Breakfast Report, Friday March 12, 2010

Hey gang,

What's for breakfast
Can't believe it's Friday already. My wife always greets me Friday mornings with an 'It's coffee with Shane!' exclamation. This merely means it is time to leave home about an hour earlier than usual and make my weekly trek to All City Coffee (now part of Caffé Vita) on the corner of Prefontaine and S Washington in downtown Seattle. Cappuccino with a grilled ham and cheese croissant, and friends to chat with. Since November 2005 I have been doing this practically every Friday. Initially it was to keep up with my former manager who had just left WRQ for Atlas Solutions. The number of ex-WRQ colleagues that started working at Atlas started growing and so did our circle of coffee attendees. In 2008 that former manager recruited me to come work for him again at Atlas, just before it was swallowed up by Microsoft. So All City became a daily trek, being the nearest shop. But in October last year I decided to join some other former colleagues at PopCap Games and was able to take my manager with me. So now it's a weekly trek again for both me and my manager to meet our former colleagues at Atlas. Big fun, always interesting, and you keep your network going. And it's our opportunity to talk about nerdy software engineering stuff, practices, and consult peers on the latest problems one might have encountered.

Anyway, it is Friday. Todays topic:
Who are your favorite guitar players? If they are still alive, are you going to their performances?

(Each link will take you to a relevant YouTube video. I just didn't want to fragment to whole post with TV screens. Not always of the greatest quality but alas. It gives you a taste)
Of course I have my favorite rock guitar players. I love Keith Richards. But I will be honest. I'm no longer willing to shell out these astronomical amounts for "Strollin' Bones" tix. The last time I saw Keith was in October 2007 in the Key Arena; a horrible concert venue as far as acoustics is concerned. But my wife and I has very interesting seats, somewhat to the side of the stage where we could see Johnny Starbuck and Pierre de Beauport (Keith's guitar techs) do their magic. That was more interesting than the music. The only band I would be willing to pay a lot for would be Led Zeppelin with Jimmy, Robert, and John-Paul rocking the place. Unfortunately, the Zep reunion tour never got of the ground after their one gig late 2007. But I must say, it was nice to see Robert being supported by Buddy Miller and T Bone Burnett when he was touring with Alison Krauss.

But I relish going to cheaper concerts and see some jazz cats play. John Scofield was in town this week, always amazing. Robin Ford and Michael Landau have a blues band and were gigging here last month. I wouldn't want to miss any opportunity to listen to my fellow Seattlelite Bill Frisell. I have seen him pop-up at other concerts too, supporting Lucinda Williams trading licks with Doug Pettibone, and Wilco (twice) trading licks with the fabulous Nels Cline. (Ever been to a Nels Cline Singers concert? Not a lot of 'singing', but boy is he wailing on his '59 Jazzmaster!) Or Marc Ribot whether he is by himself, supporting Tom Waits, John Zorn, or McCoy Tyner. And then there is of course Pat Metheny, who my wife and I have seen numerous times. The first ever US concert we went to was PM in the Vic in Chicago on our honeymoon in 1992. Then I thought Ticketmaster was nice because I could buy tix with my credit card while still living in the Netherlands. My thoughts on Ticketmaster have changed quite a bit in that respect

Do you have any favorite players, known and lesser known, dead or alive, you think we should know about?

Tomorrow I'll will provide a short LR discussing the outcome of Mondays poll and how it compares with numbers provided by Craig.

Who are your favorite guitar players? If they are still alive, are you going to their performances?
Faves include Garcia, Vai, Zappa, Clapton, Beck (Jeff Beck that is), Gilmour, Townshend, Atkins and Will Ray. So many... I still go to shows when possible. Have seen all above except for Chet Atkins, WR and Jeff Beck. Plan on seeing Beck this summer.

Just saw Clapton with Roger Daltrey opening this week in Atlanta, truly an amazing player. No other guitars so he could really do his thing. Played electric / acoustic / electric sets. Only disappointment was no Layla or Tears in Heaven but with that much history he can play whatever he wants.

Roger Daltrey was in rare form. Voice was great and band was tight. Finally heard some of his solo stuff live. Simon Townshend was on guitar in Pete's place, the rest of the band was current Who line up.

Do you have any favorite players, known and lesser known, dead or alive, you think we should know about?
I'm a fan of George McConnell, former Widespread Panic, Kudzu Kings, Beanland and current solo player. College friend who made good in the music and dong what he loves.

Speaking of concerts on honeymoon, my wife and I saw Albert Collins on ours, also in 1992! The bumblebee was amazing!! RIP

Thanks for the week Jos.

It's funny how my taste has really changed over the years. When I was a teen, I was into guys like Eddie Van Halen, Angus Young, and pretty much worshipped at the altar of fast, loud players.

I then went through a phase where it was all about Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page and all of the classic rock guys.

Later, I dug the alternative guys like Bob Mould (Husker Du), Joey Santiago (The Pixies), and Richard Lloyd (Television and Matthew Sweet's band)

The last couple of years I've mainly been grooving to these guys...
Jim "The Reverend Horton Heat" Heath
Darrel Higham
Paul Pigat
Izzy Zaidman

And of course Scotty Moore (of Elvis fame)


As far as players that have passed on....

Chet Atkins, Cliff Gallup (Gene Vincent), Eddie Cochran, and these two gentlemen...

Hank Garland
Joe Maphis


Being in a rockabilly band has really opened up my playing. Listening to the guys I've listed is really inspiring!

Guitar players that I am really into, etc.... Jeff Beck & Chet Atkins top my list. Very different styles, but amazing control of their guitar, their ability to induce emotion via their guitar.

As for concerts, not in a long time. I'm getting old, they are getting expensive. I prefer to go to a local bar & see people who have never played on a record. And some of them are good enough to.

Later,

edg

My favorite, hands down David Gilmore.
I have seen him once on a solo tour, great outside show at night... Loved it.
I just saw Alice in Chains last month, good show as well...

Will I pay outlandish prices, like what the Eagles charge no.

About $45 per ticket for good seats is where I draw the line.

I havn't really gone to concerts for specific guitar players of late.

I did go to see B.B. King and Jeff beck about 5 years ago at Wolftrap Farm Park in VA. That was a cool concert.

I have seen Clapton in 74 (I Shot the Sherrif Tour) and I did go to see and hear Paul MacCartney last year- That was a great show!

I am going to see Carol King and James Taylor this summer because my wife loves both of them,so I guess I am spending my share on concert tickets.

i have enjoyed going to some smaller venues where you get dinner and a show in a more intimate setting. I saw Al DiMeola at the Rams Head tavern in Annapolis MD last year and it was great. It's a small club that seats about 300 people.

There are a lot of guitarists that I like a lot - and many, many great ones I'm not familiar with. But my two favorites are Martin Barre of Jethro Tull Fame, and Brian May of Queen.

Here's Martin's Aqualung solo live, from many years ago (brief video). I get bonus points here, because if you look at the bass player Dave Pegg at just after the one minute mark, you can see that he's playing a beautiful, blue L-1000.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jut6x-Weqx0

And here's a more recent one of Martin, playing an acoustic original. Notice he's aged a bit (while I have not, miraculously!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ha-rcHw_6Ec

Great week! - Ed

Anyway, it is Friday. Todays topic:
Who are your favorite guitar players? If they are still alive, are you going to their performances?

I'm not into "guitar players" per se. I like rock and roll artists/animals, and often prefer very primitive guitar work to more elaborate fare. The one note solo in Neil Young's "Down by the River" is a googolplex times more awesome by my lights than "For the Love of Wank." Shredders like Vai and E. Johnson are laughable and unlistenable and very, very boring to me. Satriani's even worse. All this said, there are a few "guitar player" types that I do find quite thrilling: Jeff Beck, Danny Gatton, Roy Buchanan, Les Paul to name a few.

Jimi Hendrix is one of my favorite rock and roll artists/animals of all time. Frankly, I think his brilliance with the guitar gives him a "guitar player" rep when I view him more as a complete artist, more in the vein of a great band like the Beatles or some such.

I saw Dylan at the Fox Theater in Atlanta in 1995, and his guitar playing was freaking great! Really, it was. He was playing a Strat. I also love Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry, Otis Rush, Hubert Sumlin, Keith Richards.

Yep, Bob Mould's great . And PJ Harvey. And even Kurt Cobain. And of course Johnny Ramone.

Steve Malkmus and Ted Leo too.

Excellent work with your lunch reporting, by the way. Thank you!

Do you have any favorite players, known and lesser known, dead or alive, you think we should know about?

A few of my favorites who come to mind first:
- Joe Walsh
- Eric Clapton
- Rik Emmett

I've seen Joe Walsh several times, and would love to go again; without the Eagles preferably. Had a chance to see Eric Clapton last year in Philly PA, but the only tickets available were from second parties- $150 for nose bleed seats. Opted for the DVD instead.

Rik Emmett has been a part of my guitar psyche since the early 80's thanks mostly to his "Star-Licks" instructional video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXwzXZ8d658 a great tape that I'd love to find on DVD.

Watching parts of that tape always inspires me to pick up my guitar- and today is no different, so off I go!

~Randy