Richard Dawson

Stuckfast · March 2017

Well, he's not trying to please the middle-aged, PRS-ogling tone-quester crowd. It's deliberately ugly and abrasive and confrontational. But it's also individual and, in its way, very skilful.

Loobs · March 2017

grayn said:

Loobs said:

grayn said:

Good on him for getting so much work, playing that stuff.

What does that mean, exactly?

Well, IMO he plays crap, so if he's getting paid for doing so, I say, well done.

Wow. That's very open minded of you.

grayn · March 2017

Loobs said:

grayn said:

Loobs said:

grayn said:

Good on him for getting so much work, playing that stuff.

What does that mean, exactly?

Well, IMO he plays crap, so if he's getting paid for doing so, I say, well done.

Wow. That's very open minded of you.

You can convince youself that you're being open minded, I'd say gullible.

If you like him, great.
Whatever he's doing, it seems to be going OK for him.

dogload · March 2017

grayn said:

Loobs said:

grayn said:

Loobs said:

grayn said:

Good on him for getting so much work, playing that stuff.

What does that mean, exactly?

Well, IMO he plays crap, so if he's getting paid for doing so, I say, well done.

Wow. That's very open minded of you.

You can convince youself that you're being open minded, I'd say gullible.

I know taste dictates these things and I know people who dismiss music that isn't technically brilliant, but you honestly think Dawson's playing is not good? You'd hate Derek Bailey.

I like Richard Dawson's music and his playing, but then again I like all sorts of odd stuff, so his guitar playing sounds fine to me. Maybe stepping beyond the pentatonic is a little too much for some though.

octatonic · March 2017

Music that has been dragged backwards through a hedge.
I quite like it.

grayn · March 2017

It's funny how, when someone disagrees with folk or is less than impressed by an artist, others try to put them in a box, that infers they are limited themselves, in thinking or playing. The pentatonic comment made me laugh. I don't really feel a need to justify myself by putting other folk down, it's a shame others do.

Modellista · March 2017

Being from the North East I've seen him play a few times and had the pleasure of interviewing him for NARC magazine about his other passion, collage.

As I alluded to in that article, there's no doubt his guitar playing is unconventional to the point of it not really being playing at all in the conventional sense. More performance art. But all power to his elbow for making it a success. The songs are brilliant, particularly something like The Vile Stuff as @Gagaryn mentioned.

Clearly it's not going to appeal to everyone, but for me the appeal of someone like Dawson is to unravel and immerse yourself in his weird world, working out why something that initially sounds wrong is, at its heart, all sorts of right.

DrBob · March 2017

SNAKEBITE said:

I loved Morricone and Wise, especially the breakfast sketch.

I've actually met the bloke who hid inside the kitchen cupboard and fired the toast out of the toaster on cue.

shrinkwrap · March 2017

grayn said:

It's funny how, when someone disagrees with folk or is less than impressed by an artist, others try to put them in a box, that infers they are limited themselves, in thinking or playing. The pentatonic comment made me laugh. I don't really feel a need to justify myself by putting other folk down, it's a shame others do.

But you are putting him down with your snide comments.

dogload · March 2017

grayn said:

It's funny how, when someone disagrees with folk or is less than impressed by an artist, others try to put them in a box, that infers they are limited themselves, in thinking or playing. The pentatonic comment made me laugh. I don't really feel a need to justify myself by putting other folk down, it's a shame others do.

I can't be bothered to argue, except to point out that I wasn't doubting your or anyone else's abilities. In fact you are probably a better guitarist than me. But technical proficiency doesn't necessarily equal creativity.
My point was something along the lines that you can play all the scales in the world as fast as you like, but it doesn't make for interesting listening.

Bidley · March 2017

dogload said:

My point was something along the lines that you can play all the scales in the world as fast as you like, but it doesn't make for interesting listening.

What does that have to do with anything?

I know hating anything remotely technical is accepted as the norm here, but digs like that don't help. Especially when they're completely irrelevant.

Loobs · March 2017

grayn said:

It's funny how, when someone disagrees with folk or is less than impressed by an artist, others try to put them in a box, that infers they are limited themselves, in thinking or playing. The pentatonic comment made me laugh. I don't really feel a need to justify myself by putting other folk down, it's a shame others do.

didn't you call his playing 'crap'?

:facepalm

dogload · March 2017

Bidley said:

dogload said:

My point was something along the lines that you can play all the scales in the world as fast as you like, but it doesn't make for interesting listening.

What does that have to do with anything?

I know hating anything remotely technical is accepted as the norm here, but digs like that don't help. Especially when they're completely irrelevant.

How's that a dig?

Relevance? Seriously?

Stuckfast · March 2017

What makes anyone think he lacks technical proficiency? He might choose to play in an unconventional way, but he can clearly play. I can understand not liking what he does, but to dismiss him as some sort of fraud or charlatan seems a bit odd. He's obviously put a lot of work into making the sound that he makes.

Loobs · March 2017

It's the typical achievement-guitarist fan argument.

Bidley · March 2017

dogload said:

Bidley said:

dogload said:

My point was something along the lines that you can play all the scales in the world as fast as you like, but it doesn't make for interesting listening.

What does that have to do with anything?

I know hating anything remotely technical is accepted as the norm here, but digs like that don't help. Especially when they're completely irrelevant.

How's that a dig?

Relevance? Seriously?

I just honestly don't see where playing scales really fast was mentioned, let alone said to be interesting. By all means put me on the right path.

FWIW (and I feel like I'm expected to justify myself) I think Mr Dawson is a fine guitarist, and I like that his music exists.

Sassafras · March 2017

I wonder if he's heard of Captain Beefheart?

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