Conference napalm::guitar

    In my opinion, there is no single thing better than (or even nearly as
    good as) true stereo delay to improve your clean sound.
    
    Sure, it's expensive: you need a second amp, and most likely a way
    to control it (volume or pan pedal, mixer, A/B, etc.), but the difference
    is striking.
    
    For those of you who have never tried true stereo chorusing, flanging,
    etc.  I recommend you try it.  I think you'll be blown away.  Be
    warned though that it mostly good for CLEAN (not distorted) sounds.
    Delay effects tend to make distorted sound intolerably muddy.
    
    The good news is that you really don't need another Boogie, Marshall,
    SD or whatever as your second amp.  The most important aspect of
    the second amp is that it be accurate because you can drive it from
    the preamp out of the first amp (and put the effect in between).

    Or if you can spend the bucks, you can buy another "good" amp (but it MUST
    have a good clean sound ) and split the signal before the amps.
    
    I'm so sold on stereo that I'm saving up for another amp.  I'll
    probably get a Carvin since I think that complements my Boogie
    pretty well.
    
    	db

    re .1  Thanks, Dave.   Do you recommend any brand of stereo delay
    over any other?  I am lucky in that I use 3 amps (Marshall, Boogie,
    and the Twin mentioned in the base note), so I'm real inclined to 
    give your suggestion a try.
    
    steve

    The only thing I'd avoid in a delay are box type delays that sit
    on the floor (you know Boss, DoD's, etc.).  I don't like box type
    effects in general (too noisy, low quality) but the delays seem
    to be particularly bad.
    
    What you want is a good rack mount type delay with good frequency
    response and a high sampling rate.  (But avoid the ADM Effectron
    Jrs, which are rack mounted and cheap, but are just Effectrons with
    half the sampling rate).
    
    My DDL (Digital DeLay) 
    is an Effectron ADM-1024 which (today) is sort of the low
    end of high quality DDLs.   It has no presets but has a full sec.
    of delay and excellent audio qualities.  
    
    I would go for one with at least a second of delay unless you
    don't intend to use long-delay type effects (like echo, slapback,
    quasi-reverb, etc.) in which case anything with  about 250-350 ms
    is probably ok.   (I think you miss a lot creative opportunites
    without long delay though).
    
    Also if you perform on stage a lot, it will probably be worth your
    time getting a delay with presets.   I really wish I had one with
    presets but they run into the $600-$1k range.  I know I'll get one
    eventually though.   What you've got to remember, is that this one
    delay gives you the equivalent of several boxes but with higher
    quality and more flexibility.
    
    With a good quality DDL like I've described you get:
    
    	o chorus
    	o flanging
    	o phase shifting
    	o echo
    	o slapback
    	o vibrato (yes vibrato)
    	o and a host of creative things (tricks, sound effects, etc.) you 
          can do which I'd be glad show you sometime.  Suffice it to
          say that delays are incredibly versatile.
    
    Brands you may want to check out: 
    
       1) Effectron/Deltalab/ADM not sure which is the name and which
          is the model and which is the line, etc.   They are also
          conveniently located just north of Boston on I-93 which makes
          repairs much easier and quicker (Mine got dropped and had to
          fixed.)
    
       2) I'm intrigued by what I've seen in ads for the Yamaha SPX-90.
          It seems like it's more than just a DDL.
    
       3) Roland, particularly the SDE-3000.
    
    There are lots more good ones I've seen but I don't remember them
    all.

      db

    
    RE:.3
    
    	I thought that Deltalab went out of business a couple years
    back.  Is some other company now manufacturing their stuff?  You
    see a five or six years ago, I was a member of the Curtis Knight
    Band (Who?) and we were lucky enough to have this keyboard player
    who happened to work for Deltalab which was great because we got
    the employee prices on all DL equipment, but I remember seeing her
    a couple years back and thought she told me they went bust.  I could
    be wrong though.
    
    			-Cagey-
     

    Deltalab was bought out.  I don't remember by whom, but they definitely
    alive as I was at the factory a few weeks ago.  I haven't seen much
    of their stuff in the stores though.
    
    	db

    Concerning Eric Johnson, I am dying to find out what he's up to
    these days. His melodic approach is truely his own! I've also been
    trying for several years (since 1980) to get hold of a record of
    his band from the 1970s, The Electromagnets. It was released on
    some local label in Texas (where Eric is from) and later was released
    in europe on (I think) E.G. records. I'm in Massachusetts and am
    also wondering if Eric ever plays up this way. I'd be truely grateful
    to anyone who might know.  -Ed C. 
    

    
    
    I just listened to Eric's "Tones" album.
    I can still see the steam coming out of the walkman!  This guy can
    play!  I don't know what his other albums are like, but Tones has a lot
    of high-output guitar work.  It's also one of those rare "guitar"
    albums where the songs (with some vocals) are pretty good.
    
    Kevin
     
    

    There aren't many "other" Eric Johnsn albums that you are likely
    to find.  He did do some recordings with his old band but they
    are nearly impossible to find.
    
    The good news is that he has a new album coming out this summer.
    
    I have a videotape of his Austin City limits appearence (we can
    watch it when our DECjam band starts rehearsing) that's really
    killer.
    
    	db

    
    	I was living for about six months just south of Austin back
    in 1980 and was in town with some friends at a mexican restraunt,
    came out and heard this "music" several blocks away....Was Eric
    giving a free outdoor concert in this really neat amphitheatre
    mall with a small river running through it. I for the most part
    was totaly awe-stricken! I would give my first born to see his 
    appearance on Austin City Limits! A friend of mine who lost his
    recording of the Electromagnets says it's a truely great recording.
    If I ever succeed in getting my hands on a copy I'll keep you EJ
    enthusiasts posted.  -Ed Conley

    
    
    Well, looks like the folks on PBS accepted my offer. Actually, all
    seriousness aside, Eric Johnson is to be on Austin City Limits Saturday
    May 20th on channel 44 at 9:00 p.m.  Repeat showing is the following
    Friday the 26th at 1:00. I have no idea if this is to be a repeat
    of his show from several years back or a new one. You may wish to
    double check the times I have listed here against your local PBS
    listings.  Enjoy!			E.C.

    Would you know if this is just a repeat of the show they aired
    several years ago?
    
    I already have that on tape.
    
    	db

    No, sorry, I don't know. My only reference on this in my GBH magazine
    I got the other day and it really doesn't say much other than it's
    in stereo. One clue might be the other billing on the show. I'll
    check tonight and let you know tomorrow.   E.C.
    
    

    
    The other billing on Austin City Limits is "Timbuk 3". Helpful Clue?
    Sounds like you best get your VCR revved up just in case!!-Ed C.

    I saw the broadcast as well; looked like he had two Fender Dual
    Showman and two Marshall heads.  The logo was missing on one
    Marshall and kind of obscured on the other; wonder if this was
    intentional.  Note that a big part of Eric's sound is supposedly
    his pedals, which are made by T.C. Electronics and cost a bundle.

    Check out "Tones", Eric's only solo album that I know of.
    
    /rick

    Ah, I knew *somebody* would bring that show up. I'd seen it also
    but forgot the guy's name.
    
    ...nice job on Hendrix's "Love or Confusion", yes?
    
    Edd

    I saw that, too, and I'm probably going to get killed for saying this,
    but:  Although EJ was great playing that fast stuff at the beginning,
    he started to bore me after a couple tunes.  He appeared to be making 
    mistakes right and left, and when he did make those mistakes, he always 
    reverted to playing a 150mph lick to cover it up, which to me was very 
    obvious and kind of lame.  I think he's a bit overrated. 

    I was given a promo tape of Eric Johnson's new release over the
    weekend (friend of mine runs a local rock magazine and gets those
    advance goodies).  It is on Capitol records and is titled "Ah Via
    Musicom".
    
    It was my first listen ever to this guy, but I was very impressed!
    The album is mostly instrumental, but he has a decent voice too. 
    Sounds like the guy that sang with the Baby's.
    
    I can understand why Keaggy says this guy was a major influence of
    his.  I can hear a lot of similarities!
    
    Definitely worth getting!
    
    Mike

    The new album hits the stores tommorrow.

    	Dave,what stores? Anybody find it yet?.... :^)
    
    				Rick
    			(who's been waiting for a long time for this)

    Rick,
    
    All I know is that tommorrow is the release date for the album.
    
    Rockit Records in Nashua should get it in sometime today.
    
    	db

    Forgot to mention: He really has some interesting tones/effects on 
    this album too.  
    
    When others get a copy, I'd like to hear how you think he got them.
    Out of the 10 songs, there's only about 3 or 4 with vocals.  This guy
    can sing though.
    
    Mike

    Check the recent GP interview with Eric; they go into great detail
    about the album and how he got different sounds and effects.  EJ has
    notoriously fussy ears.  He claims he can hear the differences between
    battery brands and even BATTERY CABLES! in his effects boxes.

    By the way, Rockit Records in Nashua did get it in.  I got the last
    (CD) copy that was on the shelf, but they claim they'll have more
    in today.
    
    I've listened once through.  I'm somewhat dissapointed.  On this album
    he seems to have made an obvious effort to keep things simple, perhaps
    so that these tunes can be played live as a three piece.
    
    My reaction however is that there are too many empty spaces on the
    album, particularly under the solos.  Although you have to admire
    the difference in approach from "Varney types" who regard unfilled
    sonic space as a sin, perhaps even a crime, I find (at least on 1st
    listen) that the album sounds kind of thin.
    
    This recording of "Cliffs of Dover" is WAY too slow.  Live, it's a
    showstopping grind tune, somewhat like a cross between Morse's
    "Tumeni Notes" and Satriani's "Satch Boogie".  The tempo of this
    recording of it makes it sound like the band is being dragged by
    the tempo (through the whole tune almost EVERYBODY in the band is
    just a teensy bit ahead of the beat, and that's the giveaway that
    the tune is too slow).
    
    But I remain open to the possibility that the album will grow on me.
    I have a lot of faith in Eric Johnson, and I intend to listen to it
    quite a bit over the next couple of weeks.
    
    	db

    "Cliffs of Dover" and "Trademark" are my favorites on the album.

    Is it safe to assume that this guy is British?

    EJ is from Texas......

I thought he was from Texas...

dbii

	"Tones" kinda left me hangin and wantin more of Eric's
playing. I found after hearing the first side of"Ah Via Musicom",
I felt more satisfied. Eric's trademark/sound is more evident
in his new release. But unlike others I find his sound more 
refined or tuned. I had heard the "Austin City Limits" tape and
found a certain sloppyness or looseness that existed,which I don't
hear on this release. I also don't hear anything too slow or fast. 
	Comparatively to the other EJ stuff I have it sounds very
well done. His "Hendrixy sound" is very refined to my ears and
certainly more controlled. His solo's very arpeggiated and scalar.
Alot of attention and time to tones,and recording/mixing is also
very obvious.
	I question whether there is any strong commercial value
to what he plays,but that's not usually a prequisite for me buying
someones release anyway. Hopefully I'll get a chance to hear
him when his group comes east.... 

						Rick

    Re: Texas
    
    WOW!  That's funny.  He's sounded English in some of his
    pronounciations.  Like on "40 mile town" he says "fahst" instead of
    "fast".
    
    Is there a London, Texas? :-)

    I think this guy is sorta one of those players who blows me away
    live (will NEVER forget his Channel appearence (as well as getting
    to talk with him for awhile afterwards)), but leaves me very
    cold on record.
    
    The Channel show and the Austin City Limits thing are how I think
    of EJ.  I almost never listen to "Tones".

    EJ has what I consider a somewhat high-tech sound, but many of the key
    building blocks are in fact old, vintage type stuff.  His main guitars
    are two Strats, a '54 and a '58 (maple boards) with stock pickups.
    On the new album, he also uses a 335 for "Cliffs of Dover" and a '51
    Tele for "Steve's Boogie".  He has three separate amp systems for each
    of his three basic tones.  For clean, he uses two blackface Twin
    Reverbs set relatively low.  For dirty rhythm, he uses a Dumble +
    distortion/delay effects.  For his lead tone, he uses a straight Marshall
    (standard 4 input, I believe), again with optional distortion/delay.
    For distortion, he has an Ibanez Tube Screamer and a Fuzz Face.  His
    delay effects are mostly MXR stomp boxes, he also occasionally uses
    a wah and an Echoplex.  I think there is also a TC sustainer
    somewhere in the chain.  Note that although there are remarkable
    similarities between EJ's equipment and Stevie Ray Vaughn's (hey,
    maybe its a Texas thing), their sounds are worlds apart.  I also
    thought it was interesting that on "Cliffs", even through a 335,
    the sound is unmistakably Eric.

    /rick

    How about the opening rhythm piece of "Desert Rose"?  Is that
    a blackface Twin Reverb + distortion/delay effects?
    
    What's a Dumble?
    
    Mike

From: [email protected] (Michael Todd)
Newsgroups: rec.music.makers
Subject: Eric Johnson In Boulder.
Date: 15 Apr 90 18:15:14 GMT
Organization: AT&T, Denver, CO
 
Last night I saw Eric Johnson at the Boulder Theatre in Boulder, CO.  It's been
4 years since he came to Boulder.  He played cuts mostly off his new album
'Ah Via Musicom.'  The bass player and drummer with credits on his new album
were there.  It's great to hear a three piece band with no synths.  Eric had
2 Marshall stacks, 1 Fender stack, and a 'Sweet Singing Steel' head.  He didn't
have a lot of effects on stage.  All I saw was an Echoplex and a few stomp 
boxes.  He played his Stratocaster on almost all cuts.  From his equipment 
list, you'd think it was a power trio, but I'd hesitate to classify it as such.  
I suppose some casual observers would bunch him in with the guitar hero 
pantheon, i.e. Satriani. Someone told me he was 3rd in GP's annual reader's 
poll. He is the most sophisticated, eclectic guitarist I've heard in a long 
time.  His voicings and phrasing are excellent.  He can change tones from note
to note and he understands the term dynamics is not outlawed in a rock 
musician's vocabulary.
 
If you get a chance to see him, don't miss out.
 
Michael Todd.
Denver, CO.

I saw Eric last Thursday night at a (not so nice) club in Co. Springs.  He 
put on an amazing performance!

I was a little less pleased with the timing of the show and all.  Doors were
supposed to open at 8:00 and they made us stay outside until after 10:00...

He had two Fender half stacks, a Marshall half-stack and the Howard Dumble at
our show.  Not sure what was on the floor or in his rack, as I didn't get
real close.

I was mesmerized by the music.  Very emotional and powerful, while at the same
time technically executed.  I hadn't heard a lot of his material before the 
show and I was quite impressed.

I highly recommend seeing him to anyone so inclined.

Greg

    I recently go ther new album, along with Beck, Morse and Satch he's now
    one of my major fav's.
    
    What great album!
    
    You guys wer fortunate to see him live
    
    enviously
    
    dbii

    His video is pretty neat too.  First one I've seen that displays the
    standard notation of what he's doing on the screen as he's playing it.
    
    It is too high right now though ($50), when it drops I'll pick it up.
    
    Mike

    
    Man, I just bought "Ah Via Musicom", and after just a couple listens, I
    am impressed.  I love "East Wes".  The cd makes you want more.  I can't
    believe what a variety of rhythms/tones he produces!  I dug up my "High 
    Tension Wires" cd immediately to keep the groove goin'!
    
    -pat

    I heard he produced the project himself too because he's such a
    perfectionist and a tone freak.
    
    Mike

    Just got through listening to the new CD, and this is some tasteful
    stuff !  Makes me wanna go buy a NICE reverb unit ....
    
    Scary

    Does anyone in this notesfile NOT know that Eric is playing the
    Paradise in Boston in July?  Be there!

    I'll be there (rockin' the Paradise).
    
    Check out his instructional video if you can.  It's very interesting.
    The guy is very articulate and a good teacher.

    I wish I knew when he was coming to Phoenix.  If you guys catch a tour
    schedule, please let me know.
    
    Mike

      >>Does anyone in this notesfile NOT know that Eric is playing the
      >>Paradise in Boston in July?  Be there!

        Does anybody know what date he will be playing at the 
             Paradise ?          
                        I would  not want to miss this show.
                                                                 mArK
    
    

    	He's playing this Saturday July 7th at the Paradise...
    
    					See ya there :^)
    
    						Rick
    

	Well after hearing EJ saturday night,and a lot of thought,I'm
not sure what to think.....Except that his "Austin City Limits" tape
hardly does him justice as a guitar player.
	He without question did most of his material from "Ah Via Musicom"
and alot from "Tones" along with 2 encores. His studio release's were 
pretty much the same as as his live show,however there was "creative
element" which seemed to be added to his live show which I cannot describe.
And perhap's it's not something that can be defined.... I know there
were plenty of players there,any ideas guy's?
	His solo prior to "Cliff's of Dover"(I think?) was the high point 
for me,and I found the harmonic content incredible,not to mention difficult
to follow I'm still thinking about it. This may have put everyone else to 
sleep,but I found it quite  pleasing,I'd love to have a recording of it......
It seemed to last 10-15 minutes.... 
	A good show regardless of the wait and the environment.... 
hopefully his next release won't take 5 years.........

							Go see him.....

								Rick

    Anyone happen to see a tour schedule?
    
    Mike

    Mike,
    
    	I didn't see any tour schedules,but the club he was playin in
    was one of the worst I've been in for some time,you would think
    he would get booked in nicer and better rooms in Boston. There
    were a couple of music buisness rag's which usually print where
    groups are playing.... I wonder if he will end his tour in Austin,TX
    
    
    							Rick

>    But the club he was playin in
>    was one of the worst I've been in for some time,you would think
>    he would get booked in nicer and better rooms in Boston. 
    
    But the Pardise IS one of the nicer rooms in Boston!
    
    8^)  8^)  8^)
    
    Yeah, Nightstage or Berklee might have been more conducive to listening
    to music, but they aren't "rock clubs", eh?
    
    							Brian

    The new issue of Guitar School has the transcription for "Cliffs of
    Dover".
    
    Mike

    According to Musician's Friend & their new catalog, Eric Johnson's
    video is their best seller.
    
    Mike

    
    Mike,
    
    Do you have that magazine with the "Cliffs of Dover", and if so,
    could I get a xerox of that song?
    
    I tried to look for it but they were sold out.
    
    Thanks,
    Bob

    I'll check tonight to see if the stores still have it here.  I always
    read the stuff when I go to the supermarket ;-)
    
    Mike

    
    
    	Would anyone care to venture how Eric gets that awesome clean,
    	full, smooth tone on "East Wes"?  I mean can ya get me in the
    	ballpark?

    well first, you gotta get the right batteries...

    
    	re:-.1
    
    	yuk yuk yuk.  Then you need the right guage a/c adapter wire.

>>    	Would anyone care to venture how Eric gets that awesome clean,
>>    	full, smooth tone on "East Wes"?  I mean can ya get me in the
>>    	ballpark?
    
    My guesses: a 335 through a Twin. And you play the part with your thumb
    (a la Wes Montgomery) to get that warm tone. The rest, dude, is down to
    talent :^)
    
    Nick

Eric seems to be a dedicated strat man from what I've seen...perhaps db can
say more he's actually seen him, twice I believe.

dbii

    When I saw him a couple of months ago, he was playing a Strat (same one
    all night).  I have no idea what kind of pickups it had, they looked
    stock, but I wasn't standing very close.  He had three seperate Fender
    half stacks and one Marshall.  There was a bunch of TC gear in his
    rack.
    
    I don't have any idea how to set it up to get the right tone though...
    
    Greg

    Eric is a Strat man, but he also plays a 335 (see the video to Zap if
    you don't believe me!). On his video, he talks about his Wes Montgomery
    technique (playing with the thumb) and specifically says that you need
    a Gibson to get that warm tone...
    
    FWIW
    
    Nick

    ...I stand (well, sit) corrected. I looked up an old Guitar Player last
    night, where they talk to Eric about the recording of Ah Via Musicom.
    He uses a Strat on all of the tracks, except for Cliffs of Dover, where
    he uses the 335.
    
    Nick

    
    	After having a near religious experience with "Ah Via Musicom",
    I bought the "Tones" cd.  I've listened to it a few times and I like 
    it a lot.  I wish Eric would tour around this part of the country.
    I haven't been this batshit over guitar playing since Mason Rufner's
    Gypsy Blood.
    
    -pat

    How did you find "Tones"?  I can't seem to find it around here.  did
    you mail order it?
    
    Mike

    
    	It was in Noteworthy music.  I don't have the number handy.

    In his interview in GP I think Eric indicated that all the electric
    work was done with a strat.
    
    His clean tones almost certain come from any of those numerous vintage
    amps he uses.
    
    I like the modern overdrive sounds from the newer amps but for clean,
    there's not much that I would choose over any of a dozen vintage
    Fender models.
    
    My Boogie is as close as I can get to that kinda clean tone.

    	The sound Eric gets on "the song that received all the airplay"
    	is very reminiscent of Hendrix on "Rainy Day, Dream Away" from
    	Electric Ladyland...all that phase stuff.
    
    	(hope I'm not repeatin' mice elf),
    	joe.

    Well I finally found "Tones" and bought it yesterday.  It's on deck now
    for the Walkman ;-)  I have a few others I had to hear first ;-)
    
    Mike

    "Tones" has a lot of great guitar work on it, but if I had to choose,
    I'd say "Ah Via Musicom" is better.
    
    I just love that singing 100 lb. violin tone he gets, gives ya goose
    bumps all over ;-)
    
    Mike

    I forgot something...
    
    I noticed credits to Steve Morse in both tapes.  Have they ever
    done anything together?
    
    Mike

  >> I noticed credits to Steve Morse in both tapes.  Have they ever
  >>  done anything together?
  
I only know of one thing.  Its a song on the second Steve Morse Band album. The
song's called Western Flyer.  I don't remember the name of the Album.. 

db -- how about a little help here?

steve

    The two albums by The Steve Morse Band are:
    
    			The Introduction and Stand Up
    FJE

    re: .71
    
    Actually the song is called "Distant Star" and it's on the "Stand Up"
    album, which is the only solo album NOT available on CD (and it's very
    hard to find on record as well although I suspect it's still "in
    print").
    
    It's a pretty cool song - one particularly interesting thing about it
    is that the main riff in it is done with the thumb-popping technique
    normally only done with bass guitar.
    
    Eric co-write the tune with Steve - he sings on it, and he and Morse
    both play solos.
    
    I also have a live bootleg of Morse and EJ
    
    	db

    Does anyone have the "Austin City Limits" appearances on videotape? 
    I'd like to make a copy.
    
    Thanks,
    Mike

    I had the privilege of seeing EJ this past weekend.  I swear I spent 
    half the time with my face buried in my hands in awe.  What a talent.  
    The Center Stage in Atlanta was really nice too.  Only a 1000 seats 
    and the worst one is 65 feet from the Stage.  The Emcee asked how 
    many guitar players were in the audience and the place went wild.  
    Eric is so smooth switching from rhythm to lead and his singing was
    also sweet.  That's what makes him such a well rounded musician, IMO.  
    He wasn't much of a showboat, but he didn't hold back either.  Eric's 
    setup was 4 Twins (mic'ed) and 3 Marshall stacks (un-mic'ed).  He used 
    delay, chorus, and some distortion (tube screamer?) for effects but 
    he came thru as 'clean'.  It looked like all stompers to me.  His tone 
    has got this chimey, ringing tone, kinda like when you crank up the 
    input signal on your amp.  He played a tobacco Strat on all songs except 
    for an acoustic number.  Along with playing all of Musicom and most of 
    Tones, he did a tribute song to SRV and also an unnamed jam.  Two long
    encores, and he shooks a bunch of hands on the way out each time.  He's 
    gonna play near here at a bar in Clemson Monday night, and I plan to be 
    there.
    
    -pat 

Just got back from seeing Eric at a local club.  I still can't catch my 
breath !  Very quiet kinda guy.  But he's got chops for days - every guitar 
"gun" in the area was there too, and they all had the same reaction.  Mouths 
open in amazement.

From what I could tell, he did everything on "Ah Via Musicom", plus a tribute 
tune to Stevie Ray Vaughn titled "SRV".  Plus, one of the encore numbers 
was a Hendrix tune, ala Eric Johnson style.  Can't remember the name, but 
he wailed on it.

I was no more than 10 feet from him during the whole show - by far the best 
seat (spot really) in the place.  He was playing through 2 Marshall half 
stacks and 2 Fender Vibrolux's, all of 'em running through the PA too.  I 
was so close to the stage I could hear the mains hardly at all, but his 
stage tone was *perfect*.  He had a mongrel assortment of pedals and 
footswitches, including a Cry Baby wah-wah, Ibanez Tube Screamer, Hendrix 
Fuzz Face, and a couple rack mount units on the floor beside his pedals.  
In his rack, he had a couple rack mount goodies (probably delays), an 
Echoplex (the bass player used one too ...), and a Chandler Tube Driver 
*pedal* !  He fiddled with the knobs some during breaks, but not too much.  
He played *old* strats exclusively- both were sunburst with maple 
fretboards.

He also used a acoustic for a tune from "... Musicom".

The guy was all business though.  The drummer missed a crash one time and 
Eric shot him a serious go_to_h*ll look.  Both the drummer and bass player 
were excellent.

But one thing that got me was Eric Johnson playing in this hole in the wall 
club.  I mean, is this *making it* ?  His new record gets some airplay, 
even here.  So why is he travelling in 3 mini-busses ?  And in order for 
him to "leave the stage" to get an encore, he had to go outside using the 
back door ... c'mon now - for a talent like this he shouldn't have to do 
such things.  I'm sure all the clubs on his circuit aren't as bad as this 
place though.  Lucky break for me though ...   8^)

    Now if Satch and Vai would play Clemson, SC ..    8^)
    
Scary

ps - he wouldn't play "Free Bird" either .... I asked him !
    

>The guy was all business though.  The drummer missed a crash one time and 
>Eric shot him a serious go_to_h*ll look.  Both the drummer and bass player 
>were excellent.
    
    I've heard he's very much the perfectionist.  It shows thru his
    attention to tones.
    
>But one thing that got me was Eric Johnson playing in this hole in the wall 
>club.  I mean, is this *making it* ?  His new record gets some airplay, 
    
    My thoughts exactly!  He also played a night club when in Phoenix,
    although it was a decent sized one.  A week later, Satch was in town
    and filled the Coliseum to capacity (i.e., 20,000).  I don't get it
    either.  He is either a well kept secret to music lovers or has poor
    management!  All the guitar players know about him for sure!
    
> ps - he wouldn't play "Free Bird" either .... I asked him !
    
    Nah, really? ;-)  Why would a Texan want to play that song? ;-)
    
    Mike

    re: .76
    
    At the risk of turning this into another MIB debate, Eric (not to
    mention other greats like Morse) is playing the kind of dives he's
    playing because there is no formula for "making it".
    
    You can't imagine anyone much more talented and advanced than guys like
    Eric and Steve, and yet they are always in danger of being dropped by
    the label, playing dives, rarely getting air-time.
    

    
    	Hey Jerry, you forgot something.  Remember the dude next to us?
    He was raving about his Ibanez 570 and half way thru the show said
    it was for sale!  Jerry told him not to sell it cuz it would keep
    the flies off his Strat!  I almost spewed a mouthful of beer over
    over the whole first row.  Don't panic Ibanez fans, It was in fun.
    
    -pat

    I'll buy it...the kid can have his Fender puke...

    Well, all I can say is BAH !
    
    
    Kiddin' of course.  I got three main guits, including an Ibanez and
    they all get equal play-time.  I love 'em all, wot can I say !
    jc (bein' practical)

    Variety is the spice of life ya know...thats why I wanna strat.
    They sound *SO* different (note I didn't say they sucked) than anything
    else...
    

    See Pat ... the few replies after yours are *exactly* why I didn't
    mention it ... one thing I know for a fact in this file is *any*
    discussion concerning Clapton or Fenders is like a case of cheese in
    the city dump ... the rats come a runnin' (mostly at the mouth).
    
    For the kind of music I play, and most of the music I like to hear, the
    Strat is *the* guitar.  I'd trade my 570 for another American Strat in
    the same shape in a heartbeat.  But I do understand folks have
    different tastes - different likes.  I may slam someone for their
    stupidity about a subject, but I certainly won't bust 'em 'cuz they
    like something different ... sheesh ...
    
    Scary

    If I could make it sound like Eric's, I trade my 550 for Strat in a
    heartbeat too!
    
    Mike

    
    It was a story not a slam.  Entertainment value only.  I like Ibanezes
    and most Ibanez owners.  Except for a couple of weanies, that is...

    I heard a guy in a bar band playing a Strat the other day and he
    definately had the Eric Johnson tone.  Don't know what else was in the
    signal path, but it ended up going through an old Peavey bass amp.
    
    Guess I should have checked it out a little more but, while I love that
    tone and Erics playing,  I don't want that tone myself, so I didn't.
    
    Greg

    I received the new GFTPM today.  EJ's "Cliffs of Dover" is in it. 
    He's also the poster feature.
    
    No excuses now!  First one to get it on Guitarnotes Vol. II wins a
    Strat ;-)
    
    Mike

>    No excuses now!  First one to get it on Guitarnotes Vol. II wins a
>    Strat ;-)
    
    Better not make silly offers like that!  Our bud Steve Jensen plays
    that one already!  (and yes, he's already got a Strat...)  
    
    C'mon, the guy was playing Tumani Notes (one of Steve Morse's flash
    pieces) between songs at the last jam we had at Coops place...
    
    gh (who gets jealous when Steve comes in his office playing Eric
        Johnson, Satch, and Steve Morse on *his* guitar)
                                                          

    I'm not even going to attempt Eric Johnson's stuff ... *some* Satch is
    in my league, but not this guy ... sheesh ... after seeing him in
    concert, I'm convinced my guitar just won't do that !    8^)
    
    Scary

    Psyched...I'm off and running with it!

    I don't think my comment was being rash.  Read it carefully!  
    
    Mike

    Are ou supplying the Strat Mike ?  Keep in mind that some people
    own 4 tracks and can probably record it as fast as I recorded 
    Thrill Is Gone! (Took a whole of three hours from first programming
    pass on the drum machine to mixdown).
    
    jc

Geez, sounds like a contest....;)  Naw, actually playing the notes is one thing,
but getting the tone, feel, and mystic effortlessness right is something else
entirely...  EJ is absolutely astonishing; scares me to death.  I'm not going to
submit one, but I wanna hear Buck's interpretation!

Did they include the flash guitar solo that precedes the actual song in the
GFTPM transcription?  If not, I'd be willing to post my transcription of it; but
you have to be a little patient, as typing it all in will probably take a
while.

steve

    Re: intro solo
    
    I haven't had a chance to try it yet, too busy modifying my Kitty ;-)
    I'll check back, unless someone has tried it.
    
    Mike

    	Well, the first 4 replies in here don't tell me alot about
    	Eric Johnson, so could someone give me an idea of who he is
    	and what he plays?  Instrumentals?  And what kind of music-
    	al genre?

    	Thanks for any info.

    							GTI

>    	Well, the first 4 replies in here don't tell me alot about
    
    you have to read them all first ;-)

    
    	Yeah, that's like reading all the "Mutterings" replies to get
    	news about HM happenings.
    
    							GTI
    

    
    Here's what I know...ain't much...
    
    He's a definite Strat man and Fender amp man...
    
    He does sing on both albums.  As a matter of fact, I remember hearing 
    his song back in 85ish on the radio, and used to get considerable 
    air play in Denver.  For the life of me, I can't remember the title of
    that song, tho.
    
    I still haven't got _Tones_ yet, but as far as Ah Via Musicom goes, 
    I would highly recommend the CD.  Be warned tho, cause it is mellower
    (or jazzier?) than Satch, IMO.
    
    J.

    
    Oh, and FWIW, I think he's a lot better singer than Satch, too.  But
    that's mellower also.  I enjoy his songs with vocals as well as his 
    instrumentals.
    
    J.

    Good lazer tag music too ....  8^)
    
    Scary

    Someone wanna tell me how EJ gets that tone out of a STRAT ?!?!?!?
    It ain't happin' for me..
    
    l)

    In the new Guitar World, they show Satch, EJ, and Vivian Campbell
    jamming on stage together to Beck's "Goin' Down".  They did a few of
    Satch's California dates together.
    
    I guess that's why they thought EJ would be here in Phoenix for Satch's
    visit.
    
    Mike

    
    RE .102
    
    Coop, if you want Eric Johnson's tone,
    1)  You'd have to have the exact finger print as EJ
    2)  Same body mass EJ.  (might as give this one up, fatso 8*)
    3)  You'd have to have the exact fingering and strumming/picking 
    	technique as EJ.   i.e.  Take a video of his performance, slow it
    	down to 1/100,000th of normal speed, and study the relative time of
    	pick impact in relations to the left hand fingering of the string.
    4)  Same hair style.  (might as give this one up, too  8*)
    5)  Same bed partner as EJ.  If he's singer and living the "normal"
    	life of single musician, you might as give up this quest, too.
    6)  Must practice the same meditation method.
    7)  Must have the same religion
    8)  Exact replica of EJ's guitar(even this might not help that much)
    9)  Give up ADA, Metaltronix, dsp 128, and go steal EJ's rack/amps.
    
    After all this, if you still don't sound like EJ, might as keep all
    you have and sound like yourself.
    
    8*)                                                               

    Pat, how do you like the video?  How about a review?
    
    I've been thinking of buying it with some of my Christmas money.
    
    Mike

    So how's the instructional tape?  
    
    Mike

    I've had Pat's video longer than he has !   8^)  My thoughts ...
    
    It's *loaded* with tricks ... since I don't read music, the book that
    came with it doesn't do me much good.  He walks you through various
    picking techniques using the pick, pick and fingers, and finally finger
    picking alone.  He discusses muting techniques a good bit as well.  For
    me, it's great to watch, mainly because he has *so* many styles rolled
    up into one that there's a lot to be learned from him.
    
    The thing that really impressed me on this tape is his chord phrasing,
    and his tone selections.  He's a very emotional player ...
    
    Great video for die-hard Eric Johnson fans ... Pat, you want it back
    sometime ?   8^)
    
    
    Scary ...
    
    btw - at the end of the tape, theres's part of a video for "Zap" and
    he's playing a ES-335 ... guess ya gotta start somewhere ...  8^)

    
    	Thanks for bailing me out Jerry.  EJ also goes into detail on the
    his various influences and demonstrates examples of each.  
    
    These include:
    
    	Jimi Hendrix
    	
    	Jimmy Reed
    
    	Chet Atkins
    
    	Wes Montgomery
    
    	and a couple more...

    Given the material he covers, is it worth $30?
    
    Thanks,
    Mike

    
    
    	Sure.  BUT if you want, maybe we could exchange tapes for a while.
    
    	I have the Arlen Roth Chicago Blues plus the EJ.  I want to get the
    	Robben Ford vid next.
    
    	-pat

>    	Sure.  BUT if you want, maybe we could exchange tapes for a while.
>    	I have the Arlen Roth Chicago Blues plus the EJ.  I want to get the
>    	Robben Ford vid next.
    
    That sounds like a great idea!  I know someone that is selling EJ's
    (duplicate gift) for $30 so I figure I'd grab it.
    
    Mike

    Some kind RON sent me EJ's Austin City Limits appearance to copy.  This
    was my first glimpse of him so I thoroughly enjoyed it!  However, I
    didn't see any Marshalls on stage, just Fenders.
    
    I also noticed he and I have something in common: neither of us take
    our eyes off the guitar neck ;-)
    
    Mike

    All the videos I've seen of myself show I'm a devout neck-watcher too. 
    Must be a sign of greatness .... I've seen Clapton do it a few times
    too (or maybe he was just lookin' at his watch !).  So Mikey, what'd ya
    think of the video ?  I just saw the last few *seconds* of it ...
    
    Scary (who's ears are *still* ringing from his show ...)

    I liked it!  He is incredibly fast with the left hand.  Time for me to
    go back to the woodshed to do my scales. ;-)
    
    I'm still trying to figure out how he gets that *TONE*.  There weren't
    any Marshalls on stage so that's not it.  I noticed him switching
    something on the floor before it came rippin' out.  does he have a
    modified tube screamer or something?
    
    Mike

    He's got a little bit of everything ... *old* tube screamer, some sork
    of MXR rack mount somethingorother, a wah, a fuzz face, gobs of A/B
    switches, a pedal-type Tube Driver, and 3 different types of amps -
    Fender Vibolux's, old Marshall's (into 4x12's) and some other type of
    thing that looked like a real old PA head.
    
    BTW - at his shows he reaches down and makes adjustments to his pedals
    between songs.  Eric Johnson's answer to MIDI ... "duh, I'll just reach
    down and change it ...", and it works !
    
    Scary

    Well everyone used to say his violin tone came from Marshalls, but
    there weren't any on stage.  I think one of those pedals (or
    combinations of) allows him to color the sound like that.
    
    Mike

    In his video (and when I saw him) he had a pair of � stacks.  And live,
    he had EVERYTHING mic'd too.  He's got a serious rig, no doubt.  And I
    think it would be mighty hard to copy his tone without a similar rig.
    
    Scary

    If it's the more recent Austin City Limits (two years ago?), Eric has at least
    one, maybe two Marshall heads on stage.  The logos were removed (to protect
    the innocent).
    
    This is probably in a dozen different places in here; Eric uses three separate
    amp systems; Fender Twins for clean, Dumble + effects for crunch rhythm, and
    Marshall for lead.

I spotted two Fenders that looked like Vibrolux reverbs, an old small-top
Marshall and what did indeed look like an old Ovation PA head. What the...?

    Ron,the Fenders are Twin's whose cab's have been cut down to be of a
    Piggyback nature(no speakers).......
    

    I'm losing it.  I watched the video again and did notice the logo-less
    Marshalls.  They look like older models.
    
    Mike

    
    TO ALL YOU ERIC JOHNSON FANS. I JUST BOUGHT TICKETS TO SEE ERIC AT
    ARNOLD HALL AT THE AIR FORCE ACADEMY IN COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. I'M
    SOMEWHAT EXCITED TO SAY THE LEAST. I DID'NT REALLY KNOW THAT MUCH ABOUT
    HIM UNTIL I HEARD AH VIA MUSICOM, AND I'VE PLAYED THE CD TO DEATH.
    THE GUY IS JUST INCREDIBLE. I PLAY GUITAR AND I OWN A REALLY OLD 
    50 WATT LOGOLESS MARSHALL. I'LL NEVER PLAY THRU ANOTHER AMP BECAUSE
    THIS ONE SOUNDS TO SWEET. I UNDERSTAND ERIC USES MARSHALL AND FENDER
    DUAL SHOWMAN'S IN STEREO. WOW!! KILLER! ANYWAY, REALLY LOOKING FORWARD
    TO THE SHOW.
    
                        BRAND NEW AND FAITHFUL ERIC JOHNSON FAN
    
    
    

    -1  Bring earplugs!

    I think I need sunglasses too .... sheesh ....  8^)
    
    
    Scary (blinded by the caps_lock ...)

    
    	I've seen EJ twice.  The time in the club was LOUD.  The other time
    	was "Not a problem".  Enjoy the show.  Try to check out his
    	equipment - it's an interesting mish-mash.

    going by the caps lock, I think ear plugs won't do any good ;-)

    
    	Re. 122 (new EJ fan)
    
    	In case you haven't figured it out, these guys are politely trying
    	to suggest that you release your caps lock (all caps is considered
    	shouting).  
    
    	-pat

	I, too, have joined the ranks of the EJ fanclub (figuratively speaking).
I picked up Ah Via Musicom last week and have been wearing it out going to and 
from work.  I especially like the piece using the flanger (High Landrons?).

	Dan

    
    	High Landrons is killer.  Probably THE reason I had to have flange.
    	He used an old rack mount MXR for that tune.  40 Mile Town and 
    	East Wes are timeless tunes too.

    His first album, "Tones", is equally as good too.  I can't decide which
    I like better.
    
    Mike

    RE: High Landrons
    
    I believe the effect he uses there is actually TWO flangers 180� out of
    phase. He mentions this in an old interview somewhere (GP?), and says
    it's an old Hendrix trick.
    
    FWIW,
    
    Nick

    re: .131
    
    Yep, it is indeed TWO flangers.  I remember that interview.
    
    He also mentioned that it was a pain getting them exactly out of sync
    to achieve that effect.
    
    BTW, Eric credits the idea to Jimi Hendrix.  Don't remember which Jimi
    Hendrix tune uses it, but I played it when I read the interview and
    the influence was quite clear.
    
    It IS a totally cool sound.

    
    	That incredible sweeping flange with the chunka chunka licks 
    	are quiet the ear-gasmic experience.  Interesting lyrics too.
    	Thanks for the extra explanations on the flange technique.

    
    To all concerned, sorry about the caps lock. I'm a rookie to the notes
    conference. Did'nt mean to shout at everybody. sssshhhhhh!!!!
    
                                       storm trooper
    
    
    
    
    

re: two flangers

I don't recall the tune's name but it's on Electric Ladyland and I can hear it
still. Most of that album seems to be derived from the afromentioned Hendrix
album...I still like it though

dbii

    
    	Is that what Hendrix is doing on Little Wing ??

	
	OK, now I have to hear him. You guys keep talking about him,
	making me more and more curious...

	But, believe it or not...he's not very well known in Europe!
	I went to one of the bigger CD stores; they hadn't heard of
	him - but looked him up in the catalogue, were able to find
	'Tones'. So, I wonder if one of you could supply me with the
	recording company and no. of the 'Ah Via Musicom' CD..?

	I gotta hear this guy...

	Poul

    "Ah Via Musicom" - Capitol Records 1990, CDP 7-90517-2
    
    Edd

    
    	That's what I call fast delivery!
    
    	Poul

    Could someone *please* send me list of the songs on "Tones" and "Ah Via
    Musicom" ?  I taped 'em off CD, but didn't write 'em down.  Thanks ...
    
    Send 'em to RAVEN1::JERRYWHITE or ASAHI::SCARY
    
    Jerry ...

    Eric Johnson will be at the Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix on April 15th. 
    Tickets go on sale tomorrow.
    
    It is a good sign (for him) since that arena holds about 5-7K. 
    Satriani played there his first time thru on the Flying... tour.  The
    second time it was the Coliseum for him.
    
    Mike

    
    Picked up "Tones" a week ago, and haven't stopped listening to it yet!!
    
    As a matter of fact, I hear it calling me from my car stereo.  "J....
    J.....  Let's go for a Sunday drive, J...."  Ohmygod!!!  I can't
    resist!!!  AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!  8*) 
    
    J.

    I can't wait to see him in 4 weeks!  Getting my tix today.
    
    Mike

    
    	Jerry, I have both cds.  You may borrow them, but I *ain't* gonna
    	write the songs down fer ya!
    
    	-pat

    Ok, can one of you back issue of Guitar Player mongers help me out..
    I've got a pizza riding on this....how old is EJ??  Is he older than
    24??  
    
    And does anybody know if he's coming around again on tour?? (To 
    Boston-New Hampshire-Maine area)??
    
    Thanks!
    --CJ--
    who wishes she had chops like him...PHEW!!!!
    

    There was a recent blurb about this in a recent issue of Guitar World. 
    I believe he's in his late 30's.
    
    Mike

    Eric Johnson is 37.

>                            -< Older than he looks >-
    
    just like me ;-)

    Well, I feel much better now.  I'd hate to imagine a guy only
    24 with chops like that.  It blows the mind.  But, I did lose
    a pizza....oh well.
    
    Thanks for the info!
    --CJ--
    

>    Well, I feel much better now.  I'd hate to imagine a guy only
>    24 with chops like that.  It blows the mind.
    
    Imagine Paul Gilbert.  He was 17 when he recorded the first Racer X
    album and had chops most of us would KILL for!
    
    Greg

    Or Blues Saraceno !
    
    Or some of the pups you see in music stores that pull the frets right
    off the fretboards...
    
    jc

    Took the reply right off my keyboard ... I've been listening to "Blues"
    a lot lately (but EJ's still next to EVERY tape deck I own, seriously,
    5 copies).  That kid shows a lot of maturity to be such a pup ...
    
    
    Scary (an old dawg, with a semi-toothless growl ..)

    I'm going to see EJ Monday night!  It's a shame one of the local stores
    is having Jennifer Batten in to put on a clinic that same night.  I'd
    love to see that too.
    
    Mike

    Re: Paul Gilbert
    
    Anyone read his column in the new Guitar Player?  Had me rolling! ;-)
    Sounds like quite a character.
    
    Mike
    

    We're having a Jennifer Batten guitar clinic Wednesday night here in
    Albuquerque that I will probably go to.  I rather go see Eric Johnson
    though.
    
     Byron

    Did anyone catch Eric Johnson playing the "National Anthem" for the MTV
    Rock 'n Jock celebrity softball game ?  Steve Vai did it last year. 
    All I've been able to catch is bits and pieces as the credits roll by
    at the end of the telecast.  Sounded very tasteful though ...
    
    
    Scary

    Since George Lynch is on the road, EJ does GFTPM's Guitar Secrets
    column this month.  He shows his Koto technique.  It is the finger
    plucking technique that gives him that real thin timbre sound.
    
    Mike

Eric Johnson rocked 5,000 Phoenicians last night and had us all in a state
of awe as we walked out of the Celebrity Theatre after the *3rd* encore.

Sara Hickman was the opening act.  She's with the Elektra label.  Her
band's sound and style was sort of like the Violent Femmes meet Texas
country blues.  It wasn't my cup of tea and most seem to just politely
tolerate her until she was done.

Eric Johnson came on the stage in the dark, and teased us for a few minutes
while he fooled with his rig (more on this later).  Tommy Taylor was on
drums and Kyle Brock on bass.  All of a sudden he burst into the main riff
for the tune "Righteous".  The complete song list was:

Righteous
Nothing Can Keep Me From You
Trademark
? - tribute to Jerry Reed
? - tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughn
? - a new song that the band is currently working on
Wind Cries Mary - he had Jimi's sound down *perfectly*
High Landrons
Forty Mile Town
Desert Rose
East Wes
Cliffs of Dover

Believe it or not, these few songs took 1� hours (2 hours for the whole
concert) to play!  Every song contained improvisations and extended solos
that kept us all on the edge.  Then in the 3 encores, he really brought the
house down.

Encore #1: Steve's Boogie, Zap
Encore #2: Did 2 old Cream songs.  One was "Steppin' Out" and the other I'm
           not sure of.  I thought I heard the name "Badge", but I'm not
           familiar with Cream stuff.  The lyrics had a repeating phrase
           along the lines of "Hey baby, come inside my ?(car?)".
Encore #3: Played Jimi's "Red House?".

He was real gracious the whole night despite the high demands for his return.
One thing I noticed that I thought was interesting, he isn't much of a
showman, but his stage presence and skill kept you mesmerized the whole
night.  Even people around us that weren't guitar players just "ooohed &
awed" over some of his techniques.

His stage setup was pretty much the same from what I saw in the ACL videos.
2 Marshall stacks, 2 Fender stacks.  He played his brown '57 Strat and also
a blue Strat that looked brand new.  Taylor looked like he had a new drum
kit and Brock had some new bass cabs (compared to the video).

Eric Johnson is also every bit of a perfectionist that he was advertised to
be.  His interview with GFTPM in January mentioned how he used 6 different
studios in recording "Ah Via Musicom" to get the right sound.  All night
long, he was kneeling down to tweak knobs on the floor, in mid-riff.  He
also visited his amps quite a few times.  There was only one problem with
his sound all night, and anything he did, didn't sound differently (and no
I wasn't the only guitar player that thought so ;-)).  The PA volume was
VERY low.  This place is round with the stage in the center.  They relied
heavily on his stage volume to fill the arena.  This was sufficient (and
our ears thanked him ;-)) except for a few times where he went to his clean
channel and the chords were slightly lost.

Bottomline:  Excellent performance!  If he's in town and you don't go see
him, you're a fool. ;-)

Mike

    When I saw him (from 5' away ...), it was a quasi-religious experience. 
    Made me wanna PRACTICE ! (can you imaagine ?).  Then after seing his
    instructional video, made me wanna watch - WAY over my head.
    
    I would have loved to see/hear him do the Hendrix stuff, mercy !
    
    Scary

    There is only 2 ways to take a performance like that:
    
    1.  Lock yourself in your room and don't come out until you can play
        like that.
    
    2.  Go home and burn your guitar.
    
    I haven't made up my mind yet ;-)

>he was real gracious the whole night despite the high demands for his return.
>one thing I noticed that I thought was interesting, he isn't much of a
>showman, but his stage presence and skill kept you mesmerized the whole
>night.  Even people around us that weren't guitar players just "ooohed &
>awed" over some of his techniques.
    
    I used to really look down on "poseurs" - people who jumped around
    on-stage and such because the musicians *I* respected (all heavy-duty
    chops guys) simply didn't do ANY of that and yet still manage to get
    crowds on their feet MERELY with their music and their chops.
    
    What I think I've learned is that truly incredibly people like
    Morse, Johnson and Carlton can generate energy merely with music,
    the mortal world has to resort to other methods to energize the
    crowd and I guess that's legitimate too if not ideal.
    
    It seems like the ideal thing is to have the crowd get off solely
    on the music, and not how you pose, or what the lights are doing,
    or what you say in between songs, but how many people in the world
    can do that?
    
    I've always considered it a tribute to Yes that they were absolute
    zeros as entertainers (they didn't "pose", they rarely talked to
    the crowd, in the early days they never had much of a light show
    or anything like that, etc.) and yet they always got enormous stadiums 
    of people stomping and cheering.
    
    However, I still feel things rise up in my stomach when I seem a band
    that is purely "poseur": do all the cliches.  If you ever play in
    front of me and say stuff like:
    
    	"IS EVERYONE READY TO ROCK AND ROLL!!!!!!"
    
    I can guarantee you that I'm gonna write you off as a poseur, even if
    that seems unfair.

    How about if we say "Everyone ready to waltz?"

    Gee Dave, a little harsh me thinks.  What about bands like the
    Scorpions ?  I'd guess you'd say they were poseurs, but they sure 
    make rock and roll in a hellacious way !
    
    jc (A poseur)

>    Gee Dave, a little harsh me thinks.  What about bands like the
>    Scorpions ?  I'd guess you'd say they were poseurs, but they sure 
>    make rock and roll in a hellacious way !

    'scuse me for buttin' in but to me a poseur is someone that
    ACTS like they have a special sort of talent but actually has none.
    If the poseur really does have whatever talent is required then
    he/she can't really be posing. Can they?
    

    Part of that talent me be the ability to work a crowd...
    (known as posing)  ;)
    
    jc (Better crowd worker than guitarist)

    Yo DB?  Never go watch Coop play, ok?  If you have an aversion to
    posing then you might just lose yer lunch or something.
    
    Greg 

    So did any of you Colorado Springs' guitarists win the right to open up
    for Eric Johnson?  
    
    I'd consider it a heck of an opportunity to totally embarass yourself
    ;-)  Talk about paling in comparison...
    
    Mike

>    So did any of you Colorado Springs' guitarists win the right to open up
>    for Eric Johnson?  
    
    Actually I do believe that Bob Durham, who's posted in here a few
    times, was a finalist in the competation.  I don't know for *sure* that
    it's the same "Bob Durham", but I think it is!
    
    Greg

    I didn't get a chance to see his pedal board up close, but I could tell
    it was elaborate.  I'd love to be able to check out his rig to see how
    he gets his lead tone.  It is obvious some of his sounds come from his
    fingers, but that lead tone doesn't from what I could see.
    
    He would switch channels to get the sound, but his foot would remain on
    something on the pedal board.  You could tell because his leg was in
    the same position as when he was stepping on his wah wah pedal.  Made
    me wonder if he had a volume pedal there too.
    
    I know some of you have seen him up close recently (I was 20' away but
    the floor is sloped so the view was great), anyone know what he
    does for sure?
    
    Mike

    I tried my best to watch, but he's *so* quick and accurate at hitting
    footswitches/while he's switching pickups/while he's adjusting his
    guitar volume and tone ... no way did I learnn a thing.
    
    Speaking of opening acts - when Pat and I saw him here, the opening
    act consisted of 4 guys on acoustic doing bluegrass/blues sorta stuff
    and some old covers.  They were REAL late coming on - stopped once for
    about an hour wile the sound guys did some work - then came back on for
    what seemed an eternity !  Between songs folks (and I was one of the
    loudest ..) were chanting, "Eric, Eric, Eric ...".  They were good
    musicians but any I don't think there were but a handful of people
    there that came to see them.  Something else that struck me funny was
    that some folks were still shooting pool while Eric was playing ...
    blasphemy !   8^)
    
    Scary

    I think a lot of you misunderstood what I was saying.
    
    For one thing I said I USED to look down on poseurs.  The main content
    of the note is recognizing that being a musician is also being an
    entertainer and that working the crowd is part of it.
    
    However the other message in my note is that you have to admire people
    who can get the crowd going with music alone.
    
    The last part of my message just said that if you're gonna be a poseur,
    at least try and inject some originality into it and that I have no
    respect for people who just use nothing but cliches like "ARE YOU ALL
    READY TO PARTY?".
    
    I don't think anyone should have any cause to be offended by my note
    unless you add no element of originality in your stage show.
    
    	db

    I wasn't offended at all.  But I do rely on my stage presence to 
    draw attention from the fact that I make boo-boos.  :)  My wife sez I'm
    like a frog; the boize in the band say I look like Ted Nugent with the
    hair flyin'.  I'm glad they all notice these things other than the
    fact that my leads are slow and sloppy, and rather cliche-pentatonic
    minor-riffs.  :)
    
    jc (What the hell is a mixo-trashcanlid-tonic-minor-w/diminished-7th?)

    My teacher mentioned last night that one of the guitar mags (Guitar
    Player?) outlined/diagramed his entire rig within the last year. 
    Anyone have that issue?
    
    Mike

    I borrowed a friend's copy of the new EJ transcription book.  You EJ
    fans might want to get a copy since it has a lot of his great songs in
    it.  Musician's Friend has it for $17.95.
    
    Songs in it (12 total):
    
    Victory, Bristol Shore, Zap, Soulful Terrain, Desert Rose, Righteous,
    East Wes, Trademark, Nothing Can Keep Me from You, Cliffs of Dover,
    Song for George, and Steve's Boogie.
    
    Mike
    
    

    
    Unfortunately, it would only depress me...  EJ is too tough for me.
    I've backed off from copping songs for a while - I was getting to 
    wrapped up in it.
    
    -pat (back to playing along with Neil - where I belong!)

Finally got to see EJ again this past Saturday.  Interesting experience.  For
those wondering, we got to see the "chopmeister" of Colorado Springs.  You're
right Mike, it was a good chance for him to embarass himself....  Oh, he wasn't
that bad, but what he played wasn't musical to my ear...  But, the crowd was
very nice to him and we all applauded mightily.

I have now seen EJ three times.  I think he had an off night.  He seemed very
distracted most of the evening.  He seemed unhappy with his tone and with his
playing.  Nonetheless, he was *amazing*.  I don't think I'll ever get over his
use of chord voicings.  He is all over the place...effortlessly. I think I saw
one "out of the book" chord voicing all night.  Time to take another look at the
fretboard...

steve

    Saw Eric Johnson last night.  The set was the same as the show Mike
    saw.  The first encore was Steve's Boogie and Zap.  The second encore
    was Spanish Castle Magic.  Didn't do a third encore though.  The last
    time I saw him was in a club and my ears rang for two days.  This show
    was in a theater and the sound was very good.  When I saw him in the
    club he did May this be love by Hendrix and more material off of Tones.
    My only complaint was that his intro to Cliffs of Dover was too long. I
    love a long guitar solo but this thing was about 15 minutes long and
    just got boring after a while.  I though the opening act Sarah Hickman
    was pretty good.
    
    Byron

>    My only complaint was that his intro to Cliffs of Dover was too long. I
    
    It was long, but I kinda liked it.  It was sort of a tease at times (at
    least the way he played the intro here).  You could hear glimpses of
    the Dover intro, then you thought he would unleash the opening riff,
    but he'd go back to noodling.
    
    Mike

    Well I received my EJ care package from Byron today.  I watched
    portions of it during lunch.
    
    It contains BOTH Austin City Limits appearances + the instructional
    video.  He sure looks young in the first ACL show!  The beginning of
    Cliffs of Dover on the second has an intro very similar to the live
    version he's doing now.
    
    I can't wait to go home and see the instructional portion.  I'm
    starting to feel ill.   Yeah that's the ticket... ;-)
    
    Mike

    I thoroughly enjoyed his instructional video and learned quite a bit
    about his techniques and how he came up with them.  The final few
    minutes he talked a little about his rig.  He also distinguished his 3
    major sounds and what he uses to get them.  He'd play a lick for each
    sound so you could hear the differences:
    
            Clean - Fender
    Crunch/Rhythm - Dumble
             Lead - Marshall
    
    He described the Dumble as a modified Fender Twin.  Does anyone know if
    these are custom made or can they be obtained by the common guitarist?
    I like his Dumble and Marshall sounds the best.  The pedal board looks
    very "busy" too ;-)
    
    Mike

    Yes,Howard Dumble still custom build's tube/hybrid amp's,I have
    his address and phone at home somewhere if you're interested,however
    depending on which model you're interested in they start somewhere
    in the $2.5k region......excluding his effects loop interface which is 
    called a Dumble-ator.  Dir/title= Dumble   might give you some more
    info....
    
    							Rick
    

    I forgot to mention that he uses one of those Fuzz pedals too while
    using the Dumble.  That makes it sound even more unique.
    
    I sure felt sorry for him while he was demonstrating the lead sound
    (Marshall) and the switch went out in mid-solo.  You could tell
    throughout the video that he's REAL serious about his music and that
    little annoyance didn't make him look to happy.  He just brushed it off
    saying that it was an old amp and the switches sometimes go.
    
    Mike

    I read in an interview with Stevie Ray Vaughn that he tried
    to use Dumbles for recording his last album. He said that they
    kept breaking down. That they sent two or three or four of
    them back to Dumble for repair and finally gave up after wasting
    days of studio time and dragged in a Bassman.
    

	Well, now I have listened to the tape that Scary was so friend-
	ly to send me, for a week or so, and...

	YOU GUYS REALLY HAVE SOME TASTE!!!

	He is without doubt one of the greatest! Not only has he got a
	brilliant technique, but also character and style...he is all
	his own, follow his own path. Even when he does his Hendrix
	sound, he takes it up naturally, as to continue and develop
	further where Hendrix stopped. His playing never gets boring,
	but grows and grows in your mind. And his tone: so sweat, so
	changing all the time, unbelievable...

	But another reason that this music never tires you: the band.
	They're actually playing like *a band*, by that I mean, they
	follow each other carefully, sound as they recorded it 'live'
	in the studio. The bass player does play some complicated and
	melodic stuff, listen to his frequent use of harmonics *and*
	to the awesome bass solo on 'Tones' - I also like his tone
	for it's deep bottom (a P-bass? Or a 5 string?). The drummer
	plays exactly after my taste: swinging and jazzy, but still
	with a heavy beat - his build up of rythm patterns is clever
	and amazing, and in this band he's *allowed* to make rolls
	and blistering cymbal works - many of today's drummers are
	been told exactly where to put evey beat - boring! I don't
	know for sure, but it sounds as it is the same players on
	both recordings? I also like the tasteful use of synths, who
	does that part?

	Sure many of todays guitar hero's must get sick when they
	listen to this guy...

	Poul

    RE: -1
    
    I like this guy !   8^)
    
    Glad ya liked it - I've got 4 copies of the same tape, and I have it in
    both cars, the house and at work - The Eric Johnson collection, don't
    leave home without it ....
    
    I think he used a different bass player on the albums, but the drummer
    is the same.  I'm not totally sure ... also, I don't think he used any
    synths.  I know when I saw him in a small bar, it was just 3 guys
    pumpin' out the songs.  These guys were "workin'" too - very busy, but
    not cluttered ...
    
    One of my local radio station's played "Ah Via Musicom" as a "midnight
    tracker" (played the whole album at midnight ...) last week, and they
    said they've been flooded with requests for more airplay of it. 
    Hopefully, something's on the wind here !
    
    
    Scary

    I like this guy too!  Would we steer a brother guitarist wrong? ;-)
    
    The more I listen to EJ, the more I think he's head and shoulders above
    99% of what's out there today.  Someday, I want to be that versatile.
    Not in just musical styles alone, but in acoustic as well as electric
    skill.
    
    One of my favorite things he does is the octave triad runs.  I just
    love the sound and tension he creates with them.  One classic example
    is at the intro to "Cliffs of Dover" where he plays what sounds like a
    staggered ascending run.  There are 2 shapes you can use to get these.
    
    The first is based off the C triad shape from the 5th fret, only he
    leaves out the 5th note and adds in the octave 5th.  Look at the
    diagram:
    
    C major triad         C octave triad
    
    | | 1 1 | | 5th fret  | | | 1 | | 5th fret
    | | | | | |           | | | | | | 
    | 3 | | | |           | 3 | | | | 
                          | | | | 4 | 
    
    The octave is NOT played as a chord though.  It is more of an
    arpeggiated sound.  The other form is based on the A form minor barre
    chord.  This is also arpeggiated (is that a word? :-))  I can't
    remember trying the middle one last night, but try it to see if it
    works/fits.
    
    Am barre chord           Minor Octave triad
    
    | 1 1 1 1 1 12th fret    | 1 | | | | 12th fret  | 1 | | | | 12th fret
    | | | | 2 |              | | | | 2 |            | | | | 2 |
    | | 3 4 | |              | | 3 | | |            | | | 4 | |
    
    Another neat thing he does in his pentatonic scale runs is to play them
    in 6 note groupings.  Try this tab, but play it at warp speed ;-)
    
    E-10-7-----------------------------------------
    B-----10-7----10-7-----------------------------
    G---------9-7-----9-7----9-7-------------------
    D--------------------9-7----9-7----9-7---------
    A------------------------------9-7----9-7------
    E----------------------------------------10-7--
    
    Mike

    Well, I've already lost a pizza on this guy so I suppose I *should*
    keep my big mouth shut, but, it's impossible to do so here goes.
    
    He's a great keyboard player too (Grrr Grrr).  He started out playing
    the piano and he's listed as playing keys on a couple of songs on his
    latest album.  All this and he's cute too...so I wanna know, why isn't
    he all over my TV set instead of Madonna and MC Hammer???
    
    --CJ--
    

>    ...so I wanna know, why isn't he all over my TV set instead of Madonna
>    and MC Hammer???

    'cause he doesn't play to the gum-smackin-pre-pubescent-teenie-bopper-
    mindless-dance-craze-type market (ie he's not making millions of
    dollars singing about sex and how great he is).
    
    That aside, I heard he has a new video for "Trademark" that they've
    been showing on VH-1 lately.  8^)
                                     
    Greg        

    Maybe you can have your local PBS station start showing Austin City
    Limits reruns.
    
    Mike

    Yo Greg !
    
    I don't have VH-1 ... what's the video like ?  Figures, he'd make a
    video for my favorite EJ song and I'll probably never see it ...
    
    
    Scary

>    I don't have VH-1 ... what's the video like ?  Figures, he'd make a
>    video for my favorite EJ song and I'll probably never see it ...
    
    I don't know, I haven't seen it either.  My wife saw it and told me
    they were playing it some.
    
    Greg

    They play it every nite on MTV too...ask me how I know this??
    Easy, I set the MTV on and then set the sleep timer.  Usually,
    those new kids on the block and Madonna videos put me right to
    sleep when otherwise I would have a hard time :-)
    
    They play it every night between 12 and 1.  Let's see, it usually
    12:30 by my clock which is about 15 minutes fast, so I'd guess 
    around 12:15 tune in to catch it.  I don't have a VCR otherwise
    I'd tape it for you.  It's usually well before 1 because I'm
    asleep by then.
    
    The video is just what you would expect.  He stands on some cliff
    playing some guitar that's not plugged in :-( and he has some 
    girl running around (but she's dressed).  Well, come to think of
    it I guess it's not that usual....
    
    

    Sounds like a pretty dumb video ... but then again, the one he made for
    "Zap" playing an even dumber (word ?) looking 335 is probably worse.
    
    I'll just slobber over the instructional video, thankyou.
    
    Scary

    
    Is Zap the video with that *stupid* psycho-delic crap behind him?
    I hate that!  EJ needs a new video producer, agent, and hair-do 
    dude(tte).  Also, why do they always play the fast paced instrumentals
    on the radio and nothing else?  Seems like tunes like "High Landrons", 
    "Forty Mile Town", etc, would be well received.  WHO MAKES THESE STUPID 
    ASSED DECISIONS?  I WANT NAMES!  I WANT THAT YUPPIE, TREND READING,
    SALES FORECASTING, PUKE IN MY OFFICE NOW!  
    
    ahhhh

    I think "Trademark" will do well - but I'm VERY partial to that tune.
    
    "40 Mile Town" has got 'late nite radio' written all over it !
    
    
    Scary

    Ok, does anybody know if it's true that EJ is opening up for
    Steve Miller Band at Great Woods this summer?
    
    Does anybody know when Steve Miller is playing??  And, if there
    are plans for him to come up to Nashua with EJ??
    
    Herard a rumor that EJ is opening for Mr. Miller but not sure
    if it's true...maybe somebody with a great woods schedule can
    help???
    

    I dunno about great woods but they're playing Seapac in OOB. Too bad,
    I'd like to see EJ but I will not do anything that puts any money at
    all in Mr. Miller's pocket...
    
    dbii

>    I'd like to see EJ but I will not do anything that puts any money at
>    all in Mr. Miller's pocket...

    You say that with a certain amount of vindictiveness. Any particular
    reason that you dislike Steve Miller so much?
    
    --rjb

    I once read an interview with him in one of the music comix. He's the
    only real guitar player in the world, everyone else sucks, he and Boz
    Skaggs were the only musicians in San Francisco in the '60's, everyone
    else sucked, he hates Pete Townshend (one of my all time fav's an IMHO
    much much more talented than SM ever will be) and spent a 3rd of the
    interview shitting on Pete.
    
    I never liked Steve Miller much anyway, this interview put me off
    completly. I will not go see him, I will not cover his tunes and I will
    not even listen anymore.
    
    Too bad I love Eric Johnson, but I have only one way to vote with my
    $'s in this case...in the end it's the only pushback I have.
    
    dbii

    re .199
    
    Steve Miller must really have an axe to grind with Trousers..
    I remember him in an interview talking about the Who's set at 
    the Monterey Pop Fest. I can't recall exact quotes, but he 
    basically thought the Who were utter crap. Probably many people
    share this opinion, but I always wonder the real story when
    established musicians slam each other. Maybe Moon put a whoopie
    cushion under Steve's butt?
    
    -Tom

    Eric Johnson is playing at Great Woods July 26th ...

    > He's the only real guitar player in the world, everyone else sucks, 
    
    If Eric Johnson is opening for him, he will soon learn that this
    is not true.
    
    Most of my "guitar heroes" are guys whose records tend only to get
    bought by OTHER guitarists (Morse, Johnson, Carlton, and to a lesser
    extent Satriani).
    
    But one thing I've heard nearly ALL these guys say is that while
    their music doesn't have a broad-based appeal on the radio or
    on record, most crowds really appreciate what they do when they
    see it performed live.
    
    Basically, I think most people can only appreciate this music when
    it is performed live.
    
    Steve Morse has been fired from a few opening act gigs for what
    amounts to upstaging the headline act.
    
    I wouldn't be surprised to see Eric Johnson get multiple encores
    playing for a Steve Miller audience.

    
>    Steve Morse has been fired from a few opening act gigs for what
>    amounts to upstaging the headline act.
    
That's *easy* to believe!  I saw him once back in '82 or '83.  If he was an 
opening act, boy, the main act better be killer.  I've only seen one or two 
that I would expect to see after him and still look good.  Neither is a guitar
based act but either will blow your socks off.  One was Jethro Tull, one was
James Brown and the other was Zappa.

Will

    I'm glad to see EJ getting some breaks, I think he deserves to become
    more popular.  I know I wouldn't want to come on stage after him
    though.  I don't think Miller could touch him on EJ's worst day.
    
    Mike

    Excuse my ignorance, but, where exactly is seapac in OOB??
    
    Is that closer to nashua than great woods?? 
    
    I think it's a strange combination, SMiller and EJ, but then, I
    couldn't think of anybody to put with EJ and I sure as heck wouldn't\
    want to play after him, so I'm sure nobody else would either (with
    the possible exception of somebody with a BIG EGO).
    

>    Excuse my ignorance, but, where exactly is seapac in OOB??

Translation: 

Seashore Performing Arts Center (SeaPAC) at Old Orchard Beach (OOB), in Maine.

alan

    I would've loved to have seen the Satriani tour stops in California
    with EJ opening up.  Now that's a SHOW!
    
    Mike

    One of the other problems that people like EJ and Morse face is that
    their kind of complex music really just doesn't come across in big arenas.
    
    I saw Morse open for Rush at the Worcestor Centrum and it was
    very dissapointing because the sound was just one big "wash":
    
    For example:
    
    	o The echos coming off the walls made all the fast runs into
    	  a blur.  
    
    	o All the subtle stuff that he did with things like artificial
    	  harmonics and such were inaudible
    
    	o The arena sound system allowed for almost no dynamics
    
    I think people who want to do this kind of music are more or less
    doomed to playing mostly small houses.

    Well, FWIW, the next single release off Ah Via Musicom is going
    to be Desert Rose.  Wonder if he'll make a video for that one.
    
    It's definately more of a radio-type song, so who knows?? Maybe
    more ppl will listen to him after hearing it on the radio.
    
    I think a lot of ppl will be surprised that he can sing.
    
    --CJ--
    

    I've already heard it on the radio some...
    
    gh

    Does Eric play on Stu Hamm's "The Urge" (the title track)?  Whoever it
    is, it sure sounds a LOT like him.
    
    Mike

    re -.1 
    	No, Eric plays on 'Dreams' and 'Lonestar'. Harry B. Cody (Shotgun
    Messiah) plays on 'The Urge'. Buzzy Fieten is also back on this disc.
    
    FJE

    RE: "Lonestar"
    
    That must've been the track I heard.  The DJ mentioned Lonestar, but I
    was half-paying attention and thought he was introducing the next song.
    
    I may have to pick that up!
    
    Mike

    I recorded "Lonestar" the next time the radio station played it.  Love
    that song! 
    
    Anyone have that Stu Hamm release "The Urge"?  Is it all instrumental?
    Might be worth picking up.
    
    Mike

    RE -.1
    	The answers are Yes, No, Yes. The players are Jonathan Mover and
    Tommy Lee on drums, Eric Johnson, Buzzy Fieten and Harry B Cody  on
    guitars ( mostly different tracks though). S H on bass and vox. Oand
    others. BTW he does sing better that Joe.
    
    
    	FJE
    

    I heard the other day that some import label is releasing EJ's original
    recordings on CD only for $25.  It's a double-length album of material
    he did prior to "Tones".
    
    Mike

    If ya can find any more info on that, please post it !
    
    Scary

    
    Did anybody catch eric doing the national anthem for the
    Rock&Jock softball game on MTv ??????
    
              He had two old Marshall 1/2 stacks behiend him....
    
    
                                                             Marko

    I think he uses JTM45 � stacks.

Article 13547 of rec.music.makers:
From: [email protected] (Chris Norley)
Newsgroups: rec.music.makers
Subject: Re: The Quest For The Ultimate Guitar Set-Up
Date: 21 Aug 91 18:59:13 GMT

in article <[email protected]>, [email protected] (Ken Goach) says:
> I was watching an Eric Johnson video a friend loaned me.
> Johnson uses three kinds of amps! He switches from amp to
> amp, and I guess each had its own effects, because he really
> wasn't doing a lot of "dancing".
>
	I had the pleasure of hearing him play about a month ago. It was
superlative in terms of vocabulary and quality of sounds, technical
excellence, taste and fire. 
	He is written up in Guitar Player Magazine in the December 1982
and May 1986 (feature article) issues and according to the latter, his
setup is as follows:

                            GUITAR
                              |
                              V
                         -----------
                         | A/B box |
                         ----------- 
                            |   |
                            |   V
        ---------------------  -----------
        |                      | A/B box |
        |                      -----------
        |                         |   |
        |                         |   ---------------------------- 
        |                         |                              |
        V                         |                              V
    ----------                    |    ------------------     --------------        
    |Cry Baby|                    |    |Electro-Harmonix|---->|Effects Loop|
    |Wah-wah |                    |    |    Deluxe      |<----|  Switcher  |
    ----------                    |    |  Memory Man    |     --------------
        |                         |    ------------------        |
        |                         |                              |
        V                         V                              V
    ---------------            ---------------                --------------
    |TC Electronic|            |   Ibanez    |                |  Echoplex  |
    | Sustainer   |            |Tube Screamer|                --------------
    ---------------            ---------------                   |
        |                         |                              |
        V                         V                              V
    ----------                 ---------------               ---------------
    | Fender |                 | MXR Digital |               |TC Electronic|
    | Reverb |                 |    Delay    |               |Stereo Chorus|
    ----------                 ---------------               ---------------
        |                         |                              |     |
        |                         |                              |     |
        |                         |                              |     |
        V                         |                ---------------     |
    ------------                  |                |                   |
    | Echoplex |                  |                V                   V 
    ------------                  |          -------------     -------------
        |                         |          |Fender Twin|     |Fender Twin|
        V                         |          |Reverb Amp |     |Reverb Amp |
    -------------                 |          -------------     -------------
    | Paul C's  |                 |                |                   |
    |Tube Driver|                 |                |                   |
    -------------                 |                -------             |
        |                         |                      |             |
        V                         V                      |             |
    ---------------------    ---------------------       |             |
    |    Marshall 50W   |    |   Dumble Steel    |       |             |
    |    or 100W Head   |    |   String Singer   |       |             |
    |         or        |    |       Head	 |       |             |
    | Dumble Overdrive  |    |                   |       |             |
    |      Special      |    |                   |       V             V
    ---------------------    ---------------------    ----------------------
    | Marshall 4*12 Cab |    | Marshall 4*12 Cab |    | Marshall 4*12 Cab  |
    |   ----     ----   |    |   ----     ----   |    |   ----  ||  ----   |
    |  /    \   /    \  |    |  /    \   /    \  |    |  /    \ || /    \  |
    | |      | |      | |    | |      | |      | |    | |      ||||      | |
    |  \    /   \    /  |    |  \    /   \    /  |    |  \    / || \    /  |
    |   ----     ----   |    |   ----     ----   |    |   ----  ||  ----   |
    |                   |    |                   |    |         ||         |
    |   ----     ----   |    |   ----     ----   |    |   ----  ||  ----   |
    |  /    \   /    \  |    |  /    \   /    \  |    |  /    \ || /    \  |
    | |      | |      | |    | |      | |      | |    | |      ||||      | |
    |  \    /   \    /  |    |  \    /   \    /  |    |  \    / || \    /  |
    |   ----     ----   |    |   ----     ----   |    |   ----  ||  ----   |
    |                   |    |                   |    |         ||         |
    ---------------------    ---------------------    ----------------------

            Lead               Distorted Rhythm               Rhythm


Elrat,
CN.
-- 
Chris Norley | Imaging Research Labs | Robarts' Research Institute
University Of Western Ontario | P.O. Box 5015, 100 Perth Drive
London, Ont., Canada, N6A 5K8 | Phone: (519) 663-5777 x4135 | Fax: (519)663-3789
Email: [email protected] with a led-filled snowshoe ,but not too seriously

    I think MTV is re-broadcasting the baseball game that EJ play
    the National ANthem on.  I was watching it a bit this morning
    and I thought I heard them say something about re-broadcasting
    this show tomorrow during there "Best of MTV" ? Weekend (whatever
    that is, I mean, how could you have a BEST of MTV when it's soo
    bad to begin with ??)
    
    But I didn't catch the time, so if anybody knows when it is,
    pls post it here.
    
    Thanks,
    --CJ--
    

    
    re .220
    
    I think he's added the Fuzz Face and the MXR flanger since then.

    I saw him do the national anthem on that stupid "Jock & Rock" softball
    game last weekend.  I know it was a rerun.  Had to turn it off after he
    played, the rest of the program was a major NOP.
    
    Greg

    
    Eric's going to be @ Berklee 9/29........
    
    g

    Do you know what time the show is??  Also, does ticketripoff
    er rather ticketmaster selling tix??  Or is it soldout already??
    
    (my luck)
    --CJ--
    

	I'VE GOT A TICKET! I'VE GOT A TICKET!

	EJ is playing this sunday night in Copenhagen! One friend of
	mine saw it in the paper (only a small notice!). It is in a
	*very* small club, I'm propably gonna sit right next to him!

	OH BOY!

	Poul

    Pat Blair and I were about 6 feet fom him in a small bar - it was
    great - if you're lucky, he'll throw you a pick !   8^)
    
    Scary
    
    

    Poul...
    
    Bring ear plus...those Marshalls are  L O U D !!!
    
    

    Nahhh, it's the Fender's that are loud ... the humming is coming from
    the Marshalls .... 8^)
    
    He is pretty loud - especially at point blank range.  Kinda hard to
    hear the vocals being that close - I think Pat and I just heard
    monitors ....
    
    The bass player is *awesome* ....
    
    Scary

    Naturally Buck means ear PLUGS!
    
    Yes, Eric Johnson is very loud live, especially in a small club
    context.  I also saw him in a small club.  It was a fantastic show
    (except for the biker that kept hitting on my wife).
    
    Greg

    I didn't think he was loud at all when I saw him.  Of course, I was 30
    feet away from the stage in a 3000 seat arena.  I had my earplugs too,
    just in case, but didn't need them.
    
    You'll love his show though, very inspiring!
    
    Mike

	Well, guys...THIS WAS ONE FANTASTIC CONCERT!! 

	What can I say...his incredible music is still ringing in my
	ears...

	This was a *very* small club, only place for some 300-400 peop-
	le. I had my camera with, unfortunately photographing was not
	allowed. I was a bit worried about how loud he would play (I
	was sitting about 10 meters away from him), but maybe I'm
	spoiled? I don't think it was too loud...

	He appeared a bit shy, pale and thin - he sure doesn't have
	the 'megastar' approach - but when he plays, he grows. He
	played what looked like a re-issue strat all night - it was me-
	tallic green with 'dotted' pickups. I took a close look at his
	footpedals - a bunch of old stuff, looking completely worn out,
	but his sound, man...absolutely amazing - and he changed it of-
	ten, pressing footswitches, toggling pu switch, strumming near
	the bridge or closer to his left hand - and had no problems in
	singing on the same time when doing all this. Sometimes it soun-
	ded as he used some stereo or 'space' effect, the guitar filled
	the whole room - his use of delay was extremely controlled, he
	sometimes used so much that he almost played with himself, but
	he *never* got out of control with it...
	He played material from his two albums, as well as three Hen-
	drix songs: 'The wind cries Mary', 'Spanish castle magic' and
	'Are you experienced?'. A couple of new songs were played too.

	The crowd was ecstatic - he did *5* extra songs. The drummer
	and the bassplayer appeared rather anynoumos, compared to EJ
	himself, but both were awesome players - the bassplayer did a
	rather interesting solo. Besides 'Steve's Boogi', they also
	played another 'country style' song - not heard before.

	This was one of the best concerts I've been to!!!

	Poul

    I'm jealous ....  8^)
    
    re: small, pale, thin ...
    I think that's how he looks on a *good* day ...  8^)
    
    Scary

    Probably thin from all that practice as a youngin'

    Did he sing on those Hendrix covers?

    Yeah, he sings on the Hendrix covers I've seen him do.
    
    Greg

    I'd dare say Jimi should've sung them as well.  He did "Wind Cries
    Mary" and a couple others when I saw him too.
    
    Mike

    
    Re .235:
    
    Yes, he did sing, and did it well - in fact I wish he would release a
    record titled something like 'Eric Johnson plays Jimi Hendrix' (a la
    'Segovia plays Bach'), because in fact those old Hendrix songs are re-
    markable playable, especially for EJ, he has developed the 'Hendrix
    sound' further and put some EJ technique on top of it - I enjoyed
    those songs very much, keep thinking of 'Spanish castle magic'...
    
    Poul
    

    Did he do a tribute thing to SRV ?  It doesn't really sound like a
    bunch of SRV songs, but the style is in there, decorated with the EJ
    style of course.
    
    Scary

    
    I didn't hear any SRV there...but I cannot say I'm that familiar
    with his stuff...as I said, there were a few songs which I had not
    heard before...hey Scary, it must be nighttime at your place - don't
    forget to sleep...;^)
    
    Poul, who's reality says 11 am...
    

    Not that familiar with SRV ?  My man, send me your address again ... I
    *must* make you a SRV sampler ....  8^)
    
    Yeah, it *was* night time - my wife had to be in here at 5am, couldn't
    get back to sleep after she got up, so ....
    
    
    Scary

    Poul,
    
    Send me your address, too.  I'll make you up a sampler of Gilbert, 
    Le Tekro, and other shredders.

    When I saw him, he did the SRV tribute too, as well as a Jerry Reed
    thing.
    
    Mike

    Well, all I can say is I'm mad as $#%^ cause he was SOLD OUT in
    Boston and he's not coming up this way for a while again. Pppft.
    I'm glad to hear he really SUCKED and he sounded terrible when
    you saw him, so there.
    
    But, seriously, I did finally get to catch him on Austin City
    Limits.  Was a good show.  It seems like he sounded more like
    Hendrix on ACL then on record, maybe the studio kinda mellos
    him out or something.  
    
    Pale and thin???? He lives in the desert, how can he be PALE???
    
    Go figure,
    --CJ--
    

    RE:-1
    
    ... 'cuz he's always in the woodshed practicing !   8^)
    
    
    Scary

    Well, I saw him on Monday night... I hardly took my eyes off his left
    hand the whole night!!
    
    The new songs he did were SRV, Pavillion and M&N (at least, that's what
    it said on the set list - I was standing behind the mixing desk). He
    did 5 songs for encores, but I was only familiar with 2 of them (Zap
    and Spanish Castle Magic). Unfortunately, they weren't on the set list,
    so I can't tell you what they were called!
    
    Nick

Article 15384 of rec.music.makers:
From: [email protected] (Keith Erskine)
Newsgroups: rec.music.makers
Subject: Re: Eric Johnson
Date: 4 Nov 91 17:09:58 GMT

When Eric Johnson was 17-18 he played with the Austin group 
The Electromagnets.  They played exciting, avant garde jazz rock
fusion, and recorded one album self titled "The Electromagnets"
around 1977.  Eric's style was quite distinctive even on this
early recording.  He did not have the same technical mastery
displayed on his current recordings, however.  I believe he
played a Les Paul on this album.

Keith Erskine  

    
    I think it was mentioned somewhere here before but...  Y'all know that
    song by Christopher Cross called Sailing?  That song weirds me out
    emotionally (makes me sad I guess) more than any other I can think of.
    I shoulda known back then that it was because of EJ's melancholy chords.
    Now, every time I hear the tune, I hear EJ instantly.  Powerful shit.

    re. Last 
    
    yep, EJ was a studio musician when CC made that album, but I think not
    on Sailing. I read that he was the axeman for another tune, I can't
    think of which one right now...it mighta been "Is Yours, Is It Mine"
    (not sure if taht's the correct title), or maybe "The Light Is On".
    Anybody out there know for sure? I know Carlos Rios was another axeman
    on the album.
    
    Anyway, whether it was EJ or not, Sailing is most definitley a
    captivating tune.
    
    "sakman"

    I've just received a copy of Ah Via Musicom here in the UK. Initial
    thoughts :
    
    1. Trademark has a particularly annoying bassline about halfway through
    the track (and is repeated later - dun dundundundun)which
    spoils a very good tune.
    
    2. Cliffs of Dover sounds very much like the guy from 'It Bites'
    (francis dunnerry i think) on the 'eat me in st. louis' cd bonus track
    called 'charlie' - is it better live??? - it just lacked sparkle. 
    
    (i've started with these two since i have transcriptions from gftpm and
    wanted to hear them first...i was kinda dissapointed, he could do with
    a better backing band, especially the bass on trademark, it makes me
    cringe)..
    
    I much prefer his songs/singing/guitar work although it is early days
    yet (i only got it from a friend in Boston yesterday).
    
    ps. he is a great guitarist with superb phrasing etc. but it leaves me
    a bit cold.
    
    jim.
    

    We welcome your input, but his band really isn't the issue here.  What
    we all wanna know is ....
    
    
    .... would you say his riffs are blues based ?
    .... do you like/dislike his music despite his personal life, AND ...
    .... if he whizzed in the aisle of a jet, would you like him any better?
    
    8^)
    
    You guys have to pardon me - too much black rum, too little sleep ... 
    
    Scary

    scary,
    	like someone earlier said, to go for a "slash" in the UK means to
    whizz. i reckon eric johnson is not slash material, he's far too
    accomplished as a musician for that (besides, going for an eric just
    doesnt have the same ring to it!!).
    
    ps i saw GnR at wembley in august and thought they put on a great show
    without any controversy (no f this and f that....).
    
    pps. i listened to EJ at lunch time today, its definately growing on
    me. can i use my flanger to get that soaring sound on 'high landrons'.
    
    jim.                              

    re: scary's humor......
    
    
    AAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAAG!  I needed a laugh today, thanks, Jerry  |^)
    
    Steve

    EJ, like many of the great ones, is a very modest and honest person.
    Others, like Slash and especially Axl, could learn a few things about
    how to gain respect from artists like him.
    
    Mike

I cleaned up the child-stuff out of here, and deleted/reloacted the good stuff.

-per request

jc (With moderator hat on)

    For those who missed the Grammy award, Eric Johnson won for
    Best Rock Instrumental, for Cliffs of Dover.
    
    FYI,
    --CJ--
    

re .256

Yeah, but didn't it suck the way they glossed over that just before a 
commercial? No offense to those of you who think METALLICA ROOLZ ...DOODZ,
But how about Johnson instead. For that matter, how about Johnson
instead of anyone else?

"sakman"

Well, Metallica *does* rule...  :)

EJ is hot too though.

RatHole Alert:

Man, five years ago when I was into metallica and queensryche everyone thought
I was strange...  Now they both have multi-platinum albums...  And I can't
STAND it !!  I wouldn't go see Metallica 'live' now...  I'd have to worry about
getting bubble gum in my hair !

jc (Who listens to Annihilator and MegaDeth now - hopefully they won't sell
    out liek some 'other' bands I know...)

    That's the problem with awards shows.  Credit is not given where it is
    due.  EJ is way underrated.
    
    Mike

    re: -2
    Coop,
    I tried to tell ya, but you would not listen......
    
    Just gimme some "johnny autopsy and the coroners of death"....
    
    8^)
    
    Steve (MISTER classic/southern rock/blues type guy)

    You think that's bad, The Dixie Dregs won *** 5 *** grammies during the
    80's in various "Instrumental" categories and I never even heard about 
    it until this year!!!

    Well, in all fairness, he wasn't there.  Did you notice that??
    
    Did you also notice the smile on BB's face???  That man is soo
    happy, I get happy just watching him smile :-)  They glossed over
    him too and, IMHO, he deserved more too.  
    
    Another thing that bothers me...they have a female rapper and a
    male rapped but only one rock singer catagory.  If anything it
    should be the other way around (based on pure physics, if nothing
    else).  Grrr.
    
    But, at least we won't hear EJ introduced as the ``Grammy nominated
    artist'' anymore.  It sounds like they are saying ``Listen to him
    he didn't WIN but we gave him a nod anyway''. :-|
    
    --CJ--
    

>jc (Who listens to Annihilator and MegaDeth now - hopefully they won't sell
>    out liek some 'other' bands I know...)
    
    ...like seeing Dave Mustaine on MTV about every other minute?  ;^) 
    
    I guess it couldn't be considered "selling out" to do a lot of
    interviews and make yourself sound like a totally arrogant a$$hole
    though, would it?
    
    gh

>    That's the problem with awards shows.  Credit is not given where it is
>    due.  EJ is way underrated.
 
    Depends on what you're talking about IMHO.  I personally think that
    Eric is *overrated* somewhat by the guitar playing community.  While I
    love his stuff myself, and it's obvious that he's incredibly skilled as 
    player, I do think that his range of playing may be a little limited
    (at least from his two albums).  A lot of his riffs are kind of similar
    and he doesn't vary the sound from song to song very much either.
      
    Whatever...
    
    gh

    Greg ... are you sh!ttin' me? Fercrissakes I can't think of any other
    guitar player who has the versatility that Eric showed in the Ah Musica
    Viacom (what a stupid name for an album). 
    
    Everbody has their style, their signature. Some are easily able to cut
    across style lines and I think Johnson is most definitely one of these
    people. Johnson's last has the johnson style with say "Cliffs of Dover",
    but then he's got that traditional (but updated) jazz peice in there. I
    can't think of the name ... something about Wes Montgomery? And then he
    does that Texas "Blues" type of thing ( don't remember the name of that
    either.) He sings pretty good too - at least on the recording.
    
    Having said that I'm sure some of you will point out some of these
    studio types like Tommy Tedesco. Verstility is their bread and butter
    (along with some not too shabby chops). But of all the big guns of the
    guitar world, EVH, Malmsteen, Satrianni, Vai, and millions of others,
    this boy Eric stands out in my mind *because* of his versatility.
    
    Dog...just shows to go ya how different people hear things. 
    
    
    "sakman" 
    

>   But of all the big guns of the
>    guitar world, EVH, Malmsteen, Satrianni, Vai, and millions of others,
>    this boy Eric stands out in my mind *because* of his versatility.
 
    But you don't hear any of the rest of the ones you mentioned being
    called "underrated" either...
    
    I still don't agree on the versatility, Eric stands out to me because
    of his chops and feel.  I really don't hear his stuff as sounding very
    much different (from his other stuff, it's very different from anyone
    elses).  To each his own.
    
    gh

re: 263             Eric Johnson and Playing Clean               263 of 265
    
>    I guess it couldn't be considered "selling out" to do a lot of
>    interviews and make yourself sound like a totally arrogant a$$hole
>    though, would it?
    
    Not if that's your true nature...
    
>    That's the problem with awards shows.  Credit is not given where it is
>    due.  EJ is way underrated.
    
    I won't pretend to represent NARAS, I'm just a member.  But you're on
    to something here.  The music industry is just too big to cram into a 3
    or 4 hour show.  Lots of compromises have to be made so that the show
    gets decent ratings, so that the advertising sells well, so that they
    get to do the show next year.  As a result, pop culture tends to rule
    the broadcast.
    
    The other thing working against EJ getting air time is the demographic
    make up of NARAS.  People our age seem to be concentrating on the
    actual business of music.  The older fat cats that have it made have
    the time to serve on the boards, fill out the nomination forms, etc. 
    As a consequence, the decisions that get made are influenced by an
    older mind set.  They'd probably dig Eric if they heard him...
    
    BTW, if you'd like to help reduce the average NARAS member age, and
    you've got an album credit (vinyl or CD), or six single sides, contact
    me about NARAS membership.
    
    

    Just curious John, but does your album credit have to be on an
    established label?
    
    Greg

Agreed.  Mustaine is a MAJOR prick.  Anyone see his comments on MTV 
RE: the grammy's ??

"Just means my maid would have something else to polish."  Gack!

(Hey Dave, get a clue - Friedman is your savior !!)

jc

    
>    Just curious John, but does your album credit have to be on an
>    established label?
    
    Mine wasn't...let me check on the exact details...I'll call the chapter
    office on Monday.
    

	In my biased opinion, Eric Johnson is not only a perfectionist, 
	but the most underrated, versatile electric guitarist on planet 
	Earth.  And how can you be overrated by a guitar playing community?
	To me, that's like saying too many NBA players voted you as MVP.

	-pat

	p.s.  AND ALL YOU METALLICA PUFFHEADS GET OUTTA THE EJ NOTE!

    Re: db on EJ vs. Jimi (I think it was in the "Versatility" topic)
    
    From what I've heard of both of these players, there are some
    similarities in tone and copped riffs, but I think it ends there.
    I could never stomach too much of Jimi.  When he was good, he was
    enjoyable to listen to.  A lot of what I've heard from him is downright
    awful (blame it on drugs).
    
    I never get tired of listening to EJ.  Jimi couldn't play those
    lightning fast pentatonic runs with the perfection that EJ does.  Jimi
    didn't play much of the upbeat boogie rock either or rockabilly.  EJ 
    has better vocals and better singing/sustaining tones (maybe its the 
    new equipment, maybe not).  Somewhere in between he has a style all of
    his own that is just pure EJ.  Jimi never (from what I have heard)
    played anything like "Cliffs of Dover", "Zap", "Soulful Terrain",
    "Trademark", "Righteous", etc.
    
    Mike

    
    Comparing Hendrix to Johnson is kind of a waste of time.
    
    Jimi died over 20 years ago.
    
    Has music come a little way since then?  Has rock equipment come
    a little way since then?  Hell, the electric guitar had scarcely been
    invented 15 years when Jimi began playing.  I think it's quite
    fair to say that Eric has had a lot more tools at his disposal, and
    many, many more guitar heroes to learn from.
    
    Who could Hendrix have copied?  Not too many monsters around back in
    '66-67.
    
    So, the whole thing is sort of like describing why your fuel-injected,
    anti-lock braking, four cylinder, wonder car of the nineties is so
    much better than one of Henry Ford's original Model T's.
    
    It's sort of like cruising down a six-lane expressway and smuggly
    turning up your nose at the stupid-ass pioneers who came over
    trails in lame covered wagons..with wooden wheels.
    
    They still got to the same place, in the final analysis.
    
    I'm not ragging on you, Mike.  It just seems that over and over in
    this conference, people compare third and fourth generation players
    to pioneers and point out how much better the new guys are.
    
    Well, good!  Geez, I should hope *some* progression had occured over
    the years. Still, I think the originals have to be given credit for
    having vision.
    
    Anyone who invents something surely deserves more credit than the
    person who copies the original idea and perfects it.
    
    
    IMHO,
    
    Brian

    Yah but,.. Jimi had soul
    
    Technically EJ blows him away. EJ is squeaky clean,.. and hes probably
    the better role model or whatever for guitarists to study,..
    
    Like somebody said, I don't think comparing Jimi to EJ is fair really
    because Jimi was the innovator that EJ copped stuff from (maybe). Had 
    their respective birth dates been reversed, and EJ was now dead, how can 
    you know that Jimi would not be able to emulate Eric? How can you be so 
    sure that Jimi would not be able to play squeaky clean lightning fast
    pentatonic scales? I think that its pure conjecture...
    
    FWIW, I see very little common ground between these two dudes anyway.
    The styles are completely diferent in my mind. I doubt Jimi would
    want to play the way EJ does if he were around today,... he'd want
    to scream about waving his freak flag,.. while Mr clean sits there
    with his All American Boy look,.. 
    
    	All in my humble opinion of course
    
    								/Bill
    
    

    notes collision,.. 
    
    same thoughts seperated only by microseconds on the ether :-)
    
    								/Bill

    Well, I take a different cut on the Jimi vs Eric thing.
    What you say is true, Eric plays a lot more cleanly and
    consistently than Jimi ever did.  But to me, Eric comes
    off as sounding sterile a lot of the time.  Jimi's playing
    is sloppier no doubt, but I find it more exciting to listen
    to.  I think his "feel" is better (whatever that means).  It's
    tough to put into words...  listen to "Drivin South" from the
    Radio One album sometime; the guitar leaps out of the grooves.
    I can't think of any EJ stuff that grabs me like that.
    
    I don't mean to flame Eric here, he's a great player and I do
    enjoy him.  But technique isn't everything.  In spite of the
    slopppiness, drugs, etc., Hendrix's playing still has it's own
    unique charms.  It all comes down to what each of us prefer
    and value in the music we listen to.
    
    /rick

    Oh yeah, in case it isn't obvious, my reply was directed at
    Mike.  You other dudes snuck in there fast, didn't ya!

    I also agree that it's not fair to compare them.  If for no other
    reason then the fact that EJ is now several years older then Jimi was
    when he died.  If Jimi had lived to the same age EJ is now perhaps he
    *would* have been playing with the speed and precision we see from EJ.
    
    Greg (who still like's Hendrix better)

    re: .272
    
    
    What's wrong with this younger generation???  Jimi versus some young
    whipper snapper/?!!??  Kids today just ain't got no soul, why I
    remember carrying a Les Paul and a Fender Twin (alright, I had help)
    blocks and blocks just to jam with somebody who knew the first rif in
    Purple Haze...
    

    re: a few back.....
    
    I don't think Jimi would have ever WANTED to play with "the speed and
    precision" of EJ....that just wasn't his thing.  Regarding him as an
    innovator,  Jimi's stuff was basically blues based with alot of his
    innovations and style/soul.  He created a style of his own by building on 
    other people's music, flavored with much of his own stuff.    He was abso-
    lutely amazing...I had the pleasure of seeing him in Va Beach from row 
    three, many years ago, and I'll NEVER forget it.  He was better live than 
    any studio cut I've heard of his....and he KILLED Jimmy Page's live perfor-
    mances....yes, I saw Led Zep a few years later.   I think Jimmi H was quite
    a bit more sober than Page was.....
    
    IMHO,
    
    Steve

well since I triggered this diversion let me speak again.

First and foremost I wasn't trying to dump on anybody's fave...I like EJ and 
I even appreciate Steve Morse for what he can do. The Hendrix issue for me
is that I hear *note for note* copies of things Jimi did on Electric Ladyland
in a number of places on Ah Via Musicom, it's not just a similarity it's
really note for note, given time I could find them all again. It's distracting
to me. 

regarding hendrix being sloppy: When I listen to some of the last things he 
did I hear a guitarist who is quite fast (but not Yngvie) and clean, but then
he died and much of that isn't widely heard. Check out Ranibow Bridge for
some truely clean and fast Hendrix work.

If I upset anyone, write it off to a bad day at work, getting up on the 
wrong side of bed and a generally cynical and sarcastic attitude caused
by understaffing and lack of job security....

dbii

    There's nothing *new* under the sun ... everything you hear today has
    been done before.  Maybe with less/more gain, etc.  Personally, I don't
    hear *that* much Hendrix_ish flavor to EJ's style. Tonally, they share
    a liquid sort of sound, but then so does Santana, Betts, and a bunch of
    others.
    
    If anyone copped licks from Hendrix, it was SRV.  Jon Butcher and The
    Isley brothers don't count ...  8^)
    
    
    Jerry

    Listen to Jake L. of Bad Land u hear more of Hendrix stuff.
    
    

    re Jerry
    
    	Now comparing SRV and Hendrix is a little more like apples to
    apples for me,..even though Jimi's dead long before SRV,.. the
    influence Jimi had on SRV is obvious. It'd be interesting to hear
    EJ play,. oh,.. say Vood Chile (yeah right!) or Little Wing or
    something like that. Maybe then his real Hendrix influence (if any)
    would show through. For me,..I just don't see it. But that doesn't
    mean it isn't there...
    
    	I don't really consider Ej bluse based at all. I'd be interested
    to hear from David Bottom the licks he says were stolen note for
    note from Jimi by EJ anyway though,..
    
    								/Bill
    ]

Well the Hendrix song I hear one lick out of is Rainy Day dream away. I heard 
him use it a couple of times too..I'll have to listen to the EJ album to find 
the song I heard it in. I also seem to remember the beginning of one EJ song 
was pretty darn close to the beginning of another song off Ladyland. his stereo
flanging is very much Hendrix'y (ie: two MXR flangers on two amps closly 
set up).

For those who weren't reading Guitar Playing in '75 or '76 or so I remember a 
short article about EJ then that mentioned EJ as a "hendrix clone" at a pretty 
young age who did "note for note" covers of Hendrix tunes in Texas clubs. As I
recall EJ is close friends the the Publisher of Guitar Player whatever his
name is.....or maybe it was the editor...

I'l try to get to it this weekend, but I do have to reconfigure a cluster
Sunday so it might not happen....oh for an entire weekend off!

dbii

    EJ used to do a lot of amazing Hendrix covers in concert.
    
    I never saw Hendrix in concert, but watching EJ play those tunes gave
    me a further appreciation of Hendrix's music/legacy.

>    There's nothing *new* under the sun ... everything you hear today has
    
    Yeah King Solomon was a wise man!  Besides, I'd consider it a
    compliment if somebody wanted to sound like me (dumb as they would be
    for wanting to try ;-)).
    
    My sampling of Jimi's discography is limited, but I only hear slight
    references to Jimi's style from EJ.  I've seen EJ talk about Jimi on his 
    video, play his licks, and watched him play "Wind Cries Mary" in concert
    last year.  EJ doesn't cop Jimi often and only does it out of tribute
    when he does.  
    
    BTW - The dual MXR flanger thing is done on the intro and outro to
    "High Landrons".
    
    Mike

re: EJ doesn't cop Jimi often and only does it out of tribute when he does.  

Yeah what he said.

When I first entered this diversion I have no clue as to what I thought I was
trying to say. The tone of the topic has begun to be somewhat confrontational
and after thinking about how I originally posted I'm not surprised. So I've 
been a jerk about EJ and Steve Morse or (insert you guitar god here)....to
all I apologise if I seemed offensive.

In that final analysis I guess it's just what/who you like. EJ and Steve Morse
got very old *to me*. 

dbii

    Well I'm not offended and actually enjoyed reading about the comparisons on 
    players' styles.  I was just trying to see what I missed in the '60s
    ;-)

    re: what you missed
    
    They say if you can remember the '60s, you weren't really *there*.
    
    Dave

    Ok guys, I may be "old"....old enough to remember the sixties, but I
    stayed drug free then, and now......and I remember that Hendrix concert
    like it was yesterday!  Glad I had the opportunity....wish I took
    pictures.
    
    8^)
    
    Steve

    That's the problem: I do remember the '60s, mostly.  So maybe I wasn't
    really there?  Or maybe in the part I can't remember I could play like
    Hendrix.  :-)
    
    Dave

    I was not offended by anything anyone said about Steve Morse.  In fact,
    it's hard to imagine anything you could say about "him" that would offend
    "me".
    
    If anything offended me personally it was the people who mistook my
    statements as an EJ vs. Morse contest.  I don't "do" those.
    
    	db

    re >>..it was the people who mistook my statements....
    
    Sometimes to avoid this type of a situation, I try to remember the saying
    
    "A closed mouth gathers no feet"
    
    "sakman"
    
    
    

    Jimi is father to the child. EJ carries the torch and has refined the
    style but I doubt that he will ever be as inventive as Hendrix. EJ (as
    I) regards Hendrix as something of a deity.

    Does anybody know if EJ is playing anyplace in the Austin area
    around the 4th?? I'm going to be down there and I'd like to 
    catch a show if possible....
    \
    Thanks!
    --CJ--
    

	Rumours say that he's in the studio..! (a friend of mine talked
	with his agent, who said so).

	So, this is coming from Denmark - ha! I thought you guys had
	better access to inside news...;^)

	Anybody know about tour schedules (a friend of mine is going to
	stay in NY for the next 3 months, and would be VERY interested
	to hear about this)...

	Poul

    
    	Guitar Player says his finishing up a 2 CD release which will
    	probably be released one at a time a few months apart.
    
    	Tom
    

Rumor (a reliable one, at that) has it that EJ has an older sister living
in Denver, and Eric has a habit of visiting Colorado pretty often, tours 
and whatnot.

The best part?  My best buddy in Denver teaches drums to this said sister's
son.

Hehehehe!!!  ];^>

Jmystr Keeping_his_fingers_crossed!!!

    Too bad he's a drummer.

I'm just catching up with Eric Johnson's stuff.

A couple of notes have mentioned his "violin tone".
I heard 'Tones' for the first time last week, and
I thought at first listen Jerry Goodman was on it.
(well it was a second-generation cassette copy, and I
am getting a bit cloth-eared in my old age).

However, I listened to "Ah Via Musicom" last night on CD,
and some of the solos on that were also very violin-like.

It wasn't just the tone that sounded like violin to me.
It was also the phrasing and the way that vibrato was
applied to the notes. Very reminiscent of Jerry Goodman with the
Mahavishnu Orchestra (manic pentatonic licks).

Anyone else get a similar impression?

*Dave 

>Anyone else get a similar impression?
    
    Absolutely, Dave!  EJ invented the phrase "100lb. violin tone" and the
    sound to go along with it.  
    
    Mike

    Aw, c'mon, Bobby Fripp was a frustrated violinist long before EJ got his
    first Fuzz face....
    
    						Barfbaghead

So wasn't Clapton...

>Title:  get a Marshall!

Why ??  Marshalls don't do THAT sound at all.  Maybe a Boogie II, or
a black face twin...  But not a Marshall...
jc

    re: .305 Violin Phrasing
    
    Yes, in fact the opening part of "Cliffs of Dover" (actually titled
    "Ah Via Musicom" is a good example of that.
    
    Mainly it's his use of wide intervals.

    Re: Marshalls
    
    Sure they do!  Besides, that's his lead channel amp, which is where you
    hear that tone most of the time.  He uses one of the old JMP models.
    
    Mike

RE: .304

<	Title:  what's that have to do with you?

You'll find out if it's true.  I'll make sure I'll post it.  Here's a hint, 
she's made a promise that has something to do with a pass...

<    Too bad he's a drummer.

Yeah, but he's reliable AND can keep PERFECT time.  He's the only non-pro 
drummer I know of who can keep absolute time with click tracks.  And play 
jazz to boot!!!

Jmystr

    J, my boy, - A *real* drummer doesn't DO click tracks...
    jc

    -1
    
    Yes they do ... all the time!
    
    
    It should read "A REAL drummer can PLAY to a click track!"

    Okay - I'll rephrase:
    
    "A real drummer shouldn't HAVE to play to a click track"
    
    In my (limited) experience, I've worked with two drummers who didn't
    do click tracks ever, and kept perfect time...

    But jc,
    
    Most professional producers INSIST on it, wether they have chops or not.

    Without a click track to tell,.. how do you know the drummer is keeping
    "Perfect" time,... he may keep better time than you and still not
    be perfect FWIW
    
    Anyway,.. who cares!?!?!?
    
    Todays my last day :-(
    
    Be cool doodz,..
    
    								/Billy
    

    Without a click track, how would anyone know they were keeping perfect
    time?
    
    Edd

    Whoa! Get the name of that note I just collided with!!!
    
    Edd

>You'll find out if it's true.  I'll make sure I'll post it.  Here's a hint, 
>she's made a promise that has something to do with a pass...
    
    J, how does your SO feel about her 'passes'?

Buck, yeah, it was in a studio that I saw him do this.  Was just some 16 tracked
hole in the wall up in Denver and we were doing some recordings of our originals
few years back.

JC, get a clue, man!!!  8*)  I did say CAN keep absolute time with click 
tracks, not HAVE TO.  Besides, I knew some drummers who couldn't keep time
even WITH click tracks.  Alan usually prefers to keep his own time, and it's 
pretty dammed close to being absolute.

Mike, my SO doesn't mind those kinds of passes.  She's as big a fan of EJ as 
I am, so she'll probably encourage me to get those passes.  8*)

Jmystr

>>  Title:  get a Marshall!
>     Why ??  Marshalls don't do THAT sound at all.

    Listen to Fresh Cream.

    I always thought the first 100lb violin was Eric Clapton, his SG and
    his Marshall....the "woman" tone!
    
    Steve (who has NO future in guitar playing) 8^)

    If you listen to Cat's Squirrel on Fresh Cream you can hear
    that "100lb Violin Sound". Actually EC did that album with a
    Les Paul and 100 Watt Marshall (plexi model 1959, I think). His
    LP was ripped off shortly after that and he started using his
    painted up SG. At lest, that's what I got from an interview that
    I read a few years back.

    --Ron

I spent some time yesterday trying to recreate the "100lb violin"
sound, and had some success.
I used a lot of gain on the amp and did alternate picking with a very
soft/loose action. If you try picking hard you get too much attack to notes
(too much pick noise) and you lose the "bowed" effect.
I used a fairly shallow and fast vibrato on every note (except fast runs).
Also, I avoided bending notes because this sounded "out-of-character" for
the "100lb violin".
Arpeggios sounded particularly good, particularly when they involved the lower
strings.

A strat's not comfortable under the chin, though...

    EJ fans may want to check out the new Roland Users Group magazine. 
    He's the cover and feature interview and it sounds like the GR-1 is the
    new addition to his rig.
    
    Mike

    Just got it in the mail adn, yes, that's certainly what they want you to
    believe. Maybe Eric just cooperated so he could get his hands on one for
    a while without having to buy it. Hey, maybe he'll like it! (although I
    kinda hope not)

    Well it did say he's already using it live.

Oh. (I didn't read it)

    I half-read the latest mag with EJ on the cover (player of the year)
    and found it interesting that the intro to Ah Via Musicom is the outro
    to Tones, but backwards.
    
    Did he happen to mention when the new double-album is coming out?  I
    did catch him saying that the SRV tribute he was playing live will be
    on it.
    
    Mike

Any news of Eric's new albums...?
*Dave

    re: -1
    
    news on EJ album.....see note 2718 for replies!
    
    

> Any news of Eric's new albums...?

Don't know of any news on the album front, but he's scheduled to play at
Great Woods this summer (for those in the Boston area). It's actually a
pretty cool bill: B.B. King, Eric Johnson, Buddy Guy, and the Alligator
Records All-Stars..... 

alan

    Back in January, one of the rags reported that EJ would release 1 CD in
    the summer and 1 in the fall.  He's getting awfully close to his new
    tour so you know CD-1 should be out any day now.
    
    I found this alt.guitar post interesting...
    
Article 8562 of alt.guitar:
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From: [email protected] (David L. Campbell)
Subject: Re: New Eric Johnson disk(s)?
Sender: [email protected] (News id)
Message-ID: <[email protected]>
In-Reply-To: [email protected]'s message of Wed, 21 Jul 1993 21:15:04 GMT
Date: Thu, 22 Jul 1993 13:46:30 GMT
References: <[email protected]>
Organization: IBM Austin, TX
Lines: 19

In article <[email protected]> [email protected] (Jon Wilson) writes:
>
>Anybody out there got any info on when the new Eric Johnson CDs'll be out?

This won't answer your question exactly, but it will whet your appetite....

I believe that EJ is gearing up for a new tour -- almost certainly in
support of the new record.  I was fortunate enough to get to hear his
band rehearsing from outside their rehearsal room.  Funny -- he missed
the last squealed note on the end of "Trademark" and he practiced the
final phrase six or seven times until he nailed it.  It was perversely
reassuring to know that he has to practice too!  ;-)

David.
--
+----==== opinions expressed do not represent those of my employer ====----+
| David L. Campbell, IBM AWSD Austin      | "The comfort you have demanded |
| INET: [email protected]    |       is now mandatory!"       |
| IBM TR: [email protected] |               Jello Biafra     |

    There's a release date scheduled - Rockit Records in Nashua has it
    posted but I don't remember what it is.

	Rumours say a guy named Eric Johnson within 2 weeks is about
	to release a CD titled 'Party Time'. Is this the very same
	guy as our honoured axe hero???

	Eagerly waiting,

	Poul

    it's about time!  It was supposed to be out in September, but knowing
    Mr. Perfectionist, he probably had to re-record the thing.

    I checked the computerized new release info at Tower Records today. 
    Still no word on that 2-CD set that is forthcoming.

    I suspect Eric's busy comparing batteries and tweekin sounds that the
    rest of us can't hear.
    
    gh

    Supposedly the album was all done.  I still think he's way too much of
    perfectionist.  Sometimes he even strikes me as one of those obsessive
    compulsive disorder people.  I wouldn't be surprised if he's
    re-recording it somewhere.
    
    Mike

>I wouldn't be surprised if he's re-recording it somewhere.

    Right. With a different brand of batteries this time. :^)

Article 33636 of alt.guitar:
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From: [email protected] (Traci Rachal)
Newsgroups: alt.guitar
Subject: ##Sorry, no new Eric Johnson 'til 1995##
Date: 23 Aug 1994 01:48:46 GMT
Organization: The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas

It seems Eric's long awaited follow-up to Ah Via Musicom will
not be released until early(hopefully) 1995. The new one will
be entitled-Long Path Meadow. Manhattan will be on this one!

Everything Eric had recorded at A&M in LA was shelved, hence the
further delay.

For a fix, however slight, watch TNN network on Sept.7 at 8 PM 
central time. A Chet Atkins special that was filmed here in Austin
will be broadcsast-guests include Earl Klugh, Steve Wariner,
Johnny Gimble, and Mr.Johnson.

Enjoy.
Pat Mc ([email protected])

    > Everything he recorded at A&M in LA was shelved...
    
    That guy is absolutely AR!

    Has anyone seen a live special of BB King in Concert from the Woodlands
    in Austin Texas?  This has been making the TV rounds lately and I
    caught it a few weeks ago.  It was recorded in 1982.  BB does a set
    with his band, and towards the end is joined by a bunch of guest stars
    for a big finale jam; people like Buddy Guy, Koko Taylor, that famed
    Delta bluesman Greg Allman :-).  Anyway, I'm half paying attention and
    look up at the screen; "who's that skinny guitar player with the
    billowy white shirt, long blonde hair and a Strat?  Naw, couldn't be!
    Hot damn, it is.  That's Eric Johnson!".
    
    It was pretty funny when ole BB calls Eric out to take his turn on the
    jam.  He just stays back there hiding with the amps and starts
    shredding away.  BB gets this exasperated look, walks over, and yanks
    Eric to step out front.  Eric takes a nice turn, a little over-the-top
    compared to the more traditional players, but still tasteful and cool.
    Buddy Guy came up last, and although I generally like what Buddy does
    I'd have to say I enjoyed Eric a lot more that night.
    
    Check this out when it comes by, at least for the last 15 minutes or
    so.
    
    /rick

    I was channel surfing the other night and caught it as they were all
    walking off stage.

> Everything he recorded at A&M in LA was shelved...

    Wrong brand of battery in his fuzz face, no doubt.

Article 58668 of alt.guitar:
From: Park Street <[email protected]>
Newsgroups: alt.guitar
Subject: Re: Eric Johnson's new album?
Date: 7 Jun 1995 03:51:38 GMT
Organization: Park Street Photography

I am reposting since my first came out poorly.

piro <[email protected]> wrote:
>It's nice to know I'm not the only one out there who is pissed about Eric 
>not releasing his new CD.  I happen to be a very big Eric Johnson fan, in 
>fact, if it is possible to wear out a CD I'm very close to doing it with 
>Ah Via Musicom and Tones.
>
>I've called every radio station, record store, and practically exhausted 
>the net looking for information about his new release.  In my search I 
>have found some interesting things.
>
>First of all, Eric did release a CD in 1994, called "Mariana".  But the 
>masterminds incharge of releasing the CD released it in Europe and Japan 
>only.  And if you think that is bad here is something else:  They stopped 
>printing it!  Great.  Europe and Japan. I don't know about you but that 
>would be the first place I'd release a CD if I had something to do with 
>it.

The Mariani album is a bootleg of an album done in 1969. It was released by an Italian bootleg record company. No one onvolved in th=
e original album was happy about it.

  Also, I don't know if it is true, but I heard that he is in the 
>process of changing labels.

Not true.

>
>If you Eric Johnson fans out there need something to hold you over until 
>his next release, which probably won't be till the year 2000, he did two 
>songs with Stu Hamm, if you didn't know that already.  They are called 
>"Our Dreams" and "Lone Star".  They are off Stu's solo CD called "The 
>Urge" which was released in 1991.  Personally, I think that Lone Star is 
>one of the best songs he has done.
>
>That's all for now.  Let me know if anybody finds anything else.
>
>David Piro  (a very disgruntled Eric Johnson fan)

I am sorry you and other EJ fans are disappointed that the new album, _Long Path Meadow_ is not out yet. Believe me when I say Eric =
would be the happiest person of all if it was out.

He has been working on it 5 days a week for 3 years and has recently started working 6 days a week so it's not like he's out spendin=
g his time gardening.

The reason that Eric plays so well is that he is a perfectionist. The reason the album is taking so long is that he is a perfectioni=
st. Like many things in life you get the good with the bad.

He is trying to develop a less time consuming method of doing an album. Hopefully he will succeed and the wait for the album after  =
_Long Path Meadow will be much shorter.

In another posting you ask for sites on the web to get more information on Eric. We are developing a mailing list for EJ that should=
 be up and running in hopefully several weeks. We are looking at doing a web page here in Austin for EJ and Capitol will probably be=
 doing a web page in conjunction with the release of the album. There will be plenty of information on EJ in these site of course an=
d on the mailing list. News of these coming online will be posted to this and every appropriate group.

Hang in there everyone. The album will be worth the wait.

Park Street
Austin, TX

    A June release date has been scheduled for "Long Path Meadow"

    Anyone have an exact June release date yet?

    
    	No, today's Newbury Comics lists don't mention it, even though
    	they did last month.
    

    Forget Eric Johnson man.
    
    Spend the money on some old Lowell George and Jerry Garcia albums.
    
    I hear they got more out of one note than Johnson and all the shredders
    combined.
    
    	db

    I would, but my local CD shop refuses to carry their stuff.  Something
    about artistic and consumer integrity.

    I wish I sucked that much!

>    Anyone have an exact June release date yet?

Guess it ain't June now...no doubt Eric wanted to touch up a few more things :-(

-Lance-

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note 5.81                        New releases                          81 of 83
BUSY::SLABOUNTY "Basket Case"                       162 lines 11-JUN-1996 10:33
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                           Upcoming New Releases
...
-------------------------
August

Hooker,John Lee - Jealous
Johnson,Eric - Long Path Meadow

    I wonder what his label thinks of his perpetual perfectionism.  Next
    time they should give him a budget limit on re-recording and
    re-mastering.
    
    Mike

    Eric has developed a "Scholtzian" philosophy?

    Yeah, but Tom Scholz would spend 3-year intervals recording music that
    all sounds the same ;-)

    I thought it was Brad (then REO) that made it all sound the same. 8-)
    

Article 105462 of alt.guitar:
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From: Bobby DeVito <[email protected]>
Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.guitar,alt.guitar
Subject: Re: Eric Johnson's new album
Date: Thu, 6 Jun 1996 12:29:32 -0400
Organization: University of South Florida

hi y'all:
i got the advance tape last week, and i've been listening to the new EJ
album.  it's good, no doubt, but maybe i have to live with it a bit more.
it didn't knock me off my feet like the last two, but maybe eric is
getting a bit more subtle. there are some solo spots that are so wicked,
it sounds like it was done with a synth or something, real beck-ian type
phrasing at light speed.  not as much tonal variation as before on "ah
via" or "tones".  i sure do love eric in a BIG way, but maybe after six
years i was expecting a bit more. supposedly he was going to do a double
album, one would be vocal and one would be all instrumental. that would
have been cool! so anyway, it's been a long wait, and i'll be writing an
in-depth review in the next week and post it here. too bad they moved the
release date back AGAIN, typical record company $h*t!
    
bobby devito

    > Typical record company shit.
    
    I don't know how anyone could automatically blame a delay of an album
    release on the record company when we're talking about Eric Johnson.
    
    	db

    EJ's new album has been pushed out to Sept. 3rd and is now called
    "Venus Isle."  Personally, I think it is all Shawn's fault.

    > I think it is all Shawn's fault.
    
    Actually, the real truth is that the delay is because Eric didn't want
    his album to come too close to the release of Steve Morse's album for
    fear of comparison.
    
    ;-)

    Yeah.  I even bet Morse goes out of his way to do this to EJ every 4
    years too.

    
    	RE: .363
    
    	He was going to call it "Up from the Ashes" until I informed
    	him that Don Dokken had already used that as an album title.
    

    What's the over/under for it being postponed 'til Christmas?  I'd be
    shocked if it is out in September.

	Well I heard it! Some of my friends bought it here in Denmark and
	made a surprise listen for me. The first I noticed was some
	arabic influenced bits, then a touch of this typical clean strat
	with a delay, and I yelled "Johnson!"

	I still can't say much about it though, but it seems like a sort
	of a concept album, and the sound of his guitar is softer on this
	one. There's more synth on it; the bass player is the same guy as
	from Ah Via Musicom, as well as the drummer, I believe. Have to
	get it, it'll propably grow on me.

	Poul

    I bought it yesterday.   As always, on first couple of listens I'm
    left a little cold (this has happened even with some of my very
    favorite albums), but I think it has real potential as an album I'll
    like.
    
    Probably worth waiting 6 years for but I tend to doubt that all the
    delays really added anything to it.  
    
    My overwhelming impression in reading about all the delays and how
    fussy he is, is that this guy would make the world's WORST software
    engineer and that I would hate to be his project leader: obviously
    brilliant but not a remote chance of being able to stick to even the
    remotist of schedules.  ;-)

    
    >Probably worth waiting 6 years for but I tend to doubt that all the
    >delays really added anything to it.  
    
    
    	Oh, I don't know ... without the delays I think his voice and
    	guitar might have sounded a bit flat.
    

   Shoot, if *I* had 6 years to produce an album I'm sure it would be
   eminently listenable....

   -- Sam

I read an article on Eric in one of the Rags I get in the
mail..  The article focused on this latest release.

Seems as though he spent a considerable amount of thought on
equipment.  basically went back to using lower watt amps,
like 30 watt to 50 watt tube amps for the tone.  Trying
to get less fuzz, and more sustain, (that's what they're ALL
going for these days it seems)

I also recall reading that he used some new picking 
techniques to soften his attack on some trax..  hard to
explain, but from what I gathered, it's more of a brushing
the string, than picking it...  Couldn't quite get the notion
so,,, I'd like to hear more...

Anyway, after reading the article, and getting some of that 
behind the scenes stuff, I've become a little more interested
in hearing what he's got...

But, I'm really waiting for the new Rush CD to come out....

    
    	"Ah Via Musicom" is a very good album, Ray.
    
    	I've listened to the new 1 once so far and am partways through
    	the 2nd time.  I'll have to wait a bit to post a review, but
    	it's definitely Eric Johnson's sound, although a bit different
    	than the previous album.
    
    	But a mix of vocal/instrumental tracks again.
    

    I've been hearing a new single by Rush on the Radio, and it's VERY
    good, FWIW...

I have Ah Via....  and yea, I like it...  Good Stuff!
(not really what you'd expect out of a boy from Texas..)

New Rush, (set for Echo,, or sumptin like that...)  yeah,
heard it a few times now.  It's in your face Rush, the best 
kind..  but i continue the digression...

and now back to your previous scheduled topic......

    
    	I don't know.  I have Ah Via too and, to me, most of it is
    	fluff.  There are a couple of tunes that are great but most
    	of it is pretty bad.  Bob Conroy lent me his instructional
    	video and that's great!  He actually does impressions of
    	Hendrix, Clapton, and Beck that are right on.
    
    	His playing is always great.  Some of his tunes aren't so hot.
    
    	Tom
    

    re: Ah Via Musicom
    
    Anybody who doesn't think "Cliffs of Dover" kicks major butt has got
    to be dead (or a blueser).
    
    	db

    >Anybody who doesn't think "Cliffs of Dover" kicks major butt has got
    >to be dead (or a blueser).
    
    I think it's wicked boring.  But I don't *think* I'm dead, and I'm sure
    I'm not a blueser.
    
    Go figure.   8^)
    
    Paul

    I just picked up my copy.  So far so good, musically.  The "All in One
    Season" liner notes sound like they were doing some serious acid.

   One thing I've noticed with most of this "guitar god" music is that the
   music itself generally suffers so that the "star" can stand out front and
   wail away for bar-after-bar, ad nauseaum.  While I really like EJ, he
   strikes me as particularly bad in this area.  If you listen to what's
   going on behind the soloing, it's really boring.  

   Not to slam anyone else's favorite guitar hero, but I've noticed it
   elsewhere, too.  I was once asked to learn a bass part for a Satriani tune
   (sorry, I refuse to call him "Satch" - that person was a very famous horn
   player, and I consider it a real ego stretch that this Hollywood bozo
   thinks he can usurp the nickname...) and, after I woke up from my boredom-
   induced nap, was surprised at how easy it was.

   Now there are plenty of examples where this isn't the case, so please
   don't feel compelled to list them all.  I'm just (generally) concurring
   with a previous response.

   -- Sam

   P.S.  The new Rush single is "Test for Echo", and I believe that's the
   album title, too.

    > If you listen to what's going on behind the soloing, it's really
    > boring.  
    
    I really kinda agree in a way.
    
    I have always wished that EJ would employ something other than a
    guitar-based trio format.   I know that he deliberately arranges
    the recorded version so that it can be played live without sacrificing
    much.   Since he can't solo and play behind the solo, most of what's
    there is pretty simple overdubs that wouldn't be missed live.  

>   (sorry, I refuse to call him "Satch" - that person was a very famous horn
>   player, and I consider it a real ego stretch that this Hollywood bozo
>   thinks he can usurp the nickname...) 
    
    I think its a real ego stretch to call himself a "musician" but that's
    another matter.
    
    > And, after I woke up from my boredom-induced nap, was surprised at
    > how easy it was.
    
    Hmmm... I've had problems sleeping recently.  I might just give playing
    Satriani a try.
    
    	db

    |    I think its a real ego stretch to call himself a "musician" but that's
|    another matter.

    Yeah virtuoso is more accurate.

    >> And, after I woke up from my boredom-induced nap, was surprised at
    >> how easy it was.
    
    >Hmmm... I've had problems sleeping recently.  I might just give playing
    >Satriani a try.
    
    Slept 10 hours last night, woke up late this morning.
    
    Conclusion: Works but... use with caution and do NOT drive or operate heavy
    	machinery after playing Satriani.

Were going down those paths again aren't we boys!!!

8^)

    
    	Oh, I thought my SEEN map was all screwed up.
    

   Hey, even the Energizer Rabbit got laid off...

   -- Sam

    
    	Hint to db and mike - 
    
    	$ mail
    	MAIL> sen
    	

probably not the note to start a Yanni discussion huh ??


/pelksta

    
    	re ray (I like that one...)
    
    	John Tesh plays with way more emotion than Yanni!
    
    	td
    

    >John Tesh plays with way more emotion than Yanni!
    
    Yeah, but Yanni flings his hair around with more emotion!

Yea, there ya go, now we're getting down to it..

besides, I agree,,, it really *is* a hair thing..

how can a guy with a 6 dollar hair cut be any fargin
good anyway!

:^)

    Maybe it's because I'm a blueser, but I'm really enjoying this new CD!

>    	Hint to db and mike - 
>    
>    	$ mail
>    	MAIL> sen
    
    Hint to Tom:
    
    	NOTES> NEXT UNSEEN
    	

    
    	I'm straddling the fence on this "running joke", but anyways:
    
    	Dave, in how many different topics are you going to suggest
    	NEXT UNSEEN as a solution to skip the "running joke"?  If you
    	get close to 5, that's bordering on "too many".  And if the
    	"running joke" occurs 1 reply at a time, it could be 1 NEXT
    	UNSEEN for every reply entered, instead of NEXT UNSEEN to
    	skip 5-10 replies at once.
    
    	[Bumblebee Tuna!!]
    

    Keep that up shawn, and I'll make you a mod HERE too...
    :-)

>    	Dave, in how many different topics are you going to suggest
>    	NEXT UNSEEN as a solution to skip the "running joke"?  
    
    One seems reasonable.   Right now we're in two - sorry.
    
    Shawn, you oughta know that the amount that goes on in here is not even
    remotely comparable to 35 "running joke" threads going on at any given
    point in time in HEAVY_METAL.   Why does it bother you here and not
    there?  How often do you here ANYONE complain about those things in
    there?
    
    However, I'm inclined to "go with the flow" here.   I remember now that
    HEAVY_METAL was created as a lighter alternative to GUITAR and MUSIC.
    
    	db 

    
    re: Comment about Cliffs of Dover ..
    
     I never could get into this tune. It sounds really disconnected to me
    like it's just a bunch of riffs strung together. From a writing point 
    of view, it just doesn't have a natural feel to it. Once you get beyond 
    Eric Johnson's technique, the content isn't that overwhelming at all.
    There's lots of less technical players out there who's music says a 
    heck of a lot more to me than EJ.  Just felt compelled to throw in my
    .02 regarding Cliffs Of Dover and EJ in general .. no holy wars please.
    
     Lv

    Arrrrrrgh! I tried to resist, but it's overwhelming me!!!
    
    I LIKE Eric Johnson! So clean, so polished. You could serve dinner to 
    Aunty Emma off his riffs, they're so clean.
    
    Edd Cote

>     I never could get into this tune. It sounds really disconnected to me
>    like it's just a bunch of riffs strung together. From a writing point 
>    of view, it just doesn't have a natural feel to it. Once you get beyond 
>    Eric Johnson's technique, the content isn't that overwhelming at all.
>    There's lots of less technical players out there who's music says a 
>    heck of a lot more to me than EJ.  Just felt compelled to throw in my
>    .02 regarding Cliffs Of Dover and EJ in general .. no holy wars please.
    
Lv,
 
	I have always looked at this piece(as primitive as it is) to be a 
contrapoint composition or contrapuntal? Whereas he starts COD with an 
initial leading set of notes to a scale to an arpegiated chord to set up a 
specific harmony for the next few bars where he plays a melody. Whether 
he does this on purpose knowingly or if he just falls into it would be a 
question to ask him.(keep in mind alot musicians fell into writing music like 
this).
	It would be interesting to track his tonal centers through out the 
piece to see if there is a pattern covering several key's? Surely someone
has done this as there are a couple of transcriptions of this tune?

Rick

    <I LIKE Eric Johnson! So clean, so polished. You could serve dinner to 
    <Aunty Emma off his riffs, they're so clean.
    <
    <Edd Cote


and just when you thought it was safe to have a meaningful
discussion about the finer elements of guitar, here comes
COTE!!!!!!!!

Hey Edd, what-a-be-shakin!?

    
    	RE: .396
    
    	Like I said, Dave, I'm straddling the fence on this discussion.
    	I don't mind it, and NEXT UNSEEN works just as well for 5 topics
    	as it does for 1.  But I've been doing this NOTES thing for a-
    	while now and I know what tends to annoy people.
    
    	Yes, over in H_M there are a few running jokes, and sometimes
    	they do get to the "that's enough" point ... and when they do, I
    	will say something, especially if someone actually complains
    	[which they don't often do].  I have done it in the past, al-
    	though right now I couldn't quote a specific example.
    

    
    	re: 335 - now that a few years have passed, I really should
    	have kept it.  That move will haunt me forever...
    

    Just got the new EJ, had a couple of spins.  On first impression, it
    sounds way overproduced, even by Eric's standards.  He may be able to
    tell the difference between battery cables in his flanger, but I'd defy
    him to even identify the guitar he's playing through the syrupy glop
    that coats everything in the mix here.  It sounds like a freakin
    Journey record!

    Once you wade through the layers of mush there's some great music
    here; worth the effort in fact.  But the mix makes "Tones" (still my
    favorite EJ at this point) sound like "Raw Power" by comparison.

    /rick

    ps attention Tom D - check out the foldout on this disc if you get a
    chance; I think Eric bought your old '62 335

    I agree with Rick.  I'm really enjoying this CD (as stated before). 
    Besides the lame mix, my only other beef is that someone should hide is
    Roland guitar synth.
    
    Mike

    <He may be able to tell the difference between battery cables in his 
    <flanger, but I'd defy him to even identify the guitar he's playing 
    <through the syrupy glop that coats everything in the mix here.  

	Boy there's a lot of discussion can be created right here.
 	Dunno bout the rest of you, but I agree with this for any
	of the artists.  Keep the sweateners to a minimum, gimme 
	it off yer fingers..  I like the real simple signal 
	processors.. a 10ft cable...

    <ps attention Tom D - check out the foldout on this disc if you get a
    <chance; I think Eric bought your old '62 335

	Oh no,,, don't go there Rick....  (too late..)

    I wonder what happened to the "Long Path Meadow" material.  I bet some
    of this is new stuff.
    
    Mike

    Anyone familiar with the EJ-Christopher Cross connection?  Only song I
    recall by him is that "Sailing" tune.  Did EJ play anything listenable
    while with him?
    
    thanks,
    Mike

    Eric Johnson will be performing at the Berkley Performing Arts Center in
    Boston on Wednesday - May 14. No other info. on who else will be
    opening.                                    
    
    Tickets available though Ticketmaster.

    doing the solo tour now?  I hope Satch does one too.  I wouldn't go to
    G3 because Mr. "Emotion" Vai was there ;-)