top ten douchiest guitarists?

[Griffinator]

Well sorry but, to my ears Ted`s playing was gratingly miscast in Damn Yankees-a perfectly competent 90s 80s rock hair metal band with rehashed, 70s Grand Funk leftover guitar. Ouch.

 

That band also featured probably the most overt 180 degree about face message-wise in pop history, from Tommy Shaw. From `Grand Illusion` 'Lady' and `Foolin` Yourself` 'Come Sail Away' to Damn Yankees. Scratching my head so much is probably one reason for the state of my hair today.

 

Fixed.

 

Makes a lot more sense now, yes?

 

Not if you consider that they didn`t form till 1989. Their debut album went 2X platinum in 1990. And hair metal-I can`t seriously attach any variant of metal to that band. I don`t disagree with your song choices but the don`t seem any better or worse than mine.

 

1) They still had more in common with Trixter than Nirvana. And "hair metal" isn't really metal at all. Or at least I don't consider bands like Poison, Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, etc. to be "metal"...

 

2) The songs I picked point to the commonalities in message between late Styx and Damn Yankees. Pile "Too Much Time On My Hands", "Renegade", and "Mr. Roboto" onto that list, while we're at it.

[skipclone 1]

Well sorry but, to my ears Ted`s playing was gratingly miscast in Damn Yankees-a perfectly competent 90s 80s rock hair metal band with rehashed, 70s Grand Funk leftover guitar. Ouch.

 

That band also featured probably the most overt 180 degree about face message-wise in pop history, from Tommy Shaw. From `Grand Illusion` 'Lady' and `Foolin` Yourself` 'Come Sail Away' to Damn Yankees. Scratching my head so much is probably one reason for the state of my hair today.

 

Fixed.

 

Makes a lot more sense now, yes?

 

Not if you consider that they didn`t form till 1989. Their debut album went 2X platinum in 1990. And hair metal-I can`t seriously attach any variant of metal to that band. I don`t disagree with your song choices but the don`t seem any better or worse than mine.

 

1) They still had more in common with Trixter than Nirvana. And "hair metal" isn't really metal at all. Or at least I don't consider bands like Poison, Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, etc. to be "metal"...

 

2) The songs I picked point to the commonalities in message between late Styx and Damn Yankees. Pile "Too Much Time On My Hands", "Renegade", and "Mr. Roboto" onto that list, while we're at it.

 

Damn Yankees did something similar to`Come Sail Away`? what was it?

 

The songs I was mentioning were chosen not because they were similar. I was pointing out how opposite the gist of those two bands were, and how Tommy Shaw jumped from one to the other without anyone noticing or commenting.

 

Anyway ya, your list-Bon Jovi doesn`t even belong with hair metal, they were just a pop-rock band. Poison-no argument.

[skipclone 1]

Well sorry but, to my ears Ted`s playing was gratingly miscast in Damn Yankees-a perfectly competent 90s 80s rock hair metal band with rehashed, 70s Grand Funk leftover guitar. Ouch.

 

That band also featured probably the most overt 180 degree about face message-wise in pop history, from Tommy Shaw. From `Grand Illusion` 'Lady' and `Foolin` Yourself` 'Come Sail Away' to Damn Yankees. Scratching my head so much is probably one reason for the state of my hair today.

 

Fixed.

 

Makes a lot more sense now, yes?

 

Not if you consider that they didn`t form till 1989. Their debut album went 2X platinum in 1990. And hair metal-I can`t seriously attach any variant of metal to that band. I don`t disagree with your song choices but the don`t seem any better or worse than mine.

 

1) They still had more in common with Trixter than Nirvana. And "hair metal" isn't really metal at all. Or at least I don't consider bands like Poison, Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, etc. to be "metal"...

 

2) The songs I picked point to the commonalities in message between late Styx and Damn Yankees. Pile "Too Much Time On My Hands", "Renegade", and "Mr. Roboto" onto that list, while we're at it.

 

Damn Yankees did something similar to`Come Sail Away`? what was it?

 

The songs I was mentioning were chosen not because they were similar. I was pointing out how opposite the gist of those two bands were, and how Tommy Shaw jumped from one to the other without anyone noticing or commenting.

 

Anyway ya, your list-Bon Jovi doesn`t even belong with hair metal, they were just a pop-rock band. Poison-no argument.

 

Okay I`m not going to going about this-really I`m not. But `Mr. Robato`?

Wasn`t that song supposed to be kind of a concept song-or maybe part of a rock opera-about machines taking over the world? if DY did anything like that I`d love to hear it, that would change my image of them.

[02R96]

I guess if John Mayer is a douche for making faces then Alex Lifeson and Steve Howe are the King Douches.

 

David Gilmour makes some of the best lemon sucking expressions ever!

[02R96]

Damn Yankees did something similar to`Come Sail Away`? what was it?

Are you thinking of High Enough?

[whitefang]

I guess if John Mayer is a douche for making faces then Alex Lifeson and Steve Howe are the King Douches.

 

David Gilmour makes some of the best lemon sucking expressions ever!

 

That's not really fair. Steve Howe always looks like that.

Whitefang

[skipclone 1]

Damn Yankees did something similar to`Come Sail Away`? what was it?

Are you thinking of High Enough?

 

Well one is a love song.

One is about celestial beings who are actually aliens, and sailing away to a distant planet.

[picker]

I don't have problem with "guitar faces". Stevie Ray Vaughn had some that would make some folks look normal. Somebody told me once that I looked like I was in pain when I got going. As for Sweaty Teddy, there are folks who don't like his music, and they have reasonable grounds for that. But the biggest problem most people have with him is his politics, and that really has nothing to do with his playing. Yeah, he's a macho/tough-talking/over-the-top/political views landing somewhere to the right of Attilla the Hun kind of guy, and he'd be better off if he'd keep his mouth shut on some issues. I suspect a lot of that is the public persona he has constructed over his years in the public eye. But whether I'm right about that or not, this is America, and if he wants to make an ass of himself for the public delectation or disgust, he has that right. Like him or not, or like what he plays or not, you have to admit the guy can pick. That much isn't up for discussion.

 

[whitefang]

I agree, picker. Same goes for Zappa. First class jerk. Thought he was the be all-end all of music opinion. So full of himself it's surprising he didn't explode. But it was all easily overlooked once you started listening to the music. I'll never quit listening or throw away my CDs over a disagreement with his personal opinions, as they weren't the reason I started listening to them in the first place.

Whitefang

[Griffinator]

Damn Yankees did something similar to`Come Sail Away`? what was it?

Are you thinking of High Enough?

 

Well one is a love song.

One is about celestial beings who are actually aliens, and sailing away to a distant planet.

 

So we'll say "High Enough" = "Lady"...

[Griffinator]

I don't have problem with "guitar faces". Stevie Ray Vaughn had some that would make some folks look normal. Somebody told me once that I looked like I was in pain when I got going.

 

I agree. It's totally unconscious, I think. I've watched video of myself on stage, and while there are moments where I'm hamming it up for the crowd, there are also plenty of moments where my face is contorting and I'm not even aware of it...

 

As for Sweaty Teddy, there are folks who don't like his music, and they have reasonable grounds for that. But the biggest problem most people have with him is his politics, and that really has nothing to do with his playing. Yeah, he's a macho/tough-talking/over-the-top/political views landing somewhere to the right of Attilla the Hun kind of guy, and he'd be better off if he'd keep his mouth shut on some issues. I suspect a lot of that is the public persona he has constructed over his years in the public eye. But whether I'm right about that or not, this is America, and if he wants to make an ass of himself for the public delectation or disgust, he has that right. Like him or not, or like what he plays or not, you have to admit the guy can pick. That much isn't up for discussion.

 

I don't think he's much of a songwriter - in that respect, I view him as a "blue collar" version of Yngwie Malmsteen - plenty of chops, no clue how to apply his skill in such a way to make for an interesting song instead of just a musical bed for playing solos...

 

As I said above, though, what turns me off about his opinions is that he's a bold-faced hypocrite. That's what qualifies him as the supreme douche muffin in my view.

[skipclone 1]

Damn Yankees did something similar to`Come Sail Away`? what was it?

Are you thinking of High Enough?

 

Well one is a love song.

One is about celestial beings who are actually aliens, and sailing away to a distant planet.

 

So we'll say "High Enough" = "Lady"...

 

I`ll cede ya that one-still, from Styx to DY-look up `jarring` in the dictionary, bet it`s right there.

[hurricane hugo]

I guess if John Mayer is a douche for making faces then Alex Lifeson and Steve Howe are the King Douches.

 

David Gilmour makes some of the best lemon sucking expressions ever!

 

Go read any interview with Johnkenstein, especially one not done by a guitar mag. What a walking, talking piece of shit that guy is. Give him another ten years of running his mouth and he'll be right up there with Ped and Yngwie.

[picker]

Mayer doesn't seem to have a lot of sense about how he runs his mouth. Maybe he'll learn his lesson and stick to playing his guitar, which he does pretty well. If not, he may have a real hard time getting laid again...

[picker]

I don't think he's much of a songwriter - in that respect, I view him as a "blue collar" version of Yngwie Malmsteen - plenty of chops, no clue how to apply his skill in such a way to make for an interesting song instead of just a musical bed for playing solos...

 

Well, that would be a matter of opinion. The fact that we are talking about him here is proof that there are quite a few folks who like his stuff, or did at one point. Really, back in his heyday, a lot of the music that was popular was little more than music beds for extended solo wank. He was merely one of many who did that stuff.

 

I said above, though, what turns me off about his opinions is that he's a bold-faced hypocrite. That's what qualifies him as the supreme douche muffin in my view.

 

You're entitled to your opinion. I don't know one way or the other about that. I just wish he'd shut up.

[Griffinator]

Really, back in his heyday, a lot of the music that was popular was little more than music beds for extended solo wank. He was merely one of many who did that stuff.

 

Yes, and I hated them all for it...

 

I don't know one way or the other about that. I just wish he'd shut up.

 

I quoted one of myriad specific examples, but that's cool. I kinda wish he'd shut up too, but he has a legion of followers (of his opinion, that is) that he feels compelled to entertain with gab instead of guitfiddle...

[Griffinator]

For the record, I actually think "High Enough" was a seminal power ballad - but that his guitar work actually detracted from it instead of enhancing it...

[Scott Fraser]

Well, that would be a matter of opinion. The fact that we are talking about him here is proof that there are quite a few folks who like his stuff, or did at one point.

 

I recall some of the Yngwie discussions here being pretty similar. The people who like him are not going to be convinced otherwise just because it is pointed out that the guy has s**t for brains, or whatever the charge may be. The fact remains, we are discussing a guitar player here, & again it has less to do with the music & more to do with, umm, personality traits which make it nearly impossible not to dislike the guy. Look at Keith Jarrett, an immensely talented, creative, soulful performer, yet he's such a complete dick on stage to his audience.

 

I said above, though, what turns me off about his opinions is that he's a bold-faced hypocrite. That's what qualifies him as the supreme douche muffin in my view.

 

You're entitled to your opinion. I don't know one way or the other about that. I just wish he'd shut up.

 

It's one thing for an artist to say "I'm conservative & I feel we should cut gov't spending, etc." or "I'm liberal & we need to provide health care for the poor, etc." or whatever. However, in Nugent's case, he needs to realize you can only say stupid s**t for so long before everybody concludes you really are just stupid. I was never very interested in his playing, (poorly crafted, second rate noodling IMO,) but, seriously, yes he does need to shut up.

[Dr. Ellwood]

Just wondering here, should he shut up if he happened to have Liberal views?

[Larryz]

I guess if John Mayer is a douche for making faces then Alex Lifeson and Steve Howe are the King Douches.

 

David Gilmour makes some of the best lemon sucking expressions ever!

 

That's not really fair. Steve Howe always looks like that.

Whitefang

 

I've never really noticed Gilmour doing it all that much, but what about BB King and Buddy Guy? I love them both, but they can put out a lot of facial expression when playing just one note!

[Griffinator]

Just wondering here, should he shut up if he happened to have Liberal views?

 

If he was as much of a loudmouth about it, yes.

[Scott Fraser]

Just wondering here, should he shut up if he happened to have Liberal views?

 

Yes. It's not the left or right stance. It's the total lack of moderation, lack of general decency & respect.

[Dr. Ellwood]

I see, ok fair enough, so Ted should shut up, should people like Bill Maher also shut up? or does it have to be a guitar player to be relevant in this context?

[Dannyalcatraz]

Bill's "job" is social commentary, as is Michael Moore's, Glen Beck's and Rush Limbaugh's.

 

Occasionally, I agree with them. More often than not, however, I find they just stir up idiocy.

 

OTOH, Ted's job, paraphrasing the words of the late, great Frank Zappa, is to shut up and play his guitar.

 

BUT we live in the US of A, so I just tune out the noise he's making. Verbally, that is- I'll still listen to "Stranglehold" and "Fred Bear" even though I lost all respect for Ted's personal views a while ago.

[A String]

Sorry folks. No politics on the forum.

 

Thread closed.