Guitar Battle: Joe Bonamassa VS Gary Moore

Rabs

Or could just be titled 55mins of soloing 

Gary Moore will always win in my book.. Much better phrasing if you ask me.. Not that im a Joe hater. I just find his playing, I don't even know how to put it.. Less interesting?, just heard it all before (and usually better) ? He is a great player though.

Sassafras

Moore's playing seems more tasteful.
Bonamassa is more of a showman with all his posing and flashiness.

OilCityPickups

Moore every time: the phrasing is impeccable ... the fire when he cuts loose is remarkable. Joe's playing is stunning, but to me rather soulless. 

Fortheloveofguitar

I like them both but find that JB is more of the Zakk Wylde of the blues. Whereby his fast passages tend to be much the same flurry of fast pentatonic shape runs albeit very Eric Johnson style 

sweepy

Bonamassa is a blatant plagiarist  where Moore has more originality in his playing, well apart from loving Jeff Beck a bit

robgilmo

Both amazing players but I cant do with the screaming blues guitar solos, its dated and getting thin nowadays.
For instance , ''while my guitar gently wee FUCK RIGHT OFF'' kind of thing.

thegummy

Music is art, not sport.

Just listen to what you prefer, it's not a competition

mburekenge

I battered 'Still got the blues' as a youth and love that album dearly. It introduced me to albert king. 

However, in that 'blues for greeny' era where he slowed down a bit, he also played some really tasteful restrained stuff.

Monster player!

octatonic

Joe does have a slight advantage these days.

Jez6345789

Gary by Spades for me 
As much a JB admired GM did they ever jam together on stage never seen a video although never looked particularly

gringopig

.

crunchman

Apart from the guitar playing, the other big advantage Gary Moore had was his voice.  He might not be Paul Rodgers but he could sing.  JB's voice just puts me off the music.

Lewy

crunchman said:

Apart from the guitar playing, the other big advantage Gary Moore had was his voice.  He might not be Paul Rodgers

Ted Rodgers, more like....  way too pub singer-y for my taste. “since you layeft me beeebaahh” etc At least JB’s broad American accent is somewhat authentic, although equally challenging on the ears.

I’ve really come to appreciate his guitar playing over the years though. 

Dominic

Both great guitar players ,both poor singers, both a bit boring for me personally but who cares?
 The only thing I would say is that Moore was perfect for his time and that as a generation younger JB should have had a more forward looking approach /style in the kind music he plays and the way he addresses it .
 In any event you can't compare Bjorn Borg to Roger Federer but things do move on.

newi123

There is a great story that JB told in a video about when they met along the lines of:

JB 'I probably owe you some royalties on some of these guitar licks'
GM: 'that's ok - I downloaded all your CDs illegally!'

Made me laugh...........

SidNewton

Saw Gary Moore on the Back To The Blues tour. Worst gig I've ever been to. Over the top wank. Saw Bonamassa 3 times before he achieved his current level of success, including at The Cheese & Grain in Frome. I enjoyed it each time.
Wouldn't pay the  necessary price to see either of them these days. 

meltedbuzzbox

SidNewton said:

Saw Gary Moore on the Back To The Blues tour. Worst gig I've ever been to. Over the top wank. Saw Bonamassa 3 times before he achieved his current level of success, including at The Cheese & Grain in Frome. I enjoyed it each time.
Wouldn't pay the  necessary price to see either of them these days. 

I think you need more than money to see Gary now days

prowla

I saw Gary Moore a couple of times in the 80s, with Greg Lake and when he toured with Ian Paice.

Great guitarist, but his singing makes me cringe.

Nunogilberto

GM for me. Bonamassa’s playing doesn’t excite me. Plus he has that woolly, muffled tone no matter what guitar he’s playing.

springhead

They both overplay/played but I prefer Gary.  I prefer his phrasing and he had more variety to him, every JB solo has those Eric Johnson fast pentatonic runs, several times. Gets tedious. When Gary slowed things down with his later blues playing he was superb.  I was at his blues for Greeny gig and it was a great night.  Joe is more listenable when he's playing more to the song.  The first album with Beth Hart has some wonderful playing from him.  His usual live style is to overplay, which he knows he does but says that's what his fans want.  I'm not so sure.  Saw him in Shepherds Bush a few years back and it got a bit boring a few songs in. 

hotpickups

octatonic said:

Joe does have a slight advantage these days.

Why because gary is dead