Firebird X thumbs down, Heritage thumbs up

[Guest mgoetting]

This ia Alex Skolnick's comments on the new Firebird.

 

He is one of the most thoughtful writers among contemporary guitarists and a good Heritage ambassador.

 

First, here's the Firebird.

 

http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Firebird/Gibson-USA/Firebird-X.aspx

 

Here's the story.

 

http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/other-gibsons/115409-alex-skolnick-firebird-x-long-but-worthwhile.html

[DetroitBlues]

Amazing story. Real slap in the face to Gibson, or is more like a kick in the family jewels? But it is so true. Their newest creation 2010 Nighthawk looks cool at first until you look under the hood. Cheap body wood, dot inlays, fender type fixed bridge, single set of tone controls... But the hardware is gold, bound body and fretboard, and flammed maple cap....

[jazzrat]

Wow, that was a great read.

Henry J has taken the phrase "out of touch" to a new level.

 

I've always liked Skolnick's playing but I did not know how well spoken he is.

I've lately really enjoyed him playing a 575 with his jazz trio.

[Guest mgoetting]

Here's another Skolnick essay. Enjoy.

 

Alex Skolnick: The Shred Epidemic

 

 

 

I don't consider myself a "shredder." I realize this is a statement that may be surprising to some, but it's true. There are those who call me a shredder and I don’t take it as an insult. But I hope there’s more to me as a musician—otherwise I should just quit now.

 

For one moment, let’s compare the role of a guitar player to that of a cook. "Shredding," that oft-used term to describe fast soloing, can be compared to its culinary equivalent. In other words, whether we’re talking about scales and modes or cabbage and chicken, both scenarios involve chopping items into very small bits. A less literal but more pragmatic comparison might be the following: "shredding" within a piece of music is like adding any strong ingredient such as basil or hot pepper to a recipe. Used tastefully, it can enhance an existing dish with a touch of spice and intensity. But used unsparingly and egomaniacally, it can overpower the creation and ruin it entirely. Who wants to eat a dish where all you taste is one ingredient?

 

I’ve been described as a shredder by radio hosts and fans. Knowing they mean it endearingly, I smile and take it with a proverbial grain of salt (that other potentially overpowering ingredient). But when labeled as such by websites, blogs, magazines, and those on-line music guides, especially the ones that have the gall to use the word "genius" to describe themselves, it can be difficult to digest. Sometimes it causes heartburn.

 

There are several reasons for this. For one thing, I don’t relate to the so called "shred community." Shred community? Ok, maybe it’s just me, but I fail to find anything communal about a bunch of half-mad monkeys with whammy bars enviously eyeballing each other as they compete over who can play the fastest.

 

Here’s another thing: Shred has become a tiny subgenre in itself, one that has taken on the stigma of a musical ghetto. Just as urban ghettos represent disadvantaged areas of a city, the shred genre is a failing neighborhood of music, populated by sonically impoverished guitarists (and occasionally other instrumentalists as well), unwilling or unable to rise above the oppression of their own egos. And just like the in the real ghetto, their predicament is exploited by greedy corporations, with suburban music store chains and rock clothing outlets in place of liquor marts and check cashing facilities.

 

Yet there is an even bigger reason I cringe when I see my name or my music aligned with that of the "shred people." That reason is this: For the most part, their work has little or no connection to what I feel music is. To them, speed is their primary purpose, the sole reason their music exists. To me, speed is that pungent, strong spice, an effective and powerful ingredient to be used when appropriate—please take note of those last two words: "when appropriate." I’m going to say them once more: WHEN APPROPRIATE!

 

I’m not saying you shouldn’t play fast; In fact, I’ve always liked certain music with very fast guitar solos. In many cases, these solos pushed me to practice harder. But here’s a really important point: it was never just about the solos. Let’s take a quick look at three of these tracks I heard early on that inspired me to practice playing fast. These are not necessarily my Top Three, just ones that caught the attention of these very young ears whose listening tastes back then were more in line with the likes of Kiss, the Sex Pistols, Devo and the The Rocky Horror Picture Show soundtrack:

 

“You Really Got Me,” (Van Halen, Van Halen). It is the brilliantly played riff, huge guitar sound, personality filled vocals, and pulsating groove, which draw you in. Eddie Van Halen’s call and response guitar licks blend perfectly with David Lee Roth’s suggestive vocals. When the solo comes, Eddie’s blues attitude, extreme bends, and three-fingered tapping show up just long enough to say what needs to be said. It is tasty, effective, and not overdone.

 

"Mr. Crowley” (Ozzy Osbourne, Diary Of A Madman) Randy Rhoads’ solo is a direct result of the JS Bach influenced chord progression, gothic keyboard intro, and Ozzy’s haunting vocals. Randy combines rock licks with baroque classical flavor (recorded back when that was a new and exciting thing to do). The final solo includes a tasteful mandolin imitation—further conjuring thoughts of Europe in the medieval dark ages.

 

“Short Tales Of The Black Forest.” (Al Di Meola, Elegant Gypsy). Al’s steel-string guitar gracefully trades off with Chick Corea’s acoustic piano. The two improvisers maintain an intense yet delicately woven dialogue, never trying to outdo each other (unlike a certain live guitar trio recording of the same song—of which I’m not a fan). The fiery guitar and piano licks always serve the greater purpose of the atmosphere and ambience, creating the sensation of traveling to a place of the listener’s imagination. (A black forest perhaps?)

 

These three very diverse songs have a common link that can be described with one word—it’s a word I hesitate to use but one for which I can’t seem to find a suitable alternative: vibe. If you can get past the images of tie-die-clad, incense-wielding characters like the ones I grew up around in Berkeley (Dude, I’m feelin’ the vibe, man!), vibe seems to describe that which is indescribable—the magic quality that great music has. With the vibe comes the capacity to make you feel a certain way, affect you emotionally, conjure up memories, help create new ones and bond with friends over the song, making it real music.

 

If a song can retain these qualities while incorporating great fast licks then that’s wonderful. But when a song is built around the showing off of technique, as is the case with so much in the shred genre, then it becomes the equivalent of fast food—all flash, no substance, and "bad for you." And nowhere is that type of music more prevalent than at the annual Winter NAMM convention in Anaheim, California. I recently had a five-part series on NAMM, on my own blog, SkolNotes. NAMM is an event I’ve had a lot of conflicting feelings about. On the one hand, it is a lot of fun to walk around, try out new guitars and amps before they hit the marketplace, and see friends in the music industry whom you never run into all in one place. On the other hand, you find yourself bombarded by an onslaught of sound, of which personal expression is painfully absent. Shredding abounds.

 

At NAMM, there isn’t a whole lot of real music. Instead, you mostly hear something I refer to as “NAMM music.” NAMM music exists for the sake of gear endorsements, product demos, and clinics. It does not create moods or memories and would never be played at a party (unless it was a party for music gear-obsessed geeks). You sometimes hear it in the background of commercials for sports channels and auto supply shops—you know it, that amped up elevator music with static rock grooves and a guitarist who sounds as though he’s taken a bit too much Viagra. NAMM music has no soul. It must be stopped.

 

The whole instrumental rock movement has gone hand in hand with NAMM and the two have created a bit of an incestuous feeding frenzy. I’m not saying there haven’t been some great albums that fall under the category of "instrumental rock." But it’s a bit like "jazz fusion," which started out as a musically interesting movement by Miles Davis and his disciples,* only to become cheapened by imitators, watered down by the industry, and eventually morphed into one of the most hate-inspiring, offensive musical genres of all time: "smooth jazz."

 

Instrumental rock has spawned its own ugly freak of a bastard love child—his name is Shred.

 

Shred, as it exists today, has all but lost the great qualities instrumental rock once had. When brought to the forefront in the 1970’s, instrumental rock had a leader who understood that it wasn’t just about playing flashy guitar licks. This English gentleman applied the same high standards of the great artists he enjoyed, ones who reflected his diverse listening tastes. His name? Jeff Beck.

 

Last year, I was fortunate enough to see Jeff Beck in concert for the first time ever, at New York’s Irving Plaza. His guitar expressed deep sensitivity, emotion, texture, and expression, communicating with the audience as if it were playing for each person individually. We were transfixed in silence for some songs, cheering at the top of our lungs for others. Even the friends I went with—non-guitarists who weren’t even born when this music was popular—were deeply moved. Jeff made the concert not so much about him, but about his other band members, their group dynamic, and the collective experience of the music. Because he had the class, humility, and dignity to step out of his own way and that of his band, his own star shined brighter, His band, no slouches themselves, were free to interact with him and each other, adding their own personalities to the recipe. This collective stew was then spiced up by Jeff’s stellar licks which were sometimes fast and flashy—but only when appropriate.

 

That night, I had a brief conversation with someone I was introduced to—he concurred with everything I’ve just said here. This fellow concertgoer, who was also seeing Jeff for the first time, is considered one of the current greats himself: Allman Bros and Govt. Mule guitarist Warren Haynes. Despite years of collective experience spent on stages and in studios (especially Warren, one of the busiest guitarists of all time), it was like being kids again. There were many fellow guitar enthusiasts in there that night but it didn’t matter who any of us were—professionals, hobbyists, or non-players alike. We were all one class and school was in session. Jeff Beck was and is a master we can all learn from.

 

In conclusion, I’m not telling anyone to stop shredding. Shred away. But get your priorities straight about your playing. Making good music that affects people on a deeper level should be placed ahead of impressing your peers and fellow guitar players. Never lose site of the fact that your solos—flashy or otherwise—should be a fitting topping for an already delicious dish, like the chanterelles and poblano chiles accompanying the roast monkfish at Apiary restaurant in New York.* Just as a chef doesn’t settle on a topping first, then try to create a dish around it, an effective guitar solo is the result of a good piece of music, not the other way around.

 

*Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, John McLaughlin, Joe Zawinul, to name a few.

 

**reference courtesy of chef Scott Bryan.

 

alexskolnick.com

[pegleg32]

Great article!! Thanks Mark.

[jjkrause84]

This made me raise my eyebrow in suspicion.....

 

"After all, Gibson is the "Coca-Cola"of guitar companies—the biggest in the world, the most recognizable brand name, and the one with arguably the most historical significance (although a case can be made for Fender Musical Instruments—the "Pepsi" of guitar companies)."

 

I'd put the companies the other way around, frankly. Nevetheless, killer article indeed.

[Halowords]

Thanks Mark.

 

I'm just kind of struck with how much Henry Juskiewicz at least seems to not get it. First, introducing the technology that's supposed to revolutionize the way music's forever played in a way that seems both totally arrogant and nearly untouchable by the average player seems counter-intuitive on a lot of levels. Second, he destroyed one of the most iconic guitars his company invented as a way of saying it (and by extension those like it, which could easily include virtually all of the timeless guitar designs that Gibson has made) was outdated.

 

Very nice article. I have to agree. What makes guitars special to me are the way they capture a sound or strike some emotional chord with the listener. Effects can be fun, but I think Mr. Juskiewicz is missing what really makes music so endearing. I wish he'd done something that make his company's guitars more accessible or somehow innovative in a way that made they somehow better in the playing. What would be more important to me would be making musicianship more fundamentally important to people and hitting the youth or those passionate about music that might be drawn to playing. But maybe that's why I'm not in charge of a major musical instrument corporation. I do not know if I could ever justify selling a $5,000 Bluetooth-enhanced multi-effects guitar.

[FredZepp]

That was a well written and interesting account of the introduction of the Firebird X. Interesting input on the subject by Al, I liked the comparison to spaghetti sauce that is just like homemade.

[Halowords]

I kind of have to wonder what somebody like Angus Young, a longstanding Gibson endorsee, thinks of Gibson's acting CEO trying to destroy an SG, the model Angus made famous, as a symbol of "the past" we have allegedly moved on from.

[kbp810]

It was a great article, it really seems to sum up how awkward and odd of an event it must have been to attend

[Spectrum13]

I suspect Henry was just playing for the investers. He can't be that dumb. No way.

[mtpatty]

I , like many others on this forum, was (and am) a great admirer of the great Gibson Les Pauls (other Gibby's as well)... and have spent many an hour lusting after the beauty of the LP...In fact,growing up, to be a considered a "real" musician you had to play a Gibby...(or LP- I use these interchangeably throughout)... and have owned 3 LP's, Explorer, S1, SG (2); L6S, V, Melody Maker...and all that were made pre- 1985 were great guitars (or at the very least really really good guitars)...I noticed around 1999 or so that some of the one's i bought just didn't play as good as the older one's i had sold or traded etc...a 2000 LP classic (gold top) was beautiful, but left me hollow...trips to the GC never made an impression on me... all the guitars were "expensive"...ebay excursions always seemed like the prices were very high...(with a growing family and just starting my law practice- I just couldn't justify the cost...)...well, I kept my eyes open, bc I love guitars...Carvin interested me...(I have 3 and are great guitars)... but then by chance, I got interested in Trans Siberian Orchestra...saw them once, saw them again (with fan club tix I was very close to the stage and very close)...that's when I saw Alex Skolnik and this strange guitar he was playing...being a lawyer, i researched...researched...researched...and ended up buying one...(H-150) AWESOME! joined this forum and I continued to learn...bought another (H150)...andI am as crazy about Heritage as I have ever been about any guitar...I dig Skolnik bc he is very articulate, very expressive, and succeeds in conveying his thoughts in a logical manner...much like his playing, as I have learned... I find this forum to be very informative, invaluable as a learning tool, and just what I needed to keep and spark my "obsession" at a time when life's activities and responsibilities are so demanding... what we need are some Heritage t shirts that say..."Heritage for Life"...i would buy many...(xxl)... Awesome post guys... Mark

[koula901]

Alex Skolnick hits it out of the park with his treatise on shredding -- my sentiments, exactly. While it's likely stepping on someone's sacred ground, I think 'shredding' began with Charlie Parker - it seems like a lot of mindless technique with no heart.

Also enjoyed his review of the new trash Gibson's putting out. I see this as a symbol of what that company is all about, the almighty buck. I suppose the Line 6 generation will be duped into its trashy modern glory. (let's hope not). Give me a Danelectro any day! ; )

Mark, thank you for posting these wonderful articles.

[chico]

Thanks for posting this.

[High Flying Bird]

It was a great article, it really seems to sum up how awkward and odd of an event it must have been to attend

 

..... much less host.

[barrymclark]

Wow, that was a great read.

Henry J has taken the phrase "out of touch" to a new level.

 

I've always liked Skolnick's playing but I did not know how well spoken he is.

I've lately really enjoyed him playing a 575 with his jazz trio.

At least one of his three releases gets a daily listen. Glad you are enjoying it!

[golferwave]

Thanks for posting this. It keeps coming back around to the Captain of the ship. It's all about Henry....Just ask him.

[barrymclark]

Ok, I watched the video. After reading the posts, I figured there was just no way it was THAT bad. I was clearly wrong. The issue wasn't the guy's playing. He was a good player. It was that 'thing' he was playing. Alex nailed it with we have no idea what that thing actually sounds like. How do you get your own sound when it is dictated to you? Trying to compensate for the camcorder sound quality, it just had a sound like it was being played through a transistor radio. It would be a cool little goof around tool if it wasn't $5k. It isn't aesthetically pleasing or anything. There was just nothing redeemable about it. I wanted to cry when I heard he broke the SG.

 

That just shows that this man has no respect for what made Gibson what it is. In my opinion, that just means that the heritage of Gibson belongs with Heritage. They take that heritage seriously. Good men.

[schundog]

Here is the link to the Gibson site's pics of the event. Watching that pathetic, bald old man TRY to smash an SG is hilarious. He looks in pain. Pic #2, I think. Ace Frehley looks like he's looking at something he just had to scrape off of the bottom of his shoe! LOL

 

http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/Features/revolution-1028/

[JeffB]

Ace Frehley looks like he's looking at something he just had to scrape off of the bottom of his shoe! LOL

 

http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/Features/revolution-1028/

Yeah. Say's it all right there.

[yoslate]

There's really no point in bashing Gibson, any more, when Henry will do that literally and figuratively. What this event represents is what happens when a purely corporate ethos goes, self-consciously, "rock-and-roll." The entire schtick was amateur and an embarrassment to everyone involved. Man, that poor cat doing the demo....

[H]

It does make me wonder what is happening at the higher levels of Gibson. Henry surely didn't come up with the idea himself for this guitar. They have an R&D dept and a marketing dept who must have been involved in thinking up, prototyping and 'selling' this guitar to the Gibson board. How well is Henry being advised? To create a guitar stuffed with electronics with an obvious near future obsolescence and which doesn't even look like a Gibson, seems less like the action of musicians and more like the misguided trendiness of a committee of accountants and PR people.

 

Have they really become so disconnected with the purchasing public and dealers that they could believe this idea would be well received?

[SlappyTappy]

It's so sad really...the more you think about it.

 

But thank god Heritage exists to occupy the gaping hole in the guitar playing world that Gibson has abandoned in favor of corporate disconnectedness.

[yoslate]

How well is Henry being advised?

 

 

That presentation smacks of myopic, misdirected ego gratification. I don't think what happened there was the result of advice and consent. I think Henry seized the opportunity on that one and "did is own thing." I don't mean ad libbed; I suspect he planned it out, but by himself, advice be damned. It just reeks of some corporate stiff being carried away and deciding he was "born to be wild...."

[H]

It just reeks of some corporate stiff being carried away and deciding he was "born to be wild...."

Probably right, Rob. There's more than a hint of wannabe Steve Jobs presentation there. Born to be mild, maybe?