Robin Trower vs. Frank Marino

[Willie G. Moseley]

Comin' up on 39th anniversary of Hendrix's death in less than two months, and I've pulled out CDs like CHILD OF THE NOVELTY and TWICE REMOVED FROM YESTERDAY over the last couple of weeks.

One wonders whether guitarists and music fans (as two separate entities, but guitarists ARE music fans, of course) would choose Trower or Marino if compelled to listen only to one or the other.

Criteria for such a choice would probably have to include a career-long perusal. Trower's been through numerous personnel changes, as has Marino, but Marino's always been the lead singer in his outfit. To some extent their tone has evolved, and what's more, there are times when I can listen to either on more recent material (REALLIVE, 20TH CENTURY BLUES) and actually NOT think Hendrix, possibly because Hendrix has been dead so long. I kinda think it's a good thing if I can check out a player (to whom I started listening decades ago) and not also envision his spiritual musical mentor.

Any votes for one or the other?

[custom53]

I always thought, at least in my own opion, that Trower did his own thing. Yes there are many similarities but I believe Frank was intentionally trying to pick up the torch from Hendrix. I have seen then both live and they are both great.

Mahogany Rush was supposed to open up for Queens first show in America (The Agora in Columbus) but for some reason (I've heard many) they didn't play. Queen played solo. (awesome show by the way)

[Crwth145]

I was thought, at least in my own opion, that Trower did his own thing. Yes there are many similarities but I believe Frank was intentionally trying to pick up the torch from Hendrix...

Pretty much how I see it.

Met Frank backstage at a show in PHX decades ago, one very right-on bro.

There are some days when I just can't seem to listen to Frank for too long at a time.

I rarely (if ever) seem to have that problem listening to Robin. Stuff's just way too cool...

[Punkavenger]

I just picked up some Trower albums on ebay ... I can listen to them all day long.

Mahogany Rush kinda bugs me.

Completely unscientific evaluation

[lesterpaul]

man, I gotta go with Trower..but he IS one of my all time faves,so biased I am//cool stuff..."Little Bit of Sympathy" rules my life at times

[Brooks]

great player, but i never dug marino's tunes.

love me some trower, esp bridge of sighs, & live.

[BubbaVO]

Trower - love the guy's playing.

[Steve Haynie]

Had Jimi Hendrix lived his sound would have evolved over the years. Jeff Beck in 1969 and in 2009 is not the same. Santana's music at Woodstock versus Santana's music today are not the same. Where Hendrix would have gone is something that we will never know.

Listening to the Frank Marino and Mahogany Rush live album there are a lot of fast licks that Hendrix never played and effects that likely were not around when Hendrix was alive. Hendrix could have gone in that direction.

Robin Trower seems to have nailed Hendrix tone early on and has stayed faithful to a blues influence. If Hendrix were to stay stuck in time musically, he would sound more like Trower. Trower sings on his latest album, by the way.

As for who carries the Hendrix torch, it would be easier to say Trower.

[Willie G. Moseley]

Caveat (and perhaps I should have clarified this at the outset): "Picking up a torch" doesn't necessarily always have complimentary or laudable connotation...and you'll notice I didn't include Randy Hansen. I think it's perfectly valid to speculate whether Trower or Marino might have (1) gone where Hendrix might have gone had he lived AND/OR (2) done a more intriguing or laudable job paying homage to Hendrix's influence.

Could be worse; could be politicians: when a state representative in this area died, one of the candidates for the vacancy (who's in the other party) solicited votes in his campaign brochure by asking voters to consider who could best pick up the deceased representative's torch. Mentioned the decedent three times in the brochure without the authorization of the decedent's family. This might be something for the Crucible, but it still sets my teeth on edge when I think about that...just a local example of a lack of class by politicians.

[59burst]

I started listening to Trower in the late '70's in my early teens and never thought "Hendrix" until someone else made the comparison. I still don't hear it, other than the strat and univibe being a big part of both their sounds. I'm a big fan of Trower and love Hendrix.

As far as Frank Marino, I've heard the name but for whatever reason have never heard his music. I'll have to check him out. Guess I'm no good in this poll.

Edit: checked out Mahogany Rush on Amazon and one album had a song that sounded like Third Stone From the Sun and another one that sounded like Manic Depression, plus a Hendrix cover. I've never heard a Trower song that made me think, yeah, that sounds like "fill in the blank" Hendrix song.

[princeofdarkness56]

When I think of the perfect tone that a dialed in strat can deliver, I think Trower.

[SteveB]

Bridge of Sighs is one of my top 5 desert island discs. Just one of those albums which gets everything right. Unfortunately, Trower has never been able to find a great replacement vocalist after Dewar, but then, how many vocalists like Dewar have their been? Robin does suffer from some of the worst "guitar face" you'll ever see.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtr9QbaZmTk

[Feynman]

Trower is Gear Page approved, so the answer is obvious.

Long live the well-wielded Strat.

[Punkavenger]

Yeah, I just like the Dewar stuff so maybe I'm really just a Dewar fan and it has nothing to do with Trower at all?

Check ebay for vinyl these days guys ... I got "bridge of sighs" for $4.99 and "Twice removed" for $7.99

[Turdus]

I'll go with Juggernaut, and earlier, Frank Marino. Loved that stuff in the 70's. Don't think I know anything by Trower other than "Day Of The Eagle".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0mW6PZApKk...PL&index=17