EVH Has A Message For You

[toejam]

Gary Cherone! I mean, Denny Crane.

[Endrik]

there are tons of amazing gifted guitarists out there that the majority of people alive will never hear
because of the way the music industry is now

those amazing players need to write good songs
most of the technique guys could never write a song wich appeals to the general public
Ed is one of the greatest songwriters ever, that's one of the reasons he is so big.

Keith Richards has written about 200 really amazing songs if not more, good songs are just coming out from him without any effort. The Stones is the biggest band in the world PERIOD, and Keith is one of the biggest rock icons, it's all about the tunes and hooks.

[horns666]

..I'll toast to that!!..

Ed is to tapping as Yngwie is to sweep picking..

Ed contributed more innovations to the guitar world than any other player..he covered ALL areas, amps, guitars, gear, playing, writing showmanship like no other...But Jimi planted the seed.

EVH is the most influential guitarist of all time in IMO !!

He's the reason I'm here talking about it.

Bill Z Bub

[kmanick]

Endrik I agree with you to a point, but don't you think bands like Nevermore, Evergrey, Dream Theater,Arch Enemy,Kilswitch Engage (I'm trying to cover a range of metal bands here) etc. write good songs?
They are not mainstream pop so the record companies don't back them. Comparing a Band like the Stones to a new up and coming band trying to make it doesn't apply. The Stones have been here forever and were formed during an era that record companies actually supported their bands.
Ask anybody who doesn't play guitar who John Petrucci is.
They won't have a clue, Pop staions don't play DT and People magazine
doesn't follow them around trying to see if they're going commando or not.
Look how big "The Darkness" got when their label got behind them and pushed VHI and MTV to play their videos.
Evanescense gets radio air play but Lacuna Coil doesn't.
who's calling the shots here?

[MBreinin]

Nick, i just don't think "The River Dragon" has as much pop appeal for the radio as "Jamie's Cryin'". Yeah, I dig Nevermore and they write great songs, but they aren't radio material for the most part. Some songs could be hits though. The music business is total bullshit. It used to be that a record company stood behind their artists and pushed their music. Now, it is totally compartmentalized and there just isn't the support, especially for diverse musical styles.

However, many bands that would never have a chance to reach the masses have done so through the internet, which is great. Internet radio rules, because on a place like Live365, it is fans that are programming the music, so you get some really esoteric stuff.

Bill should get a station.

Mike

[kmanick]

that's part of my point MIke (and I agree with you 100%) if the bands music falls outside of the "box" the record companies don't provide the same type of support they do for the syrupy pop that wil appeal to 12 year old girls.
It burns me to no end that someone like Ashlee Simpson can have a platinum CD but all the bands I mentioned have to really work their asses off to get anywhere.

[Endrik]

I've yet to hear a decent hook from bands like arch enemy, also that kind of "singing" style will never get mainstream attention. Those bands are riff and solo oriented not hook/groove oriented. Marty Friedman actually said that metal focuses too much on riffs and solos not songs. Dream Theater has some decent song ideas but they turn everything into one big wankery.

Some music "styles" will never be popular but the best players are so versatile and open minded anyway and can do and enjoy doing music wich can potentially appeal to a lot of people.

Big Labels don't dominate as much as they used to. Internet has changed everything. Chanches are more even and will be even more in 10 years.
Everything has been done in music allready, there's nothing to discover anymore, the only way to get big is to write great songs and have a badass attitude. You only have to know wich old style will be popular again because there's nothing new coming out anyway, everything is doing circles.

Also it is important to promote your stuff everywhere, America, Europe, Asia etc.

Also if you are doing a certain type of music wich isn't very mainstream and you are really amazing at it, then you can live very well too. Jazz and Country artists are the best example. Real amazing jazz players have huge gigs all the time, they also have a lot of good sessions. Some country artists sell a lot more than MTV pop divas, but they are only known amon the country fans.

Just another metal shredder will never be popular unless he starts focusing on songwriting like Jimmy Page did. His shredding skills aren't anything mind blowing because we allready have seen it all.

Mastery of instrument is a good thing but the music shouldn't be written around the musicians individual skill....solos and stuff like that is just a little extra to the songs not the focal point.

[Endrik]

uh I forgot to mention that music isn't everything, specially in rock music, image and attitute are just as important...always have been and always will.

Dudes can write good songs but they never will be popular if they have oily hair, wear army boots over cheap jeans (jesus it's not WWII) and have the attitude of a nerd.

You have to be cool so that chicks want you and guys want to be you

[atomic charvel guy]

I'm shithoused.

[Norton]

Ed is to tapping as Yngwie is to sweep picking..


Bill Z Bub

And Jeff is to bone crushing,ass kicking,face ripping,astonishing metal :ROTF:

[VitaminG]

oh, now i understand.

Nevermore write riff/solos, Gwen Stefani writes great songs. it's all clear to me now




this shit is bananas

[Top Jimmy B]

Well, I'm glad you now understand.

[Mesaboog]

lol

No offense guys, but I've seen photos of guys on this board showing off their gear... some are in their 20's and some a lot older, and I gotta say in his 50's Eddie looks in a lot better shape than a lot of us fucks. hehehe

Before you go slamming the way Eddie looks, better take a look in the mirror. I hope that if I ever have cancer and hip replacement, alcoholism, road wear, etc. that I can look that good. I can only bet that a good majority of the folks on this board will be fat, heart attacks waiting to happen in their 50's!!. And who is stupid enough to think that the Rock and Rollers MUST age gracefully. And about his personal life or addictions or wierdness...that's his business.

We are all blessed to have lived in the time to witness this living legend. If Eddie never puts out another recording, or another iteration of Van Halen that will be fine. He has created some of most powerful rock music and influenced millions of aspiring musicians. He OWES us nothing more.

Stop ragging on Eddie. Maybe your time is better spent watching "The View" and judging Britney Spears pantiless partygoing or mothering skills.

It doesn't get any more Rock and Roll than this:

[Endrik]

oh, now i understand.

Nevermore write riff/solos, Gwen Stefani writes great songs. it's all clear to me now

yup, Gwen writes great songs, specially with Tony Kanal

[VitaminG]

damn, if No Doubt and particularly Gwen's recent solo stuff is the benchmark (take easily identifiable hook written by someone else, add modern rhythm track, thrown nonsensical "cool" rhymes over it, instant hit!), give me the "bad" songwriting of chart unfriendly stuff like Nevermore, Opeth, Evergrey, Jorn Lande, Iced Earth, Lamb of God, Porcupine Tree, early Gary Moore, Rage, Savatage, Spiritual Beggars, Tool, Sinergy, Xcarnation, Andy Timmons. Man, I could go on and on.

Everything I've just listed there is high on melody and memorable "hooks", musicianship and grooves, and a healthy dose of asskicking, and will have longevity because it's about writing SONGS. It's not only about creating a groove that club djs can extend for 2 hour jams and run seemlessly from one generic beat into the next, or what's currently cool and how many of your hiphop friends you can squeeze into your videos.

I'll never tell someone else what they should or shouldn't listen to. I know I listen to stuff that some here might consider lame or weak. I also listen to stuff that some folks might have trouble getting their heads around. But considering what a broad range of music you purport to listen to, I'm constantly amazed at how readily you resort to making hugely generalised statements about musical genres. And how quick you are to write off much of the music that folks here enjoy as a credible musical form whilst singing the praises of some of the modern "songwriters" in the charts? So we should aspire to make insipid pop music because it rings your bells, and your thumbs up means more because you listen to a bit of classical and avant garde jazz?