Is GnR the only BIG Band that makes Shredding sound cool?

[gnrfan2007]

I've never been a fan of guitar shredding, nor would I go out of my way to listen to music put out by virtuoso guitarists.

Sure, it's cool to watch them rip on the guitar but after awhile it just gets boring and repetitive.

CD is the first album where I have heard the guitar shredding have *soul* and fit into the music perfectly. It was not like the shredding was put into the music just for the sake of "shredding". The guitar shredding on CD just fits the music so perfectly.

If you recall, during that alternative rock era, guitar riffs and solos really simplified. When Axl first tried to figure out the *new sound*, he attempted to pair up Slash with the likes of guitarists like Zakk Wylde. I think Axl in a way was looking to go the other way of what the current rock scene was doing by wanting to have bigger guitar riffs and solos.

So my question is this:

Is CD the first album by a BIG BAND (ie. popular, big arena/stadium) that has incorporated virtuoso guitar riffs and shredding in a way that fits the music and sounds really cool without sounding like a virtuoso guitar album?

Edited September 2, 2011 by gnrfan2007

[ITW 2012]

That band would be Van Halen. The elephant sound Bumblefoot made on Shackler's Revenge was definitely not cool.

[Chewbacca]

I've never been a fan of guitar shredding, nor would I go out of my way to listen to music put out by virtuoso guitarists.

Sure, it's cool to watch them rip on the guitar but after awhile it just gets boring and repetitive.

CD is the first album where I have heard the guitar shredding have *soul* and fit into the music perfectly. It was not like the shredding was put into the music just for the sake of "shredding". The guitar shredding on CD just fits the music so perfectly.

If you recall, during that alternative rock era, guitar riffs and solos really simplified. When Axl first tried to figure out the *new sound*, he attempted to pair up Slash with the likes of guitarists like Zakk Wylde. I think Axl in a way was looking to go the other way of what the current rock scene was doing by wanting to have bigger guitar riffs and solos.

So my question is this:

Is CD the first album by a BIG BAND (ie. popular, big arena/stadium) that has incorporated virtuoso guitar riffs and shredding in a way that fits the music and sounds really cool without sounding like a virtuoso guitar album?

Considering that "sounding cool" is totally a subjective matter, I would say no. Dragonforce actually have lots of fans.

[dalsh327]

I'd go with Trans Siberian Orchestra and the Big 4 as far as people count go.

I agree about Van Halen, because they had a trifecta of a pop hit to get on top 40 radio, a virtuoso solo, plus a groove. Plus Dave was good at writing intentionally dumb, cartoonish lyrics. His whole "I don't know the fucking words" was an old school show biz tactic.

Ozzy's Blizzard and Diary had a fair share of shred w/soul, too.

[ITW 2012]

I am not a huge fan of shredding but there is something special and different about Bucket and Bumble.

Also I fuckin' love Bumble's tone live!

I'd have thought Eruption would be one of your favorite songs.

[Georgy Zhukov]

That band would be Van Halen.

Fuck that! Eddie was a sloppy drunk shredder. My father in law once demonstrated how sloppy Eddie was when he slowed down Eruption on his computer and he basically missed every other note.

Randy Rhoads and Ozzy for me. Though CD's shredding was pretty fucking impressive.

Bucket and Bumble are fucking incredible shredders. They are insane.

Edited September 3, 2011 by BirdCatcher

[ITW 2012]

That band would be Van Halen.

Fuck that! Eddie was a sloppy drunk shredder. My father in law once demonstrated how sloppy Eddie was when he slowed down Eruption on his computer and he basically missed every other note.

Randy Rhoads and Ozzy for me. Though CD's shredding was pretty fucking impressive.

Bucket and Bumble are fucking incredible shredders. They are insane.

I also like Randy Rhoads and Buckethead. I'd rather have a "sloppy drunk shredder" who can write memorable riffs and solos than a guy who can make elephant noises with his guitar. That's just me though. To each his own.

[Georgy Zhukov]

Randy Rhoads wrote far more memorable riffs than Eddie. The best riff Eddie did was invented by Dave Davies. He could wipe the floor with Eddie, too bad he died.

Edited September 3, 2011 by BirdCatcher

[Towelie]

That band would be Van Halen.

Fuck that! Eddie was a sloppy drunk shredder. My father in law once demonstrated how sloppy Eddie was when he slowed down Eruption on his computer and he basically missed every other note.

Randy Rhoads and Ozzy for me. Though CD's shredding was pretty fucking impressive.

Bucket and Bumble are fucking incredible shredders. They are insane.

I also like Randy Rhoads and Buckethead. I'd rather have a "sloppy drunk shredder" who can write memorable riffs and solos than a guy who can make elephant noises with his guitar. That's just me though. To each his own.

I love Shacklers guitar solo. It's so wacky and impossible to replicate. It's all good fun, people take themselves too seriously.

I also love Ron's insanely fast tapping at the end of the song.

[Stiff Competition]

[Guest Len B'stard]

shredding to me is the last refuge of the shit guitarist.

[wasted]

GNR put shredding in very rock n roll context. somehow it makes sense, like I couldn't imagine Bumble or Bucket in Aerosmith or The Stones.

Edited September 3, 2011 by wasted

[wasted]

The Terminator has feelings too.

[Georgy Zhukov]

So much hate against shredders.

[seely]

Metallica do (well, did) it pretty well.

[gnrfan2007]

I think the only band mentioned that is worth discussing here in the same context as GnR is METALLICA.

Sure Kirk Hammet can shred, but his shredding is not very creative and is very scale-based. In other words, very *soul-less*. Kirk's shred aren't expressing anything.

The shredding on CD kind of reminds of the soloing style of Tom Morrello (Rage against the Machine) - on STEROIDS.

Buckethead and Bumblefoot on their own could not have created the sounds they created on CD if it were not in the context of a GnR album, ie. under the direction and vision of Axl

[sweetness]

Thank Buckethead for that. I still really don't enjoy anything Ron does... he's talented but the shit he comes up with is so dull especially compared to Buckethead's parts. Even Finck wrote wayyyy better parts than Ron.

[gnrfan2007]

Ron was never a part of the creative writing of any songs.

He just added his two cents to songs that were already completed. So, Ron was limited in what he could bring to the songs.

When you are messed up like Buckethead, you tend to be more creative. Ron is more from the old school shredding of Joe Satriani. Buckethead is way more cutting edge and progressive with pop culture.

Thank Buckethead for that. I still really don't enjoy anything Ron does... he's talented but the shit he comes up with is so dull especially compared to Buckethead's parts. Even Finck wrote wayyyy better parts than Ron.

[GivenToFly]

There's a lot more to the guitar on Chinese Democracy than shredding. In fact, the better parts don't overlap much with the shredding ones.

[Georgy Zhukov]

Buckethead's shredding did have a lot of soul to it.

[Chewbacca]

I can't stand this "soul" thing anymore. I don't understand how people manage to point at a song and state that there's tons of "soul" there? It's all about personal opinion, not facts.

"Can you see soul there? Well, I can't, but I do see it here. What about you?"

This is something that is unique to each. Stop using it as a valid argument.

[Guest Len B'stard]

GNR put shredding in very rock n roll context. somehow it makes sense, like I couldn't imagine Bumble or Bucket in Aerosmith or The Stones.

I'd say GnR don't make sense in a rock n roll context anymore. It's just kinda sophisticated synthetic pop music. And honestly, Guns couldn't be the fuckin Stones in their dreams for the simple fact that they, and especially Axl, doesn't 'get' rock n roll in the way The Stones do.

[Rovim]

GNR put shredding in very rock n roll context. somehow it makes sense, like I couldn't imagine Bumble or Bucket in Aerosmith or The Stones.

I'd say GnR don't make sense in a rock n roll context anymore. It's just kinda sophisticated synthetic pop music. And honestly, Guns couldn't be the fuckin Stones in their dreams for the simple fact that they, and especially Axl, doesn't 'get' rock n roll in the way The Stones do.

Maybe if that's what Axl wanted and the old line up stayed together. I'd say they had a chance to be the next Rolling Stones.

[moreblack]

plenty of cool shredding out there tho, big band or not. But there's been quite a few over the years.

Edited September 3, 2011 by moreblack

[moreblack]

I can't stand this "soul" thing anymore. I don't understand how people manage to point at a song and state that there's tons of "soul" there? It's all about personal opinion, not facts.

"Can you see soul there? Well, I can't, but I do see it here. What about you?"

This is something that is unique to each. Stop using it as a valid argument.

just because some don't see it, doesn't mean it's not there.