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Topic: Andy Summers - great guitarist |
Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 4 Mar 2009 1:18 pm |
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Okay, back in the 80s I was a jazz snob. I heard all of the Police's hit tunes on the radio of course, but I would never have wasted my time actually listening to what they were doing. My loss.
Only recently I've caught on to just how good their musicianship was, how complete and full-sounding they were for a 3-piece, and how sophisticated and multi-textural Andy Summer's guitar parts and their overall arrangements were. Sting's singing is still not might cup of tea but I've come to realize what a fine guitarist Summers is. Every Breath You Take was influenced by Bartok! Who knew? On my Tele with heavy strings, those voicings aren't so easy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNVcTlfBzIk&feature=related |
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Leslie Ehrlich
From:
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
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Posted 4 Mar 2009 3:46 pm
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Andy Summers was worlds apart from original Police guitarist Henry Padovani. Padovani was a punk rocker and Summers was a jazz player. When Summers joined the sound of the guitar department cleaned up in a big way, and the Police drifted away from their punk rock roots. Some of the early Police stuff leaned towards reggae, while the later stuff had more of a pop/soft rock sound.
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Sho-Bud Pro III + Marshall JMP 2204 half stack = good grind! |
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Mark van Allen
From:
Watkinsville, Ga. USA
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Posted 4 Mar 2009 4:16 pm
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| I agree with you, Andy, Summers was just great. I was playing top-40 rock when they got popular and some of those guitar parts were quite a challenge. It's always a treat when somebody comes along to up the ante for pop radio rock. About time for another infusion! |
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Dave Mudgett
From:
Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee
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Posted 4 Mar 2009 4:51 pm
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| Andy Summers really is a fine guitarist, and a refreshing change from the usual modern rock guitar wankers. The textural stuff he plays is very sophisticated, and he has an instantly recognizable tone. I've never been a huge Police fan, but I've always listened for the great guitar parts. I think any guitar player would benefit from really grokking how he handles these parts. |
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scott murray
From:
Asheville, NC
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Posted 5 Mar 2009 3:43 pm
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check out his album of Thelonious Monk covers: 'Green Chimneys'
damn good stuff.
_________________
1965 Emmons S-10, 3x5 • Emmons LLIII D-10, 10x12 • JCH D-10, 10x12 • Beard MA-8 • Oahu Tonemaster |
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Chris Bauer
From:
Nashville, TN USA
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Posted 5 Mar 2009 6:18 pm
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I saw him play a show once with David Torn and it was pretty interesting hearing how two largely textural guitarists made things work together. The band was pretty percussion-heavy but at the moment I'm not recalling who the drummers and percussionists were. Cool concert, though.
I really went to hear Torn since I'm a fan and had never been that interested in the Police. I came away with an unexpected respect and appreciation for Summers, though. |
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David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
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Posted 6 Mar 2009 9:07 am
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He recorded an "atmosphere" album called "I Advance Masked" with Robert Fripp in 1982 that really got my attention, then like Mark I started having to play some Police tunes in a cover band - gaak! Instant jazz chord-fragment & weird timing education. Everything the Police did was completely conscious - they were all older veterans of the same scene that spit up Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, John McLaughlin, Jeff Beck etc. - they just decided to be cute blond pop stars (with dangerous, secret chops).
I read somewhere that their recent reunion shows had a few disastrous moments early on, because they often play three different, interlocking rhythmic figures simultaneously and if your timing's off, well.... it's kinda hard to fix that stuff on the fly when there is no "one" in common.  |
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 6 Mar 2009 10:56 am
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| I read that the blond thing happened when they were still barely making a living scuffling to gigs in a single van. They got an offer to be in a TV commercial if they would all dye their hair blond. Desperate for cash, they jumped at the offer. I think their reunion tour was the 1st or 2nd biggest moneymaking tour in rock history. With so many musical illiterates on the radio it's nice to see pop stars who are actually well-rounded, solid musicians and whose success was in part, due their abilities. |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 6 Mar 2009 6:17 pm
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He handled guitar chores with a fave of mine, Kevin Ayers, for a while in the early 70's. The Fripp collaboration was very interesting, indeed.
The guy's resume is pretty astounding. |
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Bill Bassett
From:
Papamoa New Zealand
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Posted 8 Mar 2009 7:01 am Every Step You Take
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He makes it look so easy.
It always amazes me when someone requests that song for a wedding. IT'S ABOUT A STALKER.
One of the creepiest songs ever. Don't they get it?
BDBassett
Rimrock AZ |
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