Alain plays "How Soon Is Now?" all on his own

This is top-notch. and no mistake.



*EDIT* When I try to link it, it says it won't embed. Just click on the 'Watch on Facebook' link herein.

...I know some folk can't see this, and so, with Alain's permission, here is the Youtube video...

 

[ACTON]

Martin Rossiter hasn't ever put anything into anything.

He's utterly vacuous.

Are you joking? Have you not ever listened to 'Haunted By You' or 'Olympian' or anything from 'Drawn To The Deep End'? Just because he disagrees with Moz isn't enough reason to slate him.

 

[Harsh Truth]

Who Put the M in Manchster?

"How Soon is Now?" was not played at that show.

 

[celibate]

we miss you Alain, good to see your clip , still a class guitarist.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

Are you joking? Have you not ever listened to 'Haunted By You' or 'Olympian' or anything from 'Drawn To The Deep End'? Just because he disagrees with Moz isn't enough reason to slate him.

of course it is.

 

[Mountjoy]

Are you joking? Have you not ever listened to 'Haunted By You' or 'Olympian' or anything from 'Drawn To The Deep End'? Just because he disagrees with Moz isn't enough reason to slate him.

I'm not joking. I think he's a bore. His views on Morrissey don't bother me, he's a socialist and so it was inevitable that he would take the position that he did. I've offered plenty of criticisms of Morrissey myself. He's not perfect...blasphemy! I always thought there were many more interesting bands floating around when Gene were being feted...feted because he had a floppy fringe and a foppish manner, not because he was any good. OrlandO, S*M*A*S*H, Suede (of course) were all much more fun. All about opinions though.

 

[King Leer]

Alain!
Nice arena gig in your room there!

I'm not as big a Jesse hater as many, but after 13 years, he just hasn't evolved. Having said that, the current lineup is a pretty solid unit, but rarely captures the coolness Alain does here. Gustavo has brought some surprises.

Let's see what the new sessions bring.

 

[AztecCamera]

I reckon me think Uncle Steve should kick lil' Sammy out of the pool house and let old Al move in and I am sure Uncle Steve could get Al a waiter gig at The Sunset Marquis.

 

[Vesper Nocturne]

I reckon me think Uncle Steve should kick lil' Sammy out of the pool house and let old Al move in and I am sure Uncle Steve could get Al a waiter gig at The Sunset Marquis.

Yeah I crikey-reckon if Uncle Steve gets old Al a waiter gig at the Sunset Marquis, then everyone around here could stop fantasizing to themselves that Martin Rossiter ever had anything intelligent to say.

Also, me think I crikey-reckon old blykey Rossiter used to have BIG FAT GIRLY SAUSAGE LEGS, before he made it to the three-ring, high-top, britknob big leagues with his old tally-ho Smiths cover band. I know, because I saw him before his big makeover.

At the Sunset Marquis, old Al could make a lot of tips, if he serenades people with How Soon is Now or either a BUSH song while he asks them for all of their drinks orders.

Me reckon also, I’m gonna get right into some LA sports teams now too. I’m gonna give it all I’ve got!

GO TOUCANS!!! And to everybody here who’s still a really big whacker! TUFF! Try to do the Macarena or something! Si?

 

[Morrissey-so-old.com]

That was way better then anything sorry ass Jesse had played, I'm sorry but Alain is a better guitar player then Jesse is by leaps and bounds it's sad hearing Jesse doing a hack job on the smiths and early Morrissey songs, it's also pretty pathetic when cover bands play and sound better at playing the songs then Morrissey's current band.

 

[Jamie]

I'm trying to remember if Alain was gone in 2004 by the time "How Soon is Now?" got added into the live rotation. I think he was.

At the time, his departure from the live setting seemed only to be temporary. Some of you long-timers might remember when Boz would post a diary of sorts on his website. There were multiple entries mentioning Alain between July and September of 2004 which were later excised. I am "paraphrasing with loose quotes" here, but the first arrived shortly after the Chicago House of Blues show - Jesse's first - in which he said "Alain's illness was apparent." I can't recall if it was before Reading in August (where "How Soon Is Now" was first played in a solo show) or shortly before the second US leg of the Quarry tour kicked off in September, but he wrote an entry about Alain stopping by Lyn's coffee shop and "looking fit and raring to play" or something to that effect. To my recollection, Boz never mentioned him again on any further updates. He did later answer a fan question at one point asking him to compare working with Jesse and Alain and it was a vanilla response (i.e., "different but both great").

I had gleaned - and later had confirmed by people who talked with Alain during the Red Lightning period of 2005-2007 - that he took time away, got better (physically and/or mentally) and anticipated returning to the band in full capacity in fall 2004. When that didn't come to pass, he put all his energies into Red Lightning. It is notable that Alain played a quite capable version of "Bigmouth Strikes Again" at some of their live shows after the recording of Ringleader, which may have been cocking a snoot at any assertions that he wasn't capable of handling the Smiths material and, what's more, using a song that Morrissey and Co. played frequently in fall 2004.

Alain seems to have found his happiness in his family, gets to pick and choose the songwriting work he does, and has the luxury of playing with other musician friends in a low-key side project. He has also implied on Facebook in the not-too-distant past that he is preparing to release solo material. In some ways, leaving Morrissey behind seems to have opened the door for him to be quite happy. Good on him.

 

[Stanley the 2nd]

We miss Alain, the live experience just isn't the same without him.

 

[Uncleskinny]

I bought the Red Lightning, and before that the Motivators CD. Something Out Of Nothing is a top, top tune.

 

[stux]

I do miss alains songwriting, i do think he is greatly missed.

As for the clip, in all honesty, i dont think it is amazing. HSIN isnt a difficult song to play, Johnny Marr has lots of clips on youtube and alain isnt even close at replicating the chorus section. It is ok but not great.

 

[Quando quando quando]

I bought the Red Lightning, and before that the Motivators CD. Something Out Of Nothing is a top, top tune.

Well, if this doesn't confirm he is a great guitar player, I wouldn't know what else would convince people he is!
I understand when people start making comparisons with Johnny Marr, as "How soon is now" is and was Johnny's tune and by playing it and using it you always take some of the honour but in a way are also paying tribute to he original composer. And he just did.
This is his own stuff and I know, it is a matter of taste but it is a great guitar tune.
Basically, I still think his playing is undervalued and because he has a quite friendly and modest character he doesn't get the appreciation he should have, as compared with other guitarists who did.
Cheers to Alain White!

 

[Anonymous]

I do miss alains songwriting, i do think he is greatly missed.

As for the clip, in all honesty, i dont think it is amazing. HSIN isnt a difficult song to play, Johnny Marr has lots of clips on youtube and alain isnt even close at replicating the chorus section. It is ok but not great.

I agree on all three points. He's good and I thinks it's very clear he still has a passion and excitement about music that I really admire but I think he's just good