Tape Two 14th Year (belated) Anniversary

**Plaid** · October 21st, 2003, 09:57 PM

As far as the "clean" issue with Vinnie, I think I'm going to have to agree with Derek. To be honest, I personally never thought Vinnie was super clean to begin with, but that's yet another part of what makes him Vin. There are many ghost note parts in recent recordings that aren't too squeaky (see the intro of Palladium on Document), but that's just fine with me. Weckl is cleaner, but then again.......the clean/precise thing is what makes Weckl Weckl, so it's not really a bad thing either way. As far as Vinnie recordings, I've personally enjoyed the Baked Potato/Karizma/Sting looseness of his playing from the latter 90's through now the most, though it's ALL brilliant and simply a matter of opinion and what you like the most.

**sean b. tinio** · October 21st, 2003, 09:57 PM

originally posted by Derek D.

late 80's-early 90's Vinnie is my favorite period personally. (I live in the past, shoot me :-) He seems far less comfortable on the instrument now than then and his execution was a lot cleaner then too. But.. the most important thing, his ideas. Still amazing as ever.

dont get me wrong guys, but i seem to agree on this statement...

i dont know why [img]graemlins/wonder.gif[/img] but im most attracted to Vinnie's work during late 70s till early 90s, i dont like how he plays nowadays (but we must admit, its still brilliant as ever)...

its kinda different from the way he plays when he was still young (true, a lot cleaner)... i dont know, just my own POV..

>>>ill just email you my list shedder..

**FuseU1** · October 21st, 2003, 11:17 PM

"dont get me wrong guys, but i don't seem to agree on this [clean] statement" [img]wink.gif[/img] ...

Let's remember that the drums on Document are fairly hot in the mix & don't sound as mixed-down & EQ'd as a lot of major recordings do...to me, they have that live, raw, in-yo-face, small club sound/mix to em...

Plaid, are you referring to the ghost notes at approx. :32 thru :35 seconds, & again at :39 thru :41 [Palladium]? Yeah, you might have something on that...but let's be careful to not get too nit-picky here & throw the baby out w the bath-water!! [img]wink.gif[/img] He either intended that [img]wink.gif[/img] , or he was just goin for it!]

[ October 21, 2003 08:21 PM: Message edited by: FuseU1 ]

**Plaid** · October 21st, 2003, 11:40 PM

Fuse, I don't have that recording up here with me, but I'm sure you're pointing out the parts I'm talking about. It wasn't so much the "cleanliness" of the ghosts as it was the timing. Oh......don't get me wrong....he was of course in time, but the pocketing and spacing of the ghosts between the HH and the snare just wasn't done as well as it COULD have been done by him IMO (I'd be willing to bet he was saying, "Crap, that didn't sound too good" on the playback). On that note, I'm not a big fan of Vin's Latin playing. Yeah, he's good at it, but it's not his strong point.

(of course, Sicily sounded pretty damn good, Fuse!! [img]wink.gif[/img]

**FuseU1** · October 21st, 2003, 11:43 PM

"[I'd be willing to bet he was saying, 'Crap, that didn't sound too good' on the playback)"

You might be right, there...[shades of Louie P [img]wink.gif[/img] [img]cool.gif[/img] ]

[Don't take me the wrong way - you know I'm WITH ya, Louie!]

[ October 21, 2003 08:45 PM: Message edited by: FuseU1 ]

**FlamTriplet** · October 22nd, 2003, 12:48 AM

I don't know what you guys are saying how Vinnie sounded better before. Just listen to some of the insane fills he pulled off on those Sting clips. There was a monster fill that rocked on the Today show. It could have had a heavier drum mix, but I heard it, and he was going for it. Just like the Vinnie he is and WAS. [img]graemlins/smarty.gif[/img]

**BennyAndTheSkins** · October 22nd, 2003, 01:23 AM

I love his playing on Palladium. You have to remember that he probably got that chart about 10 minutes before playing the tune, and he was just going balls to the wall on it. I think that it was alot more improvisational than anything. It was rambunctious, but it was still on.... I love it. Also, check out his playing on a tune called Nothing Personal. Not sure what the personel on that tune was, but his playing is AMAZING. That tune alone should put to rest any questions as to his ability recently, versus 15 years ago.

**sideshow097** · October 22nd, 2003, 02:19 AM

i gotta agree with that. the stuff he does on nothing personal is just freakin crazy. especially on that solo section, i listened to that with my mouth wide open everytime i hear that stuff. and when he plays a much slower fill after the bass solo it just makes me chuckle.

**Derek DeFields** · October 22nd, 2003, 02:43 AM

man, I'm keep starting up controversy lately. sorry! [img]eek.gif[/img]

I've seen Vinnie an absolute ton of times since the late 90's. I never saw him live prior like some guys here have so maybe Randy will mention what the old gigs were like.

I'm pretty sure I have every bootleg out there from the old days though.

All I was saying was.. I think he seemed more comfortable from a physical standpoint *only* back then. His ideas now are better than ever without a doubt and he remains my favorite player. As mentioned, his aggression and "I don't care if I make this" attitude are part of what we love about him.

I simply feel he never used to miss and now he does every once in a while, that's all. It's no big deal, but that WAS the question posed to us right? [img]tongue.gif[/img] I mean, you're asking for comments on greatness, I'm grasping for something. [img]graemlins/smarty.gif[/img]