maybe '96. Everything after that got all Creed and Limp Bisquick, not to mention the massive take over of boy bands and Britney Spears stuff in the late '90's. 1990 might as well have been an extension of the 80's. There was great stuff and shitty stuff in both decades. I like what I like, and I don't care if it's cool or lame anymore.

Yeah, music sucks when you don't take the time to find something worthwhile. There were plenty of great bands in the late '90s. They may not have been on the radio, but they were there.

Plenty? I say maybe a handful. Who are you referring to?

I'd start with Tool who really came into their own from 1996 onwards. Deftones, Incubus (when they kicked ass), System of a Down, QOTSA and Muse were all getting bigger. Even Pearl Jam had good albums in the late '90's, and STP's No 4 was good.

Radiohead was amazing and absolutely groundbreaking in their work at that time! Phish were good, and even if you aren't into the scene (I was for a while, but I learned to hate Phish fans), Trey Anastasio is one hell of a guitarist. At The Drive In was growing and ended up becoming the basis for The Mars Volta which, to me was the best band of the 2000's. And I can't forget Faith No More and Mr. Bungle--Bungle in particular was a huge influence on the following decade with bands like System and Incubus. Red Hot Chili Peppers had John Frusciante (and even One Hot Minute with Navarro was awesome) and were absolutely fresh. Californication was their last good album but man it was great! And Primus was AWESOME.

Death started in the '80's but were strongest in the '90's. Huge shame Chuck died, that guy could frikkin play! The Sound of Perseverance came out in I think '97, and that album is one of my favorite metal albums ever.

The early '90's had some of my favorite bands ever in Soundgarden, Helmet, and Alice in Chains.

It wasn't as much of a solo driven decade, but I think it had some great guitarists. What the '90's did was take rhythmic liberty in the confines of rock music. Danny Carey, Matt Cameron, John Stanier, Tim Alexander...

As I look back upon decades, I think every decade had a lot of awesome stuff going on. The '90's were more like the '70's in that the mainstream music was still pretty awesome--you didn't have to REALLY delve to find some substantial stuff. I'm not into the hair thing, but thrash metal was awesome (and was not mainstream in its heyday), and there was a lot of other cool stuff happening in the '80's. I do love VH and even a little Def Leppard but overall I could do without the rest of the glam/hair bands. Metallica and Megadeth were awesome though Megadeth peaked in the early '90's. Anthrax was awesome. Slayer! Toto was cool too--love Jeff Porcaro and Luke. And I must say Michael Jackson and Prince were awesome back then.

The 2000's, in the moment, were meh, but in retrospect, man it was awesome! Tool, Muse, System of a Down, Incubus, APC, Tomahawk, The Mars Volta, Radiohead, Pelican, Mastodon, Queens of the Stone Age, Baroness... dude, awesome music out there.

 

[BigBrewtus]

Great thread! Opinions galore. haha
It was a culture shock to go from hair band 80s to grunge 90s. I do find myself fortunate that during the 90s I was turned on
by guys like Audley Freed. Still love his style and listen to it all the time. His band Cry of Love released two albums. He lives in
Nashville and gets gigs and starts up a band here and there.

 

[metalmaniac93]

Oh yeah, I bet a lot of the RT membership pull their pants down to this-

It's become a fucking joke. I don't care about opinions, that shit is not music. There's no melody, no harmony, no singing, the drums sound like a computer, and the guitars sound like what just went into my toilet bowl. I bet they used some European high gain switcher that cost 4k!

I like some death metal but this is ridiculous!!

 

[LowDesertSludge]

Don't know but, Kim Thayill (sp?) from Soundgarden is highly underrated IMO.

 

[Steinmetzify]

Don't know but, Kim Thayill (sp?) from Soundgarden is highly underrated IMO.

So is Wino from Saint Vitus and Matt Pike from Sleep/HOF.

 

[LowDesertSludge]

Don't know but, Kim Thayill (sp?) from Soundgarden is highly underrated IMO.

So is Wino from Saint Vitus and Matt Pike from Sleep/HOF.

The truth has been spoken....

 

[Little B]

lots of great comments here, for me as a session player,when the 90s hit, the first thing I noticed in the studio was a decrease in technical solo work and an increase in just riffin" and root 5 chord work.Ya,the work was way easier and still good money,but definitely not so much a challenge for me anymore.Its all relative ,I guess.Some of my fav.country players(Paisley,Urban,Hilland,Lee,ect),I discovered in the 90s-I couldnt find a whole lot to like(save for a few bands),so I started listening to the hotter country rock scene.I love it to this day,right along with all the 80s shredders too.Thanks 90s-for pushing me into another style altogether!

 

[Rogue]

but it kills me when people say Seattle killed 80s rock...no way.

80s rock killed 80s rock. It was a good day to die.

 

[threadkiller]

but it kills me when people say Seattle killed 80s rock...no way.

80s rock killed 80s rock. It was a good day to die.

Yeah, I've got to agree. I've backed off of my grunge hatred since I've come to see that this is what really happened. It was time for 80's rock to go. It actually ran about 3 years or so into the 90's as it got progressively worse before it abruptly died. I just wish we, as in musicians my age, had come up with something better to replace it with than sloppy, crappy playing and starring at our shoes while mumbling into the mic and feigning mental illness. Rock never recovered from this trip down the shithole. Hip hop took over. I guess because rock was grandpa's music so the younger generation needed something that their parents hated. Mission accomplished. There is plenty of talent out there now but finding good rock songwriting is tough and takes a lot of digging. And when I find something, I generally think it's OK but not really great, and end up listening to the old stuff. So there you go, I've officially that guy I said I'd never become, who never really listens to anything new and thinks nothing can beat the old stuff.

On the bright side, good music is timeless. Just ask the jazz crowd. Or, Bach anyone? I guess you could say that stuff has stood the test of time.

 

[ejecta]

but it kills me when people say Seattle killed 80s rock...no way.

80s rock killed 80s rock. It was a good day to die.

Yeah, I've got to agree. I've backed off of my grunge hatred since I've come to see that this is what really happened. It was time for 80's rock to go. It actually ran about 3 years or so into the 90's as it got progressively worse before it abruptly died. I just wish we, as in musicians my age, had come up with something better to replace it with than sloppy, crappy playing and starring at our shoes while mumbling into the mic and feigning mental illness. Rock never recovered from this trip down the shithole. Hip hop took over. I guess because rock was grandpa's music so the younger generation needed something that their parents hated. Mission accomplished. There is plenty of talent out there now but finding good rock songwriting is tough and takes a lot of digging. And when I find something, I generally think it's OK but not really great, and end up listening to the old stuff. So there you go, I've officially that guy I said I'd never become, who never really listens to anything new and thinks nothing can beat the old stuff.

On the bright side, good music is timeless. Just ask the jazz crowd. Or, Bach anyone? I guess you could say that stuff has stood the test of time.

It's posts like this make me realize the ignorance some people have of the 90's music.

 

[mooncobra]

I forgot to mention radiohead, I really liked the bends and ok computer.