Sounds like Toto pulled the curtain on the great and powerful Edge.

I think the Edge and Jack White make an interesting comparison because they have guitar styles that are diametric in approach. Jack wants his playing to sound like he had no time to rehearse for the gig, precises timing isn't his main concern and a mis-step only adds to the that idea. While the Edge takes the opposite and timing is importatnt to him, one mistake is repeat over by his echo pedal....

Jack White is a great musician.

As for the Jack White/Edge comparison, Jack White is REALLY good at putting a powerful emotion into music. He does this by making the parts relatively simple, and it allows the emotion to swell and fill the music. The Edge is on the mechanical side. He uses the effects to define his style. Then Jimmy Page, the other guitarist in "It Might Get Loud", who uses higher level technique as his thing. Lol, that was a great movie.

I don't think Kurt Cobain is legendary solely for his technical ability on guitar.

I think Jacks bigger than Cobain. A very small slice of the populace got to experience Cobain when he mattered. his rise was quick, his time on top was short, he wasn't accessible to the mainstream, and didn't work much with other artists. (****ing Courtney Love doesn't count as work, nor is she an artist).

Give me Hole two times to Sunday before Jack White. Maybe tell Meg to take some drumming lessons too, I think she wore that one beat out. :shycouch:

White Stripes are one avenue. All of his other drummers aren't nearly as simplistic and Courtney Love can't get the needle out of her arm long enough to address her lack of talent, or her crabs.

Yet another artist that just doesn't register with me. He certainly hits the right spots to create music that reaches the masses. The Raconteurs drummer is better then Meg? Doesn't sound like it. Courtney Love is into pills now, but her discography is actually quite a good listen thanks to Kurt's writing ability. The crabs are another story, I think shes moved onto lobsters now.

So we can agree that the problem is you?

Oh absolutely, one guy who can't appreciate the godlike ability of Jack White or millions who reap the benefits of his aesthetically pleasing bluesy rock riff-dom.

you said it, not me

You always get the sense that his image is a little calculated, but his solo album was absolutely unbelievable.... He's one hell of a lyricist.

I'd say more than a little. Jack has a way of deliberately catching the media's eye. Living in Nashville, I see it pretty often. I'm not complaining though, because he does so in creative ways. Divorce Parties, trying to set the world record for the most metaphors in one concert, covering Mozart with ICP...it's great fun.
But as you said, it has nothing to do with his music.

Haha, and there was his attention grab of the 'shortest concert ever' world record :) ....

The Edge can obviously play guitar but I was a little taken aback at the reliance on all the pedals and effects, especially when contrasted with Jack using a coke bottle, a piece of wire and a pick-up. I'm not really a U2 fan, so I haven't scrutinized it that much, but they are fairly ubiquitous, so I have heard plenty of their music and the thing that really got me was that, even with all those banks and banks of effects, the Edge's guitar basically sounds the same in damn near every song - that same chugging, ringing tone. You'd think he would mix it up a little once in awhile, but then I guess that's the danger of being a monstrously popular band - you don't want to mess with the formula too much and you end becoming a prisoner of your own sound.

I never liked U2 at all but recently I've come to like them more, they're not bad and they have some songs I enjoy. The edge does have some skill at the guitar, but I can agree with the part about his stuff relying on effects so much, but still, he's good.
Better than jack white? I'm not sure. He's more technical but I like jacks style more. He's written some of the nastiest riffs in a while.

Anybody who says anything negative about Jack White simply doesn't know music. The guy is a genius at writing catchy melodies and the best of the best in his genre.

White Stripes, Raconteurs, Himself...great great stuff.

No Dead Weather? I haven't kept up with the critical/commercial success of them but I think they're more than able to stand up to the rest of Jack's stuff.

I remember when the White Stripes started getting famous, some people we're calling him the "Kurt Cobain" of Blues.. at that point I was thinking "yeah right, take it easy there" - anyone remember when they called Nickelback the next Nirvana? --> 100% Captain of the fail-boat!

Anyways.. these days, I'm thinking they might have hit it pretty close with the "Kurt Cobain" - blues-edition, cause Jack White is very very gifted that's for sure!

I like Cut Like a Buffalo. Don't remember much after that. CDs aren't with me.

Jack White is ok. Nothing special but.

Nothing special huh? I don't suppose you'd let us know who is special?

You're special. :)

On a large scale of things, I guess he's really not that special. But he is for his time.

I dunno, I think Jack White will leave a legacy beyond the few Stripes songs that everyone will remember in 50 years. In many ways he made Blues/Rock 'n' Roll fun again (although The Strokes are also responsible for the second) and inspired a lot of people.

Jack White an underrated son of a bitch.

I don't know about that. I know plenty of people who think he's a great big son of a bitch.

:laughing:

Talk to me when he gets a grammy, prised from the clammy hands of Jill Scott. It's not like she hasn't got one to spare, the greedy bitch.

Guitarists who don't rehash rip-off rock n' roll blues and put a little more originality in their works?

Don't get me wrong, he's not bad. A competent guitarist with catchy riffs. But that hardly makes him special.

Hes written some of the best riffs in a long time. That makes him special or his era. I don't think he completed ripped off old rock n roll and blues. He put a new spin on it, made it his own. The white stripes had a pretty unique band, the only other band I can think of that they sounded like is the flat duo jets. But still, they were quite a bit different. And when you consider jacks new solo album, he really moved away from that garage rock and blues sound. I'd say the music on it is pretty unique, more so than the music he made with meg.

Talking about him as a solo guitarist in a perspective of originality. Different to a group's productive output. His sound doesn't give me an impression of inimitability. He might put a spin to it, but really it isn't something unheard of. Hard rockin' out blues, not something alien to my ears. Perhaps there's something that I don't hear that others do. But hey feel free to keep us informed.

edit: Actually I don't really want to get into another discussion about Jack White. I've had enough Jack White for the day.

Are you saying this is his only output, or are you talking about a specific album?

I wouldn't say that he is doing something that is unheard. But he did really come out into the national spotlight doing something that was pretty absent in popular music. I still think his overall sound is pretty distinctive. Especially on this new album. His songwriting, vocals and guitar playing are pretty distinctive in all his work. Sure, he plays blues rock which isn't unique at all, but the way he does it, its the tone he has I guess that is distinctive to me.

Just out of curiousity, Are you a fan of David gilmour? Do you think he is unique or special?

Speaking generally. He did lead into different directions with The Raconteurs and The Dead Weather, but lost his spice, and became decreasingly impressive. Quite a bore.

I actually agree that he's a good song writer. Most interesting part if anything. Guitar, doesn't really push it into an unexpected curb still. I'd like to know how you think his guitar playing becomes distinctive? If I heard a Jack White guitar piece on the radio or some kind of music media stream without knowing it, I probably wouldn't be able to tell whether it's Jack White or not. Also there is definitely no insinuation here that all blues rock today is unoriginal. It's harder to reach in regard considering how many artists accumulated, but definitely not an unoriginal genre.

I also mentioned Rory Gallagher in relation to Jack White in the blues rock topic.



I honestly think there's a mirror to Jack White style here.

In his favour, the covers he did in White Stripes, Death Letter, Stop Breaking Down, One More Cup of Coffee, Your Souther Can Is Mine, and especially I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself (He made that song a hell of a lot better than the original) really made them shine through, but that's only in terms of cover contortion.

As for David Gilmour, it's hard to say. In terms of progression he brought something new to the table back in the times. His blues tone flow though is pretty standard, despite being lovely.

I'll give his new solo album another listen just to be open. :P

The uniqueness, in my opinion, comes from his leaps outside of standard blues guitar. Icky Thump, Salute Your Solution, Sixteen Saltines are all examples of him playing the blues, but not playing the blues. Also, live, these are much better. ;)

Rocker Jack White - Serious Jibber-Jabber with Conan O'Brien @ TeamCoco.com

Incredible interview where I think Jack gets into depth on a lot of what he approaches his music with.

Criminally underrated artist/musician

He is amazing and a future legend from his generation.

I certainly wouldn't describe him as criminally underrated. I'd say that most people have at least heard of The White Stripes and recognise him as one of the great rock guitarists/influences of this generation.

He is.

People say things like: "Oh well he isn't doing anything new" or "Oh he just sounds like Led Zeppelin" or "his other bands sucked, and the White Stripes sucked in the end, he's done."

His solo album was killer, and he's going to be remembered by the generation that grew up with his music as someone who was talented and honest in the time of ProTools and bull**** rage acts.

He is criminally underrated by the general public and recording industry. Outside of this community and people that know about him, he is not receiving high accolades or recognition for his music.