John McLaughlin

Hootsmon

John McLaughlin

As a musician I can say that without inspiration I am artistically dead, so I will choose another subject: The Universe.

Since the scientific revolution began there is a common belief that we are the only intelligent life in the universe. This view lacks imagination.

Let me start by applying imagination to our beautiful planet which is bursting with life and has been for millions of years before human life existed.

In my imagination the planet is itself alive, otherwise how could it possibly give birth to such abundance of life. It was born and it will die like every living being.

In addition, our planet revolves around our sun. The scientist tells me that the planet orbits the sun because of mutual ‘gravity’ which is ‘mutual attraction’.

To me this confers awareness to our planet because it is in a direct relationship with our sun. The fact that this awareness may seem implausible is simply a lack of
imagination. Our planet may be a lesser goddess but a goddess nevertheless.

And now the living Sun. How can this magnificent God-like being be considered anything less than God-like with God-like intelligence? It is so awesome one cannot look at
it with the naked eye. In addition, it performs the most magnificent and noble sacrifice of all: It consumes its own body and in the process gives light and warmth to
plant and animal life on earth without which they will die. It is a Being of extremely exalted status.

It also is in direct relationship with all its planets by governing their dance around it. In addition, it has a direct relationship with a Being of even greater exalted
status, our Galaxy whose awareness and intelligence are truly Cosmic…

How wonderful to live in a Universe with Gods and Goddesses instead of lumps of rock and fireballs drifting aimlessly around in Space…

Funkfingers

Frank Zappa

Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar

Loobs

No idea what you're talking about, but the first Mahavishnu albums are absolutely phenomenal. JM played with such passion and aggression. 

DefaultM

Have you heard this version?

JezWynd

You know, you know...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuIAmbmwVSs

hollywoodrox

I much preferred Mahavishnu orchestra to weather report . I had that album I think it had a flame or lotus on the front . The weather report one was heavy weather & had that track on it that the police drama series “Strangers”  plagiarised 

DefaultM

hollywoodrox said:

I much preferred Mahavishnu orchestra to weather report . I had that album I think it had a flame or lotus on the front . The weather report one was heavy weather & had that track on it that the police drama series “Strangers”  plagiarised 

The Inner Mounting Flame, the first album it's ace. I used to wank off to that, the first 2 shakti albums and Friday Night In San Francisco in my bedroom when I was in High school.

hollywoodrox

That’s the one 

Loobs

The interesting thing about MO is how it's not really about 'shred' in the same way someone like Steve Vai, Malmsteen or whoever is, or even to a lesser extent, Al Di Meola in Return To Forever; instead I find it a lot more aggressive and fiery and never get the impression JM is just playing loads of notes for the sake of it. 

Hootsmon

^ yeah that's right........what you are noticing is ...it's the music that comes 1st with MO and the solo is just that

boogieman

Loobs said:

The interesting thing about MO is how it's not really about 'shred' in the same way someone like Steve Vai, Malmsteen or whoever is, or even to a lesser extent, Al Di Meola in Return To Forever; instead I find it a lot more aggressive and fiery and never get the impression JM is just playing loads of notes for the sake of it. 

Exactly. Johnny Mac can play extremely fast but it’s always performed relative to the track he’s playing on. He can do slow, beautifully melodic stuff equally well. He really is one of the most extraordinary guitarists of our generation. Even more extraordinary is, he’s still doing it at an advanced age and shows no real signs of ever slowing down.