Guitar Center Going Out of Business and The Music Industry

[Jak Angelescu]

Wow.. I got news today and found out it’s true. The journalist cites different reasons, namely the heavy influence of electronic music dominating the genres that include guitar. All I know, is that I personally am getting SO sick and tired of going to upscale lounge bars where I would LIKE to hear people like Peggy Lee or Albert King, and all I hear is rap and hip hop. It’s driving me crazy! Everywhere I go here in my state, this annoying club/dance/rave music is literally SHOVED down our throats. I’m talking in grocery stores, family restaurants, gas stations, it’s EVERYWHERE. I think to myself, “Don’t people EVER get sick and tired of this?” And what’s more frustrating, is I’m not alone. I see LOADS of even young kids saying they can’t stand it, yet it still dominates the industry. My 16 year old nephew can’t stand any of the stuff that’s played at his school dances, and more often than not, neither can the other kids.
But as far as Guitar Center goes, I think they’re going out of business because they never have ANYTHING I want. And when I DO order something from them through their store via online stock, it takes forever to ship and they get the processing wrong! Not to mention, you constantly get pushy sales people who won’t leave you alone. Their commission isn’t even that big.
What are your thoughts? Someone on that article said we need new guitar heroes. And I kind of think that’s true. There really aren’t any, at least none that I can think of.

 

[idssdi]

Tbh it’s kid of how economy works. Every radio station will put stuFflint on that they think people want to listen to basee on what the moest people actually listed because that’she how they make money. Personally I actually really like the good hip/hop, EDM and stuff like that but I kinda cherry pick it. The biggest problem is that guitar music is not in the mainstream and all the other stuff is and it kinda works for the record labels/clubs/radio stations I guess

 

[Jak Angelescu]

I like old hip hop too, but that stuff was unique and actually had a purpose. So many songs blend together now that nothing sounds unique. Just the same samples used over and over again

 

[Ed Seith]

Guitar Center is basically saying the same thing Gibson is saying, and both are full of shit because they don’t want to acknowledge that their biggest problems have been their own making – bad leadership, bad management, a slew of bad decisions. Guitar Center was done the minute Bain Capital was brought in to “help” – what they do is liquidate. Period. I’m surprised it’s taken this long.
There are guitar heroes, they’re just different now than they used to be, just like in the 80s they were different than the 60s. We have some dinosaurs still doing it the old way – Vai, Tremonti, Petrucci, Satch, Gilbert, and a host of others. Then we have the guys bridging the gaps to the younger crowd, like our own hero, Syn, who’s not nearly as old as them fellers, but he’s no spring chicken, either, nearing 40 (sorry man, I feel your pain, as well as the ones you’ll feel in another 9 years – I’ll be 48 this summer). Matt and Corey from Trivium. The Periphery trifecta of Misha, Mark, and Jake. Orianthi. Nita Strauss. John Mayer.
Then there are younger ones out there inspiring others. Plini is a whole different kind of beast, and Tosin Abasi, and there are certainly others, but I’m too old and I’m not allowed to listen to them .
Then we have all the kids HERE, hungry and eager to devour it all and make their play for the gold someday.
Nah, these guys are full of shit. They’re old and tired and can’t understand anything beyond Clapton and Page, trying to make millions on overpriced novelty relic’d instruments and nostalgia.
Yeah, pop tripe is bigger and less musical than ever, but rock guitar was only ever REALLY mainstream for a little bit, and metal for even less, but more than it should have been. Metal is SUPPOSED to be underground. It’s SUPPOSED to be subversive.
It’s supposed to be OURS.
And judging by the packed houses at every metal show I go to, to this very week, it always will be.
Horns up. \m/ Loud and proud.

 

[Jak Angelescu]

I don’t really consider Nita Strauss a Guitar Hero for numerous reasons. Mostly she’s never really written her own stuff except for pandemonium. She used to be in an all-female band where their Originals were actually quite good. But I can’t call somebody a Guitar Hero when they’ve been in nothing but a tribute band or playing other people’s music. Not to mention she can’t play on an acoustic very well at all. She even stated so herself. She gets her Theory wrong all the time and in numerous videos I see of her she butchers her own solos when she has to demonstrate it. Also every time she states that her lineage goes back to Johann Strauss, I cringe. I had to study the Strauss family line when I was in a conservatory. Her father’s name is James, which there is no James and the entire Strauss family tree. Just my personal opinion, she is a very great person and yeah she can play, but I definitely would never throw her up there with the likes of Orianthi. Plus every time she has to do an improv she can’t do much at all and usually is just a one-trick pony. She also relies on her whammy bar for 80% of her vibratos. I’m really looking forward to her new original album though. I’m a fan of her original work but I still wouldn’t call her a Guitar Hero. I would call Mia coldheart a Guitar hero way before Nita. Just my opinion

 

[Andrew Fernandes]

I think ed hits the nail on the head metal is underground, If i was to go to a club I would want to listen to dance music like basshunter, i have eclectic taste also. I dont have guitar centre here in the uk/england but when i go to the guitar shop I am embarrassed because one im not buying a guitar. even though i have bought one there b4 and 2 I am shy showing my guitar ability, cause i think im not a advanced player.

 

[Matt Wildman]

Nailed it Jak. This hip hop/rap stuff is everywhere. I can relate to your nephew. I’m 17 and every school dance I go to is just pure rap and dance music. No guitar music and it drives me nuts. Dont get me wrong I listen to a little bit of rap but it literally is shoved down our throats nowadays. Sad to hear guitar center is going out. Never been there before but I hoped to some day. It makes you think where we Americans will be able to go now to get guitars besides local shops.

 

[Ed Seith]

I can tell you guys that back when my prom happened – the height of 80s hair metal, 1988 – it was all pop music stuff and maybe “Angel” by Aerosmith or something. It was not a searing metalfest. Clubs were the same way, playing Taylor Dayne and God knows what else. You always had to go to a hole in the wall to hear live guitar music.
I do think someone will buy up whatever’s left of GC. Maybe we’ll get lucky and it will be someone like Sweetwater or something. Or maybe another company will buy GC for pennies on the dollar and try to revitalize it. I don’t think it’s just going to disappear, and as much as some of us might relish the idea, they’re not going to liquidate stock at stupid prices, either.

 

[Tory Capman]

I think that with the major retailers going down, this gives small “Mom and Pop” stores a chance to regain what they had in the past to some extent. And I think a lot of Gibson’s failure is not utilizing the small shops. You could buy a Gibson from GC that would most likely turn out alright, but the small stores couldn’t sell them because of the purchase requirement from Gibson. Too expensive to stock so they couldn’t even order. If Gibson had given the little guys more breaks, there would be more young artists playing Gibson because it would have been more accessible and the quality would be there because small shops understand that every customer matters. Whereas in GC, you’re just a number on a page.

 

[Calvin Phillips]

we dont have GC in Canada. We have Long and McQuades. And they do NOT supply Schecters because they are not allowed to anymore, altho I did buy my first Revenger there. I think its the Rosewood fees. Most people dont wanna pay the fee. It’s like 100 per guitar or a giant sum of something.. I could only imagine. But I get everything else there. They are great and I know the manager.

 

[Calvin Phillips]

Nita is awesome, I watched her interview with nikki sixx and learned so much. Basically said the honest truth in that most solos always start off with a simple melody and then explode from there. There’s always that melody.
Saw her live at the motley crue show, had no idea she was a girl. Blew my mind when I realized it. What a performance. She was playing in alice coopers band.

 

[Jak Angelescu]

Yes, she IS awesome. I’m not underestimating her as a guitar player at all. But I feel she’s someone who hides a lot behind her tone. Every time I see a video where she has to be stripped down to one simple practice amp, her hand-to-hand coordination is off, she plays out of key a lot, and she relies way too much on the flashiness of whammy usage, dive bombs and pinch harmonics. Not to mention there have been a lot of videos I’ve seen of her where her guitar is extremely out of tune. I like her song Pandemonium, but the ending is basically note for note Journey’s “Separate Ways”. And I hate to be one of “those people”, but in LA she talked all the time about how she didn’t care for Rob Halford’s voice at all and wasn’t a big Judas Priest fan, she said she couldn’t really stand them. She liked Iron Maiden because they were “faster”. Then when she got to play on stage with Rob Halford, she said, “It was like a dream come true, I’ve always been a huge Judas Priest fan!” I’m sorry but with that, plus the family lineage thing, plus the never-ending themes of being a constant walking marketing billboard for so many companies and products, changing what she’s into with every new boyfriend, I just can’t back someone up with a chameleon personality and call them a guitar hero. She IS a wonderful person. I’ve met her several times. And she DOES know how to play the guitar. And I DO love her approach to the whole “I’m not talented, I’m obsessed” and she does have amazing advice. But is she at guitar hero status? I think she has a way to go beforehand. I like Nili Brosh a lot though. I think she’s got really good melodic work and she’s soooo ridiculously well-versed! Like I said, I don’t hate anyone. And I have nothing but respect for Nita. I just think she has a lot of work (as we all do) before she has the Guitar Hero status.

 

[Noah Berends]

GC is really going out of business? Wow I was just there today. I wonder how low the prices are gonna go for liquidation. Really eyeing a nice Mark Holcomb PRS…

 

[Calvin Phillips]

you’re right, distortion hides a lot. I’m bad for that too. But sitting down to actually learn the scales has slowed my pace down slow enough to improve my syncing. I’m starting to think about doing the same with sweeps which was something I never thought I was capable of doing.
To be honest I dont know her personally. I just saw her the one time and in the interview. She DID say she loves pinch harmonics lol. And honestly, I admit I love the whammy too. It’s a lot of fun. All my favourite guitarists use it.

 

[Jak Angelescu]

Well, I guess all that matters is she is a guitar hero to you I guess I can say about Synyster Gates, there are so many people that look at me weirdly when I say he’s my biggest idol. They all say he sucks, lol! But, if she is inspiring others in any way, I guess that does make her a guitar hero… just not personally for me

 

[Elton Breaux]

As far as guitar center goes, ive never used them. I always use sweetwater. They’re fast, accurate, and they send you a bag of candy lol I highly recommend.
As far as music now a days, i am soo tired of the stuff that comes out. Theres no radio stations playing good metal. Most of the music today is just noise.

 

[Sebastian Cavallaro]

The reason why pop and a lot of other genres listed above are popular is that is that is easy to understand for the non-musician and generally have melodies that stick inside people’s head. Rock and Metal and whatever other genres of music you would like to list aren’t really dead, the have followings but they aren’t mainstream which isn’t necessarily a bad thing and most people in these genres have a grasp on what is going on with what is happening in the music, and again this goes for genres such as Jazz, Blues, Classical etc. all with varying levels of popularity.
Now with Guitar Center going out of business, I believe this is partially linked to the changing from a lot of the music changing from a fair amount of guitar-driven rock bands from around roughly the 80s to maybe late 90s you could say and slowly changing into a lot of music less focused on the guitar and more on electronic music. With this, fewer people are interested in guitars but the people who are now generally wanting more out of their instrument than they did before (Especially with the huge underground metal scene focused on technical aspects), this can be noticed with guitar brands like Gibson especially struggling due building guitars without many flashy features. Now as an Australian and never been to a Guitar Center, I find a lot of guitar stores try to bring this “rockstar” image and you should buy this guitar and be cool, I reckon this image has worn off for most people who do it to be cool and this approach ignores people who want to learn the craft.
I could be wrong and feel free to correct me if you disagree

 

[Jak Angelescu]

I love Sweetwater, too! And yes, noise is actually the exact word I use to describe it!

 

[Sayonil Mitra]

I have hardly any knowledge about the business side of music. But I am so glad that somebody spoke about this dominance of hip hop and rap. I respect every genre. I appreciate everyone has different tastes. But what is with this madness with this hip hop and stuff. This thing first struck me when I noticed a huge difference in view numbers of songs in youtube: Between Revolution Radio(green day) and Gangnam style. I am also a fan of Britain’s got talent. So, I often searched good guitar auditions in this show on youtube. Hardly any one with decent guitar skills show up in the results. Owen Campbell was the exception. And search for a pop or hip hop stuff. You know what happens. I just can’t stand it. I think this comes from the laziness of listeners who want dump lyrics and monotonic beats shoved down their throats. It has drowned so many instruments not only guitar. This is something I so strongly hate that I can go on and on the whole day. People say that pre 2000 music was better. At least at that time, every genre was equally popular. This is particularly depressing for someone who just wants to be a guitarist and gain an audience, without any help of lyrics, beats what soever. I hate, just hate the current scenario of music.