Who needs pedals?

geoguy

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Ah, yes . . "The Edge".

'Twas a damn funny moment in the movie "It Might Get Loud", when a forklift was maneuvering Edge's effects rack onto the movie set.

Made me wonder at what point his instrument ceases to be a guitar, & becomes another sort of electronic device.
 

walrus

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"It Might Get Loud" is great! I love the part where The Edge says "Oh, is that the Theramin?", and Page sort of looks at him, like "don't touch it, you are not worthy...".

And though I certainly find U2 listenable, IMHO The Edge is more of a computer programmer than a guitarist. But he certainly has his own unique sound.

walrus
 

shihan

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Mr. Evans is undeniably successful and unfortunately from my point of view, very influential.
Like Walrus, I find U2 listenable, but When I hear one of ther songs, I always think the same thing: ‘Dude, learn a chord!’.
 

Alan_M

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I find people's perceived lack of skill in The Edge curious. Maybe they don't listen to enough U2, or listen closely enough. The man plays plenty of effects-less songs, including a lot of acoustic numbers, wields a mean slide, and can play piano and sing to boot. Maybe he's not Jeff beck, but he can play, compose, and perform as a true professional. Besides, effects or no, you still have to be in control and do SOMETHING to make it musical, and in the case of delays, which is usually the big point of contention, the argument being is it's "playing for you", or "making it sound like you're doing more", you have to have a super tight picking hand, and Mr Evans is a machine in that respect. Not to mention he's written dozens of hit songs that millions of people love and done it over 40 years now. What you got?

And I also find it wildly curious that people make the same sort of disparagement about Keef, where this whole thread stems from. "He doesn't shred"!!!! IMO, he doesn't need to!
 
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walrus

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I find people's perceived lack of skill in The Edge curious. Maybe they don't listen to enough U2, or listen closely enough. The man plays plenty of effects-less songs, including a lot of acoustic numbers, wields a mean slide, and can play piano and sing to boot. Maybe he's not Jeff beck, but he can play, compose, and perform as a true professional. Besides, effects or no, you still have to be in control and do SOMETHING to make it musical, and in the case of delays, which is usually the big point of contention, the argument being is it's "playing for you", or "making it sound like you're doing more", you have to have a super tight picking hand, and Mr Evans is a machine in that respect. Not to mention he's written dozens of hit songs that millions of people love and done it over 40 years now. What you got?

And I also find it wildly curious that people make the same sort of disparagement about Keef, where this whole thread stems from. "He doesn't shred"!!!! IMO, he doesn't need to!

Actually, the thread stems from Keith saying he doesn't like the sound of effects, and his explanation of why - which is what makes him Keith Richards, and is why he's one of my favorite guitarists, with a sound that is all his.

The same could be said of The Edge - his unique sound is what makes him, and also, IMHO, U2. The Edge IS U2's sound. I like a lot of their music and have listened to most all of it. I agree he has a great picking hand, and I've always liked his sound. In some ways, his sound and to a greater extend Bono's pontificating lyrics and vocals, is why I have moved away from U2 in the last several years. All of their songs over the decades sound too similar to me. But that's just my opinion.

But as he showed in "It Might Get Loud", The Edge often plays very simple riffs that are greatly enhanced by effects. I could care less if he's a shredder - I'm not a fan of that anyway. But he absolutely has a different approach than Keith Richards, Jimmy Page, etc. IMHO that's what makes a great guitarist - do they have their own sound? That's why he was on "It Might Get Loud" in the first place - he is unique. You don't have to like it, but you have to respect it.

Another similar example might be Page, who although is know for his "riffs", it is really his layering of different and numerous guitars on Zeppelin recordings that is unique. Very few effects, but a lot of studio layering. The fact that he was able also play several of those layers at once in concert is astounding - just sheer guitar hero playing.

walrus
 

adorshki

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Not to mention he's written dozens of hit songs that millions of people love and done it over 40 years now. What you got?
100% agreement with your whole post, but in particular want to add that they're one of only 5 acts in history to have scored a top 40 hit with new material in 4 different decades.
I don't think you get there by being a musical McDonalds.

Mr. Evans is undeniably successful and unfortunately from my point of view, very influential.
Bono made a statement to that effect (no pun intended) in an interview a while back, (actually he said the MOST influential, of like the last 30 years) and I was a little surprised and don't actually agree with him.
So it's interesting to me that you do consider him to be at least very influential.
I will say, like Alan M, that he's been doing it for 40 years and when Unforgettable Fire was released in '84 it did sound pretty fresh and innovative and dare I say even revolutionary at the time.
Like Walrus, I find U2 listenable, but When I hear one of there songs, I always think the same thing: ‘Dude, learn a chord!’.
Humbly submitted for your consideration:
Rattle and Hum:
"Desire"
"Angel of Harlem"
And this album was not actually well received in its day in spite of footage of the Edge playing a Guild (Songbird, I think, otherwise one of the Fxxce series) in the movie. :biggrin-new:
:friendly_wink:
 
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Alan_M

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Agreed with both Walrus and Adhorshki. Famous players always say, it's the hands, not the equipment, and that is true. Some aspire to, and use technical skills to say what they want to say. Some on the tone or phrasing to create a mood. Others rely on little else than the guitar in their hands. BB King had a touch like no one else, and he was criticized in some circles as unskilled in the "technical" department. But man he oozed emotion. That's what it's really all about. I've seen heavy criticism of people like Annie Clark, like, why did SHE get a signature guitar? Well if the sig model was a Gibson, i would say it may be due only to popularity at the moment. But is was Musicman, and they designed it from the ground up, and didn't just slap some bling on a standard production model. Why? She's creative as heck, is an excellent player, and most of all, at least to me, also is superb at creating the right mood and sound for the emotional content of her songs. They recognized that. It may not be your cup of tea, but you can't say she isn't a great player, unless you aren't really paying attention to what she's doing.
 
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walrus

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I agree "Unforgettable Fire", and even before that, exemplified The Edge's sound. Totally revolutionary, as you said, Al.

Almost as revolutionary as the first Van Halen album!

walrus
 

adorshki

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I agree "Unforgettable Fire", and even before that, exemplified The Edge's sound. Totally revolutionary, as you said, Al.

Almost as revolutionary as the first Van Halen album!

walrus

Now see, I never got that about "the Eddie".
But then I was already steeped in Jeff Beck's trailblazing on BeckOla , Blow by Blow, and Wired.
And John McLaughlin's work with Mahavishnu Orchestra.
And Fripp.
And Allan Holdsworth.
And Steve Hillage.
And Zappa.
And Larry Coryell.
But to be fair none of those last 6 ever hit the top 40, I think.....
:friendly_wink:
 

walrus

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Van Halen's style of playing, his tone (from his homemade guitar), etc. was pretty revolutionary, IMHO. Never heard a guitar sound quite like that until then.

But while we are discussing "unique" guitarists, let us not forget the most revolutionary guitarist of all - Jimi Hendrix.

walrus
 

Quantum Strummer

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The Musicman St. Vincent is a flat-out great guitar. Well balanced, plays fast & easy, sounds fab whether run straight into an amp or through effects. And because of the compensated nut I don't even mind the unwound third string.

The Edge's sound on the first few U2 albums is less effect-y than later on. Lotsa strong rhythm playing on October in particular. U2 as a band, though, kinda lost me after Zooropa.

-Dave-
 
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adorshki

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Van Halen's style of playing, his tone (from his homemade guitar), etc. was pretty revolutionary, IMHO. Never heard a guitar sound quite like that until then.
NO snark intended but at the time I was in a place where everything I heard on the first album had already been done by Beck or Hendrix and even Fripp, tone-wise.
And his tapping technique had already been introduced to the world with the Chapman stick.
I also have to be honest and admit that DL Roth absolutely alienated me, I hated him.
He was the idol of the same high school kids who drank too much beer at the Saturday night parents-have-left-town-for-the-weekend party, puked it all up, and bragged about it on Sunday....
I allowed that and the basically simplistic rhythm section to prejudice me against the band.
Don't get me wrong even though I'm lambasting the band according to my opinion of it as it was then, I became more tolerant over the years. (more later)
But while we are discussing "unique" guitarists, let us not forget the most revolutionary guitarist of all - Jimi Hendrix.
walrus
"That goes without saying", but coming full circle while carrying on a theme, by the time of VH's debut I was in a circle of friends who had become tired of all the bands trying to mimic his "sound" with devices and seemingly ignorant of the fact that the majority of his magic was in his hands and his compositional and improvisational skills.
Also he knew how to play his amp which was a major part of the "organic" nature of his sound compared to all the sterile effects pedals that were being thrown at the market.
Jimi only ever used 4 basic devices: Ocatvia, wahwah, flanger, and echo, and rarely if ever more than 2 at once while playing although he and Kramer might add stuff later on in the engineering.
(Its' pretty incredible how sparse the raw tracks for Are You Experienced sound before Mr K. sweetened 'em up with with stuff like reverb and echo. Never knew how much of that was him and not Jimi until I saw "The making of..", I think it was.)
So we were abandoning the arena rock bands and looking for guys who were following their onw muse like the 7 I mentioned.
We also had benefit of a local record store that specialized in European imports, and had discovered jazz via the likes of King Crimson's horns and Ralph Towner and Oregon, and John Coltrane and Zappa...
Side note: When one has tasted Elvin Jones' drumming and Jimmy Garrison's bass playing, Alex Van Halen and Michael Anthony generate about the same excitement as a TV commercial jingle.
But again, "that was then".
IN retrospect I realize a lot of those arena rock bands may well have been pushed into their pigeonholes by avaricious record company A&R reps desperate for fodder to feed the ravenous beast of the recordradio industry.
(Speaking of which I HATED the Buckingham-Nicks version of Fleetwood Mac in the beginning, too).
Heck, even Epstein and the Beatles only figured the gig was gonna last for 2 or 3 years. It's in the DNA of the industry because teenagers grow up and the new batch wants their own new objects of worship.
Then Video Killed the Radio Star.
I've told the story before:
I finally gave Eddie grudging respect when I saw "Panama" on MTV for the first time.
Finally! That riff introducing the middle section! A riff with taste and artistry deriving all its power from the notes not the device!
A couple of years later "Finish What You Started" also grabbed me even though I had about the same amount of affection for Sammy Hagar as the David.
And by then I'd seen a few of my friends attempt to do the dues paying thing while trying to break into the biz, even did a little grunt work equipment handling after the shows, and realized how much hard work and stress it really took.
Started to get a little sympathy for anybody trying to make a living that way.
I'll still allow my prejudices against certain lifestyle role modeling on the part of an artist get in the way...but "the Eddie" 's alright in my book, now.
:friendly_wink:
 
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bluesypicky

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I'll still allow my prejudices against certain lifestyle role modeling on the part of an artist get in the way...
Like purple spandex?

With that asked, (it had to be asked), I will admit to often dreaming about the V.H. band sporting a "true" hard rock lead singer, "a la" David Coverdale, so that there would be at least ONE more individual to listen to and enjoy in the band.....
 

walrus

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I will admit to often dreaming about the V.H. band sporting a "true" hard rock lead singer, "a la" David Coverdale, so that there would be at least ONE more individual to listen to and enjoy in the band.....

IMHO, underrated album - "Coverdale/Page"...

walrus
 

bluesypicky

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IMHO, underrated album - "Coverdale/Page"... walrus

I can't say I remember it... will have to give it a shot later. Never was a big Page fan (just made about 453 enemies here) but anything with Coverdale in it will most likely get my vote.
This guy's voice is the best I've ever heard in the Rock business. Just listen to his acoustic session, him and Vandenberg on acoustic guitar... it's phenomenal.
 

bluesypicky

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Can't enjoy the audio right now, but will check it out later, thanks! (The cover pic rings a bell, so maybe it'll come back to me when I hear it... lol)
 

Alan_M

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Maybe it would be sufficient to say ANYBODY who can get attention and retain an audience must have SOMETHING to offer. The "business" in all it's forms through all the generations has always be one of hard work, luck and talent. Anybody who can last more than a few years is an exception, and likely points out that they are making worthwhile music. Artists who can sustain it for decades are rare air, so credit is due, whether I personally like the music or not. If you think about it, so many of the groups that stand as icons now were roundly criticized, specifically because they were "different", or "no talent", or if they changed their original "popular" sound as they expanded their musical palette. Elvis, Zeppelin, The Who, AC/DC, Sabbath, Dylan, Ramones......
 
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