Have you ever noticed?

Patrick Layher · Post by **Patrick Layher** » 2 Jan 2006 4:30 pm

Have you ever noticed, that when a lead guitarist is rippin a hot lick he sometimes makes an awefull face? As if in excrusciting pain? A face that only occurs naturally on a woman giving birth.

Meanwhile, the steeler sits calmly, or occationally smiles at the audience, while engaging every usable appendage the good Lord gave him.

Whats with that?

Calvin Walley · Post by **Calvin Walley** » 2 Jan 2006 4:35 pm

i saw a lead player do that once , when he stopped i just looked at him pointed to the steel player and said " think what you did was hard, try the steel" he never made those faces again

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Sonny Priddy · Post by **Sonny Priddy** » 2 Jan 2006 4:41 pm

Did You Ever See Marvin Laner Play? SONNY

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David Higginbotham · Post by **David Higginbotham** » 2 Jan 2006 4:45 pm

Heck, I don't have the extra ability to concentrate enough to make those faces. Everything I've got goes into thinking what I am going to play, trying to play what I thought of, grunting, gritting my teeth, and hoping for the best! Whew, I am tired just thinking about it.

Dave

Jay Fagerlie · Post by **Jay Fagerlie** » 2 Jan 2006 4:52 pm

I call that the "O" face.
Carlos Santana is always good for one....

Paul Norman · Post by **Paul Norman** » 2 Jan 2006 5:27 pm

I thought steel players were supposed to make those faces.

Larry Strawn · Post by **Larry Strawn** » 2 Jan 2006 6:42 pm

I try not to do anything that will draw extra attention to me,, When everyone starts watching me I usually mess up big time!! LOL.
Larry

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James Lombard · Post by **James Lombard** » 3 Jan 2006 11:18 am

Those are called "Blues faces," I believe...

Ben Jones · Post by **Ben Jones** » 3 Jan 2006 11:58 am

I just watched an old movie called the Nashville Sound. I can hear some really nice steel trhu alot of the movie but they never show the players...they show every single other member of the band but the steel player, and then when they do finally give you a one second shot of the player, he's as far off to the side of the stage he looks as if he's in the audience. At one pint Roy Acuff is introducing all the players before they take a solo during one song, but when he gets to "here's Shot Jackson on his Sho-Bud!" they just cut to some footage of Roy doing yo-yo tricks (yes, yo-yo tricks!..wtf?)

In Winstons book, Buddy Emmons looks as if he is about to give birth.[This message was edited by Ben Jones on 03 January 2006 at 12:16 PM.]

Jim Walker · Post by **Jim Walker** » 3 Jan 2006 2:52 pm

My buddy Stevie call's it passing the potat"O". I saw him do it on a taping of Austin City Limits. I never realized that I did it that much till I seen a few videos of my self on stage. It's harder to just smile while playing than you think! But I'm getting there.

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John Poston · Post by **John Poston** » 3 Jan 2006 3:02 pm

If a guy doesn't make those faces, how are you supposed to know if they are any good?

Bob Carlucci · Post by **Bob Carlucci** » 3 Jan 2006 3:04 pm

hmm... I have had several women say it looks like the guitarist is in the middle of er, um ,shall we say a "romantic encounter",,, thats about the best I can do to clean it up... Many ladies have told me its a turn on.... YMMV..... bob[This message was edited by Bob Carlucci on 03 January 2006 at 03:05 PM.]

Carter York · Post by **Carter York** » 3 Jan 2006 4:06 pm

Clapton made an entire career based on the "what's that smell!?" facial expression.

Jim Phelps · Post by **Jim Phelps** » 3 Jan 2006 4:18 pm

I grew up watching Chet Atkins on TV, just sitting there calmly and relaxed and playing the heck out of it. I wanted to be like him, not like the ants-in-pants guys with the painful faces.... now I find that I have become the relaxed-looking player.... and everyone tells me to dance, jump, move, etc.

My wife and I caught a pop-rock band playing in a big shopping mall a few months ago (this is common around here) and the guitarist was extremely average, but he made the faces and bent around all over like he was doing exercises and the audience thought he was fantastic....

again....

A few years ago my wife and I were joking about guitar players' faces while she was taking some photos of me for a promo... I tried to make the worst, most pained look I could possibly make, just for a joke. I'll have to see if I can find that.

[This message was edited by Jim Phelps on 03 January 2006 at 04:29 PM.]

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 3 Jan 2006 4:35 pm

If I played as loud and distorted as the typical lead man, I'd be makin' faces too!

Patrick Layher · Post by **Patrick Layher** » 3 Jan 2006 4:54 pm

I once videoed myself playing(it's the only recorder I have) And I looked pretty calm....maybe you have to pick more than 11 strings a minute before you make those faces

Pat

Jim Phelps · Post by **Jim Phelps** » 3 Jan 2006 5:01 pm

It's just too bad that the average audience is impressed by these faces and theatrics more than they are good playing.

Al Udeen · Post by **Al Udeen** » 3 Jan 2006 6:01 pm

Over the years, people would come up to me, and ask me why I didn't smile when I was playing, and I would say, people who smile all the time are retarded, they would walk away not smiling, & then I was smiling! au

Nic du Toit · Post by **Nic du Toit** » 4 Jan 2006 3:12 am

Larry,
I'm with you on this one.
.....I think very few can beat the 'Bobbster" when it comes to that smile

He really enjoys his playing?!

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Randy Reeves · Post by **Randy Reeves** » 4 Jan 2006 6:19 am

yup. lead guitar players make 'guitar faces'.
that is the correct term. they make those faces to coax the right tone out of their instrument.

I found when playing my PSG my face is more of a grimmace. and it aint from coaxing a tone.

Howard Tate · Post by **Howard Tate** » 4 Jan 2006 6:29 am

When I played guitar BS (before steel) I would get a lot of ribbing from ladies for the facial expressions I made while trying to concentrate on the guitar. After a while I started concentrating on keeping my face immobile, and I actually lost a lot of speed. Now my contorted face is the same when I'm playing or not playing.

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Howard, 'Les Paul Recording, Zum SD12U, Carter D10 8/8, Vegas 400, Boss ME-5, Boss DM-3, DD-3, Fender Steel King, Understanding wife. http://www.Charmedmusic.com

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 4 Jan 2006 7:54 am

Sonny, yes, I have seen Marvin Lanier play. He played guitar with Don Gibson, right? He was at Jeffran College in the house band for a concert when I was in class there in 1980.

His facial expressions were entertaining to say the least. His pickin' wasn't too shabby either!

Allan Thompson · Post by **Allan Thompson** » 4 Jan 2006 8:01 am

Joe Walsh's face while playing his part of the solo on Hotel California on the Hell Freezes Over video always cracks me up.

Whip Lashaway · Post by **Whip Lashaway** » 4 Jan 2006 8:35 am

I quit smoking and started chewing bubble gum about the same time I started playing steel. Chewing that bubble gum became my metranome. My wife says I make my mouth do wierd things if I don't have any gum. She also noticed that once in a while just before a long steel break I'll blow a bubble going into it. I am totally unaware that this is happening. Who can explain the human condition? We all have are peculiarities. Like I always say, if everybody was like me, we'd all be after my wife!!!

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Webb Kline · Post by **Webb Kline** » 4 Jan 2006 12:53 pm

I must confess that I am probably guilty of making those faces. It probably has something to do with the fact that when I get a lead right it is so rare that it becomes as satisfying to me as when I am engaged in one or the other of life's...ummm...shall we say euphoric biological processes.