Eric Johnson - Victory

[bookguitarguy]

Thanks for this GREAT clip... Gotta love the contrast between his humble, low key approach and the way he tears up the fretboard!! Was this before Ah Via Musicom made him famous (though not as famous as he should be)? Curious whether he suspected as he played this that he'd soon be winning a bunch of grammys- or not. Thanks again!!

[ps31107]

amazing, the tape fail.. hahaha

[N2cosxsinx]

i was born 7 years after this video, i feel so unlucky now

[shanatp]

@N2cosxsinx Don't man. Every day is a new beginning.

[bddb9]

i only wanted to listen to some music.. after 3 eric johnson video's i have to go play guitar..

[MeyerG4Indiana]

This is historic footage which I appreciate greatly!

Total command and killer chops carved out by years of woodshedding.

His practice made perfect.

Thanks for posting!

[diagreen]

this guy always delivers.

[BradDeLorenzo]

He looks like the dude from the Thompson Twins here haha.

[Barcslay]

I love how loud his solo sound is. awesome!

[Zappafan1980]

Man Eric Johnson is such a Shy Guy

but he inflenced some of my Favorites Guitarists like Andy Timmins

and Shawn Lane

The Song Venus Isle totally blow my mind in a positive way

[howiboy]

Eric Johnson coulda sold out and made cheesy pop, but we gotta give em credit cuz he playes straight from the heart and plays what he loves.

[Fredmelott]

AMAZING!

[Liam250469]

a true craftsman and artist (there can be no higher compliment)

[metalmusicorm1904]

este es uno de los guitarristas mas favoritos para mi. su composicion es sencillamente hermosa..

[colmcq]

never realised he was so young when he wrote that stuff. God I suck ...

[rockanal]

what a nice song! When I first heard Vai's 'boy from seatlle' I never thought it was a copy of this one

[TheJhunyor]

I did not know that eric johnson playing for so long, this video is very good, thanks man but post this video

[TheJhunyor]

I did not know that eric johnson playing for so long, this video is very good, thanks man but post this video

[andhemills]

FTW (for the win)

[jesdome]

In the 80's, he always wore that ring on the right hand ring finger, like here.The way he damps so much with the right hand, I never could see how it didn't really get in the way. Then years later, he just took it off an never wore it again. You'd think by that time, he would have learned to play around it. lol.

This was back when he was using the tube screamer for leads, before the Chandler Tube Driver. To me, the TS leads sounded better, like this. I wish he'd go back to this lead tone now.

[MISTERWONKA7]

This guy is just plain awesome, his playing begs me to go in awe.

[tommorellorules]

haha that ending was awesome, but the ending on Tones is better

[cankucuk17]

tones album is in 1986? i have the cassette

[boobtuber06]

what year?

[o7levi]

@boobtuber06

This was in 1985 at GIT.

[metachozo]

@o7levi damn I was 1.......

[o7levi]

From now on, anyone who leaves an offensive, vulgar comment using foul language is getting blocked and their comment removed. If this persists, commenting will be disabled on this video. Take it to private, the public does not need to see it. Thanks.

[AzWeThInKwEizZ]

EJ never fails when it comes to improvising the most colorful solos.

[dayuhanspace]

If Hendrix was alive,he would probably envy Eric Johnson

[Hypnus9]

Eric's grasp of harmony and melody are impeccable. He is a guitarist's guitarist.

[Ken5244]

Lots of clueless & ignorant comments in this thread about EJ's supposed lack of theory knowledge. How do you clowns (6691alexb, light487, et al.) know how much knowledge of theory he has? Have you ever read any of the old Guitar Player magazine interviews with him? Obviously not, 'cuz if you did, you'd know he has an advanced grasp of musical theory (particularly chord voicings & harmonic structure).

Too bad YT can't filter out moronic comments from pseudo-musicians like you half-wits.

[JonP1961]

I don't see how he could have pulled off the progressions in Electromagnets without a firm grasp of theory. You can fudge your way through jazz ;)

What's more amazing is the age at which he was playing that stuff!

Love the application of theory with the version of the outro he 'pulls off' here ;)

[Ken5244]

Exactly. He was drawing high praise from other famous players when he was 16. Any educated musician should be able to hear the complexity and substance in his playing.

BTW, I think you made a typo in your post: I think you meant to say, "...can't fudge your way through jazz," right?

[JonP1961]

Yep. Thanks for catching that ;)

[123method]

While this is great, he has matured properly in his technique and sound over the years IMO

[Bryantkh13]

i love early ej live videos

[light487]

Hrmm.. nah I just think he plays like someone who is self-taught. I've heard this before.. he did learn piano as a child and most likely would have continued to learn some music theory off and on, as we all do over time.. but he keeps playing what he feels and that's what is most important. Unfortunately feelings, real feelings, do sometimes seem to be contrived and "corny" at the best of times.. but that's what makes it easy to relate to his playing style.

[MattHurleyHimself]

ej is a master of theory

[6691alexb]

This will surprise eric doesnt have much theory just a very good ear on the other hand jimi hendrix had a full theory of the guitar and apart from inventing a style he's not the best player out there very sloppy even for back then.

[sjk254]

It's the other way around .. Eric is a theory tome .. Hendrix just played what he thought was beautiful. =]

[maugbj]

I agree with you, but I wouldn't say Eric is just a theory tome. A lot of music is beautiful, and I'm sure he thinks it too!

[Chromatype]

Eric forgot to stop trying to get better...he was already there THEN...he was so smooth and clear in his concept then...I agree that EJ has both gotten better( wider range of ideas) and gotten contrived( risk we all run when we practice too much)...however...he truly has forged a great blend of guitar history into his playing approach

[igknightus]

thank you for this...my gess he is about my age here......25?.....

what else do you have this old?

[beautifulmusical]

You guys are both idiots for even giving a crap what each other thinks..... just appreciate what you like and keep your mouth shut about what you don't like. Music is subjective... get the hell over yourselves.

[vetmusician]

thank you for the comment, Im sort of sick of people putting everything under a microscope..............just because the HAVE a microscope........its sad, this is what america has become.............a bunch of critics, and you KNOW what critics do.................just run their mouth

[MikeDPGuitar]

Camera failure at 0:58 haha

[johnnylance]

These Technogeeks always sound that way to me too...

[osensei2987]

His sound is very an aseptic! I never understood what ppl see in this guy! He's just fucking boring!

Yet another master of the rehearsed and memorized solo! Learn to improvise Eric! Then maybe then you won't be so fucking boring and white bread!

[Gregorypeckory]

Eric is a great improviser; your comment is proof of your ignorance. It's not hard to figure out that if you don't like something you don't have to listen, but I guess you're one of the many trolls that prefer to trash artists you don't like than listen to ones you do.

[Gregorypeckory]

Just an afterthought: EJ does lots of improvising, but plays arrangements too. "Master" of memorized solos is an apt description of every classical virtuoso; not a bad thing. It isn't better to improvise, just another aspect of playing. The balance between improv and arrangments is quite personal; I prefer more of it too, so I spend more time on Holdsworth, Shawn Lane, Coltrane, etc. When I'm in the mood for EJ, I'm grateful for what he gives, as are/were, fellow fans, Holdsworth and Lane.

[Gregorypeckory]

What do you mean? Do you need to hear a singer to feel complete?

[osensei2987]

I think what he's saying is that there is no melody. I happen to agree. Sounds like a bunch of chord play until the solo section. You can have melody w/o a singer can you not?

[Gregorypeckory]

Obviously there is a melody; just listen. What the hell do you think the word melody means? It doesn't mean a sequence of notes that appeals to you. BTW; chords always have a top note; that's the melody note.

[osensei2987]

I get what you're saying about the top note in the chord voicing but it's still not melodic to me. There are a number of artists that have done this sort of thing in the past. Hendrix's "The Wind Cries Mary" stands out in my mind. But Hendrix managed to pull it off. I don't think Johnson is equal to the task here. Holdsworth who also happens to be one of my favorite players often resorts to his own chord melodies but they never appealed to me either.

[Gregorypeckory]

Hendrix and Holdsworth are 2 of my favs too. I get that you don't like this tune, but I think you're misusing the word melody. When people don't like a melody they often claim "there's no melody" or "the song's not melodic". In this way the definition of melody is tortured to the point that it apparently means "any sequence of notes that appeals to me personally". Of course in reality the word means simply any sequence of consecutive notes. They can be played individually or with harmony.

[osensei2987]

It has to do with movement that forms a cohesive melodic curve. Not necessarily what's pleasing to the ear. Just saying the top notes in the chord progression is melody is a cop out. And yes, there are some pretty progressive ideas where melody is concerned. Aesthetics are subjective but at some point critical analysis is valid. We just can't say anything is melody. At some point the definition of good and bad is valid.

[Gregorypeckory]

I assume you mean "good and bad" melody, which is fine for stating your tastes, but to say "the definition" is valid when no definition has been discussed is meaningless. I offered a definition of melody, not of good or bad. The phrase "Cohesive melodic curve" could mean anything you want it to. Many of Thelonius Monk's melodies are quite angular; you might feel their curve lacks "cohesion". It's still melody, as is every melody, from the great to the awful.

[osensei2987]

Naturally, all of this is subjective. And there is a place for everything from traditional to avante garde. I can appreciate the whole spectrum! But still some stuff is just bad! I'm not afraid to call something what it is. What's hilarious, is when people listen to awful shit and prop their chins atop their hand with their index finger extened over their cheek and pretend to appreciate something that obviously sucks because it makes them look sophisticated! ROFLMAO! Run on sentence detected!

[Gregorypeckory]

I agree that some stuff is just bad. It gets sticky when you start "correcting" people's "bad" preferences. We seem to have similar tastes, but I can't agree with your extreme view that EJ's melody here doesn't exist, or the extreme overall view of him in your comment below that caused me to call you a "troll". Stu Hamm toured with him and said he was blown away by how EJ played a new version of "Zap" every night-fast, clean, musical, and improvised. I'd like to be that "boring".

[otcconan]

Cool to see this one live.

[eerieinhabitants]

GIT! Hollywood

[MikeHF]

I forgot all about this guy. He is one bad sumbitch.

[ELmarkadores]

it's a bomb |!realy

he rock ***** stars!

song name is victory?

i go to send it!

[ELmarkadores]

how many age have eic johnson in this video?

[theSzpilman]

.this was recorded in 1984 I think...so he's about 30years..

[tall32guy]

1984? Tones came out in 1986 so I thought this was the same year or at least not long before.

[tall32guy]

Either way it was a great recording. :)

[ejfan1]

man, ej could play a friggin plywood board with rubber strings on it and plug it into a pile of dog crap and make it sound good. love his tone and chops. LONG LIVE EJ!!!!

[brunocrs]

ele eh um puto!!!

[giantrobot9000]

He and Jeff Beck are the main reason I play a Strat. I will never,ever get tired of hearing them play. Absolute guitar bliss!

[OddMusicMan]

i can Understand that VERY WELL.

[ThaRollingTube]

beck and johnson represent both the greatest tone and feeling out of all the guitarist all time.

[ejfan1]

me too man, theres just something about a strat and when i pick it up i think about ej and whats he's done, i'll never get tired of playing strats.

[giantrobot9000]

I went and customized my 1987 with EMGs so I could play metal on it, but I'm gonna get another one (Seafoam Green!) and keep it all single coil. Here's my personal Strat wishlist (that I can afford!)-

EJ Signature

JB Signature (the old baseball neck version)

Strat Ultra

Strat Plus

Strat Elite

[countdumas]

@giantrobot9000 MICHAEL TSARION IS THE WORLDS PREMIER CONSPIRACY RESEARCHER/LECTURER/AUTHOR. DR. BILL DEAGLE AND JORDAN MAXWELL ARE HIGHLY INFORMATIVE AS WELL. P.S. MELTING EUPHORIA IS A HOLISTIC PSYCHEDELIC PROG ROCK BAND THAT IS ANOW DEFUNCT BUT HAS FOUR STUDIO CD'S AND ARE SIMILAR TO OZRIC TENTACLES AND GONG.

[xbm]

i love this song.

[mambochan]

this was shot back in 1985.

[takineko]

I was born that year.. I feel so young..

[ejlister]

Ur just a pup! :)

[takineko]

mew..

[Piercebronsan12]

my dad knows this guy!

[klutz94306]

i would tell my dad to ask Eric to teach me how to play the guitar as well as him cause he is sick.

[Piercebronsan12]

wait..you mean he is sick as in cool or like sick in real life???? yes I need to do that!

[fluffythecat2]

sick=cool, great, fantastic, awesome, :D

slang slides every few years

interesting

great guitar work

[klutz94306]

as in cool dude

[takineko]

My uncle spoke to him after concerts so often Eric remembered his name. lol I didn't even know that till this weekend and I love Eric.

[MrDeppness]

last track on Tones. brilliant. EJ has always been one of my all-time fav guitarists. Add Alex Lifeson, Marty Friedman, Gary Moore and John Petrucci and we're talking!

[scarter180]

Don't forget Joe Satriani!

[lordqs]

The one pn Tones sounds like Perfection!!!

[TheManIsMe123]

TYHIS ONE ISNT ON TONES the one on tones is better the solo is absolutly insane!

[tommorellorules]

this must be old, loving the hair, and the song of course

[Brucev7]

Another good EJ tune. Wonder what year this was shot?

[rutboberg]

I think it´s 1984 i think.

[pavlus2]

well, i dont appreciate EJ only for his tone. i think he is a great musician too with very melodic solos and fantastic sense of harmony (you can hear it especially at 3:47, until the end).

and THATs why EJ is my guitar king.

[ejfan1]

i dont like ej just for his tone only. hes a well-rounded player. he's so versatile and clean. but you cant tell me that his tone doesnt kick but.

[ejfan1]

killer lick and 0:58! just amazing! lol, nahh jk. thanks for posting the video though, very rare. LONG LIVE ERIC JOHNSON'S TONE!!!!

[pavlus2]

yeah, he plays so madly at 0:58 that the camera freaks out. :D

[ejfan1]

ej could play a wal-mart first act guitar through a tiny little ibanez pocket amp and make it sound good. only because most of that tone comes from his fingers. and if you watch the hot licks tape he has, his dang fingertips look like freaking mushrooms! thats how he gets that dang warm tone lol. i'ma go mash my fingertips with a hammer to get them fatter, might hurt like crap, but hey, at least my tone will sound good lol. peace

[pavlus2]

omg! the chorde progression at the end! omg!

[ejfan]

so is the thing @ 3:22

[pavlus2]

0:57 is great as well!

[ejfan1]

lol

[SDMF4EVR]

one of the most amazing guitar players that i have ever seen.thank you for the sounds eric

[doristhebus]

I love how he smiled when he made a mistake. Makes this video even more precious.

[kremstudios]

Very old video! When was it filmed? EXCELLENT SONG! The audio came up really good too...

[o7levi]

1985

[kremstudios]

Nice....

[ejfan1]

best dang tone in the world!

[musikluvr102]

Yes this is on Tones. I agree, this is why I love guitar.

[rextunes]

Thanks so much for posting this - reminds me why I love guitar playing

[joeytruelove]

Yeah, EJ is what keeps me on the 6-string path too. One can't but be inspired by his playing. In some mysterious way he always seem to make the most of the instrument - there's a thought behind every note he plays

[jborra17]

this is one of his best songs and it's the best to listen to in the car when you want to relaxe and just get away. The best!

[1VanHalen1]

WOW! is all I can say.. Isn't this on the "Tones" album? Thank you for posting!

[AzWeThInKwEizZ]

I would have never found this in an eternity if it weren't for you...thanks!

[hypobolic]

Thanks a million for posting this. Great treat for EJ fans to see such early and rare footage.....cheers.

[Manitor]

Oh man thanks a million for posting this, I love EJ and it's always great to see early performances like this.

[WMDG3]

Awesome....I love this song and have never heard it live before until now.

[o7levi]

'85 @ GIT

[SHELBYDISPATCH]

what year was this made?