Reb Beach On Kirk Hammett

[elduave]

Classic Rock Revisited's Jeb Wright and Jesse Lee recently spoke with Winger/Whitesnake guitarist Reb Beach for the "Decades Of Distortion" show on the Arkansas City, Kansas radio station KACY 102.5 FM.

When asked about the comparisons between his playing and that of Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett, Beach said, "I don't know the guy [Kirk], but I think he's one of the worst guitar players I've ever heard in my life. I've never heard a solo from that guy that was any good. . . This guy is out of tune, and his vibration... what is it? Vibrato. Oh my god. It sounds like a beginner."

He continued, "Back in the '80s, he was always voted best guitar player, and I'm like, 'What?! That guy is terrible.' I hate to say that because I might meet him one day.

What's he play in? Megadeth? Metallica? Is he in Metallica? Oh, then I have no problem doing that because in their biggest video, 'Nothing Else Matters,' when they threw darts at a poster of Kip Winger, and then they showed it live — 20,000 people every night laughing at Winger — I don't mind saying that Kirk Hammett sucks."

[carfish7]

Nice!

z

[BCR Greg]

Truer words were never spoken.

[eightyfour]

Maybe, all I know is that if I'm throwin a little somethin into the cd player, it sure as shit isn't Reb Beach, but very easily could be some good ole Metallica.

[Mike Shaw]

"Truer words were never spoken"

Agreed. All that and good looks too ..

[brion]

I always thought that Kirk was pretty lame, but I agree that I'm way more likely to throw on some Metallica than anything Reb played on. As a matter of fact besides 'she's only 17' I can't think of another tune that Reb played on. A professional publicly bashing another professional comes off as pretty unprofessional, no?

[BubbaVO]

Since when did being a rock star have anything to do with being a great musician. Winger, Enuf Znuf and I could go on about bands that didn't hit it really big that had awesome musicians. For some reason, they didn't catch the public's fancy. That's life. Get over it.

[Devnor]

I'm sure its just buggin' the crap out of Kirk as he rides horses on that massive Cali ranch. Suckers

[atquinn]

Always liked Reb Beach

-Austin

[mathman]

I'd pick whitesnake/winger any day over metallica.

[hamerboy_]

I always thought that Kirk was pretty lame, but I agree that I'm way more likely to throw on some Metallica than anything Reb played on. As a matter of fact besides 'she's only 17' I can't think of another tune that Reb played on. A professional publicly bashing another professional comes off as pretty unprofessional, no?

Is not playing the video in front of 20, 000 fans a night a public bashing and unprofessional?

Maybe it's not "cool" to admit it, but I think Winger was/is one of the best bands of their genre. And if anyone thinks that Kirk is anywhere close to the league of a guitar player/musician that Reb is... Ah, forget it. If we all liked the same thing, the world would be a boring place.

I just picked a poster of the Jets out of the garbage. Time to sharpen some darts!

-Bobby

[Scottcrud]

I'm sure Kirk is laughing at Reb... All the way to the bank!

[svl]

Professional or unprofessional, I dig the honesty. It's a beautiful thing in this PC police world we're stuck in at the moment.

And yeah, Beach slays Hammett, hands down. Alice Cooper, Dokken, Kip and Coverdale (among others) knew the score...

[zenmindbeginner]

Number one... many solos in Metallica are played by James Hetfield. Metallica doesn't feel the need to explain exactly which solos were recorded by James and which ones were recorded by Kirk. It's not a priority for them, but fans can tell the difference in their playing. "Nothing Else Matters" and "The Unforgiven" are Hetfield solos.

Contrary to what people have been told and what has been written, James has probably played over a third of the Metallica solos over the years. They are the solos without any wah on em'. lol!

Hetfield is a control freak and thinks that his lead playing is the shit... Kirk knows enough to smile and agree with him.

Hammett's solos on "Battery" and "Master of Puppets" are absolute masterpieces and can stand up to Beach's "Heading for a Heartbreak" any day.

Metallica singled out Winger because they represented the vapid and stale aspect of the industry that is completely antithetical to producing quality music.

Metallica has always been in the business of creating art, and Winger has always been in the business of creating commerce.

Music is art, not commerce. Now art is sold in a commercial way all of the time, which is fitting, because it has VALUE. Most commerce is created simply to drive funds into bank accounts.

It's like comparing Smashmouth to Beck. Beck has artistic integrity and so does Metallica...

Smashmouth and Winger have very little musical integrity other than being "catchy".

Now, Reb Beach is an awesome player and anyone who can graduate from Berkley gets major props from me.

But Winger was a fucking joke and deserved any crap that was dished out on it. Metallica is a deep and thought provoking band that creates epic neo classical speed metal. Winger is a shallow band that creates sort of catchy pop songs that don't hold up at ALL in retrospect.

Hammett has influenced a ton of successive generations of guitar players, who the hell has Reb Beach influenced?

Hell, at least Kirk has an identifiable style and has developed a unique voice that is his own.

Metallica's music is also enjoyed by new generations of children every year, they will go proudly into musical history.

Winger's music is not listened to by any younger people and will not make it into the canon of great rock and roll period.

Winger will forever be remembered as the musical joke that they were and the only thing that will go into history will be Kip's closely trimmed beard.

Reb picked the wrong money train to ride...

Can Reb play circles around Kirk? Of course he can, but I don't give a shit because his playing is within the context of a crappy song by a crappy band. I would however like to hear his work in that band "Mob" though, I've got a big ol' soft spot in my heart for Kelly and Doug. Night Ranger and King's X? Now you're talking!!!!

But Winger? Puhhhh-leeeeaaase! LMFAO!!!!!!!!!

[Stike]

I don't know who played the clean solo on "One" but ewwwww.

Yeah Reb is a monster player and all of the guys in Winger are fantastic all around musicians but like almost everything coming out of Nashville now they and a lot of their contemporaries then while being being great players churned out a lot of pandering horseshit. I like a ripping solo as much as the next guy but I can only sit though so much Mike Tramp-ish singing and lyrics to get to it.

[Brooks]

I don't know who played the clean solo on "One" but ewwwww.

Yeah Reb is a monster player and all of the guys in Winger are fantastic all around musicians but like almost everything coming out of Nashville now they and a lot of their contemporaries then while being being great players churned out a lot of pandering horseshit. I like a ripping solo as much as the next guy but I can only sit though so much Mike Tramp-ish singing and lyrics to get to it.

ha! the pingy clean solo on "one" is the epitome of why floyded guitars are only useable thru high gain amps.

metallica is like alot of bands like sabs, kiss, zz top etc;

1) the whole is greater than the sum of the parts; you can build a supergroup of waaay better players who will suck, but the right combo of average players will rule.

2) despite several rawkin tunes on death magnetic, like most bands that stay together this long, their best music is behind them. i believe if hendrix or zep were still around in 2010, they would be releasing mediocre music too. everything peaks at a certian time.

[atquinn]

Number one... many solos in Metallica are played by James Hetfield. Metallica doesn't feel the need to explain exactly which solos were recorded by James and which ones were recorded by Kirk. It's not a priority for them, but fans can tell the difference in their playing. "Nothing Else Matters" and "The Unforgiven" are Hetfield solos.

Contrary to what people have been told and what has been written, James has probably played over a third of the Metallica solos over the years. They are the solos without any wah on em'. lol!

Hetfield is a control freak and thinks that his lead playing is the shit... Kirk knows enough to smile and agree with him.

Hammett's solos on "Battery" and "Master of Puppets" are absolute masterpieces and can stand up to Beach's "Heading for a Heartbreak" any day.

Metallica singled out Winger because they represented the vapid and stale aspect of the industry that is completely antithetical to producing quality music.

Metallica has always been in the business of creating art, and Winger has always been in the business of creating commerce.

Music is art, not commerce. Now art is sold in a commercial way all of the time, which is fitting, because it has VALUE. Most commerce is created simply to drive funds into bank accounts.

It's like comparing Smashmouth to Beck. Beck has artistic integrity and so does Metallica...

Smashmouth and Winger have very little musical integrity other than being "catchy".

Now, Reb Beach is an awesome player and anyone who can graduate from Berkley gets major props from me.

But Winger was a fucking joke and deserved any crap that was dished out on it. Metallica is a deep and thought provoking band that creates epic neo classical speed metal. Winger is a shallow band that creates sort of catchy pop songs that don't hold up at ALL in retrospect.

Hammett has influenced a ton of successive generations of guitar players, who the hell has Reb Beach influenced?

Hell, at least Kirk has an identifiable style and has developed a unique voice that is his own.

Metallica's music is also enjoyed by new generations of children every year, they will go proudly into musical history.

Winger's music is not listened to by any younger people and will not make it into the canon of great rock and roll period.

Winger will forever be remembered as the musical joke that they were and the only thing that will go into history will be Kip's closely trimmed beard.

Reb picked the wrong money train to ride...

Can Reb play circles around Kirk? Of course he can, but I don't give a shit because his playing is within the context of a crappy song by a crappy band. I would however like to hear his work in that band "Mob" though, I've got a big ol' soft spot in my heart for Kelly and Doug. Night Ranger and King's X? Now you're talking!!!!

But Winger? Puhhhh-leeeeaaase! LMFAO!!!!!!!!!

In other words, I think we can all agree that Reb is a waaay better guitarist than Kirk.

-Austin

[RobB]

This thread is gonna get worse before it gets better. Alright!

[Jeff R]

LOL ... I appreciate Reb and Kirk and enjoy both guitarists for the context of their projects.

But if I draw a line in the sand, I'll take Reb's melodic guitar playing in the context of songs over Kirk's bansheeeeee fast-assed pentatonics and tap-tap-hammer-meedley, followed by those compositional moments -- "let's ride the wah some more and see if it makes the tap-tap-hammer-meedley sound a little different."

Then again, I haven't sold a gazillion records. Go figure.

[BCR Greg]

First off, Metallica is NOT popular because of Kirk Hammet. The vast majority of listeners don't give a rat's ass about the solos.

Second, Kirk Hammer sucks as a person. I have met him several times.

Third, ANY defense of Metallica's trashing Winger(or any other band) is not cool. Showing that vid every night is classless.

Fourth, I saw Winger several times, and they were SO much more rocking live than the sissy sounding records.

Fifth, you don't like anything that I post? Get over it.

[Shark]

Truer words were never spoken.

+1

Just my two cents.

Saw Winger live yesterday here in Germany.

The Band totally rock and everybody, and I mean everybody, in the band is a outstanding playing.

[KH Guitar Freak]

Guess I'm a weirdo that I quite like solos from Metallica, besides the fact that Kirk does do those repetative super short and overly fast vibratos. But that's ok...

Second, Kirk Hammer sucks as a person. I have met him several times.

Is that because he tries to avoid the public most of the time? That dude seems rather paranoid at being too close to people around him. You can't even pat the dude on the back or shake hands it seems sometimes...

[Disturber]

If he is true or not does not really matter. He plays in "Winger"? Cool, yeah right, lol. I have hardly ever heard his name before.

Kirk Hammet is in Metallica, there are about one hundred million people who loves the albums, songs, and concerts he has played on. Not guitar nerd people, but ordinary hard rockers. So I'd say Kirk will win this fight no matter how loud this guy is bad mouthin´him. There are more people who likes his playing, so in my book he is a pretty successful musician.

And I don't second Gregs post that Kirk sucks as a person. I've had drinks with him, he was a pretty nice fella.

I don't really care who's the better guitarist though. I like Metallica, but I'm not a die hard fan. But when I saw them in 1993 standing right in that snakepit in the middle of the stage it was one f*ckin awesome show. When the bombs went off I almost shit my pants, I was like three, four meters from them.

[KH Guitar Freak]

I do know a lot of people that used to "bash" Winger back in those days, especially with Mike Judge made fun of them on Beavis and Butthead, and later on in King of the Hills. I think it was mostly just taking the piss out of them, not so much hating them. On the other hand, not too sure about that dart throwing thing. I can't remember, but wasn't Lars the only one to throw darts at a poster of Kip Winger???

Also, I recently watch an interview of Joe Satriani about several things, but one of them being about Kirk Hammett. Joe Satriani told the interviewer how talented Kirk Hammett was or something along those lines...

[polara]

Seems to me like dissing another band nightly on stage and slagging another player relentlessly in an interview are both pretty bad behavior. I never liked either band and this doesn't make me feel like either of those guys deserve Good Citizenship awards.

Anyway, music is about expressing something that resonates with other people, creating a shared feeling of humanity. Flawless technique is perhaps one way to do this, but writing good songs is usually more effective. I'd have to give THAT advantage to Metallica.