Heavy Metal keyboards

[Michael Troy]

Hello everyone!! How do metal fans feel about the role keyboards play in Metal??

www.myspace.com/httpwwwmyspacecommichaeltroy

 

[SecondBass]

It depends whose playing.

Jon Lord is one of the best things that ever happened to Heavy music of all genres and anything said against him will result in a lifetime of Britney Spears to the perpetrator.

Colin Towns was a good one, so was Don Airey. I have severe doubts about Geoff Downes though, and Rick Wakemen, nice guy that he is, made it more than a little comic.

Basically, can be good, preferably keep it down to a maximum of four keyboards, and don't have lank blond hair.

 

[Andrew Roussak]

Hi SecondBass,

okay I won't say anything against Jon Lord because I take the warning concerning Britney Spears very seriosly.

What would you say about Jordan Rudess ( DT ) ?

 

[Soubasse]

Rudess I find technically very impressive, probably even better (technically) than Wakeman (of whom I am also a fan). But there's something in Rudess' playing that makes me think he needs to loosen up a little if you get my meaning. It sounds at times just a little too controlled. One of the many things I like about Wakeman is that he's never been afraid to have fun as well as show his serious side. But really we're straying from Metal anyway talking about him (mind you, there are at least two tracks on Wakeman's "Out There" which would make a Metal-head quite happy!)

Has anyone heard Porcupine Tree's "Deadwing" album? The wonderful Richard Barbieri plays keyboards for them and I often use the phrase "subtle yet distinctive" when talking about those tracks.

I could think of nothing bad to say about Jon Lord either - nor I think should anyone else :grin:

What about John Paul Jones keyboard work for Zep?

 

[Andrew Roussak]

Rudess I find technically very impressive, probably even better (technically) than Wakeman (of whom I am also a fan). But there's something in Rudess' playing that makes me think he needs to loosen up a little if you get my meaning. It sounds at times just a little too controlled. One of the many things I like about Wakeman is that he's never been afraid to have fun as well as show his serious side. But really we're straying from Metal anyway talking about him (mind you, there are at least two tracks on Wakeman's "Out There" which would make a Metal-head quite happy!)

Has anyone heard Porcupine Tree's "Deadwing" album? The wonderful Richard Barbieri plays keyboards for them and I often use the phrase "subtle yet distinctive" when talking about those tracks.

I could think of nothing bad to say about Jon Lord either - nor I think should anyone else :grin:

What about John Paul Jones keyboard work for Zep?

All right, it seems we are slowly leaving heavy metal area in this thread, but I don't it may cause an earthquake.

Rudess - I guess I would agree with Soubasse, I once read smth. like that about F. Liszt being compared to F. Chopin. Wakeman is surely more lyrical as Rudess, and the latter is more aggressive. I like his music nevertheless - solo as well as DT ( have you heard An Evening With Petrucci and Rudess??? Don't say no!!! ).

Barbieri - I must admit I have heard only the last album of PT ( Fear Of A Blank Planet ). My impression - the sounds are absolutely cool, generally the keyboard work of Barbieri reminds me more of the style of Rick Wright ( Pink Floyd ) or even Tony Banks ( Genesis ) . Both of them produced the sound, which formed the complete band image. Wakeman or Rudess would play more notes in the very first 5 min. of Intro, as Barbieri did throughout the whole CD.

Thanks for your advice - ( Deadwig ) - I have now to find this album somewhere.

My absolutely favourite keyboard player of all times is Keith Emerson. As I think, his work is a bit underestimated in the world of the modern classical music. The man who actually wrote not only well-known ELP-compositions, but a lot of piano and orchestral music ( think only of his Piano Concerto N 1 ) could have deserved more attention.