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View Full Version : Anyone else not like Stevie Ray Vaughan?


miajag81
07-10-2005, 01:00 PM
I have never gotten why people worship this guy so much. Don't get me wrong, he was an incredibly technically proficient guitarist, but all his music just sounds artificial and soulless to me. That kind of defeats the whole purpose of the blues in my opinion. Anyway, feel free to tell me why I'm an idiot with no taste in music.

rusellmj
07-10-2005, 01:10 PM
[ QUOTE ]
I have never gotten why people worship this guy ... all his music just sounds artificial and soulless to me.

[/ QUOTE ]

Of all the things I've read about him from his detractors this is probably the dumbest.

x2ski
07-10-2005, 01:11 PM
[ QUOTE ]
I have never gotten why people worship this guy so much. Don't get me wrong, he was an incredibly technically proficient guitarist, but all his music just sounds artificial and soulless to me. That kind of defeats the whole purpose of the blues in my opinion. Anyway, feel free to tell me why I'm an idiot with no taste in music.

[/ QUOTE ]

I never really got into him either, and agree with everything you said above.

This is probably sacreligious, but on the same note, Jimi Hendrix never gave me a boner either.

gunt
07-10-2005, 01:12 PM
he's white... white guys can't sing the blues

Pocket Trips
07-10-2005, 01:16 PM
He is a very good guitarist as you said but I think his greatest contribution along with George Thurogood was introducing the blues to a lot of white people that had never heard it before...

Dying young has added to his draw over the years
as well. He was just starting to come into his own as a writer I think with songs like "life by the drop" when he died...

lucas9000
07-10-2005, 01:17 PM
fys

Pocket Trips
07-10-2005, 01:18 PM
you have obviously not listened much to Johnny Lang or Kenny Wayne Sheppard

astroglide
07-10-2005, 01:40 PM
kenny wayne sheperd does come off to me as soulless/calculating. srv definitely doesn't, and i'm always wowed by anything i hear of his, but it hasn't been enough to inspire me to buy any of his cds at some point.

man
07-10-2005, 01:58 PM
[ QUOTE ]
He is a very good guitarist as you said but I think his greatest contribution along with George Thurogood was introducing the blues to a lot of white people that had never heard it before...

Dying young has added to his draw over the years
as well. He was just starting to come into his own as a writer I think with songs like "life by the drop" when he died...

[/ QUOTE ]
actually SRV's bandmates (or freinds, can't remember who) wrote this song (SRV is the subject in the song, actually, a weird sort of twist..). but it is still very good.

tin pan alley and life without you are two of his best songs, I think. I hear a lot of raw soul in those songs. but if you don't like those you'll never enjoy him.

Pocket Trips
07-10-2005, 02:06 PM
[ QUOTE ]
actually SRV's bandmates (or freinds, can't remember who) wrote this song (SRV is the subject in the song, actually, a weird sort of twist..). but it is still very good.


[/ QUOTE ]

I always thought it was written by him after he quit drinking, but either way its a great song... I always play it in my local bar at hapy hour time when "the day shift" of old alky's is still in the bar /images/graemlins/smile.gif


[ QUOTE ]
tin pan alley and life without you are two of his best songs, I think. I hear a lot of raw soul in those songs. but if you don't like those you'll never enjoy him.


[/ QUOTE ]

I like SRV a lot but if you gave me a choice between listening to SRV or Muddy Waters, John lee hooker< BBking, or Otis Rush... I would chose them any time.

rusellmj
07-10-2005, 02:15 PM
[ QUOTE ]
I always thought it was written by him after he quit drinking...

[/ QUOTE ]

Life by the drop was cowritten by SRV and a song writing friend of his I believe. I used to have about 6 SRV CD's and this info was in the liner notes of one of them.

man
07-10-2005, 03:09 PM
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I always thought it was written by him after he quit drinking...

[/ QUOTE ]

Life by the drop was cowritten by SRV and a song writing friend of his I believe. I used to have about 6 SRV CD's and this info was in the liner notes of one of them.

[/ QUOTE ]
really? I think I read the same liner notes and got confused. anyway, if you guys can find it, get live at the montreaux. you can really feel him in those albums.

crosse91
07-10-2005, 03:29 PM
livin life by the drop was written by srv's drummer and good friend, chris layton

eastbay
07-10-2005, 04:06 PM
[ QUOTE ]
he was an incredibly technically proficient guitarist, but all his music just sounds artificial and soulless to me.

[/ QUOTE ]

That is the weirdest criticism of SRV I've ever heard.

eastbay

STLantny
07-10-2005, 04:18 PM
White guys cant sing the blues? Clapton?
Im a huge huge blues fan, and I kind of agree, that SRV, just doesnt have "something". I like a lot of his stuff, but it just reminds me of the movie Roadhouse, more often than not. Someone had a good list of players earlier, Muddy, Tbone, Buddy Guy, they are classic. I played some harmonica with a guy that was taught by Muddy Waters, its a humbling experience listening to these dudes jam.

fluxrad
07-10-2005, 06:46 PM
I understand the point you're making, but I don't think you can blame the "soulless" nature of his music on him. Let me try to explain.

Stevie Ray Vaughan was, unfortunately, a product of the 80's when the vast majority of music was extremely overproduced. If you listen to any album from this time you'll understand what I'm talking about. One notable case is the "echo" effect on almost all of his guitar work and most of the drums as well. Again, though, it should be stressed that this is not created by the music, but rather by the production.

I would highly recommend you try to look for a video copy of SRV's performance on Austin City Limits a few years before his death (I think he was on it four or five times). He does a run down of most of his greatest hits and there is no over-production because it's done live and in a very small venue. I challenge anyone to watch him on stage and come away saying he's anything but one of the best blues/rock/country guitarists to have ever lived.

Phat Mack
07-10-2005, 08:33 PM
[ QUOTE ]
I would highly recommend you try to look for a video copy of SRV's performance on Austin City Limits a few years before his death (I think he was on it four or five times).

[/ QUOTE ]

This is a good suggestion. I'll add this about SRV: a lot of what you hear on CD from SRV is the result of an attempt to sell records, and has been 'cleaned up' or otherwise 'popularized.' The good blues men (and women) never made a dime. When you want to put bread on the table by selling records, you have to find the lowest common denominator that will reach the largest audience. When SRV was playing bars for a $1 cover, he was a lot different, a lot better, and a lot louder /images/graemlins/smile.gif than can be imagined.

Bill Murphy
07-10-2005, 09:15 PM
never did that much for me, tho he was obvo mad skeelled. but if wanna listen to jimi or zz top i'll listen to them. and never underestimate dying as a career move.

friend of mine loves srv, tho, along w/chris duarte & billy gibbons. he saw srv w/just a bassist & drummer in the late '80s, that'd been the show to see I bet.

PokerBob
07-10-2005, 09:25 PM
me

zephed
07-10-2005, 09:46 PM
I feel similarly about his studio work.

I'd like to hear something live, could someone post a live song on the yousendit thread?

Ulysses
07-10-2005, 11:24 PM
[ QUOTE ]
I have never gotten why people worship this guy so much.

[/ QUOTE ]

Because his music was incredible. As Phat Mack has mentioned, most especially his live performances.

deepdowntruth
07-11-2005, 12:32 AM
Jimmie Vaughan > SRV

It's a fact.

asofel
07-11-2005, 01:20 AM
[ QUOTE ]
I have never gotten why people worship this guy so much. Don't get me wrong, he was an incredibly technically proficient guitarist, but all his music just sounds artificial and soulless to me. That kind of defeats the whole purpose of the blues in my opinion. Anyway, feel free to tell me why I'm an idiot with no taste in music.

[/ QUOTE ]

watch him perform. As someone mentioned, Austin City Limits, if you see him play live, there's no way you'd ever be able to say its soulless. Not that facial expressions prove something, but out of the greats, you've got to give acknowledge that he poured EVERYTHING into his playing...and if you can listen to little wing and not feel what he's giving, then its obviously not your kind of music.

ptmusic
07-11-2005, 01:42 AM
[ QUOTE ]
I understand the point you're making, but I don't think you can blame the "soulless" nature of his music on him. Let me try to explain.

Stevie Ray Vaughan was, unfortunately, a product of the 80's when the vast majority of music was extremely overproduced. If you listen to any album from this time you'll understand what I'm talking about. One notable case is the "echo" effect on almost all of his guitar work and most of the drums as well. Again, though, it should be stressed that this is not created by the music, but rather by the production.

I would highly recommend you try to look for a video copy of SRV's performance on Austin City Limits a few years before his death (I think he was on it four or five times). He does a run down of most of his greatest hits and there is no over-production because it's done live and in a very small venue. I challenge anyone to watch him on stage and come away saying he's anything but one of the best blues/rock/country guitarists to have ever lived.

[/ QUOTE ]

I taped it. Every once in a while I watch it again - that guy was the real deal. OP just doesn't get it.

-ptmusic

turnipmonster
07-11-2005, 02:10 AM
technically proficient is the last thing I think of when I hear SRV, even though he was. the rawest stuff of his is on "the sky is crying", but I think there was great stuff on everything he put out. like other folks said, he really breaks it down in the middle of little wing and gets very quiet, and then builds from there. just amazing. the stuff he did with albert king is a real gas, too, lots of really soulful playing. I really feel like he put his heart into evertyhing he did. musically he played with so much authority that even when he flubbed a few notes it still sounded great, not too many musicians can do that.

some of his stuff was a little commercial, but like mack said his label wanted to sell records. hell, george benson puts out pop dreck these days and he's probably the greatest living jazz guitarist.

--turnipmonster

Jersey Nick
07-11-2005, 09:31 AM
[ QUOTE ]
I have never gotten why people worship this guy so much.

[/ QUOTE ]
This (http://tinyurl.com/d8l3v) will show you why you are wrong.

6/7/85 (http://tinyurl.com/9m67w), 4th row center. I remember it like it was yesterday.

"The mood preceding the second Blues Fest was electric as the schedule of performers set to play was announced. Included on the opening day line-up were Koko Taylor and Her Blues Machine, Sugar Blue, John Hammond, Luther “Guitar Jr.” Johnson and Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble. This would surely be a night to remember.

Between sets Grammy awards were given to artists who performed together at the Montreaux Jazz Festival in 1982, on “Blues Explosion.” The winners of the Best Traditional Blues Recording included Hammond, Johnson, Vaughan, Koko, J.B. Hutto (who had passed away), and Sugar Blue.

As the crowd started setting up for the evening there was a calm, serene atmosphere in Grant Park. Fans had spread blankets throughout the park, barbecue was cooking and Frisbees were being tossed. Everyone was ready for a terrific night of blues. When Sugar Blue took the stage 45,000 hungry blues fans awaited him. By the time Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble made their way to the stage the anticipation had increased astronomically, event organizers and the police were caught off guard as more than 65,000 fans had pushed their way around the Petrillo music shell."

Cyrus
07-11-2005, 09:58 AM
[ QUOTE ]
Jimi Hendrix never gave me a boner either

[/ QUOTE ]

Your guitar-related posting privileges should be taken away as soon as possible.

rusellmj
07-11-2005, 10:30 AM
[ QUOTE ]

This (http://tinyurl.com/d8l3v) will show you why you are wrong.

[/ QUOTE ]

I have the Austin tape, Live at the El Macombo and a tape of all the music videos. I think I'll watch one tonight. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

asofel
07-11-2005, 10:33 AM
various people have mentioned having tapes and videos. Anyone have any avi's/mpeg's online? I used to have a clip of him playing at austin city limits and it was amazing...pm me if so...

miajag81
07-11-2005, 05:17 PM
I would be interested in this as well. I have seen/heard a couple live performances of his and while much better than his studio stuff, I still wasn't like "wow, he's really amazing." I'm definitely open to checking out more though.

asofel
07-11-2005, 05:35 PM
ok, links:

http://www.joeskopec.com/srv.html

voodoochile .rm link (http://video.pbs.org:8080/ramgen/media4/austin/svaughperf320x240.rm)

add more in here if you find them.

wayabvpar
07-11-2005, 05:53 PM
I used to enrage all the AOL gomers (back when AOL was about the only ISP around) in the chat rooms- whenever anyone mentioned SRV, I would starting singing the praises of Igor Sikorsky. It was most amusing.