There are a myriad of well-known licks in guitar playing, but the Gaslight Anthem’s Tele-wielding band leader says there’s one that all players need to learn above the rest.
In recent years, Fallon has become a prolific solo artist and is set to release his latest solo LP, Not Bad for New Jersey, in September. That’s led him to tell Guitar World what he thinks should be a fundamental piece of knowledge for every guitar player. Regardless of genre.
“Some people underestimate what a great guitar player is; there’s multiple facets to it,” he says, building up to his point.
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“There’s the traditional shredder, but then there’s Julian Lage or John Frusciante from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Take Snow (Hey Oh), for example; that lick isn’t hard to play, but it’s super hard to get up to speed for five minutes. I don’t think a lot of people could do it cleanly.”
Fallon is keen to point out that the upper echelons of playing are not reserved for superstar shredders alone. He puts himself firmly in the Frusciante camp here, and puts a clear divide between guitar solos and lone-standing licks.
“Instead of solos, I want to learn licks,” he quips. “It’s about the relationship between the two. That kind of playing is overlooked. We have a lot of Ron Woods and Mick Taylor’s [of the Rolling Stones], but we need more Keith Richards’s and [Bob] Marley’s.”
That leads him, at last, to the lick in question: Your Favorite Mistake by Sheryl Crow.
“It’s crazy. It’s slamming,” he purrs. “That opening lick is so dope. It’s Wendy Melvoin, and it’s perfectly played.
“If you’re a guitar player out there, go listen to her – that is the way you should play guitar. But only half of you. The other half needs to be shredders, because every Izzy needs a Slash.”
Indeed, for every Yngwie Malmsteen-inspired shredder who can dance through arpeggios like it’s a task as easy as putting socks on, there needs to be understated players who keep things simple and grounded. They complement one another.
Fallon isn’t speaking out against shredders; he is simply proving that there are other ways to be great. And he’s certainly doing it in a more understated way than Keith Richards, who said he laughed his ass off when the ‘80s shred scene built up speed, or modern prog hero Steve Wilson, who said shredding wasn’t music but sport.
Guitar World’s full interview with Fallon will be published online in due course.
