Great lead guitarists - who's the Daddy? [Archive]

timo

23-04-2005, 21:14

Robert Fripp is far more inventive, original and accomplished than Page, the late Hendrix etc. Nowhere near as successful, I will admit, but a true original. His range is much wider too, from 'hard', assaultative rock with King Crimson to ambient minimalism with Brian Eno.

John McLaughlin is even better than Fripp, but I don't think much of his output can be classed as rock. His work with Mahavishnu Orchestra in the 70s was a kind of jazz/rock fusion, with strange time signatures, astonishingly fast, long melodic lines etc. Can it be included?

Neil Young's one finger solos are not technically accomplished affairs, but they are full of great passion, and [especially 'Cortez the Killer' from the 'Zuma' album] extremely affecting. He is a truly great guitarist too, and his feedback frenzies inspired a generation of Grunge merchants.

LordSnooty

23-04-2005, 21:20

That's a fair assessment, if 'assessment' is the word, of Rory Gallagher. I too have seen him (at the Manchester Apollo in about 1982). Not a great songwriter and yes, at his best live. He was a fantastic 'authentic' acoustic player and could do ragtime, bottleneck etc just like the old-timers. He was a much better acoustic player than Jimmy Page (and anyone else of the 'rock' ilk). JP ripped most of his acoustic stuff off Bert Jansch - to great effect, admittedly!

LordSnooty

23-04-2005, 21:24

Yes, Robert Fripp is a great, original guitarist - good call timo! John McWhatshisname is a bit too 'virtuoso' for me, however and has never made it onto the Snooty wind-up (see 'sonic contact sport').

muddycoffee

23-04-2005, 22:03

Dear Forum,

Jimi Hendrix.
why on earth would anybody say anything else?

number 2 is Stevie Ray Vaughan

It is not the point that these 2 guys were thew best electric guitarists that ever lived, but these guys opened the door to what was possible after they had played.

Ok some people may have never heard much of SRV's playing but the guitar really wouldn't be the lead rock solo instrument it is without the influence of Hendrix. Anybody who disagrees with this is just plain wrong.

muddycoffee

23-04-2005, 22:21

Originally posted by MTheo
dissapoint !
but steve vai is the number one

also...joe satriani, eddie van halen, jimi hendrix, jimmy page, michael angelo, john petrucci, yngwie malmsteen
steve vai I have seen live, enjoyed his early stuff, and appreciated his contribution to the guitar, but while he is a bit of a genius, he isn't in the same league as Hendrix.
Eddie Van Halen I have met (very briefly), and seen play on a number of occasions, he is famous for bringing finger tapping to the technique of mainstream rock guitar solo, but he wasn't the first to do it, nor is he the most original lead guitar player that ever existed, though an extremely good one and very influential. But he himself would never have started if it wasn't for the god hendrix.

Nimrod

23-04-2005, 22:48

Its got to be old slow-hand himself, Eric Clapton.

mojoworking

24-04-2005, 10:46

While I agree that Steve Vai is possibly the most gifted rock guitarist the world has ever seen, I would argue that he's not "the greatest".

Vai's influence is felt only within the rock industry, by other guitarists and a relatively small market of fans who listen to virtuoso rock guitar. Outside of that tiny demographic I would guess that he is virtually unknown.

Because Vai's music is so specialised, he will always be a fringe artist and will never have the influence on rock music as a whole that Hendrix, Clapton, Page and a few others have had.

Before Vai fans jump on this, I would add that I am a huge fan and have every one of his CDs. I have seen him in concert 5 or 6 times, dating back to his apprenticeship with Zappa and up to his last world tour with Billy Sheehan.

MTheo

24-04-2005, 12:46

its difficult how people answer this question.

for technicall ability i pick steve vai.

but as a fan eddie van halen is my favourate.

and i think people pick hendrix because he was VERY influential to a more than a generation of guitarists. but times move on...and so does technical ability...the amount of people that can play hendrix stuff are many...the amount that can play vai's stuff are few.

for originality and influence....yes jimi hendrix

and yes eddie van halen wasent the first to do two handed tapping. but within mainstream music and doing it to such an extent he was the pioneer of it. the sound he creates (the brown sound) is just amazing and yes now its a few years old but that is his style and being able to tell who is playing guitar without knowing the song is a sign of a class guitarist.

MTheo

24-04-2005, 12:47

ohhhh dont think any1 has said

TOM MORELLO...rage against the machine.

and stevie ray vaughn was pretty damn nifty (although i dont like his stuff)

Morte

24-04-2005, 13:00

I couldn't say who is technically the best guitarist...the problem with the Vai's and Malmsteen's of the world is virtuosity becomes gibberish at a certain point for those without an interest in the 'mechanics' of playing.

The guitarist whose work I've enjoyed the most is Ian Gilmore.

MTheo

24-04-2005, 13:13

Originally posted by Morte
I couldn't say who is technically the best guitarist...the problem with the Vai's and Malmsteen's of the world is virtuosity becomes gibberish at a certain point for those without an interest in the 'mechanics' of playing.

true....as a (bad) guitarist i do look at there playing with a open jaw, and when i saw G3 live...yes i was quite bored!

first and foremost...i want a good song.

StarSparkle

24-04-2005, 13:55

Originally posted by Morte
I couldn't say who is technically the best guitarist..

I wouldn't have a clue how to judge who was a technically brilliant guitarist (apart from using my ears, doh!), never mind trying to rank in order the obvious candidates such as Jimi Hendrix.

All I know is what I like, and the guitar players I love listening to again and again are:

- John Perry of the Only Ones - to me, he can make a guitar sing, his playing can make me feel really emotional. For me, his playing sounds like perfection
- Johnny Marr - a joy to listen to. I've heard he learnt a lot from John Perry
- Mark Knopfler - sorry, but I enjoy his playing
- Phil Cunningham - Marion and now New Order - perhaps not in the same category as the above, but I can listen to his guitar work for hours, and he's fabulous to watch/listen to on stage

StarSparkle :thumbsup:

timo

24-04-2005, 14:25

Starsparkle,
Don't worry about not being able to judge technical ability. Neil Young, one of my favourites, has none of the technical ability and range of many of the aforementioned guitarists, but he does wonderful things with his 'restricted' palette, so to speak. Look at people like Brian Eno, Bernard Sumner of New Order etc. They cannot 'play' in the technical sense, but have developed idiosyncratic, original, self-taught styles, and can rise to the occasion. Their lack of formal tutoring has worked to make them less hemmed in by accepted parameters of what is 'right' and 'wrong'. As non-musicians in the traditional sense, they make beautiful music.

StarSparkle

24-04-2005, 14:45

After all, making beautiful music is what ultimately matters - music that emotionally resonates with the listener and touches their soul.

StarSparkle

MTheo

24-04-2005, 14:48

eddie van halen is self taught and cant read music :D

metalman

24-04-2005, 19:47

In the purely rock sense, then in no particular order: Hendrix, Clapton, Ritchie Blackmore, John Petrucci, Tony Iommi (who is actually a pretty nifty guitarist, especially when you consider he's lacking a finger, but Sabbath's material doesn't often give him the best chance to show off), Rory Gallagher (who I saw live several times), and Donald Roeser of Blue Oyster Cult.

Ranging more widely: Bill Frisell, David Torn, Robert Fripp, Steve Tibbetts.

Trouble is, give me another few minutes to think about it and I'll have a list as long as your arm, each one of them with a unique selling point.

Rubysoho

24-04-2005, 20:33

I cannot believe that no-one has mentioned any of these fellas - so I will!!

Slash
Kirk Hammett
Randy Rhoads
Zakk Wylde
Brian May
Josh Homme
Steve Clark
Phil Collen
Dimebag Darrell
Angus Young
Joe Perry
Jerry Cantrell
John Lee Hooker
Kerry King

mojoworking

25-04-2005, 22:30

Originally posted by Rubysoho
I cannot believe that no-one has mentioned any of these fellas - so I will!!

Slash
Kirk Hammett
Randy Rhoads
Zakk Wylde
Brian May
Josh Homme
Steve Clark
Phil Collen
Dimebag Darrell
Angus Young
Joe Perry
Jerry Cantrell
John Lee Hooker
Kerry King

John Lee Hooker? Some mistake, surely?

Very influential in the blues world, admittedly, but not a great guitarist in the true sense of the word.

BoppinBruce

26-04-2005, 05:57

Depends how you define great, and the influence they had. I aknowledge Hendrix , Page and all the rest mentioned but for me it has to be the inivators Scotty Moore and James Burton

mojoworking

26-04-2005, 06:38

Originally posted by BoppinBruce
Depends how you define great, and the influence they had. I aknowledge Hendrix , Page and all the rest mentioned but for me it has to be the inivators Scotty Moore and James Burton

It was John Lee's songs, his vocals and his groove that were great. His guitar work was primitive at best (though highly effective for all that).

To me, the title of the thread implies at least some level of technical expertise is required, along with a degree of innovation and influence on those who came after

SWFC00

24-03-2006, 22:48

John Squire is absolutely superb!!! You listen to some of the solo's on the Stone Roses records and the guy blows you away. I was lucky enough to see him play "Fools Gold" live - awesome.

simonj

24-03-2006, 23:01

And unless my beer-goggles have missed it I can't believe no-one has mentioned David Gilmour. As a song-writer he just about holds his own but his guitar playing for Floyd is just about as good as it gets. I would also nominate the great Syd Barrett but there's probably not many on here that have ever heard of him :(

Halibut

24-03-2006, 23:06

StarSparkle

25-03-2006, 16:56

Far too many examples of guitarists whose greatest talent seems to be what I would describe as "fretwan*ery", all technique over substance. I couldn't care a hoot about notes per minute or all of that tedious fretted harmonics and fingertapping; its dull. Surely soul and musicality are all that matters. I'm very much with Timo (unusually ) on this one......

Lol! Well said, Halibut :thumbsup:

Why is the musician playing - to show off to the audience how talented he is and how fast and dextrous his hands are, or to create soul-touching, beautiful music that emotionally affects his audience?

Sorry, but I can't stand the first type of musician - as Halibut so rightly says, that is 'fretw*****g', pure and simple. Give me a less-technically-proficient player who can touch my soul any day of the week.

StarSparkle

NEKRO138

27-03-2006, 10:51

Not saying he's the best ever, but anyone who enjoys good guitar work should listen to some Dragonforce. Their guitarist, Herman Li is incredible.

Till Man

27-03-2006, 16:12

How have we got this far without mentioning BB King, Gary Moore or Paul Kossoff. All fabulously emotive blues players who seldom get to self indulgant widdly-widdly fretw*nking

SpeedwayDan

27-03-2006, 22:00

for me it has to be slash, you not only have to be a good guitar player, but you also have to have the look and lifestyle to match, which slash has all three

pk014b7161

28-03-2006, 13:37

dave alvin use to play with the blasters

brooksy

28-03-2006, 17:36

Jimmy page is the best ever:)

Les Paul Jr

28-03-2006, 23:35

How have we got this far without mentioning BB King, Gary Moore or Paul Kossoff. All fabulously emotive blues players who seldom get to self indulgant widdly-widdly fretw*nking

Agree with you about BB and Kossoff, but Gary Moore is way too heavy-handed to be a great blues player. He's a great all-round player, but his heavy rock background shows through every time.

Clapton, despite his MOR leanings, can still play some lovely blues and Peter Green, before he went over the edge, had possibly the best feel of any of the white blues players. He's rubbish these days, mind you! :)

MickeyBarnes

28-03-2006, 23:46

Longcol

29-03-2006, 00:13

No particular favourite;

Some special bits of guitar for me;

Johnny Marr's intro to "This Charming Man"
Hendrix - "Voodo Chile", "Little Wing" & "All Along The Watchtower",
Clapton - "Sunshine of Your Love" and "Layla" riff.
Mike Oldfield solo on Kevin Ayers' "Whatevershebringswesing"
Most anything by John McLaughlin esp the Mahavishnu Orchestra stuff - and on Carla Bley's "Escalator Over The Hill".
George Harrison's intro to "Eight Days a Week"
Jack White "Seven Nation Army"

to name but a few at random.

ianjones

29-03-2006, 00:41

I cant stand ultra technical players that boast of being able to play several hundred notes a minute. My friend recently showed me a video of Steve Vai that showed amazing talent but did nothing for me musically.

Personal favorites are;

Hendrix
Peter Tosh
John Squire

Les Paul Jr

29-03-2006, 04:24

Its Eddie Van Halen for flips sake! technical genius and virtuoso!! If Hendrix would have been alive to hear Eddie, i'm sure he would have appreciated this point. I reckon Eddie Van Halen can play all of Hendrix's riffs, but vice versa? I don't think it would have been possible.

This is no discredit to Hendrix though, if this pole was for the most innovative and inspirational guitarist then Jimmy would definately get number 1. Hendrix is often hyped a little because he's unfortunately dead too.

I've gotta say though, theres a distinct lack of Brian May being talked about!? he's something pretty special too!!

Au contraire! In fact, Eddie is almost totally to blame for all the diddly, diddly **** that infected the guitar world throughout the 80s & 90s.

Sure, Van Halen has talent and he introduced a totally new style of playing with Eruption, but it had a very short shelf-life and has been done to death long ago by people like Yngwie Malmsteen.

Eddie Van Halen may be a supreme technician, but he has never written a single song that could stand alongside anything on the first three Hendrix albums

Yesterday

02-04-2006, 23:36

This is another one of those tedious musical discussions and that everyone wants to share a unique opinion in but always comes around to the same point. You either feel that A: Its all about musicality, B: its all about technicality, or C: You have no clue about technicality or musical history, and just go with some nobodies who are totally not influential and probably aren't that great, you just like em. Soooo.... that said, the Nobody that I like has to be Michael Angelo Batio, He's a total show off and can play ambidextriously, and shreds like a monster. However, he uses some or most of his technicality to play quite musically.
As far as pure technicality goes.... I'd have to say Pat Metheny, For several reasons. A: He's a berklee graduate, so he knows wtf he's doing, B: He's a Jazz player, so his technical ability is rediculous and he can use it for any type of sound he wants, C: He's more original and less mimicked than anyone on this thread, so you dont feel like you're listening to the same thing you've heard in the last 30 years of rock, or in his case, Jazz, over and over again, and D: He uses a 42-string,12-string,6 string acoustic, an electric, and a synth guitar...now thats some musical genius.
Finally, in terms of musicality, I think its either Alex Lifeson, or Bruce Cockburn. Both of them kick ass and sound amazing. Lifeson plays a very versatile style of electric guitar and draws a lot of different influences together to have a very well rounded style of guitar. Bruce Cockburn is another Berklee graduate, and if you dont know him, you should get to know him. He is the only 100% unique guitarists I know of... its hard to compare him to anyone, and he uses his techincal skills to play some damn catchy music.

Oh, by the way, I dont think you can say Jimi is the best lead simply because he's influential, I mean, if you listen to him at live @ berklee, half of his soloing and crap is just random blurbs, like you people have said about Steve Vai and Yngwie Malmsteen. And Eddie Van Halen is a talented guitarist, but as previously stated, he doesnt know much about what he's doing or why what he does sounds good (like most rock guitarists :S), and he isnt THAT original. Sure he brought tapping into the mainstream, but I mean he never really made any revolution in music or anything, he just played rock n roll above the rest of the people in his time. In the long run, I dont think that people will appreciate these guitarists techniques in comparison to Metheny's, and while their songs may be remembered for a long time, they won't be something everyone will listen to, Like Bruce Cockburn's. "Folk" music just seems to last Eternally, and as much of a passionate rock lover I am, I am not entirely convinced rock will stand the test of time... though I continue to pray.

Btw, wheres Joe Satriani on this Mofo ???????

bassplayer

03-04-2006, 16:11

sheffdan

03-04-2006, 17:34

David Gilmour in my opinion........The mans a genius! :hihi:

Isabella_It

15-08-2006, 18:14

Page is absolutely the best guitarist...together with Steve Clark, for me Steve remains the best

Chris_Sleeps

15-08-2006, 18:32

Django Reinhardt (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Django_Reinhardt)

Corn2

16-08-2006, 15:49

..........

Joe Totale

16-08-2006, 21:53

jimi hendrix
eric clapton
jeff beck
slash :hihi:

Jimmy Page :thumbsup:
just for his stuff from 68 -75, tremendous.

BasilRathbon

17-08-2006, 09:48

Never quite understood why self-indulgence, lack of discipline and fretw*nkery can constitute greatness. To me, the greatest guitarist is one who can simply play the part he is asked to play, consistently and reliably.

After all, in literature we celebrate the novelist, not the secretary who typed out their manuscript.
Musicians effectively are little more than typists, bringing the music of someone more talented than themselves (the songwriter) to a wider audience.

Zaytsev

17-08-2006, 15:21

Ritchie Blackmore :thumbsup:

Joe Totale

17-08-2006, 16:13

Ritchie Blackmore :thumbsup:

Yeah Richie's was/is very good:thumbsup:

Those Deep Purple riffs solos/noise....so damn good.

Also must not forget the magnificent Tony Iommi.

Banjo Griner

17-08-2006, 19:15

Sweetcheeks

17-08-2006, 19:39

As I agree with BasilRathbon, I realise I must also be a n*b, and yea I cant play the spoons either! :hihi: I just prefer to see a guitarist play consistently well, without the "look at me, aren`t I great" performance. My vote for class guitarist is Mitch Easter, ex-Let`s Active, now in Shalini. He is also a legendary producer and can play bass, drums, keyboards and generally walks-on-water!

Corn2

17-08-2006, 19:41

..........

Banjo Griner

18-08-2006, 10:17

Musicians effectively are little more than typists, bringing the music of someone more talented than themselves (the songwriter) to a wider audience.
Musicians are the songwriters in the first place you lunatic - what you said makes no logical sense at all.

Plus, even a done-to-death classical piece varies from musician to musician, and each player may add his/her own touch to a composition. Given that you prefer a novelist to a secretary, surely you would understand that a bizarrely creative composer like Frank Zappa (also an amazing guitarist reknowned for his fret-w**kery) is far superior to the 'shut-and-play-my-chords' bo**ox of, say, Coldplay et al.

BasilRathbon

18-08-2006, 10:34

Musicians are the songwriters in the first place you lunatic - what you said makes no logical sense at all.

Plus, even a done-to-death classical piece varies from musician to musician, and each player may add his/her own touch to a composition. Given that you prefer a novelist to a secretary, surely you would understand that a bizarrely creative composer like Frank Zappa (also an amazing guitarist reknowned for his fret-w**kery) is far superior to the 'shut-and-play-my-chords' bo**ox of, say, Coldplay et al.

Interesting that you should resort to personal abuse rather than logical argument by saying that anyone disagreeing with you is either a n*b or a lunatic.
It's also ironic that you should refer to Frank Zappa. Are you aware that in his last few years he decided he'd had enough of guitar solos, put his guitars away and proceeded to make music solely using a Synclavier? (a sampling/ sequencing device).
For the record I'm a songwriter myself, but after years of working with undisciplined guitarists I now work entirely using synths and plug-in virtual instruments. I have one called "Virtual Guitarist" that replicates most riffs a real guitarist could play - the difference is that it plays exactly the same chords every time and doesn't attempt to fit as many notes as possible into each part, nor go off on some widdly-widdly 10 minute solo.

Technological advances mean that it won't be long before most 'real' musicians are redundant. The only ones still able to make a living will be those who, as I said earlier, can play in a disciplined and consistent manner.

PS - how on earth does one "grine" a banjo? :huh:

Banjo Griner

18-08-2006, 10:57

"Virtual Guitarist" that replicates most riffs a real guitarist could play
Euurch! Synth guitar - oh no, I feel sick, pass the bucket. Yeah yeah, in the year 3000 all human life will be redundant etc - but some of us like to maintain traditions with real technical skill, know-how and a thirst for knowledge. Of course, sitting behind a computer twiddling knobs is great and that, but I prefer the challenge of playing those old tunes that make your fingers bleed.

By old tunes, I mean mountain music brought to the Appalachians by English, Scots and Irish immigrants - music which I turned to after becoming disillusioned by the self-righteous bleep-core meaningless computer bo**ox which began to pervade modern society at the turn of the last century. So I turned to the banjo - Bluegrass 5-string banjo, dood, before you start on the old 'George Formby' routine... Formby played the Ukelele. So watch Deliverance, get a taste for some real music - and at the same time you'll be able to learn what a 'Griner' is. Fool.

(Personal insults are a good, honest tradition - along with playing the damn banjo)

CaptainSwing

18-08-2006, 11:11

Yeah Richie's was/is very good:thumbsup:

Those Deep Purple riffs solos/noise....so damn good.

Also must not forget the magnificent Tony Iommi.
What about Craig Scanlon then, Joe?

Dot

18-08-2006, 12:37

Must agree with all the previous nominations as they're all great guitarists, but my own personal favourites are Martin Barre(Jethro Tull), Andy Powell and Ted Turner(Wishbone Ash), Eric Clapton(Cream era), Pete Townshend(The Who), in a less of a rock sense John Scofield(jazz/rock), and as a guitarist Joni Mitchell is greatly under rated.

While Andy Powell and Ted Turner probably dont come under the "genius" category, Wishbone Ash certainly do it for me and have done since I first saw them in 1972 until the last time a few months ago at the Boardwalk. They will continue to do so in November at Chesterfield as well (although Ted is obviously not with them any more).

BasilRathbon

18-08-2006, 12:50

Euurch! Synth guitar - oh no, I feel sick, pass the bucket. Yeah yeah, in the year 3000 all human life will be redundant etc - but some of us like to maintain traditions with real technical skill, know-how and a thirst for knowledge. Of course, sitting behind a computer twiddling knobs is great and that, but I prefer the challenge of playing those old tunes that make your fingers bleed.

By old tunes, I mean mountain music brought to the Appalachians by English, Scots and Irish immigrants - music which I turned to after becoming disillusioned by the self-righteous bleep-core meaningless computer bo**ox which began to pervade modern society at the turn of the last century. So I turned to the banjo - Bluegrass 5-string banjo, dood, before you start on the old 'George Formby' routine... Formby played the Ukelele. So watch Deliverance, get a taste for some real music - and at the same time you'll be able to learn what a 'Griner' is. Fool.

(Personal insults are a good, honest tradition - along with playing the damn banjo)

Looks like we'll have to agree to disagree then.
Still, I'll think of you next time I load up "Virtual Banjoist v.1.3" :hihi:

I was going to gratuitously insult you but I haven't got Virtual Insulter installed on my PC yet........

iron_madman

18-08-2006, 14:24

hmmm. angus young for entertainment value. zak wilde.:thumbsup:

oh and not forgeting the one and only kirk hemmitt from metallica

Joe Totale

18-08-2006, 16:33

What about Craig Scanlon then, Joe?

I listened to the Fall for the bass, those fantastic Hanley lines, and the lyrical brilliance of MES, the rest were just like scenery in a film, essential, but not the main reason for seeing it.

miwki_buden

23-08-2006, 12:50

mmmmm this is hard.... not!!! Zakk Wydle hands down

carmencarter

23-08-2006, 18:37

Kurt Cobain?

Only kidding.

mark1971

24-08-2006, 14:12

well now that all the well known ones are just about out of the way i'll say that this guitarist is one of the best solo guitarist that walked this planet & he goes by the name of lasse wellander (look him up on google),a very good guitarist.

Chris_Sleeps

24-08-2006, 15:12

Zakk Wydle hands down
Id' have him as one of the worst. Randy Rhodes was better than Wylde, and he wasn't top notch either.

happyhippy

24-08-2006, 15:17

Id' have him as one of the worst. Randy Rhodes was better than Wylde, and he wasn't top notch either.

Paul Gilbert from Mr Big. Yngwie purely for arrogance.

ozlad

21-09-2006, 08:35

Looks like we'll have to agree to disagree then.
Still, I'll think of you next time I load up "Virtual Banjoist v.1.3" :hihi:

I was going to gratuitously insult you but I haven't got Virtual Insulter installed on my PC yet........
People rightly too exception to your term "typist." It was obviously meant to be controversial....wasn't it?
Some musicians are writers, some not, but the gift of interpretation surely is the most important factor here.What would Motown have been like without the contribution of the snakepit musicians?
Can your "Virtual Band" even hope to get near the great players? A useful tool (I use some of those things meself) it may be, but nothing will replace the magic of a great player.
(Oh..and bugger discipline.Some of the greatest records ever made were the result of bad technique,accidents and inspiration)

Deepcarowl

22-09-2006, 00:48

Can't believe only Starsparkle mentioned Mark Knopfler! Absolutley fantastic! Was listening to "telegraph road" the other day, 15 mins of mind blowing guitar work, also come on "Money for nothing" must be the best intro EVER

Spaulding

22-09-2006, 10:14

No ones mentioned Todd Rundgren!

Now,he was/is a musical genius...a pioneer..multi instrumentalist....never was as famous as the other guys from his era (70s Early 80s) but he sure could play his utopian socks off!

BasilRathbon

22-09-2006, 12:20

People rightly too exception to your term "typist." It was obviously meant to be controversial....wasn't it?
Some musicians are writers, some not, but the gift of interpretation surely is the most important factor here.What would Motown have been like without the contribution of the snakepit musicians?
Can your "Virtual Band" even hope to get near the great players? A useful tool (I use some of those things meself) it may be, but nothing will replace the magic of a great player.
(Oh..and bugger discipline.Some of the greatest records ever made were the result of bad technique,accidents and inspiration)

Well the 'typist' reference was a bit tongue in cheek, but still a fair point. I would argue that the only people who actually hear musicians are other musicians, who only represent a tiny percentage of the listening public. Most people, when they hear a song are only interested in whether or not it's a good tune and the singer's voice.
As for Motown, I would argue that their ways of working were a product of their time. The technology used to create music in the 1960s was very primitive; were Motown starting up today, I'd suggest they'd record the whole backing tracks using computers and musicans wouldn't get a look in.

From what I've read, the only area of contemporary music where session musicians are still in demand is Nashville's Country & Western scene, but even there musicians are only valued if they can play a pre-written part quickly and efficiently.

Longcol

25-09-2006, 00:06

OK ......let's settle for John Frusciante from the Chili's................

MickeyBarnes

25-09-2006, 01:01

OK ......let's settle for John Frusciante from the Chili's................

he wouldn't even be in my top 20!! I said it before - gotta be Van Halen or Brian May

happyhippy

25-09-2006, 02:30

OK ......let's settle for John Frusciante from the Chili's................

Let's not .....

martinC

26-09-2006, 16:48

seriessix

26-09-2006, 17:03

adam jones

Darbees

26-09-2006, 17:20

There's a tale about Jimi Hendrix who played at The Troutbeck Hotel in Ilkley in 1967 which is on the road where my son now lives. He had just achieved first success with Hey Joe and 700 people turned up to little more than a pub venue and police shut it down during second song. Hendrix was last seen having fish and chips at Harry Ramsdens. Wish I'd been there. (gig not Harrys)

happyhippy

26-09-2006, 23:15

dont think its possible to pick the best guitarist-its just peoples opinion afterall.
my favourite is probably john pettrucci of dream theatre who is absolutely stunning.also like alex lifeson,robbie robertson,michael schenker and dozens more..

Dream Theater remind me of Rush. Amazingly talented technical musicians without an ounce of emotion ..........

ozlad

26-09-2006, 23:35

Dream Theater remind me of Rush. Amazingly talented technical musicians without an ounce of emotion ..........

Sorry, but that's nonsense..and I speak as one who has no time for the music of Rush. It's a common misapprehension that progressive musicians have no emotion compared with players of "simpler" music. This ideas are usually perpetuated by "critics" who have no skills in describing music.
I accept terms like "emotion" and "feel" are subjective, but Rush probably play with as much emotion as anyone.
(Except perhaps John Otway...)

RoyalRegular

27-09-2006, 09:03

Definately Mark Knopfler on the list, and what about Jan Ackerman of Focus. Then there's Steve Howe from Yes.....

happyhippy

27-09-2006, 11:10

Sorry, but that's nonsense..and I speak as one who has no time for the music of Rush. It's a common misapprehension that progressive musicians have no emotion compared with players of "simpler" music. This ideas are usually perpetuated by "critics" who have no skills in describing music.
I accept terms like "emotion" and "feel" are subjective, but Rush probably play with as much emotion as anyone.
(Except perhaps John Otway...)

I'm sorry??????? Would you use the same argument when comparing, for want of a better word, Mozart and Bartok? (and you're right about John Otway)

blip

27-09-2006, 11:57

Carlos Santana perhaps? I always have an urge to grab my air guitar when I hear 'Black Magic Woman'. In fact that track also stimulates me to grab my air bongos and air organ. So to speak.

Cozmo

27-09-2006, 21:43

Now thats an interesting topic. It depends what type of music really doesn't it? Page a fantastic player, Ritchie Blackmore brought the sound of classical music to heavey rock! Steve Ray Vaughan smoothest white blues ever. B.B. King feeling it. George Harrison, massively underated. Hendrix, yeah! Yngwie Malmsteen, Angus Young. and lastly ....... Me!

ozlad

28-09-2006, 06:32

I'm sorry??????? Would you use the same argument when comparing, for want of a better word, Mozart and Bartok? (and you're right about John Otway)
Why would you WANT to compare Mozart and Bartok?
People just get emotion mixed up with simplicity, especially when describing rock music.
Give me Hatfield and the North over Bill Haley any day.:hihi:

ozlad

28-09-2006, 06:33

happyhippy

28-09-2006, 12:51

Why would you WANT to compare Mozart and Bartok?
People just get emotion mixed up with simplicity, especially when describing rock music.
Give me Hatfield and the North over Bill Haley any day.:hihi:

Definitely agree with the last bit!

Rush still sound mechanical to me though .......

CaptainSwing

28-09-2006, 13:04

Has anybody mentioned the late, great Derek Bailey? Probably one of the most influential musicians ever to come from Sheffield (to a smallish but global community). As with all improvised music (imo), easier to listen to live than on record/CD - we'll never have the chance again :(

RoyalRegular

28-09-2006, 13:15

and talking about guitarists from Sheffield, good old Frank White takes some beating. Listen to his CD "Dog It".....exceptional.

Wongo

29-09-2006, 01:21

Wes Montgomerry was pretty good.

plasmazombie

29-09-2006, 15:23

Its got to be old slow-hand himself, Eric Clapton.

Can't be clapton as page, clapton, townshend and beck were all intimidated/scared of what hendrix was doing.

In terms of influence no other guitarist has made such an impact to more than one genre like hendrix has.

With questions like this, I think they should be more specific. i.e. Most influencial or best technical guitarist. Otherwise people argue the two points together.

Chris_Sleeps

29-09-2006, 16:22

Can't be clapton as page, clapton, townshend and beck were all intimidated/scared of what hendrix was doing.
I had an old bootleg of a meeting between Clapton and Hendrix that got recorded. Hendrix couldn't of been more humble, although they were both talking crap. I think they were on something a bit stronger than drink.

plasmazombie

30-09-2006, 12:02

I had an old bootleg of a meeting between Clapton and Hendrix that got recorded. Hendrix couldn't of been more humble, although they were both talking crap. I think they were on something a bit stronger than drink.

Lol, not suprised at all. They tended to talk hippy trippy back then. He always did seem humble and fairly shy in footage I've seen while not playing guitar.

SaveUK

30-09-2006, 12:14

happyhippy

30-09-2006, 13:36

hmmm.

Jimmy Hendrixs, Mark knop, BB king.

and as sad as it sounds whould have to include Richie Sambora to the list not so much his Bon jovi rifts but some of his solo Album work is top draw ( hides head in shame )

and what about the Mcfly Dude!!!! :hihi:

Sambora's great, but not the Daddy! His first solo album is fantastic - much better than your footy team anyway ......... off to the Lane, good luck Postie (but not too much) :thumbsup:

Drummerman

30-09-2006, 16:00

In my opinion, the accolade for the greatest lead guitarist has to go to Jimmy Page
It has to be Hendrix, no question

MTheo

30-09-2006, 19:56

With questions like this, I think they should be more specific. i.e. Most influencial or best technical guitarist. Otherwise people argue the two points together.

Most influencial: Jimbob Hendrix & Eddie Van Halen
Most technical: Steve Vai & Paul Gilbert

rEDbod

04-10-2006, 01:24

Not your typical axe wielders but what bout John Martin (Solid Air era, w/out wife and with both legs) or that Jango Reinhardt (sic?) fella who did all that jazz noodling in the thirties and forties.

BasilRathbon

04-10-2006, 10:53

Got to be Rob Le Coupe for me......obscure maybe but an absolute genius with a guitar!

nanrobbo

04-10-2006, 11:16

Les Paul Les Paul Les Paul - with Mary Ford of course absolute magic.

RoyalRegular

04-10-2006, 12:04

Les Paul??? anyone who names himself after a guitar must be a right plonker!

I think from now on I'll be known as Rick Enbacker!

The Mush

05-10-2006, 09:55

Les Paul??? anyone who names himself after a guitar must be a right plonker!

I really hope that was a tongue in cheek comment! ;)

For me has to be Paul Gilbert just for his technical ability. Anyone who doesn't know him or his work just go to You Tube and type in "Paul Gilbert Scarified" and watch in awe!!!!!

RoyalRegular

05-10-2006, 10:04

Seriously, has anyone seen Tommy Emmanuel? The bloke's brilliant (and he's on at the City Hall on 26th Nov).

NEKRO138

05-10-2006, 10:45

Seriously, has anyone seen Tommy Emmanuel? The bloke's brilliant (and he's on at the City Hall on 26th Nov).

He is good.

Check out this video! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Db_Wdlde0hU

plumb

05-10-2006, 11:19

TOP 3 =
01. Jimi Hendrix
02. Dave Gilmore
03. Slash

ozlad

06-10-2006, 06:39

The Spelingg on this thread is atroshas

Hendrix..of course.

martin1print

25-12-2006, 20:22

O.K. - here is the solution - everybody go out and buy 'In the West', Hendrix live album. Play 'Little Wing' over a few times and the whole debate can be settled. I've never heard guitar playing with such raw powerful emotion. Album is quite rare now. It's available on CD for a premium. A great pity many Hendrix albums were badly produced/recorded but 'In the West' is the exception. Every home should have one.

mark1971

05-01-2007, 04:36

stussonicos

05-01-2007, 08:14

Couldn't say I thought he was THE or any where near THE greatest, but pretty damn good - Matt Bellamy.

Hendrix for me is the greatest.

johnbradley

05-01-2007, 08:51

Neil Young's one finger solos are not technically accomplished affairs, but they are full of great passion, and [especially 'Cortez the Killer' from the 'Zuma' album] extremely affecting. He is a truly great guitarist too, and his feedback frenzies inspired a generation of Grunge merchants.

got to agree there mr T.

there are 14 year old boys out there who can 'shred' with the best of em, but who really gives a toss? Give me a raw heartfelt blast from Neil over any of that 'widdle-diddle' nonsense...

Now to chuck my proverbial penneth in, i know he's not strictly a 'lead' guitarist, as he tends to do a lot of solo performances, but anyone heard of

Tommy Emmanuel ?

i saw him play a few years back and was astonished at what he could do.

Genuis:)

Treatment

05-01-2007, 10:51

Jimi Hendrix - by a mile.

johnbradley

05-01-2007, 13:01

^ yeah but its like asking who has been the finest 200/400m runner?

there is michael johnson.

then there is everyone else...see what i mean? :)

mikeG

05-01-2007, 15:11

Joe Brown' pretty good, as is Mark Knopfler.
Best I've seen was Eddie Cochrane.

Treatment

14-01-2007, 01:03

Wes Montgomerry was pretty good.
I'd forgotten about Wes. In addition to his playing the octaves, I think that his musicianship was second to none.:thumbsup:

discodown

14-01-2007, 08:15

i love this thread!

firstly i don't really know too much about guitarists except i know what i like so i'll give my opinions at the end.

as a dj i often get involved in this type of thread on various forums and theres never ever a definative answer. the main problem is people never decide what they're judging on.

are you judging technical ability? the man (or woman) who can do most with their guitar will surely have to be up there as amongst the best ever.

what about the person who got the most critical acclaim? if you are lauded by your peers then surely you can claim to be the best.

how about technique? not the same as technical ability, if you're consistantly excellent then surely thats better than flashes of genius, you could if you were consistantly good over a large number of years and a big body of work claim greatness

how about innovation? if you can claim to have invented stuff or written the best stuff then you could claim to be the best

popularity? if the people love you, and people aren't stupid, then you could be the best.

heres the truth. there is no definative best, its entirely subjective.

the only thing you can judge a musician or an artist of any description is on one thing.

who makes your soul sing the loudest? whos the man (or woman) who makes you the hair stand up on the back of your neck and your knees go weak? who excites you and speaks to you the most?

now for me i have a few guitarists who delight me. i'm not saying they're the best but they speak to me.

brian may
slash
angus young
jimmy page
the late, great (its a crime nobodies mentioned him) steve clarke
john squire

and

leadbelly

lostsoul

11-07-2007, 04:48

HI you all havent mentioned the guitarists guitarist Hank Marvin of the shadows the best of the best of the best!!!!!!

Powerage

11-07-2007, 16:38

For me it has to be Jimi Hendrix with Jimmy Page a very close 2nd.

I also like Angus Young
Zak Wylde
Joe Satriani

balderdasher

11-07-2007, 18:51

It's a mystery why nobody's yet to mention:

Francis Rossi
Rick Parfitt

You can't say they weren't consistent. ( ok i've fed you the next line... )

Tyler13

11-07-2007, 19:13

Richie Sambora

leviathan13

11-07-2007, 21:19

Surely it has to depend on what you want from a guitarist.

Technical proficiency? John Petrucci (Dream Theater), Yngwie Malmsteen, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Eddie Van Halen etc.

Feel and emotion? Mr Hendrix, pretty much any blues guitarist there ever has been.

Simple but effective? Angus Young, Steve Jones, Tony Iommi etc.

Effect-laden moments of madness? Zakk Wylde

Dual guitar trade-offs? Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman, Downing and Tipton, any incarnation of Megadeth etc.

Just sheer rock virtuosity? Any of the above plus Slash, Ritchie Blackmore, Jimmy Page...

...and the list goes on.

willo

11-07-2007, 22:09

joe satriani

willo

11-07-2007, 22:13

oops forgot, pete townshend

Ousetunes

12-07-2007, 14:05

leviathan13

12-07-2007, 15:58

I'm not going to be popular here, for whilst I recognise the technical wizzardry of Hendrix, I can hardly bear to listen to him. I find his music rather horrible, in fact a racket which hurts my ears.

I'm a big believer in it's what you leave out of music, what you don't play which makes a decent song a brilliant one. Some of these guitarists, though not all, seem to use songs as nothing more than a showroom to say 'Hey guys, look at me and what I can do after spending 20 hours a day practising!'

It's boring and the song rarely benefits. Give me Gilmour over Satriani or Van Halen any day. And the thought of albums full chocker of guitar solos is a painful thought too far.

I like good old fashioned lead guitarists whose main role is to fill in an 8 or 12 bar bridge with a nice, made-to-measure and melodic guitar solo. Whilst technically unchallenging, 'Keef' or George Harrison fulfilled these roles perfectly (Harrison's break on Paul's All My Loving is spot-on). Dave Hill of Slade is another fine example as is of course, Brian May.

Other guitarists I like are Gary Moore (superb feel), Slash (memorable and melodic) and even guys like Dave Rowntree of Blur (different colours and interesting ideas). I'm also a huge fan of Johnny Marr (not so much a lead guitarist but a rhythm guitarist).

The w@nk fretting is not my cup of tea, I'm afraid.

But surely variety is the spice of life? I love listening to Hendrix. It wasn't just the guitar playing, it was the showmanship, the way he did what he wanted to do on stage and the main thing, the way he revolutionised the guitar. He took two different worlds and smashed them together. Without Hendrix, there would be no Slash or any of the guitarists that came after him.

Now, I notice you mentioned Brian May but say you don't like w@nk fretting (it's actually fret-w@nking). Have you actually heard Brighton Rock? All it was was an excuse for May to rip away with loads of effects. And Slash has also been known to have a 10 minute guitar solo during a gig, as has many of the top players.

My favourite band at the moment is Dream Theater. For anyone who doesn't know, this is a band of virtuoso musicians who write 24 minute songs. John Myung on bass can get around a 6-string bass quicker than most top guitarists can get around their instruments. They have a keyboard player who plays along the lead lines with the guitarist, not for note. Now, if John Petrucci wasn't as good as he is, it would sound awful. As it is, they sound amazing because they can all play any style they want to due to being that good. They also covered Dark Side of the Moon in it's entirity during one tour. Yet, I appreciate what the likes of Angus Young does. Jimmy Page is one of my all time favourite guitarists, as is Ritchie Blackmore. I love Zakk Wylde's sound and what he does with a guitar as much as I love the acoustic brilliance of Travis Meeks of Days of the New.

I can appreciate all different styles of guitarists for many different reasons. I do fear that some of the "older" generation are stuck in the rut of: "It ain't like it was when I was younger" and are unwilling to accept what the guitar has become. But they should feel proud that their heroes have spawned some amazing new talent. I'm not saying you have to like the music, but at least give credit because they do practice for 20 hours a day to become the best at what they do.

slh73

12-07-2007, 16:51

guys like Dave Rowntree of Blur (different colours and interesting ideas).

Hes a drummer, the guitarist with Blur is Graham Coxon (one of the most under-rated british guitarists there is, IMO)

willo

12-07-2007, 23:39

Ousetunes

13-07-2007, 07:46

A few points:-

leviathan13 - a good post with some well-made points. You sign off by way of saying I should give credit to these guys. Well, I do. I opened my post by saying I recognise the wizzardry of Hendrix but closed it by saying that w@nk-fretting (sic. Oops, I stand corrected; blame the hangover) is not my cup of tea.

I agree that without Hendrix, the guitar as an instrument might still be stuck in the 1950s. But I maintain my stance that I cannot bear to sit through Hendrix's music irrespective of how brilliant his playing actually is!!

slh73 - cf my remark above. It is of course Graham Coxon and not Dave Rowntree (although he's a decent drummer alright. I saw Blur at the Arena some years back and they were musically and technically superb). Blame the hangover for the slip-up.

willo - if you care to digress regarding Clapton playing on 'all their best stuff'. On whose stuff? Beatles? Nope. Only on While My Guitar Gently Weeps.

I'd also class Townsend, like Marr as a rhythm guitarist.