Tommy Conwell

_________________
-Fender 92' Telecaster unknown
- 2007 Gretsch 6118T
- Ibanez 02' AF85 Artcore hollowbody, modded
- Epiphone Firebird
- Line 6 Variaxe 300
- Squire strat (refinished)
- 2008 Fender Supersonic
- Fender Blues Junior (original)

Phil Manzanera is rarely mentioned, but an incredible guitarist in and out of Roxy Music...listen to his 801 Live work.

_________________
Current Gear: Ron Kirn Barnbuster Tele,
Marshall: 1971 SuperLead 100>1997 1960-TV, bunch of pedals
and a 1987 Porsche 911 Carrera coupe named Veronica

Ritchie Kotzen

Frank Marino http://mahoganyrush.net/mp3/pop_me_up.html


My .02c

Bill

_________________
(80’s Hair Metal) = A snapshot in time before Grunge ruined Rock & Roll forever!!!!

+1 on Springteen but I think that is his own doing. I have seen him twice the first in a small theatre before he was huge besides the fact he is my brothers favorite artist. I always thought he was at the top of the singer songwriter parade and his 4 + hour shows are mind blowing, but in a few early bio's including one by Mike Marsh they rave how he was the hottest lead player on the Jersey Shore back in the day. I used to tease my brother and say he dont play lead in his own band.lol But to be honest when he plays out he can tear it up and if you just saw the R&R Hall of Fame 25th concert he took over most of the lead playing that night and the version of The Ghost of Tom Joad with Tom Morello was just amazing. There was also that documentary when Warren Zevon was dying and doing his final album Bruce came in to play lead on a song and tore it up. So I guess it comes down to when he wants to play lead which I wish he would do more.

As far as Garry Moore he is one of my all time hero's and one of the best players on the planet and fits into that players player category. But it is a sin that here in the US he does not have the status he deserves. I used to check every year to see if he would be touring till I read an interview with him where he said he would love to play the states again but it cost to much for him to play here. I would love a bill with him and Beck and then I could die a happy man.lol Though I did see him in 76 with Thin Lizzy open for Queen. The only thing is I was 14 and had no clue who he was. I only read in an article with him he played on that tour.

Johnny 5 is a mind blowing beast that lives and breathes to be a perfectionist. Great story he told about playing with Les Paul in 01 at the Iridium. He said he was on tour with Manson and his friend invited him to come see Les . He said he was in such a rush he still had the smeared makeup on when he got there. He said there were quite a few great players there and he got to meet Les backstage. So he goes into saying he was sitting at a table watching Les playing all these great standards that he did not know and then he started calling guest up to play with him and he says he was thinking God I hope he dont call me up because no matter how great someone played Les kept cracking keep practicing.Well Les goes we have an odd looking fellow here who goes by the name John 5 lets get him up and see what he can do. John 5 said he felt like running out as he had no idea what to play and to make it worse he pulls out a Tele and Les goes Oh you got one of them.lol So he says everyone was skeptical wondering how soon he would be getting off and he was as nervous as he had ever been in his life but the stars alighned and he played better than he ever did in his life. That Les just stopped playing and was just watching him and he thought when it was over Les was going to rip him up and the crowd was going wild and Les said "Son I've played with a lot of people and I dont get impressed easily but you impressed me tonight. The world has to hear you play. John 5 said he bowed down and kissed his feet -no joke! He said it was one of the the greatest nights of his life