Speaking of Mad Mikey.....

[eduardoritos]

Past year show was so boring that I've left before the two last songs, being one of them rock bottom (one of my all time favorites, of any artist). 

[Tatosh Guitar]

Here's the perfect compare and contrast. Rock Bottom a couple of weeks ago:



Solo starts at 3:38
He starts "ripping" -- as it were, at 6:14 with all this bullshit cascading harmonic stuff. You can say that's a choice after playing the song a million times, but it's like he's too lazy to pick. 

Rock Bottom from Rockpalast (arguably the best live version of the song -- certainly ON FILM). 



Solo starts at 3:46
He starts ripping at 6:16. He's taking your head off. He's picking like a demon.


Aside from the lack of fire when he's going for it in 2023, compare the sonic and picking dynamics. Even in the slow introductory licks when he's just getting warmed up, 81 seems dynamic and purposeful. The notes are picked differently. Some are delicate, some he digs in. Some sound fat. Some have more bite.

2023 is like he's sleepwalking through it. Every note seems like it's played exactly the same. (Very Satriani). And it's not just ONE (off) show. All of the clips I've seen from this tour are like this.

If this is the way he's playing now -- mailing it in -- I'm not gonna bother going to see him anymore. I've seen him play a dozen times since the 80s, and several when he was on fire. I'm good.
 

 

I thought I had replied to this. Branfart, I suppose.

The 81 one is like, godlike performance. Probably the best version I have ever seen, period. I am partial to the Strangers in the Night version, but we all know there is no video of that.

That man truly had it.



 

[TravisW]

Good grief, who's drumming with him these days? That tempo is insanely slow. 

This is a pretty similar solo from 2012 with a reasonable tempo and a bit more fire. 

[Bent out of shape]

I find the more recent versions ok, but for me the Strangers in the night version has never been matched. All the more strange,  no pun...lol...that MS apparently hates it!

Must revisit the rockpalast 81 version!

[Stitsel]

So.....I've finally had time to catch up on some Mad Mikey of late, and I think he's slowly getting his sound/tone dialed back in & he seems to be getting some of the fire back too, at least this recent show I just watched. His tone just sounds right all of a sudden & he's pretty much rocking his ass off. Looks so cool to see him with just a stock white '67ish V too..... nothing fancy, no sig. paint scheme or whatever; he doesn't need it & what's it's all about where he's concerned, is making that guitar sing, which he does. Doesn't feel like he's on autopilot or mailing it in, either. He looks good & is playing great. 

[Bent out of shape]

unsurprising these versions don't have the fire of 81 and SITN,  I think they're ok but wouldn't bother to go and see live.  must admit i was pleasantly surprised by the version of rock bottom on My years in UFO. Pretty fiery imho.....lots of killer licks! 

[Dinosaur David B]

I don't think Michael's lost any ability whatsoever. Watch any live version of Save Yourself from the last 10 years and he's shredding his ass off. I also think it's still fun and worth it to go see him live -- especially if you've never seen him.

I haven't seen much of him that's current with him back on the Gibsons. That said the things I've noticed in the last few years is that -- much like everyone touring in their 70s and 80s, the energy of the performance is sleepy compared to what it used to be. You see that with Purple, the Stones, etc.

With Michael, the sleepy seems to manifest itself in less alternate picking and more legato on parts that were originally alternate picked. It's lazier and more laid back. That doesn't mean it's bad, but Michael's playing (especially in MSG) has never been laid back or relaxed. He's always been a guy who plays very much, precisely right on top of the beat. If he played anymore on top of the beat, he'd be ahead of it. So to my ears, his more recent, relaxed approach doesn't sound quite right. 

As for his new music. Unless he's writing with Gary Barden or Mogg, I don't think his songs stick. 
His live shows are 99% the back catalog, and they should be.