OT: To Steve Lukather

[Tomulator]

I just read the interview you did with Andrew and I want to say that I TOTALLY get what you are saying about all the "competition" BS that flows around here...you know "Luke is better than Neal"..."Neal rules, Luke blows", etc.

I want to confess that I have been in the center of a few exchanges where I defended you and your talent against Neal's and others. I did so because you are my personal FAVORITE guitarist in the world and let emotions get the better of me. But, I hope I never dissed Neal Schon's playing...I dig his playing SO MUCH it's not even funny! He is a MONSTER and a huge influence on my own playing...just as you are!

The point of all this is, your statements really got me to thinking...you are ABSOLUTELY CORRECT in saying that music is NOT a competition...it's frickin' ART! No winners...no losers...just gloriously DIFFERENT artists! Respect all. Amen to that.

Luke, I want to THANK YOU for all the times your (and Toto's) music has literally made the "hairs on the back of my neck" stand straight up! I love your music. If it's the end of the road for the band...I am so glad I caught you guys live on this last tour...thanks for playing Cincinnati on 4th of July a couple years ago. I was there and I will never forget it.

Peace and PLEASE keep playing for us!

[NealIsGod]

Yeah, I avoid "who is better" debates. When you are talking about guitarists at the level of Lukather, Schon, Van Halen, etc., it's a matter of personal preference. They can all play everything pretty damn well.

[*Laura]

music is NOT a competition...it's frickin' ART! No winners...no losers...just gloriously DIFFERENT artists! Respect all. Amen to that.

Amen indeed!

Nice post,Tomulator.

[Blueskies]

He makes a great point that people tend to forget...music is art and is subjective to the listener....comparisons are not fair and are not necessary. What one person prefers the next may not. Just as in all the arts, like drama...someone may like someones acting were another may not....and in art...one painting, drawing, or sculpture, etc. may appeal to some and another may not like it or understand it. That is what is so wonderful about art...there is something for everyone and those who create can express their own vision and it will be heard and seen by others who connect to it. While there are some that lack their own imagination and will just copy others.... talented artists really don't want to be compared to other artists...they are striving for and want to be unique...have their own style in artistic expression that sets them apart...not be a duplicate of someone elses work... their own uniqueness..be at least a little different then anyone else.

[mriesenb]

Yeah, I avoid "who is better" debates. When you are talking about guitarists at the level of Lukather, Schon, Van Halen, etc., it's a matter of personal preference. They can all play everything pretty damn well.

Yeah, you know, there's only one who's the best guitarplayer and that's Bob Dylan. Or Neil Young, you decide.

[Ehwmatt]

I do my best to avoid Who's better debates if I happen to like both guitarists. If it's between a guitarist I love and someone who hasn't done one thing noteworthy in my book, I'm happy to chip in and say I enjoy one's playing over the other. But yeah, if you like two players, it's ridiculous to debate who has more chops or what not. There's nothing wrong with saying you don't understand a certain guitarist's influence though. EG for my money, Steve Vai has totally jumped the shark - I love his old output as much as anyone else, but I just don't "get" his newer stuff.

[chad]

I just read the interview you did with Andrew and I want to say that I TOTALLY get what you are saying about all the "competition" BS that flows around here...you know "Luke is better than Neal"..."Neal rules, Luke blows", etc.

I want to confess that I have been in the center of a few exchanges where I defended you and your talent against Neal's and others. I did so because you are my personal FAVORITE guitarist in the world and let emotions get the better of me. But, I hope I never dissed Neal Schon's playing...I dig his playing SO MUCH it's not even funny! He is a MONSTER and a huge influence on my own playing...just as you are!

The point of all this is, your statements really got me to thinking...you are ABSOLUTELY CORRECT in saying that music is NOT a competition...it's frickin' ART! No winners...no losers...just gloriously DIFFERENT artists! Respect all. Amen to that.

Luke, I want to THANK YOU for all the times your (and Toto's) music has literally made the "hairs on the back of my neck" stand straight up! I love your music. If it's the end of the road for the band...I am so glad I caught you guys live on this last tour...thanks for playing Cincinnati on 4th of July a couple years ago. I was there and I will never forget it.

Peace and PLEASE keep playing for us!

well said

[yulog]

He makes a great point that people tend to forget...music is art and is subjective to the listener....comparisons are not fair and are not necessary. What one person prefers the next may not. Just as in all the arts, like drama...someone may like someones acting were another may not....and in art...one painting, drawing, or sculpture, etc. may appeal to some and another may not like it or understand it. That is what is so wonderful about art...there is something for everyone and those who create can express their own vision and it will be heard and seen by others who connect to it. While there are some that lack their own imagination and will just copy others.... talented artists really don't want to be compared to other artists...they are striving for and want to be unique...have their own style in artistic expression that sets them apart...not be a duplicate of someone elses work... their own uniqueness..be at least a little different then anyone else.

[NealIsGod]

yulog

[Blueskies]

He makes a great point that people tend to forget...music is art and is subjective to the listener....comparisons are not fair and are not necessary. What one person prefers the next may not. Just as in all the arts, like drama...someone may like someones acting were another may not....and in art...one painting, drawing, or sculpture, etc. may appeal to some and another may not like it or understand it. That is what is so wonderful about art...there is something for everyone and those who create can express their own vision and it will be heard and seen by others who connect to it. While there are some that lack their own imagination and will just copy others.... talented artists really don't want to be compared to other artists...they are striving for and want to be unique...have their own style in artistic expression that sets them apart...not be a duplicate of someone elses work... their own uniqueness..be at least a little different then anyone else.

I may be boring but you have some serious mental issues going on. Talk about obsession... you have been stalking me for over a year now. When you posted a video you put together of Dean's AV's I saw in your photobucket album.... you have at least eleven photoshopped pics of me...could be more... I stopped counting because that showed me enough and didn't want to see anymore of your over 800 pics of depravity for the most part. You are a sick individual..seek some help.

[Rick]

Neal's far better. Just kidding Tomulator, great, great post. That's definitely the way it should be looked at.

[Tomulator]

Neal's far better. Just kidding Tomulator, great, great post. That's definitely the way it should be looked at.

[yulog]

He makes a great point that people tend to forget...music is art and is subjective to the listener....comparisons are not fair and are not necessary. What one person prefers the next may not. Just as in all the arts, like drama...someone may like someones acting were another may not....and in art...one painting, drawing, or sculpture, etc. may appeal to some and another may not like it or understand it. That is what is so wonderful about art...there is something for everyone and those who create can express their own vision and it will be heard and seen by others who connect to it. While there are some that lack their own imagination and will just copy others.... talented artists really don't want to be compared to other artists...they are striving for and want to be unique...have their own style in artistic expression that sets them apart...not be a duplicate of someone elses work... their own uniqueness..be at least a little different then anyone else.

I may be boring but you have some serious mental issues going on. Talk about obsession... you have been stalking me for over a year now. When you posted a video you put together of Dean's AV's I saw in your photobucket album.... you have at least eleven photoshopped pics of me...could be more... I stopped counting because that showed me enough and didn't want to see anymore of your over 800 pics of depravity for the most part. You are a sick individual..seek some help.

Lighten up greyskies'...i just wanted to thank you',i have been having some terrible insomnia' and your posts put me out like a 30 day supply of Ambien....' can you do this every day' oh wait you already do...

Isn't it crazy when people make a theatrical "im leaving" to get attention.... only to come back a month or 2 later and change their name' to try and change the perception of their personality to others on the board......sick people do things like
that...good thing you and I would never do that'.....oh wait' you did

Its funny that you say that there are 800 pics of depravity yet from what i know about photobucket they do not allow any of that on their site........Sounds like someone is lying again


Lastly,Your admitting to going into other peoples accounts and your calling them the stalker?

[Journey/Survivor]

Neal's my #1 favorite guitarist, but Lukather's in my top 5 without question, and their both very similar in style in so many ways.

I've seen people, and I don't mean just on this site who will say that one of those two guys is way better than the other, and I don't think anyone can accurately say that.

Their both pretty close to being even in talent.

And then you have a couple other guys like Josh Ramos and Dan Huff that aren't far behind Schon and Lukather.

And even though he may not be as technically skilled as those other guys, I put Frankie Sullivan high on my list because he plays with great emotion, tone, and is one of the greatest riff players of all time.

I love Jeff Watson's playing too.

And of course Vai and Satriani.

[Blueskies]

He makes a great point that people tend to forget...music is art and is subjective to the listener....comparisons are not fair and are not necessary. What one person prefers the next may not. Just as in all the arts, like drama...someone may like someones acting were another may not....and in art...one painting, drawing, or sculpture, etc. may appeal to some and another may not like it or understand it. That is what is so wonderful about art...there is something for everyone and those who create can express their own vision and it will be heard and seen by others who connect to it. While there are some that lack their own imagination and will just copy others.... talented artists really don't want to be compared to other artists...they are striving for and want to be unique...have their own style in artistic expression that sets them apart...not be a duplicate of someone elses work... their own uniqueness..be at least a little different then anyone else.

I may be boring but you have some serious mental issues going on. Talk about obsession... you have been stalking me for over a year now. When you posted a video you put together of Dean's AV's I saw in your photobucket album.... you have at least eleven photoshopped pics of me...could be more... I stopped counting because that showed me enough and didn't want to see anymore of your over 800 pics of depravity for the most part. You are a sick individual..seek some help.

Lighten up greyskies'...i just wanted to thank you',i have been having some terrible insomnia' and your posts put me out like a 30 day supply of Ambien....' can you do this every day' oh wait you already do...

Isn't it crazy when people make a theatrical "im leaving" to get attention.... only to come back a month or 2 later and change their name' to try and change the perception of their personality to others on the board......sick people do things like
that...good thing you and I would never do that'.....oh wait' you did

Its funny that you say that there are 800 pics of depravity yet from what i know about photobucket they do not allow any of that on their site........Sounds like someone is lying again


Lastly,Your admitting to going into other peoples accounts and your calling them the stalker?

Blah, blah blah...getting quite defensive of your actions aren't you?..There is no defense for it! ..but since you want to try to fabricate a realty that is untrue, i will defend myself with the truth.....first of all...I didn't seek "attention" when I took time off this board...just said farewell to peeps like others have done..some when they just leave for a week or two...theres nothing unusual about that ..your just grasping at straws for excuses for your behavior when there is NO excuse for it. When you posted that video everyone that clicked on it could see your album, not just me...guess you didn't think about that did you? I have never hidden my identity...everyone here knows who I am. ..and I explained the name change a few times on here and you know it....mainly changed it so YOU and the other freaks in that annex hole and the old journey forums would have to change the name of the threads that you made attacking me.......and where YOU would post photoshopped pics of me....and I changed it simply because I wanted to..like many others have done. The attacks on me where started in the beginning by you and your buddy susie....then you got others to join in and bring it here...you have had a vendetta against me for a long time and you still do it for some warped reason...what is your problem? Do you not have anything better to do in your life? Why do you continue to attack me every chance you get for no reason? Why do you continue to try to alter others perceptions? I don't photoshop people's pics, nor do I go to other sites to belittle people...nor do I post depraved pictures that only you and a few other freaks find amusing. These are things that YOU do, so YOU are the warped and twisted freak...what are you?...some fat kid on a gradeschool playground that has to attack and bully others to feel better about themselves? do you just dwell on pornography all day everyday?..and I'M the one with the problem? GET REAL!......you are a sad sad person... I feel sorry for you and wish you would seek help. ....Hey, it's really quite simple ..if you don't like me then just skip my posts...why can't you do that? Your obsession with me is really quite sick! Why do you keep at least eleven pics of me? You follow my posts and try to find opportunities that you seem to think will justify posting a photoshopped pic of me or to attack me...I would call that stalking someone and I think others would too. Can you not see your own behavior and realize that you have a problem? , dude, or "susie" ..whoever you are..get something going in your life and leave me out of it...and get counseling..QUICK!...and for the last time leave me the hell alone FREAK!

[Tomulator]

Guys...please...give it a rest will ya?

I didn't start this topic to be used as an example of the bickering that sometimes goes on here.

Everybody now..."Kum-Bi-Ya My Lord...Kum-Bi-Ya"!!

C'mon...you know the words!

[yulog]

He makes a great point that people tend to forget...music is art and is subjective to the listener....comparisons are not fair and are not necessary. What one person prefers the next may not. Just as in all the arts, like drama...someone may like someones acting were another may not....and in art...one painting, drawing, or sculpture, etc. may appeal to some and another may not like it or understand it. That is what is so wonderful about art...there is something for everyone and those who create can express their own vision and it will be heard and seen by others who connect to it. While there are some that lack their own imagination and will just copy others.... talented artists really don't want to be compared to other artists...they are striving for and want to be unique...have their own style in artistic expression that sets them apart...not be a duplicate of someone elses work... their own uniqueness..be at least a little different then anyone else.

I may be boring but you have some serious mental issues going on. Talk about obsession... you have been stalking me for over a year now. When you posted a video you put together of Dean's AV's I saw in your photobucket album.... you have at least eleven photoshopped pics of me...could be more... I stopped counting because that showed me enough and didn't want to see anymore of your over 800 pics of depravity for the most part. You are a sick individual..seek some help.

Lighten up greyskies'...i just wanted to thank you',i have been having some terrible insomnia' and your posts put me out like a 30 day supply of Ambien....' can you do this every day' oh wait you already do...

Isn't it crazy when people make a theatrical "im leaving" to get attention.... only to come back a month or 2 later and change their name' to try and change the perception of their personality to others on the board......sick people do things like
that...good thing you and I would never do that'.....oh wait' you did

Its funny that you say that there are 800 pics of depravity yet from what i know about photobucket they do not allow any of that on their site........Sounds like someone is lying again


Lastly,Your admitting to going into other peoples accounts and your calling them the stalker?

Blah, blah blah...getting quite good at your comebacks aren't you?..There is no defense for it! ..but since you want to try to present a realty that is true, i will deflect my issues on to others.....first of all...I did seek "attention" when I took time off this board...just said farewell to peeps like others have done..some when they just leave for a week or two...theres nothing unusual about that ..your just setting me straight ... my behavior ... there is NO excuse for it. When you posted that video i just had to do everything i could to find out more about you so i clicked on it and could see your album, ...guess you didn't think about that did you? I have been trying to hide my identity for awhile now...everyone here knows it. ..and I explained the name change a few times on here and you know it....mainly changed it so YOU and the other psychiatric professionals in that annex hole and the old journey forums would have to change the name of the threads that you made trying to help me.......and where YOU would post photoshopped pics of me....and I changed it simply because I wanted to..like many others have done. The attacks on you where started in the beginning by me and your buddy susie....then i got others to join in and bring it here...I have had a vendetta against you for a long time and I still do it for some warped reason...what is my problem? Do I not have anything better to do in my life? Why do I continue to attack you every chance I get for no reason? Why do I continue to try to alter others perceptions? I don't photoshop people's pics, I do go to other sites to belittle people...nor do I post hilarious pictures that only you and a few others have the ability to do so well. These are things that I do, so I am the warped and twisted freak...what am I?...some fat kid on a gradeschool playground that has to attack and bully others to feel better about my self? do you just help people all day everyday?..and I'M the one with the problem? I NEED TO GET REAL!......I am a sad sad person... You feel sorry for me and wish I would seek help. ....Hey, it's really quite simple ..if you don't like me then just let me know in your your posts...why can't you do that? My obsession with you is really quite sick! Why don't you keep at least eleven pics of me? Follow my posts and try to find opportunities that you think will justify posting a photoshopped pic of me or to help me...I'm stalking you and I think others would agree. Can you not see my behavior and realize that I have a problem? , dude, or "susie" ..whoever you are..i need to get something going in my life and leave you out of it...and i should get counseling..QUICK!...and for the last time...i'm going to leave you the hell alone...I'm such a FREAK!

I couldn't have said this better myself.I'm glad to see that your finally accepting your illness i would suggest in the future you try to make smaller messages , your tangential thoughts are all over the place. Still, i recommend that everyone read through all of the above response,it really shows the true TVL aka Greyskies

Thank you people of melodicrock

[WalrusOct9]

I don't think there's been a lot of Neal vs. Luke things regarding their chops or musicianship. They play under different musical circumstances, but I don't think anyone here doubts the ability of either's ability to completely fucking rip on their instrument. I will say Luke's playing is a bit more versatile, but I think that's due to Toto being a more diverse band stylistically than Journey ever was.


I will say, while Luke wears his heart on his sleeve and Toto has had its share of personnel changes, I don't think he would ever do what Neal did to either Augeri or JSS. I know they're buds but I can't help but wonder if Luke ever talked to Neal and was like "seriously, dude...WTF?" in regards to either tapegate or JSS.


I wonder if that rumored Luke/JSS project will ever come to fruition. Once they're both done with their solo projects, if Toto remains on hiatus I suppose it could be a possibility later in the year. How fucking kickass would that be? Bobby is definitely the voice of Toto, but I think JSS is the singer Luke's always wanted, and they'd do some amazing shit.

[Tomulator]

I don't think there's been a lot of Neal vs. Luke things regarding their chops or musicianship. They play under different musical circumstances, but I don't think anyone here doubts the ability of either's ability to completely fucking rip on their instrument. I will say Luke's playing is a bit more versatile, but I think that's due to Toto being a more diverse band stylistically than Journey ever was.


I will say, while Luke wears his heart on his sleeve and Toto has had its share of personnel changes, I don't think he would ever do what Neal did to either Augeri or JSS. I know they're buds but I can't help but wonder if Luke ever talked to Neal and was like "seriously, dude...WTF?" in regards to either tapegate or JSS.


I wonder if that rumored Luke/JSS project will ever come to fruition. Once they're both done with their solo projects, if Toto remains on hiatus I suppose it could be a possibility later in the year. How fucking kickass would that be? Bobby is definitely the voice of Toto, but I think JSS is the singer Luke's always wanted, and they'd do some amazing shit.

No doubt about that!

Also, I have always wanted Neal and Luke to do something together...perhaps in a band format. Talk about INCREDIBLE guitar-work and artist pushing themselves to the max!!

[WalrusOct9]

I'd rather Luke continue doing more song-oriented stuff than doing another guitar wankfest. I have the first Lobotomys record and the El Groupo live disc, and as a musician myself, it's fun to hear him go off like that, but at this point I'm more interested in hearing his songwriting and collaborative stuff than a shred-fest, but that's just me.