Re: Hiromi

[Richard Sales <richard@glasswing.com>]

Did any of you ever hear the prog band Happy The Man?  We shared bills in the good old days (G.O.D.S) and I thought, and still think, they were some of the best and most creative of the prog genre.   Especially in their first incarnation with Mike Beck on drums/creative percussion.

And yes!  The anti chop movement has been devastating to music.  The sanctification of The Garage has been cataclysmic.  But some nights, when I''m off, I'm really grateful for it!    

But recording guitar for my daughter I really saw the impact of this.  She didn't want ANY string bends (I snuck in a few), any left hand tremolo (when she wasn't looking), anything that really stood out.  So ALL of my parts are incredibly simple - which is what I usually like anyhow, but I mean REALLY SIMPLE.  I learned to put all the soul I could muster into whole notes!  While doing it I thought I would be really embarrassed - and threatened to not put my name on the CD - but the final product actually fits together well and the guitar comes off as organic and doesn't step on ANY toes (to say the least).   But this is how a lot of younger (especially college age) folks want to hear music... or at least NEW music.  They'll listen to the Zep's note blizzards all day long and somehow that slips under the radar.   But generally, guitar chops are seen as showing off.

It's a strange new world!  Our job is getting easier.

richard sales
glassWing farm and studio
vancouver island, b.c.
800.545.6846
250.752.4816
www.glassWing.com
www.richardsales.com
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www.blueberryfieldsfarm.com
On 21-Jun-06, at 8:23 AM, Christophe wrote:

> I think the whole prog-bashing trend started as sour grapes on the part of kids who just didn't have the chops to play it.  As I recall, at the same time that prog was declared a dinosaur by these young turks virtuosity in general was poo-pooed just as much.
>
> Not that there wasn't an awful lot of excess (and I spell excess E-L-P) rampant at the time!
>
> Regards from Boston,
> Chris
>
>
> -------------- Original message ----------------------
> From: "Tony K" <bigtony@softhome.net>
> > RE: HiromiI'll be seeing Emerson on Sunday evening.  I'm not counting on silver 
> > suit or knives in the B3.  Apparently he does travel with a large modular 
> > though...
> >
> > I'm  a prog-head and proud of it!  I have all of the ELP albums up to but not 
> > including "Love Bleah" oh, I mean "Beach"
> >
> > I sometimes think it's just fashionable to trash prog, but I would rather listen 
> > to it than most of what's coming out these days.  It is interesting to note that 
> > there is a very active and very good modern prog scene going on.  
> >
> > as said before. YMMV.
> >
> > Tony