Edge is alright. he knows what he is doing.

i don't find his playing impressive, he is more about using the guitar for atmosphere.

that being said, his solo on bullet the sky from the 1992 tour is mind blowing, in my books it is one of the greatest solos ever.

check it out starts around 1:45

I've also cited that Zoo Bullet clip in another thread, where someone claimed that The Edge had never done a guitar solo. Not often, but a few times is more than 'never'.

The Edge is a multi-instrumentalist. He plays keys as well, and Bono can play rythm guitar (he uses an acoustice more than the Edge does.

So much U2 hate here though. I'm not surprised. I'm not a U2 hater at all myself, three of their albums I absolutely love (Joshua Tree, Achtung Baby, All That You Can't Leave Behind). I've never seen them live though, but they've got some fantastic live DVDs.

One thing the Edge truly is: distinct.

[thepowergoats.com]

I don't like U2, but he does what he does well.

Jamesfdouglas named their best albums.

After that it's been a steady stream of adult contemporary, pop-minded garbage, aimed at soccer moms and office workers. Lowest common denominator wank.

Beautiful Day and all that recent stuff, just squeeks and whistles meant to not threaten anyone of be too hard to play on their mega tours. That's not legitimate music.

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KeefintheNight82
Jamesfdouglas named their best albums.

After that it's been a steady stream of adult contemporary, pop-minded garbage, aimed at soccer moms and office workers. Lowest common denominator wank.

Beautiful Day and all that recent stuff, just squeeks and whistles meant to not threaten anyone of be too hard to play on their mega tours. That's not legitimate music.

I am not a very big U2 fan, but I am a huge music fan. So I am wondering, what is the 'criteria for legitimate music'?

Please elaborate.

I've seen U2 live and aside from Bono pontificating about most topics under the sun, they are not a bad live act.

The Edge is technically proficient but his live playing is limited due the amount of effects that he uses in the studio.

As others have said, they have made some great albums, notably Rattle & Hum.

He found his niche within his band and has been succcesful. What more could an aspiring musician wish for?

Listen to Achtung Baby! Up there with the greats.....

He has made his voice, his own signature. He write good songs, and imo he has developed his style.

In my book an excellent guitar player, even though I'm not a U2 fan.

He is the best guitar player for U2 music, as KR is the best and only guitar player for RS music. They do a simple job, very basic, but very unique. Everyone of us copy this both guys (i cannot reach SRV or VH level). You don't have to be a shreder and a technical guitar player to be a guitar hero and a guitar master. They have created their own musical language. Their style is widely played by everyone of us.

very simple, very basic.........but the best........COJONUDOS

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stones_serb
Oh come on. he may not be Jimmy Page but he's got his own chops right and he does play some excellent solos even if they are not the most technically demanding ones.Saying that The Edge is a bad guitar player is like saying that Keith and George Harrison are bad as well.

pff..Jimmy Page is not the "guitar standard" to me.
He is different but not better then the Edge imo.

<Jimmy Page is not the "guitar standard" to me.
He is different but not better then the Edge imo.>

Of course Page is a better player than The Edge, but not in The Edge's musical landscape. The Edge operates in a narrow field, in which he's the expert. Page is very accomplished in blues, jazz, rock'n'roll and country, and brings a tremendously variety to his playing. The Edge does not. Yet, he is an excellent player.

My two cents



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2010-02-24 13:09 by DandelionPowderman.

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DandelionPowderman
<Jimmy Page is not the "guitar standard" to me.
He is different but not better then the Edge imo.>

Of course Page is a better player than The Edge, but not in The Edge's musical landscape. The Edge operates in a narrow field, in which he's the expert. Page is very accomplished in blues, jazz, rock'n'roll and country, and brings a tremendously variety to his playing. The Edge does not. Yet, he is an excellent player.

My two cents

Just my opinion ,but Page is a very average guitar player to me, just like Clapton. Like 1000000 of rockers and blues players out there.
Let alone a Jazz player. He wouldn't make it one bar.
I respect his fame and song writing.

The Edge knows what he's got and does unique shit with it. I think he is a great guitarist and although I hate tech stuff and a bunch of effects, his are cool because of his rhythm approach.

U2 has eared their stripes and Edge is certainly unique. I have seen him compared to Steve Cropper in that he does what is necessary to create the sound and feel of a song. They are like night and day but I get the comparison.

Actually it is a good comparison, imo.

I think he is very good, and a Gibson Explorer is a fantastic weapon...

For me personally he's as good a guitar player as they are a band! HA!

The Imposter---

The criteria for legitmate music? If you have to ask man, you will never know.

I guess legitimate music would be music that is made by people with talent and true musicianship and not hokey, market-driven, manufactured generic pop. Throw in a healthy dose of pretentious posing and you have the band that is U2.

I liked some of their early stuff but they are just god awful now. Honestly, you could have Justin Timberlake, Black Eyed Peas or Beyonce sing their stuff and it would sound just the same.

Incidentally, dose anyone else think that Coldplay is the modern equivilant to U2? 2 guitar notes repeated endlessly for each song. Average technical ability for each player. A singer that is full of himself. Songs that sound like U2 discards and they all sound the same.

Always amusing to hear you old-timers (and the prematurely aged) whining about young upstart threats to your increasingly short list of heroes.

Not a fan but very few guitar players are recognisable after about 3 seconds and he's one of them

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still ill
Not a fan but very few guitar players are recognisable after about 3 seconds and he's one of them

I agree with this; that is what makes him great, as KR. Unique

when asked about the edge s guitar playing the great Irish jazz guitarist Louis Stewart said "As long as he wears the hat,I will keep playing the guitar".Slainte

Play "Boy" loud. Yes, the Edge rocks!

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KeefintheNight82
Incidentally, dose anyone else think that Coldplay is the modern equivilant to U2? 2 guitar notes repeated endlessly for each song. Average technical ability for each player. A singer that is full of himself. Songs that sound like U2 discards and they all sound the same.

I have always seen Coldplay as a Radiohead light. If you can't stand Radiohead you can always put Coldplay in your CD or Ipod. Something for everybody.

Anyway, I like what U2 did in the 80's. They were an interesting band then. The Edge has got his own sound and that is pretty cool. I don't regard him as technically amazing but I regard him as a good musician.

Edge reminds me of Keith in the sense that he has created some sounds that are unique. Either you like the sound or not. Of course, we all love the sounds that Keith has created and is being replicated by many in past decades.

U2's sound that Edge has created is meant for arenas and stadiums. They fill the corners with a power that I really enjoy live (when their sound engineering is on). It needs to be loud and ever encompassing. With them being 4 members (and sometimes a couple more members off stage), he needs to be dominating. Of course, you have to be into the song and the sound. He is very rythmic and reverberating. I find I 'discover' songs of theirs after I see them live. I may not have noticed the song until I see it live. 'The Fly' reminds me of a song like that.

I was very impressed with the sound I heard when I saw them on this recent tour. In front of the soundboard- wow! Their my second favorite band playing (they are soon to be number 1 unless the Stones start playing again).

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Amsterdamned

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DandelionPowderman
<Jimmy Page is not the "guitar standard" to me.
He is different but not better then the Edge imo.>

Of course Page is a better player than The Edge, but not in The Edge's musical landscape. The Edge operates in a narrow field, in which he's the expert. Page is very accomplished in blues, jazz, rock'n'roll and country, and brings a tremendously variety to his playing. The Edge does not. Yet, he is an excellent player.

My two cents

Just my opinion ,but Page is a very average guitar player to me, just like Clapton. Like 1000000 of rockers and blues players out there.
Let alone a Jazz player. He wouldn't make it one bar.
I respect his fame and song writing.

Can you please tell me some guitar players you think are good, both jazz guitarists and popular rock guitarists? and maybe why you think they are better than the Calptons' and Pages' ?

I like these discussions and am keen to gain some insight. Thanks.

This is a good one: "I guess legitimate music would be music that is made by people with talent and true musicianship and not hokey, market-driven, manufactured generic pop."

If disco sucks and rap swallows, are either legitimate to those who like it? What's legitimate about music? Helping Haiti rebuild? Cooling the planet? Keeping NASA going...somewhere? Helping to grow crops that aren't DNA twisted? Hey - I can't stand Elton John and I think he stinks but he's certainly done some rock'n'roll over the years as well as a lot of bullshit moan music but a lot of people like him. So does that make him legitimate? Is that the same as relevant? When and how is music relevant? Jeff Beck was asked What are you listening to now? by Rolling Stone and his response was Robert Johnson - in case he missed something.

One way to look at music is, what are the chicks digging? I've heard more chicks digging U2 than the Stones, especially recently. I don't hear any chicks humming Streets Of Love...

It seems that U2 fans that go to their shows every tour see beyond the pretentiousness that Bono puts on. I personally don't care - the dude has a fantastic voice and has written some fantastic songs.

As has Edge. Both are talented, as a lot of people in the world think and know. And just like the Stones, not everything U2 does is good. But a lot of it is.

To Edge's credit, he does has stretched out more than he gets recognition for. That trademark chakka chakka on hi strings with much delay is his trademark sound but he has also done some good productions with very small guitar sounds. On rattle & hum he is using straight sounds; or what is IMO a great guitar song is "Red Hill Mining Town" - he made the riff big with a Sears guitar.
The delay sound on "Streets have no name" and the solo of "God's Country".
"Achtung Baby" has some serious good guitar work on it.
He is not at all one dimensional, but he seems to have reverted back to some very milktoast soft sound.