When did the guitar hero die?

stickyfiddle

thecolourbox said:

darthed1981 said:

thecolourbox said:

I'm not sure there hasn't been a guitar led mainstream musical movement to be honest, there was the indie stuff in the noughties after the Strokes and White Stripes and Libertines even Arctic Monkeys etc, before that there was even Nu Metal, there's plenty. But different style to those who just play as wiggly and quickly as they can

I think that comes down to a semantic discussion about what one means by a "movement", certainly those few bands came along in the early noughties, but they set the indie rock world on fire, not necessarily the mainstream.  Ironically, the fact that at this time a lot of people decided buying music just wasn't for them probably didn't help!  Probably fair to say Pete Docherty made a few headlines as well.

But seriously, compare that to Britpop, which really was a musical "movement" by my definition.  If you see a news story about the Brits or sales figures currently its about Ed Sheeran or Taylor Swift, i.e. popular music on it's default "pop" setting.  In the the late 90s it was all about Blur, Oasis, Pulp etc.  whether one likes the bands or not, it was massively popular at the time on a level the early noughties indie bands dont touch, and on-topic, Blur and Oasis had guitar heroes.

The late 90s also gave us Steps, Vengaboys and Westlife. There were a lot of indie bands in the charts back then - in addition to the above you had Franz Ferdinand, Kaiser Chiefs, Killers, etc. And just like during Britpop just below the surface was much better acts in the same style

Actually, Steps split in 2001, and the Vengaboys disbanded in 2002, entirely before the release of FF, The Killers' and Kasiers Chiefs first releases around 2002-2004, so you could argue that the former helped pave the way for the latter. Right? 

ESBlonde

Music is well changed innit.
The vocal warbling takes precedent today as does some fretboard masterbation while the support is a machine making rythmic thumps which may or may not sound like actual drums. All alongside some generic synth sounds regurgitated from last summers holiday hit.
Conversey the guitar is sometimes used as a simple instrument but the latest technology enables the player to create layers or loops as the fashin dictates. 
Fickle thing this trendy business!
Like my parents before me, I'm able to say it'
 Not as good as it was in my day'.  

thecolourbox

stickyfiddle said:

thecolourbox said:

darthed1981 said:

thecolourbox said:

I'm not sure there hasn't been a guitar led mainstream musical movement to be honest, there was the indie stuff in the noughties after the Strokes and White Stripes and Libertines even Arctic Monkeys etc, before that there was even Nu Metal, there's plenty. But different style to those who just play as wiggly and quickly as they can

I think that comes down to a semantic discussion about what one means by a "movement", certainly those few bands came along in the early noughties, but they set the indie rock world on fire, not necessarily the mainstream.  Ironically, the fact that at this time a lot of people decided buying music just wasn't for them probably didn't help!  Probably fair to say Pete Docherty made a few headlines as well.

But seriously, compare that to Britpop, which really was a musical "movement" by my definition.  If you see a news story about the Brits or sales figures currently its about Ed Sheeran or Taylor Swift, i.e. popular music on it's default "pop" setting.  In the the late 90s it was all about Blur, Oasis, Pulp etc.  whether one likes the bands or not, it was massively popular at the time on a level the early noughties indie bands dont touch, and on-topic, Blur and Oasis had guitar heroes.

The late 90s also gave us Steps, Vengaboys and Westlife. There were a lot of indie bands in the charts back then - in addition to the above you had Franz Ferdinand, Kaiser Chiefs, Killers, etc. And just like during Britpop just below the surface was much better acts in the same style

Actually, Steps split in 2001, and the Vengaboys disbanded in 2002, entirely before the release of FF, The Killers' and Kasiers Chiefs first releases around 2002-2004, so you could argue that the former helped pave the way for the latter. Right? 

It was certainly my path through music yes but then I was only 10

Neill

I tend to agree that Matt Bellamy is probably the best example of a modern guitar hero but that's sort of like being damned with faint praise.  

But maybe we are being a little impatient here.  I can't think of a good definition of Guitar Hero, but most of us accept there are certain names who are "legends" in the rock world, - Jimi, Albert King, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Rory Gallagher, etc what makes these guys such heroes is that their music and playing style has endured over several decades.  It may be we only recognise true greatness with hindsight. 

For example, I was around when Black Sabbath were at their peak but I honestly don't remember anyone saying at the time Tony Iommi is one of the all time greats - but from a modern perspective we now see him as a pivotal figure in the development of rock guitar. 

So can anyone think of a current figure in the guitar world who we'll be venerating in 20-30 years time?   

  

jonnyburgo

The guitar solo is out of fashion at the moment, I think thats about it really. If guitar solos come back then so will the "heroes". Guitar is not seen as a main instrument, just something that blends into the homogenised default indie mush

Phil_aka_Pip

jonnyburgo said:

The guitar solo is out of fashion at the moment, I think thats about it really. If guitar solos come back then so will the "heroes". Guitar is not seen as a main instrument, just something that blends into the homogenised default indie mush

I think that's why I said "modern music is boring".

DiscoStu

Matt Bellamy for sure. I would add Tom Morello too for riffage, technique and unique style.

thecolourbox

I'd always say Jack White

darthed1981

thecolourbox said:

darthed1981 said:

thecolourbox said:

I'm not sure there hasn't been a guitar led mainstream musical movement to be honest, there was the indie stuff in the noughties after the Strokes and White Stripes and Libertines even Arctic Monkeys etc, before that there was even Nu Metal, there's plenty. But different style to those who just play as wiggly and quickly as they can

I think that comes down to a semantic discussion about what one means by a "movement", certainly those few bands came along in the early noughties, but they set the indie rock world on fire, not necessarily the mainstream.  Ironically, the fact that at this time a lot of people decided buying music just wasn't for them probably didn't help!  Probably fair to say Pete Docherty made a few headlines as well.

But seriously, compare that to Britpop, which really was a musical "movement" by my definition.  If you see a news story about the Brits or sales figures currently its about Ed Sheeran or Taylor Swift, i.e. popular music on it's default "pop" setting.  In the the late 90s it was all about Blur, Oasis, Pulp etc.  whether one likes the bands or not, it was massively popular at the time on a level the early noughties indie bands dont touch, and on-topic, Blur and Oasis had guitar heroes.

The late 90s also gave us Steps, Vengaboys and Westlife. There were a lot of indie bands in the charts back then - in addition to the above you had Franz Ferdinand, Kaiser Chiefs, Killers, etc. And just like during Britpop just below the surface was much better acts in the same style

Yes that's a bit like saying the 60s had Freddie and The Dreamers, trust me I remember the late 90s really well. 

It really was a great time to like Indie rock, I think if anything that effect steadily ran out into the early 2000s and was killed off by the rise of illegal downloading along with just people losing interest.  So very many bands were dropped from failing labels at that time, Nude records who signed Suede shut up shop, for example.

I'm not sure why the presence of rubbish in the 90s or the presence of quality in the early 2000s really affects the point though.  Guitar based music has been in decline, with little bumps here and there, since Britpop, in the mainstream charts.

However as I said there is so very much guitar based music out there, Youtube is packed with great musicians, there is a shed-tonne of great music in the non-mainstream.

Its going to be hard to capture the hearts and mind of people in the way Britpop did though because there are so many more options these days, so much choice.

Back on-topic, no doubt many people could name dozens of young "guitar heroes" in non-mainstream bands, and not just vintage-instrument collectors in their 60s who are relevant only to other men in their 60s which is honestly what a lot of people will think of when they think "guitar hero".

As someone else said, how do you define a guitar hero, a guitarist in a hugely popular band who plays solos I guess...?

Teetonetal

Guitar hero surely is just when the guitar player is as big a draw as the singer / band. I don't think it has to mean solos.

The edge, cobain, Johnny Marr, Bernard butler etc are arguably all guitar heros, aren't they? They are just not widely ones.

Sassafras

I've always recoiled at the term Guitar Hero, almost as much as at people calling their guitar 'she'.
Why is guitar the only instrument that is deemed worthy of having heroes?
I've never heard of piano heroes or trumpet heroes.

not_the_dj

Young band with floppy hair playing to adoring fans...and some nice guitar...

Bygone_Tones

ICBM said:

Judging music by what instruments were used to make it and whether the players of them were 'good' has always seemed strange and irrelevant to me.

 yep, what really matters is how attractive and sexy the band members are.

freakboy1610

Teetonetal said:

Guitar hero surely is just when the guitar player is as big a draw as the singer / band. I don't think it has to mean solos.

The edge, cobain, Johnny Marr, Bernard butler etc are arguably all guitar heros, aren't they? They are just not widely ones.

I agree. I remember seeing The Smiths and before they came on, the whole audience was chanting Johnny Marr's name.

darthed1981

Teetonetal said:

Guitar hero surely is just when the guitar player is as big a draw as the singer / band. I don't think it has to mean solos.

The edge, cobain, Johnny Marr, Bernard butler etc are arguably all guitar heros, aren't they? They are just not widely ones.

OK cool that is a neat and tidy one.  When the guitar player is as big a draw as the singer/band, works for me...