What can you tell me about Eric Johnson?

Re: What can you tell me about Eric Johnson?

For what its worth i think he has a great voice. While it is certainly unique I tend to agree with tone for daysoutlook. I think it would be cool if he did more layering and harmonies but I think he does well. As for guitar playing he is my favorite. He has become my single biggest influence! There some other who have influenced me but he embodies what i love in guiatr playing. He unlike many guitar players has the rarecombo of speed and phrasing and his tone is beautiful. Eric is why I love strats. check out "trademark" those are some of my favorite tones period. How about "East wes"? awesome playing beautiful phrasing. seem most of the players tones i like best play strats. He has an easily recocognizable style. while I admit to not liking everything on his "bloom" cd when he's on, he's on.
 
Re: What can you tell me about Eric Johnson?

I met Eric at KLSU college radio in 1984 and saw him at the Chimes in Baton Rouge that evening. He went from the hot metallic solos he's now famous for to blues to country without retuning or changing amps. He was a session guitarist for many years.You name it he can play it. He was classically trained and studied with Stevie Ray when he was a teenager. Although his albums are a little lacking, he is a great live performer and a really nice guy, unlike some rock stars I've met.
 
Re: What can you tell me about Eric Johnson?

I've never seen anyone play like he does. Those blues based pull off hammer on runs seem very original to me, maybe someone else does it too but never saw it before.

Cliffs of Dover is a top ten instrumental in my book, lover the swinging groovin vib of the song. His tone is very unique too kind of a hollow-clean-distortion-delayed thing.

Not my favorite guitarist but I appreciate what he does.
 
Re: What can you tell me about Eric Johnson?

BRHGM said:
he is a great live performer and a really nice guy, unlike some rock stars I've met.
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He seems like a very humble & sincere guy, no ego or theatrics. His live shows are all about quality and not "the circus comes to town" stage show of some guitarists. Truly someone to respect & admire.
 
Re: What can you tell me about Eric Johnson?

I've seen EJ live 4 times and each and every single time it was an experience that left me with my jaw on the floor and wanting more. He does the progressive power trio format better than anyone I've ever seen live. His drummer is incredible as well. When they all punch in on a big fat chords it's like a tidal wave of tone washing over you.

He's loosened up a bit as of late and he's much more fun to watch as well - good thing because up until the late 90's he was kind of a statue on stage but not anymore. Very polite and humble as well.

RE: His singing. It's not a voice that will appeal to everyone. EJ himself kind of doesn't like it that much, he calls it his "Mr. Relaxation" voice. But it is his, and it's real and he's a fairly good vocalist WHILE still pulling off those knucklebusting chords he loves so much. Personally I think it fits his music just fine.

In short - awesome player, great songwriter too. Check out Ah Via Musicom for full-on EJ or his Alien Love Child CD if you want a more basic bluesy side of him. The Aucstin City Limits DVD is a must-have, IMO.
 
Re: What can you tell me about Eric Johnson?

sosomething said:
Has a long history of wearing rather regrettable jackets.

Has rather foppish hair.
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+1, he does sorta look like a 20-something Lesbian with an eatting disorder.

I will admit, I have never seen pictures of him dressed up as some sort of "white trash wizard" though....unlike a couple other texas guitarist I won't name. (Gibbons, Stevie Ray)
 
Re: What can you tell me about Eric Johnson?

The DVD showed him wearing a jacket on the back. Similar to the jackets Hendrix wore. I think it looks cool.
 
Re: What can you tell me about Eric Johnson?

tone4days said:
... but i think 'desert rose' or 'high landrons' or others like those sound exactly as they should and his voice fits the material
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I agree. He's obviously a better guitar player than singer, but he's far from bad. As a matter of fact, I heard people on here griping about how bad his voice was before I actually heard him sing, and I was mildly disappointed by how not bad it turned out to be.
 
Re: What can you tell me about Eric Johnson?

357mag said:
The DVD showed him wearing a jacket on the back. Similar to the jackets Hendrix wore. I think it looks cool.
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That's actually his marching badn jacket from he high school he went to.

Doesn't really work with the hair though, hehe. It was the laet 80's/early 90's... i think everyone back then had bad hairstyles.
 
Re: What can you tell me about Eric Johnson?

B2D said:
That's actually his marching band jacket from the high school he went to. Doesn't really work with the hair though, hehe. It was the late 80's/early 90's... i think everyone back then had bad hairstyles.
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Yeah, that was years ago. Check out guitarists for funky clothes & hair. It was crazy times.
 
Re: What can you tell me about Eric Johnson?

i like the idea of him loosening up, he's got AMAZING tone, he plays really neat original stuff, but i just wish he'd throw a gnarly pickslide in the middle or drop the guitar or something.

i do like my music like the truck chase in beverly hills cop...
 
Re: What can you tell me about Eric Johnson?

I also actually like most of his vocals, more so when he sings his own songs as his voice to me fits what he writes and maybe not always some of the covers he does.

Electric guitar virtuoso, great acoustic player, and an excellent piano player as well. IMO the most overlooked part of his playing is the unique chord voicings he uses, along with that to die for clean tone. I recently found this on Youtube, from his Art of guitar video where he quickly shows how he builds chords and voicings, moving a melody around within those voicings. Killer stuff!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZVvqzr17BY
 
Re: What can you tell me about Eric Johnson?

Rid said:
Maybe for most rockers...yes...but Eric likes Jazz...so that is no big mystery.
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I can't disagree with you but I think in the guitar world more attention gets directed to his lead playing and "violin" tone, hence my post.

I agree that it's not a mystery, I understand (at least to some degree anyway) the musical theory and approach. My jazz instructor, a great local player and instructor at one of the colleges here, plays a lot of "chord solos" if you will, he says he learned most of his style from listening to Joe Pass.

It is certainly based on the same or at least a very similar approach, but have you tried some of those particular voicings/fingerings and stretches? I still find his stylistic application, his tone, the creative use of harmonics plus the killer lead tone and playing... well now it is starting to sound like man-love so I'll quit.
 
Re: What can you tell me about Eric Johnson?

Aceman said:
OMG - have you guys actually listened to Ah Via Musicom? There are some awesome songs on there!!!!

Disregard these haters. They are jealous of his tone, his chops AND his song writing skills!!!
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Well I don't hate EJ really. I went through a period in the 80's were he was a pretty big influance and I even learned to play some of his tunes. However none of the other players in bands I have ever been in ever wanted play his material. My date did also mention that his drummer was amazing.
 
Re: What can you tell me about Eric Johnson?

i just bought the cd to this Austin City Limits show today... nice sound for sure just like i expected... lots of tape delay to his sounds eh!!! sounds like the strat has a 5way with a reverse middle for sure.. seems his fav settings are the 2 and 4...
 
Re: What can you tell me about Eric Johnson?

IMO, there is a class of guitar players that are just technically amazing- Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Eric Johnson, and possibly Yngwie Malmsteen- that are just awesome at music technique, music theory, but play too perfect to the point it has no soul or feel.

On the other end is Eric Clapton and others, who while isn't the most proficient at music theory, can play purely from the heart. I believe Eddie Van Halen , Ritchie Blackmore, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and many others, fall into this category.
 
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