Jonny Lang a legend?

Country Boy Shane · Post by **Country Boy Shane** » Tue Oct 21, 2003 1:05 pm

Something really got to me today. I was watching T.V. after class today and i saw Jonny Lang's new promo ad on the tellie. It was the usual stuff, he was just promoting his new single and the album. But then the announcer hit the sour note... he called him a guitar legend. What the hell. That spot is reserved for people that have paved paths and are either a really long way into rock stardom, have close to 100 million people studying their guitar style, or are just plain dead. Don't get me wrong, Jonny was really awesome sticking to the aggresive blues style in his early career, but now it's simply a sick pop fest. Jonny Lang... oh boy, go back to your roots man.........

Post by **VelvetGeorge** » Thu Oct 23, 2003 12:40 am

The kid's got some chops, and seems pretty soulful. But a legend?
Novel maybe, but not legendary.
Don't ya just love marketing hype?

George
AKA the greatest poster in the history of the internet, net ,net net......

dirtydeeds22 · Post by **dirtydeeds22** » Thu Oct 23, 2003 1:21 am

I saw Jonny in action last Feb opening up for the Stones. Great guitar player, and can sing pretty good too. He looked like an mere infant up there with actual legends Keef and Ronnie. You'd think his marketing people would can this "legend" crap, 'fore it turns people away. The dude who called Jonny a "legend" is probably one of those people who write to Guitar Player complaining about Hendrix, Page, Beck, Townshend, etc... being on the covers and being overrated.
Later
Jeff

Country Boy Shane · Post by **Country Boy Shane** » Thu Oct 23, 2003 7:31 am

Tightness. But that really ticked me off. No one touches the legends. Some people need to watch what they say before something stupid comes out their fat yapper.l

bluefuzzguitar · Post by **bluefuzzguitar** » Sat Oct 25, 2003 8:54 pm

I opened up for Johnny Lang with my band in 1997. I have to say one thing for Johnny: he's an excellent singer. That's certainly not all the stuff legends are made of, though, but the boy can sing, all right. His songs didn't strike a chord with me, though. And speaking of chords, his guitar playing was good but then the world is full of good guitar players. Nothing he did on the guitar made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. The only thing he's clearly got going for him is his singing. Granted, no small feat, particularly at his age, but that constitutes the bulk of his talent IMO.

Johnny came up at the same time as Kenny Wayne Shepherd did, at a time when people were desperate for new blues heroes to fill the gap Stevie Ray Vaughan left. And so record companies wanted young guys to fill SRV's shoes to create more popular appeal, particularly with younger audiences. Hence the overly hyped 'legendary' status. That's my take on this, anyway. I feel KWS belongs to the same category of good but not particularly brilliant or original players who seem to be occupied more with
their image than their music.

I mean, serious. After we'd played our set I met Johnny backstage. He was real nice before he got on and called me 'Mr Tone'. After his set I wanted to return the compliment and, being used to blues guys being generally relaxed and very accessible, I went into Johnny dressing room to compliment him on a good show. I saw Johnny completely stressed out and going on and on about a string he broke during the last song (it was a Hendrix tune). His grownup companions proceeded to push me out of the dressing room and locked the door before I could get to Johnny because 'he wasn't ready for me'. The tension completely filled the room and all of that because of one broken guitar string!

This was 1997 when the whole Johnny Lang hype was in full swing. My impression was that Johnny and the people around him had already at that time bought into the 'legendary' thing. It's one thing to have a guy on TV calling you a legend on TV to sell you as an artist but believing it yourself is a different thing altogether...

Mike

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Oct 26, 2003 4:06 pm

I have to agree with you there. He is an awesome singer but i think anyone that studied blues at any time can do the same things as he does on the twanger. I'm not saying that he sucks or anything like that but he won't ever be a replacement for SRV and nobody will ever be. People have just got to be themselves i tell ya....

Country Boy Shane · Post by **Country Boy Shane** » Sun Oct 26, 2003 4:08 pm

CRAPHOLE! I just love it when my computer doesn't remember that i always automatically log into this site and i end up as a guest. I'm no guest man, i'm a bonafied member!!

Hassan Chop · Post by **Hassan Chop** » Thu Oct 30, 2003 8:00 am

Maybe we should all get jackets that say "Members Only" on them.

From what I've heard of Jonny Lang (which doesn't include his latest) he's a good, solid blues axeman. You can hear his influences, but to me he sounds like himself. And he does sing well. But he's got a lot more dues to pay before he's a "legend." There are a lot of people who can blow him clean aout of the water with their playing who aren't even signed. Besides, if I were him, I'd be nervous about being labeled a "legend" this early in life. That's a term most often applied to people in the twilight of their careers, or after they're dead.

Country Boy Shane · Post by **Country Boy Shane** » Thu Oct 30, 2003 10:23 am

It's a shame so there are lots of players out there that are totally awesome at blues guitar but they aren't sign. It's all about the drive...

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