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Springsteen, the guitarist

DOSWDOSW Posts: 2,014
edited April 2008 in Musicians and Gearheads
Mentioning Springsteen in the other thread got me thinking, so I figured I'd start a thread. :D

As great as a songwriter, singer, and lyricist Bruce Springsteen is, the one thing that is almost always overlooked is his skills as a guitarist. He's one of those 'idiot-savant' type players like Neil Young and Kurt Cobain, where he plays something and it looks like even he has no idea what he's doing, but it sounds amazing. :D In the studio you get a few glimpses of his chops, but where he really shines is when you see him live or you listen to live albums (Live in New York City is a great one). It's really amazing how he makes that Telecaster of his talk. His solos are kind of all over the place, but at the same time they're ridiculously catchy and always fit the song.

He's basically one of my favorite guitarists ever. It's strange how two of my all-time favorites (Young and Springsteen) aren't usually considered great players. But they just speak to me. And that's what it's all about, right?
It's a town full of losers and I'm pulling out of here to win
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • MLC2006MLC2006 Posts: 861
    imo, there is not even a slight comparison between Springsteen and Young. whatever Neil Young may *look* like when he plays, there is no questioning that he is one of the greats (though very underrated and overlooked). Springsteen, at best, is an average to below average rhythm guitarist. he's a pretty good songwriter but as a guitarist, I would put him possibly on the same level as John Mellencamp. his skills don't come close to Young's.
  • DOSWDOSW Posts: 2,014
    MLC2006 wrote:
    imo, there is not even a slight comparison between Springsteen and Young. whatever Neil Young may *look* like when he plays, there is no questioning that he is one of the greats (though very underrated and overlooked). Springsteen, at best, is an average to below average rhythm guitarist. he's a pretty good songwriter but as a guitarist, I would put him possibly on the same level as John Mellencamp. his skills don't come close to Young's.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTO_mfpms2s

    2:04 (short solo there) and 4:16 (the big one). Jaw-dropping. Hearing those pinch harmonics gives me a guitar face just LISTENING to it. :D
    It's a town full of losers and I'm pulling out of here to win
  • AnonAnon Posts: 11,175
    DOSW wrote:
    He's basically one of my favorite guitarists ever. It's strange how two of my all-time favorites (Young and Springsteen) aren't usually considered great players. But they just speak to me. And that's what it's all about, right?
    at the end of the day, that's what it's all about. i like springsteens earlier work, when he was younger, he had so much passion, and that's when i enjoyed his playing the most. like you said, he speaks to you. i get that.
  • MLC2006MLC2006 Posts: 861
    DOSW wrote:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTO_mfpms2s

    2:04 (short solo there) and 4:16 (the big one). Jaw-dropping. Hearing those pinch harmonics gives me a guitar face just LISTENING to it. :D



    THIS, is jaw-dropping.....

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxEWEgAxiO8
  • given2fly10given2fly10 Posts: 485
    MLC2006 wrote:
    THIS, is jaw-dropping.....

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxEWEgAxiO8
    yea but look at the 2 bands. young has to play lead, bruce doesnt. i totally agree with with pj gurl said bout bruce. im a huge bruce fan and i'll admit young is the better g
    And he still gives his love, he just gives it away, The love he receives is the love that is saved, And sometimes is seen a strange spot in the sky, A human being that was given to fly

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  • DOSWDOSW Posts: 2,014
    MLC2006 wrote:
    THIS, is jaw-dropping.....

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxEWEgAxiO8

    I'm not disputing Neil's powerhouse playing. He's right up there as one of my all time favorites, maybe even number one. When I compared the two, I wasn't talking about their playing as much as where the playing comes from, that place in your soul where you have to really dig down to. That's what I meant.

    One thing that I can say though, is that Bruce is much more consistent than Young in his solos (and overall song quality, for that matter). I've seen some videos of Young playing live that make me scratch my head.
    It's a town full of losers and I'm pulling out of here to win
  • StuffnJunkStuffnJunk Posts: 896
    i know what you mean. i much prefer these kind of "sloppy, but play from the soul" players to the virtuoso, robotic players like vai and satriani and all those guys who basically are there to jerk off with their amazing technique...a solo should serve the song, with the virtuosos its like the song is just there as an excuse for them to solo...my two cents
    "I'll tell you what: If all I had was Pearl Jam, and I didn't have another band in the world, I would not be worried. Because in there is the essence of making great music. You don't have to use it all at once, but it's there." - Neil Young
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