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[brother john]

WTF is 'unplugged' anyway? Its just a meaningless marketing phrase to make people think they're getting something special made just for them. 'Unplugged' is now just another way of saying 'live'. It might have meant something different the first few times but its a pretty pointless phrase now. 

Happy New Year! 

[the captain]

WTF is 'unplugged' anyway? Its just a meaningless marketing phrase to make people think they're getting something special made just for them. 'Unplugged' is now just another way of saying 'live'. It might have meant something different the first few times but its a pretty pointless phrase now. 

Happy New Year! 

The History of Unplugged:

The idea was originally acoustic, as if there were some particular skill that made playing an acoustic guitar and piano better than playing an electric guitar and keyboard. In the 80s, when Bon Jovi did its "unplugged" "Wanted Dead or Alive" at some damn show or another, it was at the peak of the saturated distortion guitar solos, whammy bar tricks, programmed beats and synths, etc., so it was mostly just different to that generation. Then of course Clapton did his MTV Unplugged, had the huge hits with those versions of "Layla" and "Tears in Heaven," and the word pissed me off for another decade and a half. Next thing you know you're watching Poison f*** up "Talk Dirty To Me" and wondering what's wrong with the world. The end.

[Susan]

Hm.  My band only plugs in its microphone.  We really ARE unplugged!!!

Lately i have been plugging in my new Martin bass. But when i'm on guitarrone, we are - as i said - completely unplugged.

And guys, it IS harder to play cleanly on acoustic than it is on electric.

[the captain]

Martin makes basses? I didn't even realize that. (PS, I learned on a late-50s Martin dreadnought. It was my dad's. It kicked ass.)

Sure, it's more difficult to play runs or complex lines. But when you consider the era and styles most affected by MTV's "Unplugged," it was mostly bands playing power chords or open chords. But it was more the novelty of the sound and instruments than anything else.

[Wilsonista]

Yep.

And it was the hair bands who sucked the most on MTV Unplugged. The acts that predated the late 80's, by and large did far superior MTV Unpluggeds like Eric Clapton (a great record in a sea of Clapton mediocrity),  McCartney,  and REM.

[MBE]

Listened to Clapton's I don't like hits from as they were way overplayed but I like much of the blues on it. I like his Yardbirds stuff best. Paul and Dylan both made fine Unplugged albums though Dylan really just played a regular set.

[Wilsonista]

I forgot about Bob.  Yeah, his set was good too.  Nirvana's was another standout too.

[Sheriff John Stone]

A surprising amount of major performers appeared on Unplugged. You can add Bruce Springsteen, Plant & Page, and Aerosmith to that list. And, recently, MTV has been airing the old Kiss Unplugged, which, actually wasn't that bad.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

I forgot about Bob.  Yeah, his set was good too.  Nirvana's was another standout too.

No kidding. Honestly, the Unplugged album was my favorite Nirvana album (followed closely by Incesticide).

[the captain]

You're all bringing back terrible memories. f*** YOU, '90s!

Actually, I don't mind Unplugged as an idea. What I hated was that 1) it was a novelty, which makes no sense to me, and 2) it was a must-have novelty, with everyone releasing an Unplugged album just like everyone released a concert album and a greatest hits collection. Really, worst of all was the novelty aspect. Oooh, acoustic guitars! Big fucking deal. When your music sucks, it sucks regardless of how stripped down it is. (Again, I'm talking to you, Poison.)

[Sheriff John Stone]

Yeah, I agree with a lot of that, Luther. Unplugged was a convenient way of killing 5 birds with one stone. Do an Unplugged and you:

1. did a TV show
2. recorded a "live" album
3. released a "greatest hits" album with new versions
4. got free advertising for that album
5. marketed a video (in some cases)

I never found the acoustic versions as fulfilling as the original electric versions. The only ones that were almost as satisfying were the ballads, and many of the original ballads had an acoustic feel anyway.

The best part (for me) of Unplugged was the intimate stage setting and presentation, which you didn't get in arenas and stadiums in front of thousands of people on a gigantic stage. You could almost see the wrinkles and touches of gray!

[Andrew G. Doe]

It did, however, give rise to one of the best album titles ever.

Kermit Unpigged

[Susan]

Luther, Martin makes fucking beautiful basses.  They are a new addition to the catalog, tho...just in the last few years.  Completely unplugged, they make a pretty solid amount of noise, but of course they are meant to be run through an amp.

I play the BC-15E which has on-board Fishman electronics and a wonderful rich, warm sound whether it's plugged in or not.

And it matches my D-15.

[Aegir]

I like "Mr. Soul" from Neil Young Unplugged. Completely different than the Buffalo Springfield version.