French/Ojeda - the worst 80s guitarists?

[Tommy2Tone84]

Ojeda while not the prodigy that E. Lee and Lynch were, was .... fine as a lead player for an American NWOBHM band, (which is sorta what they were up to YCSRNR). No one disses Saxon's guitarists, for example. No one even thinks about them.

French seemed like a basic rhythm guitist, who demanded to take a few solos as well.

I always thought Ojeda was as good as guys like Ace, Eddie Clark and Phil Campbell

I’ll take Ojeda and JJ over the guys in Slayer and Venom.

Never got into Saxon

Fast Eddie was pretty standard in the soloing department, but the man had an arsenal of great riffs. Twisted Sister had a couple of decent riffs, but did Ojeda and French even come up with them? Dee is credited for writing everything.

I'd still rank Campbell and Ace higher, they had a few nice solos. Nothing brilliant but definitely above average.

I don’t count JJ. CC was like Albert Lee compared to him. I always liked Ojeda and felt he was underrated

[El Vampiro Blanco]

In his book Jay Jay claimed that at some point he deliberately stopped advancing further as a guitar player since he was managing the band and arranging all the club gigs and promotion.
He said that was a better way to spend his time since that was where the band made its money and he was at a guitar playing level which was sufficient for TS music.

[Wiseacre]

In his book Jay Jay claimed that at some point he deliberately stopped advancing further as a guitar player since he was managing the band and arranging all the club gigs and promotion.
He said that was a better way to spend his time since that was where the band made its money and he was at a guitar playing level which was sufficient for TS music.

I believe 90% of guitarists learn 90% of everything they will ever know in the first 2-3 years. Unless you are studying classical guitar or are one of those guys who sits there and runs scales 3 hours a day which is hardly any of us. Barely any famous players improved much over their careers. Glenn Tipton is one example who did and there are others, but most players don't. Maybe you technique improves a little with experience and practice, but if you don't have natural rhythm, you are screwed because that's one of the most important things and cannot be taught or learned.

[demolition23]

Over the Hills was awesome and it some other great tunes. His playing always made the songs worth listening to. I know Gary was always a big blues guy, but when he went full bluestard, I kinda lost interest.

Hated that. But can't blame him. He did it for the money after 10 years of starving in the shadows.

I never read his bio or anything for that, but did switching to blues really bring in that much money? Still Got The Blues went gold but that's about it.

Internationally those first two blues albums probably did more business than all his preceding hard rock albums combined. Close to it at least.

[Bono Nettencourt]

In his book Jay Jay claimed that at some point he deliberately stopped advancing further as a guitar player since he was managing the band and arranging all the club gigs and promotion.
He said that was a better way to spend his time since that was where the band made its money and he was at a guitar playing level which was sufficient for TS music.

I believe 90% of guitarists learn 90% of everything they will ever know in the first 2-3 years. Unless you are studying classical guitar or are one of those guys who sits there and runs scales 3 hours a day which is hardly any of us. Barely any famous players improved much over their careers.

Agree. I think that EVH started farting around on keyboards because he knew that he was starting to repeat himself on guitar. Conversely, Jimi and Randy are revered as gods because they died before they ran out of ideas.

[Rocker4Real]

They should have a guitar-off vs. Erik Turner.

[Anthrax442]

They should have a guitar-off vs. Erik Turner.

OH SHIT. I take back everything I said about Piper/Holmes.

Turner/Allen is the answer. Go watch any of the Warrant Gazzari's clips.

[Ozzy Stradlin]

In his book Jay Jay claimed that at some point he deliberately stopped advancing further as a guitar player since he was managing the band and arranging all the club gigs and promotion.
He said that was a better way to spend his time since that was where the band made its money and he was at a guitar playing level which was sufficient for TS music.

That’s a great excuse.

[Gibsonite]

Maybe not the worst, but they better hope the guys from Faster Pussycat don't die anytime soon.

[Ozzy Stradlin]

Maybe not the worst, but they better hope the guys from Faster Pussycat don't die anytime soon.

Why?

[Love_Industry]

In his book Jay Jay claimed that at some point he deliberately stopped advancing further as a guitar player since he was managing the band and arranging all the club gigs and promotion.
He said that was a better way to spend his time since that was where the band made its money and he was at a guitar playing level which was sufficient for TS music.

I believe 90% of guitarists learn 90% of everything they will ever know in the first 2-3 years. Unless you are studying classical guitar or are one of those guys who sits there and runs scales 3 hours a day which is hardly any of us. Barely any famous players improved much over their careers.

Agree. I think that EVH started farting around on keyboards because he knew that he was starting to repeat himself on guitar.

Not saying EVH ran out of ideas entirely but there's a reason why they recycled bits and pieces or even full songs from the 1970s on every album except maybe VH3 and we all know how that went.

[Bono Nettencourt]

Well, they were pumping out an album a year til 84. Cheap Trick hit a similar wall - All Shook Up was their 1st album where they didn't lean on Rick Nielsen's demos and it was a disaster.