I really like Frampton's playing on "Frampton Comes Alive"

[Rabrrrrrr]

And his "Jumpin' Jack Flash" is miles above how the Stones did it.

I've been listening to "Frampton Comes Alive" repeatedly lately, because it's in my car, and I'm awful about remembering to bring new discs to replace the ones in there. So I've listened probably 50 times in the last 6 months.

It does have some brilliant and wonderful guitar work - certainly not the technical brilliance of a Steve Vai, or the musical brilliance of a Zappa - but it rocks. He has a beautiful, fluid tone; the solos work very well with the songs; and they are all very competently executed. No sloppiness, no faking it, etc.

I'm growing more and more impressed. I wouldn't put him in the top tier of players, but certainly he's high on the list of the second-tier players, and deserves a lot of respect.

Sadly, I'm not familiar with any of his other music - I really should go listen, I suppose. I have no idea what he sounds like now. Perhaps "Comes Alive" was a total fluke in playing ability, but he's still around, so I imagine he must still be pretty good.

What do you think? I'm especially curious to hear from the guitarists.

[Orrex]

1. I loved "Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot," but I haven't read his more recent books

Oh, wait a minute...

[MissMillie]

2. He has played for Ringo Starr's All Starr Band a number of times

I'm no guitarist, but that just sounds like a fun show to me....

[Rabrrrrrr]

3. That would be interesting to hear!

And it would be cool to see at least one of the Beatles live someday. Even McCartney.

[riverdeep]

4. I think his solo on "Feel like I do"

or whatever the title is, is one the quintessential Les Paul guitar solos ever recorded. Every note is like a slab of iron ore coming at you. Very controlled, dramatic and just plain sweet.

That album is one of the cases where the live version of the songs is better than the studio version. Another example is Cheap Trick's live album. I think it's called 'Live at Budokan'. Usually the live version is sloppy and forgettable.

[edbermac]

5. As they said in Wayne's World...

Exqueese me? Have I seen this one before? "Frampton Comes Alive"? Everybody in the world has Frampton Comes Alive. If you lived in the suburbs you were issued it. It came in the mail with samples of Tide.

[Capn Sunshine]

6. If you liked that...try Humble Pie

He was part of a twin guitar duo with Steve Marriot.

[datasuspect]

7. i admire that album

but it's a double edged sword. frampton, perhaps unintentionally, singlehandedly laid the groundwork for the destruction of the music industry.

[Rabrrrrrr]

8. Yes, that was the unfortunate side effect.

"Holy shit? You mean, we can sell MILLIONS of the same album? Fuck creativity and low sales bands! Find the formula!!!!"

A sad day indeed.

I think it was your essay of a month or so that really enlightened me to the detrimental effect of that album. (and if not yours, it was someone's from a month or so ago)