I remember first hearing Testament's Low and Convergence all in the same day through my older cousin who was teaching me guitar and basically showing me what was more to metal. I remember hearing the intro part of Vision and nearly falling off the couch asking him who the hell is this guy and what star wars movie is he from? Before then, I only heard of the general virtuoso players such as Vai, Satch, Macalpine, Yngwie and whoever else you wanna list that guitar mags label as the "best". To me it all sounded rather generic and was just technical driffle without any hint of actually humility or song writing capability. With James though it had the technical ability and then some but what got me the most was the feeling behind it all. Pure emotion and a human soul. Even without lyrics to the instrumental songs , I walked away feeling like I just read a good book.
I have been online over the years running this man's music into the ground to anyone who was wanting to know what is beyond what MTV and magazines provide. You have no idea the countless hours spent opening others ears up to whats possible in guitar, and lots bought the cds and were gratefull for the deed. Now there is a downside to it, I looked like a jack ass on Usenet for the wars I got into about how much more light years better his guitar playing is than anyone else, I didn't really care how I worded anything and I knew how the people thought on there so it was a careless effort to write anything with much thought behind it but one thing is for sure. Any publicity is good publicity and nobody ever proved me wrong or shut me up with something of greater value no matter how subjective it all really is and it was mainly all done out of passion and the want for this shit to be blasted on loud speakers across the whole country cause to me I still haven't heard anyone come close (besides Greg Howe) to what touched me so much in the 2 solo albums complex-guitar-playing wise and I feel the music was much more than just something to hear. I studied it every way possible over and over. With the lights on, with em off, upside down, on the roof, etc.
The thing that tickles me, is how now I'm seeing a official website and a official message board for something I cared alittle to much for over the years. The irony of the illness and now this... These sites should of been around long before all the shit that went down last year but either way it's cool something positive has came out of it and now the recognition is there (somewhat).
Now to my question......whew...
Is JM anybody elses' absolute favorite guitarist or am I alone?
and since I've embarassed the shit out of myself for sounding like a fan boy lets ask something else and really RUIN it......
(sorry James)
Anybody ever take hallucinogenic mushrooms or LSD and listened to Convergence and Feeding The Machine or am I alone?
I saw a Spiral form during Epoch and if you think about it, the design on the top of the convergence cd "IS" the music.
Either way. This took some courage to write and I don't want to offend anyone.... I just wanna dance!
take care
JAH
I have been online over the years running this man's music into the ground to anyone who was wanting to know what is beyond what MTV and magazines provide. You have no idea the countless hours spent opening others ears up to whats possible in guitar, and lots bought the cds and were gratefull for the deed. Now there is a downside to it, I looked like a jack ass on Usenet for the wars I got into about how much more light years better his guitar playing is than anyone else, I didn't really care how I worded anything and I knew how the people thought on there so it was a careless effort to write anything with much thought behind it but one thing is for sure. Any publicity is good publicity and nobody ever proved me wrong or shut me up with something of greater value no matter how subjective it all really is and it was mainly all done out of passion and the want for this shit to be blasted on loud speakers across the whole country cause to me I still haven't heard anyone come close (besides Greg Howe) to what touched me so much in the 2 solo albums complex-guitar-playing wise and I feel the music was much more than just something to hear. I studied it every way possible over and over. With the lights on, with em off, upside down, on the roof, etc.
The thing that tickles me, is how now I'm seeing a official website and a official message board for something I cared alittle to much for over the years. The irony of the illness and now this... These sites should of been around long before all the shit that went down last year but either way it's cool something positive has came out of it and now the recognition is there (somewhat).
Now to my question......whew...
Is JM anybody elses' absolute favorite guitarist or am I alone?
and since I've embarassed the shit out of myself for sounding like a fan boy lets ask something else and really RUIN it......
(sorry James)
Anybody ever take hallucinogenic mushrooms or LSD and listened to Convergence and Feeding The Machine or am I alone?
I saw a Spiral form during Epoch and if you think about it, the design on the top of the convergence cd "IS" the music.
Either way. This took some courage to write and I don't want to offend anyone.... I just wanna dance!
take care
JAH
