| Author | Message | ||
     Alfred |
Havning never seen the Go-Betweens live - Miami is Siberia as far as that sort of thing goes - puts me at a disadvantage, so feel free to respond to this query. Grant is credited on Liberty Belle and Tallulah as "lead guitarrist," but I've always wondered how true this is. Judging from secondhand live footage and his guitar work on his solo records I've thought he was content to just strum an acoustic rather than pick an inventive line on an electric. Is he playing those wonderful leads on, to pick two random examples, Man O'Sand and Spirit of a Vampyre? Just how good a guitarist IS Grant? Or is Robert the true lead guitarist, as I've always assumed? His work on Bright Yellow Bright Orange seems to confirm this. | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker |
I've always assumed Grant is the true lead guitarist. He does the prominent melodic leads in songs like Part Company, Rare Breed, Head Full of Steam, Spring Rain, Man 'O Sand, etc.... However, note that these are all Forster songs, so I naturally started to wonder if Robert played leads on Grant's songs, like Unkind Unwise, Slow Slow Music, Five Words, etc... But I'm doubtful of this because the lead melodies on these songs all sound very McLennan-esque to me. To further clarify (or maybe complicate) matters, in the live video from '83, filmed shortly after Vickers joined and Grant switched to guitar, Grant seems to be handling the lion's share of lead melodies. Also, pre-SHF, when Grant was the bassist, his bass lines were frequently melodic, and guitar-like. However, I can tell you from experience that most people who sing and play guitar simultaneously will prefer to play rhythm guitar as it's insanely difficult to sing and play a lead melody at the same time. So, honestly, I don't really know. I bet Mr. Nichols could enlighten us on this one. As for whether or not Grant is a good guitarist, I can safely say that neither Grant nor Robert are any kind of Johnny Marr. Both are undoubtedly creative guitarists, but not necessarily technical virtuosos. Also note that John Wilsteed seems to have done a lot of the lead guitar parts on 16LL. | ||
| david nichols |
I seem to recall someone saying they solo on each other's songs but it's the same solo every time... yes, neither are that technically proficient (says I, who can barely play two chords) although GMcL is MORE technically proficient (despite starting much later) and so presumably anything complicated on a record from Before Hollywood onwards is by GMcL, except 16LL when all the textural, complicated guitar is Willsteed. The style of RF's songs suits a basic player, and GMcL has always been the melody guy. As for who is the 'true' lead guitarist... that's a tough one. | ||
| Alfred |
Thanks to both of you for your quick responses. Since I understood that neither Robert nor Grant were/are in Johnny Marr's league I questioned Grant's prowess, especially in light of Robert's lead playing on the two reunion discs. From what I've seen from recent concert footage, Robert seems to play most of the electric stuff these days, while Grant strums. | ||
| Randy Adams |
When I saw them on stage last year, Grant played most of the leads. This is as I expect. Bass is a better training ground for lead than is the type of "spread all over everything" rhythm work that Robert had to do when he was the only guitarist. And it seems to me that there is more of that recogizable GoB lead sound on Grant's solo albums than on Robert's. | ||
| Pete Azzopardi |
Even though Robert plays a bit more lead these days, as the electric guitar usually dictates, Grant still plays most of it on the Takamine acoustic. This can be very frustrating as the frequency of an acoustic guitar pickup is usually lost in live band situations and it proves difficult to hear what he's playing. | ||
| Cassiel |
As a resolutely non-muso kind of guy, I can't say who or who wasn't playing the lead each time I've seen them. In terms of attitude, Robert plays the lead guitar role; hamming it up, making the most of his solos. Grant tends to either close his eyes or gaze at Robert like a lovestruck plumber. | ||
| Babs Keatings neighbour |
"a lovestruck plumber" - Class! I concur with Pete regarding the acoustic guitar - the Takamine isn't suitable for solos. If Grant has any sense he'll get the Gretsch he used in the video for 'Was there anything I could do?' for the shows in June. I mean, it would be a crying shame if he were to reproduce, note-for-note, the guitar solo on 'Spirit of a Vampyre' only for it to be inaudible to the punters on account of it being played on an acoustic guitar! | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker |
Yeah, I've seen them do the acoustic thing twice now, and it's a bit frustrating when Grant plays leads on songs like Part Company on his acoustic, as it's barely audible. Whoever is playing lead would really benefit from playing an electric, so the notes will sustain and carry across the venue. | ||
| Randy Adams |
The solution is simple: keep the acoustic but apply more watts. And get a better sound man | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker |
At the very least Grant could use a volume pedal or something to allow him to boost his levels when doing a melodic lead part. |