These guys suck. They may have great guitarists, but definitely don't have any great songwriters. Their whole schtick is corny and contrived. And there is a key-tar in the band. Not impressive.
On a funny side note I saw them live at Ozzfest a couple years ago. Me and my brother were in about the tenth row. The douche bag lead singer (who had a fan in front of him to blow his hair like he was in a bad 80's music video) was trying his best to get everyone in the crowd (which was only at about 30% capacity at this point) to stand for their set. To make a long story short we had a long day and didnt particularly like Dragonforce so we stayed sitting. Apparently we were the only ones in the vicinity of the stage who elected to stay seated and it caught the singer's eye. He walked to our end of the stage and motioned to us to stand up. Being respectful, we shook our heads no and remained seated. The singer then took the microphone and pretended it was his penis and made a stroking motion with it at us. Needless to say we decided to give him the finger. For the remainder of their set the singer would flip us off any time he came to our side of the stage. At one point he even got one of the guitarists to partake as well.
Believe me, when I was growin up, I thought the worst thing you could turn out to be was normal, So I say freaks in the most complementary way. Here's a song by a fellow freak - E.V
Steve Vai, John McLaughlin, Sonny Sharrock, Paco De Lucia - some of the most capable musicians who have ever lived and can shred with the best of them.
Dragonforce - A joke, which they are in on and probably laugh at anyone who doesn't see it. Yes, they can play fast. Are they musicians? No.
It still doesn't make sense to me (how they aren't musicians) however, we can both agree that yeah, they are a joke and one they are clearly in on. oh, and I wasn't really referring to you in my earlier statement.
It still doesn't make sense to me (how they aren't musicians) however, we can both agree that yeah, they are a joke and one they are clearly in on. oh, and I wasn't really referring to you in my earlier statement.
I see no musical value in playing fast for the sake of playing fast. That's the difference between Dragonforce and other technically accomplished but more musically worthwhile guitarists. As I said earlier, I am not opposed to flashy guitar playing if it is actually doing something in the song. Musical virtuosity is admirable only in so far as it is able to make beautiful music more impressive, not making emotionally vacuous nintendo music more impressive.
Think how much technical skill and practice it took to compose and play this and yet it doesn't come across as self-indulgent or fancy for the sake of it, it comes across as beautiful but also technically impressive.
Music is more than just sounds. Music is supposed to be sound created to stir the listener's emotions. When the only emotion stirred is contempt at how ridiculous it all is, is it really serving a purpose?
Don't get me wrong, Dragonforce are fun for about 10 minutes and I doubt they take themselves seriously at all but people saying stuff like "these are some of the best guitarists ever and could beat any of the greats" is just ludicrous. I'm by no means the biggest Hendrix fan around but I wonder if we stacked up the guitar solos from Through the fire and the flames and All Along the Watchtower and see which one more people can sing along to. Music is not an expression of physical prowess or mechanical ability. Michael Angelo Batio is probably the fastest guitarist on earth. He is also probably one of the few who has never recorded a worthwhile note. He is an athlete, not a musician.
"I remember one night at Muzdalifa with nothing but the sky overhead, I lay awake amid sleeping Muslim brothers and I learned that pilgrims from every land — every colour, and class, and rank; high officials and the beggar alike — all snored in the same language"
My point I am trying to make is that Dragonforce play power metal. They play to a fringe audience. there is no room for anything other that what they play. We both agree 10 minutes is about all we can take. However for somebody to play that technical, I cannot dismiss they can't play the pants off anybody as I simply don't know. What I do know is that there is extreme talent there (IMO). I would like to hear something outside their power metal comfort zone. I cannot dismiss them as musicians, I just can't. Most people in this thread have based on a YouTube clip (though to be fair, it all sounds like that ).
If I mention say Buckethead, people that don't have a clue wouldn't know that he covered Miles Sketches of Spain (and it can damn near bring a tear to my eye). They see some masturbatory solo on YouTube and dismiss him as a noodler. He has no soul blah blah blah when that simply isn't the case. I don't know your feelings on Satriani however Always With Me, Always With You is probably the most gorgeous guitar playing I have ever heard. I don't think there is one ounce of shred on Not Of This Earth.
Michael Angelo is an ass clown. Hilarious you brought him up.
Who ever thought a Dragonforce thread would go 3 pages?
on the otherhand instead of listening to dragonforce i might as well listen to the harry potter theme over and over and over and over and over and over again
I think they're a lot of fun. Saw them open for Killswitch a while back and really enjoyed their set. That said, it's tough to get through one of their albums...really dense...feels like a workout.
It doesn't all have to be art, people. Sometimes I feel like Fantomas, sometimes I feel like DragonForce.
I think they're a lot of fun. Saw them open for Killswitch a while back and really enjoyed their set. That said, it's tough to get through one of their albums...really dense...feels like a workout.
It doesn't all have to be art, people. Sometimes I feel like Fantomas, sometimes I feel like DragonForce.
No one is saying there's anything wrong with harmless fun music. The only dispute here is between those who are saying the guys from Dragonforce are the best guitarists around and those of us who think that's ludicrous because hyper speed and video game effects does not a good guitarist make.
"I remember one night at Muzdalifa with nothing but the sky overhead, I lay awake amid sleeping Muslim brothers and I learned that pilgrims from every land — every colour, and class, and rank; high officials and the beggar alike — all snored in the same language"
No one is saying there's anything wrong with harmless fun music. The only dispute here is between those who are saying the guys from Dragonforce are the best guitarists around and those of us who think that's ludicrous because hyper speed and video game effects does not a good guitarist make.
Defining great guitar playing is about as subjective as you can get. If someone's into speed and acrobatics then, yeah, DragonForce will be right up their alley. What's to argue?
Defining great guitar playing is about as subjective as you can get. If someone's into speed and acrobatics then, yeah, DragonForce will be right up their alley. What's to argue?
That they aren't even good as far as acrobatics go? They're sloppy, over-produced, computerised and lack inventiveness in their solos. All they have is speed.
"I remember one night at Muzdalifa with nothing but the sky overhead, I lay awake amid sleeping Muslim brothers and I learned that pilgrims from every land — every colour, and class, and rank; high officials and the beggar alike — all snored in the same language"
Lol you really do hate these two guitarists. And the way you throw the word "musician" gets confusing. To say they aren't creative makes you sound like a deaf fool.
Lol you really do hate these two guitarists. And the way you throw the word "musician" gets confusing. To say they aren't creative makes you sound like a deaf fool.
Please tell me what is creative about playing really fast. Is it IMPRESSIVE, yes. Creative, I don't see it.
Believe me, when I was growin up, I thought the worst thing you could turn out to be was normal, So I say freaks in the most complementary way. Here's a song by a fellow freak - E.V
Lol you really do hate these two guitarists. And the way you throw the word "musician" gets confusing. To say they aren't creative makes you sound like a deaf fool.
I really don't think it does.
I don't hate them at all. As I have said, I have no problem with them making music. Doesn't harm me. All I am doing is stating a FACT which is that they are not some of the best guitarists out there. They are no better than a million bedroom shredders posting videos on youtube. They are technically accomplished and perhaps fun to some but to state that they are great musicians and creative really plays around with the concept of what music is. Last time I checked, it wasn't about playing faster than your peers.
"I remember one night at Muzdalifa with nothing but the sky overhead, I lay awake amid sleeping Muslim brothers and I learned that pilgrims from every land — every colour, and class, and rank; high officials and the beggar alike — all snored in the same language"
That they aren't even good as far as acrobatics go? They're sloppy, over-produced, computerised and lack inventiveness in their solos. All they have is speed.
Have you seen them live? I have and there's nothing sloppy or over-produced about it. If it's not your thing, that's cool. It's just that declaring "facts" about what makes a guitar player great comes off goofy.
For what it's worth, I don't consider them "great," but can see how someone else might. And you realize it's supposed to be over-the-top and tongue-in-cheek, right?
And you realize it's supposed to be over-the-top and tongue-in-cheek, right?
No kidding. I thought they were trying to be philosophical and deep :rolleyes:
"I remember one night at Muzdalifa with nothing but the sky overhead, I lay awake amid sleeping Muslim brothers and I learned that pilgrims from every land — every colour, and class, and rank; high officials and the beggar alike — all snored in the same language"
Comments
Yeah I do actually.
On a funny side note I saw them live at Ozzfest a couple years ago. Me and my brother were in about the tenth row. The douche bag lead singer (who had a fan in front of him to blow his hair like he was in a bad 80's music video) was trying his best to get everyone in the crowd (which was only at about 30% capacity at this point) to stand for their set. To make a long story short we had a long day and didnt particularly like Dragonforce so we stayed sitting. Apparently we were the only ones in the vicinity of the stage who elected to stay seated and it caught the singer's eye. He walked to our end of the stage and motioned to us to stand up. Being respectful, we shook our heads no and remained seated. The singer then took the microphone and pretended it was his penis and made a stroking motion with it at us. Needless to say we decided to give him the finger. For the remainder of their set the singer would flip us off any time he came to our side of the stage. At one point he even got one of the guitarists to partake as well.
It was amusing to say the least.
Think how much technical skill and practice it took to compose and play this and yet it doesn't come across as self-indulgent or fancy for the sake of it, it comes across as beautiful but also technically impressive.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ddn4MGaS3N4
Music is more than just sounds. Music is supposed to be sound created to stir the listener's emotions. When the only emotion stirred is contempt at how ridiculous it all is, is it really serving a purpose?
Don't get me wrong, Dragonforce are fun for about 10 minutes and I doubt they take themselves seriously at all but people saying stuff like "these are some of the best guitarists ever and could beat any of the greats" is just ludicrous. I'm by no means the biggest Hendrix fan around but I wonder if we stacked up the guitar solos from Through the fire and the flames and All Along the Watchtower and see which one more people can sing along to. Music is not an expression of physical prowess or mechanical ability. Michael Angelo Batio is probably the fastest guitarist on earth. He is also probably one of the few who has never recorded a worthwhile note. He is an athlete, not a musician.
My point I am trying to make is that Dragonforce play power metal. They play to a fringe audience. there is no room for anything other that what they play. We both agree 10 minutes is about all we can take. However for somebody to play that technical, I cannot dismiss they can't play the pants off anybody as I simply don't know. What I do know is that there is extreme talent there (IMO). I would like to hear something outside their power metal comfort zone. I cannot dismiss them as musicians, I just can't. Most people in this thread have based on a YouTube clip (though to be fair, it all sounds like that
If I mention say Buckethead, people that don't have a clue wouldn't know that he covered Miles Sketches of Spain (and it can damn near bring a tear to my eye). They see some masturbatory solo on YouTube and dismiss him as a noodler. He has no soul blah blah blah when that simply isn't the case. I don't know your feelings on Satriani however Always With Me, Always With You is probably the most gorgeous guitar playing I have ever heard. I don't think there is one ounce of shred on Not Of This Earth.
Michael Angelo is an ass clown. Hilarious you brought him up.
Who ever thought a Dragonforce thread would go 3 pages?
on the otherhand instead of listening to dragonforce i might as well listen to the harry potter theme over and over and over and over and over and over again
It doesn't all have to be art, people. Sometimes I feel like Fantomas, sometimes I feel like DragonForce.
Defining great guitar playing is about as subjective as you can get. If someone's into speed and acrobatics then, yeah, DragonForce will be right up their alley. What's to argue?
I don't hate them at all. As I have said, I have no problem with them making music. Doesn't harm me. All I am doing is stating a FACT which is that they are not some of the best guitarists out there. They are no better than a million bedroom shredders posting videos on youtube. They are technically accomplished and perhaps fun to some but to state that they are great musicians and creative really plays around with the concept of what music is. Last time I checked, it wasn't about playing faster than your peers.
HIGH FIVE!!!
Have you seen them live? I have and there's nothing sloppy or over-produced about it. If it's not your thing, that's cool. It's just that declaring "facts" about what makes a guitar player great comes off goofy.
For what it's worth, I don't consider them "great," but can see how someone else might. And you realize it's supposed to be over-the-top and tongue-in-cheek, right?