2009 Kickoff Event: Eric Johnson at NAMM

Feb 01 2010

via youtube.com

Eric is one of my all time favorites. Here is his performance from NAMM 2009

Posted via web from Jason’s Big Music Corner

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  • Derek says:
    March 4, 2010 at 7:31 pm

    I'm gonna go out on a limb with this comment but, before I do that, I should preface it with this. I got into EJ from the cover story and soundpage in the May 1985 Guitar Player mag. I have all of his albums (even the Electromagnet stuff) and have followed his career closely for years. I am a HUGE fan.

    But…

    I've seen him live twice and found him exasperating to watch. Both times I felt like he was constantly distracted by his equipment. He was always bending to fiddle with his effects pedals, futzing with his amp, or giving instructions to a guitar tech offstage. This video shows perfectly what what nonplusses me about EJ live, especially the part when he bends down to mess with an effects pedal and misses a vocal cue almost entirely.

    Also, it seems to me that his tone has lost its once-legendary “violin” sound. Johnson's notes used to flow into one another in such a unique, almost “liquid” manner. Now I just don't hear that and his playing sounds downright choppy sometimes.

    I first noticed it on the original G3 DVD but blamed it on the fact that he was using an ES-335 on some tunes. But now I'm hearing a real thinness and choppiness to his playing. I just wish he could recapture whatever mojo it was that he had in the Tones/Ah Via Musicom/Venus Isle days and bring it back for all to hear. My two cents, of course.

    By the way, I LOVE your blog, Jason and congrats on the new gig at Guitar Edge. They made a great choice.

  • Derek says:
    March 4, 2010 at 11:31 pm

    I'm gonna go out on a limb with this comment but, before I do that, I should preface it with this. I got into EJ from the cover story and soundpage in the May 1985 Guitar Player mag. I have all of his albums (even the Electromagnet stuff) and have followed his career closely for years. I am a HUGE fan.

    But…

    I've seen him live twice and found him exasperating to watch. Both times I felt like he was constantly distracted by his equipment. He was always bending to fiddle with his effects pedals, futzing with his amp, or giving instructions to a guitar tech offstage. This video shows perfectly what what nonplusses me about EJ live, especially the part when he bends down to mess with an effects pedal and misses a vocal cue almost entirely.

    Also, it seems to me that his tone has lost its once-legendary “violin” sound. Johnson's notes used to flow into one another in such a unique, almost “liquid” manner. Now I just don't hear that and his playing sounds downright choppy sometimes.

    I first noticed it on the original G3 DVD but blamed it on the fact that he was using an ES-335 on some tunes. But now I'm hearing a real thinness and choppiness to his playing. I just wish he could recapture whatever mojo it was that he had in the Tones/Ah Via Musicom/Venus Isle days and bring it back for all to hear. My two cents, of course.

    By the way, I LOVE your blog, Jason and congrats on the new gig at Guitar Edge. They made a great choice.

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