About R. Cooley's CD

dangomles · #1 04-09-2005, 12:14 PM

I've had the latest Rusty's cd for about 6 months, i checked out then and i honestly didn't pay him enough atention, so i decided to check it out once again in this days...I listen all the songs at least three times, and im sorry to say this, and ill be probably be hated for many people, but remember, it's just my point of view...i found the cd incredibly boring!!!, i mean, of course Rusty domains insane speed and virtuosity, but his melodical and harmonic sense is very poor, i mean, listen to the solos, are just random notes with no ideas (guitarist that have seen Scott Henderson's "Melodic Phrasing" know what i mean) , he just emphasise way too much on speed and forgot about good music. Maybe is not super relevant , but when you make a solo cd , perhaps some tone change would be nice for the listener, at least it will help to create some original atmospheres in the music. I think this isnt a "guitar solo cd" i found it more like "look at my amazing speed solo cd" which i think is an awfull aproach to music. Dont get me wrong!, of course we all want shredding , but hell, not all the time!!!, dont forget about good music!!!. So many great Guitar cd's out there, that express so much musicality and ability, my personal favourite is without doubt, Richie Kotzen's "Intergalactic Fusion Experience" that's a perfect example, just amazing technique with incredible music. I just dont find Rusty Cooley as a guitarist to look up to, he is good, but, bah!, i think i just did my point.
Let me know what you guys think about this!

unique77 · #2 04-09-2005, 12:54 PM

I think i know exactly what you mean. I don't have the cd, but ive listened to all teh clips on his site, and they really sound like they have no emotional feel to them. For me, i really like vai's music because I can really feel where its going and It sounds like hes telling you how he feels with his guitar. With those samples, i agree, to me it sounds like it has no feeling to it, just playing directly off scales is how i would describe it.

Adagio_777 · #3 04-09-2005, 01:24 PM

Have you heard Ricky Garcia's interview with Cooley?

dangomles · #4 04-09-2005, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unique77

I think i know exactly what you mean. I don't have the cd, but ive listened to all teh clips on his site, and they really sound like they have no emotional feel to them. For me, i really like vai's music because I can really feel where its going and It sounds like hes telling you how he feels with his guitar. With those samples, i agree, to me it sounds like it has no feeling to it, just playing directly off scales is how i would describe it.

That is exactly what i mean, absolute, lack of expression!

dangomles · #5 04-09-2005, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ESPEXPLORER351D

Have you heard Ricky Garcia's interview with Cooley?

No,sir.

krizz · #6 04-09-2005, 04:03 PM

Blah

I have Rusty's cd too and I really like it for what it is, over the top shredding. If I want tasteful solos -whatever it means- with slow parts, I'll listen to Gary Moore's 'Still got the blues' or so.

And about the 'random notes'; I see what you mean but for me, it's a pure matter of taste. But however, I find 'War Of The Angels' and 'Jazzmines Song' not that random at all...I've heard Jazz-bands playing even more random music, but hey; it's jazz.

If you like over-the-top (and beyond) technical guitar playing, buy this CD and you'll like it, if you don't; you'd better not.

WARNING: -You'll only like this music if you like it-

my $2ct

lyconxero · #7 04-09-2005, 04:03 PM

Yeah, I also checked out his website and found his speed to be insane. But his music does seem to lack character. All the speed in the world won't help the fact that you can't write a decent song.

krizz · #8 04-09-2005, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lyconxero

Yeah, I also checked out his website and found his speed to be insane. But his music does seem to lack character. All the speed in the world won't help the fact that you can't write a decent song.

This CD is just what it was meant to be, over the top shredding. It's all about the way you look to it.

In your opinion (IYO?

) it's rubbish, but Rusty intended the CD to be shredding, and then I think the listener must be able to look it from that side and appreciate it. It's not only high-speed notes, it's Mr. Cooleys way to make music. How can you say he isn't able to write a descent song anyway...What in the world is a decent song.

There is no way to decently judge ones music by listening to a sample once or twice.

ShredHead42 · #9 04-09-2005, 04:19 PM

Don't make judgements before you hear the album. I bought the album somewhat reluctantly after reading 5 billion posts like this one, and was absolutely amazed at how good it was.

The songwriting is ridiculously fast, ridiculouslytechnical, and ridiculously downright... catchy. i love it.

Anyway, yeah, at least check out the album before you slag him based on a few clips you've downloaded.

zEr0 · #10 04-09-2005, 04:30 PM

I like Rusty Cooley. True, his music is 90% pure shredding but I think he plays it quite emotionally, in a way. The problem is that when your hear +20 notes per second lines you can sound either very boring or completely insane. I think he is as sick as it gets and he should not be bashed for limiting himself to fast music. You wouldn't bash Eric Clapton because he is no shredder, he just decided to concentrate on a specific type of music and he plays that. As Cooley does.

If you want to hear over the top boring shredding you are looking for Francesco Fareri.

Just my 2 cents.

fettouhi · #11 04-09-2005, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zEr0

If you want to hear over the top boring shredding you are looking for Francesco Fareri.

Yeah Francesco has a few problems with his playing IMHO. His vibrato is very poor and when plays so fast the melody almost disappears. Having said that, I am looking forward to his new album. Vitalij Kuprij is doing keyboards on it, so it might be good.

Rusty might do mightless shred sometime but he has got some nice melodies too.

Regards

André

pawel · #12 04-09-2005, 05:24 PM

I like Rusty. I respect Fareri for his dedication and enjoy watching him play those uberfast arpeggios, but he doed need to work on a couple of things. Still wish him the best, he seems like a nice guy.

dangomles · #13 04-09-2005, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krizz

Blah

...I've heard Jazz-bands playing even more random music, but hey; it's jazz.

my $2ct

Oh god, you are so incredibly wrong ,
Random music = Jazz?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have to say im definetily offended by that comment, are you kidding me? Jazz is all about creating melodies in your mind just before your fingers make it real , it doesnt get more soulfull than that, you are just floating in your ideas making a coherent solo!.
God, that comment hurt me so bad, just ignorance talking

dangomles · #14 04-09-2005, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krizz

It's not only high-speed notes, it's Mr. Cooleys way to make music. How can you say he isn't able to write a descent song anyway...What in the world is a decent song.

There is no way to decently judge ones music by listening to a sample once or twice.

Funny thing you ask, there are actually "parameters" of composition, of course, they arent rigid, but of course they help a lot for making the music more "meaningful" and "expressive" for the listener, and in that way, you should be able to communicate your ideas and feels more easily...
There are two things that Rusty apparently doesnt know about, first, and it have been said in this forum...FEELING!!! god, the music just lacks of expression!!!. And the other, structure, you just cant throw 1000 great licks into one song IF they dont have any relation or coherence, wether if its harmonic or rythmic relationin any kind. A perfectly known example of this two characteristics is found in Vai's "For the love of god" THAT! is what i call emotion, feeling, just unbelievable expression yet so simple, and of course, if you listen right, you see how every different riff works as an answer or a follow up of the last idea, that is what i call structure.

pawel · #15 04-09-2005, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dangomles

Funny thing you ask, there are actually "parameters" of composition, of course, they arent rigid, but of course they help a lot for making the music more "meaningful" and "expressive" for the listener, and in that way, you should be able to communicate your ideas and feels more easily...
There are two things that Rusty apparently doesnt know about, first, and it have been said in this forum...FEELING!!! god, the music just lacks of expression!!!. And the other, structure, you just cant throw 1000 great licks into one song IF they dont have any relation or coherence, wether if its harmonic or rythmic relationin any kind. A perfectly known example of this two characteristics is found in Vai's "For the love of god" THAT! is what i call emotion, feeling, just unbelievable expression yet so simple, and of course, if you listen right, you see how every different riff works as an answer or a follow up of the last idea, that is what i call structure.

See, all that "expression" and structure simply puts me to sleep sometimes.

And in response to what you are saying about Jazz and random notes. Krizz was maybe pretty blunt about it, but I think what a lot of great jazz music is about is embracing this randomness, and interweaving the unexpected twists and turns with the melodies.

Recommended listening: John Coltrane "Interstellar Space" a lot of "random notes", not much melody or structure, but it will keep you on the edge of your seat.

I am not comparing Rusty with Trane or anything. Rusty's album to me is just a document of an amazing musican having fun playing some seriously intense music.