More proof of why Joe Bonamesser is a twat

Heartfeltdawn

Brize said:

^^ That's a hell of an assumption - I've no problem with electronic music. I was really referring to the manufactured dross produced by reality-show winners and the like.

That's exactly what I mean. You dislike reality TV pop, a genre of music that revolves around cover versions and targets them at a specific demographic in order to make money. 

On the flip side we have a blues guitarist, famous for slapping his name on pretty much anything prepared to give him a commercial deal, doing cover versions as part of a tour aimed at a specific demographic in order to make money. 

Why is one denounced as 'dross' and the other is 'proper music'? 

Skipped

beed84 said:

IMHO He's a total phoney cashing in on punters who either don't know better or should know better.

He spends his downtime in guitar shops or hanging out with guys that have nice guitars.
He spent maybe an hour talking to The Doug and Pat show (before a gig) about pots, wiring, top wrapping, pickups, everything,  and my impression was that he would have talked for 6 hours if they had wanted.
People trust him so much.....they lend him their valuable guitars to take on tour. I am going to take a wild guess that Bernie Marsden does not just hand over The Beast to any random person.......

I get that some people don't like him but total phoney? He is the exact opposite of a total phoney.

stickyfiddle

Skipped said:

beed84 said:

IMHO He's a total phoney cashing in on punters who either don't know better or should know better.

He spends his downtime in guitar shops or hanging out with guys that have nice guitars.
He spent maybe an hour talking to The Doug and Pat show (before a gig) about pots, wiring, top wrapping, pickups, everything and my impression was that he would have talked for 6 hours if they had wanted.
People trust him so much.....they lend him their valuable guitars to take on tour. I am going to take a wild guess that Bernie Marsden does not just hand over The Beast to any random person.......

I get that some people don't like him but total phoney? He is the exact opposite of a total phoney.

I agree. I don't think his music is particularly authentic or interesting, but he's no more a phoney than Clapton. He's certainly a massive gearhead, and at least has the technical ability to back it up, even if I don't like the notes he chooses.

beed84

Skipped said:

beed84 said:

IMHO He's a total phoney cashing in on punters who either don't know better or should know better.

He spends his downtime in guitar shops or hanging out with guys that have nice guitars.
He spent maybe an hour talking to The Doug and Pat show (before a gig) about pots, wiring, top wrapping, pickups, everything and my impression was that he would have talked for 6 hours if they had wanted.
People trust him so much.....they lend him their valuable guitars to take on tour. I am going to take a wild guess that Bernie Marsden does not just hand over The Beast to any random person.......

I get that some people don't like him but total phoney? He is the exact opposite of a total phoney.

Good for him. There are numerous players out there that aren't signed, could do the same and are more of blues guitarist than he'll ever be. Moreover, and I could be wrong, but I suspect part of the reason Bernie Marsden handed over The Beast to Bonamassa is due to publicity. Any Joe Bloggs(amassa) could play it, and could play it well, but that'd make for a boring story.

Yes, the guy can play, but the brand component of his success overshadows his ability to play, which, might I add is a regurgitation of unfeeling licks he's stolen from others.

Total phoney.

richardhomer

'Phoney' is an interesting word - it probably means something slightly different to different people in this context, dependent on who you ask.

In any event - and I say this as someone who's not particularly enamoured by Bonamassa's music - I think it's a bit harsh in relation to him. He obviously has made all things guitar central to his existence from an early age. He's made a massive commitment to his craft - and financially to his guitars.

To me the litmus text of a player is do I get those 'hairs on the back of the neck' responses when I listen to them? That emotional connection from a player cannot be 'phoney' - they either have that impact on you, or they don't. EC who has been described by someone in this thread as 'phoney' definitely has that quality in his playing - JB doesn't - though I fully accept this is a purely subjective judgement.

It's highly unlikely that I will ever buy a JB record (or stream-load - or whatever they're called these days) but that doesn't mean for others that he may not be the greatest guitarist in the world.

Incidentally - a relative of a friend of mine does his tour photography and reckons he's a really decent bloke.

lustycourtier

beed84 said:

IMHO He's a total phoney cashing in on punters who either don't know better or should know better.

Am I one of those punters who knows nothing? I've paid to see him live and an a bit of a fan. Please do tell me what I'm allowed to listen to as my Albert King playlist is about to finish

boogieman

lustycourtier;821642" said:

beed84 said:

IMHO He's a total phoney cashing in on punters who either don't know better or should know better.





Am I one of those punters who knows nothing? I've paid to see him live and an a bit of a fan. Please do tell me what I'm allowed to listen to as my Albert King playlist is about to finish

Well I wish I had half his "phoney" talent. The guy can play. My main problem with him, apart from overcooking the merchandising side, is he's a chameleon who copies everyone else. The guy has no individual style, he sounds like Jimmy Page one minute, Peter Green the next,Albert King after that (and on and on). I've always thought the very best guitarists are the ones that you can pick out straight away because of their tone and playing style. JB always seems anonymous.

Skipped

beed84 said:

Yes, the guy can play, but the brand component of his success overshadows his ability to play, which, might I add is a regurgitation of unfeeling licks he's stolen from others.

Total phoney.

By your definition.....Led Zeppelin are Total Phoneys.


thefreedictionary.com:
phoney - a person who professes beliefs and opinions that he or she does not hold in order to conceal his or her real feelings or motives.

JB is not concealing his motivation and desire to market himself in as many ways as possible just in case his career is a short one. Not Phoney
JB is a massive gear head. His constant search for vintage amps and all kinds of obscure gear is not an elaborate ruse to fool you. It is 100% genuine uncontrolable GAS. Not Phoney
JB recycling every lick he has ever heard since he was a small child is normal and not in anyway ususual. No attempt at concealment.  Not Phoney

The truth is that Joe Bonamassa is an annoying and highly precocious Child Guitarist who had the audacity to grow up.

bingefeller

scrumhalf

bingefeller said:

https://www.facebook.com/JoeBonamassa/posts/10150219120639659

"Tour and walk a mile in my shoes"

Oh lord, does he have his own brand of footwear now?

Skipped

Yes but.......What do I have to do to get this discussion moved to SC??   
:-S

EricTheWeary

5 cents....I quite like Joe, seen him live and own a few cd's. The sheer quantity of recorded material makes liking him a) expensive and b) hi lights the poor quality control. He is not a blues musician, certainly in the past he didn't claim to be, his playing comes out of the blues rock school of Beck, Clapton, Gibbons, Gallagher, Winter,etc. He is only a blues player in the same sense that my Seat Altea is a Model T Ford. His live covers of Muddy Waters and Howling Wolf illustrate that he doesn't have the voice for it and doesn't have the feel ( 'feel' as a composite word here covering things like phrasing, restraint)for it on guitar. Unless there is some kind of sea change then his tribute to the three Kings ( all of whom were as much vocalists as guitarists) will equally suck and miss the point. Quite often people say if you want to listen to JoBo start with the Beth Hart albums; they show him as a great sideman but then show his own failings as a front man. I'd still pay to go and see him doing 15 minute covers of ZZ Top songs but if you want an evening of painful blues covers, well, I have a VHS somewhere of me doing that kind of thing I can copy and throw in with every signed pair of EricTheWeary boxer shorts...

bingefeller

scrumhalf said:

bingefeller said:

https://www.facebook.com/JoeBonamassa/posts/10150219120639659

"Tour and walk a mile in my shoes"

Oh lord, does he have his own brand of footwear now?

lol just you wait and these will come.

crunchman

EricTheWeary said:

Unless there is some kind of sea change then his tribute to the three Kings ( all of whom were as much vocalists as guitarists) will equally suck and miss the point.

This is the main issue.  He's a great player, and I got given tickets to the Albert Hall gig he recorded for my 40th.  That was a good gig with spectacular playing.  I think there was another solo acoustic song that wasn't on the DVD that was spectacular.  BUT when I watch the DVD back now I just don't like his singing voice.  Maybe it would be better an octave lower. 

Brize

Heartfeltdawn said:

Brize said:

^^ That's a hell of an assumption - I've no problem with electronic music. I was really referring to the manufactured dross produced by reality-show winners and the like.

That's exactly what I mean. You dislike reality TV pop, a genre of music that revolves around cover versions and targets them at a specific demographic in order to make money. 

On the flip side we have a blues guitarist, famous for slapping his name on pretty much anything prepared to give him a commercial deal, doing cover versions as part of a tour aimed at a specific demographic in order to make money. 

Why is one denounced as 'dross' and the other is 'proper music'? 

Whatever dude - cultural relativism only goes so far.

Heartfeltdawn

Brize said:Whatever dude - cultural relativism only goes so far.

beed84

lustycourtier said:

beed84 said:

IMHO He's a total phoney cashing in on punters who either don't know better or should know better.

Am I one of those punters who knows nothing? I've paid to see him live and an a bit of a fan. 

Pretty much. Sort it out. 

StageStruck

He's clearly a decent guitar player but his own songs are fairly run of the mill. The blues/rock guitar thing that he mainly trades on has been done to death since SRV and Gary Moore gave it a shot in the arm in the 80s and 90s.  He spreads himself fairly thinly as well, there's barely a couple of months go by without him releasing an album, gear endorsement, interview about how much vintage gear he owns. Full marks to his PR department for getting the column inches, but it's got to the point where I barely look at any articles containing him now. It's too much of the same time and time again.

Octahedron

I don't bother buying any of the live stuff.

Just the studio albums and the collaborations e.g. Beth Hart, Mahalia Barnes, etc

bingefeller

Be careful not to offend others with your opinions or they will leave the forum.