Great guitar players

[Exhibitman]

I'm biased to rock and roll I like, and I look at the overall body of work:

1. Jimmy Page: the alpha and omega of rock guitar for me.
2. Alex Lifeson: greased lightning on the fretboard. The solo on Working Man, just amazing.
3. Prince: see Clapton's comment above. What he could do in concert when he cut loose was just transcendent. So happy I got to see him.
4. Eddie Van Halen: Eruption. nuf ced.
5. Brian May: a unique sound that worked perfectly with Freddie Mercury's vocals
6. Rossington-Collins-Gaines: had to put them in together because they played as one at the apex of Skynyrd and it was brilliant.
7. Hendrix: would rate higher but died too young
8. Duane Allman: same as Hendrix
9. Angus Young-Malcolm Young: like the Skynyrd guys, they are inseparable to me.
10. Tom Scholz: because of his innovations. Nothing sounded quite like him. Boston is the greatest debut album I've ever heard.

I left off Clapton and Beck because i just don't like their stuff as much.

Kudos also for Johnny Ramone. How different and great was he? Watch other guys trying to play like him. They struggle.

[Peter_Spaeth]

For all I know he was mediocre technically, but for making it work in the context of a hit song, Chuck Berry.

[Exhibitman]

This is phenomenal

https://youtu.be/zqUDWAt0XSE

[tschock]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

For all I know he was mediocre technically, but for making it work in the context of a hit song, Chuck Berry.

Agree. For me, the reverse is true as well. There are a lot of technically great players who lack the ability (or willingness?) to project the 'emotion' of the song they are playing. And I personally prefer those that might be lacking in the technical skills but who are able to drive home the purpose of the song they are playing.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by tschock

Agree. For me, the reverse is true as well. There are a lot of technically great players who lack the ability (or willingness?) to project the 'emotion' of the song they are playing. And I personally prefer those that might be lacking in the technical skills but who are able to drive home the purpose of the song they are playing.

People rave about Prince and While My Guitar Gently Weeps at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (I think), but to me, pyrotechnics notwithstanding, his performance had nothing to do with the mood of the song. I agree with you completely, in a vacuum I could not care less about technical prowess.

Likewise, there are many great singers with not so great voices, and vice versa.

[sthoemke]

Buckethead, seriously.

[BobC]

Originally Posted by sthoemke

Buckethead, seriously.

Took my oldest, then 13 year-old, son and a couple of his friends to Ozzfest in 1999. When Primus hit the main stage, I remember them getting all excited and shouting about Buckethead performing with the group. I honestly did not know who Buckethead was, but quickly found out why they got so excited. Brian Patrick Carroll (AKA Buckethead) is definitely an extremely underrated guitarist who appears to be relatively unknown to a large part of the public at large, despite his many collaborations and accomplishments over many years.

I'm a little surprised that no one as of yet has given any mention to the Motor City Madman, though his politics may have some part in that. As has already been mentioned, technical virtuosity alone does not always a great guitar player make. And politics aside, there is something to be said about listening to the likes of Ted Nugent playing live.

Also, only briefly mentioned so far, Steve Howe deserves a little more attention and credit in my book as well. Someone does not get voted as the "Best Overall Guitarist" by the likes of Guitar Player magazine five consecutive years in a row (1977-81), nor become the first rock guitar player inducted into the Guitar Player Hall of Fame, without being pretty darn good.

As maybe a tangent or aside to this thread, would be curious to hear which and how many of these various acclaimed guitarists many of you have had the pleasure to see and hear perform live. Records are one thing, live performances to me can truly separate the men from the boys.

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by tschock

Agree. For me, the reverse is true as well. There are a lot of technically great players who lack the ability (or willingness?) to project the 'emotion' of the song they are playing. And I personally prefer those that might be lacking in the technical skills but who are able to drive home the purpose of the song they are playing.

I like listening to Def Leppard's Hysteria CD and the contrast between the guitarists. Especially on "Pour Some Sugar on Me." You have the technically perfect Phil Collen carrying the piece, but the spirit, personality, essence comes from Steve Clark, with his little bits that sometimes seemed out of tune. One provided the backbone while the other gave the song its emotion.

[irv]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

I'm biased to rock and roll I like, and I look at the overall body of work:


6. Rossington-Collins-Gaines: had to put them in together because they played as one at the apex of Skynyrd and it was brilliant.

I assume you're familiar with this song, Adam?
Written and sung by Steve Gaines.
I remember reading/hearing a story where Cassie, his sister, tried to get the band to hear him/take him on but they were hesitant.
They decided then the sound guy, during a concert, dubbed out the rest of the band and solely listened to Steve which he shared with the rest of the band after the fact. It was then, I believe, they let him join.
I'm always torn which is my favorite band, Skynyrd or Zeppelin?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQPqoe5mnbw
https://www.songfacts.com/facts/lyny...t-no-good-life

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by irv

I assume you're familiar with this song, Adam?
Written and sung by Steve Gaines.
I remember reading/hearing a story where Cassie, his sister, tried to get the band to hear him/take him on but they were hesitant.
They decided then the sound guy, during a concert, dubbed out the rest of the band and solely listened to Steve which he shared with the rest of the band after the fact. It was then, I believe, they let him join.
I'm always torn which is my favorite band, Skynyrd or Zeppelin?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQPqoe5mnbw
https://www.songfacts.com/facts/lyny...t-no-good-life

I've heard that story before. I watched the LS documentary on Prime(?) a while ago.

Take a look at this one:

https://youtu.be/QxIWDmmqZzY

One of the greatest live performances I've ever seen on video. The guitarists played as one, with perfect synergy and pure rock and roll joyousness. And did they ever know how to close a song! I wish I'd been old enough to go to a show. Best comment in the comments section, referring to the numerous crowd pans of young ladies in various states of undress was "Our grandmas were hot." Our grandmas? More like our older sisters. Sic transit gloria mundi.

[robw1959]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

I'm biased to rock and roll I like, and I look at the overall body of work:

1. Jimmy Page: the alpha and omega of rock guitar for me.
2. Alex Lifeson: greased lightning on the fretboard. The solo on Working Man, just amazing.
3. Prince: see Clapton's comment above. What he could do in concert when he cut loose was just transcendent. So happy I got to see him.
4. Eddie Van Halen: Eruption. nuf ced.
5. Brian May: a unique sound that worked perfectly with Freddie Mercury's vocals
6. Rossington-Collins-Gaines: had to put them in together because they played as one at the apex of Skynyrd and it was brilliant.
7. Hendrix: would rate higher but died too young
8. Duane Allman: same as Hendrix
9. Angus Young-Malcolm Young: like the Skynyrd guys, they are inseparable to me.
10. Tom Scholz: because of his innovations. Nothing sounded quite like him. Boston is the greatest debut album I've ever heard.

I left off Clapton and Beck because i just don't like their stuff as much.

Kudos also for Johnny Ramone. How different and great was he? Watch other guys trying to play like him. They struggle.

With regard to #4 on your list, Eddie Van Halen was asked by Rolling Stone Magazine in the 1980s how it felt to be the world's greatest guitar player. His response was, "I don't know; ask
Phil Keaggy." Here are a couple of his solo cllips . . .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0T3to3DHLIE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aoDEMETXek