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As players, we often confuse technical proficiency with artistry and
talent. Oftentimes,
though, the better player is not the one who moves me. For instance, I
remain a devout fan
of Link Wray and of Dick Dale, although I don't think either is a
particularly proficient
guitarist (particularly Wray). Lately, I've been really listening to a
lot of Nirvana, and
frankly, I don't give a damn that Kurt Cobain's skills were
rudimentary. He wrote inspired
and inspiring music with really great pop hooks and fascinating, if
often cryptic and weird
and confusing, lyrics.
I often find myself going back to the earliest surf recordings for
inspiration in my own
playing because, no insult intended, a lot of the current surf music is
a little too good. The
musicianship is there, but the raw character of the teenage surf bands
is part of the
genre's appeal for me. Sometimes, our modern surf bands play a little
too well for my
taste.
It's difficult to articulate what I am saying here, but I will be
curious to see if it stimulates
some discussion.
Gavin, I'm going to read your "post" on my next edition of TWANG SHEBANG heard
at www.myrealbroadcast.com because you raise an interesting point. I think for
me a lot of the charm in the vintage surf music is what you point out - the fact
that is was essentially a "garage band" sound when it started; almost as if
anyone could do it, just plug in, twang away. But of course over time that
"sound" has gotten more sophisticated. Bands today playing "trad" surf
obviously have this dilemma -- be loving and true to the original while
presenting at the same time a modern version, and recorded in a far better
studio than those old bands recorded in, with far better equipment to record it
on. No one is going to purposedly sound like those bands, I suppose, though
live many bands when performing perform closer to the original than they do when
they record it -- at least that's my experience. But looking back to the
1960's, no one for me came close to what The Chantays were able to do --
mind you, there were lots of amazing surf artists back then. But as a band,
these guys were just the coolest. And weren't they in high school when they
made these amazing records? My God, those early/mid 1960's--what a time it was,
British Invasion ripping out of AM Radio, alongside such great tracks as
PIPELINE (Chantays), PENETRATION (the Pyramids), OUT OF LIMITS (MARKETTES), WALK
DONT RUN (Ventures). Way too cool. Looking forward to hearing what others have
to say on this too. Thanks for the post. This will be on Twang Shebang #14 -
should be up and running by Friday of this week. TWANG ON, Unsteady Freddie
---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
The all-new My Yahoo! What will yours do?
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--- In , Unsteady Freddie
<schizofredric@y...> wrote:
Lately, I've been really listening to a
> lot of Nirvana, and
> frankly, I don't give a damn that Kurt Cobain's skills were
> rudimentary. He wrote inspired
> and inspiring music with really great pop hooks and fascinating, if
> often cryptic and weird
> and confusing, lyrics.
Cobain was definitely light years ahead of everyone. I believe his
skills went far beyond mere hooks, though. His sense of timing and
anachronistic harmonic sense still resonates today. Compositionally,
he was able to fit things together that don't make any sense at all
from a theoretical perspective. He let his ears and his heart lead
him, though surely much of his angst was due to feelings of being
unable to truly evoke the moods and sounds he heard in his head.
>
> I often find myself going back to the earliest surf recordings for
> inspiration in my own
> playing because, no insult intended, a lot of the current surf music is
> a little too good. The
> musicianship is there, but the raw character of the teenage surf bands
> is part of the
> genre's appeal for me. Sometimes, our modern surf bands play a little
> too well for my
> taste.
Personally, I do like listening to the old stuff too, for the sake of
the simplicity and directness. Mainly, I listen to the old stuff to
get cues on tone, phrasing, and aggression. Yet, what has always
inspired me is the work of the modern rock guitar instrumentalists,
such as Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Eric Johnson, Steve Morse and others.
A lot of their stuff is so far advanced and beyond the technical
facilities of us mere mortals, so it's easier for me to give in to the
magic. Guess I'm on the opposite extreme: I want to hear the
boundaries being pushed and big chances being taken both technically
and compositionally. Like all music, I'll admid that it's hit and
miss... what good is a song that's merely a vehicle for laying down
one-dimensional technical proficiency? Yet, when it does come
together and hits on all cylinders, it makes me feel great, and I know
there there is definitely a bright future for instrumental rock guitar.
>
> It's difficult to articulate what I am saying here, but I will be
> curious to see if it stimulates
> some discussion.
>
>
I hope so too!
red_thundr wrote:
...what has always inspired me is the work of the modern rock guitar
instrumentalists,
such as Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Eric Johnson, Steve Morse and others...I want
to hear the boundaries being pushed and big chances being taken both technically
and compositionally...
I also like the pushing of boundaries although I'm bored with the hiding behind
distortion that so many guitarists today rely on. What impressed me most about
surf when I first heard it was that someone could make guitar music so intense
without distortion and finger tapping. That's a challenge.
-Marty
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