Reeves Gabrels ripping it up with David Bowie.

I have a song he did from a Guitar World CD from years ago. I tried to get into his playing after hearing that. It was mostly good stuff, but whenever he plays fast, it becomes a mess. He's also into noise-making more than I like.

The intro phrase to this is great, though.

Shreddy sections were indeed a sloppy mess. :\ If you're going to blast out groups of notes, at least pretend to be listening to the bassline.

Chris said:

Shreddy sections were indeed a sloppy mess. :\ If you're going to blast out groups of notes, at least pretend to be listening to the bassline.

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Maybe it's just that all that jazz shit has rearranged my mind, but I disagree.

I think Reeve's playing in that clip is interesting precisely because it doesn't sound like he spends 12 hours a day locked in his bedroom with a guitar and a metronome. It's kind of like Vernon Reid that way. I think you sort of have to embrace the chaos to get into this style of playing.

BTW, Bowie either has an unusually good plastic surgeon or he doesn't age at the same rate as humans do. :lol:

^ :agreed:

I wish I could find the clips of Tin Machine playing on SNL, because Reeves was on fire. It had that same chaotic, atonal nature as "Cult of Personality", as if a tornado swept in from the side of the stage. It's hard to make it work, but it's really cool when it comes together. Personally, I think he was just sorta not fitting into that song, but the Tin Machine stuff was just bizarre.

I fucking love this song

jacksonplayer said:

Maybe it's just that all that jazz shit has rearranged my mind, but I disagree.

I think Reeve's playing in that clip is interesting precisely because it doesn't sound like he spends 12 hours a day locked in his bedroom with a guitar and a metronome. It's kind of like Vernon Reid that way. I think you sort of have to embrace the chaos to get into this style of playing.

BTW, Bowie either has an unusually good plastic surgeon or he doesn't age at the same rate as humans do. :lol:

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This.:agreed:

The thing I really find interesting about Reeves' playing in general, and this clip in particular, is the way he's not afraid to crowbar a little atonal chaos into a really polished pop song. Yeah, in terms of pure technique it can be a little sloppy, but within the context of the song it works brilliantly and adds another extra dimension to the performance. This sort of juxtaposition is really facinating to me...I'd love to develop that sort of musical fearlessness, even if it means the occasional dodgy performance.:lol:

distressed_romeo said:

I'd love to develop that sort of musical fearlessness, even if it means the occasional dodgy performance.:lol:

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That, right there, is the key to becoming a good jazz or experimental musician. :yesway:

You can learn every scale on Earth and have impeccable technique, but you aren't really living until you are willing to step out on that ledge. A big part of improvisation is learning to live with the results, whatever they are. Don't 'fix' it in Pro Tools.

I really like it :yesway:

And yeah, I've always been a fan of "taking the leap" on solos and love improvisation. Yeah, half the time I end up a sloppy mess that impresses nobody, but the other half it works out better than I could have planned, and those moments are worth it :lol:

noodles said:

^ :agreed:

I wish I could find the clips of Tin Machine playing on SNL, because Reeves was on fire. It had that same chaotic, atonal nature as "Cult of Personality", as if a tornado swept in from the side of the stage. It's hard to make it work, but it's really cool when it comes together. Personally, I think he was just sorta not fitting into that song, but the Tin Machine stuff was just bizarre.

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:agreed: That was a memorable performance.

I Never much cared for Bowie Before Tin Machine

That was awesome. I love that kind of playing really I do.

jacksonplayer said:

Maybe it's just that all that jazz shit has rearranged my mind, but I disagree.

I think Reeve's playing in that clip is interesting precisely because it doesn't sound like he spends 12 hours a day locked in his bedroom with a guitar and a metronome. It's kind of like Vernon Reid that way. I think you sort of have to embrace the chaos to get into this style of playing.

BTW, Bowie either has an unusually good plastic surgeon or he doesn't age at the same rate as humans do. :lol:

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Listening quietly at 12:30 after too much fixed income valuation reading and two bourbons, but while some of it sounds pretty inspired (his first solo, from maybe 1:35 onwards, for instance), some of it just sounds sloppy - the opening of his first solo, that stuff around 2:57, for instance. When he's pushing the harmony a bit but still finding a way to make it resolve it's pretty awesome, but those sections sounds like he's just sliding up the neck trem-picking over and over again.

A short solo performance I found yesterday...