It's clear that, regarding this pole, we aren't talking about technical virtuosity even with Hendrix! If we were people like Steve Morse or Eric Johnson would be mentioned (along with some others already mentioned). If we are talking about style then if you make Hendrix 1 then Eddie Van Halen would be 2 IMO. Sometimes younger people (that includes myself at 41) don't get Hendrix of why he was so great. It's true that if you are a new listener to him you may not hear anything except cool music. However, you have to remember that everyone today, more or less, plays similarly to Hendrix. Hendrix came along and totally re-defined how the electric guitar is played. When you hear stories about people putting on "Are You Experienced" and saying "This changes everything" they weren't kidding. I think Eddie is very similar to Hendrix (with one important difference) in that he came along playing guitar like no one else. It's not just the two-handed stuff that Eddie does that makes him unique (although no one does that technique like he does) it's his overall playing - to me it sounds totally out of this world! He is so totally over the top and outside for rock but it totally fits. No one plays like Van Halen and I've never even heard anyone sound like him (except when copying the two handed stuff). The important difference from Hendrix is that no one plays like EVH whereas everyone has Hendrix in them even if they don't know it (i.e. learned from someone else who learned from Hendrix). So Hendrix will have a lasting mark on rock guitar because his imprints are still all over it whereas EVH will be a shooting star. I once saw a show that featured the "Word's Greatest Garage Band". It was Paul Shafer, Richie Sambora, Eddie Van Halen and some other famous people playing covers for charity. Richie Sambora was, for all intents and purposes, the guitar player. All Eddie did was noodle about and play solos. However, when Richie Sambora played lead (and he's a very good rock guitar player) he sounded like anyone and everyone. When Eddie played a solo it just screamed Eddie. So totally different yet still working in a rock context. Amazing.
Zappa's movie "Baby Snakes" is available on DVD. Zappa live in New York on Halloween with some incredible claymation by Bickford.
Deckard, Thanks - yea, I figured you forget to check back in on the threads. I would love to meet you in person someday and just talk music and concerts with you - it would be fun. As for the Yardbirds, yes I did forget to put their name next to Jeff Beck. Their chronology of guitarists (for at least the '60s went like this): Anthony "Top" Topham Eric Clapton Jeff Beck Jimmy Page Page was actually Clapton's choice to replace him but at the time, Jimmy didn't want to give up the session work he was doing. Page eventually joined the group while Beck was still in it and for a time played bass while Chris Dreja was learning how to play bass. When Dreja was comfortable enough to switch from rhythm guitar to bass, Page then played, for an extremely brief time, duel lead guitar with Beck. Then Beck either quit or got fired and the Yardbirds ended as Page, Keith Relf, Dreja, and Jim McCarty. Which this led to the formation of Led Zeppelin. The Yardbirds re-formed in the '90s but it is only McCarty and Dreja and maybe Paul Shamwell-Smith (their original bass player) with some other dudes.
All you b****es are wrong, the right answer is SANTANA SANTANA SHREDS!!!! <object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/fNoZg9kl-zE&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/fNoZg9kl-zE&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>
Ottomaton, you just brought a tear to my eye by mentioning Little Joe. Thanks. One time, he sent chills up my spine, at an HBS jam. He borrowed my guitar. I had sung "Black Angel Blues", the Robert Nighthawk song, right before then. He did a 20 minute jam, with all sorts of lyrics. In the middle of it, he rapped the lyrics to "Black Angel Blues" while staring right at me. Crack cocaine is a helluva drug.
I would just add something of my 'Experience' I've seen many of the 'greats' live. Most really good lead guitarists can impress... I don't think Jimi was the best in the studio and he doesn't really set himself way above all guitarists on the albums (except for originality), and technically (whatever that means) he's probably not tops. But when I saw him 'live' he was way beyond the rest. Remember his live performance wasn't about his songs or singing or the band it was all about his guitar. From the moment I heard him to his last encore he was ridiculous on that strat. Just made this bass player's jaw drop. He actually looked and I think played loaded, but as far as rock guitar, he was ahead of everyone, but he also was the most incredible live player I have ever heard. You only went to see Jimi for one reason- play the guitar Alvin Lee- fast Van Halen- great Page- really loud Townsend- show man Carlos- smooth Beck- tremendous Clapton- solid Hendrix Live- nuclear bomb going off (of course it might have been the mushrooms ) One more thing, I don't think you'll get too many guitarists claiming I'm much better than Hendrix
Excellent, rhester! It's the same point I was trying to make higher up on the page with Zappa. None of his albums showed what he could really do with a guitar. That was true of a lot of guitarists, and groups, from back then. The technology didn't exist to record concerts live in anything close to fidelity that did them justice, and few of them were recorded, anyway. It's a real pity, but as much as some might not want to hear it (no pun intended), you just had to be there. It's why I've always considered myself very, very lucky to have gotten my license to drive when I turned 15, and that concerts were so freakin' cheap. It's what I did, pure and simple. Went to concerts with my friends and a chick, did what we did back then, and was just blown away. After it was over, we went out and partied, talking about who we'd seen. And I like how you described that list of guitarists. I wouldn't argue about it too much. Maybe add some people. I saw 10 Years After several times, and I always wondered how good Lee would have been if he'd just slowed down. Loved seeing them, but damn, he knew one speed, all out. The really great ones mixed it up and could literally do anything. And Jimi? It wasn't the mushrooms or the purple double-dome.
Do you remember those days of parking behind the Sam Houston Coliseum and coming in through the old back tunnel thingy? And the Music Hall concerts and Allen's Landing.... I saw so many concerts from 1968-72 that were AWESOME! I tried to go to every one. Did you see the Byrds first Houston concert, I am trying to remember the year?
Oh yeah and whoever mentioned Prince is right on target, just say that he is really talented, his play is most effortless, I was surprised when I caught him on tv, he is well after my generation.
One other thing, with my mind being really hazy about that time period, did you catch Shawn Phillips (I think that's the name) do acoustic? Seems I remember him with real long hair and some really solid acoustic play.
OK you forced me to google- http://www.shawnphillips.com/photovideo/photogallery/PHarlogallery.htm yeah, I even played and still do, I'm better than Peter Tork when he was a Monkey!
And some old woodstock for ole times sake <object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/3nbhZEi2uNg&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/3nbhZEi2uNg&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>
While I dont know if I can pick a top or even a second favorite of all time, Iwrote a myspace blog about a year ago of the 20 greatest guitarists of all time. Theyre not in preference order, but you can read my favorite 20 here: 20 Greatest Guitarists of All-Time Criticize at will . . .
Nice blog. I sent you a friend req. I'd agree with most of what you've got in terms of the best of the 'best known' guitarists. I might have swapped some from your list with some of those you have as honorable mentions, but nice list nonetheless.
Chuck, Pretty good list. My top 20 favorite guitarists in no particular order are as follows: 1 - Jeff Beck 2 - Jimmy Page 3 - Eric Clapton 4 - Jimi Hendrix 5 - David Gilmour 6 - Joe Satriani (currently listening to "Flying in a Blue Dream") 7 - Brian May 8 - Alex Lifeson 9 - Randy Rhoads 10 - John McLaughlin 11 - Steve Howe 12 - Ritchie Blackmore 13 - Pete Townshend 14 - Robert Fripp 15 - Neil Young 16 - Alan Holdsworth 17 - Phil Manzanera (of Roxy Music - criminally underrated) 18 - Robbie Robertson 19 - Roger McGuinn (master of the 12 string) 20 - Leslie West (of Mountain)
