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SOME of the Best Guitarists
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Published on Saturday, 06 August 2011 20:00
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Written by Will
As I begin this opinionated list of great rock guitar players, I am transported back through time to a schoolyard. It doesn't matter where the schoolyard is, the same argument is occurring the world over. A primarily male dominated argument, it transpires when burgeoning levels of testosterone rage unchecked in the adolescent male.
If you are a guy, you already know where this is going-"Captain America could beat up Batman any day", to be immediately rebuked just as vehemently with "Captain America is a pussy, Batman would mop the floor with his wussy red-white-and-blue ass" retort. The subject matter is irrelevant. The same argument arises over sports heroes, vehicles, tools, and as will certainly come to pass after this article is posted...musicians. It is an opinion-based, impossible-to-win, logically-unsound product of hormone-induced posturing, ultimately used to woo the opposite sex, although in most cases they could give a rat's ass. It is not based on logic and doesn't need to be. For me, the subject was always musicians...and film, but in this case, musicians.
 Music has a profound effect on most adolescent individuals. At this stage in one's development, it feels as if the bands singer is speaking directly to you, telling your story. Humans are melodramatic creatures and easily make impressive leaps when connecting themselves to songs. I remember thinking that AC/DC had written Highway To Hell specifically with me in mind. In retrospect, I realize this is not the case, however much I pretend otherwise. For those of us bitten by the radioactive spider of music, these thoughts take on even more ridiculous connotations. A favorite guitar hero (feel free to insert tuba, glockenspiel, washboard or any other instrument) takes on the characteristics of a superhero in the addled and ofttimes confused mind of the young music fan. The members of Kiss understood this better than most and used it to their great advantage.
Hiding behind the personae they created, Kiss successfully transformed themselves into living, breathing superheroes for several generations of musical dreamers. I, for one, thought Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley was capable of not only ripping a scorching solo while shooting flame out of his guitar, but of foiling evil masterminds intent upon taking over the world (see Kiss Meets The Phantom Of The Park for further esoteric details). This, as it turns out, wasn't quite the truth.
 Like many passions of one's youth, in the midst of this musical reverie I discovered masturbation. It was way cooler than some painted-up dude from the Bronx and at that point, I set sail on a brand new obsession. Playboy firmly tucked under my arm, I spent a good portion of the next couple years locked in the bathroom. I finally emerged, with a healthy set of callouses and having mastered this new art, I promptly forgot who could beat up who, in favor of who could I beat off too. At this point in my development, adolescent urges under control..(sort of anyway) I return once again to my earlier passion and take up that all too familiar gauntlet. Music is generational and you will see from this list that my influences are primarily derived from a base of seventies musical staples. The bands from this period are the ones I still listen to thirty-some-odd years later. The list is aimed at and manned by rock guitarists, no offense is meant by the exclusion of blues or jazz players. To have opened that can of worms would have required a book, not simply an op-ed listing. So I add the caveat that this list is not necessarily fair to all of the great musicians out there.
So here I go, thirteen favorites that can beat up your favorites with one hand tied behind their back. (If you look really hard you can see I am sticking my tongue out at you!)
| 1. |
Jeff Beck:
This man is the guitar heroes, guitar hero. Since the late sixties Beck has been impressing other guitarists such as Clapton and Page with his consistent innovation and reinvention of style. He may not be for the masses, but for those of us who appreciate his approach, in both technique and execution, the man is unbeatable. |
| 2. |
Jimi Hendrix:
For most, this man stands on top. There are few guitar players alive who do not count him as an influence, he pretty much did "write the book" for rock guitar. |
| 3. |
Rory Gallagher:
Much like Beck, Rory is an acquired taste (insert pun here). This Irish guitar road warrior first rose to prominence with his trio, Taste, followed by a twenty five year solo career. If you love guitar music and haven't heard of Rory, you have now. |
| 4. |
Eric Clapton:
We all knew this guy was on the list without even having to read it. |
| 5. |
Jimmy Page:
Another given, although I've included Page more for his acoustic abilities then for his lead work. I'm afraid I have always found his leads sloppy and uninspired. |
| 6. |
Billy Gibbons:
Despite ZZ Top's high profile and accolades, Billy, in my estimation, still has never been properly touted for the sheer volume of incredible and fiery playing he has done in his career. He's one of the greats. |
| 7. |
Gary Moore:
Sadly underrated his entire career, Moore could do it all with equal enthusiasm. From barroom blues to heavy metal he did it all and did it well. |
| 8. |
Ritchie Blackmore:
A deep appreciation for classical guitar gives Blackmore his unique technique, melding classicist sensibilities with progressive hard rock style. He provided Deep Purple and Rainbow with startling depth. |
| 9. |
Robert Fripp:
In The Court Of The Crimson King........if you haven't heard this record and you are a fan of guitar, you should be ashamed of yourself. In The Court ..is only the tip of a mammoth iceberg of amazing technical prowess. |
| 10. |
Brian Setzer:
Whether he was struttin' with The Stray Cats, or leading the Brian Setzer Orchestra, this mans playing is fluid, melodic and when need be, scorching! He is so good he never needs to call attention to himself. He seamlessly blends into the texture of the music. |
| 11. |
Cliff Goodwin:
Currently with Christine Ohlman and Rebel Montez, Cliff has been soulfully and sonically shredding the fretboard since the 1970's. Starting with New England legends The American Standard Band, Cliff went on to work with Joe Cocker, John Mayall, Steve Miller and Robert Palmer, just to give you an idea of his musical pedigree. |
| 12. |
James Burton:
He is called the master of the Telecaster, and for good reason! Burton has influenced damn near every guitar player alive whether they know it or not! He is probably best known for his work with Elvis, but that is just a sampling of his resume. He has also played with Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, and Elvis Costello! |
| 13. |
Scotty Moore:
Another Elvis sideman that deserves as much credit as the King himself! Moore, like Burton, has a musical legacy as impressive as they get! Dale Hawkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Alvin Lee, and Ron Wood are just a sampling of where you may have heard Scotty's distinctive playing. |
So there you have it ladies and gentlemen, my smelly opinion. I know none of you will agree with what I have written, my reply is as it has always been.... "you wanna fight aboud it"? I'm not backing down .....I'll see you by the swings at recess and we'll find out whose opinion is correct when I prove my point with brute force to objectify the intangible. I'm not right, probably not even close ....but neither are you.
 Post Script:
I had thirteen spots to fill and an endless number of candidates all worthy of making the list. Shit, I wrote the damn thing and I see holes every time I've looked at it , where's Steve Vai? How about Frank Zappa, Duane Allman, Michael Schenker, Angus Young, Paul Kossoff, Adrian Belew, Bill Nelson, Steve Morse, Ace Frehley, Jimmie Vaughn, Joe Perry, Pat Travers, Mick Taylor, Mick Ralphs, Mick Ronson, Kelly Johnson, Bonnie Raitt, Debbie Davies, Frank Marino, Pete Townshend, Glenn Tipton, Earl Slick, Mark Knopfler, Ross the Boss, Carlos Santana, John McLaughlin, Peter Green, Syd Barrett, Alvin Lee, Neal Schon, Ronnie Montrose, Eddie Van Halen, Kim Simmonds, June Millington, Ruyter Suys, Poison Ivy, Alex Lifeson, Tommy Bolin, Ray Gomez, Brian May, Dimebag Darrell, Rick Derringer, Terry Kath, Robbie Krieger, Rick Nielsen, Gary Richrath, Scott Gorham, Paul Chapman, Adrian Vandenburg, Mark Reale, Phil Campbell, Jake E. Lee, Warren Haynes, Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser, Jon Butcher, Robbie Robertson, or Johnny fuckin Ramone!!!!! As you can see, a hell of a lot of amazing guitar players were snubbed in this piece, and I still have not even begun to address the issue of who the hell the thirteen top players are. If you have lists of your own, I'd love it if you took a stab at answering this unanswerable question. It comes down to opinion, no matter how hard you may try to prove otherwise. You smelled mine, the least I can do is smell yours.
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