Guitarists
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I saw Slash with Myles Kennedy on vocals a few years ago. A much better use of my money.
I find Slash ( and Angus Young for that matter ) hard to rate in terms of pure guitar playing ability.
Being a bit of a music snob I don’t think they hold a candle to others but then again they play some cool stuff over some absolutely iconic rock songs…..
Both having a very unique look helps too.
Slash is the last of a breed though, can anyone honestly name a guitar god that came out after him ?
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Slash is the last of a breed though, can anyone honestly name a guitar god that came out after him ?
It depends what genre of music you like or think is influential.
I saw Slash at G-Taranaki which had a number of guitar heroes on the bill like Uli Jon Roth, Vinnie Moore, Jennifer Batten and Leslie West. Jason Eaton was standing nearby in the crowd.
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Slash is the last of a breed though, can anyone honestly name a guitar god that came out after him ?
It depends what genre of music you like or think is influential.
I saw Slash at G-Taranaki which had a number of guitar heroes on the bill like Uli Jon Roth, Vinnie Moore, Jennifer Batten and Leslie West. Jason Eaton was standing nearby in the crowd.
He’s the only person who’s name I recognise. I think this answers the question !
What is he like as a guitarist ?
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@MN5 Interesting. A few months ago, I remember Mariner said that System Of A Down was probably the last time anybody did anything really new with heavy rock / metal. At the time, I thought that can't be right, but the more I thought about it, the only thing I could think of was Royal Blood. Although I'm not quite sure they are different enough.
This question is very similar. Has there been another iconic guitarist since Slash? Racking my brain of all the guitarists I view as iconic, bassist too, they are all the wrong side of 50. I genuinely can't even think of one that would be in his 40's, let alone 30's.
The closest I've got is Frusciante. And he's 52.
Don't agree with the look thing though. I would recognise (I think) all of what I would consider iconic guitarists even those who look rather plain these days (Clapton, Gilmour, Hatfield etc).
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@MajorRage said in Guitarists:
This question is very similar. Has there been another iconic guitarist since Slash? Racking my brain of all the guitarists I view as iconic, bassist too, they are all the wrong side of 50. I genuinely can't even think of one that would be in his 40's, let alone 30's.
The closest I've got is Frusciante. And he's 52.I was thinking Tom Morello who I guess came to prominence slightly after Slash but he's already 58.
I also had no idea until I read via wiki that his dad was Kenyan.
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@MN5 Surely you've at least heard of Batten. She was Michael Jackson's touring guitarist for over a decade and had a distinctive look (big blonde hair). She also recorded and toured with Jeff Beck.
As to younger guitarists, I've mentioned Guthrie Govan before. He was praised in his early 20s (now 50) but isn't mainstream. I could also name others from the prog scene. I don't equate iconic/influential to popular, more what their peers and other musicians say.
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Even Johnny Marr is closer to 60 than 50.
For young rock players that guy in Greta van Fleet can cut some riffs even if he is channelling the rock gods that went before him.
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@Nepia Good shout, I'm surprised he's that old too!
@Crucial said in Guitarists:
Even Johnny Marr is closer to 60 than 50.
For young rock players that guy in Greta van Fleet can cut some riffs even if he is channelling the rock gods that went before him.
Thats a good one, but I agree. Too much of a Zepp rip off to be considered an icon!
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No mention of Jack White? Arguably the most widely known new riff of the last 20 years.
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@Crucial Saw Jack White a couple of weeks ago in Christchurch. By some way the loudest concert I’ve ever been to. He obviously has an issue with empty air and would usually segue from one song to the next by feeding back one guitar while he strapped of another then eventually letting his mixing guy fade the first one down.
Anyway, he was all kinds of awesome. Started with Taking Me Back and didn’t really let up for 2 hours. Of course at Seven Nation Army, which I bet is the one you’re referring to, the place went apeshit.
Marvellous.
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@MN5 said in Guitarists:
Slash is the last of a breed though, can anyone honestly name a guitar god that came out after him ?
It depends what genre of music you like or think is influential.
I saw Slash at G-Taranaki which had a number of guitar heroes on the bill like Uli Jon Roth, Vinnie Moore, Jennifer Batten and Leslie West. Jason Eaton was standing nearby in the crowd.
He’s the only person who’s name I recognise. I think this answers the question !
What is he like as a guitarist ?
How can you never have heard of Leslie West? He pretty much invented heavy. In more ways than one, he himself put out an album called The Great Fatsby. Check him out
Start here:
Lots of collaborations too with other legends who always rated him right up there. Ozzy, Bonamassa, Slash and this earlier spanker from Gillan
And my all time favourite from him:
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@JC said in Guitarists:
@Crucial Saw Jack White a couple of weeks ago in Christchurch. By some way the loudest concert I’ve ever been to. He obviously has an issue with empty air and would usually segue from one song to the next by feeding back one guitar while he strapped of another then eventually letting his mixing guy fade the first one down.
Anyway, he was all kinds of awesome. Started with Taking Me Back and didn’t really let up for 2 hours. Of course at Seven Nation Army, which I bet is the one you’re referring to, the place went apeshit.
Marvellous.
Jack White was in NZ? How did I miss that?
Edit: Ahh... I see the Christchurch gig was the 1 and only. WTaF? -
@Kruse Yep, we travelled from The Bay to Christchurch specifically to see him. Well worth the effort.
Also, Christchurch Town Hall has the JC seal of approval
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Jack White, John Frusiante ( especially ) and Tom Morello have all done some awesome stuff but I’m not sure I’d call them guitar hero’s as such.
JF recorded Mother’s Milk at 18 years of age. Incredible stuff
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@Bovidae said in Guitarists:
@MN5 Surely you've at least heard of Batten. She was Michael Jackson's touring guitarist for over a decade and had a distinctive look (big blonde hair). She also recorded and toured with Jeff Beck.
As to younger guitarists, I've mentioned Guthrie Govan before. He was praised in his early 20s (now 50) but isn't mainstream. I could also name others from the prog scene. I don't equate iconic/influential to popular, more what their peers and other musicians say.
It was a bit of a tongue in cheek comment. They’re not mainstream icons like Slash and Angus.
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@MN5 said in Guitarists:
I saw Slash with Myles Kennedy on vocals a few years ago. A much better use of my money.
I find Slash ( and Angus Young for that matter ) hard to rate in terms of pure guitar playing ability.
Being a bit of a music snob I don’t think they hold a candle to others but then again they play some cool stuff over some absolutely iconic rock songs…..
Both having a very unique look helps too.
Slash is the last of a breed though, can anyone honestly name a guitar god that came out after him ?
Just a bit?
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@Rancid-Schnitzel said in Guitarists:
@MN5 said in Guitarists:
I saw Slash with Myles Kennedy on vocals a few years ago. A much better use of my money.
I find Slash ( and Angus Young for that matter ) hard to rate in terms of pure guitar playing ability.
Being a bit of a music snob I don’t think they hold a candle to others but then again they play some cool stuff over some absolutely iconic rock songs…..
Both having a very unique look helps too.
Slash is the last of a breed though, can anyone honestly name a guitar god that came out after him ?
Just a bit?
I was being modest
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@JC said in Guitarists:
Lots of collaborations too with other legends who always rated him right up there. Ozzy, Bonamassa, Slash and this earlier spanker from Gillan
Joe Bonamassa would be a good choice for a younger guitarist.
Scott Holiday has got his own unique style, but most probably haven't even heard of his band - Rival Sons. He's 30.
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For what it’s worth my personal top 10 would be like so…..
I look at these guys as guitarists first, music I listen to second ( ie some of these guys I don’t particularly go out of my way to listen to nowadays )
1 ) Jimi Hendrix ( changed the game, I don’t need to say anymore, rock owes so much to his legacy )
2 ) Jeff Beck ( amazingly original, dynamic and creative. NO ONE can play like him )
3 ) Richie Blackmore ( Godfather of shred, VASTLY underrated and so much more to him than “Smoke on the Water” )
4 ) Jimmy Page ( guitarist of my favourite band of all time, cool riffs and licks )
5 ) Johnny Winter ( best slide guitarist of all time )
6 ) Stevie Ray Vaughan ( such power and feeling in his playing )
7 ) Dave Gilmour ( he did less is more so well, amazing feel )
8 ) Tony Iommi ( invented a genre, no one played darker than he did )
9 ) Carlos Santana ( awesome distinctive Latin style )
10 ) Prince ( people forget how much this guy could shred cos of all the other strings to his bow, but he was awesome )No Slash. No Angus. No Clapton. No EVH.
I’ll probably look back on this post and realise I’ve made some big omissions……but there you go.
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@MN5 said in Guitarists:
For what it’s worth my personal top 10 would be like so…..
I look at these guys as guitarists first, music I listen to second ( ie some of these guys I don’t particularly go out of my way to listen to nowadays )
1 ) Jimi Hendrix ( changed the game, I don’t need to say anymore, rock owes so much to his legacy )
2 ) Jeff Beck ( amazingly original, dynamic and creative. NO ONE can play like him )
3 ) Richie Blackmore ( Godfather of shred, VASTLY underrated and so much more to him than “Smoke on the Water” )
4 ) Jimmy Page ( guitarist of my favourite band of all time, cool riffs and licks )
5 ) Johnny Winter ( best slide guitarist of all time )
6 ) Stevie Ray Vaughan ( such power and feeling in his playing )
7 ) Dave Gilmour ( he did less is more so well, amazing feel )
8 ) Tony Iommi ( invented a genre, no one played darker than he did )
9 ) Carlos Santana ( awesome distinctive Latin style )
10 ) Prince ( people forget how much this guy could shred cos of all the other strings to his bow, but he was awesome )No Slash. No Angus. No Clapton. No EVH.
I’ll probably look back on this post and realise I’ve made some big omissions……but there you go.
To me when you are talking R&R players then you have to give a nod to those that came before given that most of those in the list were literally riffing off them. The Chuck Berry's, Buddy Guy's and Muddy Waters' that took Robert Johnson's blues and elevated it to new levels. Even just one of them.
Some would also dismiss your list for omitting Duane Allman. -
@Crucial said in Guitarists:
@MN5 said in Guitarists:
For what it’s worth my personal top 10 would be like so…..
I look at these guys as guitarists first, music I listen to second ( ie some of these guys I don’t particularly go out of my way to listen to nowadays )
1 ) Jimi Hendrix ( changed the game, I don’t need to say anymore, rock owes so much to his legacy )
2 ) Jeff Beck ( amazingly original, dynamic and creative. NO ONE can play like him )
3 ) Richie Blackmore ( Godfather of shred, VASTLY underrated and so much more to him than “Smoke on the Water” )
4 ) Jimmy Page ( guitarist of my favourite band of all time, cool riffs and licks )
5 ) Johnny Winter ( best slide guitarist of all time )
6 ) Stevie Ray Vaughan ( such power and feeling in his playing )
7 ) Dave Gilmour ( he did less is more so well, amazing feel )
8 ) Tony Iommi ( invented a genre, no one played darker than he did )
9 ) Carlos Santana ( awesome distinctive Latin style )
10 ) Prince ( people forget how much this guy could shred cos of all the other strings to his bow, but he was awesome )No Slash. No Angus. No Clapton. No EVH.
I’ll probably look back on this post and realise I’ve made some big omissions……but there you go.
To me when you are talking R&R players then you have to give a nod to those that came before given that most of those in the list were literally riffing off them. The Chuck Berry's, Buddy Guy's and Muddy Waters' that took Robert Johnson's blues and elevated it to new levels. Even just one of them.
Some would also dismiss your list for omitting Duane Allman.I liked Johnny Winters playing more than his.
…..and I do get that the old blues men were obviously massively influential to pretty much everyone on there but it’s my list so I pick who makes it.
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@MN5 said in Guitarists:
@Crucial said in Guitarists:
@MN5 said in Guitarists:
For what it’s worth my personal top 10 would be like so…..
I look at these guys as guitarists first, music I listen to second ( ie some of these guys I don’t particularly go out of my way to listen to nowadays )
1 ) Jimi Hendrix ( changed the game, I don’t need to say anymore, rock owes so much to his legacy )
2 ) Jeff Beck ( amazingly original, dynamic and creative. NO ONE can play like him )
3 ) Richie Blackmore ( Godfather of shred, VASTLY underrated and so much more to him than “Smoke on the Water” )
4 ) Jimmy Page ( guitarist of my favourite band of all time, cool riffs and licks )
5 ) Johnny Winter ( best slide guitarist of all time )
6 ) Stevie Ray Vaughan ( such power and feeling in his playing )
7 ) Dave Gilmour ( he did less is more so well, amazing feel )
8 ) Tony Iommi ( invented a genre, no one played darker than he did )
9 ) Carlos Santana ( awesome distinctive Latin style )
10 ) Prince ( people forget how much this guy could shred cos of all the other strings to his bow, but he was awesome )No Slash. No Angus. No Clapton. No EVH.
I’ll probably look back on this post and realise I’ve made some big omissions……but there you go.
To me when you are talking R&R players then you have to give a nod to those that came before given that most of those in the list were literally riffing off them. The Chuck Berry's, Buddy Guy's and Muddy Waters' that took Robert Johnson's blues and elevated it to new levels. Even just one of them.
Some would also dismiss your list for omitting Duane Allman.I liked Johnny Winters playing more than his.
…..and I do get that the old blues men were obviously massively influential to pretty much everyone on there but it’s my list so I pick who makes it.
Sorry for thinking it may have worth. My error
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@Crucial said in Guitarists:
@MN5 said in Guitarists:
@Crucial said in Guitarists:
@MN5 said in Guitarists:
For what it’s worth my personal top 10 would be like so…..
I look at these guys as guitarists first, music I listen to second ( ie some of these guys I don’t particularly go out of my way to listen to nowadays )
1 ) Jimi Hendrix ( changed the game, I don’t need to say anymore, rock owes so much to his legacy )
2 ) Jeff Beck ( amazingly original, dynamic and creative. NO ONE can play like him )
3 ) Richie Blackmore ( Godfather of shred, VASTLY underrated and so much more to him than “Smoke on the Water” )
4 ) Jimmy Page ( guitarist of my favourite band of all time, cool riffs and licks )
5 ) Johnny Winter ( best slide guitarist of all time )
6 ) Stevie Ray Vaughan ( such power and feeling in his playing )
7 ) Dave Gilmour ( he did less is more so well, amazing feel )
8 ) Tony Iommi ( invented a genre, no one played darker than he did )
9 ) Carlos Santana ( awesome distinctive Latin style )
10 ) Prince ( people forget how much this guy could shred cos of all the other strings to his bow, but he was awesome )No Slash. No Angus. No Clapton. No EVH.
I’ll probably look back on this post and realise I’ve made some big omissions……but there you go.
To me when you are talking R&R players then you have to give a nod to those that came before given that most of those in the list were literally riffing off them. The Chuck Berry's, Buddy Guy's and Muddy Waters' that took Robert Johnson's blues and elevated it to new levels. Even just one of them.
Some would also dismiss your list for omitting Duane Allman.I liked Johnny Winters playing more than his.
…..and I do get that the old blues men were obviously massively influential to pretty much everyone on there but it’s my list so I pick who makes it.
Sorry for thinking it may have worth. My error
It’s the fern. I’d show weakness if I admitted he was good
( Even though he definitely was )
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@MN5 It's a good fern opinion. I'd fit EVH in there just because of his impact late 70's through 80's. Have to listen to Blackmore more to get the hype about him. Haven't appreciate Sabbath because of Ozzie's voice but that's just me. Points for inclusion of a minority in Santana. But you are right about the lack of Guitar Gods of late. That might be because the music isn't guitar driven.
You might like Robben Ford for something different.
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Peter Green. Followed Clapton in the Bluesbreakers and for many people, outshone him.
Alvin Lee, did anyone play faster?
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@broughie said in Guitarists:
Points for inclusion of a minority in Santana.
Isn't there three minorities in there?
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@Catogrande said in Guitarists:
Peter Green. Followed Clapton in the Bluesbreakers and for many people, outshone him.
Alvin Lee, did anyone play faster?
Massive omission. I’ve given myself multiple uppercuts.
He was just amazing here…..
How he wasn’t a much bigger rock star than he was is pretty mind boggling.
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@Crucial said in Guitarists:
No mention of Jack White? Arguably the most widely known new riff of the last 20 years.
Jack White is an excellent call, and probably the closest there has been to a new Guitar icon
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Been thinking about my top 10 Guitarists this morning & I struggle to make the proper distinction between Guitarists, Musician & Music. This list is completely different to what I would have put down two years ago when I bought my Gibson and started learning to play properly. First names on it prior would have been Slash / Young, but now ... not quite.
Main reason is that I am simply not a "shredder" - it's cool when you get it, but I much prefer making / matching the melodic tones of more contemporary musicians & heavy riffing. So here is my shitty list, which is not in order.
- James Hetfield. As I said above, I struggle with the distinction as I know he's not the best guitarist, but he's a phenomenal player of what he does. Down picking riffs basically. Love it.
- David Gilmour. As MN5 says, nobody does more with less. HIs ability to make a guitar talk is unmatched by anybody
- Jerry Cantrell. Awesome combination of the two above but not as good as both at their particular crafts. But still, the main guy of one of my fave bands, so has to be on this list
- Keith Richards. The epitome of cool. I don't really get a lot of blues stuff, it's not natural to me. But the way he plays the guitar, playing short melodic riffs / licks is perhaps the guitarist that Im most inspired to be.
- Dave Matthews. Controversial this, but as I said it's my list. Similar to Richards, his ability to play a song without playing it, is just amazing. Saw him do a solo gig in London in 2002, still think its' one of the best things I've ever seen. All along the watchtower incredible.
- Slash. He's still on the list. He chooses melody over speed and it all sounds much the better for it.
- Frusciante. There is so much he's written / arranged that I can't play. He's just too farking good. A lot of people (mainly hipsters, honestly)will always claim the earlier RHCP stuff was better, but I don't agree. It all got a bit indulgent on Stadium Arcadium, but the Frusciante albums (Mothers Milk, BSSM, Californaition, By the Way) do define a lot of my teens / twenties.
- Hendrix. Because if he's not on the list it can't really be taken seriously, can it?
Thats kind of where it ends for me. I would then tack an honourable mention on this of Page (brilliant & phenomenal, but I get bored of Led Zepp), Angus Young (best live guitarist I've seen, no question, but I think I just love the music more than I love him as a guitarist), Townshend (similar to Young).
What is most amazing to me is that given that I'm a guitar guy, only one of the guitarists in my favourite bands of the last 20 odd years are on this list. Tool (it's their rhythm section that makes them), Foo's (great tracks, but hardly guitar genius), FNM (Gould is on bass list for sure) don't feature.
Like MN5, I reserve the right to revisit this list and wonder what the fuck I was thinking.
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@MajorRage said in Guitarists:
Been thinking about my top 10 Guitarists this morning & I struggle to make the proper distinction between Guitarists, Musician & Music. This list is completely different to what I would have put down two years ago when I bought my Gibson and started learning to play properly. First names on it prior would have been Slash / Young, but now ... not quite.
Main reason is that I am simply not a "shredder" - it's cool when you get it, but I much prefer making / matching the melodic tones of more contemporary musicians & heavy riffing. So here is my shitty list, which is not in order.
- James Hetfield. As I said above, I struggle with the distinction as I know he's not the best guitarist, but he's a phenomenal player of what he does. Down picking riffs basically. Love it.
- David Gilmour. As MN5 says, nobody does more with less. HIs ability to make a guitar talk is unmatched by anybody
- Jerry Cantrell. Awesome combination of the two above but not as good as both at their particular crafts. But still, the main guy of one of my fave bands, so has to be on this list
- Keith Richards. The epitome of cool. I don't really get a lot of blues stuff, it's not natural to me. But the way he plays the guitar, playing short melodic riffs / licks is perhaps the guitarist that Im most inspired to be.
- Dave Matthews. Controversial this, but as I said it's my list. Similar to Richards, his ability to play a song without playing it, is just amazing. Saw him do a solo gig in London in 2002, still think its' one of the best things I've ever seen. All along the watchtower incredible.
- Slash. He's still on the list. He chooses melody over speed and it all sounds much the better for it.
- Frusciante. There is so much he's written / arranged that I can't play. He's just too farking good. A lot of people (mainly hipsters, honestly)will always claim the earlier RHCP stuff was better, but I don't agree. It all got a bit indulgent on Stadium Arcadium, but the Frusciante albums (Mothers Milk, BSSM, Californaition, By the Way) do define a lot of my teens / twenties.
- Hendrix. Because if he's not on the list it can't really be taken seriously, can it?
Thats kind of where it ends for me. I would then tack an honourable mention on this of Page (brilliant & phenomenal, but I get bored of Led Zepp), Angus Young (best live guitarist I've seen, no question, but I think I just love the music more than I love him as a guitarist), Townshend (similar to Young).
What is most amazing to me is that given that I'm a guitar guy, only one of the guitarists in my favourite bands of the last 20 odd years are on this list. Tool (it's their rhythm section that makes them), Foo's (great tracks, but hardly guitar genius), FNM (Gould is on bass list for sure) don't feature.
Like MN5, I reserve the right to revisit this list and wonder what the fuck I was thinking.
John Frusciante deserves to be on my list somewhere.
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@Nepia said in Guitarists:
@broughie said in Guitarists:
Points for inclusion of a minority in Santana.
Isn't there three minorities in there?
You're correct. He was the token Hispanic and shooting my mouth. no malice intended.
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I'm going to throw a candidate in that deserves to be there on the rock god guitar moves alone. I'm not sure if Steve was the first to do the low slung thing. Clips of Page in 67 have him with guitar on the hip )low but not as low) and I don't think Keef had gone into this mode yet either.
Steve Marriot see 1:30 in on this...
...and a two for one Marriot and Frampton in Humble Pie
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@Crucial didn't chuck berry do the low-slung thing on Johnny B Goode
No one mentioned BB King?
Can't have the greatest guitarists without Les Paul.
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@dogmeat said in Guitarists:
@Crucial didn't chuck berry do the low-slung thing on Johnny B Goode
No one mentioned BB King?
Can't have the greatest guitarists without Les Paul.
Chuck wore his guitar on the hip. When he did the duck walk it would have looked lower.
BB King was mentioned in an early post King, Waters, Berry all added foundations to the rock guitarist. I'd go with King because he was an early string bender.
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it's disgraceful that a forum inhabited by 40+ year old white guys haven't mentioned Adam Jones or Billy Corgan yet.
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Over the last few months, I've been getting into people like Roy Clark, Chet Atkins, Tommy Tedesco, George Benson and Glen Campbell.
Weren't rock star guitarists who used a lot of distortion and feedback, but those guys are easily up there with anyone mentioned above with amazing technique, feel and incredibly versatile. Not for nothing did EVH ask Alice Cooper to arrange guitar lessons for himself from Glen Campbell...
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@Victor-Meldrew said in Guitarists:
Over the last few months, I've been getting into people like Roy Clark, Chet Atkins, Tommy Tedesco, George Benson and Glen Campbell.
Weren't rock star guitarists who used a lot of distortion and feedback, but those guys are easily up there with anyone mentioned above with amazing technique, feel and incredibly versatile. Not for nothing did EVH ask Alice Cooper to arrange guitar lessons for himself from Glen Campbell...
A whole other genre entirely and yep, some of them could play.
George Benson would be my pick of that bunch.
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anyway, y'all a tripping
the best guitarist going around at the moment in Sophie Lloyd
search sophieguitar_ on instagram
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@mariner4life said in Guitarists:
anyway, y'all a tripping
the best guitarist going around at the moment in Sophie Lloyd
search sophieguitar_ on instagram
She’s hotter than any of the ones I picked I’ll give you that.
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@MN5 said in Guitarists:
A whole other genre entirely and yep, some of them could play.
Yeah, they weren't frontmen megastars of guitar (a skill in itself) but from what I've seen and heard, they were multiple genre. Campbell and Tedesco, in particular, could rock with the best of them. I'm constantly amazed at finding stuff like George Benson playing country with the .
