mike playing guitar behind his head

StuffnJunk
StuffnJunk Posts: 896
edited August 2007 in Musicians and Gearheads
he's my boy, but man that shit is lame.....it's like the ultimate in "stand back everyone while i jerk off"

thoughts?
"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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Comments

  • keeponrockin
    keeponrockin Posts: 7,446
    It's just showmanship. I dig 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
  • Rhinocerous Surprise
    Rhinocerous Surprise Posts: 4,423
    At the risk of lowering the tone... Spray me, Mikey!
    Smokey Robinson constantly looks like he's trying to act natural after being accused of farting.
  • who's_pearljam?
    who's_pearljam? Posts: 2,104
    I think the lineage is:

    Buddy Guy in the late 50's
    Jimi Hendrix got it from Buddy in the 60's
    The Kiss guy in the 70's
    Stevie Ray in the 80's
    Mike in the 90's and 00's
    Someone will pick it up in the 10's I guess! :D
    Be kind, man
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  • DOSW
    DOSW Posts: 2,012
    I love it when he does that. It would be boring if he just stood there the whole time (*cough*STONE*cough*). He makes it entertaining by running and jumping around, playing behind his head, etc.

    Yeah, Mike rocks. :)
    It's a town full of losers and I'm pulling out of here to win
  • hendrix78
    hendrix78 Posts: 507
    It's called having fun. Lighten up.
  • Jam10
    Jam10 Posts: 654
    Mike is extremely talented and if he can play behind his head, why not! I think it's awesome and fun to watch. Not many people can play behind their head and still sound that good. Great job Mike!
  • r1vers
    r1vers Posts: 244
    i'd never known he had done it before he randomly busted it out in irvine during alive in 2003 at the first show of theirs i ever managed to see. it killed me. it was the highlight of the night and i get goosebumps everytime i listen to that portion of the boot because of it.

    lame? i think not. it made me love him just that much more.
    "Last time I think we played that song here was like, a long time ago, and there was a bonfire in the back and people were like throwing each other into it...very exciting days but a huge fucking relief that that's not how it is tonight..." Ed Irvine Night 1 2003, after Deep
  • lucylespian
    lucylespian Posts: 2,403
    DOSW wrote:
    I love it when he does that. It would be boring if he just stood there the whole time (*cough*STONE*cough*). He makes it entertaining by running and jumping around, playing behind his head, etc.

    Yeah, Mike rocks. :)

    Oh come on, Stone bends his knees at least twice a night !!!
    Music is not a competetion.
  • jeffbr
    jeffbr Seattle Posts: 7,177
    lucylespian wrote:
    Oh come on, Stone bends his knees at least twice a night !!!

    When he's really feeling it he'll bob his head, too!
    "I'll use the magic word - let's just shut the fuck up, please." EV, 04/13/08
  • Flagg
    Flagg Posts: 5,856
    Not lame at all.
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  • Anon
    Anon Posts: 11,174
    Omg not lame.
    Pure awesomeness. Love it. Cumstastic.
  • amit
    amit Posts: 73
    I learnt to play guitar a lot by watching McCready,

    but man, why does everyone feel the need to glorify him just because they like pearl jam.

    There are much more influential, original and better guitar guitarists
  • Anon
    Anon Posts: 11,174
    amit wrote:
    I learnt to play guitar a lot by watching McCready,

    but man, why does everyone feel the need to glorify him just because they like pearl jam.

    There are much more influential, original and better guitar guitarists

    You should be more careful when you talk about 'everyone' glorifying him just because they like Pearl Jam. That's bullshit. You can't speak for everyone. I'm a massive Fruscianti nutter and i'm not that big on the Chili's anymore and on your theory i'd be glorifying him because i dig them yes? McCready is one of my favorite guitarists. Hands down. Easily one of the best current mainstream guitarists, love watching him live, mesmerizing, But is he the best ever? Nope. And i don't need you to tell me that.
    Favorite does not always = best.
  • xtremehardy388
    xtremehardy388 Posts: 2,759
    Pj_Gurl wrote:
    You should be more careful when you talk about 'everyone' glorifying him just because they like Pearl Jam. That's bullshit. You can't speak for everyone. I'm a massive Fruscianti nutter and i'm not that big on the Chili's anymore and on your theory i'd be glorifying him because i dig them yes? McCready is one of my favorite guitarists. Hands down. Easily one of the best current mainstream guitarists, love watching him live, mesmerizing, But is he the best ever? Nope. And i don't need you to tell me that.
    Favorite does not always = best.
    Very true. He's not the greatest but he is entertaining. Think about it, when you play, sometimes you envision yourself as your favorite rockstar-I envision myself as McCready sometimes and I'm pretty sure McCready envisions himself like someone. I learned to play behind my head from watching McCready-I'm not that good at it but it's fun to do. Mike doesn't need to show off-he's already pretty freakin' amazing. He knows that and so do PJ fans.
    Grand Rapids '04, Detroit '06
    JEFF HARDY AND JEFF AMENT USED TO LOOK THE SAME
    "Pearl Jam always eases my mind and fires me up at the same time.”-Jeff Hardy
  • stevieraveon
    stevieraveon Posts: 413
    xtremehardy388 wrote:
    I'm pretty sure McCready envisions himself like someone.
    I remember an article where he got into a major SRV phase and tried to emulate that (um cowboy hat in alive video?)
    Bob Loblaw's Law Blog: "Why should YOU go to jail for a crime someone else noticed?"
  • 12345AGNST1
    12345AGNST1 Posts: 4,906
    Pj_Gurl wrote:
    Favorite does not always = best.

    good point. for me matt cameron is one of my favorite drummers, i love his style, the way he looks palying, and how he changes his fills up alot. is he the best, or even one of the best, no not at all. he is GREAT imo, but i like and know of much better drummers.
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  • Beav
    Beav Posts: 223
    As a guitar player I thinks it's pretty cheezy. But I can understand why some think it's cool.
    "Sooner or later you'll bare your teeth"
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  • ianvomsaal
    ianvomsaal Suncoast, FL Posts: 1,224
    It's a performance thing . . . "hey everyone, look at me."
    Personally, I think it's a bit too obvious (it's already been done, and it's not really something that's needed).
    As was said - Mike loved SRV, and took it from him -- SRV loved Hendrix, and took it from him -- ect, ect.
    These guys are just doing what their heroes did. There is a bit of a cool factor involved, but I do think it's
    kind of a showy thing to do. I get it, but I just don't think it's necessary. I mean hey, Mike's just looking for
    a way to stand out a bit on stage (it's a big stage), but personally I'd say to just let your playing do that.
    Ehhh to each his own . . .

    - Ian C.T. vom Saal
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  • Anon
    Anon Posts: 11,174
    I get what you are saying about letting the guitar do your playing. I do.

    Tossing the guitar behind his head once in a while, and going off, is just his way i guess of saying. 'hey look at me, i'm bad ass and i can rock'. I think it's great.

    Looking back at footage of the beginning of the 90's, Mikes personality never really shone through that much. He barely moved around at all. He did let his guitar do the talking then sure, but you never saw the personality coming out that we do now. I love watching him perform. He is all over the place, doing those crazy little walking around in circles like he has this near obsessive-compulsive thing going on. Bouncing around all over the place, going nuts. It's awesome. Much rather that than how he was in the very early 90's. He almost looks scared :)
  • bharQ
    bharQ Posts: 1,201
    watch this entire thing (the real action picks up near the end).. this DVD is incredible.. highly recommend it if you haven't seen it all

    Stevie is both mine and mike's god on guitar:

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=ETYVMP5SfGs

    in my mind if you can play like this the skys the limit on whatever showmanship you throw into the mix..

    also mike does not touch stevie... :)
    09/04/05 - Calgary, AB
    08/02/07 - LOLLA!!!

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