OT: Jeff Watson

[conversationpc]

The story on the front page says that there's a statement regarding Jeff Watson's leaving Night Ranger on his Myspace page but I don't see anything there. Does anyone have a link to it or can at least give me the scoop?

[Andrew]

Sorry, corrected that it wasn't MySpace, but his mailing list. The post in question is below in the Night Ranger forum.

[conversationpc]

Thanks a ton, my man.

[strangegrey]

You know, I've got mixed feelings on Watson's departure. I still remember reading the stories of when Gary Moon was brought into the band...how watson would unplug his amp, mid-gig. The guy sounds like a prick...

Ive been wanting to see NR live for a long time....the fact that Reb is now playing with them only adds resolve that I have to go see them this summer. Man, watching Brad Gillis and Reb on the same stage....dayum!!! I'm so there!

[conversationpc]

You know, I've got mixed feelings on Watson's departure. I still remember reading the stories of when Gary Moon was brought into the band...how watson would unplug his amp, mid-gig. The guy sounds like a prick...

Ive been wanting to see NR live for a long time....the fact that Reb is now playing with that only adds resolve that I have to go see them this summer. Man, watching Brad Gillis and Reb on the same stage....dayum!!! I'm so there!

Beach does an admirable job with Whitesnake. I'd personally love to see Sykes back there if they are to continue but Beach is a great player.

[Deb]

You know, I've got mixed feelings on Watson's departure. I still remember reading the stories of when Gary Moon was brought into the band...how watson would unplug his amp, mid-gig. The guy sounds like a prick...

Ive been wanting to see NR live for a long time....the fact that Reb is now playing with that only adds resolve that I have to go see them this summer. Man, watching Brad Gillis and Reb on the same stage....dayum!!! I'm so there!

Beach does an admirable job with Whitesnake. I'd personally love to see Sykes back there if they are to continue but Beach is a great player.

Reb? Is that the guy that was in Winger years ago?

[Melissa]

You know, I've got mixed feelings on Watson's departure. I still remember reading the stories of when Gary Moon was brought into the band...how watson would unplug his amp, mid-gig. The guy sounds like a prick...

Ive been wanting to see NR live for a long time....the fact that Reb is now playing with that only adds resolve that I have to go see them this summer. Man, watching Brad Gillis and Reb on the same stage....dayum!!! I'm so there!

Beach does an admirable job with Whitesnake. I'd personally love to see Sykes back there if they are to continue but Beach is a great player.

Reb? Is that the guy that was in Winger years ago?

Yep, that's him. I saw him with Whitesnake a few years ago at the HOB here, great show.

[conversationpc]

You know, I've got mixed feelings on Watson's departure. I still remember reading the stories of when Gary Moon was brought into the band...how watson would unplug his amp, mid-gig. The guy sounds like a prick...

Ive been wanting to see NR live for a long time....the fact that Reb is now playing with that only adds resolve that I have to go see them this summer. Man, watching Brad Gillis and Reb on the same stage....dayum!!! I'm so there!

Beach does an admirable job with Whitesnake. I'd personally love to see Sykes back there if they are to continue but Beach is a great player.

Reb? Is that the guy that was in Winger years ago?

Yep. Great player. He also had a stint in Dokken. Actually, the Dokken album he played on, "Erase the Slate", was the best one they'd done in years.

[strangegrey]

Same guy, strungout....he still is in Winger....and Whitesnake.

I think the heart and soul of the Whitesnake lineup is Doug Aldrich. Reb is one of my favorite players....but I think his playing doesn't fit snake the way Aldrich's does....but he is still a perfect person to hold down the fort when Doug plays...and to play the 'Vai' parts...

I saw Winger this past february...and they were simply fucking awesome!!! That band is a perfect showcase for how amazing Reb is...and he's a real down to earth, nice guy too....

[conversationpc]

Same guy, strungout....he still is in Winger....and Whitesnake.

I think the heart and soul of the Whitesnake lineup is Doug Aldrich. Reb is one of my favorite players....but I think his playing doesn't fit snake the way Aldrich's does....but he is still a perfect person to hold down the fort when Doug plays...and to play the 'Vai' parts...

I saw Winger this past february...and they were simply fucking awesome!!! That band is a perfect showcase for how amazing Reb is...and he's a real down to earth, nice guy too....

I've never cared much for Winger's stuff other than the debut, though, but I do love his playing.

[Deb]

Same guy, strungout....he still is in Winger....and Whitesnake.

I think the heart and soul of the Whitesnake lineup is Doug Aldrich. Reb is one of my favorite players....but I think his playing doesn't fit snake the way Aldrich's does....but he is still a perfect person to hold down the fort when Doug plays...and to play the 'Vai' parts...

I saw Winger this past february...and they were simply fucking awesome!!! That band is a perfect showcase for how amazing Reb is...and he's a real down to earth, nice guy too....

I've never cared much for Winger's stuff other than the debut, though, but I do love his playing.

Thanks guys & Mel. Gawd I used to love this song. I didn't know they were still around, how does Kip sound nowadays Frank, or is he even still lead singer?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZHVkJ1wVFM

[Deb]

NM, found a recent clip on Youtube, still sounds pretty damn good.

[7 Wishes]

I'm a little biased...Jeff has become a friend of mine over the years, and I'm just going to keep my mouth shut about this whole sordid affair, because I don't know Kelly's, Brad's, and Jack's stories...I've suspected there was a lot more to it than I knew at the time, and Jeff is more or less sticking to his guns...he is one of the great slingers of all time, and a helluva guy to boot. Gary Moon came in WITHOUT Jack and Jeff's agreement and participation, and he was also a bass player, not an axeman. This really sucks, but it's cushioned by Reb coming in to play the gigs...I've known that was going to happen for a while, but I probably would have gotten sued if I'd spilled the beans. Anyway, I'll still be there, stage right, but I won't be making any more 8 hour road trips to see them.

[strangegrey]

I'm a little biased...Jeff has become a friend of mine over the years, and I'm just going to keep my mouth shut about this whole sordid affair, because I don't know Kelly's, Brad's, and Jack's stories...I've suspected there was a lot more to it than I knew at the time, and Jeff is more or less sticking to his guns...he is one of the great slingers of all time, and a helluva guy to boot. Gary Moon came in WITHOUT Jack and Jeff's agreement and participation.......

Not to try to counter you...but if you are indeed a friend of Jeff, you'll know that the band did try to bring in Moon while Watson was *still* in the group...after Damn Yankees started...so Moon did come in with both Jeff's agreement and participation....Jeff later decided *not* to be a part of the group for his own reasons...but he was in on the ground floor on the Moon-experiment.

Sorry, I'm a musician...you don't unplug someone's gear and do little acts of sabotage in the middle of a gig. That's just fucking wrong. You play the gig you agree to and respectfully step away afterwards. Trying to actively sink a project you're close to because you don't like the direction it's taking, is downright low thing to do....That kind of story sticks in my craw...Sure, it happens all the time...and I've seen it happen first hand...but Watson doesn't get a pass because he was a famous musician. He still did a rather disgraceful thing, in my book.

Conversely, I've met both Kelly and Brad on numerous ocassions and they are simply fantastic individuals....Taking the Moon story into account, my experiences with Kelly and Brad, the fact that Jack, Kelly and Brad all seem to have the same story....until I see evidence that suggests they're all lying, my support will go to NR (sans-Watson).

Also, Watson is indeed a great player, but he did about as much to "invent" multifinger tapping...as EVH did to invent tapping. In both cases, they are taking credit for ideas originally invented by others. Reb is a far more interesting player to me than Watson is anyway...so I like the idea of this new lineup.

[7 Wishes]

Well, this has been my favourite band for 25 years, and it's the first I've heard of that incident. I do know that one of Jeff's reasons for not doing NR sans Jack was because the style and material wasn't true to the NR sound, in his opinion. That also has something to do with what's going on now, at least from Jeff's perspective.

[strangegrey]

There's nothing wrong with saying "I'm not into this direction, I don't think I'll be a part of it"...but there is something wrong with doing childish, immature BS like unplugging a bass amp to make the new guy look bad". That's just down right wrong...and it speaks volumes about JW.

Here's something I don't get, however....if Jeff doesn't like the new direction, well then why is he claiming he was fired?

[cyndy!]

Thanks guys & Mel. Gawd I used to love this song. I didn't know they were still around, how does Kip sound nowadays Frank, or is he even still lead singer?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZHVkJ1wVFM

i saw winger recently & thought they were fucking awesome too. kip sounds great & the band is supertight.
"shes only thirty-five…"

[7 Wishes]

Women are MUCH hotter at 35 than at 17. Maybe Kip's finally gotten through that stage.

Actually, I've met him a couple of times. He was doing a Border's Books tour of his first solo CD. Helluva guy. He's a Julliard grad.

[Deb]

Thanks guys & Mel. Gawd I used to love this song. I didn't know they were still around, how does Kip sound nowadays Frank, or is he even still lead singer?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZHVkJ1wVFM

i saw winger recently & thought they were fucking awesome too. kip sounds great & the band is supertight.
"shes only thirty-five…"

LOL, modernized the song did ya? I remember reading he had ballet training when he was younger and you can definately tell in that video, in a non-sissy kind of way of course.

[strangegrey]

Women are MUCH hotter at 35 than at 17. Maybe Kip's finally gotten through that stage.

Definitely agree there...would rather have a good looking woman in the sack with a little bit of mileage on her (and some experience driving) than a 17 year old right out of the showroom, with the new car smell....requiring an engine break-in.

[conversationpc]

Also, Watson is indeed a great player, but he did about as much to "invent" multifinger tapping...as EVH did to invent tapping. In both cases, they are taking credit for ideas originally invented by others. Reb is a far more interesting player to me than Watson is anyway...so I like the idea of this new lineup.

I don't think EVH has ever claimed to invent the two-handed tapping stuff, has he? I remember reading interviews where he admits to stealing the ideas from other players. Regardless, the guy certainly took it to another level at that time and popularized it. The intro to "Mean Street", among others, still slays me. That being said, I've always maintained that the guy should be revered as much, if not more, for his rhythm playing than he is for his soloing.

[strangegrey]

Also, Watson is indeed a great player, but he did about as much to "invent" multifinger tapping...as EVH did to invent tapping. In both cases, they are taking credit for ideas originally invented by others. Reb is a far more interesting player to me than Watson is anyway...so I like the idea of this new lineup.

I don't think EVH has ever claimed to invent the two-handed tapping stuff, has he? I remember reading interviews where he admits to stealing the ideas from other players. Regardless, the guy certainly took it to another level at that time and popularized it. The intro to "Mean Street", among others, still slays me. That being said, I've always maintained that the guy should be revered as much, if not more, for his rhythm playing than he is for his soloing.

Meh...for every time EVH gives credit where credit is due, he's claiming responsibility 10X over. He *may* have given credit about the tapping thing in a very small way, but 95% of the time, he claims he 'invented' it by seeing Jimmy Page play heartbreaker live....There are also countless stories of EVH playing the tapping portion of eruption with his back to the audience, so that people wouldn't 'steal' the technique....

The guy is single handedly responsible for my picking up the guitar...but really, when it came to talking about his equipment and technique, he was almost always full of it.