I love Joe Bonamassa‘s playing in a situation where he‘s jamming the blues, whether up there in the RAH with E.C. or on a small stage with Josh Smith or similar. His attack and timing are magic and he interacts well with other musicians.
Then there is the other J.B. who bills his upcoming gigs as “the world’s greatest guitarist” or some such, and goes into superstar mode, which takes him away from what he does and loves best into some interminable modal scale solos and technical metal licks. Yes he his technically brilliant but he might need to rediscover his roots.
He gave me these plastic sunglasses (well he threw them into the audience but no-one wanted them so I picked them up off the floor). I was slightly disappointed that he had swapped out his expensive ones a minute or two beforehand!
I’m much preferring John Mayer nowadays. More variation, both guitar wise and vocally.
I’ve been listening to the first 3 tracks pre released from his new album due out next week.
Could be songs from any of his last 10 albums tbh. Boring.
If you do what you’ve always done……you’ll get what you’ve always got.
Bonamassa is to the blues genre what Nickelback were to rock. Harmless, with underlying technical ability but utterly no soul, no heart. When he sold tickets for his “intimate” gigs in London for ludicrous prices (higher than your average ticket by a multiple of around three) he lost a lot of followers. Never been able to listen to a whole album without skipping most of the tracks before the halfway mark
Have to apply MMMV to this - My Mileage May Vary… 
Not - yet - ordered his new CD, but I will.
So you don’t like him then 
I agree with your second sentence. Perhaps the use of the word “utterly” is a tad strong. But yes!!
As a longtime fan of Joe’s, I feel that, sadly, he is now entering Stones’ territory, where I’ll probably go and see him live, if only to hear the “greatest hits” belted out.
His recent studio output all sounds a bit tired and stale, as if he’s hit the buffers, creatively speaking, and it’s probably not coincidence that it’s his live albums which seem to sell best.
Oh well, it was good while it lasted.
Funny how guitarists threads so often revert back to the fallibility of EC.
I can forgive the racist rant, he was stoned way far beyond anything most people do, not an excuse in itself, but he had a black girlfriend, supported and promoted black musicians and when in the USA went off deep somewhere to ensure Skip James got his royalties for Cream covering I’m So Glad. But I’ve read his autobiography and 2 other bios on him and I draw the conclusion he’s not a nice person to the point of sleeping with Patty Boyd’s sister who he was wooing from his so called best pal George Harrison and used her - Boyd’s sister - to go up to London and do his drug running. Awful behaviour. He was treated abominably by his Mother not just in leaving him to be brought up by his grandparents - who denied not a thing - but when she (his mother) returned to the UK she refused to let him acknowledge her as his Mother. But not an excuse. And during his stoned period he let his audiences down bad, playing badly out of time and tune, and falling over on stage and abusing the audience. In fairness he’s tried to put something back with his drug rehabilitation centre but even so I can’t like him. Again doesn’t excuse but he’s not the only anti-vaxer, Novak Djokovic?
Yet, I’ve seen him (Clapton) live several times and only on one occasion did he not deliver an incendiary fired set, fuelled by emotionally charged playing and singing and fantastic musicians alongside. Last night I happened to play all of Layla what an inspired record. As a guitarist somewhat one dimensional, technically limited - Beck and Cooder as 2 examples are light years ahead - but when he pulls off top G wow! During the gig with Steve Winwood at the RAH they covered Voodoo Child and he held a note that I’m sure floated right out over Kensington Pk and would have been heard in Notting Hill! As a friend of mine often says a person is rarely just one thing.
Joe B, very accurate, nice sound but his bands always appear to be lacking syncopation to me. Inspired by Paul Kossoff so 
Regards,
Lindsay
PS: Just streaming JB’s latest - Time Clocks - very good.
See my post - No 6 - in this thread
Forgive me, I’m not sure what your Paul Kossoff comment meant. I know JM is a big fan of PK, but plays nothing like him. PK was technically limited, economical, and played with more emotion and musicality than any one I can think of.
Just referencing that JB is on record for being inspired by Free/Bad Co and Koss in particular. Yes you’re spot on about Koss.
Facility vs Inspiration.
I’m stuck in a Hotel room tonight seeking musical inspiration and I triedthe tube. Lucky to come across this gem from the phenomenon that is Joe Walsh. A real guitar player, musician and genuine comedian. Worth 20 minutes of any guitar lovers time. Had me guffawing with my headphones on too. Don’t know what my neighbours thought was going on!
Joe explains the genesis of Life’s been good:
Then a perfect concert performance:
Just giving “TimeClocks” a spin for the first time … … … Hmn. 
Sounds a wee bit more promising than “Royal Tea”, but I think he’s definitely sounding somewhat repetitive … … … and seems to be on a permanent “LOUD” setting … … … I don’t hear any future classics here … … … or maybe I’m just Bonamassa’d out. 
Saying that, I’d still go and see him live.
I’d be hard pressed to differentiate it from most of his previous 14 solo albums. Pretty boring tbh.
My favourite of his is Redemption by a country mile. The one I play the most.
Yep, and as I’ve mentioned elsewhere, it’s his live albums which are the ones I listen to most often.
Yes, sorry to say we are not going to get another Sloe Gin or Mountain Time again.
Just tried ripping Time Clocks. Final 3 tracks tripping up dBpoweramp. Final track was going to take 56 hrs…
Gave up and used Windows Media Player and took less than a minute.
Anyone else had similar??
Brilliant guitarist but for me he went a formulaic years ago and so I generally find him boring now.
Agree, Ewe. Too much technique not enough soul!