The Unanswered Question

[dave robinson]

But with Buddy Holly, I simply love his sound, but am confused as to whether that is Buddy playing all those Strat sounding rhythms and licks, or whether it is the Cricket's guy. Yes Chet Atkins has a style but not as distinctively his own as millions of other Nashville guitarists played like him, where Hank was a one off.



David

David, you really need to think before you begin to write stuff like this,there are folks here who know about Chet Atkins and Buddy Holly, your cred has just gone down to zero - and the word is 'thesis'.

[tolo]

My age doesn't allow me to know of past great guitarists from the 50's and earlier. Yes I have heard of Django and some of those names. But with Buddy Holly, I simply love his sound, but am confused as to whether that is Buddy playing all those Strat sounding rhythms and licks, or whether it is the Cricket's guy. Yes Chet Atkins has a style but not as distinctively his own as millions of other Nashville guitarists played like him, where Hank was a one off.

? For what it's worth - age has nothing to do with it... I know how great Rachmaninov was as a composer and pianist despite not being around at the time... As it happens I too am also too young to remember these guitarists in their time - but I have taken more than a horizon view of how this (my) instrument has evolved over the years and those that have been instrumental (no pun intended) in it's meteoric rise as 'the' instrument of legend and the one that creates icons.

I agree with the sentiment of the article (of course only Hank can really sound completely like Hank) - so I don't need to give the author 'a break' - its you, Twangaway, that I am encouraging to listen to more stuff and really take the time to hear more players like the ones aforementioned. Then perhaps you would be more informed not say such silly things as 'I can only think of Hank, Hendrix, and Beck as the guitarist's who have made their signature mark sonicly speaking'. It only speaks volumes about your listening heritage - not anything relevant about these musicians. I don't mean to be harsh but saying that stuff about Chet Atkins is completely out of order. In fact Chet's direct influence inspired a million Nashville guitarists... Not unlike Hank's legacy in fact... Maybe you are being deliberately contentious there - I can't believe that anyone with any knowledge of contemporary music and its roots would say such a dumb thing and mean it...

Best,

Tony.

[JimN]

Dave and Tolo... I don't know why you're bothering to reply. This thread has now become farcical. Ernie must be quite anoyed at the way it's gone.

JN
[long-time fan and collector of:
Tha Shadows
Hank Marvin
Chet Atkins
Les Paul
Buddy Holly
& more]

[Twangaway]

Dave I know nothing about Chet Atkins or his stature other than that he is a highly respected vintage country guitarist of note. I heard an album in parts and turned it off because I didn't like his style of playing. That does not mean I am ignorant to his fanbase whether here or elsewhere. I just don't think he has that indelible DNA sound and that is my opinion. I am allowed to have an opinion whether you take the mick. I do not profess to be an expert in music or in the guitar, I just enjoy listening to what I enjoy If I chose to limit my taste or horizons to be what catches my fancy, then I am surely one of the vast majority of music lovers in being selective. It's the selective types that determine whether someone is great or not. It isn't the opinion of experts here that sways me one way or another.

It's like saying I have a thing about red two seater cars that they are flash, sexy and have the image, but the fact is I don't and a car is a car to me and not an object of affection. Guitars are the same , they either give me a nice tone or they don't and that is regardless of whether it's Fender, Squire , or an Encore cricket bat. Musicians are the same, and Clapton is the most over rated guitarist and just about knows how to pull more faces than a comedian on viagra, but his music to me at least is soul less and lifeless. Hardly a candidate for greatness. Now Jeff Beck, I am looking forward to blowing everyone away on Jules Holland tomorrow night I think and repeated on Friday night

But it's good that some of you take music so seriously and enjoy it on a higher technical level, I am happy to flick through radio and TV channels for better enjoyment than follow up on old revered guitarists before my time. Am afraid the young ones will be worse than me in 10 years and say Chet who ? is that a 757 jumbo ?, and Hank will be same , someone who came from Nashville to Newcastle or was it Aussieland ? That is the legacy that young people will know, and the Beatles were those wax mopheads in funny suits in Madame Tussauds, but that is life as people grow up with Black eyed Peas, and strange bands who try to sell downloads to a fragmenting mass of musical tastes.

No need for posters to get uptight, it's harmless opinions and as always these will be from diverse people that makes the world go round and sometimes in crazy ways .

[ernie1958]

Dave and Tolo... I don't know why you're bothering to reply. This thread has now become farcical. Ernie must be quite anoyed at the way it's gone.

JN
[long-time fan and collector of:
Tha Shadows
Hank Marvin
Chet Atkins
Les Paul
Buddy Holly
& more]

I'm not annoyed at all Jim..these things are meant for discussion and all opinions are welcome for debate,but the main reason for posting this
article is only to point out what the writer of this is trying to get across here...
There is only one HBM and only he will sound like himself whatever equipment he uses..that's what's being stated as a final thought here.
The way i see it is that every guitarist trying to get as close to a HBM sound as he/she possibly can is only good for getting at the authenticity
of playing the Shads tunes as best as possible...
The equipment used is important but shouldn't be getting into something that give people sleepless nights because they keep wondering if
they have achieved the Holy Grail in sound or not..
I myself play Shads tunes as best as I can and still put a little bit of my own doing into each one...keeps things lively for me if you know what I mean.
Like the writer of the article said..there's only ONE Hank and you're you,so I'm satisfied with that..


Regards,
Ernie