Have we already discussed Bonamassa's controversial comments?

poopot

http://tonemerchants.com/news/joe-bonamassa-pedalboard-build/

Thats more than enough pedals to “hide” behind!...

BigMonka

ennspek said:

Whichever way you choose to measure it, he is better at playing guitar than I will ever be.
Nice to hear an honest opinion these days, agree with it or not.

But you can express an opinion in a way that doesn't make you sound like a dismissive douche. He could have said something like "For me I just love the directness of guitar and amp, I'm not really a fan of soundscape-type music. But you have to respect the hours/years of practice that those guys put in to learning how to make amazing sounds with pedals"

mikem8634

I fully expect That Pedal Show to enter a period of mourning.

Skipped

Not controversial IMO.

It was an interview. The question he was addressing was something like "So what happened to your pedalboard then?"
The question was not "What do think of your contemporaries and heroes?"

It would be hard to think of a high profile guitarist who has been more respectful to other guitarists than Joe Bonamassa has been throughout his whole career. Maybe somebody should ask Bernie Marsden what he thinks of Joe Bonamassa the man??
It was pretty much a comment about tone choices (and how they might change in just a few years).
The sentiments could just as easily have been expressed by (for example) Mark Knopfler.

If you own a wonderful instrument and a good valve amp......would it make sense to actually hear what they are capable of?

Some of you are about to sit down for dinner......
Isn't Filet Mignon great? Would you agree that it is awesome?
Before you pour the Chip Shop Curry Sauce all over it.......can we chat about that first?

shaunm

Skipped said:

Not controversial IMO.

It was an interview. The question he was addressing was something like "So what happened to your pedalboard then?"
The question was not "What do think of your contemporaries and heroes?"

It would be hard to think of a high profile guitarist who has been more respectful to other guitarists than Joe Bonamassa has been throughout his whole career. Maybe somebody should ask Bernie Marsden what he thinks of Joe Bonamassa the man??
It was pretty much a comment about tone choices (and how they might change in just a few years).
The sentiments could just as easily have been expressed by (for example) Mark Knopfler.

If you own a wonderful instrument and a good valve amp......would it make sense to actually hear what they are capable of?

Some of you are about to sit down for dinner......
Isn't Filet Mignon great? Would you agree that it is awesome?
Before you pour the Chip Shop Curry Sauce all over it.......can we chat about that first?

You eat Filet Mignon at your house?

Gravy is alright to pour on it though isn’t it?

SCMIV

see, if someone I like or respect had said this, like Wayne Kramer or Eddie Hazel, or somebody, I'd likely care about it....but it's Joe Bonamassa. I don't think I've ever voluntarily heard a note the man's played...so, that kind of impact...

usedtobe

I think using effects well, is a skill. As bad as I sound without effects, I sound a lot worse with them! 

Zoolooter

It's so weird, most of you don't give a shit about this guy. Then he speaks his mind for 20 seconds, and you all go nuts. Like it's mumsnet. Seriously, stop yapping and go play guitar, with no pedal.

Jez6345789

I am not much of a fan JB but he has a bit of a point.
its not so much I think aimed at the working Pro who has tools in his box to do the job more the level of player that is around today who is swapping his fat gherkin for a triple pickle add suitable names in an endless loop.

you only have to look at the endless list of pedal in the classifieds and eBay. Its become more of a collector thing.

PRS said a similar thing for all the work we have put into making better guitars these days they are just a controller for a bunch of synths.

ultimately he is looking for controversy to get interest but part of it is a reality of the modern world of guitars.

YMMV

SCMIV

Zoolooter said:

It's so weird, most of you don't give a shit about this guy. Then he speaks his mind for 20 seconds, and you all go nuts. Seriously, stop yapping.

not weird at all, it's generally the standard reaction when someone tries to tell everyone else what they should or shouldn't do.

Bridgehouse

Zoolooter said:

It's so weird, most of you don't give a shit about this guy. Then he speaks his mind for 20 seconds, and you all go nuts. Like it's mumsnet. Seriously, stop yapping and go play guitar, with no pedal.

If you are well known, and express an opinion, you have to expect the internetz to criticise and yap about it. It's what he would want. 

Plus, if we all stopped yapping then this place would be, um, very quiet.

Jonathanthomas83

Jez6345789 said:

I am not much of a fan JB but he has a bit of a point.
its not so much I think aimed at the working Pro who has tools in his box to do the job more the level of player that is around today who is swapping his fat gherkin for a triple pickle add suitable names in an endless loop.

you only have to look at the endless list of pedal in the classifieds and eBay. Its become more of a collector thing.

PRS said a similar thing for all the work we have put into making better guitars these days they are just a controller for a bunch of synths.

ultimately he is looking for controversy to get interest but part of it is a reality of the modern world of guitars.

YMMV

Does it matter what people use their instruments for though? Glorified midi controller or not, if you make music you enjoy with it then who has the right to tell you to stop playing that and get back to your little valve amp and play a blues scale?

”fuck off JB” is my first reaction to that, and I’m a fan of him, his museum of fucking collectibles (hypocrite) and his music. 

markj

Niallseroreilly said:

I think I get what hes saying.... just plug the guitar in and play..... thats were the fun is.

Totally agree.

tampaxboo

Loobs said:

For anyone curious, he recently said this:

“I’ve really gotten over pedals. I can’t keep up with this craze of boutique pedals that make you sound like everything but your guitar. I can’t get my head around it. So you don’t want to play a guitar [properly] so you buy a box that makes it sound like an algorithm, like you just fired up your computer and you can spend the night staring at your fuckin’ shoes? C’mon man…

“I know I’ll get shit for saying this, but it’s fucking lazy. It’s insulting to people who spent 35 years playing and learning, like a lot of players. And we continue to work at it! These guys can barely play a chord but call themselves soundscapists. Get the fuck outta here! It’s bullshit. There’s so much masking and spin going on there. Can we get real for a minute? What do you actually play? Pick up an acoustic guitar… try that!”

awwww boo-hoo. isn't Mister 'Dignity Through Labour' getting enough respect from the kids in old age?

'why... in my day we used to bang jawbones on treestumps for entertainment, then came along these crazy kids with their comb and paper and ruined everything'.

JezWynd

We Are not worthy
We Are not worthy
repeat to fade...

UnclePsychosis

markj said:

Niallseroreilly said:

I think I get what hes saying.... just plug the guitar in and play..... thats were the fun is.

Totally agree.

-that isn't what he said though. It wasn't even close. 

Mooster

We need a That Pedal Show episode on this.

JezWynd

Mooster said:

We need a That Pedal Show episode on this.

We'll have to settle for Joe's gear rundown in the meantime...

Sassafras

Not all of us can play priceless vintage guitars through unobtainium amps, some of us need a little help.
I don't agree with what he says but I'll defend with my life his right to say it, the silly old sausage.

IvanMC

His words are not even controversial, I reckon. They make sense, actually. I mean, who cares? He no longer feels like having a huge pedalboard? Well, great. He might change his mind again in some months or years. And who will care?