The Top 100 Guitarists According to Rolling Stone
Published August 28, 2003
This is even sicker than I thought. I mean, c'mon, Jack White at 17!? Ok, he's not a BAD guitar player. Heck, he's pretty good. But the only reason he's on the list is because the media has been bowing down to his band for the past year. What about Joey Ramone at 16? He may be one of the more *influential* guitar players, especially for the punk scene, but that doesn't make him eligable for a list about the best guitar players.
The only thing that made my heart sing was seeing Robert Randolph on the list. But where is Phil Keaggy? John Petrucci? Oh well, who gives a crap what Rolling Stone thinks, anyway.
peace.
UPDATE
Don't like the Rolling Stone list? Pick your own favorite guitarists with our own poll here.
- The Top 100 Guitarists According to Rolling Stone
- Published: August 28, 2003
- Type: News
- Section: Music
- Filed Under: Music: News
- Writer: The Theory
- The Theory's BC Writer page
- The Theory's personal site
- Spread the Word
- Like this article?
- Email this
Save to del.icio.us
Comments on this articleComments
42. Robert Fripp
Good call, Eric.
But the list is still risible.
Can't find Joe Satriani. You'd think the guy who's actually made a successful career of instrumental guitar music over the past fifteen years, and who taught Kirk Hammett (#11!?!) and Steve Vai, would show up in the top 100.
And some of the people who are on this list! I don't want to knock musicians who've made good music, but to the extent that some of these guys actually played guitar, they might as well have put Elvis on the list!
(Why do I bother arguing with Rolling Stone?)
Placing 16, 17, and 18 over 19 is an absolute insult -- Richard Thompson is one of the greatest ever. But I am at least pleased to see him represented, as well as Fahey and Verlaine.
This is on par with Blender's Top 50 Worse bands, where the put up ICP as #1, even though they rated their "worse album" (The Wraith) for the "worse band" (ICP) as 3 out of 4 stars in an earlier review. Even if you hate ICP yourself, you'll have to agree that it still isn't as bad as some of the other bands they listed, such as some of the really BAD 80's bands.
They also listed Emerson, Lake and Palmer (#2), Pat Boone (#18), The Alan Parsons Project (#21), Primus (#22), Creed (#23), Crash Test Dummies (#28), Skinny Puppy (#29), Paul Oakenfold (#35), The Doors (#37 ?!?), Blind Melon (#40), The Spin Doctors (#46), Goo Goo Dolls (#47), Master P (#48), and Iron Butterfly (#50).
Please note that some of this bands rated are rated WORSE than Manowar (#44).
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/08/13/1060588441379.html
As far as this list goes, it is completely invalid if Joe Satriani is not on the list.
I also want to note that lists like these are merely for culture and marketing masterbation for the parties involved (ie: Rolling Stone).
Ahhahaha. "market masterbation"... good call.
What a weird list!
I have no qualms about Hendrix at #1. But as someone pointed out, Richard Thompson at #19? (when he should probably be in the Top 10!). No Joe Satriani?
And why is Johnny Ramone even ON the list, much less on the list at #16? I mean, okay, I love the Ramones. But Johnny Ramone is ahead of a lot of much better guitarists... like The Edge, for example. In fact, why is The Edge down at #22? And Kurt Cobain at #12? Oh, I get it. The Edge is alive and U2 is over-exposed. But he's still a great guitarist. And Cobain was a better songwriter than guitarist.
And did you see where Les Paul is??? And John McLaughlin? No way are those guys in the low 40s!
But hey, at least Dick Dale is represented, and that's pretty cool.
I agree Cindy. And I can't understand why Pete Townshend is way down in the 50s. I'm glad to see Jack White on the list though. He truely is a great guitarist.
A few things: this is rock, obviously, with a couple of blues guys thrown in, and as such it could be worse. You can argue about the order - Jack White at 17???? - but there are some fairly brave and subtle choices as well.
Really glaring omissions for me include Phil Manzanera, Chris Spedding, they have Tom Verlaine but not Richard Lloyd which his odd because they really go together like the Sonic Youth guys, and Mick Ronson way down at 64 is a crime, and Bruce Springsteen is a very fine guitarist as well.
Oh, and how could they leave out Robin Guthrie, Terje Rypdal and Robert Smith? No one sounds like any of them.
Eric Clapton ahead of Robert Johnson is a crime against humanity.
As long as we're mentioning glaring omissions, let's talk about:
Andres Segovia
Charlie Christian
Django Reinhardt
Julian Bream
Wes Montgomery
Joe Maphis
John Williams
Allan Holdsworth
Alex Lifeson
Al Di Meola
Larry Carlton
Paco De Lucia
Adrian Belew
Michael Hedges
Uli Roth
Eric Johnson
Andy Summers
Bill Frisell
Junior Brown
and (donning flak jacket)
Steve Vai
Yngwie Malmsteen
Given RS's willingness to include rhythm guitarists, I'm surprised they didn't include John Lennon. He could play the odd solo ("The End"), he was an adequate fingerstylist ("Julia"), and he was a brilliantly subversive rhythm player ("I Call Your Name"). Oh, and he wrote a decent tune or two. Might even have influenced a few people to take up the guitar.
Any list that omits Phil Keaggy cannot be considered credible. I'd definitely rate him in the top 10. But then again this is Rolling Stone. What do you expect?
Leo Kottke! Where is Leo Kottke? And so many lame choices. Plus the affront of putting Richard Thompson at only 19. And Kurt Cobain? Better than 9-1/2-fingered Jerry Garcia? Please.
This list bites. But we knew it would; practically anything RS takes on sucks big time. Big time, Jann, big time! I'm surprised Boz Scaggs isn't topping the list.
Glad to see Bert Jansch and the late Danny Gatton on there, though.
I agree Natalie. Leo Kottke the folk guitar icon.
Answer: In a purple smokey haze, lying buck naked (except for the top hat) in a circular bed atop a penthouse suite in Vegas, watching 2 Amazonian show girls get to know each other better.
Ok Eric, maybe not #17, but I'm glad they put him on. Jack White is definately an amazing guitarist. Not #17 amazing, but list worthy I think.
Yeah, Jack White is listworthy, but his positioning helps make the list itself (as any subjective ranking would be, I guess) useless. What is with this need RS seems to have to fold more modern performers into the top tiers of these best-ever lists, anyway? Is it merely a ploy to keep the teens and 20somethings happy? I mean, it's too bad that the young'uns don't have a Hendrix of their generation (yet, and he's just an example), but Hendrix is as much theirs as old people's. The shame is that some clueless tween will believe this ranking is truthful.
But take heart knowing that when they mature in taste and years, they'll realize it's a fraud, and start listening to Hendrix. Their generation, our generation, your generation, we all have a Hendrix cause the man was cross generational(now anyway haha)
The dudes in Iron Maiden kill all these gits.
I'm not sure Jack White is listworthy. Will he be there on the list of 2023? And where will he rank, if at all? I think the real interest of a list like this is to survey it for people whose real heyday, so to speak, was years ago, like Scotty Moore or Tom Verlaine or Neil Young. They don't rank high, but I'll bet you anything they'll make that future list where a lot of these flashes in the pan will be mere memories.
this should be about talent, and not where they'll rank 20 years from now. In my mind, it's too early to say whether Jack White should have made the list at all, let alone at 17th slot. Sure, he can do some cool stuff with his guitar, but he seems like more of a good song crafter than a guitar god.
ah Theory, you're just mad 'cause Phil Keaggy didn't make the list.
;-)
Except for Gregg Ginn. He could house all these fools, even the mighty Maiden axemen!
Rodney, a look into my crystal ball shows that in the year 2023, if man is still ali-i-ive, #17 will be whatever then-current guitarist does groovy tricks on the axe. Also listed will be the most recent talented-but-misunderstood suicide, several emotional favorites, and Boz Scaggs. Jack White won't be on the list. Neither will Steve Hackett of Genesis or Leo Kottke. And Jimi Hendrix will stand at #1.
Well, hey, I have a right when Jack White makes the list. That said, I do listen to the White Stripes more than I listen to Phil Keaggy.
Of late, that is true for me too, TT. That, however, is about to change. Keag-GY! Keag-GY!
Theory --
If it's about talent, real talent, then it's about whether they'll be on there in another 20 years. There's a difference between the real thing and the flavor of the month.
right you are rodney...that's kinda what i was trying to get at in my shortened version of the list.
Well, if the world was perfect, then YES, they would be on there 20 years from now. However, as was demonstrated with this list, that is NOT what happens. Lists are always flavour of the month. I have no reason to think that 20 years from now magazines and their list compilers will have grown any more objective. There will always be great guitarists who, for some reason, don't make the lists who should.
On which single disc does Keaggy most display his guitar wizardry? I found my old cassette of Love Broke Through the other night, but I always thought of that record as being a bit treacly.
See him live is really the best advice I can give. His solo concerts are just him and his acoustic guitar. He'll just sit and DO THINGS. He ad-libs his songs in amazing ways.
He has a lot of cds and I don't own them all so I couldn't say which is more "technically advanced" than the next. I might suggest the live Glass Harp reuinion concert, I don't know the specific title off hand and don't even know if it's still availible, but that one is really good. It shows all different aspects of his playing, electric, acoustic, solo, with a band, everything.
peace.
VERY good advice, TT. Every time I've seen him play has been a mind-opening experience for me, both as fan and as guitarist. That said, my most-listened to Keaggy works are The Master and the Musician (in vinyl, natch), Acoustic Sketches, and the Music to Paint By box set, which offers a wide picture of Keaggy's talents.
natalie: which indiviual cd from that Music To paint By set would you say is the best? I have it (got it at one of keaggys concerts, actually) and just feel lost and don't know where to start...
I'm partial to Brushstrokes. But dive in anywhere; I'm sure you won't be disappointed.
I really like his 220 cd myself. Instrumental electric stuff I think is where he shines the most.
"Strings Attached" is the 2-CD live Glass Harp reunion album from the late-'90s, really great. It's available from their site - click through from the Glass Harp DIY post here.
Keep in mind that this is from a magazine that had the Olsen twins on the cover last month.
And Clay Aiken showing off a bit of abdomen, curiously after another man won American Idol. Next month: Boz Scaggs.
Andy: Yes, 220 is prime Keaggy.
I would like to acknowledge the posting
by JR for his wise additions. I've been
moaning about this list since my girlfriend
read it to me over the phone last night.
In particular, I want to acknowledge your
mention of Holdsworth and Eric Johnson.
It occurred to me before I even heard the
names on the list that they would omit
classical guitarists and most jazz greats.
But, leaving off Vai and Satriani? Vai is
still #1 in my book for rock guitarists. And
Eddie van Halen obviously should have
been in the top 10. How do you think Vai
will feel about this abominable list?
I think RS's intention is to piss us off
in order to get more PR, so we will watch
the newsstands for their Top 100 stupid
Top 100 lists. We might also consider
Larry Carlton, Robin Trower (maybe), Skunk
Baxter, Pat Martino, the Thin Lizzy guys,
Peter Frampton (oh, yes), Leslie West (hey,
he's good), George Benson, Kenny Wayne
Shepherd, and no doubt names will continue
coming to me. Anyway, thanks JR. You nailed
a lot of RS's thoughtless omissions.
I'm still amazed Russell Hammond didn't make the list.
And, for the record, I'm not complaining about the Olsen twins gracing the cover or RS. hottttness.
re: Russell Hammond
Rolling Stone is probably still pissed at him for jerking them around on that cover story.
Rolling Stone is probably still pissed at him for jerking them around on that cover story.
Yah, what a tool. Shouting "I'm a golden god" and then leaping into that scum laden pool. Then denying it happened.
No wonder his career never went anywhere.
?!? Jimmy Page @ # 9 ??
Come on! Have you seen this map place Stairway on a 12-string? Unbelievable. He deserves to be #2. Screw the Allman Brothers.
/Zeppelin forever.
Like my favourite guitarist /
Jimmy Page /
All the girlies I like /
Are underage
Plus, I gotta give a shoutout out to Greg Ginn simply for seeing him short out a guitar by sweating on it in August in Montreal.
Did Jimmy Page see the cover of last month's Rolling Stone?
Pickled dog dongs!! I just realized Mick Taylor isn't on this list - does anyone think it coincidence that the Stones' greatest, bluesiest, most soulful music was made during the time Taylor was in the band? Check out "Get Yer Ya-Yas Out."
And no Roger McGuinn, a shame and a sin, who has ever sounded like McGuinn on the electric 12-string jangling for a happy eternity?
Wenner and his rag will pay.
Criminy, Eric, you're right. Mick Taylor was awesome! One of the best and worst music experiences of my life was in the early '80s when I emceed a Baltimore concert featuring a reunion of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, featuring Mayall, Taylor, and John McVie. Those guys were sooooo much fun to hang with, and getting to talk guitar with Mick Taylor was a major highlight. Seeing him play up close and personal... unforgettable. (The downer was that on the same night, James Honeyman-Scott from the Pretenders died, and my entire collection of rare Al Stewart records, sitting in the trunk of my car because I'd used them for a radio documentary, were stolen during the concert. The good news is I was able to replace all of them over the intervening 20 years. Sadly, Honeyman-Scott is still gone.)
Never met Roger McGuinn, whose work I adore, but I did get to chat about guitars with Chris Hillman (another great player, though not necessarily list-worthy) and Herb Pedersen last year. Very good night, that.
I'll toss in plugs for underrated guitarists Al Stewart (school of Jansch; most people don't know just how talented and knowledgeable Al is) and Dan Fogelberg (who is absolutely awesome on slide guitar and playing blues and classical guitar). Martin Guitars even has a model in his honor.
Round round get around, Nat gets around (yeah)
And now a comment has resurrected this very fine appreciation of Little Feat by Satan, I mean Al, and now I am indignant that these pork byproducts at Rolling Stone didn't include Lowell George or Paul Berrere, you smoldering dildo ashes.
The Edge doesn't need to be on this list at all as far as I'm concerned. Talk about a guy who plays the same riff over and over.
What about Mick Jones (The Clash)? And you might laugh, but Elvis Costello is highly underrated as a player. No gymnastics on his records but some really great playing.
Oh, good lord, Paul Barrere. Fred Tackett, too. Lovely guys, incredible musicians. The omission of Lowell had to be an oversight. Had to be.
EC is indeed underrated. I play a lot of his stuff; it's quite demanding and proves his skill as songwriter and player.
Pork product dildo ashes... Jann, how could you?
Taking RS at its presumption to judge "All Time" (that's what it says: "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time"), I'm going to point out what no one else here has yet: it goes beyond ridiculous to virtually criminal neglect that they left Chet Atkins out of it.
...and I still can't get over Cobain. That is an outrageous affront to real guitar players. He should not be anywhere near this list.
What could likely be more controversial is my nod here for Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser of Blue Oyster Cult. He plays like Evel Knievel jumped: full-blast, but his resolutions are always better than Evel's were.
Also: Joe Walsh -- an utterly unique melodic outlook laid on a fretboard.
I know it's hard to fit together a "100 Greatest" because someone's always going to be left out, but these two guys deserve a word.
Back in the late 70's, Trouser Press did a top 100 guitarists list, and my own view is that at least 85% of it is still be valid today.
One word: PRINCE. A guitar player list without him lacks credibility. Perhaps a whole separate paen to his guitar ass kickingness is in order.
OK, two more words: JUNIOR BROWN. Damn, but he's a badass. A little "Highway Patrol" or "Sugarfoot Rag" might convince you.
Yup, Lowell George should certainly be there.
I'm not sure how to judge Elvis Costello on this count, largely because it's not obvious to me what picking on his records is being done by HIM personally.
One particularly obvious silly entry was Kurt Cobain. He was a decent songwriter, but Nirvana was a shitty BAND. They were some of the worst players of their instruments to make it to their level.
There's only one player in EC's band and that's him. Of course there may be a studio guy or two playing on the albums but having seen him live many times I can attest that he can play all his own licks and then some.
Has anyone mentioned Steve Miller? Of course Boz Scaggs too.
The dudes in Judas Priest are way better than any of these poofers. Except Greg Ginn. He could make them pee their leather pants just by plugging in.
It looks to me like there's some confusion over
what exactly is being rated -- both by RS and by
the contributors to this page. I don't want to complain
-- well, yes I do -- but it seems as though many of you
equate the players with the bands they are (were) in.
Similarly, many seem to equate the quality of the playing
with the quality of the songs they played. Sure, that
sounds like I'm missing the point, right? You could ask
"What's the point of being able to play dazzling solos
if you have to back Michael Bolton?" But it's not fair
to say that Duane Allman is not great just because
you might not like the Allman Brothers, for example.
It's also silly to say that Keith Richards is great just
because he he plays for "The Greatest Rock and Roll
Band in the World."
Another thing that seems to get
mixed up is that fame shouldn't be equated with talent.
Jimmy Page, my hero, is not really much of a solo guitarist.
Have you heard his live stuff? Sloppy, not very good at all.
His fame is earned by his writing ability, not his playing. All
of my former guitar teachers could play Page under the table.
They're not famous for reasons having nothing to do with
their playing ability, right?
As for Buck Dharma, once laughably touted as the best
American rock guitarist: well, I saw Blue Oyster Cult
headline a show in Long Beach CA way back when. Ted
Nugent opened, followed by Kansas. Ted was then a
budding guitar hero, and did his very best to show off.
It was clear that he was "gunning" for Buck. But -- surprise! --
Kerry Livgren of Kansas came out midway through their show
and played for 10 minutes under a spotlight all by himself
with his white Gibson SG. He absolutely smoked Ted's doors
off. When Buck came out, it was as if he knew he had been
seriously outclassed and, although he gave it a shot, he could
not hold a candle to Ted or Kerry. No doubt there are hundreds
of similar stories -- like the night I saw Eddie van Halen make
Rudolf Schenker (sp?) of UFO wish he had called in sick.
Or was it Michael Schenker?
Also, in the spirit of naming guitarists that are at least as good as 50 or so of the big winners, how about Steve Morse, Steve Hillage, Steve Hackett, Todd Rundgren, Gary Moore, Rory Gallagher, Albert King, Martin Barre, Frank Marino, and Billy Gibbons? Sheesh.
Michael Schenker was the one in UFO. Except for when he called in sick. Actually, he didn't call in, he just disappeared for a few months.
Holy Cow, you saw Van Halen and UFO in the same show!?! I would have killed to see that. Blue Oyster Cult/Kansas/Ted Nugent around that time sounds like a barnburner too.
I wasn't aware that Buck Dharma was ever more than a cult figure, but touting him as the best American rock guitarist (circa what, 1976?) seems no more laughable than Rolling Stone's list. Low standard, I know.
Eddie Van Studio Tricks? Yawn!
I was extremely peeved to find that Mike Oldfield did not make that list, nor did Tommy Emmanuel for that matter. Don't know who they are? Well, Tommy's big in Australia and is branching out into the overseas market - but if you'd heard him, you'd be amazed. And Mike Oldfield - who can play any guitar as easily as scratching his balls, is probably better known for his work in the 70's horror flick icon, The Exorcist, but you need to listen to his guitar stuff to truly enjoy his music. Magic. Whoever made that list up is stuck in the 70s and 80s with the hair bands.
And Hendrix at #1? Puhleeze. How passe.
Hendrix might be "passe", but it is an immutable fact that he took the electric guitar all the way to its limits in a time before most people had the remotest clue what or where they were. That's what happened when he appeared.
He might not be to everyone's taste, now, but he was enormously important influence on just about everything that came behind him.
Ok - much of this list is bogus and you all have come up with some admirable additions, but slide blues guitarist Roy Rogers has got to be included! I have seen him 2x and been totally blown away both times (once I was even sober!). I would put him in the top 10, but wouldn't argue too much if he was in the top 20!
Aw shucks, guys....how come they forgot to mention the Go-Gos...the Bay City Rollers, Air Supply, David Cassidy (a f'ing virtuoso!), Ace Frehley of Kiss, Mike Nesmith, the Bangles, or the dudes from Black Oak Arkansas? I am appalled. At least I can pray that they will have a Top 100 Vocalists so I can see my all-time favorites like Cher, Britney Spears and Mariah Carey along with Michael Bolton, Dee Snyder, Ricky Martin and Milli (or was it Vanilli? Crap!)....sigh....now I bet Rolling Stoned will go and steal my list.
Forget the 2 or 3 dozen other problems with this list (e.g., the excessive effort to stimulate controversy via ludicrous choices) the omission of Mick Taylor renders any serious discussion of it moot.
As Eric Olsen pointed out, the Stones made the greatest rock-n-roll albums in history when Mick Taylor was with the group. For live witness testimony listen to the last 2:30 minutes of Sympathy for the Devil on Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out.
Listen to all of it. The playing is mesmerizing and at times downright orgastic--on a night when the Stones were indisputably the greatest rock-n-roll band in the world. Thanks in no small part to Mick Taylor.
Edgar Winter anyone?
I believe you mean Johnny, and he is a great blues and blues-rock guitarist.
What the fuck is doin' Mr. Joe Perry on the #48 he must have been at least on the top 10!!!!!!!!!!
More missing: Peter Buck, Bernard Sumner, Johnny Marr - they pretty well aced out the '80s with this list.
Been thinking about this list and how many of the folks on the list can we tell by their sound and style who is actually playing?
I recently heard and commented on a solo of joy to the world by Eddie and I could tell it was Eddie. The Beat It solo from Michael Jackson sound Eddie influenced.
Eddie Van Halen has a very distinct way that he plays, so does Jimi Hendrix. Also about the many differrent ways he played the guitar? Hendrix (created?) the whole playing with your lips thing.
Hendrix could make sounds with his guitar and feedback that were as incredible in the 60's as they are today, 40 years later! Just dial up his many copied star spangled banner solo. How many rock guitarists include that (zakk wylde comes immediately to mind) in their solos?
Eddie may not have created the two-handed tap, but he popularized it with Eruption. That was in the end of the 70's.
Randy Rhoads did things with distortion, feedback and blending classical guitar with heavy metal that others have copied many times over in the early 80's before his untimely death. If he were alive today, I think people would be more disappointed that he didn't make the top 10.
Some of these folks on this list I'd have a hard time telling their sound apart. If you gave them all the same guitar and same amp, would their style give them away?
Studio gimmicks were mentioned above, but I think that is part of the guitarist's bag of tricks -- use the technology before him/her. Bottom line though, without the effects pedals and guitar mods, how do the best hold up against each other?
I think to be in the top 10 at least of any list (which would be easier to do than a top 100, Rolling Stone) these folks have to all really, really stand out on their playing.
This list is just full of issues ... kudos for Rolling Stone to mak an attempt, but they should have just stuck with top 10 because even the top 10 it's still a bag of worms.
The biggest problem with the RS list is the focus on celebrity rather than players.
So I'll list the one great great guitarist I know personally, Domenic Troiano.
A great guy, a wicked guitarist and he's played with everybody.
Jimi Paige #9??? he could easily put up a fight for hendrix in the number 1 spot. Im glad to see george harrison on the list at least one of the beatles made it. But what was RS thinkin putin kurt cobain and jack white so high on the list let alone even on it. kurt cobain was a poet and an amazing song writer but was way below average of a guitar player and Jack white i dont even know what to say. eddie van halen deffinetly deserved to be in the top 20's. I like seeing clapton on the list but i think the 4 slot is too considerate. Trey Anastasio isnt gettin enough recognition he could easily be in the top 40's. I DONT SEE MY NAME ON THE LIST!!! and if rolling stones comes out with a top 100 vocalists ROBERT PLANT without a doubt should at least be in the top 3. GO ZEPPELIN
Though he is often overshadowed by his bandmates Alex Lifeson is a damn good player.
Why aren't I on the list? I can play ATLEAST 6 chords, maybe even seven or eight. I own a Squire for godsakes, thats reason enough.
Where are Alvin Lee and Leslie West?Listen to Johnny Winter playing Highway 61 Revisited Live and then tell me he shouldn't be 50 spots higher.
cobain at #12, harrison @ 21? whattafuck!
Nice list, but many players are forgotten like Lowell George, Al Di Meola, Paco Da Lucica, Pat Matheny, George Benson, Luther Allison, Robert Cray, Johnny Copeland and Albert Collins.........
It is tragic and a giant big mistake that they are not there ! Making a lot of noise or doing experimental stuff on the guitar does not mean that you are a great guitar player, or not ?
Beeing the creator of Rock and Roll, definitely Chuck Berry, does not mean that you are great guitar player, or not ?
I almost agree with the first ten, except Chuck Berry. Joni Mitchell makes nice music, but also a great guitar player.............. But where is Bonnie Rait ?
A lot of Allman Brothers are listed, as a great fan, I liked this a lot.......
Maybe next time they should poll the artists themselves to see who they believe should be on that list.
I cannot believe that STANLEY CLARKE, the best bassist ever to play is not on that list.
George Benson??? Go figure. Touted by his peers as an incredible player.
Larry Carlton, the best contemporary guitarist today!!!!
I just took in Steely Dan and although many do not know him Jon Herrington is one incredible player.
Stanley Clarke not there. IDIOTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Where the hell is Andy Gill? Roger Miller (MOB)?
2 words: Francis Dunnery.
I'm currently listening to the Phil Keaggy/Glass Harp live cd, 'Strings Attached' and I am in heaven...
peace.
yeah phil mckenna smells bad
alright first of all the person who made this list is on crack. I agree that hendrix is number 1. he definately had the biggets impact on rock being a negro during the time. Cobaine @ 12? what is this guy thinking he has no talent as a guitarist he fit in with the era. Les Paul in the 40's. cmon people he invented the damn thing. wheres slash from guns and roses jimmy paige is prolly the most incredible thing that happend to guitar. now im not a fan at all of bands like pantera or slipknot but when i heard the guitar solos in some of there songs i was blown away. hammet cant match them. and van halen at 70 just plain down right obsured dave matthews may not be the best guitarist out there but to play what he does and sing at the same time hes incredible he definately deserves to be on the list over Kim Thayil of Soundgarden DMB represent
comment 79 blows dogs for quarters and if u dont believe me bout dmb listen to the stone
commment 90 is a load of bull shit
i dont know what this guy thinks hes talkin about
MAYBE HES THE ONE ON CRACK
JACKASS
thi steve zafirakis kid does nto know whatdafuck hes talking bout he prolly wouldnt know a G chord from an E i mean cmon he definately smells bad sux dogs for quarters and jerks off to his moms panties for christ sake
MIA:
yngwie malmstein
dimebag darrel
dave mustaine
zakk wylde
paul gilbert
marty friedman
Jerry Cantrell
SLASH
Steve Vai!
Joe Satriani
Randy Rhodes
This lst is so much Bull shit, half of these guys i've never heard of and what about satch. vai is on here and satch taught him and is 98734958234 better than him. Also where teh hell is billy corgan...???? this list is Crapola. Not good enough to even be used on my ass.. I'd usse poison ivy before this shit
Where's Brian May, and what the hell is Townshed doing up there anyways. The only reason why he was so pissed was because a two year old could play better lead than him. And Daivd Gilmour should be put up the the 40's at least, seems that RS overlook Dark Side of the Moon.
Whoever is responsible for this list should be shot. Its obviously just a ploy to sell magazines.
"Hey guys, lets make a list of the best guitarists!"
And they obviously could only think of a few so they just started throwing names in at random. If you're talking pure talent, I don't see why Pat Metheny isn't in there and why the Edge is. Some may argue that some of these guys deserve to be there on "writing abilities", but Metheny outsteps pretty much all of them in that regard.
I knew Rolling Stone had sold out, but I didn't know it was this bad. What happened to that kickin magazine it was back in the 60s? Oh right, corporate america happened...
I am a little disappointed that Satriani is not on the list...
... Ike Turner? IKE TURNER? Just exactly what impact did he have? Other than on Tina's face, that is...
Manny Charlton formerly of Nazareth deserves mention on this list.
To me the biggest joke is Joan Jett at 87. Gimme a break, if they wanted to get some women in there they could've done a heckuva lot better than that! What about Nancy Wilson of Heart? Bonnie Raitt? Sheesh.
Paul, absolutely right with those two, can't believe they left out Bonnie - she probably can't believe it either. Go-Go's Bangles, Lush all had very fine guitar work also.
i always thought jane wiedlin was hotter than joan jett.
Phil Keagy is a real oversight, he still plays great guitar. But what about David Byrne. He created an entire style of quirky, rhythmically complex guitar playing. I think he is vastly under appreciated. Also, he could play that stuff while singing, something Frank Zappa (another of my favorites) could never accomplish.
Trey
agreed about Bonnie. I didn't think of her till someone mentioned it. The Theory and I are listening to Glass Harp's "Strings Attached" album right now. I had never heard it before. I dig it.
Good one Trey, David Byrne is unique.
see, the thing is that I doubt Keaggy cares that he's not on this list. He's obviously not after attention. If he was he'd be a god by now.
This list is a little silly, but it's fun. I personally love Jack White's playing. I've seen the White Stripes Live and their better than most give credit for. I agree 17 is high, but he's one of the best things going for rock and roll these days. He's loud distorted and very versitile. Most people have only heard Seven Nation Army, which isn't even one of their best tunes.
Like I said, the list is fun and not to be taken too seriously.
i think that this list needs to be rethought, and not by a bunch of losers that think Jack White should be on the list. Where is James Hetfield? Buckethead? Nick Walker? Tim Mahoney? Darron Malakian? wtf? REMAKE THIS DAMN LIST PLEASE......
First, a distinction has to be made between great guitar players and great songwriters. Most people who are interested in reading the top 100 list of guitarists want to see the great players way before any marginal players who are great songwriters. Next, a distinction has to be made between true innovators who were also awesome players , the awesome players, the very good players and then the marginal players. I will list examples of each category but the players are not necessarily in order of greatness and I will probably leave out people that could belong in these categories
1.True Innovator/Awesome players: Hendrix, Van Halen, Stanley Jordan, Django Reinhardt, Charlie Christian, Allan Holdsworth, Yngwie Malmsteen, Andres Segovia
2. Awesome players: Eric Johnson, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Al Dimeola, Joe Satriani, Steve Morse, Steve Howe, Nuno Betancourt, George Benson, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Jimmie Page, Brian May, Ritchie Blackmore, Randy Rhoads, Pat Metheny, John Schofield, Mike Stern, Steve Vai, Duane Allman
3. The Very Good Players: BB King ,Chuck Berry, Jerry Garcia, Carlos Santana, Mark Knopfler, Joe Perry, Pete Townsend, David Gilmour, Angus Young, Peter Frampton, Gary Moore, Keith Richards, The Edge
4. The Marginal Players who are usually better songwriters: Kurt Cobain, Johnny Ramone, Lou Reed, Neil Young.
Nick, excellent distinctions and thinking. Filling out a list taking these considerations (and perhaps a few others) into account would make a much more meaningful list. Thanks!
But, wouldn't you put someone like The Edge, who's a very good player, into the innovative category? Just because you're not an "awesome player" doesn't mean you're not innovative. How many people tried/try to copy The Edge's sound? Or BB King? He's definitely a mediocre player as far as skill is concerned, but nobody but nobody makes a guitar sound the way he does. There are a million blues guitarists, and none of them have the style and flava flave he does. To me, that's innovative.
I definitely agree with you that people like The Edge who have unique sounds (Jerry Garcia as well) could be considered innovators and that innovators don't necessarily have to have the chops. But this also makes the list very hard to assemble.
I think that's why there's so much discussion. None of us are sure what constitutes "best guitar player".
If we make a list.....they will come.
Jason Becker anyone? It's a shame he lost his abilities at such a young age.
AND EDDIE VAN HALEN IS THE BEST TOO! 70#???? PLEASE U ALL SUCK BALLS!
yeah jason becker owns!
I'd definitely find room for Frampton on the list. Check out the new album for some of his best playing ever.
I'd also add Walter Trout, Jeff Healey and Bill Nelson.
And not forgetting Nils Lofgren.
Lofgren and Nelson are great choices, although Nils kind of ran out of steam. His work with Grin and early solo was amazing - hasn't done much I've taken notice of with Bruce.
what about peter frampton ? and maybe 20 years ago Joe Perry might have been up that high but he should be in the top ten at least. Amazing what going straight and sober can do for the mind.
Missing in Action:
Kerry King (Slayer)
Any of the three Maiden Guitarists
Ace Frehley (Kiss)
Adam Jones (Tool)
Dimebag Darrell (Pantera)
Scott Ian (Anthrax)
And HA! to Kurt Kobain being a better guitarist than Santana.
I stand corrected, I see Adam Jones now.
kerry king is the absolute worst metal guitarist. i honestly think he just picks random notes as fast as possible.
also...so glad slash isnt in the top ten but probably should at least make the list.
nuno bettencourt should absolutely be on the list. Brilliant metal rythym and soloist and his newer stuff is decent as well.
Having a cool name like Slash does
not translate into "good," let alone "great." Ya know?
Re: " And HA! to Kurt Kobain being a better guitarist than
Santana," by Derek S., I would say "HA! to Kurt Kobain
being a better guitarist than my Aunt Betsy."
Those who said James Hetfield and Ace Frehley might need to be shot. Hetfield is a marginal player at best, hell his guitar tech covered his part flawlessly after his pyro incident. And Ace Frehley isn't even the best guitarist to play in Kiss.
Thats a nice top 100 but i just can't believe NO ONE from Iron Maiden are there, Jannick Gres and Dave Murray are far better than most of those on the top 100 Adrian Smith is almost as good as them but the worst is ... Yngwie J. Malmsteen isn't there, IMO, it's THE best guitarist in the whole world, i just looked at some songs and are hard to follow, i can play some Maiden's songs like Dreams of Mirrors or Genghis Khan but not one from Malmsteen seems even almost playable and he do it like it was easy i don't want to complain or anything, i just think they forgot some because i REALLY think Malmsteen should have been in the top 5 and one more think, any guitarist from Iron Maiden are better than Kirk Hammet ( and i'm a BIG fan of Metallice ) and Malmsteen is FAR better than them. I just hope they won't forget them on their next top 100 if there's one.
Solidsnke, perhaps you mistake athleticism for good guitar playing. The most complicated, hard to reproduce lines are not necessarily the "best." In a theoretical way, Malmsteen could probably play rings around Chuck Berry. However, whose work do we remember decades later? Berry's work was catchier and more memorable, and a highly personal emotional expression. It would not have been more impressive if he played 10 times more notes 10 times as fast.
James Hetfield sucks and so does the list. Jack White Rules!
perhaps you misread my quote. I said I am gldad slash DID NOT make the top ten as he usually does on these ridiculous lists.
WHAT IS THIS, Listen people, you have to realize how guitar has progressed. Jimi Hendrix was one of the most influencial guitarists of his time. BUT we took what he gave us, and built off of it. Then we got eddie van halen, THEN JOE SATRIANI, THEN STEVE VAI, ERIC JOHNSON, JOHN PETRUCCI. THESE GUYS ARE VIRTUOSO!!!!!!!!!!!
While I agree that perhaps the larger crime to humanity is the omission of Bonnie Raitt and, conversly, the inclusion of Joan Jett, I am amazed that Mark Knopfler is ranked below, to name a few, Kurt Cobain, Jerry Garcia, Jack White, Tom Morello, B.B. King, and Keith Richards. If I were 18 again, I'd be shocked at Eddie Van Halen's ranking, but having moved on to listening to more beautiful music long ago, such as that made by Mark Knopfler (especially his solo work), I must say that Rolling Stone has missed the boat. B.B. King is a fat one-trick pony.
Gentlemen (and Ladies?),
Let him that hath understanding count the number of ways that Sean's comment
(131) is a revelation.
Sorry bling bling. I overreacted.
Gentlepeople, let's don't trash each other for our opinions. Let's don't impugn the work of the fine collection of professional guitarists about whom we speak.. We are all sensitive souls who can respond favorably to music. That's worth hanging onto. Nobody mentioned on these posts "sucks," with the possible exception of Rolling Stone magazine.
I'm glad to see Danny Gatton and Clarence
White on the list but no Joe Satriani or
Robin Trower? What's up with that? JR
(comment 13) had quite a few other glaring
omissions including Eric Johnson, Steve
Vai, and Django Reinhardt. And what about
Curt Kobain? Just because someone dies
that doesn't make them a great guitar player.
I don't think he needed more than two
strings to play his stuff.
Glad some of the posters didn't forget Robert Cray, Stanley Jordan, Larry Carlton and Pat Metheny. Here's a few other names in that vein worthy of mention: Hiram Bullock, Billy Corgan, Fareed Haque, John Schofield, Joe Pass and the vastly underrated Dale Prasco. Always thought Eddie Van Halen and the like were "musical masturbators," playing "noodleroni" because they could.
Oh, and even I forgot about him, but shouldn't we honor the great Peter Buck?
No.
Slash! Forgot all about him, and that's just wrong.
I don't know if I'd rank him one of the 100 greatest guitarists ever. I'm not sure what the exact criteria for such a listing would be.
However, just for starters, the beautifully expressive opening of "Sweet Child" alone should rank him above half of the people who DID make the list.
okay this is an absolute joke.. a crime! okay great, yngwie plays really fast and that may not make him "memorable" quoting our pal "al".. but think about this: he COULD play as slow as chuck berry, however he has so much more talent that he takes it to the next level of speed and creativity! Its BEST GUITARIST not BEST GUITARIST WHO PLAYS CATCHY TUNES!!!! Yngwie has insane talent, and without a doubt should be on that list, if not right up at the top with Hendrix.. theres no possible way of saying Yngwie isn't talented enough to be on this list.. just try and prove it
ok...
a. some talented guitar players didn't make the rolling stone list
b. yngwie malmsteen is some talented guitar player
therefore, yngwie malmsteen did not make the list.
ps. (he's also boring)
Fast noodlers bore me to tears. After the second "wow" it's all downhill
once again u dipshits don't cease to amaze me.. its TALENT.. not whether or not it amuses you.. he has enough TALENT to be on that list.. are you saying that kurt cobain is better than him? please..
Kenny Burrell
George Benson
Earl Klugh
Wes Montgomery
These 4 definitely need to be added to that list.
"To make the crucial distinction, trained fingers might as well be trained seals unless there's a mind flexing behind them."
...i wish those were my own words...but they came from Lester Bangs.
angus young at 96 i wont even dignify this with a anwser
kurt cobain is a guitarist?? j/k
Cobain at 12? Harrison at 21??!!
That could be the #1 flaw in a
very flawed list. White at 17 I think you
should be at least dry behind the ears
before one makes any all time list.
If Labron James averages 30 points
10 rebounds and 8 assists in his first
NBA season should he be on the all time
top 100 list? I think not.
What about Albert Collins. He IS the Master of the Telecaster.
White's actually been around for a bit, they've put out like 4 albums I believe. As for Malmsteen, I agree he belongs on the list but he does bore me. I'd much rather listen to John Lee Hooker (he isn't on the list either is he?) as he plays from the heart. Being able to type 100 words/minute doesn't make you a great writer.
Being able to type 100 words/minute doesn't make you a great writer.
it does make you a good typer though. Which is probably the connotation "good guitar player" would indicate.
I disgaree. That would mean that being a good guitarist is more akin to being a secretary than a writer. A great guitarist is an artist as well as a technically skilled player. If technical skill was all it took there would be far more famous players than there are now. Part of being a great guitarist is having a great voice and great things to say with the instrument.
ahhhhrrgg!!! Randy Rhoads deserves #1!!!
Eddie Van Halen #2, Angus Young #3!!
I dont think Jimi Hendrix is #1... i mean, I can play his songs and i have been playing guitar for a year!! this list is terrible!!!!
some names others have not mentioned yet:
Ernie Isley
Melissa Etheridge
and these two axeslingers-for-hire:
Steve Hunter
Dick Wagner
Okay...
Slash
Joe Satriani
Steve Vai
Prince
Jerry Cantrell
Al Jourgensen
Dave Navarro
Trey Spruance
Billy Corgan
You think anyone at Rolling Stone has ever heard of them?
Wystler, don't know about Melissa, but Ernie Steve and Dick are excellent picks! Loved the latter two with Mitch Ryder (I think, at least Hunter for sure), Lou Reed, and Alice Cooper.
Ernie carried on the screaming funk-rock of Hendrix in the '70s. Killer.
And coming from Rolling Stone, I would've thought they'd have Dave Grohl in the top 20 or some shit like that.
Jesus, this list tops my Top 10 Worst Lists list... rounded out by any 9 of those VH1 jokes.
P.S. Oh, and Gary Rossington, man... fuckin' Free Bird...
THANK YOU! THANK YOU THANK YOU for saying EXACTLY what I was thinking about why Phil Keagghy did not show up on this list!! Also deserving of a place among the best was Marty Robbins,Chet Atkins or even Glen campbell. They could twiddle and strum circles around many of the twerps on this list.
gee, i can't wait until rolling stone puts out the best drummers list.
then the blogcritics shite will really hit the fan!
Yeah, maybe Ted Nugent will make that list... he did play drums, right?
James was right, Francis Dunnery isn't even on the list and he is awesome. Hendrix is only famous because he set fire to his guitars...I'm surprised Rolling Stone didn't put Justin Timberlake on the list...after all, he does own a guitar.
Before I saw the list I was hoping for Steve Morse in the top 8. not in the top 100. My god guitar player of the year in guitar player magazine 6 times. The dregs axe got burned,
Zappa should be top 10.
here is proof
"Magna Carta recording artist Steve Morse, whose upcoming CD Major Impacts 2 will be in stores later this year, will make an appearance at the Gibson Presents Muriel Anderson's All Star Guitar Night in Nashville, Tennessee, on July 18. This momentous musical occasion marks the first Nashville appearance in 25 years by legendary guitar innovator and musician Les Paul, who will perform a number of his groundbreaking songs and share the stage with a number of great guitar stars including Steve Morse.
Thirteen-year old guitarist Chelsea Constable's
I think most are missing the point. Notice that it's the top 100 and not the top lead or the top melodic guitarists. Sure, Cobain was no fret wizard, because he never wanted to be. His songs were crafted on the basis of simple punk standards. He used them to obviously develop a style in which he could express himself like no one before him and by doing so, he destroyed the music industry's idea of what an entertainer should be. Right up rolling stone's alley. Good old rock and roll at it's finest.
Ok, first i have to say jack green, johnny ramone, and the guy from metalica shouldn't even be on the list. in there spot should be alvin lee, buddy guy and t-bone walker. The edge should be gone, so should kurt cobain. Im not even a fan of eddie van, but he deserves to be higher. Dwane alman does not deserve number 2, more like 32. ry cooder is good, but not better than jimmy page. Keith richards is up there only there for inovation (rolling stones are my favorite band too). Pete townshend should be atleast top 15. B.B. King even said that eric clapton is better than him, and that he cant sing and play at same time, so clapton should be 3. santana is definently be higher than jeff beck and jerry garcia. Bo Diddley should be higher. Hendrix is easily number 1. All those jazz guys like allan holdsworth and eric johnson should atleast be on list, instead of crap like tom morello. Elmore james should also be on list. Robert johnson is easily number 5, but stevie ray should be higher. SO i guess top ten would be:
1. Jimi hendrix
2. Clapton
3. Stevie Ray
4. Robert Johnson
5. B.B. King
6. Chuck Berry
7. Jimmy Page
8. Keith Richards
9. Santana
10. George Harrison
Not putting Robert Johnson in the top 2 is total crap.
No Buck Dharma (Blue Oyster Cult) ?? Guess a dozen plus albums of great skill and creative playing don't matter. Some of the short term riff players listed: get real and keep listing short lived garage bands/members. Must have used radio and MTV (yawn) for most of the picks.
I agree 80 guitarists,But the rest 20 should be changed.
Charlie Christian
Tal Farlow
Grant Green
Wes Montgomery
Albert King
Segovia
Some Metal Players(You probabaly koow the names)
Eddie Van Halen should be at least second, fuck rolling stone magazine, they dont know shit! (same with marty friedman, he should be first with Hendrix).
I don't know who compiled this, but this is complete bullshit. (sorry Todd, but it is) I don't even know where to begin bashing this. Well, actually I do. The maestro, Andreas Segovia, DIDN'T EVEN MAKE THE LIST. And that's just for starters. Duane Allman at #2?? Hey, I love Duane's slide work, but does anyone outside of Rolling Stone think he truly belongs at #2 on the list? Kurt Cobain at #12. Are you shitting me?? For crying out loud, these morons are saying that Kurt Cobain is the 12th best guitarist of all time, when Joe Satch and Steve Vai didn't even make the freakin list? Joan Jett came in at 87, so according to Rolling Stone, she is a greater guitarist than Andreas Segovia, Joe Satriani, and Steve Vai. I cannot believe this. It makes me want to kick someone over at Rolling Stone in the nuts. Or, at least give them an education about guitarists. I could go on and on. This is just absolutely pathetic, but I guess I should have expected as much from Rolling Stone.
I looked through the top 5 and didn't see Satriani, so I stopped reading...
I AM SO SICK OF HENDRIX!!! PEOPLE DONT EVEN HAVE A CLUE HOW TO PLAY GUITAR AND THEY THINK HENDRIX IS GOD JUST BECUASE HES DEAD!! HES SO OVERRATED!!! HE WAS INSPERATIONAL NOT A TECHNICAL GUITARIST, A SLOPPY ASS DISTORTED GUITARIST AND NOBODY WAS DOING THAT AT THE TIME SO HES A GOD I GUESS! IF THEY WERE RANKING BY BEING INPERATIONAL WTF IS MALMSTEEN, VAI,AL DE MIOLA, SATRIANI, AND ERIC JOHNSON THERE THE REASON THERES EVEN HALF OF THE GUITARIST THERE ARE!! UMM? VAN HALEN #70 JACK WHITE OF WHITE STRIPES #17 WTF IS THAT!!!
I agree with schockhead with the Eddie Van Halen thing, but i think ur wrong with Hendrix.
I agree with schockhead with the Eddie Van Halen thing, but i think ur wrong with Hendrix.
That dude who played on "No Sleep 'til Brooklyn" by the Beastie Boys is WAY better than any of these schlongs.
Except Greg Ginn. He could make that dude cry like a little school girl.
why is is hendrix the best guitarist?? can someone please tell me??
lol @ the morons thinking Hendrix is overrated. He's a guitar god, a true pioneer.
I've had a brainfreeze, and know right after I hit
{and then I did the sensible thing and google'd the fucker} So it's Chris Spedding and "Guitar Jamboree" (and on eukele...)
Apparently , I've never spent any time with him, but he's a reprobate, has played on million records, and is a brilliant guitar player.
So what's Hendirx done in the last 30 years?
Look, I'll accept Eddie at 70, but where is Chet Atkins, Dave Murray, Adrian Smith (best metal guitarist ever), Steve Vai, Yngwie, Charlie Christian, Ronnie Van Zant, Joe Satriani (didn't he teach Kirk Hammett (#11)?), Duane Allman higher than Eric Clapton (Didn't Duane play rythym for eric?), and ok, i love Jimi Hendrix, but is he really better than Jimmy Page?, c'mom have you ever heard his solo on "good times bad times?" oh yeah, and John Fruciante? 18? Tom Morello shouldn't have been so high, i love rage, but his solos make me wish he'd never heard of run DMC. Glad to see Steve Howe, I love the intro to Roundabout. I know everyone above me mentioned joe satch, but i saw him live and until i heard him and never though instrumental music could be so kick ass!
Bricklayer is and idiot (about 5 or 6 messages above this one)
Bricklayer is an idiot (about 5 or 6 messages above this one)
I forgot about Dimebag Darrell, have you ever heard Cemetary Gates?, and Alex Lifeson, listen to Discovery from 2112 if you don't think hes awesome
HENDRIX SUX STEVE VAI, MALMSTEEEN, OR ERIC JOHNSON WOULD BLOW HIM OUT OF THE WATER ANY FRICKEN DAY! THERE AT ANOTHER LEVEL!! OK IF HES THE BEST BECAUSE OF INSPIRING PEOPLE, THEN WHO INSPIRED HIM SHOULDNT HE BE #1 THEN ETC.
Lets go back in time to where there was the first person ever to pick up a guitar. It was a CAVEMAN! that picked up a stick and tied a vine onto it. BINGO!!! the first guitarist ever thus being the most inperational guitarist ever!!! hes was probley better then henrix! LOL!!!!
Number one Jimi hendrix deserves to be number one, despite what all of you mindless morons say. Number two where in the hell is leo kottke?? I also would have liked to see chet atkins on this list, along with dave matthews, and no doubt in my mind that tim reynolds should be on this list.
Is it my imagination, or has the cabal of superior blog critics suffered some serious degradation in the IQ department over the last week?
Look, people, if you don't know the difference between "there," "their," and "they're," how can you expect us to believe that you know the difference between the technical ease of the solo on "Good Times, Bad Times" and the technical difficulty of the stuff that, por ejemplo, Fripp and Belew used to put together for King Crimson? Led Zeppelin is my favorite rock band of all time, but that doesn't make Page the best guitarist. Triplets down the E pentatonic scale is kid stuff. Every rock guitarist knows how to do that -- well, except for about 20 of the Rolling Stone Top 100. Go figure.
Duane, surely you don't think it's been Blogcritics writing the comments with indecipherable spelling (what the hell is "inperational"?), impenetrable punctuation, denegration of demigods, and the like? It hasn't been, my friend. Comments are open to all, and sometimes it shows.
Jim, Spedding is one of my all time faves - saw him and Phil Manzanera together backing Brian Ferry in the late-'70s, mind-boggling.
No Slash of GNR? No Petrucci of Dream Theater? No Dimebag Darrell of Pantera?
This list is a travesty!
Why are David Gilmore and Tony Iommi so high on this list? Why is Angus Young even on this list? Why are they writers and editors at Rolling Stone a bunch of tool bags? Once again? No John Petrucci or Dimebag Darrell? Does Rolling Stone even know who these guys are, or are they to busy watching the White Stripes on Saturday Night Live? No offense to them in any way, they've got a good thing going. But seriously, listen to he Cowboys from Hell or the Images and Words album, then get back to me!!!
Eric, thanx for straighting me out on that pooint. i gess I shud of know'n that this sight was open to all sins i wuz alowed to post my opinon hear i jus get tired of people saying henrix sux and all cuz he was insperashenal to so many who folowed. Einstien had teechers does that mean they were better sientists than him? do anologees even rejister hear? and wen peeple spel Di Meola as De Miola it makes me wunder if peeple should go red a book or sumthin insted of cruzing the net, ya know?
I no, Duane, I no.
No Cantrell of Chains?!! No Corgan of Pumpkins?!! I'm gonna go end my life now in disgust!
WHERE THE HELL IS C.C. DEVILLE HUH??!! HES THE BEST GUITARIST EVER! JUST LISTEN MAN AND YOU WILL KNOW WHAT IM TALKIN ABOUT.....2 WORDS FOR YAH!! "I WANT ACTON TONIGHT, SATISFACTION ALRIGHT!" YEAH BABY!! WOOOOOO!!!
Uh, you miscounted there, friend. "I want acton (I assume you meant 'action') tonight, satisfaction alright (I assume you meant 'all right')"....I get SEVEN words, not two. But hell, who's counting?
Uh, you miscounted there, friend. "I want acton (I assume you meant 'action') tonight, satisfaction alright (I assume you meant 'all right')"....I get SEVEN words, not two. But hell, who's counting?
deezNINailz named the guy i think should definately be in this list..... dave navarro. Kicked with Jane's Addiction and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.....with exception with his recent performance in the MTV music awards....he should have ended his appearance by clubbing Christina aguilera over the head with his guitar.
I tried to figure out (by reading the quasi-article which accompanied Rolling Stone's Top 100 Guitarists List) where, exactly, they came up with their criteria for the list. Who did they poll? Did someone toss a coin, or perhaps pull numbers from a hat?
I dunno. Maybe they polled the readers themselves (excluding everyone who put a post here). Hey, I got a subscription free for joining Columbia House or whatever it was....I wouldn't PAY to read this magazine. They don't need paying subscribers....after all, this is a magazine with no less than 35 to 40 pages of ads preceding the table of contents! Maybe then, Rolling Stone polled the advertisers!
With three dozen pages of slick ads featuring a bunch of pissed-off looking little brats, stubbly-faced twenty-somethings and guys with nothing more than six-pack abs as their claim to fame, I have come to realize that Rolling Stone is scant more than a Sunset Boulevard Billboard that passes itself off as a music magazine.
Case closed.
ALL THE GUITARIST SUCK ON THERE IM THE BEST GUITAR PLAYER IN THE WORLD YOU PEICES OF CRAP!! WHY ARENT I ON THE DAMN LIST. I CAN OUTPLAY ANYONE!!
What the...?
Who made this list, Katie Couric?
Look, it starts with Jimi Hendrix, moves next to Mr. Van Halen and the rest can be debated (that Nuno Bettencourt was left off tells me the author of the piece was busy looking at a Tiger Beat cover instead of listening to music) amongst the masses.
Now I'm reminded why RS is one of the worst mags out there...
JIMMY HENDRIX IS THE MOST OVER RATED GUITARIST OUT THERE, PERIOD.
Hi Mr. Sockhead.
You need to relax and take a few bong hits.
Go ask Eric Johnson or Steve Vai if they're better than me.
Peace, man,
Jimi
(ps. Janis was a good lay)
No Matthew Sweet? Blasphemy! Jack White's better than Harrison? Maybe now, since he's dead. How about the abysmal placements of Lou Reed and Pete Townshend? No dice. This list would anger me if I hadn't already expected it to suck...
I'm partial to Prince, but leaving Chet Atkins off the list is a joke.
Ooh, we broke the 200-comment barrier on this one, cool. I agree that even on a rock list such as this, you can't leave off Chet due to his work with the Everly Bros and Elvis.
And I am honored Jimi chose to visit us from his cyber-crypt at deadrockstars.org
Thanks Jim, you rock.
Ryan says "Bricklayer is and idiot (about 5 or 6 messages above this one)"
So Ryan (nice sissy name!), what is "and Idiot"? I guess I would have to be and real idiot to figure that one out!
He then goes on to praise the twee fellow from Rush, and redneck ogre from Pantera!
Face it slappy, the dude in the Gorilla Suit in the Beastie Boys video OWNS all of these hacks on this list.
Except for Greg Ginn. He could make that dude sit up and beg for a banana (or a palm leaf).
So Ryan (assume the vocal affectation of a New England country club snob when you say his name), go back to listening to your little noodle wankers, for you shall NEVER grasp the majesty and magnitude of the dude in the Gorilla suit!
The Hessian revolt starts now!
Gorillas and Greg Ginn - Bricklayer is at it again.
BTW, whatever happened to SST? I'm not sure Greg had it over any number of his fellow thrashers on his apparently erstwhile label.
SST is still running their mail order service. When I got my order confirmation, I think the email was from "gginn..." I wanted to send him something, but my woody was in the way (I'm not bragging or anything).
JIMMY HENDRIX IS THE MOST OVERRATED GUITARIST THERE IS PERIOD!!!!
With all due respect Sockhead, Eric Clapton is by far the most overrated guitarist in history-he is the guitar playing equivalent of Rod Stewart-Once might have been respectable, but now is laughable. "Tears in Heaven" is possibly the worst song ever recorded, it being Eric's very own "Love Touch". This is a man who sold his soul to Satan, and still could only come up with pablum like "After Midnight". Beelzebub laughed all the way to bank on that beer commercial. He is the prototypical stodgy, cranky Brit musician, looking down his pointy, bespectacled noggin at the lesser of his craft. And instead of emulating him, thousands of rockers should have been following his countrymen in Iron Maiden, they have much cooler stage shows, play football(you may call this soccer), fly aeroplanes, and where the inspiration for another fabulous act, Spinal Tap! Clapton is Euro-Trash, boring, boring, boring. What did Ms. Crow see in this charlatan? (Remember Charlatans UK? Now, that was a great band, my friends)
There's no other way...
Mr. O: Were you out in Cali when all those SST bands were going off? At one time weren't they housing Flag, The Minutemen, Husker Du, St. Vitus, The Meat Puppets, etc? That would have been Golden.
ILL HAVE TO DISAGREE WITH YOU. JIMMY HENDRIX, BY FAR IS THE MOST OVERRATED GUITARIST OUT THERE.
Fair enough SOCKHEAD, my friend, we will agree to disagree. And may I take this opportunity to express my admiration for your cool name. Too many of the people who post here hide behind monikers like "Ryan", as if we're supposed to believe that's their real name! If only the many argumentative types who frequent this site could conduct themselves with grace and decorum of you and I, what a wonderful world it would be.
AMEN!
Have read with interest, amusement and sometimes anger at the comments here. Don't see a lot of point of going through who's there who shouldn't be 'cos we all have our own opinions and anyway, we can replace them one by one with the people who should be there but aren't. 3 most glaring omission: Satriani, Vai and Bonnie Raitt - the greatest living female white redheaded blues slide guitarist in this life or any other). Chet Atkins should be there, as should Hank Marvin, Gary Moore, Buddy Guy and even (considering some of the choices) Duane Eddy. Segovia and John Williams at least should represent classical musical. And, in the words (more or less) of John Sebastian "there's a million guitar pickers in Nashville and all better than I am"...What about the guys from Saxon? George Thorogood,Jeff Healey
And to answer the Hendrix critics, without him, most of these guys wouldn't exist; Jimi took the guitar far beyond its capabilities at the time and it still took years for anyone to catch on to it. Okay, so some of you can play Hendrix songs - so can I - but can you play them *like* Hendrix? No way! No one can or ever will.
And that's all I have to say on the subject...
Oh - and nobody mentioned John Miles (Ok 'Music'; might be naff, but he'a a great guitarist and backed Tina Turner....
Uh, Richard, I think you forgot to mention the guy in Gorilla Suit from the "No Sleep 'til Brooklyn" video by the Beastie Boys. For shame.
I might have mentioned him, but never seen or heard him - whoever he is! So he can't be that good - can he?
B, yes I was there from '80 until '90 and saw much of which much more cannot be said. I even lived in Hermosa Beach. I got to know Ginn when I interviewed him at some length for the "Networking In the Music Industry" book in '93 - very interesting guy, hates Nirvana.
Here's how I picture the whole scene going down: The scene-A dimly lit, fifties style decorated living room in a sprawling ranch home in Orange County. Mr. O. and Chuck Dukowski share a beer and their opinion regarding Kim Gordon's gams. In one corner, Henry Rollins sits alone, scribbling furiously a letter of nihilism, alienation, and self loathing to his friend Ian, back home in DC. In another corner Gregg Ginn shares a doobie and his feelings that Rollins is a macho heathen to with several members of the Meat Puppets. Outside, Tony Hawk cruises the drained pool. Later, Mr. O. along with Gregg Ginn, Mike Watt, and several members of the Meat Puppets, retire to the local IHOP for pancakes at dawn. As they exit the restaurant, they run smack dab into several members of the band Exodus (who are incedentally whacked out of their gourds on crystal meth they made in their rehearsal space), the bass player from Testament, and Slayer guitarist Kerry King, who would later wear a gorilla suit while playing the solo in the Beastie Boys's "No Sleep 'til Brooklyn" video. Looks and Words are exchanged. This is what it's like when worlds collide. The otherwise (albeit cranky and gruff) pacifist Greg Ginn has had it with the disrespect, and produces a black jack from his back pocket. As he is about to come down hard on the playing hand of Kerry King, Mr. O. intercedes with an inspired rap on the virtues of respecting and embracing each other's differences, that would rival the Gettysburg address and I have a dream speech. Cooler heads prevail, and the whole gang heads up to the hills to develop a new musical style that would later become known as nu-metal. And the world is a safer place, where Kerry King would later go on to play the solo in a gorilla suit in the Beastie Boys's "No Sleep 'til Brooklyn video.
Classic, B, classic! Would that I was thusly intimate with the gang(s), although I do know Mike Watt pretty well - or at least used to. We are both from San Pedro and are the same age. From that scene, I know producers Spot and Geza X best.
Dude, you have to get a blog and join Blogcritics.
Than
Duane Allman, Robert Johnson and Ry Cooder ahead of Eddie Van Halen? Puh-lease.
Is this a list for guitar influences or who are the top 100 guitarists?
This reminds me of every rock countdown list where Stairway to Heaven is usually the winner. Stairway is a great song, an eternal classic, but it isn't the #1 rock song on every list.
Angus Young makes the top 100? Every AC DC song is what, 3 or 4 chords? I like the early AC DC stuff, but they have made a fortune off of a handful of chord combinations and I can't say Angus is one of the top 100 guitarists of all time.
On a positive note, I do agree with many of the people on this list and I think Hendrix at #1 is solid.