With all this talk lately of guitarists on here I thought it be good to start a discussion on who are your top 5 guitarists – which guitarist makes you go wow………..how many fingers has this guy”?.
Only rules are: you can only have 5 guitarists (I know it’s hard) and I need to know your favorite song and I’ll try and post the track.
My selection wasn’t easy – I could have 15 guys in here.
Also, I’m not really sure I know what makes a good technical guitarist ( I sometimes read this in reviews oh so and so is such a good technical player) so my choice comes from simply loving what the guy does with his guitar end of story.
1. Alex Lifeson – La Villa Strangiato
Has to be my favorite guitarist – in fact this band happen to have my fav bass player and drummer as well. They are all masters of their instruments but unlike like Dream Theater and others who play only for themselves these guys and especially Alex know when to stop and use the space; know when to change a theme; know when to bring it all back and knock your socks off – as this song so aptly shows. The only blight must be the voice…..yes the voice.
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2. Brian May – We Will Rock You
Anybody that can share a stage with the greatest showman in rock and still be noticed has my vote. And while this track is different to the original you can still feel and hear the rocker that is Brian May – just great music.
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3. Rory Gallagher – Follow Me
This guy is just brilliant. Has his heart and soul in his guitar. For me he’s at his best when live and although I did not have the pleasure of seeing him in the flesh his live albums are just a dream.
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4. Ry Cooder – The Very Thing That Makes you Rich Makes You Poor
Nobody, in my humble opinion ‘feels’ a guitar like this guy. From Captain Beefheart to Little Village Ry to his many other projects has always shown us mortals how to play those 6 strings. Probably every guitarists favorite guitarist.
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5. Ritchie Blackmore – Speed King
It so could have been Jimmy Page at number 5 as I grew up listening to and admiring both. But Blackmore just has the edge as my first true musical love has to be ‘Deep Purple in Rock’ – a truly remarkable album – sorry James. It’s such a shame that Blackmore’s probably also one of the biggest arseholes.
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So….what you think? I know there’s no Hendrix or Clapton or Green or Hooker or King or……..but these are the guys that I remember the most as being my top 5 guitarists.
Now its your turn.
Photos courtesy of
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Guitarzone.com
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members.cox.net
last.fm
I am surprised that there has been no response to this yet, surely Uncle RD has got a lot to input here. Anyway, it’s an impossible mission, my 5 favourites today will be totally different by tomorrow but let’s have a go anyway.
In no particular order:
Peter Green – Always loved the early bluesy Fleetwood Mac. A dream came true when he came to play in Cork last year, topped only by the knowledge that he’s coming back next month. Favourite track? has to be The Green Manlishi from the Boston Live CD.
Carlos Santana – Just listen to Abraxus (all the way through) then name someone who could top the sublime brilliance of the man.
Jimi Hendrix – Where to start? I think I first heard him when I was about 7 years old. I can’t remember a time when he wasn’t a part of my life. Electric Ladyland must be one the greatest albums of all time. For a taste of how it should be done listen to Voodoo Chile.
Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree) – Insurgentes, his solo album maybe gets a bit pretentious at times, but when this guy is on fire, Prog Rock needn’t worry about its future. They have been discussed quite a bit on here, but there’s no denying the quality of the likes of Coma Divine (early years) or Fear of a Blank Planet.
Martin Barre (Jethro Tull) – Solid as a rock! Not sure how long he has been with Tull (forever it seems). Get into Aqualung and just let his work blow you away.
I’m going to cheat and add in a number six. I can’t find it in me to leave out John Martyn. A double whammy with Solid Air and One World at the top of his list!
It does seem to be a bit worrying that both my own and Mr D’s lists are full of, shall we say, the older generation? Surely there must be plenty of notable youngsters around. Or is it just that they need time to build a healthy repertoire before we can class them as greats?
Thanks for your top 6 guitarists – the only guy I’m not too familiar with is Martin Barre – recommend please.
You’re right that both our lists are made up of old geezers – I bet when URD does post, his will be even older. There are notable youngsters around Bonamassa, Trucks, Mayer, Aynsley Lister, Jack White, John Frusciante but are they better than our guys? We grew up with our guys and it will surely take someone extraordinary to knock these guys off our lists – we haven’t even mentioned Clapton, Winwood, Richards, Hiatt, Page, Gorham, Robertson – the old geezer list rolls on and on
Hey Mr LD long time. have been travelling was in UK yesterday at Wembly to watch my beloved Chelsea beat Aston Villa flew back overnight then straight to work nitemare but worth it.
My top 5 guitarists in no particular order are
1. Noel Gallagher – Cigarettes & alcohol
2. Paul Weller – Start
3. Johnny Marr – There Is a Light That Never Goes Out
4. The Edge – Where the Streets Have No Name
5. Brian May – One Vision
Did this list on hols from my ipod but I think its good I know that you and Mr. SP are going slag off no. 1 on my list but I think he is just fab.
Mrs SP says:
1. Jimmy Page
2. Django Rheinhardt
3. Al Di Meola
4. Jimi Hendrix
5. Adam Jones (Tool)
But she is at pains to point out that this list changes every day.
How about Miyavi (just came across him on a totally unrelated google search!)
Sinny, Paul Weller has a new album coming out soon (Wake Up The Nation) – looking forward to seeing a review here please!
Hi Sinny – welcome back did you travel back to UK just for footie?
Thanks for posting your top 5 guitarists some good guys here plus it shows that there is some diversity on here. I sometimes wonder if we do blag on too much about prog rock and blues and old stuff so thanks again. In fact The Edge almost made my list as he can be so unique.
Thanks Dear Sis – good one how he do all that with just two hands?
What unrelated search were you doing to find this?
Of course – though I hope its not a doubler like the last one. It had some great songs but just 8 tracks too long
Thanks to Mrs Spacey – whats the list today then? I reckon mine is about the same with maybe Mark Knopfler joining my merry band of minstrels
Not quite sure who’s on her list today, although Robert Johnson seems to be popular right now.
Ever heard of Oingo Boingo? Nope, neither had I, but she has started going nuts for them all of a sudden. Think it all kicked off when she watched Nightmare Before Christmas (again) and realised that Danny Elfman had a previous incarnation as some kind of weird ’80′s band leader. Try this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iypUpv9xelg
Now I’m not saying that this music does anything for me, just another example of how weird things can get around here.
As for Martin Barre, the aforementioned Aqualung is essential, as is Minstrel in the Gallery, but if you have never heard the live one, Bursting Out, then prepare for a life changing experience!
http://entertainment.iafrica.com/music/news/2212034.htm
Oingo Boingo? Spacey you just have to have your own reality TV show
Thanks for article URD its the kind of list I would have expected from Radio 6 listeners – very indie. Some good stuff here though especially Jonny Greenwood (very underated) and Tom Morello.
Waiting with baited breath for yours
Note to Laughing Dog
Lists of favorites always manages to annoy me. I find the exercise pointless and futile solely aimed at people with little else to do with their time. As Spacepig and spouse declare “this list changes every day” so what’s the point?
I will agree, though, with you Laughing Dog, when you say that the guitarist is the soul of the band, and remind all your readers that people like Les Paul, Buddy Holly, Scotty Moore, Chet Atkins and my personal icon Hank Marvin were the pioneers of the guitar. They had only six strings and their own genius to guide them; this is why they sound so unique and distinctive unlike many of the guys mentioned in lists here.
Oh I think that’s a little bit harsh Ken. Believe it or not I have plenty to do with my time, but sometimes its good just to switch off and think about what hits the spot repeatedly.
I am not hugely big on lists, but with only being given the opportunity to mention 5 (or 6) guitarists we are going to end up with quite an eclectic selection of suggestions. While I don’t agree with most of Mr SA’s list, I was intrigued by his inclusion of Johnny Marr. I never really rated The Smiths, a bit too depressing for me, but this made me go and listen to a few tracks just to see what I had been missing, and I have to admit, on listening with a fresh pair of ears, there sure is something there.
And please, bear in mind that we all have different preferences. What a boring world it would be if we all liked the same music. While I have nothing against Hank Marvin, or indeed any of the guys you have mentioned, they wouldn’t be on my list of preferences. I can’t think of Scotty Moore though, maybe you could suggest a good introduction to him?
And today I am into Canned Heat (again) so I have to mention Henry Vestine.
So Mr D wants to put me on telly? I don’t think we could make a reality show here in Spacepig Towers – more like an unreality show. I really can’t think of a channel which would dare put it on the airwaves though.
Hey Ken chill out abit, I like lists, xmas lists, to do lists, woman I want to kiss list its all good
Welcome back Ken
you miserable git– now for a list of my top 35 weathermen1. Micheal Fish
2. Francis Wilson
3………………………………………………………………………….:-)
Ok, so I’ve been agonising over this one for some time. It’s a bit like trying to find a name for your firstborn; you’ll forever be associated with – and held accountable for – your eventual choice.
Statistics show that the average rock fan spends roughly 4.7 hours per year arguing over who’s the greatest guitarist of all time. I’ve made a couple of false starts with this posting already. Let’s see if I can see it through this time round.
So, firstly, how to define “guitarist” ? Does it require a certain level of virtuosity, or is it enough just to be a guitar player ? The artist I currently most listen to, and who plays guitar on ALL his songs, is Jack Johnson, but I doubt he would feature on anyone’s “Top 100 Guitar Players” list. But then, his music doesn’t need any Guitar Hero histrionics or showboating, so in his genre, for his songs, I do think he’s a great guitar player. And I’d give a great deal to be the metaphorical fly-on-the-wall eavesdropping on him and his friends having a quiet jam …. But I shan’t feature him in my list, mainly because I see him more as a singer-songwriter than as a guitarist.
Then, how to define “top” or “greatest”? Fastest ? Loudest ? Most versatile ? Peer-group recognition ? Most prolific ? There are guitarists whose sheer skill and dexterity I can admire, but whose music leaves me cold (Tom Morello – sorry, Wezside – Steve Vai, et al). These guys generally are a treat to WATCH, but normally I find their music way too strident for my listening pleasure . There are guitarists whose craft and artistry I can appreciate, whom I can listen to when I’m in a very particular mood (maybe once in 5 years), but who would not define my overall taste in music. Andres Segovia. John Williams (who can NOT take pleasure in “Cavatina” or his work with Sky ?). And then there are guys whom I can acknowledge as being great, as in I can see why there are hosts of people who enjoy and laud their music, but whose work just doesn’t strike a chord with me personally (for some reason, I’ve just never been able to get into Hendrix in a big way).
For me, then, my “top guitarists” are my “go-to guys”, the artists whom I visit time and again when I specifically feel like tuning into some great guitaring (rather than just great songs or great music). Which, for me, normally means the blues:
1) ERIC CLAPTON (the later years). Maybe because, as a WHITE man jamming the blues, he gives me some small hope that I can live the blues too (lol). Mainly because he’s just so damn versatile. He can ace Delta, Chicago, Memphis, Detroit, hard-rock blues, acoustic, steel, slide, and even (in his own words) a bit of reggae and a bit of jazz. I’m not such a fan of his psychedelic rock numbers (circa Cream), and even some of his ballsier blues-rock tracks are not my normal cuppa tea, but the type of stuff on “Unplugged” and his Robert Johnson covers make him my Number One choice. He just keeps on getting better. “RUNNING ON FAITH (Unplugged)”
2) MARK KNOPFLER. YEARS ago, when Dire Straits first broke onto the scene, I had a self-installed “state-of-the-art” sound system in my first car, a Mazda 323 (woohoo !). The tape deck had an auto-reverse function (remember those, anyone ?). Among my collection of over 600 cassettes, I also had a C-90 (remember those, anyone ?) with the Straits’ first two albums back-to-back on the two sides of the cassette. If that found its way into the tape deck, literally weeks would go by before it was ejected again. The tape would just be started at wherever I last stopped listening, and endlessly cycle back and forth between the two albums. THAT’S how good Mark Knopfler is. People talk about how “clean” his playing is; to me he just makes everything seem so effortless. Unlike with Clapton, though, I prefer Knopfler’s earlier work. He became a little bit too much country for me post-Dire Straits, though there still are a few individual pearls to be found (especially among his soundtrack work). “ROMEO AND JULIET”
3) BUDDY GUY. Clapton said “Buddy Guy is by far and without a doubt the best guitar player alive…if you see him in person, the way he plays is beyond anyone. Total freedom of spirit, I guess… He really changed the course of rock and roll blues.” He can play the blues loud and aggressive, or quieter than almost anyone. To LISTEN to, it’s his quieter work I prefer (and I think he got better as he started losing his hair), but to WATCH, it almost doesn’t matter what he plays. Far and away my first choice for the guitarist I most enjoy watching “live” on DVD. He has this insane, almost smug, cheeky grin which, to me, seems to say “play whatever you like – I’ll match you note-for-note and then come back at with you WAY more”. “WRONG DOING WOMAN” (with Junior Wells)
4) LIGHTNIN’ HOPKINS. I generally like my blues to be as basic as possible. With B.B.King, for instance, I find a lot of his (especially later) stuff to be a bit overblown – what I call “big band blues”. Lightnin’ Hopkins, on the other hand, kept his blues informal, uncomplicated, stripped-down and very true its roots. He died in 1982, but apparently recorded more albums than any other bluesman. “MIGHTY CRAZY”
5) R.L.BURNSIDE. Also no longer with us (died of a heart attack in 2005). I find him similar, in many ways, to Lightnin’ Hopkins. Both did stints in jail (almost a requisite for a true bluesman – much like for a rap artist nowadays) , both received acclaim relatively late in their careers, and their general listening effect is quite similar. His tracks can start all-sounding-the-same after awhile, so I prefer to listen to his work in random play mode, but individually his songs are all quite brilliant. “DEATH BELL BLUES”
(As an aside to Laughing Dog: R.L.’s son, Duwayne Burnside, has played guitar with the North Mississippi Allstars)
Now where’s my Southern Comfort … ?
Note to Ken
These lists of our Top 5 Guitarists may be pointless, but:
1) they might introduce us to (or cause us to re-evaluate) an artist, band or genre
2) they give us some small insight into the musical tastes of our fellow MFTM devotees
3) they have led to some good comments and debate. I’m sure it’s no easy feat for a one-man-band to keep a site dynamic and interactive month after month. Well done, LD
4) they have given the Dog (another) opportunity to call you a miserable git
Here’s a Top 100 Guitarist List I found on a website called http://www.the-top-tens.com. Looks like it’s a fairly dynamic list, in that visitors to the site can vote for their favourite(s) and the list gets updated continuously. I include it here because it has a lot of interesting names that I’ve not heard of before (LZ, it even has Miyazi), and a few younger, more contemporary names than we’ve been listing here. Looks, too, like a lot of Japanese vote on the site (and a good many Chuck Norris fans). Enjoy ….
1) Jimi Hendrix, The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Buckethead
2) Slash, Guns n Roses
3) Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin
4) Synyster Gates, Avenged Sevenfold
5) Kirk Hammett, Metallica
6) Eddie Van Halen, Van Halen
7) Tariqh Akoni
9) Tomo Milicevic, 30 Seconds To Mars
10) Prince
11) Neal Schon, Journey
12) Hide, X Japan
13) Angus Young, AC/DC
14) Matthias Jabs, Scorpions
15) John Frusciante, Red Hot Chili Peppers
16) Richie Sambora, Bon Jovi
17) Brian May, Queen
18) Eric Clapton, Cream, Derek & The Dominoes
19) Dimebag Darrell, Pantera
20) Eric Johnson
21) Matt Bellamy, Muse
22) John Petrucci, Dream Theater
23) David Gilmour, Pink Floyd
24) Herman Li, Dragonforce
25) Carlos Santana
26) Kitamura Ken, L’Arc-en-Ciel
27) Stevie Ray Vaughan, Double Trouble
28) Joe Satriani
29) Randy Rhoads
30) Tom Morello, Rage Against The Machine, Audioslave
31) Steve Vai
32) Alexi ‘Wildchild’ Laiho, Children Of Bodom
33) Mark Knopfler, Dire Straits
34) Daron Malakian, System Of A Down
35) Nancy Wilson, Heart
36) Miyavi, Due Le Quartz, S.K.I.N.
37) Duane Allman, Allman Brothers Band
38) Yngwie J. Malmsteen
39) Jerry Cantrell, Alice In Chains
40) Glenn Tipton, Judas Priest
41) Ritchie Blackmore, Deep Purple
42) Tim Mahoney, 311
43) Dave Mustaine, Megadeth
44) Rick Nielsen, Cheap Trick
45) Kurt Cobain, Nirvana
46) Alex Lifeson, Rush
47) Zakk Wylde, Black Label Society
48) Tony Iommi, Black Sabbath
49) The Edge, U2
50) Marty Friedman, Megadeth
51) Jeff Beck
52) Mark Tremonti, Creed
53) Frank Iero, My Chemical Romance
54) Paul Gilbert, Mr. Big
55) Uruha, The GazettE
56) KK. Downing, Judas Priest
57) Zacky Vengeance, Avenged Sevenfold
58) Chuck Norris
59) Adrian Smith, Iron Maiden
60) Rory Gallagher
61) Ace Frehley, Kiss
62) Michael Angelo Batio
63) George Harrison, The Beatles
64) Elliott Smith
65) Tommy Emmanuel
66) Joe Perry, Aerosmith
67) Pete Townshend, The Who
68) Man Kidal, Lefthanded
69) Kaoru, Dir En Grey
70) Billie Joe Armstrong, Green Day
71) Aoi, The GazettE
72) Phil Collen, Def Leppard
73) Roger Fisher, Heart
74) Mick Thomson, Slipknot
75) Tweke Lewis, Man
76) Frank Zappa
77) Peter Frampton
78) Steve Lukather, Toto
79) Brad Delson, Linkin Park
80) Jason Becker, Cacophony
81) Jack White, White Stripes
82) Steve Morse, Deep Purple
83) Phil Keaggy
84) Steve Howe, Yes
85) Jerry Garcia, Grateful Dead
86) Keith Richards, Rolling Stones
87) B.B.King
88) Ted Nugent
89) Dan Donegan, Disturbed
90) Michael Schenker, UFO, Scorpions
91) Mike McCready, Pearl Jam
92) Ray Toro, My Chemical Romance
93) Rik Emmett, Triumph
94) Hillel Slovak, Red Hot Chili Peppers
95) Jani Liimatainen, Sonata Arctica
96) Pepe Smith, Juan Dela Cruz Band
97) Richard Z. Kruspe, Rammstein
98) Gary Moore, Thin Lizzy
99) Uli Jon Roth, Scorpions
100) Bill Theocharidis, Scorpions
… and here is Rolling Stone’s list from September 2003. Yes, yes, I know it’s everyone’s favourite magazine (not !), but I like it because it has a LOT of bluesmen. Also because it includes an “essential recording” for each guitarist (apart from Hendrix at No.1). I’ve also included their notes for the artists who made my list as well.
1) Jimi Hendrix
2) Duane Allman (Allman Brothers Band). “Statesboro Blues”
3) B.B.King. “Sweet Sixteen Pts 1-2”
4) Eric Clapton. Cream’s “Crossroads”
It first appeared in 1965, written on the walls of the London subway: “Clapton is God.” Eric Patrick Clapton, of Ripley, England — fresh out of his first major band, the Yardbirds, and recently inducted into John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers — had just turned twenty and been playing guitar only since he was fifteen. But Clapton was already soloing with the improvisational nerve that has dazzled fans and peers for forty years. In his 1963-65 stint with the Yardbirds, Clapton’s nickname was Slowhand, an ironic reference to the velocity of his lead breaks. But Clapton insisted in a 2001 Rolling Stone interview, “I think it’s important to say something powerful and keep it economical.” Even when he jammed on a tune for more than a quarter-hour with Cream, Clapton soloed with a daggerlike tone and pinpoint attention to melody. The solo albums that followed Layla, his 1970 tour de force with Derek and the Dominos, emphasize his desires as a singer-songwriter. But on the best, like 1974′s 46I Ocean Boulevard and 1983′s Money and Cigarettes, his solos and flourishes still pack the power that made him “God” in the first place.
5) Robert Johnson. “Hell Hound On My Trail”
Ry Cooder. Mick Jagger’s “Memo From Turner”
6) Chuck Berry. “Johnny B. Goode”
7) Stevie Ray Vaughan. “Texas Flood”
9) Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin). “Stairway to Heaven”
10) Keith Richards (Rolling Stones). “Happy”
11) Kirk Hammett (Metallica). “Welcome Home (Sanitarium”).
12) Kurt Cobain (Nirvana). “Smells Like Teen Spirit”
13) Jerry Garcia (Grateful Dead). “Cryptical Environment”
14) Jeff Beck. “Beck’s Bolero”
15) Carlos Santana. “Black Magic Woman”
16) Johnny Ramone (Ramones). “Teenage Lobotomy”
17) Jack White (White Stripes). “I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself”
18) John Frusciante (Red Hot Chili Peppers). “Under The Bridge”
19) Richard Thompson. Fairport Convention’s “Sloth”
20) James Burton. Dale Hawkin’s “Susie Q”
21) George Harrison. “Something”
22) Mike Bloomfield. The Paul Butterfield Blues Band’s “East-West”
23) Warren Haynes. Gov’t Mule’s “Soulshine”
24) The Edge (U2). “The Fly”
25) Freddy King. “Hide Away”
26) Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine & Audioslave). Rage Against The Machine’s “Sleep Now In The Fire”
27) Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits). “Romeo & Juliet”
Dire Straits founder and solo artist Mark Knopfler emerged at a time when guitar virtuosos were spurned by punks and New Wavers. Yet from the first stinging notes of “Sultans of Swing,” Knopfler’s roots-based approach and supple, burnished leads found almost universal appeal. A fingerpicker who favors Fender Stratocasters — a Knopfler-designed Strat was introduced in July as part of Fender’s “Artist Series” — he’s known for his rich tone, sinuous melodicism and rangy, fluid solos. “My sound is fingers on a Strat,” he once said.
28) Stephen Stills. Buffalo Springfield’s “Bluebird”
29) Ron Asheton (Stooges). “No Fun”
30) Buddy Guy. “Stone Crazy”
A key influence on Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan, Buddy Guy put the Louisiana hurricane in 1960s electric Chicago blues as a member of Muddy Waters’ band and as a house guitarist at Chess Records. A native of the Baton Rouge area, he combined a blazing modernism with a fierce grip on his roots, playing frantic leads heavy with swampy funk on Howlin’ Wolf’s “Killing Floor” and Koko Taylor’s “Wang Dang Doodle” as well as on his own Chess sides and the fine series of records he made with harp man Junior Wells. One of the last active connections to the golden age of Chess, Guy still plays with his original fire.
31) Dick Dale. “Miserlou”
32) John Cipollina (Quicksilver Messenger Service). “Mona”
33 & 34) Thurston Moore, Lee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth). “Silver Rocket”
35) John Fahey. “The Yellow Princess”
36) Steve Cropper (Booker T. & The MG’s). “Green Onions”
37) Bo Diddley. “Who Do You Love”
38) Peter Green (Fleetwood Mac). “Underway”
39) Brian May (Queen). “We Will Rock You”
40) John Fogerty (Creedence Clearwater Revival). “Green River”
41) Clarence White (Birds). “Just A Season”
42) Robert Fripp (King Crimson). “The Great Deceiver”
43) Eddie Hazel (Funkadelic). “Maggot Brain”
44) Scotty Moore. Elvis Presley’s “That’s All Right”
45) Frank Zappa. “Willie The Pimp”
46) Les Paul. “How High The Moon”
47) T-Bone Walker. “Mean Old World”
48) Joe Perry (Aerosmith). “Walk This Way”
49) John McLaughlin. The Mahavishnu Orchestra’s “Meeting Of The Spirits”
50) Pete Townshend. The Who’s “I Can see For Miles”
51) Paul Kossoff (Free). “All Right Now”
52) Lou Reed. “I Heard Her Call My Name”
53) Mickey Baker. “Love Is Strange”
54) Jorma Kaukonen (Jefferson Airplane). “Spare Chaynge”
55) Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple). “Highway Star”
56) Tom Verlaine (Television). “Marquee Moon”
57) Roy Buchanan. “The Messiah Will Come Again”
58) Dickey Betts (Allman Brothers Band). “In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed”
59 & 60) Ed O’Brien, Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead). “Street Spirit (Fade Out)”
61) Ike Turner. “Proud Mary”
62) Zoot Horn Rollo (Magic Band). “Big Eyed Beans From Venus”
63) Danny Gatton. Howlin’ Wolf’s “Shake For Me”
64) Mick Ronson. David Bowie’s “Panic In Detroit”
65) Hubert Sumlin. Howlin’ Wolf’s “Shake For Me”
66) Vernon Reid (Living Color). “Love Rears Its Ugly Head”
67) Link Wray. “Rumble”
68) Jerry Miller (Moby Grape). “Hey Grandma”
69) Steve Howe (Yes). “The Clap”
70) Eddie van Halen. “Eruption”
71) Lightnin’ Hopkins. “Moving On Out Boogie”
Sam “Lightnin’ ” Hopkins learned the blues from Blind Lemon Jefferson in the Twenties. He was a ferocious electric stylist in the Fifties, though he’s perhaps best known for his nimble acoustic fingerpicking during the Sixties folk-blues revival. As unpredictable as John Lee Hooker, he seemed to be making it up as he went along, and often was.
72) Joni Mitchell. “All I Want”
73) Trey Anastasio (Phish). “You Enjoy Myself”
74) Johnny Winter. “Prodigal Son”
75) Adam Jones (Tool). “Stinkfist”
76) Ali Farka Toure. “Singya”
77) Henry Vestine (Canned Heat). “Fried Hockey Boogie”
78) Robbie Robertson (The Band). “Jemima Surrender”
79) Cliff Gallup (Blue Caps). Gene Vincent’s “Race With The Devil”
80) Robert Quine (Voidoids). “Love Comes In Spurts”
81) Derek Trucks. “Afro Blue”
82) David Gilmour (Pink Floyd). “Shine On You Crazy Diamond Pts 1-5”
83) Neil Young. “Powderfinger”
84) Eddie Cochran. “Summertime Blues”
85) Randy Rhoads. Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train”
86) Tommy Iommi (Black Sabbath). “Iron Man”
87) Joan Jett. “Bad Reputation”
88) Dave Davies (The Kinks). “You Really Got Me”
89) D.Boon (The Minutemen). “History Lesson Pt 2”
90) Glen Buxton (Alice Cooper). “Eighteen”
91) Robby Krieger (The Doors). “Peace Frog”
92 & 93) Wayne Kramer, Fred ‘Sonic’ Smith (MC5). “Kick Out The Jams”
94) Bert Jansch. “Poison”
95) Kevin Shields (My Bloody Valentine). “Only Shallow”
96) Angus Young (AC/DC). “Hells Bells”
97) Robert Randolph. “Ted’s Jam”
98) Leigh Stephens (Blue Cheer). “Summertime Blues”
99) Greg Ginn (Black Flag). “Rise Above”
100) Kim Thayil (Soundgarden). “Fell On Black Days”
Dear RaveyUncledavey – what can one say……….simply a fantastic Top 5 guitarist post – thank you.
You capture quite superbly in words how you feel about these guys and the music they create – making me want to explore more, great stuff.
I reckon this must be one of the best discussions we’ve had.
“Ken you’re a miserable git” – who needs an excuse?
Hi daveyraveyuncle – I also visited this site for inspiration, some good guys here of course.
What do you think of No. 17 Jack White? Spacey, Sinny, Strappy, Ken you too.
RE: Jack White (15/04/2010 18h50).
Don’t know much about the White Stripes. What I have heard hasn’t hooked me yet. They did/do at least appear to be somewhat different and original. So, thus far, I like the style but can’t comment on the substance. Next time I hear them, I definitely will make a point of tuning into the guitar playing, and see if that helps coalesce an opinion.
Thanks RUD for your comments on Jack White – I aim to post a new thread about him soon with samples so will discus further then.
I gave up on the White Stripes years ago hearing one track, don’t have a clue what it was called, but it sounded like a 3 year old bashing away on some tin cans with a banshee howling in the background. Never listened to them since, maybe its time for a reappraisal.
I was intrigued by Uncle RD’s inclusion of RL Burnside. Yet another name I had always been intending on listening to but just never got around to it. So, me being me, off I went and found a couple of CDs. Very strange stuff, blues mixed with rap mixed with 90′s dance music! You wouldn’t think it could work, but somehow or other it does.
S’pig, try and get hold of “Acoustic Stories”, the album that first turned me on to R.L.
The rap that you’re referring to might be what they call “talking blues” (which I quite enjoy) or “toasts”, which a more of a narrative folsy tale or even poem. “Monkey in the Pool Room” is one that he does. These I find faintly interesting or amusing at first listen, but I normally skip over them when they come out on an album listen, after that.
… should read “narrative FOLKSY tale” …
Hi all – brilliant site which I stumbled on after reading a recent BBQ thread on Amazon. Many more visits to this site, I’m sure….
Favourite 5 guitarists are:
1) David Gilmour
2) Chris Rea
3) Jimmy Page
4) Jimi Hendrix
5) Joe Bonamassa
Sh!t – 5 just isn’t enough is it? I left out John Mayall, Buddy Guy, Jeff Beck, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Paul Kossoff, Peter Green, Sister Rosetta Tharpe…… maaan
Hi Technoflid and welcome to musicforthemonth.com
Great choice of guitarists – glad you have included Joe Bonamassa, what do you think of Black Rock?
Also, have a look at my May Song of the Month – a guy called Philip Sayce. Now he does show promise – let me know what you think.
Hi Techy – who said picking your top 5 would be easy
Good choice with Paul Kossof very underrated – listening now to The Groundhogs ‘Live at Leeds’ what do you think about Tony McPhee – another very underrated guitarist
Hi Technoflid (you’re going to have to explain that one to us sometime), come in and take a seat, you could be here for quite while.
Good to see this post revived, some things are just too good to die off. Another great top 5, I am just rediscovering Chris Rea, thanks to the Dog. The one that did have me intrigued though was Sister Rosetta Tharpe. Never heard of, care to elaborate a bit for us plebians?
Mr D, didn’t take you long to find The Groundhogs did it? That is one stomper of a CD you found there, you’ll have to let us know what you make of it.
Looks like URD has found a kindred spirit here with Technoflid – yay ! Techno & Rave join forces to chillax with the blues. Bring it on !
Ha ha – thanks URD…. I think we may just be. I have a huge soft spot for the blues, but also love all sorts of music, including rock, indie, dance,etc etc etc – there are two types of music – good and bad….
Spacepig – Technoflid is a moniker I created some time ago for e-bay and the likes. It simply refers to the fact that I’m a bit of an idiot when it comes to fixing anything gadgety….even though I love my toys, like my i-pod, my decks etc…
Sister Rosetta Tharpe is someone I discovered by accident whilst watching one of ‘The Blues Series’ by Martin Scorsese. This tiny black women came on screen and played an astounding blues number and I had to track her down – her music is very much influenced by gospel, blues and soul. Some of the recordings are a bit crackly as they date back to the late thirties, but well worth checking out.
It’s great to find a site where it’s possible to share this stuff with like minded people – good work indeed Laughing Dog.
Re Joe Bonamassa’s Black Rock – I’m not familiar with it enough yet, as only recently got it. First impressions are very good (and especially like ‘When The Fire Hits The Sea’), but I’m not as fond of it as Sloe Gin or Blues Deluxe…
I admit that I’m not familiar with Tony McPhee – woth checking out by the sounds of things though.
Hi Techy – I reckon Black Rock is a very good album, in my humble opinion better than John Henry. Will be posting a Groundhogs sample very soon so you can hear what they’re like
just have to leave my five best guitarist on this discussion
1: Frank Zappa – willie the pimp (my gretest composer)
2: Ali Farka Toure – amandrai
3: Joe Satriani – surfing with the alien
4: Steve Vai – stevies spanking (with Zappa)
5: Jan Satorras – espacio sin fronteras
these are by no means in order apart from Zappa who is and allways will be the best
for me.
Hi Bert – thanks for your top 5. Frank Zappa at no. 1 – I don’t actually own any of his, can you recommend a good place to start?
yes yes yes!!! It has to be Joe’s Garage.
Just don’t let Mrs Dog or the pups listen in though.
sheik yerbouti was the first i ever heard but joes garage is great as well
others i recomend are hot rats filmore east i could go on and on
i have over 50 albums from Zappa all of his music
Spacepig is right dont let Mrs Dog or the pups hear it as some of his lyrics are a little crude
but the music is outstanding
before he died Zappa wrote copositons so complicated that no human could play it
this is no joke, has to be done by computer or a synclavier an old type of keybord
he was an extrodinary musician
excuse my spelling i am a bit dixlexic