Top 10 Guitarists (Rolling Stone)

[mayhem13]

Sorry to resurrect this thread but it deserves further evaluation and commenting. I find it hard to believe that the results were solely based on the panels choices....UNLESS the panel had to collate a list per determined.

 

Jack White.....Really?

Johnny Ramone?

At this rate why not Steve Jones as well? By the R.S. logic, neither White or Ramone exist without the Sex Pistols.

 

blatantly excluded......Steve Vai, Steve Howe, Alvin Lee, Joe Satriani. As a guitarist myself, and a fan of all things Rock and Roll, less than half of the Rolling Stones pix would have made my list.

 

[ChrisAZ]

Important undoubtedly for what he invented, including some guitar techniques, but top 10 best guitarist?

 

[johsti]

+1. I thought he would be on the list. (Johnny Marr)

 

[crisnee]

Richard Thompson, Great technical and innovative guitarist. He's the type that should be top 10 (assuming that we're talking rock/pop/folk), he can do it all, in rock and folk.

 

-Chris

 

 

[MetalNuts]

It isn't easy at all to name whatever Top 10 and it all depends on each's favorite. For me, here are some guitarists that should be considered as well:

 

1. Mark Knopfler (Rock)

2. Dave Mustaine (Metal)

3. Wes Montgomery (Jazz)

4. Stevie Ray Vaughan (blues)

5. Eduardo Fernandez (Spanish)

 

Oops, seems that the thread only considered rock/pop even though the line between the music sometime is not clear at all.

 

[Rat44]

Hard to believe SRV wasn't in the top 10.

And Joe Bonamassa and Alvin Lee not even on the list.

Good to see Blackmore there though.

Very discouraging.

 

[GrahamJohnMiles]

Stevie Ray Vaughan to my mind far surpassed Eric Clapton and Jeff beck. A virtuoso technician with great musicality and timing. Listen to Riviera Paradise, a slow languid piece in sharp contrast to his ballsy blues style.

 

[One and a half]

missing a lot of already mentioned..

 

John McLaughlin

 

Frank Zappa

 

Jan Akkerman

 

 

 

 

[Jim Sylva]

They used a pretty narrow criteria. All blues based rock players here. Clearly they are only talking about rock/blues players and not jazz. But any top ten for rock players needs to include more experimental players like Robert Fripp and Steve Howe.

Maybe the list should be re-titled: Top Ten Blues/Rock Guitar Players! Of course, then, where is Stevie Ray Vaughan...

 

Keith Richards??? Pete Townshend???

 

Within this narrowly defined context, I would have included Mike Bloomfield.

[bliss53]

Probably not in the scope of this list but how about Eric Johnson?

[hytechrednek]

Where are people like Lee Ritenour, Tuck Andreas, Michael Hedges, Wes Montgomery, Alex De Grassi? I'm sure there are many others. Not saying the people in their list are not good too but the list seems very slanted to Blues / Rock.

[REShaman]

Well said, Hytek. And Sylvain Luc, Johnny Smith, Joe Pass, Jim Hall, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Django Reinhardt, Mark Whitfield. There are top ten guitarists several times over.

Best,

Richard

[AlainGr]

While he haa been concsidered as Jimi Hendrix's "alter ego", I consider Robin Trower with great respect. Not that he plays fast, but he really rolls heavy and the tones he plays with are still so heavy...

[REShaman]

Add to the list, Anthony Wilson as a side man for Diana Krall or as a guitarist on his own. And with appreciation to another member who "re"introduced me to Ulf Wakenius. Perhaps on a certain day at a certain time there are any number of musicians channeling music that touches us with his/her artistry in technique and musicality as to entertain, heal, inspire and genius of the human spirit. I am thinking of Julian Bream or Segovia when technique and musicality are present in such depth as to entrance me. What a gift it is to create in the of medium of sound. Although, presently,I can not find the reference, years ago I read a myth about a G-d turning his daughter into a wooden lute to protect her from being destroyed by another powerful G-d. Hence the voice of the lute having its origin as a woman in love.

For going OT, excuse my excess.

Enjoy the music as well,

Richard

[Cincy2]

No list is complete with him and his Scarlatti transcription performances.

 

Thanks for bringing up classical guitarists. You have to add Julian Bream and John Williams to this list.

 

Cincy

[mav52]

Being a guitarist also, can't forget 'Gary Moore', 'Peter Green' and even 'Tony Rice', 'Eliot Fisk', Parkening and Segovia

[REShaman]

Being a guitarist also, can't forget 'Gary Moore', 'Peter Green' and even 'Tony Rice', 'Eliot Fisk', Parkening and Segovia

 

Yes, Eliot Fisk plays Bach and Scarlatti, Red Rose Music volume 6, DSD, is an excellent recording of his artistry. And Christopher Parkening. Good reminder. Good ear.

Best,

Richard

[chumlie]

Lets not forget Rory Gallagher. Just goes to show whoever made the list up needs a little schooling.

[REShaman]

Add to the list, Albert Lee. Recently downloaded from AIX Tearing It Up. Brilliant Blues, rock, country guitarist.

Best,

Richard

[John R Leddy]

1976. Rory Gallagher ripped onto the stage and simply exploded into blues-rock. Later, the band took a break, whilst Gallagher remained on stage and played mandolin. The band returned, and Gallagher again remained on stage. Once more there was an eruption of the best performed blues-rock I have heard to date. (Hmm, Stan Webb...). We all got our money's worth that night. Gallagher was soaking wet with sweat, and had remained on stage playing his heart out for over 2 hours. Typical Irishman, gave his all, akin to Joey Dunlop owning the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy circuit. Gallagher owned that stage, and probably still does! R.I.P.

[chumlie]

Good to see i'm not alone. I met Gerry McAvoy while on vacation in England at a pub my friend ran in Forest Gate. We were drinking buddies foe a week. When Rory came to the states, Gerry got me back stage passes to meet and hang with Rory and the band. Cleveland, Ohio 1991. Great memory since i've been a fan since 75. One of a kind guitarist and a great bunch of guys in the band.

[m&m's]

no david gilmour whats up with that. robin trower and alvin lee also on my list

[57gold]

There are: a) rock n' rollers who play guitar and created new sounds...Edge, Marr, Keef, Townshend...none of whom are virtuosos as guitarists and b) virtuosos in their genre.

 

I don't think any of the a) guys could do an extended single line solo. For example, Edge's limitations as a guitarist are documented in the Page, Edge and White movie...guy can't follow the chord changes in "The Weight", there are more than three chords...maybe four with descending bass lines and he is lost. However, he may be the most influential player of the 1980's with his effects-centric, ambience style playing. Saw U2 at the Meadowlands when they were touring to support Joshua Tree...amazing concert, fantastic music, pure magic. That being said, if I was putting a band together to play blues/rock, to cover classics...Edge wouldn't cut it as a guitarist, he can't jam, he plays simple parts with $30K of effects. Pete and Keef have 50 years of no solos, all chordal work and short riffs, great music but not much guitar virtuosity.

 

The b) category has the Jimi, EC, Page, SRV, Beck...to Wes,Pass, Hall, Metheny, Benson, Stern, Scofield...to Holdsworth, Krantz, Henderson...to Chet, Gil, Miller...left out tons. But these guys know the instrument and are masters at their genres. All guys who can jam...many who created a new way to jam.

 

My point is that these lists of the best are impossible...plenty of great musicians, artists, virtuosos...and we are blessed by their works, both the a) and b) categories.

 

Rather listen to U2 than the last 30 years of Jeff Beck's new releases (other than the live stuff with his 60s and 70s tunes)...but Jeff is a monster guitarist and Edge is part of a songwriting and arranging team that happens to use a guitar as a tool, very effectively.