Paul Gilbert appreciation thread

Bucket

He's awesome.

Obviously there's the stuff we all know he does - like the amazing shred solo at 1:45:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCuHAfOPlBI

But then he can play that funky music pretty well for a white boy (with a blistering solo at 2:55):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPoAsC0RK1A

Then he can make his guitar sound almost like a flute - this is a stunning arrangement of a 20th century classical piece:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tFOA4gnW1A

Then stomp out an acoustic ABBA cover while singing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DT1l9v-lKsc

And I love that he doesn't seem to take himself too seriously - there's fun in his music. He's not your stereotypical boring shredder - you get the sense that he means every note he plays, no matter how many of them there are. He can make the guitar SCREAM.

Any other fans on here? Surely there must be...

bigjon

I read about him in Guitarist mag in the late 80s, then saw 'Addicted to that rush' on the late night itv rock video show. Bought the album Mr Big, and the tab book to boot. Several licks from that album are the basis of anything fast that I play, as the cognoscenti will quickly spot in this short solo I recorded in 1993!

bluechargeboy

I'm in! Can't see youtube at work but I watched Paul trading licks with Guthrie Govan on some blues jam thing. Impressive to see two people who have just got this whole guitar lark nailed.

ThePrettyDamned

He's awesome.  Can't listen to his music for too long, but he's got it.  His picking is bloody flawless, too.  I've yet to see anyone with a picking technique as clean.  

And he's a proper nice bloke.  Git.

ThePrettyDamned

He also taught this fella, who plays a baritone scale length LP (as in, a PROPER signature guitar - not just a regular guitar with a different paint job or a different pickup set, or coil taps ¬_¬ )

Siege Engine is another tune you should hear if you wanna know about cool riffs, nice melody and stupid amazing skillz. 

Megii

In the early days, I was not a fan of PG - tbh I found a lot of his stuff impressive only on a technique level, and pretty un-musical otherwise. And he seemed to have a thin unpleasant kind of tone. Just how it seemed to me at the time, please don't take offense PG fans. And didn't he once make some comment or un-favourable comparison about Joe Pass - I can't remember the context, but it may have been ill-advised. Anyway - all things which conspired at the time to make me not like him lol! This is all going way back of course...

But have to say, I've heard things in more recent years which give me a very different impression - he still has that astounding technique, and to me he sounds inventive and musical, plus gets some great guitar tones. And he does seem like a nice guy I agree!

failed_astronaut

Bucket said:

 

And I love that he doesn't seem to take himself too seriously - there's fun in his music. He's not your stereotypical boring shredder - you get the sense that he means every note he plays, no matter how many of them there are. He can make the guitar SCREAM.

Any other fans on here? Surely there must be...

Yep, definitely a fan. Can't play a lick of what he does but I will sit and watch "Get out of my yard" just for kicks. As you said, he's got a sense of humour and seems like he recognises how shredding could be a source of ridicule. I like when he talks through his rig, he's obviously a heavy gear head!

axisus

Amazing player and lovely guy. I met him at a trade show after a clinic when a shedload of people queued for his autograph. Everyone else was fawning all over him so I said "man, you were terrible!" as a joke. He apologised and said he'd try harder next time. It was all tongue in cheek of course - he was amused!

mudslide73

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjDpuAlfnB4

He stands out even in esteemed company. I agree about the picking - incredible feel for a shredder too. Big fan.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rd02bE6o2Rs

 

 

 

 

guitarfishbay

Count me as a fan!  I have all the Racer X CDs except Snowball of Doom 2.  Plus I have some CDs from his solo career and his stuff with Mr Big.

I went to a PG clinic/show in Liverpool a few years ago and thought the guy was really nice too.  

thisisguitar

I've met him a couple of times, he's really down to earth and a class guy. Good ear for a song too, which is unusual for a 'shredder'. 

digitalscream

I don't really know as much of his stuff as I should, and for that I feel shame.

However...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_SUB18g1wU

That solo (it's not what you think, if you haven't seen this video before).

Yes.

bluechargeboy

digitalscream said:

That solo (it's not what you think, if you haven't seen this video before).

Yes.

Yes. (note to self: must practise more)

Jaden

now youre talking my language..
this vid wins the internetz..