Is Vinnie Past His Prime?

[five eight]

Just watching the Joan Rivers clips reminded me of how formidable pre-Sting matched grip Vinnie was. All the recent talk about the pending release of Vinnie's turn with the Buddy Rich band DVD reminded me of the fiery playing he was capable of back then: early 90s with Holdsworth, Corea, Cuccurullo, Big Drum et al. I'm not suggesting Vinnie is like an aging boxer who's lost his youthful punch, but there is a fire and energy that diminish with age. Also I am aware that currently Vinnie's moving his metric modulation thing forward, among other concepts, and has played some smoking live shit with Karizma and other ad hoc fusion bands early this century.

But did he have a prime?

If so, is he past it?

Or is it higher highs ahead?

Opinions, please.

[peter b]

looks like nobody wants to touch this one! [img]eek.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/wonder.gif[/img] [img]wink.gif[/img]

[Suspiria]

I think that in the past years Vinnie may have reached a point where he thought he has less to proove to his listening audience or even himself. While I have nothing to critisize about his playing at the moment, it could be that AT TIMES he settles for "less is more" and really focuses on the groove. Just my opinion.

[Lee Collins]

I agree with suspiria. Vinnie has swapped the ferrari for a bentley ( so to speak).

[Suspiria]

Originally posted by Rudy_Ment:
Vinnie has swapped the ferrari for a bentley ( so to speak).

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">That's a great way to explain the situation.

[peter b]

i thought the same thing after viewing the JR tapes, and some of his older clinic stiff.i would have to say there is DEFINITLEY a drop off in his agression, fire, velocity in which he attacks the kit....no question. but i still here new 'chops' coming out of this guy. he remains like an 'open channel'..... streaming with endless creativity. just not hitting as hard.
i have to say (personally) that older stuff does bring my heart rate up just a bit more than the new while watching it. i love watching him be master of his domain....playing whatever the hell his mind can dream up.....damn!

[five eight]

A corollary would be Steve Gadd's current less-is-more-groove-I-don't-play-Nite-Sprite-licks-anymore. At the Gadd clinic last week in Dallas (really at the Richardson High School auditorium) Steverino demonstrated before a crowd of three or four hundred people that he still could damn well light 'em up whenever he feels like it.

Fortunately to this day Vinnie has not eschewed his chops; but it isn't like it was a decade or so ago.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ April 10, 2005 09:36 PM: Message edited by: Five Eight ]</font>

[troutbrooke]

Personally, I love all the 'old' Vinnie stuff, but his newer stuff shows even more depth. I love what he played on that Cavemen record and the Richard Bona stuff too.

[Cameron_Mahoney]

I don't think he has lost anything, but has definitely changed as a person, which is reflected in his playing. I actually enjoy the newer stuff like Jing Chi, Karizma, etc. to old Zappa stuff most of the time, but it's of course personal opinion.

[five eight]

The more I think about it the more I agree with Lennon's assessment of Elvis: "He was never the same after he got out of the Army." (Hear hear, John, I agree.)

Like maybe Vinnie was not the same after he got out of Sting's band. [img]confused.gif[/img]

Not that he didn't lay down some chops to be reckoned with once he took the gig with Stink. [img]wink.gif[/img]