Herman Li Says Machine Gun Kelly Is ‘Right’ About Guitar, Citing Kurt Cobain as an Example
Herman Li, guitarist of dragon strengthagrees with the opinion of the most controversial rock star of the moment, Machine Gun Kellythat a guitarist doesn’t need to be technical to be effective.
The virtuoso illustrated his point by going back to his previous statement that Kurt Cobain was “one of the greatest guitarists of all time”.
Commenting on MGK’s opinion on the importance of the technique in a video posted last October, Li said: “Machine Gun Kelly is right on this point. You hear so many negative comments about Machine Gun Kelly from people who don’t play guitar or aren’t professional guitarists. So what is my opinion as a professional guitarist? Oh well, Machine Gun Kelly is right. It is not by playing fast, sweeping, shredding, jazz and playing the most complicated things that one is a good guitarist. The music [technique] inspired people, but sometimes it also shatters your dreams. You say to yourself: ‘Oh my God, I could never play like that’. And it becomes a kind of competition to be more progressive, more technical, etc.
He pursues : “[MGK et Kurt Cobain] are people, musicians who use the guitar to express something, instead of trying to be technical. They made relevant songs and used the instrument as a tool to express themselves.”
Summarizing his opinion on the subject, Herman Li adds: “I have to admit that Machine Gun Kelly, when he does his interviews, he knows what he’s saying. It’s totally true, being fast, being technical is not always what speaks to people.
“And I’ve said it before – Kurt Cobain is one of the best guitarists on the planet because he inspired people to take up the instrument. It wasn’t a question of playing the guitar in the most difficult, the most technical, the most demanding way… That’s not what counts. It’s the connection between human beings and music that matters.”
Dragonforce released their latest album, titled Extreme power metalon September 27, 2019 via Metal Blade Records. Rest, the next album is already composed.
Video of Herman Li:
