Is it wrong to like The Edge?

[sile2001]

Take away his delay unit and he'd be nothing.

Any guitarist here could learn to do what the Edge does in about half an hour given a DD3 or a Roland Space Echo.

I love the comedy sketch Bill Bailey does on this theme. It's funny 'cos it's true

Are you ready for the "EDGE CHALLENGE"?? Ok, it's all going down here! You, a strat, a DD3, and a Vox AC30TB. You have 30 minutes to lay down a track indistinguishable from Edge's live performance of "In God's Country." Ready? On your mark, get set...GO!

(30 minutes later)
"Umm...dude...no offence, but that doesn't sound anything like Edge."

 

[timmerman]

Yes and the world loves it [read the Media..........so that is Most of the people.]

I put him in the same class as Pete Townsend and Curt Cobain. Neither of them are/were very technical players, yet they had the ability to write riffs that were extremely moving; well at least to me. That's really what it's all about isn't it?

There is no good or bad - music either moves you or it doesn't.

Yep and he has been doing it for a long time, so..............................

I think he sets and example of what we could all achieve, just stick to it, come up with your sound and ROCK the world.#

Come back here after you made it, and let us know what you think of the shows you are doing now

Heh, some of us may even be able to help you out as support act

Eddie

 

[azraelswings]

Considering how often his name comes up in BBS's talking about whether he is overrated or not..... I would say he has done well. I love his style, and if he was so easy to imitate, name a U2 ripoff band? Come on, just one......

Though I wouldn't call them a rip-off band, Third Eye Blind was very clearly influenced by U2. Particularly their original guitarist, Kevin Cadogan. As I recall he cited Edge as a mighty big influence.

 

[azraelswings]

I hated Edge in the '80s for all the same reasons listed above. Now I realize he's a brilliant guitarist. Sure, you could do the same thing with a digital delay--but you didn't, he did. Edge understands tension and resolution; these are musical concepts. Wanking is not.

Amen to that.

 

[c7sus]

Edge isn't qualified to carry PT's gig bag!

Townshend played better on smack than the edge ever did on his best day!

 

[ocnor]

The edge of what? Why can't people just have a NORMAL name? You know like "Clarence" or something.

 

[Buck62]

Yes it's wrong.

Edge doesn't even exist without digital delay.

If me and Craig can agree on something, then you know it must be absolutely true.

The Edge needs a new nickname.

How about "The Yawn?"

 

[Hard2Hear]

I've heard that Townsend's style is somewhat derived from learning on guitars with missing strings; he found ways to work with two or three notes and set up good rhythms.

Similarly, I've heard that TE didn't really know guitar at all when they started the band, and so his parts are very simplified.

Two great examples of the less is more school.

Its funny because I can say those two things about myself. I learned guitar on a 3 string guitar cause I couldnt afford 3 more strings. And I started playing live performances when I knew about 4 chords. And it was great.

H2H

 

[ecktronic]

I went to a U2 concert during the Pop tour with an ex-GF, and about the only thing I remember about it is that I was surpisingly impressed with the Edge as both a guitarist and backing vocalist. He's solid and his guitar parts fit perfectly with the style of music they play. I'm not big on the band, but I can respect them. And I do think there is a little more to his sound than having the right fx box. That's a pretty narrowminded notion.

But, good lord, "The Edge"??!!! Is there a more stupid nickname out there?

Well youd kinda hope after 27 years of being in U2 that he would be solid!!

 

[Henri Devill]

The Edge is a fair player...But a excellent arranger{sp?} of guitar parts..Also not too shabby of a songwriter! When U2 came out they were a breath of fresh air with a very different sound and just teenagers to boot! As for U2/ Edge copies..Big Country and more recently and fairly remenicent Cold Play..If you crank up "Bullet The Blue Sky" or "New Years Day" there is some good old RnR attitude on the guit, delay or not...

 

[mshilarious]

There are lots of Edge-inspired tunes . . . Radiohead's "Subterranean Homesick Alien", Cranberries "Forever Yellow Skies" . . .

 

[Fab4ever]

If liking The Edge is wrong, I don't want to be right.

 

[HogansHiro]

If my name was David Howell Evans, I'd pretty much look for something cooler sounder. Maybe..... Roy.

 

[Hard2Hear]

Dave Evans isnt that bad.....not like its..........Zoidberg!

H2H

 

[HangDawg]

I've always said he's right on "The Edge" of not being able to play at all. That's where his nickname came from.

 

[Chris Shaeffer]

Ah, the age-old struggle to apply one label to 2 completely different beasts.

What is a "good guitar player?" How is that different from, say, a good songwriter or a virtuoso?

The Edge is not a guitar virtuoso, but he definately qualifies as a good songwriter and musician by his list of credits, album sales, and longevity.

So is he a "good guitar player?" I think so. I figure if you're a good songwriter or musician you qualify. If you're a guitar virtuoso you qualify. If you're both, you qualify. Very few folks who have been around for 20 years are neither.

Take care,
Chris

 

[ocnor]

He uses so much delay that you can still hear him playing even after the CD is over. He only wrote 1 song but it had so much delay that it lasted through 14 albums.

 

[Light]

Any guitarist here could learn to do what the Edge does in about half an hour given a DD3 or a Roland Space Echo.

And not one of them could write a song or a riff like The Edge, and more to the point, you couldn't CREATE his style. He did.

Trying to put down someone’s technical ability, particularly when they have had an extremely successful 20 + year career, is somewhat just silly. He gets the job done, and any time he plays on a record, you can tell it is him in about 5 seconds.


There are MAYBE a couple dozen guys in the world about whom that can be said.


And I am betting you are not one of them.















I'm sure not one of them.






Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[dwillis45]

In art, music, photography, dance, literature, etc. it's easy to confuse style with technical virtuosity. Both are equally difficult to accomplish and both deserve some credit on some level. I can't judge the Edge's technical skills because I've never been in the same room with the guy! Plus, other than sheer speed and complexity, I don't have any real qualitative or quantitative standards to use as a guide. I do know that he has developed a signature style or sound that is recognizable and copied by others. So, to use an art history analogy, he's probably no Rembrant but he very easily could be a Jasper Johns or maybe even Picasso if you stretch it! In musical terms, his guitar playing might be compared to Neil Young--another guitar player whose style is important and recognizable without being technically unmatched.

 

[apl]

...maybe even Picasso....

Picasso could paint like a Renaissance master; check out his pre-cubist stuff.

...his guitar playing might be compared to Neil Young--.

Hey, so has mine! Does that make me Edgy?