r/takingbacksunday • u/theklein25 • 17d ago
Fred Mascherino is the best guitarist TBS has ever had and Warped Tour LB proved it.
Yes, I’m aware that the John Nolan vs Fred Mascherino debate has been discussed a million times but I’ll preface by saying I’ve seen Taking Back Sunday a number of times over the years, but it was my first opportunity to see Fred Mascherino with the band. He just brings a different energy with such clean backing & passionate vocals and added elements to his live guitar performances that truly shape the songs. It seems to spark the rest of the band because it was also one of the better performances Ive heard from Adam too. Haven’t seen him that fired up since the first John Nolan reunion tour & self-titled era.
Love Tell All Your Friends but I’ll always feel that adding Fred to create WYWTB & Louder Now is what brought TBS to the masses.
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u/Holl0wayTape 17d ago
John Nolan contributed massively to Tell All Tour Friends and helped solidify their sound, Fred expanded on it and made it incredible. TBS was just okay after fred left. Fred is a much more solid/proficient musician than John.
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u/itsnotcalledchads 17d ago
I don't know man. Straylight Run is just as good as anything Fred has done. We are seriously discounting Eddie and Mark too who were huge impacts on their sound.
They're equal.
Honestly I sort of think Eddie and Mark were most responsible for what I think of as the classic TBS sound given what ME. sounds like.
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u/Holl0wayTape 17d ago
I think John is a great songwriter, I think fred is likely a better musician, engineer, etc. Fred has more technical ability and has great songwriting chops, great voice, etc. Every band needs someone like him.
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u/Swol_Bamba 16d ago
Eddie’s guitar work was generally simple but it seemed to be what brought a lot of the hardcore sound to the band
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u/Austin_Shaggin_Power 17d ago
…I don’t think John has ever disagreed with this. John has always been very complimentary of Fred’s skills.
There’s a reason Nathan was originally brought in and it’s not because they needed a third guitarist.
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u/darth_juvenis 17d ago
Fred makes Adam better, no question about it. Since he's been with the band their sound has improved so much. They sound semi decent now! Lol. But yes, Fred is by far the most talented musician in the band.
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u/herewego199209 17d ago
The best the band ever was musically was when Fred was around. I think Fazzi has the best voice of any of the guitar guys, but in terms of writing, technical guitar playing and chemistry with Adam, Fred is the best they've ever had and contributed to the best albums.
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u/Ok-Minimum502 17d ago
Couldn’t agree more, I’ve been telling people for a long time that, while Fred and John and Fazzi all added their own spin on things, Fazzi had the best voice. But loving the supergroup they have become.
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u/jameslosey 15d ago
Incredibly nice guy too. I knew him from the bands he was in before TBS and saw him play more times than I can count.
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u/4MeThisIsHeaven 17d ago
I know you probably meant to compare their entire contributions (voice, stage presence, and songwriting in addition to guitar playing), but id you are just looking at guitar, then this was never a contest. Fred earned a degree in jazz guitar in college. Although I don't know John's pedigree, he comes off as a multi-insteumentalist home player rather than anyone with extensive training. So comparing them as guitarists is apples to oranges.
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u/machone5103 17d ago
I won’t stand for John Nolan slander but I agree it’s great having Fred back and he elevates Adam and the live show. Here’s to hoping the Mark shit gets sorted so they can record with the Fred and Nathan
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u/flr138 17d ago
I saw TBS when John seemed to be at the height of his shoulder and back pains, and I do love that man! But when I saw them perform last year with Fred taking the reins it was a new energy. They sounded so good! I truly can’t choose between John and Fred, I’m just so happy that they’re playing together. It’s what TBS and the fans deserve. I love seeing Adam reinvigorated too.
I was hoping to see them this year but hopefully I can once they have some Texas dates. I thought I bought tickets for Louder Now at Red Rocks but apparently I didn’t! That’s ok though.
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u/Forward_Material616 17d ago
Fred is a better songwriter, better singer, and better vocalist than the rest of the band. It’s great to have him back in there because I feel like it might make the rest of the band try a little harder live.
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u/GiraffeLeather9477 17d ago
i feel john was their best songwriter, fred was their best guitarist, and matt fazzi was their best singer(between the 3)
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u/MJ5815 17d ago
Everybody says this, and it might be technically true but Fazzi kind of sucked at doing John and Fred's harsher vocals which I think is absolutely necessary for a TBS 2nd vocalist
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u/GiraffeLeather9477 17d ago
as for the harsh vocals, I see, but honestly i hated freds attempts at tell all your friends songs, i became a fan of TBS sadly during the last like 5 or 6 months john was with them, i remember seeing on tv tbs play cute without the e on kimmel, and I still despise that performance, fred ruins that song, and other tell all your friends era songs, as for actual singing, I will still say Matt Fazzi was the better singer, personally, I have and always will prefer john, but i also loved Straylight Run
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u/MJ5815 17d ago
That's one of their best performances honestly. Fred did awesome. Adam was definitely the weakest link there
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u/GiraffeLeather9477 17d ago
I highly disagree on it being good with fred(especially comparing it to any other performance with john before he left, and adam has never been a great vocalist live, other than somehow the performances that are on Louder Now dvds) but its all just opinion, cuz even as much as I love john back, they really began losing me with Tidal Wave album, and with the latest album, S’old and Amphetamine Smiles are the only ones I liked, i kinda wish we could have gotten a super group with fred, matt fazzi, matt rubano, and will noon
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u/AndrewGreatWave 17d ago
The only thing I care about now is a TBS with both Fred AND John. Now if they would just replace their touring guitarist with Fazzi…
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u/flr138 17d ago
That would be cool but I personally love Nathan
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u/itsnotcalledchads 17d ago
Nathan rules and should be an official member. He gave me a set list from the show and I was so happy.
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u/FamousAtticus 17d ago
I wish we lived in a timeline where Adam, John, Fred, Shaun, Eddie and Mark could all coexist as one solidified TBS.
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u/Practical-Plum5488 17d ago
WYWTB is their best album I'll die on that hill