The Best Rock Guitarist of All Time?

[OmahaBlueDog]

You are by no means limited to these nine -- they are simply there as a starting point.

On edit: Although I am a huge Zep fan, my vote goes to Hendrix, although I think compelling arguments can be made for Stevie Ray Vaughan or Steve Howe.

[DevonRex]

1. Jimmy Page, of course. Then Vaughn. Then Hendrix. Then Santana.

Jeff Beck. And I suppose I have to put Clapton in here somewhere even though he bores me.

[OmahaBlueDog]

4. You and I agree on Hendrix-Page-Vaughan

I also agree that Clapton is boring, and, honestly, Jeff Beck has never done a lot for me either.

Steve Howe is amazing in that he is a legitimate master of both the Rock and Classical genres. I had the pleasure to see him with Aja in the early 80's. The concert stunk, but when Howe dod 20 minutes of solo work, it was awe inspiring.

Another guitarist that often enters this conversation is John McLaughlin. I agree that he's technically brilliant, but I consider him to be as much a rock guitarist as Andres Segovia. If we are talking Jazz or whatever he plays when he's with DiMeola and DeLucia (classical? Flamenco?), I'll give him his props.

Eddie Van Halen is fast, and plays some great licks, but he's something of a one trick pony, IMHO.

I don't know where Santana belongs. He's excellent and he's stood the test of time. I don't know whether he really rates the top tier, however, or if he's that on step down with guys like (for example) Keith Richard, Mark Knopfler, Pete Townsend, Ted Nugent (notwithstanding his politics), and Yngwie Malmsteen -- all excellent players who just don't quite rate as the best-of-the-best.

[DevonRex]

15. Yeah, I'd really have to put Beck in the same category as Clapton

now that I think about it. I know I'm supposed to revere him but his music just doesn't connect with me. And yep, I totally agree about Eddie Van Halen. Bless his heart, though, he tries.

There's one thing that separates Santana from Richard and Townsend, IMO, and that is that he has a style, a sound of his own. If Clapton, Richard and Townsend played the same song behind a screen I might not be able to decide which was which. Probably couldn't.

We sure could pick out Page, Vaughan, Hendrix and Santana, though. And thank God for that! :)

[Lorax7844]

57. Hendrix wins for me, first time I ever pictured exactly what the guitarist

intended from listening to an instrumental piece.

I am talking about Driving South, how he captured it is remarkable to me.

That kind of talent is god given.

[mix]

2. For me, a music lover and not a musician...Hendrix.

[Lorax7844]

58. My favorite Hendrix quote

When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace.

Awesome man, awesome talent.

[edbermac]

3. Esteban, of course!

Plus he wears a cool hat.

[Iggo]

12. Esteban is God.

[bridgit]

5. Other: Steve Vai

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zt8-6Y8obn4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IrWyZ0KZuk

[OmahaBlueDog]

6. Vai makes many top 10 lists

FYI, i used this list as a starting point, and I almost put in Vai instead of Gilmour or Santana

http://digitaldreamdoor.nutsie.com/pages/best_newguitar.html

The top 10 -- per these folks - is:

1. Jimi Hendrix* - Jimi Hendrix Experience
2. Eric Clapton - Yardbirds, Cream, Derek & The Dominos, Solo
3. Jimmy Page - Yardbirds, Led Zeppelin, The Firm
4. Jeff Beck - Yardbirds, Jeff Beck Group, Solo
5. Eddie Van Halen - Van Halen
6. Stevie Ray Vaughan* - Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble
7. Joe Satriani - Solo
8. Ritchie Blackmore - Deep Purple, Rainbow, Blackmores Night
9. Steve Vai - David Lee Roth, Whitesnake, Solo
10. David Gilmour - Pink Floyd, Solo

Ultimately, I arbitrarily chose Gilmour and Santana because both have been working since the 60s and have exceptional name recognition.

[southpaw]

7. Gilmour

IMO

[abq e streeter]

8. voted Hendrix, but Santana's right up there too

[Mudoria]

9. Gilmour

[EastTennesseeDem]

10. Hendrix, but Duane Allman has to be mentioned.

As do the Ted Turner/Andy Powell combo in Wishbone Ash.

[Captain Hilts]

67. Yes, I'd forgotten about Allman. nt

[SCantiGOP]

69. my vote goes to Duane Allman

Saw them 3 times before his death. Last time, at about 11:45, Gregg drooled into the mike "Hey,they just told me you have an ordinance here that bands can't play past midnight, so we're just going to play one more" and they launched into Whipping Post. Around 12:05 you could see cops talking to the roadies. 10 minutes later they came out and said something to both Duane and Gregg, but they just kept playing. I guess they were afraid of a riot, but around 12:20 a line of cops stretched across the front of the stage, and one cop went around unplugging equipment until the sound crashed. I think they would have played all night otherwise.

[av8rdave]

11. Stevie Ray

That was easy!

[Amerigo Vespucci]

13. It's gotta go to Jimi...

...because he was the first musician to treat the guitar as a channel for his creativity, rather than as an instrument to be "learned."

I think that Stevie had whatever Jimi had...when you look at the progression over all of his albums, there's no telling how far he could have gone.

The other guitarists you list have degrees of greatness, but I don't think any of them can lay claim to "The Best Rock Guitarist of All Time." Page especially, but I blame a lot of that on the fact that he enjoyed sticking a fucking needle in his arm as much as he enjoyed being a musician. He blamed Led Zep's "shambolic" performance on lack of preparation. At the time, I blamed it on junk. He struggled his way through the set and was clearly fucked UP...it was painful to watch. But that's OK, Jimmy. Go ahead and blame it on Phil Collins.

:eyes:

Jimmy Page says last Led Zeppelin reunion was a disaster

Source: List.co.uk
Date: 20 November 2007 (updated 21 November 2007)

Jimmy Page has described as ‘shambolic’ Led Zeppelin’s last reunion.

The metal gods last played together in Philadelphia at the original Live aid in 1985.

Led Zepp thought their performance was so bad that they wouldn't let it be included on the Live Aid DVD release in 2004. Instead, they offered to make a donation.

Page told BBC News: ‘Live Aid was pretty shambolic.

‘We came together and rehearsed with a drummer we’d never met before and then we were joined by Phil Collins, who we’d never played with before, on this great Live Aid stage.

‘We went there with the spirit of it, but actually it was pretty shambolic.’

http://www.list.co.uk/article/5700-jimmy-page-says-last-led-zeppelin-reunion-was-a-disaster/

[greendog]

14. Michael Bloomfield

Killing Floor:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bdQ5re4sYQ&feature=related

Wine:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smRXnyUWktg&feature=PlayList&p=E6BCF826ACDEE153&index=0&playnext=1

[Bennyboy]

31. The guy invented the blues rock thing....

With Butterfield. No Bloomfield, no Hendrix. No SRV.

[Arugula Latte]

16. Other: Johnny Marr

[Rabrrrrrr]

17. For best guitarist playing in a seriously rock vein, it's Hendrix, pure and simple.

For best rock guitarist in terms of technical proficiency and all-around excellence and domination of the instrument, it's Vai. And anyone who says different is a shit-for-brain subhuman living garbage pile.

For best rock guitarist in terms of assembling long, ass-kicking, complex, wondrous guitar solos, it's Zappa.

For best rock guitarist in the sense of who I can listen to for hours and never get bored because they're exciting players, jam the hell out of it, and are also good song writers, it's Gilmour and Page and Lifeson and Iommi.

My favorite guitarist is probably Gilmour, though it depends on the day, but mostly it's Gilmour.

[Captain Hilts]

18. I voted for Jimi, but I would have voted also for Les Paul. nt

[Bennyboy]

19. You all realize the guitar has been played since 1970 right?

Geez. Try Vieux farka Toure an African guitar player that does thing I never saw anyone do on guitar.

Eric McFadden. GOD.

Trey Anastasio (Phish) SUPER GOD.

Warren haynes. Not only does he play the Dickie Betts parts in the Allman Brothers (he used to play the Duane parts when Dickie was in the band) and the Jerry Garcia parts in the Dead, he also has his own band that play a classic rock style.

Derek Trucks. Good God. What an amazing player.

Drew Emmitt, Leftover Salmon. Fiddle, mando and eletric guitar. he is incredible at all of them too.

And for oldies gotta mention jefff beck and jerry garcia. (love the bloomfeld refernce!)

[Advocatus_Diaboli]

28. Thank you

Yes. Can't believe that so many of the greats were not included.
I'd also put Robbie Kreiger on any greats poll.

[Advocatus_Diaboli]

29. Oh, and fwiw my vote would be for Jerry n/t

[SoxFan]

20. Mark Knopfler

[old mark]

21. Rock guitarist: Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols. He recorded their

first album after playing for 3 whole months, and his grasp of essential rock playing is still just great.

There are many other players who are greater technical players, but as far as the rock genre, I love Steve Jones.

IMO, some of the other players you listed don't play rock at all, but blues.


markO8)

[Bennyboy]

22. The correct answer is FRANK ZAPPA....

Stevie's spanking http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fh8jhtYE2KM

[Ohio Joe]

23. I agree

I went with other and also cast my vote for Zappa.

[madrchsod]

34. agree...i saw frank open for cream in chicago

clapton did`t come close to frank. the whole dam band was amazing.

[ornotna]

49. I have to agree

The guy was amazing. He could play anything.

[Twillig]

51. Zappa's the guy in the Leopard skin, right?

He can really play. He went a lil' over the top in his solo, but it's all part of the excitement.

That other mustachioed guy played ok, I guess. Nothing Special.

********************
/smartassery

I'm sorry, I just don't see it.I never have, I guess I never will.

[Enthusiast]

70. +1, Bennyboy! nt

[tekisui]

73. I opened this thread to confirm Zappa.

[Curtland1015]

24. Brian May

...from Queen.

He rocks.

[bif]

25. Danny Gatton

[CBGLuthier]

26. Jeff Beck

I have no idea what is meant by "best" by any other human being but for me, Jeff Beck.

[Tikki]

27. Billy Zoom....

Billy Zoom
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzkNdOY03Q4
"We're Desperate"....X

East Bay Ray is no slouch, either...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QonlEIy3hc0
"Holiday In Cambodia"....Dead Kennedys


Tikki

[azmouse]

30. Joe Satriani

[Tuesday Afternoon]

35. yes and also add Leo Kottke

[ThomWV]

61. Purly for 12 string

Kottke is a favorite of mine too, and its really a shame he is so little known.

[ThomWV]

62. Just want to mention someone often overlooked because of his other work: Frank Zappa

He was a mighty good musician as well.

[KamaAina]

32. Pure guitarist: Hendrix. Best guitarist with a band: Clapton.

Can I be confirmed to the Guitar Court now? :shrug:

edit: spacing

[Skittles]

33. Jimi, but I liked Alvin Lee and Randy Rhodes too

[Zorro]

39. Yes, Alvin Lee is right up there

Think I'm gonna go listen to A Space In Time now.

[carlyhippy]

36. 1. Clapton 2. Hendrix 3. Santana 4. Carl Wilson

with a nod to Eddie Van Halen :)

[mix]

37. Hendrix is the people's favorite.

[bluesbassman]

38. What, no love for Johnny?

Highway 61
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTs_geRvKWc

[bridgit]

41. ^_^

SV - Johnny Winter - Leland Mississippi Blues

[bluesbassman]

44. Now you're talkin'

Dallas
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjcOSmmTTiE

[bridgit]

45. Sweet!

B-)

[johnnie]

46. I was gonna put Johnny on here

But it said "rock" and Johnny is much better than rock. Johnny is never mentioned when it comes to great guitar players, but he is one of the best ever. He blows my mind and in my opinion, puts Stevie Ray to shame when it comes to blues.

[MrSlayer]

40. Alex Skolnick, Jeff Waters, Michael Angelo, Yngwie J. Malmsteen

Or are you not talking about Metal players? A lot of these guys most people have never heard of can play circles around many of the classic guitarists mentioned here. Of course Hendrix influenced so many of them but they have taken his, Van Halen's and Randy Rhodes' techniques to an entirely different level.

[Sugarcoated]

42. Pete Towneshend

His guitar puts butterflies in my stomach.

[mix]

54. you'll like this then

:hi:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_FZVD5lsAw

[bridgit]

43. EJ doesn't get enough cover

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h34G-L5TVM8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnqpOFcBiMM

[Twillig]

56. He's fantastic.

A unique approach.

Such great tone.

[Sebastian Doyle]

47. Lead: Jimi

Rhythm: Keith Richards

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXkPG4o8sVM

[Kadie]

48. Not a rocker, but

here are some Roy Clark clips to listen to...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XUqey6OWTk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqnU83wPmfc&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipweRXwPFiQ&feature=related

[ghostsofgiants]

50. Tom Verlaine of Television deserve mention.

The solo on Marquee Moon alone is more compelling than anything I've heard from the usual suspects.

[Zavulon]

52. The ones who impressed me the most were Ritchie Blackmore and Michael Schenker.

This from purely a technical standpoint, mind you. I truly believe Blackmore is the best who ever lived.

[Throd]

68. Lately I have been trying to figure out how to play some older Schenker tunes

And guess what? It is pretty damn hard.

As for Blackmore, I can play "Lazy" just like he would if he were really drunk and had injured hands. It's a start!

[rcrush]

53. I think Kenny Wayne Shepard deserves a vote

Although he may be more blues. But also a vote for Joe Satriani.

[Twillig]

55. Well, Satriani of course.

Joe Satriani would say Hendrix, of course. He decided to play guitar when Hendrix died, after all.

Satch says Jeff Beck is the best living (rock)guitarist. I don't agree, even though, until the coming of Van Halen I would have.

I go with Satriani. Who can say what is best?

He's best to my ear.

Other players are more technical. Vai, Malmsteen, Gilbert, Petrucci, all players that Satriani put in G3 are better technically. Vai's For the Love of God is probably, to my mind, the best guitar instrumental of all time. But I'm 50/50 on what I like/dislike from Steve Vai.



Some others listed above are not in Satriani's ballpark technically, and their music doesn't do much for me. Others have produced some music I love to death.

Some I haven't heard enough of to judge. I get only a general idea of how and what they play and don't look for more.

So, with that in mind, in the defense of Satch, I'll post 3 vids I think that if you hate them, then you'll never like him as a player.

Ten Words:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v_fFoYgsPo&feature=channel

Made of Tears (bluesey jam)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAalYg53V30&feature=related

Raspberry Jam Delta-V
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtkOSsHedzw&feature=channel_page

[dysfunctional press]

59. tommy bolin

[ThomWV]

60. Stevie Ray - although my heart goes with Jimi

but in the back of my mind there are two names omited that are well worthy of being on the list. First is Ry Cooder and second is Mark Knopfler.

[Boomerang Diddle]

63. George Harrison!

[DainBramaged]

64. Leo Kottke (acoustic) tied with Bill Nelson (Be Bop Deluxe)

Be Bop Deluxe

Studio albums
Axe Victim (1974)
Futurama (1975)
Sunburst Finish (1976)
Modern Music (1977)
Drastic Plastic (1978)

Live albums
1977: Live in the Air Age
1994: Radioland - BBC Radio One Live In Concert
1998: Tramcar to Tomorrow
2002: Tremulous Antenna

Compilations
The Best Of and the Rest Of (1978)
Singles A's & B's (1981)
Bop To the Red Noise (1986) (mixture of BBD and Red Noise material)
Raiding the Divine Archive (1987)
Air Age Anthology (1997) (double CD)
Very Best Of (1998)
Postcards From the Future (2002)

Solo albums
Bill Nelson, Northern Dream (1971). Bill Nelson released this solo album prior to Be Bop Deluxe.
Bill Nelson, Luminous (1991). Includes material originally written by Nelson for a possible Be Bop Deluxe reunion.

Leo Kottke

Discography
12-String Blues (1969)
6- and 12-String Guitar (1969)
Circle Round The Sun (1970)
Mudlark (1971)
Greenhouse (1972)
My Feet Are Smiling (1973)
Ice Water (1974)
Dreams And All That Stuff (1974)
Leo Kottke, John Fahey & Peter Lang (1974)
Chewing Pine (1975)
1971-1976 (Did You Hear Me?) (compilation album) (1976)
Leo Kottke (1976)
The Best (1976)
Burnt Lips (1978)
Balance (1979)
Live in Europe (1980)
Guitar Music (1981)
Time Step (1983)
Voluntary Target (1983)
A Shout Towards Noon (1986)
Regards From Chuck Pink (1988)
My Father's Face (1989)
That's What (1990)
Great Big Boy (1991)
Essential (1991)
Peculiaroso (1994)
Paul Bunyan (with Jonathan Winters) (1994)
Live (1995)
Standing In My Shoes (1997)
The Leo Kottke Anthology (1997)
Hear the Wind Howl (released in England and Europe only) (1997)
One Guitar, No Vocals (1999)
Clone (with Mike Gordon, formerly of Phish) (2002)
The Instrumentals: The Best of the Capitol Years (2003)
The Instrumentals: The Best of the Chrysalis Years (2003)
Try And Stop Me (2004)
Sixty Six Steps (with Mike Gordon) (2005)

http://www.leokottke.com/cgi-bin/ontour/leotour.cgi

[tekisui]

74. I like John Fahey for accoustic, followed by Kottke.

[DainBramaged]

76. Your taste is impeccable, but Kottke is my acoustic favorite for the past 40 years

Saw him live in 1971 in San Diego and just fell in love with ole "glycerin fingers".

[Throd]

65. Michael Schenker

[tigereye]

66. hmm, Segovia, Fred Frith, Robert Fripp, Joan Jett, RIchard Thompson

( he really is an amazing guitarist), the woman from the Letterman band. John Hiatt, Robert Randolph, too.



From your choices, I'd probably pick Stevie Ray Vaughn, though.

[HughBeaumont]

71. I wouldn't know, but Jan Akkerman is up there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpV5InLw52U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vakx58fh4bA&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fV35BrRn4_I&feature=related

[Lars39]

72. Right now I'm partial to Mark Knopfler.

:)

[tekisui]

75. My favorite Jazz guitarist is Pat Metheney....The Best!

[travelingtypist]

77. Other -- John Petrucci

Satriani and Jeff Beck should be up there as well.

[flvegan]

78. Angus Young.