John Mclaughlin VS Robert Fripp

Two virtuosos. Both composers. McLaughlin is the better virtuoso, Fripp the better composer. I value composition above anything else in music, so.... Fripp.

In fact, I can't think of a more skilled guitarist than John McLaughlin, and Fripp's writing is not only unique, but some of the best works to come out of the 20th century, in my opinion. I'm looking at the 'Larks' era........ changing the form of what we call 'rock' music, rather than adding Mellotrons to pop songs and calling that progressive (ahem.... Genesis.....).

neither of these would make my top 10 guitarists

thehallway wrote: ... rather than adding Mellotrons to pop songs and calling that progressive (ahem.... Genesis.....).

thehallway wrote: progprogprog wrote: thehallway wrote: ... rather than adding Mellotrons to pop songs and calling that progressive (ahem.... Genesis.....). Some examples to illustrate your words would be great. Side 1 of Foxtrot.

thehallway wrote: It's chords with vocals..... and neither the chords nor the vocals are innovative (in fact, the lyrics far too embarrassingly bad to be called pop music). Doing it for 8 minutes doesn't make it progressive...... or good. So, yeah, not pop exactly....... but about as interesting as some pop.

McLaughlin is a better player, but Fripp is more original (not that McLaughlin isn't).

thehallway wrote: It's chords with vocals..... and neither the chords nor the vocals are innovative  ...

Edited by progprogprog - January 27 2012 at 05:02

Side 1 of Foxtrot is by and large pop, in terms of structure.   Which is fine if you pretend Supper's Ready doesn't exist.  But Dancing with the moonlit knight is not pop by any stretch of imagination nor are Musical Box or Fountain of Salmacis.  

Two great guitarists who come to music from different directions while probably having a similiar goal.  KC were jazz-influenced rock musicians who played music heavily influenced by 20th century classical composers and who were heavy on group improvisation.  MO were rock-influenced jazz musicians who played music heavily influenced by 20th century classical composers and who were heavy on individual improvisation.

Snow Dog wrote: rogerthat wrote: Side 1 of Foxtrot is by and large pop, in terms of structure.   Which is fine if you pretend Supper's Ready doesn't exist.  But Dancing with the moonlit knight is not pop by any stretch of imagination nor are Musical Box or Fountain of Salmacis.   Pop in terms of stucture? What tosh. Why is it not rock in terms of structure? This  whole argument is frustrating.

Hardly any difference in terms of structure between pop and rock (i.e. not prog) anyway.  But in either case, not progressive in terms of structure, if I might put it that way instead.