HW: technique (was: '80's sound...)

[Tim Gadd]

At 10:31 PM 3/14/00 -0000, Alasdair Macdonald wrote:
>What is this "marginal playing talent"? I frequently read these
>comments here about Hawkwind and it seems to me that Dave
>Brock (who this accusation is typically levelled against) knows
>what sounds he wants to make, and lo! he creates those sounds. I
>don't understand how that can be any kind of inferior talent????? If
>he had played his career any other way, I probably wouldn't be here
>now.

I remember when Live 79 came out, reading a review which said "Dave Brock
still sounds like he learned to play guitar last week". In fact, whereas
he's no Hendrix, I don't think this matters particularly; I've never liked a
predominance of lead guitar in Hawkwind anyway, and it just so happens that
I _love_ Brock's chunky, hard-edged rhythm style. He'd definately be one of
my favourite rhythm guitarists ever.  Also, at least in Brock's case, I
think that whereas he may not be an outstanding guitarist techinically, he
has an impressive ability with electronics and synthesizers; again, not in
terms of outright playing, but in terms of simply visualising and then
realising complex soundscapes. He seems to have a technical knack for this
sort of thing; sequencers and so on. I also think he has the most musical
voice of any Hawkwind member ever (which might not be saying a lot, but still..)

I'd also question the old allegation that Hawkwind have generally been
musically inept. House is an obvious exception, but you don't have to be a
virtuoso musician to be a good rock musician. IMO Hawkwind have had at least
two _great_ bass players, and one of the great rock drummers. King was
playing a style in 1974 that I never used to hear anywhere else until the
90's; now suddenly it's everywhere; this playing the snare drum on the
off-beat, like he does through 'Paradox' for instance; that's become almost
a signature of 90's hard rock (except not many 90's drummers could also
sneak in those sublime, seamlessly deployed little military rolls that King
used to come out with in fills).
Most of this doesn't come under the category of great playing from a
technical stadpoint (though in King's case, I'd suggest some of it does);
more simply from the point of view of doing something passionate, original;
forging a unique style; playing with complete conviction.

Anwyay, don;t quite know where that all came from...
--
Tim Gadd
Hobart, Tasmania