Under the curent lock down I'm taking the opportunity to pick up my guitars as often as I like :) However, after many years of playing my skills are still quite limited and so I went to bed the other night thinking if I could rub the genie's bottle who would I like to be able to play like when I wake up tomorrow? I then realised that I had a HUGE list to choose from. So the process took a little while and in the end I couldn't separate Bill and Phil Manzanera of Roxy Music. Both press all of the right buttons for me and they have similarities, but also differences. They have both used plenty of effects over the years, but Bill is a player of outstanding speed and his solos are jazz influenced, while Phil's playing is very much influenced by his latin America childhood. Another important point - both people are very reasonable guys. I met Phil Manzanera once and of course Bill spends a lot of time talking to his fans via this forum.
I'd be really interested to hear who the other guitarists on the forum would like to be given the chance!
I think I'm happy bumbling along doing my own thing..I got my first guitar when I was 15, which my dear old mum bought me, and I'm soon to be 60..a little old to want to be someone else.
Most musicians have tons of favourite players and influences, something that never stops. How to answer your question?, pretty impossible really, it's lots of parts that make the whole, but, if I could go and see any player live tomorrow, from all the great players I listen to, that have thrilled and inspired and influenced me over the years, it would be Bill Nelson. Bill is just something special.
I'm never really very happy with my playing, I beat myself up most of the time and I suppose I'm quite insecure about it. Sometimes, when it seems to click in my mind that I played alright on a particular night and I'm able to accept it, it's a great feeling, but it doesn't seem to happen very often.
I'm currently really enjoying Andy Timmons playing.