Tell me is there anyone out there that thinks Neil Young is a sloppy guitarist ?

[Bennett]

Does it matter?

Same could be said for Bob Dylan on the harp. But again, does it matter?

And there are many others. But speaking in reference to just these two, they are both very accomplished songwriters and performers and play with unbridled feeling and emotion. And historically, the proof is in the proverbial pudding.

[cshude]

Keith Richards isn't the tightest player, either, for that matter, and he doesn't seem to have done too bad.

Personally, I've never cared for Neil Young too much- a good song here or there, but not enough for me to buy any of his albums.

But I am grateful for sloppy musicians who have done well because they give encouragement to all of us who are always learning. If I had to be technically perfect in everything I play, I would have given up a long, long time ago.

[Matty22]

Im with chris on that... I like sloppy guitarists, it gives me something to aspire to.. lol

Yes it matters otherwise i whould'nt have asked Bennett. I'm just looking for opinions here , man !!!

[allthumbs]

What can you say about a guy who does a solo by holding one note for 3 minutes.

I'm also very well aware that Bob Dylan and Neil Young are very great song writers, but does that mean you can play slop, and have back up guitarists bail you out every time you **** ?! I don't know about you but, if i'm going to perform for thousands of my loyal fans i'm going to play as flawless for them as i can. To me that's loyalty !

[aus stretch]

I agree with most all of the comments made here re neil young.
He is a great musician, he may not be the greatest guitarist in the world but he is human.
He has good days and some bad ones like the rest of us.
Every time we step out in public and perform we do so with the very best intentions of giving our best performance to the fans.
I agree a 3 note sollo dosn't work for me either.

Cheers

[Bennett]

Originally Posted by johnny64

Yes it matters otherwise i whould'nt have asked Bennett. I'm just looking for opinions here , man !!!

Okay, maybe I should have qualified my comments: I guess I was trying to understand WHY it mattered.

But it looks like you've shed more light on that in a subsequent post here ...

Originally Posted by johnny64

I'm also very well aware that Bob Dylan and Neil Young are very great song writers, but does that mean you can play slop, and have back up guitarists bail you out every time you **** ?! I don't know about you but, if i'm going to perform for thousands of my loyal fans i'm going to play as flawless for them as i can. To me that's loyalty !

Anyhoo, as you've said, you're looking for opinions. My opinion is that yes, one could describe some of his playing as "sloppy". But to ME it matters not. He is a great performer/entertainer/songwriter and yep, I'd even say guitarist. Why? Well, again it's a matter of how you view things. What makes a good guitarist? To me, a great guitarist is one that inspire/motivate/stimulate and entertain you with said instrument. He is also very creative with the guitar.

Now, I have seen a number of very technically proficient guitarists but many of them would cure me of insomnia (if I suffered from such ). Yeah, they might be able to perform amazing technical skills with the guitar, but meh ...what's the point if there's no emotion, no feeling?

And to put this in a completely different context - and in relation to you talking about performing flawlessly - well, let's take speeches, lectures, talks etc. I dunno about you, but I will nearly always prefer to hear a speech that is performed naturally or impromptu rather than one that is read from a sheet that has been modified and proof-read etc in order to make it flawless. I guess I like the human element and humans make mistakes; it is also what makes each of us unique.

Anyhoo, this is all my humble opinion. Others will disagree no doubt but that's why we have these discussions in the first place.

Originally Posted by Bennett

Okay, maybe I should have qualified my comments: I guess I was trying to understand WHY it mattered.

But it looks like you've shed more light on that in a subsequent post here ...


Anyhoo, as you've said, you're looking for opinions. My opinion is that yes, one could describe some of his playing as "sloppy". But to ME it matters not. He is a great performer/entertainer/songwriter and yep, I'd even say guitarist. Why? Well, again it's a matter of how you view things. What makes a good guitarist? To me, a great guitarist is one that inspire/motivate/stimulate and entertain you with said instrument. He is also very creative with the guitar.

Now, I have seen a number of very technically proficient guitarists but many of them would cure me of insomnia (if I suffered from such ). Yeah, they might be able to perform amazing technical skills with the guitar, but meh ...what's the point if there's no emotion, no feeling?

And to put this in a completely different context - and in relation to you talking about performing flawlessly - well, let's take speeches, lectures, talks etc. I dunno about you, but I will nearly always prefer to hear a speech that is performed naturally or impromptu rather than one that is read from a sheet that has been modified and proof-read etc in order to make it flawless. I guess I like the human element and humans make mistakes; it is also what makes each of us unique.

Anyhoo, this is all my humble opinion. Others will disagree no doubt but that's why we have these discussions in the first place.

I understand you totally Bennett, and i'm sorry as well. I guess after being a major in the U.S. Army for 6 years kind of made me a little strict to conformity ! No offence by any means soldier !

Originally Posted by aus stretch

I agree with most all of the comments made here re neil young.
He is a great musician, he may not be the greatest guitarist in the world but he is human.
He has good days and some bad ones like the rest of us.
Every time we step out in public and perform we do so with the very best intentions of giving our best performance to the fans.
I agree a 3 note sollo dosn't work for me either.

Cheers

I'm entirely sorry here. I've only been trying to share with you all what i have experienced in seeing this man perform 7 times. I've been told Jimmy Page is sloppy by someone before, but thats just Jimmy's style as far as how he demonstrates his application to his instrument. Jimmy Page never ever missed a single note that i could ever see in the 3 concerts that i attended ! All with in 12 rows mind you.

[Bennett]

Originally Posted by johnny64

I understand you totally Bennett, and i'm sorry as well. I guess after being a major in the U.S. Army for 6 years kind of made me a little strict to conformity ! No offence by any means soldier !

No offence taken mate.

Btw, my father-in-law is an ex-Major too. Served nearly 45 years in the Australian Army.

Thanks Bennett. Then i guess you know what i mean by conformity, 45 yrs. ! He was truly a dedicated career soldier ! Thanks again Bennett, your one of the good ones !

[Lcjones]

Hmm,

I have to wonder how being a Major in the United States Army, to which I tip my hat and hold you in the highest degree, affects your inherited feelings and thoughts on music.

I must also ask if you listened Neil Young, Buffalo Springfield, Crazy Horse and a myriad other classic musicians when they first hit the airwaves during the 60's.

Let me qualify my questions with the fact that I was there. I've listened to Neil Young since zero hour and have never, ever questioned his abilities as a musician. There was, and is, no need to do so.

There are very few musicians who are greater than the sum of their parts. Neil Young is one of that elite group who commands attention because of their methods. And he is in great company. What you term as sloppiness is no more than an expression of musical artwork. Some paint with a wide brush and bold swath upon the canvas, others with pin-point accuracy defining each molecular change of the view within the frame.

No. Neil Young is not a sloppy guitarist or musician. He plays exactly what he means to play. And that is why we still listen to him 40 years later. Neil is as articulate a musician and guitarist as ever there was. And I rest my case with my rendition of Harvest Moon.

Les

[Bennett]

It's funny, my father-in-law didn't say more than two words to me in nearly eight years from the time I first started going out with his daughter fourteen years ago.

It wasn't until we got married and, more importantly, he retired before we really started to get along.

Now we're the best of buddies and have been for about six years!

*Sorry to go off-topic ... back to Neil Young*