Printable Version of Topic
Click here to view this topic in its original format
GMC Forum _ Bands and Guitarists _ Tom Morello
Posted by: rokchik May 24 2008, 01:20 AM
Hello GMC,
I was having a discussion today with my cousin and one of his friends about Mr. Morello. As most here know he is probably my favorite guitarist along with Page. My cousins friend apparently is anything but a fan. Now he plays guitar and is in a band but he's more of an Opeth, Death, Cannibal Corpse type guy and doesn't like Rage or Audioslave at all. His view is that Morello makes nothing but noise and he covers his ears when ever he hears a Morello solo. He claims that Morello has no talent and relies to much on digital equipment.
Personally I think Morello is one of the most original artists out there. His sound is certainly unique and instantly recognizable. I love how he creates sounds that one would never think could come from a guitar. He may not be traditional per say but he's definitely talented. Now I think he is certainly one of those guys who you either really like or you really hate which is fine not everyone is gonna like everyone. But I believe he does deserve some credit for his style of play.
So what do you guys think?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itkeEhSjokQ&feature=related
Posted by: Nick325 May 24 2008, 01:26 AM
i love tom and his use of effects is awsome!
Posted by: rokchik May 24 2008, 02:18 AM
Yes he sure knows how to the rock the whammy and wah pedals that's for sure
Posted by: shellshock1911 May 24 2008, 02:20 AM
Personally I think he is just OK, I don't love him or hate him. I don't understand how rubbing your hands on the strings, or slapping a pen on them while using whammy effects equals EXTREMELY ORIGINAL, but once you get past all that nonsense, he is just like any other decent guitarist. Just my opinion.
Posted by: chast May 24 2008, 02:23 AM
Tom Morello is very creative, not the best guitar player ever, but he is very creative (as already said 
) and that is what is important (imo) and he has a nice groove.
I really like how he uses the effects in a way that isn't done by everybody else, he uses the effects in a good musical way.
Posted by: Guitarman700 May 24 2008, 02:28 AM
i love him, but youd already know that from the pic my signature!
Posted by: Scott Gentzen May 24 2008, 02:46 AM
I love these two videos from Guitar World where he explains how he does what he does:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eg-nF8jG3Hc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arWHSC3gQkA
In the second video he talks about having a "disregard for the tradition of the instrument" and I think that's the best part of what he's about. He's not using a ton of effects, he's not using any shred magic...he's just trying to use what he has in different and interesting ways. That's more interesting to me than sweeping at 230bpm.
And I love, love, LOVE the sound of his wah. Before I caught those videos, I thought it was some weird pile of gear, but it's just a vintage CryBaby?!
Posted by: rokchik May 24 2008, 03:09 AM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eg-nF8jG3Hc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arWHSC3gQkA
In the second video he talks about having a "disregard for the tradition of the instrument" and I think that's the best part of what he's about. He's not using a ton of effects, he's not using any shred magic...he's just trying to use what he has in different and interesting ways. That's more interesting to me than sweeping at 230bpm.
And I love, love, LOVE the sound of his wah. Before I caught those videos, I thought it was some weird pile of gear, but it's just a vintage CryBaby?!
Yes his set up is pretty simple. Most of his solos are either with a Crybaby or a Whammy he's just creative in his use of them. ( he also uses a delay, EQ and Flanger pedal I believe) He gets such unique sounds and like you mention his disregard for tradition certainly sets him apart from other artists as he's basically trying to make a guitar not sound like a guitar. I read somewhere that when RATM were forming they wanted a DJ type sound. This is where Tom stepped up and basically became the DJ but with his guitar instead of turn tables.
EDIT: Great videos by the way. I have that GW magazine and CD pretty much worn out
Posted by: Nemanja Filipovic May 24 2008, 04:04 AM
I think that Morello is one of the best and one of the most original.And you can hear in his solos(in Audioslave) that he is actually fast(he can shred)witch is the basic ground to be original like he is.IMO
Posted by: FrankW May 24 2008, 05:42 AM
He doesn't really move me in any way. He's gadget savvy, but his playing lacks emotion. From a band standpoint, I guess Audioslave is okay, but from a guitarists' pespective, I'd rather listen to less effects, and more virtuosity. Of course, now, that's just me...in other words... YAWN!!!
Posted by: erik May 24 2008, 10:16 AM
I love his riffs! But I don't like all his soloes..
Going to see RATM i june!!!!!
Posted by: Fsgdjv May 24 2008, 10:41 AM
I love Tom Morello. And I'm still into bands like Opeth, etc, so I don't think it has that much to do with that. He used to be my favourite guitarist, but now I "just" think that he's awesome. I mean, his solo style is unique and amazing. And he's just an amazing musician in general, just look at The Nightwatchman.
So yeah, I love him. Sure, he relies a lot on digital equipment, but that's his style and he uses it really well, so I see no reason to complain.
Posted by: Moon Boots May 24 2008, 10:50 AM
I can't stand him, hes probably my least favourite guitarist of all time. I just about managed to get through 50 seconds of that video...he sounds like a mouse dying an excruciating death 
If other people like him then thats great...I guess.
Posted by: VinceG May 24 2008, 01:18 PM
he is good at imitating other instruments using a few pedals. I'm not gonna call him great or influential or something along the lines, but he is good for what he does best. I don't really see him as a soloing player though, even most of his solo's only consist of it being experimental sounds.
Posted by: FrankW May 24 2008, 02:47 PM
So yeah, I love him. Sure, he relies a lot on digital equipment, but that's his style and he uses it really well, so I see no reason to complain.
Nobody's complaining, man. Rokchik asked for opinions, and she got them. To each his, (or her), own...
Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic May 24 2008, 02:49 PM
He's a great guy, his stuff is very original and he definitely broke some barriers in using the wah and whammy pedal.
In music it's all about expression, style and feel for the music. I think he found everything written pretty good.
Posted by: Danilo Capezzuto May 24 2008, 02:51 PM
When you listen to him for the first time, you may think he have a huge rack behind him...well...not...he just use some tricks to make incredible effects...and it's an Harvard graduate too...d'oh!
Posted by: Fsgdjv May 24 2008, 02:51 PM
I wasn't saying anybody was, I just said that I saw no reason for me to complain and I like him
Posted by: FrankW May 24 2008, 03:16 PM
Gotcha. And I will say this, he's making a whole lot more money playing music than I am! I will give him that.
Posted by: Smikey2006 May 24 2008, 06:55 PM
I really enjoy his riffs, his work with RATM is incredible its just pure heavy and i like that but i don't know if im a fan of his solos. I have the dvd for Live in New mexico and i like his recorded solos better than live ones. I love his use of effects in intro and stuff example - The effects used in Know Your Enemy intro are awsome same with People of the Sun and the main riff in Calm like a bomb, but i think it has limited ability to solo with, sometimes it just sounds like hes trying to make noise, its the same concept with using feedback in solos, it has a place but there are times when it is overused example We Are the Road Crew by Motorhead.. wayyy too much feedback in the solo.. same idea with Morellos original tones, its awsome IN MODERATION
as a total overview i love his work i just think there is a time and a place for every cool technique
Posted by: Bogdan Radovic May 24 2008, 07:18 PM
I like his style and I think he is very original and explored some new frontiers!! Just amazing use of effects!
Posted by: rokchik May 24 2008, 10:29 PM
Well it's nice too see there are more fans then not
And yes FrankW I asked for everyones opinion good or bad. I think Morello is a great guitarist to discuss as he's unique whether you agree in a good way or not. I realize not everyone will be fans but it's nice to see the reasoning behind it. I'm a huge fan so obviously I'll always say he's great but I do realize his style is not for everyone. I find it interesting how many enjoy his use of effects but for that same reason many dislike him. But I think he still has some great guitar chops under all that whammy and crybaby work.
The guy that got me on this topic just thought Morello was noise. Now he considers himself more of traditionalist I guess is the best word and didn't like as he says "the Hendrix approach to guitar" (His words not mine). Now I said he was into stuff like Opeth etc but I wasn't trying to say that if you like that you won't like Morello. That was just that guy. His beef was also with all the effects and stuff like scratching the strings and what have you. He feels it's too "Hip Hop". Now this was the main idea for Morello's style with RATM as he even stated he studied more DJ's then guitarist while with Rage. I found he toned that down a bit with Audioslave. Yes he still had the unique sound but the "Hip Hop" undertones where not there.( although I've bopped my head to a few songs ) I've chatted with a few folks who actually prefer his Audioslave work due to this very reason. This also brings me to his Nightwatchman work. Acousic guitar, no effects. Great stuff and I think it shows he really is a talented musician.
So which do folks prefer Morello with Rage, Morello with Audioslave or his Nightwatchmen stuff? Or none of it as the case may be?
I like it all but if I was choose one I think it would have to Rage. His Metal/punk/funk/hip hop infusion is just intoxicating to me. Riffs, solos don't matter. For me it's all good
rok
Posted by: Fsgdjv May 24 2008, 10:33 PM
Well, I think I prefer him in RATM most, but maybe that's because that's where I heard him first and therefore I think he belongs there most somehow. The Nightwatchman is incredible though, but that's more about him as a really good musician than him as a guitarist imo.
Posted by: rokchik May 24 2008, 10:36 PM
True, and it also gives him his political outlet he didn't have with Audioslave
Posted by: FrankW May 25 2008, 12:13 AM
[quote name='rokchik' date='May 24 2008, 10:29 PM' post='200022']
Well it's nice too see there are more fans then not
And yes FrankW I asked for everyones opinion good or bad. I think Morello is a great guitarist to discuss as he's unique whether you agree in a good way or not. . Great stuff and I think it shows he really is a talented musician.
You need to understand that just because I don't particularly like Tom Morellos' style doesn't mean my opinion is BAD. And whether I agree with you or not doesn't make it a 'good way', or a 'bad way'. An opinion is just an opinion. Labeling something like this 'good' or 'bad' infers that your opinion is the right one versus someone else's who doesn't agree. If you don't want to hear something contrary to your beliefs, don't ask for an opinion!
Posted by: Smurkas May 25 2008, 12:16 AM
I actually think it's a bit sad that people tend to focus so much on all those weird sounds he makes. Sure, I'm one of those people who think most of those sounds are really cool but what I've learned from Morello is a way of playing rhythm guitar that's not very common in heavy metal or hard rock. His rhythmic chops together with all of those infectious grooves he's written is what really drew me in and it's those parts that have benefited me most as a guitarist as well.
When it comes to Audioslave I think alot of people thought RATM + Soundgarden = WIN! What they (or at least I) failed to take into account was that Cornell left the heavier parts of his music behind a long time ago and his solo career has been much more pop oriented. So what we got was some of Tom's really cool riffs mixed with pop music which wasn't really what I was expecting or what I wanted. I was hoping for a band more along the lines of heavy rock/metal with some funk leanings, although not as much as RATM. So I always walked away feeling somewhat dissapointed even though I love Tom's work and Cornell is one of my favourite singers.
/Marcus
Posted by: Guitarman700 May 25 2008, 12:23 AM
you don't have to get all aggressive, she meant good as in you like him, or bad, as in you don't. just because you don't understand what someone is saying, doesn't mean you should lash out at them.
Posted by: FrankW May 25 2008, 12:28 AM
Nobody's lashing out...I stand by what I say!
Posted by: rokchik May 25 2008, 12:35 AM
And yes FrankW I asked for everyones opinion good or bad. I think Morello is a great guitarist to discuss as he's unique whether you agree in a good way or not. . Great stuff and I think it shows he really is a talented musician.
You need to understand that just because I don't particularly like Tom Morellos' style doesn't mean my opinion is BAD. And whether I agree with you or not doesn't make it a 'good way', or a 'bad way'. An opinion is just an opinion. Labeling something like this 'good' or 'bad' infers that your opinion is the right one versus someone else's who doesn't agree. If you don't want to hear something contrary to your beliefs, don't ask for an opinion!
You are right, it does come across that way after I reread it. But I assure you that is not how I meant it. I apologize for that. I was just trying to agree with what you were saying in a previous post about me asking for opinions. It's just poor explaining on my part
I meant no offense. No opinion is better then another like you said maybe I should have said agree or disagree instead.EDIT: Sometimes in print it's hard to get your point across so again I am sorry.
Posted by: FrankW May 25 2008, 12:39 AM
I meant no offense. No opinion is better then another like you said maybe I should have said agree or disagree instead.Everything's fine, believe me. Your explanation makes sense, and I could've been cranked up on more coffee than I should be allowed. I respect everybody's opinion, because I sure as hell don't have all the answers. We are all friends in the name of the guitar! Frank
Posted by: rokchik May 25 2008, 12:45 AM
Cool man, glad we're good.
I certainly don't have all the answers, just trying to encourage debate about one of my favorite guitarists. Besides if everyone agreed life would be boring 
rok
EDIT: @ Smurkas - you made some good points there about Audioslave. I like them but they were a bit "softer" then they probably could have been. But I think too the band just wanted to distance themselves from their prior glories even though the Rage sound was still kinda there... kinda.
Posted by: FrankW May 25 2008, 12:54 AM
I certainly don't have all the answers, just trying to encourage debate about one of my favorite guitarists. Besides if everyone agreed life would be boring rok
Now, I agree with that! Guitarman 700 is right, though, I can tend to be a little agressive. I hope I didn't hurt your feelings. If I did...I am a pinhead! Please accept the apology of a pinhead. And, yes, we are cool always!
Posted by: rokchik May 25 2008, 01:00 AM
No biggie man and no feelings hurt. Glad you pointed it out actually
Posted by: Toni Suominen May 25 2008, 10:40 AM
His heavy, stonerish riffs are great I think, they are very catchy
Posted by: Canis May 25 2008, 06:23 PM
I like Tom Morello.. I don't listen to anything he's associated with (except Audioslave), but I don't turn off the sound if he happen to come up on the radio or something.
Gotta like his style though... A friend of mine came up with the perfect question when he saw that clip: "Is he playing that guitar, or pleasuring it?"
Posted by: Pablo Vazquez May 25 2008, 06:31 PM
Tom Morello is amazing!! His style is incredible!
Posted by: stratman33 May 25 2008, 10:57 PM
I really like Tom Morello, he has so many unique sounds, but other than the unique sounds there are better guitarists than him IMO.
Posted by: Gus May 26 2008, 06:10 PM
Creating weird sounds that sound bad is easy, but making creative sounds to sound good is an art. Well the guy is gifted!
I never forget one phrase of a Morello's interview that made me start a quest to find my own way of playing guitar. I am still on the way but I will get there. His phrase goes something like this:
"I was just looking forward to discover my own sound, instead of practicing like hell until being a third category Malmsteen"
Don't take me wrong. I want to shred. But much more than that I want to learn to use my guitar as a magical rod to make my soul heard by thousands of people (and yes I think malmsteen does that)
Posted by: rokchik May 27 2008, 01:25 PM
I never forget one phrase of a Morello's interview that made me start a quest to find my own way of playing guitar. I am still on the way but I will get there. His phrase goes something like this:
"I was just looking forward to discover my own sound, instead of practicing like hell until being a third category Malmsteen"
Don't take me wrong. I want to shred. But much more than that I want to learn to use my guitar as a magical rod to make my soul heard by thousands of people
(and yes I think malmsteen does that)Yes Gus, one thing for sure about Morello is you can't really say he sounds like anyone else
Even though he's known for creating unique sounds, there is still "traditional" guitar work underneath. By this I mean he's not just hitting random notes but he is using scales and different techniques to create his solos. The effects are just making them sound unique. I read somewhere that Michael Angelo Batio use to give Morello lessons and that Morello also studied the playing of players such as Page, Iommi, and Hendrix.
Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi May 27 2008, 02:00 PM
He is not just one of the most innovative an original players from the 90's, he is also a riffmakmachine. Morello is a very talente guitar player for me and I'm glad of knowing that RATM is back! 
Posted by: rokchik May 27 2008, 02:04 PM
I second that one Gabriel
His riffs are infectious.
Posted by: Nobody Jun 4 2008, 01:05 AM
Morello is a fantastic guitar player and much more. When talking about music he is one of those musicians who don't walk on the other men's path but make their own. Someone had called him "A DJ with guitar" and this is pretty good explanation. He makes killer riffs and very nice alternative solos.
Yes he does really use much effects but does this mean he can't play? I have many effects, and most of the guitarists have but only Morello has discovered many, many new ways of using them. In RATM songs you can hear hellicopters, scratches, screams and whatever you can think of and it's all made with a guitar.
I just can't understand the people who can say that he's a bad guitarist or something like that. It just isn't right. He has created something so unique and good sounding that even if you don't like it, you can't say anything more than "I don't like him". It just isn't right to say for that kind of person that he's a bad musician/guitarist.
And the other thing I like about Morello. His way of thinking. From his hat with "Nobody" written on it, through his "Arm The Homeless" signature guitar, to his decision to make a country rock'n'roll political album and much more.
For me Morello is a great man and I am really happy that we live in the same time and that someday I can see him and feel his presence. (Unlike Jim Morrison, who I will never see and I really regret the fact).
Cheers,
Hristian
P.S. One thing about Morello that I don't like - He has had to stop that stupid "Killing In The Name" in the moment they started writing the song. 6 lines ot text with no idea in them is just not RATM. But that's the toll that they payed to become famous. :/
Posted by: Scott Gentzen Jun 4 2008, 10:05 PM
Rage. I haven't heard the Nightwatchmen stuff though. I like the Audioslave stuff a lot (Cochise has one of my fave riffs) but there's some kind of edge that's missing that was there in Rage. It's hard to explain.
Posted by: rokchik Jun 4 2008, 11:03 PM
Scott I know exactly what your saying. Audioslave is great and Morello created some killer stuff during that time but there was that edgier element missing for sure. For me I think it was Zack and the whole "fight the establishment" thing that Rage had going on. Cornell is great, don't get me wrong, it's just he brought something different to the table and Audioslave was meant to be a completely different sound from Rage. Rage is just a grittier band then Audioslave imo.
And Nobody - you pretty much read my mind sir
rok
Posted by: Old School Rocker Jun 5 2008, 06:05 AM
Well I acctually dislike Morello's music, The first time I heard it a friend was playing one of his songs and I thought it was a joke I didnt even know what it was and then he told me that it was Tom Morello. I cant really say all that much about him other than I dont like his music soo yeah, just not my cup o' tea 
Posted by: audiopaal Jun 5 2008, 08:08 AM
I enjoy a lot of his playing, although not everything
He's far from my favourite player, but I respect what he does with the guitar..
Too say he isn't any good is ignorant!
Posted by: erik Jun 5 2008, 09:31 AM
I love his riffs and his work in RATM, but most of his soloes sounds pretty weak..
btw..
I'M GOING TO SEE RATM A WEEK FROM NOW!!!!!! 
Posted by: Hammerin Hank Jun 5 2008, 01:15 PM
I agree with Ivan,-EXPRESSION-, isn't that the factor here. I remember when Rage's first album hit stores and I'll tell ya no one sounded like them. After the 1st album I couldn't handle the constant political regurgitation of Zakk so I blocked it out to tune in on Morello's playing and choice of riffs. Noise, maybe at times but I particularly like his "noise"
Posted by: sidewas lightning Jun 5 2008, 05:58 PM
can't say i love him or hate him- his musics definitely very unique though. It is hard to play cause you need to get the distortion all right most of the time.
Posted by: Gerardo Siere Jun 15 2008, 06:50 PM
I like morello's playing a lot, he is a great band player. And he uses little gear.
Posted by: kjutte Jun 30 2008, 04:00 PM
Not a fan.
Powered by Invision Power Board (http://www.invisionboard.com)
© Invision Power Services (http://www.invisionpower.com)