Lethe

Excuse me, are you the same Poletti who wrote a review on the Velvet Underground that I read a little while ago? ....

No, not in depth. I mentioned him only because I knew he had been a mentor to Johnson; from some information I have, I know he was interested in gospel songs and his blues was heavily influenced by spiritual music, especially that from the Civil War period. Imaginative indeed, as I said in the review, if I’m not mistaken he was also among the first to use slide, the neck of the bottle on the pinky finger.

Yes, of course there is absolutely no comparison between Novembre and these guys, and that's why I made a clarification ("talking about the skill/nationality duo"), because it was said that there are really very few good Italian groups: I completely agree, but certainly we cannot include Rhapsody in this small circle... that's why I referred to Novembre, they are ones that can indeed be included!!! If, as you say, we should take them as a bunch of clowns for entertainment, then I can meet you halfway; the same goes for Manowar (even though Nanowar are way more hilarious, at least they aren't convinced about what they say :). One last thing: okay, the lyrics of Slayer often touch the ridiculous, but it's still good music, not pseudo-baroque trash; as for Lemmy, I'd say that mentioning him in the midst of this wreckage is heresy...

Ah, if these are good, what are the Novembre? (of course still speaking about the good / nationality Italian duo)

I only have "Power of the Dragonflame" by Rhapsody (now Rhapsody of Fire, ed.) but I think one day I'll burn it... just after the first listen, a long time ago, I burst into loud laughter! I mean... dragons, castles, and minstrels, come on!!! And the choirs in Latin? Not to mention "Lamento eroico," the most ridiculous song I've ever heard! Frankly, I'll never understand why people listen to bands like these, Manowar, and other clowns anyway... de gustibus!

refined as the opposite, I don't know, of "coarse". ah Zarathustra I noticed that you caught both of my first 2 reviews... I'm glad ;)

So... first of all, thank you for the positive comments. A couple of clarifications: when I said "revolutionary and innovative ideas," I meant those ideas, later expressed in Johnson's music, that would lead to a revolution, to an innovation in the very way music would be understood and played in the decades to come, and that seems undeniable to me. Another clarification: I referred to Johnson as a "refined artist" precisely because through his notes he makes you experience, almost touch, those things I described at the beginning... well, how else could one call him? :) Lastly, his skill on the guitar should also be understood in terms of composition, which today may not seem particularly brilliant, but we have to remember we’re talking about almost 70 years ago.

"For the love of god" is of rare beauty and "Little Wing," if I'm not mistaken, he also played at G3 with Malmsteen (and of course Satch), with a chilling intro. There is obviously no debate about his skill as a musician and composer, just as there is no debate about the shallowness and incompetence of those who call him a buffoon!

But are you the same Poletti who wrote a review on the Velvet Underground?

you wanted the last word again, but now... :D