I guess I'm by myself on this one. I really like Journey and Toto. I think Schon and Lukather are 2 of the best guitarists out there. I have seen both of them live and have been blown away.

Just curious, who do you, that dislike Schon and Lukather, think are good/great guitar players?

To me it's kind of silly to call someone overrated like Luke. He is only on every recording from about the mid 70s on.

I'm not upset or angry about your opinions, just a little surprised.

Here's a hugely unpopular answer - I can't understand why people dislike Neal Schon so much. The man can write songs and he can do everything from shred to play blues to come up with beautiful melodic lines on the guitar. Granted, Journey are often too soft for my taste, but still, the quality of the songs and musicianship, IMHO, is impressive.
Didn't really pay attention to the new singer until my wife picked up the Revelation CD with the re-recorded Greatest Hits. This guy can really, really sing. Beautiful high end in his voice, plus he's got a nice gritty low end that Perry never had. Just my opinion. Not necessarily my favorite band, but I certainly respect them and Neal.

All I said was that Schon and Lukather are over-rated. I also said they were both very competent. I also said Schon was a decent songwriter. I also gave love to HSAS. And I do like Toto (can't stand Journey, though). HOWEVER ... that does not make either Luke or Schon great.

Here are some guys who are great off the top of my head: Randy Rhoads, Jeff Beck, Steve Howe (my favorite), Buck Dharma, Eddie, Steve Vai, Brian May, SRV, Joe Walsh, Blackmore, Alex Lifeson, Michael Schenker, Hendrix. If you ask me to give you an example of some great guitar work of any of the above, I can give you a list a mile long.

Now, I ask you in all seriousness: What great guitar work of Neal Schon and Steve Lukather do YOU consider great??


Okay, he is a very prolific session player. But ... again ... what session of his would you consider great? Now, by comparison, I will give you two session guitarists that are awesome: Jeff "Skunk" Baxter and Waddy Watchel. For these guys, again, I can point to amazing guitar work.

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Laughing out loud with fear and hope, I have a desperate plan ...

I don't think you would like any of my examples. But here goes:
For Luke, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Forever Man, just 2 off the top of my head

For Neal, Stone In Love, The solo on Who's Crying Now

I'm terrible at remembering song names, and I am a singer as well. And these are just a couple songs for both. If it really matters I could spend some time with my CDs and try and get more examples but you probably won't be impressed with my examples.

By the way I like all the guitarists you listed. I was lucky enough to get to see Joe Walsh at a place called Bogarts in Cincinnati some years ago. It is a standing room only and I was one of the first in line so I was really close to the stage. In my opinion, he might be one of the most underrated guitar players. Truely incredible show.

Both Neal and Luke play the song and that doesn't necessarily call for the fastest licks or the show off type stuff. It just seemed that you mentioined Luke out of the blue on a thread about Journey.

I completely respect your opinion and please don't take my comments wrong. I enjoy the banter.

Dude, you are wrong -- your examples are fine. If you have stuff you can point to as great, then that is all that matters. I sincerely respect your opinion. And I thank you for letting me have my say.

As I have said before ... as taxpayers and guitar players, I think we all here in this forum have a lot more in common than differences.

P.S. -- As a Neal Schon fan, make sure you check out the often-missed HSAS project (Hagar-Schon-Aronson-Shrieve) if you do not already have it. Personally, I think it is his best and most fiery work.

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Laughing out loud with fear and hope, I have a desperate plan ...

I was never a big fan of Journey,although my wife loves them,but I always liked the guitar work on their songs.

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I put Journey in the same category as more current bands like Nickelback; individual members who are above average to good (some are even really good) who write decent top-40-radio-worthy hard pop songs that take you back to Junior High or High School...of course, when I was in high school in the 80s, I was listening to Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, The Stones and ZZ Top, as well as the whole Austin Blues scene--so maybe I'm not the best person to ask.

"Separate Ways" always takes me back to midnight at Pizza Hut when I was sweeping up after closing (it was on the jukebox). "Forever Yours Faithfully" takes me back to dancing with some girl whose hairsprayed-stiff 80s "big hair" tickled my nose. Neither one of those were great experiences, they were just experiences.

Neal could eat my lunch technique-wise, but he never really seemed to progress "emotionally" past his first celebrated gig as Santana's right-hand-man (or should I say "boy" since he was only 16? ). He seems (like Luke) to be more respected in the recording industry than many comparable--or even better--guitarists out there, so maybe he's got something I'm not hearing. He also seems to have a fixation/talent for finding singers who sound exactly like Steve Perry (check out the Journey singer comparison clip on YouTube--it's hilarious).

I deduct coolness points from any man who would chop up a vintage Les Paul to put a Floyd Rose trem on it ...that's a capital offense in several southern states!

PS The only songs I've ever liked by Nickelback were the two that Billy Gibbons appeared on from the CD "all the wrong reasons"...if the Reverend Willy G would lend his services, they must have somethin', but I'm not really getting it.

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Good Vibes To Y'all!



Screamin' Armadillos
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Guitar/Slide Guitar/Harp/Vocals

"Greatest Hits?" Was this a CD-single?

I like what I've heard but I couldn't really call myself a fan. Just the usual singing them in a club drunk when the DJ sticks them on.

CC

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I saw a show with Cheap Trick, Heart and Journey I think it was last year in Hershey in Pa. They were the headliners and went on last and all six of us walked out. Heart actually stole the show and I'm not a big Heart fan. I went to see Cheap Trick. Man all these guys are getting old but they sounded great. Journey performed like they were a headlining on a Cruise Ship.

I used to really like Journey back in the middle 80's. But then I got into Metal and Thrash a couple years later and could have cared less about Journey. I do not mind an occasional song or two played on the radio, but have not heard anything with the new line-up.

I also heard rumor that the new singer was not as happy with life on the road either. I am just wondering if they will be on another search for that missing element soon.

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RK

2007 Fender Highway 1
2012 American Deluxe
2015 MIM Dave Murray HHH
2010 Fender Blacktop
1987 Fender Avalon Acoustic
2012 Marshall DSL 15 watt head

I'm not a very big Journey fan but I have fond memories of a concert of theirs that I attended. I was taken advantage of by a lovely lass in her car after the concert.........

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I Can't Explain

Oh aye, that'd be a journey any of us would take!

CC

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Fender Stratocaster (parts build)
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Gretsch Electromatic Pro-Jet
Gibson Les Paul Standard Plus
Gibson ES-135
Zenith Type-17
Marshall 70's JMP Superbass 100w
Blackstar HT-5

Honestly i feel they had their day and their music is only still around because it's been used in commercials and television programs.

All of which is the Steve Perry era... so no they aren't very good.

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78 Rolie

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgA_Zu-8 ... re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHQL2yVP ... re=related

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you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.