Been getting into WSP and really enjoy Mike’s stuff. Am I wrong in saying that his guitar playing isn’t that insane? Not to say he isn’t an amazing guitarist, but I have yet to hear him play anything that comes across as super shreddy or technical. His playing comes across a stream or flow or the right stuff in the right spots. Super cool to hear. Anyone have any shows/songs/setlists where I can hear his style really well? Or any guitarists wanna tap in and explain? Thanks!
Coolest technique
He was a master at texturing. Very very different from Jimmy, I love Jimmy but Mikey was a better fit. He had this sonic ability to be doing a lead that still allowed the other members to really get in there and shake it up at the same time. Incredible stuff. As far as recs, any show from 98-00, you will be impressed. I really like the Montreal show from 98 at the club soda. It’s got an archive release so it’s really easy to find.
Cheers
This is the best description. Rather than regular leads on top of the other music, Mikey meant for his lead playing to intertwine with the full band. It created the signature sound of Panic.
Nailed it. At first I didn't get it then all of sudden he'd be twisting those notes into something that made sense as hed take the reigns of the 6 headed monster.
Really cool description
Other than Touch, Gear, and tone, one of the major differences in playing styles is Mikey used the same scale/mode on pretty much every single song where as Jimmy will mix things up. Don’t get me wrong, he still makes his money on those major and minor pentatonic scales. But For example, the beginning of Pleas where he starts off in E Phrygian and then switches to Major. The Phrygian Mode is what gives Jimmys Pleas Into that extra dark spooky kinda sound to the scale. Or on the Jam out of Surprise Valley. There Jimmy switches to Major 7 scales which gives that jam at the end that “Eyes of the World” kind of sound. Just some other nerdy stuff to look at! Cheers Y’all!
Glad to see someone else recognizes these examples. Well put. Definitely love the Surprise maj7/Eyes vibe Jimmy does. The version with Derek Trucks is sick.
11.17.98 Space Wrangler Mikey goes off. Nobody bends those strings and makes the guitar sing like him. Always had the touch
That entire second set of that show was on a different level. The end of 98 to 2001 he really refined his tone and texture. I loved him.
I use to say I could see loops when he was playing live. I stiller wear a Houser shirt to every show I go to. Mikey was PANIC.
98-01 is absolute fire. I especially dig the stuff with Jerry Jospeh sit ins
I really like his ditties like Galleon, A of D, B of D, and of course E on a G. You are completely right about 98-01...he really refined his way.
First of all, "shredding" is overrated. That kind of technical skill means nothing if the song isn't a good one. Second of all, Mikey could "shred" with the best of them. He could totally do it, thankfully he had such good taste that he chose not to do it all the time. I can think of times when he did bust it out. Just off the top of my head, there are moments in "Breathing Slow" and "Contentment Blues" and "Maggot Brain" where he turns it on. But I think he understood that "shredding" for the sake of shredding is a little lowbrow, thankfully. I read an interview (I believe it was with Rolling Stone) with Jimmy Page way back in the 80s where Jimmy Page talked a little bit about musicianship. Led Zeppelin obviously had 3 badass musicians and one badass singer, but Jimmy said that wasn't what was so important. Instead, he said "It's the song that's most important." And I took that statement to heart. Jimmy was right. The song itself is more important than any shredding that might happen inside of it. Is it a good song? That's way more important. And Panic has written so many 5-star songs (I would argue that they have written at least 70 songs that merit 5 stars, maybe even 80 or 90). If Mikey wanted to shred his way through songs, then those songs wouldn't have been as good. It's the same way a chef can overseason his food. Salt is good in the right amounts, as is garlic. But dang, there's no reason to throw the whole jar of salt into the recipe. Then the dish is just gross. Mikey was the best I ever saw at tempering his contributions to the song so that he was in just the right place. One bowl of porridge can be too cold, one bowl can be too hot, while one can be just right. One bed can be too soft, one bed can be too hard, while one can be just right. Mikey made things just right, and when it was time to shred, he certainly did it.
I wouldn’t say shredding is overrated or that the textured approach is overrated. Both have their place.
Yea maybe you're right, but for me personally I don't want too much of it, same as I don't want my food overseasoned. I want just the right amount.
He was not unlike David Gilmour. Why play 20 notes when you can play 1 just right?
Why play 20 when 1 do? - Kevin from the office
Because you can play 20 right, too?
Traine took 60 bars to say what Miles said in 8...
Miles to Dizzy: “Man, why can’t I play all that high fast shit like you?”
Dizz: “Cause you don’t hear high and fast.”
Which is an important part of any player’s development and necessary for finding a voice on an instrument. But no moron crawling between Heaven and Earth is running tryna say Miles was better than Dizzy.
I mean, I have a style, and I can't make my solos sound any differently than they sound. That's my way of playing the guitar. And, y'know, I realize as much as anybody else that you could take a solo from one song, and a solo from another song, and listen to 'em, and it's the same solo. It fits into each song differently [though]. But yeah, that's a -- I think that -- that's something that's common to a lot of musicians -- that style. And me and Dave were talking about this not too long ago. And he was like, "Yeah, your solos DO sound the same, but they fit into the songs differently, and people LIKE
that; that trademark Mike Houser solo."
-Michael Houser
I miss the Mikey scale.
Flat 7 for the win.
He definitely wasn’t shreddy technical. He could play lullabies like Happy Child then before you know it raging an Impossible. If you are into gear check this out https://youtu.be/6VOOcZYju70?si=VXCTpG5iVpKgvF8F
That was insanely cool
He’s actually a very limited and not very good guitar player but he was an incredible songwriter and played guitar in such a unique way that people loved it. The guy just wrote amazing music. I miss Mike every day.
He was one of God's own prototypes. A real water buffalo. Never meant for mass production
Love this breakdown of Chilly
Greta 6/15/96 is always my rec for Mikey solo
Was dreaming last night I had figured out how to play like Mikey. It was great.
God I love Mikey’s style so much. Lingering lead is such an apropos description. Was he shreddy like Trey? No. But he WAS the Panic sound.
As a very experienced guitar player. 15 years of playing and 6 years of gigging with loud tube amps I can safely say his guitar playing IS insane.
I can break this down for you. Technical guitar playing is just technical guitar playing. What houser did was pure creative expression.
But what he actually was very gifted in is his sense of melody and followed the chord changes. Not in a jazz way but in a rock and roll way where he played a melody you could almost sing.
His use of delay and overdrive with the expression pedal made it to where you didn’t hear his pick struck the sting. This made his guitar playing sound like a violin.
Go watch space wrangler the Austin Texas show that’s on YouTube. No one can really play like him. Some folks get close but not like you can mimic Trey or Jerry because the fact that it wasn’t technical there isn’t a road map to play like him.
He was truly himself in his guitar playing. And last but not least….it was fuckin rock and roll
By the way, I still go to as many Panic shows as I can, so lemme know if you ever wanna meet up and I can introduce you to some Good People.
Thanks man! NJ based I can’t wait for them to swing by
The Boston shows this summer? It isn’t far from you. Those shows could be a great option for you.
I was a big phish fan first (talking 93-94) and it took a while to get into panic for me (95-97) because of Mikey's playing being just DIFFERENT. I came to love his style not for the notes or the technical prowess or speed but for the rhythm and textures he created. Besides, what motivates you to listen to a song, is it technical chops or is it the emotions the music evokes? The latter for me and Mikey is one of my all-time favorite guitarists as a result. If I wanted speed/chops I'd listen to Yngwie Malmsteen (I don't).
His guitar style is kinda like entering a black hole backwards...when they used to turn him up...sometimes it would leave you burned Faceless.
Mikey used the volume peddle constantly. That’s why he ended up sitting down. Key part to his signature sound.
93 fende tele custom deluxe. I believe he upgraded the humbucker to a seymour duncan but it could have been the other one.
Most of the pedals and amps are easy to find, but the Soldano Surfbox is unobtanium
I'm a guitarist. Mikey had a unique sound, because he was self taught and his playing is indicative of his personality. That's why he is legendary.... not cuz he can "shred" but because he is the one and only. His lead and the sound of his guitar are captivating for a reason.
Mikey’s style was extremely unique in the sense that he was not technical but was able to weave in and out modes unintentionally. Space Wrangler a great example - technically this is in G Mixolydian but Mikey would go in and out of Gm, Gmaj and G Mixolydian/Cmaj seamlessly.
Mikey loved accenting the flat 7 - this coupled with ability to accidentally stumble on accent notes and his ability to “linger” in and out made him truly remarkable.
I’ve been playing for 25+ years and still have trouble figuring out what he was doing because it didn’t make sense from a theory standpoint. Mikey was one of kind with his style and approach. I think I’d be a better player if I he hadn’t been such a huge influence to me in my early years, but in a unique way, I’m kind of proud to have that as my foundation.
Happy to dive in further with anyone interested in my .02
When you hear Michael Houser you can identify it without even thinking. His fender was unique and no one has ever used the volume pedal like that. Michael Houser showed that a guitar solo could be 2 minutes and be devastating. He could level a place. He can cover Black Sabbath or play a lullaby. But that band was the 6 headed monster. It was everyone leading together. Nothing like it. But man Houser at the end of Conrad, or Rebirtha or Ride me High I could go one forever. Gangster.
Smooth always Been my opinion.
I think people are bias cause jimmy is definetly a better guitar player
He was the band’s sound.
I felt like I had to come here to post that when I watched the two versions, Jimmy makes me feel more high because he’s making sounds that aren’t possible on guitar. And Mikey just makes me feel maybe less high because it’s less heady and more groovey.
Comforting vs mind bending. That’s my comparison. Love both. But.
It’s called the lingering lead for a reason