USA Production Series Appreciation Thread

[85 San Dimas]

No way... We'd never hear the end of how the Wayne and Grover era GH/RB controllers were far superior to the modern Fendvel Production Series.

And a Frankie GH/RB controller would cost like $2k.

well, you KNOW now that you bring it up.......FMIC can't make a plastic mold like back in the day and whats up with those buttons, cheap freakin' irregular finished plastic w/flash still attached. Man that trem sucks mondo pinga like that Dude that got the boomerang in the skull in "The Raod Warrior". The only true controller is one carved from a solid block of styrene.........

[85 San Dimas]

[quote=Newc;1236729]And yet isn't that the whole argument - Grunge killed Shred? Speedy licks were replaced with 3 chords and blues-infuenced leads (or sometimes no lead at all)? quote]

i think the example in your post of trying to market music is a good one. I didn't quote it, but its a good example of that problem.

I think the hardcore speed "metal" survived with all that bullshit growling into the micrphone stuff (my personal opinion, though some like that), but if i wanted to hear a dog growling for 2hr. 15 min. well.....nah. To me, best thing that happened was Pantera breaking up. But again, thats me.

I think the spectrum of hard rock "diverged". Nirvana was an angrier version of GNR if you think about it. AXL paved the way. Kids liked his rebeliousness and so the nirvana "step" wasn't big...GNR already dressed like they were drug behind a truck for 40 miles (not a bad thing) so Nirvana just did that as well. pearl jam was blues, Alice was more unique IMHO.
I think Grunge killed the "pop" side of the 80's. Not the rocking shred side. the shred (Demartini. Lynch, etc.) side went pretty much into hibernation because it had all been done, but its not forgotten (how could it be? rock guitar technicians like that?) They may not all be berklee guys but they can play the damned thing.
To me, Metallica ascended becasue the figured out a way to make their songs palatable for the less "committed" which opened the doors for testament, pantera, etc. to speak to those wanting "more/aggressive/faster".

The problem for me with Nirvana particularly (after Cobain died) was that the initators that emerged could only "whine" like Cobain but they didn't have the strong sense of dynamics. I didn't think Green Day worth crap until American Idiot. IMHO. "American idiot", wonder if he was referring to Cobain? Eating a shotgun...what a freakin' boob. Plus, he didn't play Charvels/Jacksons so how much could he possibly know? All IMHO.

[Newc]

What I didn't like was the name "Metal" being assigned to sub-genres that were previously identified by very specific terms - i.e. "Heavy Metal" was always "Metal", just like you say "Maiden" when referring to Iron Maiden, "Priest" when referring to Judas Priest, "Sabbath" when referring to Black Sabbath, etc. When you said "Metal", you were referring specifically to Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Ozzy, Scorpions, and other similar bands with similar styles of music - heavy Blues, Jazz, and Classical influences with clear, legible vocals, and some commentary of the state of the world (political and societal commentary).

Basically Hard Rock with more distortion, an awareness of world events, some literary knowledge aside from Playboy, and more technically-proficient players than your average Hard Rock band like AC/DC, KISS, and such as those.


"Speed Metal" was known as "Speed Metal", "Death Metal" was "Death Metal", etc etc. Somewhere along the line, these dropped their "proper names" and were categorized alongside Heavy Metal, which to me is incorrect.


By the same token, "Hair Metal" and "Glam Metal" acts were miscategorized as "Metal", which they clearly were not. Warrant were nowhere near as worthwhile as Judas Priest. Poison were not worthy to be stocked on the same shelf as Iron Maiden. Motley Crue were good, but not "Black Sabbath good".

I saw no difference between Culture Club and Bon Jovi, aside from makeup and synths.

Yet these posers are categorized regularly as "Metal".

"Metal" died once the name was assigned to Cookie Monster bands, punk bands like the Offspring, and comedy acts like Korn or Insane Clown Posse.

[Grandturk]

I really don't get along with all the subcategorizations of metal... "core" this and "speed" that. To me, its all just metal. I like some of it, I love some of it, and I can do without some of it. All this categorization stuff smacks of a little kid stuffing his comic books into plastic bags and then into different long boxes - this one for Spidey, and this one for dark future Spidey and this one for Wolverine/Batman crossovers.

To me, at some point in time metal started, and then at some point in time metal stopped, and then a bunch of years later it was resurrected - which to me is the best thing that could happen - I walk down the street in New York with my Maiden t-shirt on, and you wouldn't beleive how many horns up or "F'n Maiden Rules" comments I get.

Metal is back front and center in the musical consciousness in this country, and that's a good thing.

Also back on topic - my SD1 is a kick ass guitar. Its made me a better player because it makes me want to play more.

[DHardmanJr]

All this "metal is back" talk makes me wonder ...

Anyone have any recommendations for good, new, melodic metal?

I'm not too much into the cookie monster screeaming/growling tune the guitar down an octave and every guitar downstroke must be accompanied by the kick drum style music.

[skintaster]

I really don't get along with all the subcategorizations of metal... "core" this and "speed" that. To me, its all just metal. I like some of it, I love some of it, and I can do without some of it. All this categorization stuff smacks of a little kid stuffing his comic books into plastic bags and then into different long boxes - this one for Spidey, and this one for dark future Spidey and this one for Wolverine/Batman crossovers.

To me, at some point in time metal started, and then at some point in time metal stopped, and then a bunch of years later it was resurrected - which to me is the best thing that could happen - I walk down the street in New York with my Maiden t-shirt on, and you wouldn't beleive how many horns up or "F'n Maiden Rules" comments I get.

Metal is back front and center in the musical consciousness in this country, and that's a good thing.

Also back on topic - my SD1 is a kick ass guitar. Its made me a better player because it makes me want to play more.

+100 on everything you wrote!

[nhspike]

I really don't get along with all the subcategorizations of metal... "core" this and "speed" that. To me, its all just metal. I like some of it, I love some of it, and I can do without some of it. All this categorization stuff smacks of a little kid stuffing his comic books into plastic bags and then into different long boxes - this one for Spidey, and this one for dark future Spidey and this one for Wolverine/Batman crossovers.

To me, at some point in time metal started, and then at some point in time metal stopped, and then a bunch of years later it was resurrected - which to me is the best thing that could happen - I walk down the street in New York with my Maiden t-shirt on, and you wouldn't beleive how many horns up or "F'n Maiden Rules" comments I get.

Metal is back front and center in the musical consciousness in this country, and that's a good thing.

Also back on topic - my SD1 is a kick ass guitar. Its made me a better player because it makes me want to play more.

Allow me to add this:
+1



Well played, Sir!

[Newc]

While sub-categorizing seems anal, it's necessary. I don't view certain types of Metal as palatable. To me it's not enough that someone's playing aggressively, or if they're simply not playing "whatever's on the radio today" - if what they're playing isn't my cup of tea, I don't want any.

You cannot seriously equate Slayer with Iron Maiden, nor Iron Maiden with Testament. It simply doesn't work.

[nhspike]

It works for some of us.
I'm not into it enough to know the diff.
There are various levels of "give a shit" when it comes to metal, rap, whatever.
I bet I'm more sensitive to various rap music than heavy metal stuff.
It depends on what a person is into.

I know you can dig that.

[Grandturk]

You cannot seriously equate Slayer with Iron Maiden, nor Iron Maiden with Testament. It simply doesn't work.

I can. Those are three bands I like.

If I were to decide that I only liked "Scandinavian Progressive Grindcore" and a new band came out that someone told me was "Norwegian Deathcore" woulc I automatically dislike the band without ever hearing them? Labels are a problem. The less labels we have, the better. Further, labels are meaningless to people that don't understand them. Here's an example - I went to a Motorhead show with 3 non motorhead fans. They asked what kind of music Motorhead played, and I basically said "metal." So they had a good understanding going in. Should I have said "proto-metal" or "speed punk" or "NWOBHM" or, as Lemmy would suggest, "Rock n' Roll?" Had I said that, they would have a. not known what I was talking about, and b. not have gotten an accurate idea of what it would be like.

People understand the basics. The get "metal" they get "heavy," they get "rock" and "hard."

[skintaster]

To me, a lot of of the labels that get thrown around in metal circles are more confusing than anything else.

I consider myself a "metal guy" (Although I listen to other kinds of music), and these days if someone tells me that I should check out a band, I just ask them to play me a song...Telling me a band is "Subsonic space death metal" or something, doesn't mean anything to me.

[85 San Dimas]

"metal" is like a fine piece of a**. You might not always know it when you see it, but once it gets you by the ba**s theres no mistaking it.

I could care less about subcategories, Its the progression that I'm interested in.

I'd try the new Heaven & Hell album if you want someone that can play it AND open a beer can without using their forehead.

[atdguitars]

People understand the basics. The get "metal" they get "heavy," they get "rock" and "hard."

Describing music or your date for the concert?

[Grandturk]

Describing music or your date for the concert?

Hiy-Ohhhh!!!!!!!!

[Mr.Shreddy]

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