Shred!

[Guitardude86]

My first attempt at making a poll, let's see if it works!

Here's what I want to find out: Ever since VH came around in the late 70's (and probably earlier too) guitarplayers all over the world have made a point out of playing fast, challenging "face-melting" guitar, almost turning it into a sport of some sort; Who has the fastest/most difficult/challenging/unique style? What I'm trying to describe here is the phenomenon known as SHRED.

In the 80's SHRED exploded, looking at the records that were made back then it was all over the place. Then came the 90's, we had grunge, some say that it killed shred and guitar-solos alltogether, that it took a blow so hard it could never be the same again. Others say it was never gone, it just became more underground because it wasn't "cool" to play in public according to slaves of the MTV.

Lately, we see that SHRED is becoming "cool" again, it is ok to play fast widdly rock guitar, whammy bars, Floyds and Kahlers are OK to use! Even the nu-metal guys of the late 90's who earlier didn't play a single solo, now start to shred; look at Mark Tremonti previously of Creed, he's now taking lessons from Michael Angelo.

What I'm asking you is, what is your opinion.. Did shred "die" after the 80's, can it never be the same again? I wasn't born before 1986, so I really have nothing but the records of the 80's to show to.
Can shred be what it apparently was in the 80's, or is it too late? You tell me! Happy poll

[442w30]

It went underground.

That being said, when the first Satriani - Surfing with the alien came out i nearly fell asleep. That stuff is good for one tune IMho. I went off looking at bands that were about women - dance music. Later grunge made me sick. it just wasn't fun. Neat as an anti-hair statement, but again way over rated.

Weezer and Cake is what grunge should have been - making fun of yourself instead of feeling sorry for yourself. Grunge = emo.

EJ isn't shred I guess, but:
Eric Johnson kinda makes me sick. i appreciate the talent, and love a tastefully placed fast solo, even a formula like the old Hair bands had, but "shred" is not very interesting and most players that are big can be summarized into a couple of tunes by casual listeners.

[jgcable]

It went underground.

[Newc]

It'll never be what it used to be - entertaining.

Too many people these days can do it, and very few can do it right (i.e. make it sound musical rather than masturbatory).

[Tashtego]

I have a hard time with the word 'shred'. I associate the word with players like Yngwie and those that followed his lead into super-human displays of dexterity. I'm certainly not familiar with the whole catalog of work in this genre but that's because what I did hear never moved me beyond amazement at the physical achievement. I think it was a degenerate art form. I usually like degenerate music, noise, machine sounds, etc. but this kind of shred was boring to listen too. Probably fun to work up to as a player but un-compelling to me a listener. Maybe degenerate is the wrong word, how about 'hyper-focused' as a description. Take something VH did in 4 climatic seconds of super coolness in well put together song; stretch it out into 20 minutes and you get a boring over stimulation that calluses the ear and brain.

[vertigo08]

paul gilbert...

[VitaminG]

matt damon...

[Soap]

I don't think it died or will ever die.

Like punk, shred will never be main stream, because not enough fan base and market to reignite it and sustain it main stream in the glory days. (late 70's - all through the 80's)

Personally, I think its great we are for the first time since the late 70's all through the 80's seeing a renewal surge with/for "lead guitar." Thus, the interest and skills to play the funner stuff, such as tapping, shredding and etc will be more obvious in bands and I think its about time.

The help will come from various guitar magazine articles about it.
Just getting any decent love, appreciation and support for quality lead guitar again will prove benefical. Will the big 3 and most radio stations take to it? I seriously doubt it. A handful may but most won't. To go main stream its about money, gotta be a profit there to be made or corporate will choke it and weed it out. Calls to the radio stations aren't as persuasive as they used to be. Greedy corporate (big 3) seen the influence the callers calls had in persuading dj's/radio stations formats and go their hands involved and changed that all around, unfortunately.

As long as American Idol is main stream and its mentality saturates the big 3 and the air waves, shredding/lead guitar (good rock n roll) won't go main stream like it did before. Its all about money, and American Idol is making alot of people very very rich. As the old expression goes, "if it ain't broke don't fix it." It'll start to fizzel out one day, but that day is a ways off as long as its making big money.

Mean while, its gonna take bigger names, like EVH, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Ozzy and others (insert your own preferred list here) that have some leverage to sway and change the tide by putting out some really kicking killer guitar stuff that fans will buy and not download.

Personally, I download music I wouldn't buy. If the stuff was killer guitar and well written musically, I'd buy it plain and simple. Thats how I see it and live it. I have no loyality because my loyality is my ears and my wallet.
I don't buy music I don't like and I'm a pretty opened minded individual.
If its gotta a hook, sounds decent musically and theres more than 3-4 songs that I like, I'll buy it. However, what I've just described, I haven't seen or heard in 10+ years. Imo, thats why those big names previously mentioned will have to play an instrumental role in this.

Also, to the younger crowd, many younger guns and bands of today who choose this musical direction will help to rekindle the flame so to speak. When they do lets be supportive and appreciative of them.

Paul Gilbert?
Whether you like him or not, one thing is certain he is one of a handful of 80's guns that has stayed true to shredding over the years. He never sold out. Paul is one class act indeed.

[necrotechno]

Mike Oldfield. Does he "shred?" I don't know, but he could waste any EVH-wannabe (or even EVH himself) on the guitar.

I really don't care. It's all about whether the songs are any good. You can have all the Avenged Sevenfold or Dragonforce crap tinka-tinka-tinka "rhythm" all sounding like Queensryche's "Gonna Get Close to You," or Killswitch Engage and Lamb of God's mix-n-match regurgitations of every Dimebag/Zakk/Randy lead. Devo's "Girl U Want" will outlive them all because it's a better song.

[Endrik]

I don't give a fuck because as far as I am concerned new players are booring as hell

[mhalsey]

I have a hard time with the word 'shred'. I associate the word with players like Yngwie and those that followed his lead into super-human displays of dexterity. I'm certainly not familiar with the whole catalog of work in this genre but that's because what I did hear never moved me beyond amazement at the physical achievement. I think it was a degenerate art form. I usually like degenerate music, noise, machine sounds, etc. but this kind of shred was boring to listen too. Probably fun to work up to as a player but un-compelling to me a listener. Maybe degenerate is the wrong word, how about 'hyper-focused' as a description. Take something VH did in 4 climatic seconds of super coolness in well put together song; stretch it out into 20 minutes and you get a boring over stimulation that calluses the ear and brain.

Well said!

[SEEGERMANY]

My idea of tasteful "shred" is someone like Michael Schenker or Marty Friedman. If the playing is melodic, I'm all for it. However, when it starts to sound like grandma's Singer sewing machine, I'd rather listen to two cats fucking.

[Spivonious]

Shred went underground.

With that said, is it just me or do all lead players in metal bands today sound the same? Sweeps, tapping, super fast scales, but no character.

[Endrik]

Shred went underground.

With that said, is it just me or do all lead players in metal bands today sound the same? Sweeps, tapping, super fast scales, but no character.

no it's not you, it's a fact

[jackson1]

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