Martin Barre: Underrated, overrated or just about right?

[Camelogue]

Underrated but too old to rock and roll.

[kid_runningfox]

Criminally underrated for me. Barre has been one of the biggest influences on my own playing through the years. His tone, touch and phrasing have always been fantastic, and his playing continuously developed through the years, to the point where, afiac, by the early 80s he could hold his own against pretty much anybody. In fact, I think the instrumental version of Pibroch/Black Satin Dancer from Hamburg '82 that's featured on the 20 Years of Jethro Tull boxset might just be my favourite piece of electric guitar playing by anybody. Barre's solo albums, especially Stage Left are well worth checking out for both his composing and arranging skills, and perhaps most significantly his excellent acoustic work. Listening to these makes you realise just how much he brought to the Jethro Tull table, and equally just how much his capabilities were sometimes distinctly underused.

[Sputnik]

I think the instrumental version of Pibroch/Black Satin Dancer from Hamburg '82 that's featured on the 20 Years of Jethro Tull boxset might just be my favourite piece of electric guitar playing by anybody.

I'll give this a fresh listen. I have to confess I've never been a fan of Pibroch, I find it a bit "droney," but I think that's what they were shooting for, so I can't really fault them for that. I just don't like it. But I'll listen again and focus on Martin's playing.

Your take on him is interesting. Where you hear "underused," I hear "didn't' take advantage of the opportunities given." I think that's the sign of a solid and tasteful player, which Martin surely is, but not a particularly "spectacular" player. But you've given me some things to ponder and something specific to listen to, so I'll check it out again. That 20 Years of Tull set is one of my favorite compilations, lot's of great stuff there.

Bill

[Garden Dreamer]

I'd say underrated because he's not often mentioned when people start talking about "great guitarists" in the 70's... and I'd say it's because he respected Ian's vision of how the music and band should sound and it was not a "big rock guitar god" sound. As others have said, he was all about phrasing, tone, color, tasteful playing, respecting the song and the band as a whole. But when called upon, he could deliver some big heavy rock guitar, i.e. Minstrel in the Gallery, Pibroch, No Lullaby, etc.