I Sing of Arms

One of the things I do in my copious free time is write music and play guitar. I'll admit that I have, on occasion, been known to listen to OTHER music - possibly containing guitarists who are not me. It's not that much beneath me.

Sadly I have not yet attained the level of masterful wankery of a Joe Satriani or Steve Vai - and personally I don't think it's likely. It's just too much time - and to an extent, it's a waste. I don't see any better songs coming out of Satriani or Vai than your average workaday metal guitarist - in fact, it's pretty much the opposite. They've spent so much time on technical mastery that they are severely lacking in the songwriting department.

So I'm not a Vai or Satriani fan. Who do I get my guitar jollies from, and why?

1. Tak Matsumoto

Tak has been tearing shit up for a good twenty years as a member of the biggest rock band in Japan, B'z. No, I don't know how to pronounce that either.

He's not an insane shredder - I've never heard any lightning-fast arpeggios or tremolo picking on his work, but that's understandable - it doesn't really fit with the blues-based rock style he uses. In a single word, homeboi got soul.

When you feel some sort of fundamental yearning evoked by the soaring of a guitar run, there is something pretty undeniable at work there. Tak does this over and over again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytRq0_ImVAg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0auUw19cgQg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIwXM1A1tvU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zaGI4KGyTg

2. Michael Schenker

Still alive, still insane. Schenker is not very well known in the United States either - he was the lead guitarist for The Scorpions, which are probably only known for their song "Rock You Like a Hurricane." He also played lead for UFO, which I've found that not many people know.

However, you are a sad sack of man if you die not having heard Michael Schenker. He's one of the forefathers of kickass soloing. He's pretty much one of the heroes of metal guitar.

It's hard to aptly describe his music - rather just let it do the talking.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMMFfLc9cek

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGY0KEGVK6Q

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Blvnoao1WO0

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

If you listen to nothing else on this entry, listen to something of Schenker's.

3. Kristian Niemann

Kristian Niemann is the interestingly-facial-haired guitarist (actually, former guitarist) of Therion, a gothic metal band of ...strange repute. They're associated with a cult, Dragon Rouge, and the cult leader actually writes all their lyrics - they're filled with mysticism and ancient, non-Christian gods. Strange, but cool.

Mr. Niemann can really write some barn-burning solos, as well as infinitely catchy and startlingly simplistic lead melodies. For this he has garnered much recognition from me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqsQEOBx1MM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5W2Bb7LjqmI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phe04qaT3R8

4. Eddie Van Halen

Come on now. You know Mr. Van Halen. He gets props from me for a very clean tone, catchy, intricate playing, and an intense clarity to his sound. Does that make sense? Every note stands out. It's insane how precise he is, and the fact that he is playing beautiful music makes it sublime. He's the master of tapping and whammy work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_lwocmL9dQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNWArv4J4J8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uqxo1SKB0z8

Anyhow, I hope this colors your vision the next time you hear someone decry Clapton's "Layla" as the best piece of guitarwork ever written. Nay, sir. I say nay.