Simviation Forum - The greatest rock guitarist of all time

Apr 1^st, 2005 at 8:57pm

Clipper Offline
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I'm thinking that Stevie Ray Vaughan could outplay any rock/blues guitarist that ever lived. Anyone care to comment?

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Reply #1 - Apr 2^nd, 2005 at 1:27am

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I think even Stevie would disagree with you- his work was largely an homage to the players who inspired him.
Not that he wasn't awesome... Grin

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Reply #2 - Apr 2^nd, 2005 at 5:11am

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He was more of a blues guy than a rock guy, although he was a great guitarist in his genre, every different style of music has it's great guitartists.

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Reply #3 - Apr 2^nd, 2005 at 5:17am

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I think this is impossible to answer. Depends on your idea of what Rock or Blues music actually is. There have been a great many extremely talented guitarists over a long period of time & I would not like to pick one out. My list would probably be quite different to yours or anyone else's.

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Reply #4 - Apr 2^nd, 2005 at 5:27am

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I think the best Blues guitarists are long dead now.

Every now and again I pick up an old recording of an old black gentleman from the Deep South, sitting in his rocking chair on his veranda strumming his battered, steel 6-string guitar and singing about the woes of his world... 8)...!

That's what sends a tingle up my spine... Wink

...

...!

Paul....I love the Blues...!

For Rock guitarists....I love listening to the guitar duets in Hotel California played by The Eagles....!
...and, of course...the legendary Hendrix... Wink

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Reply #5 - Apr 2^nd, 2005 at 5:47am

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Quote:

That's what sends a tingle up my spine... Wink

...

...!

I think that's the whole point. Some musicians have a talent for doing that no matter how many times you hear them play.

Quote:

For Rock guitarists....I love listening to the guitar duets in Hotel California played by The Eagles....!

Joe Walsh was always one of my favourites. I don't know what he would be classed as or who influenced him* but he's certainly a fine guitarist in my book.

*PS. I think most musicians have been influenced by somebody even if they later develop their own unique style. I'm quite sure they all have their own heroes.

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Reply #6 - Apr 2^nd, 2005 at 8:56am

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well, this all comes down to my favorites, which are:

Zakk Wylde
Dimebag Darrell
Jimi Hendrix

simple

~Snake

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Reply #7 - Apr 2^nd, 2005 at 9:05am

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Quote:

well, this all comes down to my favorites, which are:

Zakk Wylde
Dimebag Darrell
Jimi Hendrix

simple

~Snake

Another reason it's impossible to answer this question. I've obviously heard Hendrix play many times although never saw him perform live. I was around when he was still alive & remember the continual problems he had with his amplification equipment. I heard that if you caught him on a good day it was quite brilliant but so many times it was not.

I can't say I've ever heard the other two (shock, horror Shocked

), even on a recording. I daresay you've never even heard of some of my own heroes, never mind heard them play. Wink

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Reply #8 - Apr 2^nd, 2005 at 9:18am

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I doubt I've heard your heros, even though I'm musicaly cultured. The two you haven't heard belong to the bands Black label society and pantera, respectivly. I highly recomend you give both of these guys a try, They are the hendrixes of my time.

Pantera:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000002JNJ/qid=1112451218/sr=2-3/ref=pd_b...

Black label Society:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005Y1UB/qid=1112451336/sr=1-5/r...

At the bottom of those pages is an area where you can preveiw each song, for the first, Try cowboys from hell, all of them are simply rediculasly goodl. For the second, any of them, however speedball may apeal the most to you hagar.

Givem a try, it shouldn't kill you...

~Snake

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Reply #9 - Apr 2^nd, 2005 at 9:36am

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Quote:

At the bottom of those pages is an area where you can preveiw each song, for the first, Try cowboys from hell, all of them are simply rediculasly goodl. For the second, any of them, however speedball may apeal the most to you hagar.

Givem a try, it shouldn't kill you...

~Snake

Thanks Snake. I'm always prepared to listen & broaden my range of interests. It's quite possible I might even like them & there are so many I've never even heard of now. I've never been a fan of heavy rock/heavy metal or whatever you might call it although don't mind some of the older stuff. Must be something to do with my age. Roll Eyes

PS. I checked out Zakk Wylde & discovered he also plays for Black Sabbath so it's quite possible I've heard him without ever knowing his name. I still love music but my tastes have changed over the years.

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Reply #10 - Apr 2^nd, 2005 at 10:00am

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I highly recomend both of those, I mean... just listn to the guitar, there is definatly some KRAZEY $#!T going on in both of those. If haven't checked out Speed ball by Zakk, you REALY should, it's a minute long acoustic peice. The acoustic should have exploded from all the greatness.

~Snake

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Reply #11 - Apr 2^nd, 2005 at 10:07am

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Quote:

PS. I checked out Zakk Wylde & discovered he also plays for Black Sabbath so it's quite possible I've heard him without ever knowing his name

He's been playing with sabath since the 80s. and the album 1919 eternal has some songs that were writtin for ozzy. I'm not sure what songs exactly but Graveyard Disciples most certainly was, you can tell from the way he sings it.

You deifinatly need to check that out.

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Reply #12 - Apr 2^nd, 2005 at 4:16pm

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Zakk has been with Ozzy (solo) for a very long time, I don't think he ever played with Sabbath. Tony Iommi is still Sabbaths guitarist and has been forever.

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Reply #13 - Apr 2^nd, 2005 at 4:56pm

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That's what I meant to say.

I heard that ozzy fired him for his drinking recently, anyy truth?

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Reply #14 - Apr 2^nd, 2005 at 7:51pm

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O.K. I know music being such a subjective artform, there are no greatests. Only legends. So let's move on to the greatest rock guitar riff of all time. Have you guys heard Mick Box's solos in Uriah Heep's "Salisbury"?(That's the album title and the song name on the album) ..."Somewhere in your eyes that very special glow Somthing's drawing me to where I do not know I never realy thought that I would lose." That was a true masterpiece. If you don't know it, find it on the net and listen, I promise it's well worth the effort!

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Reply #15 - Apr 2^nd, 2005 at 8:05pm

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Quote:

I heard that ozzy fired him for his drinking recently, any truth?

I haven't heard that, I just can't see Ozzy getting rid of Zakk for doing the same thing he (Ozzy) used to do.

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Reply #16 - Apr 2^nd, 2005 at 10:40pm

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okay thanks.

BTW, the greates guitar riff IMO is the chorus riff in "cowboys from hell" by pantera. once again, that is soem krayzay shizz, yo Roll Eyes

~Snake

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Reply #17 - Apr 3^rd, 2005 at 9:03am

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Greatest rock guitarist of all time would be Brian May.

Best rock guitar riff of all time will be the guitar solo from Mr. Apollo.

Nuff said. Grin

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Reply #18 - Apr 3^rd, 2005 at 10:42am

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I might say that the greatest rock guitarist of all time was my old mate Ivan. None of you could argue or prove me wrong as none of you have ever heard of him. He's still playing now after over 40 years & is better than ever. His singing's not bad either & he could knock most of 'em into a cocked hat. Wink

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Reply #19 - Apr 3^rd, 2005 at 1:36pm

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Hagar, get him recorded and let's have a listen. By the way, I really hope you look up the song Salisbury. It is a truly incredible (and obscure) piece of guitar work.

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Reply #20 - Apr 3^rd, 2005 at 4:30pm

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My list:

Saul Hudson... AKA "Slash" 8)
Yngwie Malmsteen
Jimi Hendrix
Brian May
Gary Moore
Angus Young
Eddie Van Halen

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Reply #21 - Apr 3^rd, 2005 at 4:49pm

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I'd have to say the old favourites generally are the best, people like Jimmy Page, Angus Young and Gary Moore are the damn good.

Slash has earned himself a good place as well. Anyone who has heard John Petruci (Dream Theater) can't deny his obvious talent. The problem comes from how diverse Rock has become as a genre, there are so many styles within that genre (Prog Rock, Hard rock, Heavy Metal, Blues Rock, Prog Metal etc etc....) that theres really too many to choose from.

One of the most underated guitarists in rock is Alex Lifeson, his obviously insane ability at the guitar is not overtaken by his ego and his guitar is tasteful and allways in the context of the song, one of the things that makes him good is his creativity, the style is allways changing. Listen to solos from the songs Xanadu, Freewill and The Analogue Kid and you will know what I mean.

While Dimebag Darrel has some cool stuff (e.g. Cowboys From Hell) I wouldn't cite him as one of the greatest. Unfortunately he never had enough time to let his style grow.

My two pence worth.

P.S. I'm a bassist so give me Geddy Lee (Rush) John Paul Jones (Led Zep) or John Entwhistle (The Who) over these blokes anyday.

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Reply #22 - Apr 3^rd, 2005 at 7:55pm

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Quote:

I'd have to say the old favourites generally are the best, people like Jimmy Page, Angus Young and Gary Moore are the damn good.

I agree up to a point but from what I've seen there's a lot of fine young musicians aound now. In my day you could count the good ones on the fingers of one hand but the standard is much higher now. IMHO
Of course, they have much better equipment now than we ever dreamed of & people like the ones you mention to set an example.

Quote:

P.S. I'm a bassist so give me Geddy Lee (Rush) John Paul Jones (Led Zep) or John Entwhistle (The Who) over these blokes anyday.

Now you're talking. Entwhistle was head & shoulders above the rest as far as I'm concerned. A fine musician.

PS. Gary Moore is one of my favourites. Jeff Beck also springs to mind. I saw him live with the Yardbirds once. Amazing.

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Reply #23 - Apr 3^rd, 2005 at 10:13pm

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I'm surprised no one has brought up Jimmy Page yet. He's my idel, and the reason I started playing guitar. Though, I could never single out one, only make an insanly long list of people who I wish I was as talented as; Wink

Jimmy Page
Chuck Berry
Ted Nugent
Rod Wood
BB King
George Harrison
Eric Clapton
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Jeff Beck
Joe Walsh
Sam Andrew
Jimi Hendrix
etc...

And thats not in any order of sorts. I could go on and on about guitarists that I hold in high regard.

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Reply #24 - Apr 4^th, 2005 at 2:11pm

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How could you all forget Brucie Dickinson

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Reply #25 - Apr 4^th, 2005 at 5:19pm

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Quote:

How could you all forget Brucie Dickinson

Who? Not the Iron Maiden singer, right, because he was not a guitarist.

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Reply #26 - Apr 4^th, 2005 at 6:58pm

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interesting thread....total guitar recently did a poll to find the 'greatest riff of all time' and top of the pile was slash/sweet child of mine. not sure i'd agree, although it is a good 'un. my favourite 'rock' guitarists would be-
james hetfield- metallica (brutal rytham player!)
zakk wylde
tony iommi
brian may
plus many many more, not including the guys i see at the local jam night, or fellow bands who gig with us, cos sometimes im just blown away by some ordinary lookin guy who can play like theres no tomorrow Cheesy

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Reply #27 - Apr 4^th, 2005 at 10:36pm

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I'm afraid James Hetfield is a bit of an optimistic choice for me.

Bruce did play guitar for revalations but I would say that he was far from the greatest (hes in my top list of singers though.

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Reply #28 - Apr 5^th, 2005 at 7:21am

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Again, know ye not all the greatest riff's until you've heard the Salisbury riff by Mick Box of Uriah Heep. You must find it and listen. It is something that will completely blow you away.. See my previous entry on this thread to help you find it...Then return and tell me what the greatest solo of all time is.... Wink

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Reply #29 - Apr 5^th, 2005 at 1:52pm

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Well I like many of you have multiple favorites.
Numero Uno being Ace Frehley but I'm really surprised I have yet to see Rik Emmet's (Triumph) name surface. He is amazing.
Of course Hendrix is always a favorite and will be for generations to come seems anyone into Rock and Blues list him, First Rays of a New Rising Sun I feel is his best album!

I agree Bass goes to John Entwhistle , he couldn't stand just playing a normal bass line, even when a song called for it, he made every song his own almost like he wasn't even playing with the band but it worked and worked well Wink

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Reply #30 - Apr 5^th, 2005 at 5:03pm

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Slowhand

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Reply #31 - Apr 5^th, 2005 at 5:16pm

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Quote:

Slowhand

He would certainly have to be a contender. IMHO
Clapton was himself influenced by other musicians including Hendrix & Buddy Guy. I heard that at some of his solo concerts he often invited guest musicians like Guy on stage & let them play for the whole evening while he either played rhythm or left them to it. He was also reputed never to play the same solo twice or repeat a phrase so each concert was completely different. Some of his solos lasted 30 minutes or more.

It would be interesting to see which musicians people think had the most influence on the Rock music in all its forms (I hate the word genre) that we know today. This might be better in its own topic, unless it's already been discussed.

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Reply #32 - Apr 5^th, 2005 at 5:26pm

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Hendrix, easily. He populerized distortion, now without distortion your playing some f***ed up blues type sh**.

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Reply #33 - Apr 5^th, 2005 at 5:40pm

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Hendrix, easily. He populerized distortion, now without distortion your playing some f***ed up blues type sh**.

~Snake

He might have helped make it popular but I'm quite certain he wasn't the first to use it. There are other forms of Rock that don't use distortion at all & the Blues you seem to hate so much was originally played on acoustic instruments. You have to broaden your horizons. For example, who was the Blues musician who first played electric guitar? Without him you wouldn't have Hendrix or any of your other heroes. Wink

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Reply #34 - Apr 5^th, 2005 at 5:46pm

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Well when it comes to overall influance on Rock music then it would be obvious that it was the origianal Blues men such as Robert Johnson, T-Bone Walker, Buddy Guy, BB King, Albert King etc.
The many "Blues Ledgends" i feel are the true foundation on what we call Rock music today.

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Reply #35 - Apr 5^th, 2005 at 9:17pm

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I'm glad someone finally mentioned Robert Johnson. He was reputed as selling his soul to the devil to transform hmself, seemingly overnight, into the incredible talent which he became. Anyone know how he died?
Here's another name for you...Leo Kottke, the man with four hands. More of a bluegrass picker, but his 12 string abilities are almost inhuman. Well worth a listen...
A word on Hendrix..Definately a unique style, but I don't think he was that great technically. Unquestionably a pioneer deserving of tremendous respect, but just not among the greatest.

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Reply #36 - Apr 5^th, 2005 at 9:23pm

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WHOA WHOA WHOA hagar, I don't hate blues at all, in fact I enjoy it. I was saying that what the non-distorted rock would sound like some realy SH*tty blues. B.B. Kind is one of ,my heoros.

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Reply #37 - Apr 5^th, 2005 at 9:26pm

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I'm not sure who it was who firstplayed on electric.

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Reply #38 - Apr 5^th, 2005 at 9:27pm

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I would have to give my vote to Eric Clapton. I got a chance to see him play a while back when he was in the area and it was one of the most amazing things I have ever seen. He's deffinately one of the best in my opinions.

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Reply #39 - Apr 5^th, 2005 at 9:33pm

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yeah, clapton does rule.

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Reply #40 - Apr 6^th, 2005 at 4:08am

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Quote:

I'm glad someone finally mentioned Robert Johnson. He was reputed as selling his soul to the devil to transform hmself, seemingly overnight, into the incredible talent which he became. Anyone know how he died?

Short biog here. http://blues.about.com/cs/halloffame/p/blprorbtjohnson.htm
Quote:

In Greenwood, Mississippi, Johnson messed with the wrong man's woman and was murdered by strychnine placed in his whiskey by the jealous husband.

Quote:

Here's another name for you...Leo Kottke, the man with four hands. More of a bluegrass picker, but his 12 string abilities are almost inhuman. Well worth a listen...

One of my old favourites although I haven't listened to any of his stuff for years. I couldn't possibly list all the guitarists I've admired over the years.

Quote:

A word on Hendrix..Definately a unique style, but I don't think he was that great technically. Unquestionably a pioneer deserving of tremendous respect, but just not among the greatest.

It might offend some people but I would have to agree. I was never that keen on most of his stuff at the time. I was more interested in his brilliant drummer Mitch Mitchell who had previously played with Georgie Fame & the Blue Flames among others. http://www.angelfire.com/mac/keepitlive/drummers/Mitchell/mitch.htm

I grew up listening to most of these people everyone seems to regard as heroes now & the ones like Clapton that are still alive are now much the same age as me. Although I played drums, not guitar, in those days & never became famous my background is not that much different from his or any other British rock musician. We were influenced by listening to the same music of many varied types & I suspect this is what gave them the ability & musical knowledge to become what they are today. Things are very different now. We really didn't believe it would last that long but were determined to make the most of it while we could. I'm sure none of those guys ever dreamed they would become legends 40 years afterwards. Wink

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Reply #41 - Apr 6^th, 2005 at 5:54am

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i would have to agree that all the old blue's players were a major influence on nearly all of todays styles of music, be it rock, metal or r n b. etc.
black sabbath were the first band to play heavy distorted music, and as such are often quoted by popular rock/metal bands as major influences.
i think, though i may be wrong, that chuck berry was one of the first to play electric, 'jonny be good' was certainly played on an electric.

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Reply #42 - Apr 6^th, 2005 at 7:40am

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Well considering the first "electric" guitars was really nothing more than a microphone placed inside a accustic guitar it goes back aways.
If I recall it was Leo Fender that made the first solid body electric so I would have to assume he would have been the first to play it Wink

http://www.b0b.com/infoedu/tutmarc1.html

Here is a link to where one claims to know the true origin of the electric.

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Reply #43 - Apr 6^th, 2005 at 8:44am

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Quote:

Well considering the first "electric" guitars was really nothing more than a microphone placed inside a accustic guitar it goes back aways.
If I recall it was Leo Fender that made the first solid body electric so I would have to assume he would have been the first to play it Wink

http://www.b0b.com/infoedu/tutmarc1.html

Here is a link to where one claims to know the true origin of the electric.

Depends what you call an electric guitar. Fender electrics were solid bodied & I believe first appeared around 1950. Charlie Christian was playing electric guitar in the late 1930s & he was not the first to do so.

I really don't know the first Blues musician to perform regularly on electric guitar but from what I've read, Muddy Waters was the one who introduced electric Blues to the masses soon after establishing himself in Chicago around 1945.

PS. Chuck Berry had a great influence on Rock 'n Roll (his music was then described as R & B) but didn't start recording for Chess until 1955. Interestingly, it was Muddy Waters who introduced him to Leonard Chess.

PPS. Quote:

I have several memories of Muddy Waters. The weirdest one is when we first went into Chess Studios in '64, the first time we came here... There's Phil Chess and there's Ron Malo, the engineer, and this guy in white overalls painting the ceiling. As we walked by into the studio, somebody said, Oh, by the way, this is Muddy Waters, and he's painting the ceiling. He wasn't selling records at the time, and this is the way he got treated... I'm dying, right? I get to meet The Man - he's my fucking god, right - and he's painting the ceiling! And I'm gonna work in his studios. Ouch! Oh, this is the record business, right?... And bless him. When we started the Rolling Stones, we were just little kids, right? We felt we had some of the licks down, but our aim was to turn other people on to Muddy Waters.

- Keith Richards, 1992
===================

When I started out, they called my music nigger music. People wouldn't let that kind of music into the house. The Beatles started, but the Rolling Stones really made my kind of music acceptable. I really respect them for opening doors for black music. The Stones made all that possible. I'll tell ya, the guitar player ain't bad either. - Muddy Waters
========================

http://www.timeisonourside.com/STChicago.html

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Reply #44 - Apr 6^th, 2005 at 7:22pm

Woodlouse2002 Offline
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Neil Innes would have to be one of the greatest. Completely under-rated yet can write and play songs in almost any style out there from jazz to Hendrix type distortions. Whats more he's got a good sense of humour too. And if any of you say you havn't heard of him then let me tell you to go and listen to "Knights of the round Table" from Monty Python and the holy grail. Then take a look at Sir Robins minstrel. Then take a look at the prisoner who runs round in circles in the Life of Brian. See you all know him. Grin

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Reply #45 - Apr 6^th, 2005 at 10:08pm

Crumbso Offline
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I'm afraid I would have to disagree with the black sabbath comment. One of the earliest "succesfull" heavy metal bands was deep purple, they popularised the heavy sound making way for Black Sabbath (great though they were) Motorhead were the ones that defined modern metal as we know it today, Lemmy's bass style revolutionised the metal genre giving it the same rythmic patterns that now dominate bands such as Metallica, Pantera and Dream Theater (although DT were influenced by other prog bands.)

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Reply #46 - Apr 7^th, 2005 at 5:31am

Politically Incorrect Offline
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Well to be honest Deep Purple and Sabbath both arrived on the scene about the same time in the early '70s. Although Deep Purple got together in 1968 one year earlier than Sabbath. But the "metal sound" started way earlier with groups like Blue Cheer, Iron Butterfly, MC5 in the late 60's and going back as early as 1964 with the base sound.
Most agree that Cream was the first with the "metal sound" but even The Kinks, Alice Cooper's "The Spiders", The Who and Vanillia Fudge can be credited for "the sound", and of course this can all be traced back to the blues. If you take a listen some of Chuck Berry's stuff was pretty heavy, especially for the time.
Now if you were to base when Heavy Metal started by a artists think of Ronnie James Dio, he was playing in bands back in 1956! and still rocking today!

Either way this topic has some great stuff in it and got me digging through my record(yes as vinyl) collection to re-live past times and also listen a little closer to the music of yesterday and today, well unfortanely most of todays music you can't hear influance unless it is in "sampled form" Wink

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Reply #47 - Apr 7^th, 2005 at 7:20am

Clipper Offline
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Here's another guitarist some of you may have heard of. He's considered by many to be the master of the "country blues rock guitarists". His name is Lonnie Mack. In his finest album "Attack of the Killer V ", he offers up some seriously wicked licks. Not everyone's style, but certainly a very gifted guitarist...check him out!

http://www.lonniemack.com/

« Last Edit: Apr 7^th, 2005 at 9:39pm by Clipper »

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Reply #48 - Apr 7^th, 2005 at 8:59am

elwellnick24 Offline
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has anybody heard john 5 (marilyn manson guitarist) play a cover of sugarfoot rag? its absolutley amazin, he manages to combine blues, rock, metal, country all together..

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Reply #49 - Apr 7^th, 2005 at 2:10pm

Crumbso Offline
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These bands you mentioned did have the heavyness in certain songs but the who did not really embrace that style until the early 70's they were catapulted by bands like Sabbath and Puprle that popularised the heavy sound (distorted guitars make not one heavy), but in truth modern metal has as much to owe to punk as those early hard rock bands.

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Reply #50 - Apr 7^th, 2005 at 3:13pm

The Ruptured Duck Offline
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Damnit! Its Buddy Holly, get it right.

I don't think that one guitarist could ever be named as the greatest, when there are so many of them. Now If you were to ask-"Who is the greatest sitarist in the world?"-the answer is, hands down, Ravi Shankar.

Whats wrong with blues? I though that it was blues and swing that started rock. And you have a problem with it? Even worse, you curse it? Shame on you Sad

. Learn your roots Angry

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Reply #51 - Apr 7^th, 2005 at 4:30pm

Crumbso Offline
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Who me? I don't curse blues ???

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Reply #52 - Apr 7^th, 2005 at 4:51pm

Hagar Offline
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Quote:

Damnit! Its Buddy Holly, get it right.

I've been one of Buddy Holly's greatest fans since before he was so tragically killed. I was never too sure how well he could play guitar or how much on the records was actually him. The Crickets was originally a four-piece with Niki Sullivan on rhythm guitar at the time they recorded "That'll Be the Day". His replacement Tommy Allsup played lead guitar on "Heartbeat" & "It's So Easy" among others. Sonny Curtis played lead on Holly's first Decca sessions.

The same can be said for many of those old recordings. So much was done by session musicians in those days (& probably still is) that what you're hearing might not have been played by members of the band who took the credit, even with groups like the Beatles. It's not always easy to find out who was on the sessions. Jerry Allison, the Crickets drummer, did a lot of session work himself & played drums on a lot of the old hit records by other well-known artists.
Quote:

Drummer J.I. Allison recorded with The Everly Brothers, Eddie Cochran, Bobby Vee, Johnny Burnette, Johnny Rivers and many others. His distinctive drumming style on such hits as "Peggy Sue" by Buddy Holly and "Till I Kissed You" by The Everly Brothers are among the most memorable rock and roll drum licks ever recorded. Phil Everly has called Allison "the most creative drummer in rock and roll", a fact reinforced by Dell/ Rolling Stones' Book of lists which ranks Allison among the top three rock and roll drummers of all time." Allison wrote such songs as "That'll Be The Day", "Peggy Sue", and "More Than I Can Say ".

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Reply #53 - Apr 7^th, 2005 at 5:54pm

Politically Incorrect Offline
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How about I sum it up in three?

"Its all good!"

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Reply #54 - Apr 7^th, 2005 at 6:15pm

The Ruptured Duck Offline
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not quite true.

"If you would not be forgotten, as soon as you are dead and rotten, either write things worth reading, or do things worth the writing" -Ben Franklin&&&&"Man must rise above the Earth to the top of the atmosphere and beyond, for only thus will he fully understand the world in which he lives." - Socrates&&&&" Flying is a religion. A religion that asymilates all who get a taste of it." - Me&&&&"Make the most out of yourself, for that is all there is of you"- Ralf Waldo Emerson&&

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Reply #55 - Apr 7^th, 2005 at 9:37pm

Clipper Offline
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I think we're fast approaching the time to post a dreaded "poll". I'll take as many of your favourites mentioned in this thread as space will allow, and we'll try to determine who we think is "The Greatest (Rock)Guitarist of All Time".

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Reply #56 - Apr 8^th, 2005 at 11:19am

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I believe he is reffering to me, on the blues thing. I never cursed blues, my post was mearlyy misinterpreted. BB King is one of my heroes. I embrace and play blues and "Real country" (Not the hard rock they try to pass off as country). But the majority of my playing is metal, because I love metal the most.... I'm also a very agressive person.

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Reply #57 - Apr 8^th, 2005 at 11:24am

Hagar Offline
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Quote:

I believe he is reffering to me, on the blues thing. I never cursed blues, my post was mearlyy misinterpreted.

Think this was my fault. Sorry but I still think your comment is open to misinterpretation. Quote:

Hendrix, easily. He populerized distortion, now without distortion your playing some f***ed up blues type sh**.

~Snake

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Reply #58 - Apr 8^th, 2005 at 11:29am

Anti-Societys Snake Offline
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yeah, I see how that could easily be misinterpreted. However, I meant that rock without the distortion would be realy aweful blues type schtuff.

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Reply #59 - Apr 9^th, 2005 at 7:47pm

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Yngwie Malmsteen, being a guitarist I gotta post on this one. IF you can find it, Baroque and Roll, is one of his songs, truly incredible.

-HF

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Reply #60 - Apr 16^th, 2005 at 5:23pm

Fitter Offline
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To me the best is Steve howe from Yes....
but I also like Randy Rhoads (Rip), Andy la Roque
(King Diamond), Reb Beech (Winger), Ronie Le Tekro (TNT - Norway) and David Gilmor (Pink Floyd) works.....

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Reply #61 - Apr 17^th, 2005 at 3:43pm

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In the midst of this most interesting discussion, I'd venture to say that all of the greatest guitarists of all time have been well covered indeed, and well deserve all the lauding heaped upon them here and over the years for giving us great music, great influence, and in general, just a good time musically. Whereas the obvious has been included, I especially got a charge out of Clipper's reference to (and picture of) Lonnie Mack, one of my early-guitar-days favorites. For you Heavy Metal people: Somewhere in the distant past I "read" that Zeppelin was "considered" the first real metal group. That, of course, could be very subjective. Zep One seems to me to be more metallic and less psychedelic than anything I had heard before it was released. And recently on a PBS pledge-drive special featuring late 60's groups, a comment was made by a moderator that Steppenwolf's 'Born To Be Wild" tune (released 1968, could not locate the exact release date), contained the first use of the term 'Heavy Metal': "I like smoke & lightning, heavy metal thunder". That, perhaps, could be a fact, albeit difficult to verify. Cheers.

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Reply #62 - Apr 30^th, 2005 at 3:00am

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the best guitarist is Brian May of course!!!!

long live queen and his rageing solos!

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Reply #63 - Apr 30^th, 2005 at 12:35pm

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the greatest in my opinion is one who no one will ever see anymore, he was murdered on stage in Dec. 04 Darrell Lance Abbott aka. Dimebag Darrell. one of the greatest guitar players of all time.

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Reply #64 - Apr 30^th, 2005 at 6:32pm

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i believe that if Randy Rhoads had not have died so young he would have been the best rock guitarist ever. i mean he started playing for one of the most popular artists of his time (ozzy) when he was 19! i have a tape of him doing a solo where he starts plaing mozart on the guitar!

also if you want an "unknown", Billy Zoom (of "X") is probably the best punk (real punk) guitarists of all time

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Reply #65 - May 1^st, 2005 at 8:13am

Clipper Offline
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I think it would be unfair not to mention the Texas Boogie Man Billy Gibbons, aka "Worthless Willie". This thread wouldn't be complete without mentioning him. Maybe not the greatest, but definately a headbanger. Some real bad ass Texas slide. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

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