Why have I just started listening to Thal?

[pauldem]

I decided to go back over some players that I never took the time with when I was younger. I was pretty much floored by Bumblefoot. I always knew he was around from the Shrapnel ads in GFTPM, just never took the time. The guy was doing Guthrie Govan playing before Gurthrie even landed and his control and progressive playing just make me smile. I know he has a few Primus tendencies, but he's just awesome to my mind. Up there with Govan, Gilbert, Buckethead et al in pushing the instrument.

Other guys that I really liked were Scott Stine and Joey Tafolla. I was also impressed by the ladies out of Phantom Blue...So who else did I miss and should be listening to?

[TJ]

Monte Montgomery
Guthrie Trapp
Johnny Hiland

[pauldem]

Monte Montgomery is pretty unique and the guy can sing as well . I've been listening to Hedges, Roche and Mongrain for a while now, but Montgomery seems to be more about the song than attacking the instrument and seems to have adopted quite a lot of lead into his style. He also doesn't sound of any particular genre, just musical. That's a huge bonus.

Mr Trapp reminds me of Greg Koch but seems tidier. I like how he makes it seems all rather pedestrian and then lets rip. I've been working on my hybrid picking but it's worse than my alternate and that sucks so, I've no hope of reaching these guys. Hiland as well is just sweet with a sweet mix of Rock and hybrid picking. So fluid it makes me feel just a little sick.. I hate being powerfully average, it's bad Karma.

Cheers for the recs TJ.

[Ayton(e)]

Glad you found Thal. Consistently thrilling, unorthodox player. We were in touch for a while, back in the Adventures of Bumblefoot and Hermit days. He hated Shrapnel.

Met him in NYC a couple years back, too, after watching him in a tiny underground venue. This was before the GNR gig, when he became capital-K known.

I only wish he'd use his Vetta less. It's his main amp. I am cry. He did do some reamping with a Splawn, though...

If you can get his DVD from playing at Raleigh Music Academy, do. Sort of a clinic/gig. Lot of fun.

The guy that comes to mind, if you're looking for killer players you've missed, is Mattias Eklundh, an equally quirky and talented guy whom a friend and I discovered via Ron; his short guest solo on Ron's 9/11 CD blew our minds in the 'what is he doing?!' way that Thal had all those years before, and so we had to become obsessed with him and find all his records and start mailing him sperm covered orchids.

His band stuff (Freak Kitchen) might not be to taste, though some of it's extremely catchy, but his solo Freak Guitar CDs are solid amaze, and feature a nice raw tone (recorded in a bathroom).

[pauldem]

From what I've read the poor guy had no luck at all for much of his early career. Would get a band together and record then the band would disappear come tour time and he was left high and dry. And yet he persevered which I think is truly admirable. I guess when you have talent like that the drive keeps you moving.

I love the liquid nature of his playing and on a track that I guess is a trademark for him like 'Guitars Suck', he channels that classical vibe without ever falling into Yngwie. Clever stuff and dynamite to listen too. I've not bothered with the G'n'R stuff as I was never really a fan in the first place, but I will maybe check it out for Rons sake.

I didn't know he used a Vetta . Is that what he uses with G'n'R as well. I've definitely heard some good noise on his records mind you, so either he works that Vetta real well or he must have something else in the studio.

I'd actually heard Mattias before Bumblefoot and I think Ron returned the favour for 9/11 on Freak Kitchens 'Speak when spoken to'. Great stuff. I've not heard anything recently but I dig his Kiss covers and printer recreations. More please.