Tom Morello on his first guitar hero: “Timeless licks across their greatest records”
When we talk about innovation in guitar, we usually refer to people who play the guitar a specific way and push boundaries with what they do. However, Tom Morello goes even further than that. In addition to being an excellent guitar player, Morello uses a range of effects to give the guitar a completely unique sound.
The first electric guitar was made in the 1930s. A jazz guitarist named Charlie Christian attached a pickup to his acoustic guitar to increase its volume. This enabled him to turn his volume up and solo above the rest of the instruments when he was playing in a band. Advancements were made to reduce feedback, and we eventually got the first solid-body electric guitar.
Generally speaking, people welcomed the introduction of the electric guitar; however, some thought those who used it were cheating. They believed any emotion that comes through when people perform should be the result of the person playing, not an enhanced guitar.
These musical purists would hate Tom Morello, as he not only uses the electric guitar but also a range of effects to make sounds that were previously alien. While these traditionalists might not be fans, the rest of the world gets excited every time Morello picks up a guitar. His original approach to playing makes it hard to predict what he might sound like.
When someone makes entirely original music, it’s interesting to consider who their inspiration is. In the case of Tom Morello, his inspiration didn’t have the same flamboyancy in his playing; instead, he had that flamboyancy in his stage presence and how he presented himself. It was the lead guitarist for Kiss and the reason behind some of the band’s best songs, Ace Frehley.
“My first guitar hero,” said Tom Morello when inducting Kiss into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and talking about the fretwork of Frehley, “He designed the band’s iconic logo and blazed unforgettable, timeless licks across their greatest records.”
Kiss is widely renowned as some of the most recognisable faces in the world and is often judged because of its ability to put on a jaw-dropping show. As one of the first bands to use pyrotechnics, Kiss continued to have an over-the-top approach to performing that continued to capture the hearts of crowds. While this is a good thing and a part of the band that separated them from everyone else, it also means that their music is often overlooked.
It’s good to hear Tom Morello give Frehley the praise he deserves. Though the link between the two isn’t obvious, Frehley deserves more praise as a guitar hero. While part of such a flamboyant musical outfit, he made some of the most exciting rock songs of all time that continue to be sung in stadiums around the world.
