I've watched more than a few of this guy's videos during the pandemic where he breaks down mostly Classic Rock standards and tells you why they are great.

On paper he should be terrible.

But I'll be damned if I don't get caught up in what seems like his genuine enthusiasm, be it a Gordon Lightfoot song, epic Larry Coryell solo or occasional dip into 'left field" like a Cure or Tears for Fears Song.

Have I drunk the Kool Aid?

Seems a good guy with a genuine appreciation for music. I won't begrudge him if a percentage of that music is crap.

I like him, although I don't share much of his taste. He has a warmth about him that makes for comfortable background viewing, and his Awakenings-styled facials when listening are piss funny.

Has absolutely horrendous musical taste. Has a cool hairstyle, though.

His music tastes match his age group in a very generic way. My dad likes shitty music too. He is pretty knowledgeable and its cool that he is still as excited by all that stuff. He seems genuine. NC

boilermaker wrote: Sat Sep 18, 2021 2:46 pm Has absolutely horrendous musical taste.

The Rolling Stone top 500 basically. But he seems like a cool dude. I watch some of his theory vids.

Here's he's recounting a horrifying story of one band's experience in the music biz. It has a happy ending though, somewhat.

The dude is very well educated in theory and composition, and makes it pretty damn accessible.
For that Rick gets my Not Crap vote.

I'd say his videos aren't crap, but he does have a serious love of Steve Vai, Eric Johnson, etc.

I've been in the studio with him. His approach as a "producer" is antithetical to what I would consider to be the dominant aesthetic here. He's very hands-on.

He's a lot like an Apple computer device, in that it achieves an effect, much of it assuming that it knows what you want better than you do.

I do not use Apple computer devices, but I understand why people do.

I'd vote crap on Apple, but Rick gets a not crap. He clearly knows what he's talking about and presents things in an agreeable manner. Like most youtube personalities I prefer him in small doses, and I don't share much of his musical taste. But to be fair (I know I know, don't vaporize me), he did do a 'what makes this song great' on Polyphia, and has interviewed Tosin Abasi and the dude from Periphery, and you can like or not like those bands but they're definitely not boomer fare.