Greatest Guitarist (Living or Dead)
- Thread starter greenyboy27
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Zoot Horn Rollo. I love his guitar playing and I haven't really heard any bands that can play his songs properly.
The best guitarist technically? I honestly don't care. Guitarists like Yngwie malmsteen or Michael Angelo Batio bore the pants off me. Yeah, he can play two guitars at the same time; it's still really boring and predictable scales, with no passion at all.
So I like guitarists who can create a mood, where technical ability is only called upon if it's really needed. I'd go with Devin Townsend, Adam jones, Mikael Åkerfeldt...
I've a lot of respect for innovators like Hendrix too.
So I like guitarists who can create a mood, where technical ability is only called upon if it's really needed. I'd go with Devin Townsend, Adam jones, Mikael Åkerfeldt...
I've a lot of respect for innovators like Hendrix too.
It may shock you to learn that A7X does not and has never claimed to be metal.* While it's true they certainly have some metal elements in their music, they play all different styles. I guess it's your problem if you really want to miss out on what is arguabley the best band of the last decade or so just because "they're not metal enough." Guess what, neither is Led Zeppelin, and they're often cited as being one of the (if not *the*) greatest rock band of all time (and this is coming from someone who considers Metallica, Iron Maiden, and Pantera to be among the greatest rock/metal bands of all time). Point being, don't judge a band on what others have built up their image to be, judge them on their MUSIC.**ENKC said:
As for Gates, I really don't know why it's such a big issue for some people. Fact is, he's a pretty damn good guitarist with an excellent musical background that writes stuff that is good to listen to.
* Yes, I'm aware I listed Gates under metal guitarists above, that's because I feel that his strongest style of playing is metal, regardless of what the band as a whole plays.
** I say this not just to you, but to people in general, because most people I hear criticizng A7X (and similar bands) have never actually *listened* to them (listening to one or two songs doesn't count), yet they still talk negatively about them.
I find 'arguably the best band of the last decade' quite a stretch, but then I'm not one to listen to much mainstream music. Please don't assume I have an issue with bands being rock instead of metal. I love some rock'n'roll. And depending how you define 'of the last decade', I would say The Living End wipe the floor with anyone in the rock world.Dense_Electric said:
This is probably the most asked question that doesn't have a definitive answer. You wan to know why? Its because it really all comes down to personal preference and as long as there doesn't exist a machine to tell the level of skill it'll remain that way. I personally prefer Jack White, Jimmy Page and Mick Ronson.
Okay. I'll use your categories (even though you've left out a LOT of genres where there are plenty of kick-ass guitarists), just to make it easy for you.greenyboy27 said:
Rock: I'd probably go with Brian May simply because he always does great melodic solos. Name one Queen song with a guitar solo that isn't fabulously catchy and sticks in your head like glue. You can't, because there isn't one. On top of that he has a pretty unique guitar tone, even without his signature guitar effects:
Close second would be David Gilmour who I like for similar reasons, but he's not as consistent and disciplined as May.
Metal: Not Dimebag, for chrissake. I mean, yeah, he was good... but not the best by a long margin. If he hadn't died no-one would be putting him up there as best metal guitarist apart from rabid one-eyed Pantera fans (and you know how crazy and biased they can get, remember a Pantera fan shot him after all).
I'd pick The Great Kat because she totally encapsulates the spirit of metal in a way no other guitarist ever has:
Or Chuck Schulinder, because although he's also dead like Dimebag, at least his band actually had something sensible to say instead of Pantera's fake wannabe-Henry Rollins macho posing:
Punk: That guy from The Living End. No contest. None of the others can even fucking play.
Instrumental: I don't think this qualifies as a genre or category as all guitar solos are instrumental, so I'll skip this one.
Shredder: Django Reinhardt, easily. The first and best shredder, no-one else has equalled his fluidity since: (Watch from 2:08)
I guess second would be Michael Angelo Batio who is almost as good:
All Time Award: Orianthi. Here's a clip of her performing with some other far-inferior guitarist, can't remember his name, Steve somebody, who cares really...
And she even has good pop songs, something that other guy never managed...
Oh and I'm a guitar teacher so I'm qualified to tell you this. Yeah.
Close second would be David Gilmour who I like for similar reasons, but he's not as consistent and disciplined as May.
Metal: Not Dimebag, for chrissake. I mean, yeah, he was good... but not the best by a long margin. If he hadn't died no-one would be putting him up there as best metal guitarist apart from rabid one-eyed Pantera fans (and you know how crazy and biased they can get, remember a Pantera fan shot him after all).
I'd pick The Great Kat because she totally encapsulates the spirit of metal in a way no other guitarist ever has:
Or Chuck Schulinder, because although he's also dead like Dimebag, at least his band actually had something sensible to say instead of Pantera's fake wannabe-Henry Rollins macho posing:
Punk: That guy from The Living End. No contest. None of the others can even fucking play.
Instrumental: I don't think this qualifies as a genre or category as all guitar solos are instrumental, so I'll skip this one.
Shredder: Django Reinhardt, easily. The first and best shredder, no-one else has equalled his fluidity since: (Watch from 2:08)
I guess second would be Michael Angelo Batio who is almost as good:
All Time Award: Orianthi. Here's a clip of her performing with some other far-inferior guitarist, can't remember his name, Steve somebody, who cares really...
And she even has good pop songs, something that other guy never managed...
Oh and I'm a guitar teacher so I'm qualified to tell you this. Yeah.
There's a fair few that I can think of - Hendrix, Becker, Vai, Buckethead, Gilbert, Dimebag, Angus Young even though I dislike his music, Clapton, Fairweather-Low, Brian May.
BonsaiK said:
Wow a lot of these are really good picks that i wouldn't have thought of in a million years, the lass who's playing with steve vai is really good
, and for the Pantera loving, i just can't help it i've always been a big fan, the love's nothing like what im like with Metallica, just ask my girlfriend xD