How the Edge changed the sound of guitar playing forever: 17 guitarists share their favorite U2 moments

[Grievous66]

 

[Stratman68]

You obviously haven’t set foot in a church in the last 25 years or so. Dotted eighth delays into an AC30 is THE guitar sound for Praise & Worship, so it would be fair to say that Dave Evans influenced an entire genre that he is personally not even associated with. That’s pretty impressive.

So all praise & Worship guitar sounds are based on edge's sound? Uh OK. Hey you know, I never said anything bad about the guy.
I explained what I was "disagreeing" with and it wasn't his dotted 1/8 notes.
Why not give it a rest and what I do and where I go is MY businress. not yours. Also forgot their is only one type of place of worship. Silly me.
Yes I am tired of this thread and will FINALLY unwatch it. Should have days ago.Have at it, Bye.........

 

[Muad'zin]

@Muad'zin I am into "music".................Good music. I am into guitar playing.................You are just going to force it out of me I guess. Edge's guitar playing does NOTHING for me. Very innovative, yes. Fits in the band perfectly. If I had to name (my opinion of course) the top 25 guitarists he would not even be considered. You make think that I have some BIAS agianst him or U2. I don't. I enjoy many of their songs,
His guitar playing on the other hand just does NOT impress me. Their, I said it all. Sorry man.................

Hey, no need to apologize. I am a big boy and you are entitled to your opinions.

Personally, EVH does nothing for me. I can recognize that the man is a genius, but EVH never made as big a splash in Europe as he did in the US. US = stadiums, in Europe = arenas and clubs. So EVH never registered on me in his heyday. Running with the Devil and Jump are their only known hits here, the latter mostly. Hell, the only reason why his death was news here was because he was born here.

I have no dog in this fight... But this post is about "sound" not "playing".

I don't claim to be a U2 or Edge fan (unless you're talking Ibanez trems ) but the man created a unique, signature sound that is chased by many.

There honestly are not too many guitarists like that...

Not just one sound, MANY iconic sounds. I dare anyone to play the Korg A3's funkwah setting and NOT play Mysterious Ways. It's nigh impossible.
Basically every U2 song has unique guitar tone. Yeah, the dotted 8th delay into a Vox AC-30 is one of his most used sounds, but the dude did not tour with 2 Twin Towers of sonic doom for nothing. Aside from using delay a lot I'd say that his shimmer sound is just as much copied to the point that you now have pedals dedicated to just that sound.

Yes I alluded to that in other posts. Not sure about the "many" chase his sound. I would guess many U2 fans chase his sound. I knoww he is a competent and good guitar player. No doubt. I know he did create this very nice DEALY etc guitar sounds which are a major part of U2's sound.
As I stated UG, perhaps if the title wasn't about him changig the guitar sound forever I would not have even posted.
So many great guitar players pro and not pros, just so many. IMHO he is NOT a great guitar player he is a GOOD guitar player and he is GREAT at what he does.
Now as an example, imho of course, Eddie Van Halen did have a humongous impact on guita players around the world and he is copied and will be forever. I guess what I said and am trying to get across is EVH WAS a GREAT guitar player, whatever he played.

I daresay that Edge has more clones out there then EVH. As said, VH never made it that big outside of the US. Just like ZZ-Top by the way. I remember watching the 1st Live Aid concert in 1985, and whenever they switched over to the US side there were bands I had never heard off before. There are a lot of massively famous artists in the US who are unknown outside of the US, just by virtue of completely neglecting that market. U2 on the other was world wide. They were famous across the world, not just on one side of the pond. Stadiums in Europe, the US, downunder and basically wherever they go. U2's music appeals to more people, and by virtue of that that appeals to more guitar players too. Hell, the only reason I learned of the Axe-FX was because a growing group of tribute Edges were using them and showing them off online.

He has the second way to be a great guitar player...working on the sound and write songs.. I m a great shredders fan but this means nothing if you are not able to write anything.. People often forget that music is listening and not watching..

U2 had a SHITLOAD of hits. And over a very long period as well. From I Will Follow in 1980 to Vertigo in 2005. That's almost three decades of cultural relevance. Only the Rolling Stones have achieved similar results. Most artists are happy to have just one hit. And even now their shows are massive affairs that are next to impossible to get tickets for, except via scalper. Yes, I reckon that being a great songwriter DWARFS technical playing ability by lightyears. A great technical guitar player appeals to other technical guitarplayers. A guitarplayer which can consistently write good songs and guitar hooks will appeal to everyone.

 

[Stratman68]

You just had to quote me after I gave up. Their shows are massive affairs? So are many rappers, bigger even.

And this is just not true, I quote you, " A guitarplayer which can consistently write good songs and guitar hooks will appeal to everyone.:

I have many friends from Florida to New York to California. Guitar players I mean. 99% of theem feel the way I do, but for some reason you just cannot accept that EVERYONE is not totally into your hero. sorry. I really am. It's just the way it is. Free speech and free will. Please stop dragging me bak hee because you KNOW I will defend my PERSONAL point of view. Jeeezzzz. Give it a rest man.
I said, more than once, He is a good guitar player with a unique sound. My guiatr playing friends are NOT shredders, ot metal guys, etc, etc., not that their is anything wrong with that type of playing btw. My friends, They are all around classic rock, Jazz, Bluess, R&B, etc, etc, etc.
Maybe this will help. I have some heroes' that many "possibly" have no idea who they are but imho they are GREAT guitar players.
Example: Ry Cooder and Jeff Golub.

 

[dr bonkers]

While other guitarists may have left space between notes and played with effects in order to transform the guitar into an "otherworldly" sounding instrument ( Robert Fripp, Andy Summers, Geordie Walker of Killing Joke, Paul Reynolds of A Flock of Seagulls all come to mind), to me, The Edge was the first one who was more accessible to a certain audience.

I remember hearing Gloria, I Will Follow, and Drowning Man off of a mix tape, then saying to a friend, "I think this is some artistic avenue that I can explore that won't cost thousands of dollars or hours to find my own voice on the instrument."

The Edge was as much of a voice and inspiration for a bunch of guitarists to find their own voices on the instrument in the same way Jimi, Jimmy, Jeff, Gilmour, Steve Jones of The Sex Pistols, and EVH were to a different generation of guitarists.

 

[jlynnb1]

if you have a narrow view of what makes a guitar player, you might not understand....but otherwise it's impossible to not admit his impact and influence. PW, Shoegaze, Post Rock, Pop...even the ambient sounds in heavier music owe much to him.

 

[jefferski]

... Shoegaze, Post Rock, ...

Was just about to post this. An entire style that often sounds like U2 jam sessions. Whether or not it floats your boat is another matter, but his impact is undeniable. And the rhythm section as well... while the bass and drums in U2 seem to be mostly considered as an afterthought, they're very much integral to their overall sound.

 

[jclemensfl]

To each their own.

But if Tom Morello, Joe Bonamassa, Myles Kennedy, John Petrucci and all the others included in the article say so, I'll believe them.

For me, guitar playing is all about playing a song that people hear, identify easily and enjoy. I feel no need to show off, prove anything, or be anything other than a musician who contributes to the song.

Guitar solos?

Don't bore us, get to the chorus.

 

[StingRay]

What I've never heard mentioned about The Edge by anyone including The Edge himself in any interview I've ever heard from him is that he owes a lot to Stewart Adamson, the guitar player of the punk band "The Skids" and later the lead guitarist and singer of the group "Big Country." Stuart was a huge influence in Edge's playing style and sound in his very early days. It's obvious to anyone who knows The Skids music and then listens to U2 first album "Boy." In a mid '80's interview with Stuart he talked about his early friendship with Edge when Stuart was already a well established guitarist and Edge was just starting out and how Edge stole all his best licks. He said this tongue and cheek but no doubt there was some truth to it as you can clearly hear the similarities in Edge's playing and licks on "Boy" to Stuart's earlier playing with "The Skids" even though their tones were very different. Not to really take away from Edge as he certainly developed his own unique sound and style during the next few albums, however in my opinion I think you have to give some good credit to producer "Steve Lillywhite." Their is no doubt in my mind Steve Lillywhite played a significant role in Edge's sound since Lillywhite also produced with Paul Reynolds of Flock of Seagulls, Charlie Burchill of Simple Minds, Dave Sharp of The Alarm, David Rhoads of Peter Gabrial's band and of course Stuart Adamson and Bruce Watson of Big Country among others. All unique guitar players with very interesting signature sounds...coincidence? I don't think so. That said, Edge has been my favorite guitar player for more the 25 years despite U2's crap politics.

 

[AndyOrr]

My favorite moment was cranking an Axe-Fx Ultra into a Matrix amp -- alligator clipped to the speakers in an AC30 -- and jamming with Edge on Bullet the Blue Sky in the back room at S.I.R.

When it got loud, his face lit up with a real smile and the stress of a crazy week for both of us just seemed to melt away.

Did you use a sustainer guitar?

 

[AndyOrr]

My memorable U2 moments

#1. Driving across the Key Bridge in Washington, DC circa 1987 in my ancient BMW 2002 sedan with my Blaupunkt tape deck wired up to my Alpine speakers and blasting “Red Hill Town” as the then love of my young life and I were breaking up.
#2. Bono emptying an entire water bottle on my head at the Denver Pepsi Center / Ball Arena show in 2017.
#3. Performing the Edge’s parts in a U2 tribute act that raised $11,000 for young cancer victim who loved U2 and finding out later that U2 themselves heard about the show and gave the young woman the VIP treatment at their next show in Colorado.

Granted, the band may have overstayed their welcome - especially when all our iphones were hijacked! - but there’s no doubt The Edge had a HUGE influence on where the guitar would fit in popular music from then on.