I just saw It Might Get Loud, the documentary featuring Jimmy Page, The Edge, and Jack White discussing their musical influences, approach to, and general love of the guitar.
The only Jack White-related product that I own is the Loretta Lynne album and the only U2 album I have is the live album from the early ’80s (and it’s not mine so I’m not sure how it ended up in mixed in with my records). But even though I have only a casual interest in most of their music, I liked the movie and I found all three guys to be fairly engaging, although Jack White comes off as a bit affected. The Edge, on the other hand, seems like he’s in the running for “nicest, most down to earth mega star.” Anyway, some questions came to mind:
1. How would you rank these guys in order of your personal preference?
2. How would you rank these guys in order of their influence?
3. If you could replace one with another guitar player, who would it be (keeping in mind that your new guy must be in a high-profile band, must have a distinct style, and that style must be different from the other two remaining guys).
4. Is there any artist that you dislike so much that you won’t watch a documentary about them?
5. Will you watch the upcoming Doors documentary narrated by Johnny Depp? If so, will you mute/fast forward through the Ray Manzarek parts?
6. Does anyone have any idea how I ended up with that U2 album and several copies of Back in Black in my album collection and somehow managed to lose most of my Who and Led Zeppelin albums? I suspect that alcohol may have played a role.
1. Page, White, Edge. Although all these guys leave me cold in one way or another.
2. Page, Edge, White.
3. I’d replace White with Josh Homme.
4. Billy Joel
5. Probably not.
6. I think you were the mark in a long con.
1. Page, Edge, White
2. Same, although the influence of The Edge will possibly surpass Page’s in future generations
3. I wish I could think of a younger guitarist who’s come up with his own distinctive style to replace White. Maybe that guy who is or was in Radiohead? White strikes me as nothing more than a student of Page and other classic rock guitarists, not someone representing a “new vision” for guitar playing.
4. This is a tough question! I’ve watched VH1 shows on Journey and Styx. Come to think of it, I do bypass almost all shows on those ’80s hair farmer bands, like the one with Vince Neil and that CC guy.
5. I think the upcoming Doors doc should be an RTH event; any Townsperson who skips through the Manzarek parts needs to take a good look in the mirror.
6. Few would want to borrow those albums, whereas many friends probably borrowed the Who and Zeppelin albums.
Question #1:
1. Jack
2. Jimmy
3. Edge
Question #2:
1. Jimmy
2. Edge
3. Jack
Question #3:
I would say Lowman Pauling of the “5” Royales
Question #4:
I would say any 70s soft-rocker, 80s hair metal, hip-hop, basically anything I don’t care for
Question #5:
Not interested in the Doors doc, however I did read a good interview w/John Densmore in the latest issue of Record Collector
Question #6:
Yes, booze was probably involved.
1. Jimmy then Jack.
2. Jimmy´s the only really influentual one here.
3. Gregg Ginn (Black Flag) would fit in great with Page and White.
4. U2 and Sting. Brrr.
5. Nah, I´d rather watch Don´t Look Back again.
6. Cheers!
The Edge is not influential? Are you sure you’re not letting your personal taste interfere with your answer? I mean, I hate Eddie Van Halen’s guitar playing, tone, equipment choices and Buttafuco pants but even I will acknowledge that he was hugely influential on a whole bunch of folks.
1. Jimmy, Jack, Edge
2. Jimmy and Edge are almost tied with a slight advantage to Jimmy, then Jack
2.1 Who would I like to have over for dinner? Edge, Jimmy, Jack
3. Maybe Ry Cooder, if he’s considered distinct enough from Page. Or maybe Tom Verlaine.
4. Probably not. I might even watch one about Billy Joel, although I’d keep my finger on the fast forward button.
5. Yes when it comes out on dvd and no to the mute button.
6. Too much trust and too much cheap beer in college.
One other thing occurred to me while watching the movie: I always like Jack White’s shtick a lot more than I think I’m going to.
1. How would you rank these guys in order of your personal preference?
Jack White
Jimmy Page (because The Yardbirds were so great)
The Edge
2. How would you rank these guys in order of their influence?
Jimmy Page
Jack White
The Edge (doesn’t he just play the same thing in every song?)
3. If you could replace one with another guitar player, who would it be (keeping in mind that your new guy must be in a high-profile band, must have a distinct style, and that style must be different from the other two remaining guys).
I’d replace Jack White with Dan Auerbach (is he high profile enough?)
I’d replace Jimmy Page with Jeff Beck. Jeff was better anyway. Can we replace Bob Plant, too?
4. Is there any artist that you dislike so much that you won’t watch a documentary about them?
The Eagles.
5. Will you watch the upcoming Doors documentary narrated by Johnny Depp? If so, will you mute/fast forward through the Ray Manzarek parts?
I suppose. Why not? I loved The Doors when I was a kid. I really fell out of love with them in my 20’s, but lately I kind of like them again.
6. Does anyone have any idea how I ended up with that U2 album and several copies of Back in Black in my album collection and somehow managed to lose most of my Who and Led Zeppelin albums? I suspect that alcohol may have played a role.
So long as you didn’t wake up naked in the front yard, I think you’re okay. I think it was good fortune that those LZ albums are gone, though!
1. Page, Edge, White. I don’t really have anything against any of them.
2. Page, Edge, White. The Edge may be vastly underrated as an influence on the modern trend of “silent partner” lead guitarists, though.
3. Graham Coxon.
4. I might actually be more inclined to watch a documentary on someone I disliked. For example, I would love to watch and get angry at a Billy Joel documentary.
5. Mod is right – if you don’t want to watch Manzarek talking about Morrison’s Ghost, why are you here? Despite his protests, Oats will see this. I will make sure of this. Furthermore, I would straight up pay money to see Johnny Depp dressed up and in character as Morrison interviewing Manzarek, especially if it was never clear whether Ray knew it was Depp or if he thought it was Morrison and just casually gave the interview because he’s always talking to Jim’s ghost.
6. You never even actually owned those albums, man.
“You never even actually owned those albums, man.”
Really? So I guess my weed just magically cleaned itself then?
1)Mr. Page, Mr. White – in the parlor with the candlestick, Mr. Edge (If the Empire decides to eventually knight U2 like other enormously important bands, would he be Sir Edge?)
2) Page, Edge, and much further behind, White.
3)I haven’t seen the movie, so I don’t know the approach of the interviews, but I would replace Edge. I don’t care much for U2 so don’t care about how he arrives at his sound or parts. Any other guitarist I admire would be preferred; Townshend, Brian Setzer, even Dave Gregory over Edge.
4) Mike Chiklis
5)I will start to watch. It depends how well it’s done. I was excited to watch the Scorsese thing on the blues, but bailed because it was dull. Same with Costello’s Spectacle. Very excited at first, but find the show dull now. I look forward to the doc, but we’ve probably heard a lot of it before, just not narrated by Willy Wonka.
6) Roommates.
People who aren’t British subjects can get honorary knighthoods, as Bob Geldof did, but they are officially precluded from using the title Sir. The press may call him Sir Bob, but only as a joke.
Actually I’m surprised any Irishman would accept a knighthood. I know I’ll decline when they ask me.
1. How would you rank these guys in order of your personal preference?
in terms of persona:
White
Page
Edge
in terms of playing:
Page
White
Edge
2. How would you rank these guys in order of their influence?
Page
Edge
White
3. If you could replace one with another guitar player, who would it be (keeping in mind that your new guy must be in a high-profile band, must have a distinct style, and that style must be different from the other two remaining guys).
Thurston Moore
4. Is there any artist that you dislike so much that you won’t watch a documentary about them?
R.E.M.
5. Will you watch the upcoming Doors documentary narrated by Johnny Depp? If so, will you mute/fast forward through the Ray Manzarek parts?
I will watch it, and i will enjoy the Manzarek parts in that “it’s almost painful” kinda way
6. Does anyone have any idea how I ended up with that U2 album and several copies of Back in Black in my album collection and somehow managed to lose most of my Who and Led Zeppelin albums? I suspect that alcohol may have played a role.
You lent the Who and Zep albums (while drunk) to friends (also drunk)
You forgot who you lent them to, and they forgot where they got them.
You did the same with Back in Black, but then the borrower remembered, and returned it, but you had already replaced it at The Record Exchange. Now you have it twice. The U2 record, you borrowed (while drunk) from somebody(also drunk) who insisted you needed to hear it and listen to it with an open mind, not just to the hits, but to the DEEP CUTS in between.
i am still gonna borrow your VU @ MKC if that’s ok. My # is 267 496 5422. text me yours and I’ll call ya!
You can still borrow it. You just have to wait until I sober up. I can’t have anymore albums slipping through my fingers. I’ll text you.
If Depp gets to dress up as Jim Morrison then Kyle McLachlan needs to reprise his role as Ray Manzarek! I’m sure Oliver Stone still has some hair glue leftover from his many (recent) period pieces.
I’d like to change my answer to 3, if you don’t mind. I’d leave White in the film, and replace The Edge with Johnny Marr.
That’s right about the honorary knighthoods! That’s why they don’t call Bono – Sir Vox. And that it sounds to much like cervix.
I watched It Might Get Loud on DVD with my son (who is three) — he likes to watch “guitar shows.” My wife was out. She won’t watch stuff like this.
I thought Page looked great — I got a kick out of it when they were talking about doing harmony vocals on The Weight and he said “I can’t sing!” It’s a real rock geek movie.
Here are my quiz answers.
1. Edge, Page, White
2. Page, Edge, White
3. Page = Beck
Edge = Andy Summers or Charlie Sexton
White = I kind of like Derek Trucks or his wife, Susan Tedeschi — maybe you get could get two for one.
4. Coldplay
5. Yes — I am a sucker for rock docs.
6. The same gremlin that put an Enya CD in my collection is responsible. I think it is my sister-in-law.
CDM, can you name one guitar player that was obviously influenced by The ´I play the same part every time´ Edge? I couldn´t. I hate U2 with a vengeance, but that wasn´t instrumental here.
1. How would you rank these guys in order of your personal preference?
Page, Edge, White
2. How would you rank these guys in order of their influence?
Page, Edge, White
3. If you could replace one with another guitar player, who would it be (keeping in mind that your new guy must be in a high-profile band, must have a distinct style, and that style must be different from the other two remaining guys).
I like Jeff Beck better than Page.
4. Is there any artist that you dislike so much that you won’t watch a documentary about them?
Alanis Morissette, Tori Amos, and Celine Dion – now that would be a film from hell…
5. Will you watch the upcoming Doors documentary narrated by Johnny Depp? If so, will you mute/fast forward through the Ray Manzarek parts?
I will not watch it by choice.
6. Does anyone have any idea how I ended up with that U2 album and several copies of Back in Black in my album collection and somehow managed to lose most of my Who and Led Zeppelin albums? I suspect that alcohol may have played a role.
I suspect alcohol too…
ramone666, I don’t have their names handy, but I think there are tons of British and American indie-rock guitar players who were influenced by The Edge’s dedication to playing variations on a theme with the aid of a battalion of digital delays. In the late-80s, for instance, didn’t every city in America have a few local bands with guitarists who tried to follow this model? I don’t care for his style, but if you’ve ever seen the VH1 Classic Albums episode of U2’s making of whichever breakthrough album, hearing the dozen guitar parts broken down on a song like “Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” is admirable for its craftsmanship if nothing else. Put them all together and it sounds just like every other U2 guitar track!
I was thinking the same, Mod.
The Edge pioneered using the delay as an integrated part of the guitar track as opposed to it just being a cool effect layered on top of the guitar track.
Alexmagic nailed it when he described the Edge as influencing the “silent partner” style of guitar playing.
But as for coming up with names, it’s a bit like asking me to name guitar players influenced by Eddie Van Halen’s annoying style: I can’t come up with the names of most of those guys but the impact was big enough that it rose to the level of musical wallpaper.
Similarly, a guy made a mix of current indie bands for me not too long ago and about a third of them had that chimey, super delayed Edge sound, although I can’t remember any of the band names. But I hear the Edges influence from the Alarm to the Killers to car commercials.
And by the way, just because it’s influential, doesn’t mean it’s necessarily a good thing.
Another potential thread topic: The most egregious example of someone copying another artist’s sound. Potential standouts include:
Mouse and the Traps’ Public Execution – Dylan
Stuck in the Middle With You – Dylan
Horse with No Name – Neil Young
Seems like a number of Hall-ers rank Jeff Beck over Page. That surprises me. Page’s output seems far more impressive. Beck has some good stuff, but seems more memorable for his forays into fusion, and for being the primary inspiration of the character Nigel Tufnel. To each his own.
I think Beck’s more idiosyncratic and his bright moments shine brighter than Page’s (and Crapton’s). But he’s also much more inconsistent.
Did anyone see the New York Times article about the recent Plastic Ono Band show, which included the likes of Clapton, Jim Keltner and Klaas Voorman, along with Yoko, Sean, Paul Simon, and Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon. What an insane concert that must’ve been. I don’t think Clapton and Thurston played guitar together at any point, but still… Wow.
I did NOT see that article, Oats. That sounds like something worth looking up on YouTube.
1. How would you rank these guys in order of your personal preference?
Jimmy Page, Jack White, The Edge
2. How would you rank these guys in order of their influence?
Jimmy Page–Led Freakin’ Zeppelin!
Jack White–He’s not nearly as GREAT as Rolling Stone magazine would have you believe (he sounds like a frustrated Angus Young), but he did play a part in reviving guitar-driven rock and bringing it to the masses. I’m glad Jack White is around.
The Edge–I think U2 could be considered more influential as a band than The Edge as a guitarist. I will contend that The Edge does some pretty cool stuff with a guitar.
3. If you could replace one with another guitar player, who would it be?
Too bad Jimi isn’t alive. It might be interesting to see one of the 80s “shredders” like Eddie Van Halen. Of course, I’d want to see Pete Townshend.
4. Is there any artist that you dislike so much that you won’t watch a documentary about them?
Jefferson Airplane.
5. Will you watch the upcoming Doors documentary?
I might watch it, but I won’t go out of my way to see it.
6. Does anyone have any idea how I ended up with that U2 album?
I the The Edge was trying to “influence” you in order to achieve a higher ranking in your question.
TB
I’ve been up and down on The Edge for years (currently down), but I will sincerely say he’s probably the most distinct-sounding guitarist of the last 20 or 30 years, to these ears.
I could hear two, maybe three notes he’d done from a song I’d never heard, isolated from the rest of the band, and still easily know it was him.