What did Chet Atkins think of the shred guitarists?

[SonofJud]

Curious if he ever commented on that style. E.g. Steve Vai, Van Halen etc.

[MartinGibsonFan]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIKt_WQHia8

[fitness1]

Love that tune....

[lowrider]

I couldn’t open the link, but I’ll bet I know what it is;

“Now Chet, you’re never gonna get to play that Rock & Roll”

[MartinGibsonFan]

Originally Posted by lowrider

I couldn’t open the link, but I’ll bet I know what it is;

“Now Chet, you’re never gonna get to play that Rock & Roll”

I tried surrounding that YouTube Video with the [YOUTUBE] delimiter but that didn't seem to work.

Seems Fitness was able to play the video?

Yep, it's the song you thought it was



J

[mercy]

I dont know that weve determined what Chet would think but I can tell you what I think.

[Christian Reno]

I seem to remember Paul Yandell saying that Chet was amazed at the size of the amplifiers “Paul, they were playing amps the size of a refrigerator!”

[MartinGibsonFan]

Originally Posted by mercy

I dont know that weve determined what Chet would think but I can tell you what I think.

Maybe Chet's thoughts are more ' G rated '



Personally, my opinion about shredding is that it should go through the shredder a few more times so that you can't hear it

J

[truckgoodbar]

Chet was good friends with Eric Johnson and had a high regard for his talents.

[davidbeinct]

Originally Posted by truckgoodbar

Chet was good friends with Eric Johnson and had a high regard for his talents.

To my ears Eric Johnson is much more musical than what springs to mind when I hear the term “shredder.”

[cdkrugjr]

Originally Posted by MartinGibsonFan

Maybe Chet's thoughts are more ' G rated '



Personally, my opinion about shredding is that it should go through the shredder a few more times so that you can't hear it

J

Janis Ian tells this story:

"One time I said to Chet, 'Chet, you never cuss around a lady, but you cuss around me all the time. What gives?'

He said, 'C'mon Janis, you're not a lady, you're a guitar player.' "

[stephenT]

Originally Posted by davidbeinct

To my ears Eric Johnson is much more musical than what springs to mind when I hear the term “shredder.”

To my ears, Eric falls in the shredder category, he certainly plays a lot of “Rapid passages” which is the heart of shredding. Doesn’t mean he’s any less musicical.

Chet enjoyed playing w Mark Knofler who’s capable of rapid playing but that isn’t his main approach.

[MartinGibsonFan]

Originally Posted by davidbeinct

To my ears Eric Johnson is much more musical than what springs to mind when I hear the term “shredder.”

I interpreted ' Shredding ' to strictly mean ' Heavy Metal ' genre.

Looking on the internet for the definition of shredding, it can be applied to other genres.

Expanding that definition of shredding, I can be a bit more forgiving, but personally, fast playing isn't pleasing to my ear.

I listen to music to RELAX and fast playing (shredding) just doesn't do that to my Soul.

J

[rgregg48]

He found them humorous.
I don't think he took them too seriously