George vs. Lisa on lead guitar

[Jacki Hopper]

Well…I don’t play guitar but I have a sibling who does…electric/accoustic…I just play tambourine somewhat. I xan’t read music hardly but go by sound /play by ear idea…And I agree.. Lisa just straps on the guitar of choice or uke and away she goes….I’m in awe….And for Mona…her skills  she has in her own rights of them…She , like Lusa does well on guitar but give her drim sticks…Power of Percusion Punch..she channels ANIMAL from the Muppets ????????????????????????️????????…Both are awesome within their own creative-gifted rights but combined ..Holy????…It just takes off into an music odyssey unlike any other I can reckon????☮️????????????????✌️????????????❤️

[Daniel Smith]

George had to come up with the riffs for songs that, for the most part, he didn’t write.  Lisa and other cover artists are basically just improvising within the scales of the original riffs.  George did that himself when the Beatles did cover songs (e.g. Roll Over Beethoven).  As for age, George was only 20 when the Beatles first came to America.  Due to the huge influence the Beatles had on popular music, people forget that they were all under 30 when the group disbanded.  That being said, yes Lisa is a great guitarist.  I wish I was half as good as her.

[Michael Rife]

Hi all;

I play the guitar but I am nowhere near as good as the 3 Beatles or Lisa.  As to who is better of those 4 it is a hard call.  The argument for the Beatles is that they had to come up with the guitar pieces for their classic songs.  The argument for Lisa is that she is just so technically sound by covering different styles.  When she played Johnny B. Good, I was expecting her to duck walk on the stage because she was note perfect.  So, I can’t choose.  Mike

 

[Saba Arif]

Lisa absolutely RIPS on guitar. She’s definitely capable of playing more styles than George could and her versatility knows no bounds. Mona and Lisa are both fantastic, technically proficient guitarists. That being said, The Beatles, particularly George and Ringo, weren’t exactly known for their technical chops. Their brilliance lay in their ability to come up with wonderfully melodic instrumental breaks and solos that complemented and elevated the entire song, ones that all of us could hum along to and remember forever.

Let’s also not forget that none of The Beatles ever had any kind of formal musical training. Not to mention that George and Ringo hardly ever had enough time to add their own inputs to John and Paul’s compositions. In the early days, John and Paul would spend about a week or so working on a song, and would play it to George and Ringo only a few hours before recording it. Put that into perspective and George’s contributions seem like absolute genius!

[Timothy Connelly]

I have to tell you guys, you’re all sharp as tacks! It’s a pleasure to be in your company and to have the opportunity to share in your observations.

Saba, loved your observations about Ringo and George though I think almost all the criticisms of the Beatles as instrumentalists miss the mark because of the increase in proficiency that occurred as a result of their amazing popularity. Would Eric Clapton have been nearly as good or as experimental if George hadn’t shown him the way? Ringo was considered a marvel as a drummer before the explosion of great bands that occurred during a time when they were limited to 25 minute shows due to the hysteria of Beatlemania and when they couldn’t hear themselves play because of screaming fans.

[Michael Rife]

Well, someone above said that George wasn’t known for his technical chops and that may be true during their live shows……but if you listen to their early songs, George was copying note for note Chuck Berry and guitarists from the Country/Riverside CA school.  So, in one RnR song you could hear from George…..Chuck Berry, Carl Perkins, and Buck Owens/Chet Atkins.  As for Ringo….he was not classically trained on the drums which worked to his advantage.  His drumming on Day Tripper, Come Together, and other songs would not have been done by a classically trained drummer and that is a good thing.  As always…..just my opinion.  Mike.

[Howard]

Hi Mike.

‘someone above said that George wasn’t known for his technical chops.’

Now that would have been Tim, being his usual mischievous self. Don’t worry, you’ll get used to him like the rest of us have. Tim likes to challenge us from time to time. I enjoy the cut and thrust with him and he does get much dialogue happening!

Howard

[Tom Holmes]

I heard or read somewhere that George was a big influence on Lisa growing up and that was the reason she plays lead guitar, I would have to think George would be very proud of Lisa’s talent. 

[Jung Roe]

I think Lisa is the greatest female rock and roll guitarist in the music world today, and perhaps ever.

Her playing on While My Guitar Gently Weeps, and on Orange in Club 27, and on the latest new songs on the 2 new albums prove it.

[Daniel Smith]

If you believe that, then you haven’t heard too many female guitarists lately.  Some of them are phenomenal.  As much as I like Lisa and the Twins music in general, she is not my favorite female guitar player.  Of course, I can’t say who is, as this forum is supposed to be just about them.  But there is no denying that Lisa is pretty damn good.

[Jung Roe]

I am sure if I expressed the greatness of Hendricks or Page back in the day, I would get a similar response, but Lisa is the best darn female guitarist I’ve heard, of any significance to me.

[Daniel Smith]

I was around “back in the day.”  Jimi and Jimmy were recognized as great during the main period of their careers.  Greatness wasn’t bestowed upon them posthumously.  😉

[Timothy Connelly]

Best is often a shortcut for favorite. George Harrison wasn’t nearly as good technically as a number of guitar players but simply by being in the position of having the opportunity of being the guitar player who came up with the riffs for I Feel Fine, Day Tripper, Ticket to Ride, etc.- his work is highly regarded by almost everybody.

Lisa may not be as good technically, she may not be as fast- but her guitar playing always impresses. Her versatility between electric and acoustic, her ability to give each song exactly what it needs- she is certainly my favorite!

Does that make her the best or is there any argument that can be used that says she’s the best? The Twins have recorded 90 plus songs- many live, many in the studio and I have never heard her play anything that didn’t seem perfect to my ear.

You said that there are many phenomenal female guitarists. I’m sure you are right. I believe Lisa is one of them.

[Daniel Smith]

My post was in no way  meant to denigrate Lisa’s ability, which is certainly far beyond anything of which I am (or was) capable.  You’re right that “best” often means “favourite.”  I was just saying “expand your horizons,” because there are a lot of great female guitarists out there.  Also, there is no reason that they have to be ranked in order, because then you’re getting entirely into the area of personal preference.

 

[Jung Roe]

Well stated Tim!

[Timothy Connelly]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Daniel! I agree that we need to be careful about using this space to promote other artists and getting away from the Twins, who have invested their time, energy and money into this Club.

There’s a fine line between promoting someone and comparing Nancy Wilson and Lisa. I’m fine with your mentioning a female guitar player by name you believe is better than Lisa. The Twins actually invited Amy Slattery, who has done more than a hundred Beatles covers to perform with them at the Cavern. They realize there is other talent out there and that their biggest fans- like the ones here- appreciate other good music and talented artists as well.
I actually think it’s necessary to compare and sometimes mention names to make interesting posts that people will want to read. When and if I cross the line with that, other posters like yourself will help me see it and for that, I’m appreciative.

[Jacki Hopper]

I ‘m enjoying this thread and all the interesting commentary.. I thoroughly enjoy and applaud Lisa’s Lead Guitaring skills….Imagine if she had a chance to jam amongst the all time legendary female guitarists of both past/present out there…Whoa…That’d be some serious GigJammin going on….There’s my 2 cents worth on this topic????????????????????☮️

[Howard]

Okay guys, we all know there are some fantastic female guitarists out there and we all have our favourites for various reasons and Lisa may not be the best technically, or the fastest but she is my favourite because she is the complete package. Writer, composer, singer, multi instrumentalist, performer and actor, all coupled with the sweetest, most beautiful nature ever (well apart from Mona perhaps) and for these reasons I believe she is not just my favourite, but the best out there and along with her twin sister, the reason we are all in this club.

Having said that, check out this English musician, singer-songwriter, writer, poet and composer. Primarily known as a vocalist and guitarist, she is also proficient with a wide range of instruments, she hails from a sheep farm in Dorset, UK. This is a live performance of her’s from fifteen years ago, with her then two band members pumping out a throbbing, driving rythm of bass and drums in support:

https://youtu.be/A29BMj3v86w

[Jung Roe]

Howard.  You got it absolutely right! 

 

she is the complete package. Writer, composer, singer, multi instrumentalist, performer and actor, all coupled with the sweetest, most beautiful nature ever (well apart from Mona perhaps) and for these reasons I believe she is not just my favourite, but the best out there and along with her twin sister,

True greatness is multi-dimensional, not just technical.

[William Huff]

Of course George was a better guitarist than Lisa is, he had the crucible of the Hamburg clubs on the Reeperbahn and multiple shows 6 days a week to hone his skills. Lisa may turn out to be a better guitarist the Harrison, but I don’t think she’s there yet, but she is a very very good one now.