Rolling Stone 100 Greatest Guitarists

[tag0519]

Hello All,

Was wondering what everyone thought of this. Take a look and give your thoughts.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-guitarists-20111123


I like the list, but have some small issues with it.

1. No Brad Paisley?
2. They left off a number of jazz and country guitarists
3. Beck and SRV should be higher on the list.

just my opinions, but it was fun to read the articles about the individual guitarists.

-Tom

 

[Bassman96]

Are you kidding me? SRV didn't even make the top 10?!? It's official... good taste is officially dead....

 

[mkgearhead]

I stopped reading when I saw Alex lifeson at #98.

 

[totheMax]

That's a tought crowd... SRV just happened to come in a little later, but he could have easily bumped Van Halen (the "punk" in the top 10) but he did change the way guitarists played. That said Les Paul and Chet Atkins could have popped Jimi down to number 3 in a heartbeat... They and a million others like Muddy Water and Son House were laying the groundwork before any of the top 10 were even playing...

Go figure...

Worse... 71, 74, 76, and 96

Robert Johnson, Joni Mitchel, Willie Nelson, and Bruce Springsteen - these voters are on really good drugs

 

[tag0519]

Robert Johnson, Joni Mitchel, Willie Nelson, and Bruce Springsteen - these voters are on really good drugs

LOL - yes and good drugs they certainly were...

 

[totheMax]

Joni Mitchel only played in open tunings for god's sake... and she's ahead of Bonnie Rait! Can't look any more... I knew there was reason I rarely read RS anymore.

 

[Bassman96]

And I might be in the minority here but.. while he is one of the greats.. I don't see Hendrix as #1... I would put him a close tie with SRV skill wise with imha SRV slightly ahead but not #1.. And how did Cobain make the list? Good songwriter yes but great guitarist? Hmm...

 

[D34dBaWx]

I don't consider Rolling Stone relevant anyhow. It is mostly about crappy pop musicians that use song writers to push crappy forgettable ring tones they call radio singles.

 

[Sparkfire]

I think if they wanted to do it right then they would have guitarists ring in on their favorites. It would have been easy except most guitarists don't read rolling stone anymore.

 

[totheMax]

DB34,

But how do you really feel...?

Chuck Berry, Keef, George Harrison, EC, Jimi, BB they were all pioneers of the modern rock and blues - Neil Young - not so much Stephen Stills helped carry the licks there. That poll is what is... fluff Look at how long Neil Diamond has been writing great songs that other folks record, he just takes the money to the bank and no complaints (same with Carol King).

Can guitar players read... I wonder where Slash or the Edge weighed in, both those boys are pretty hot. There's really a lot of great talent out there. Including the fossils that are still rock'n...

 

[D34dBaWx]

It's a magazine that regularly has Justin Beiber and Britteny Spears and the like on the cover. You cant expect anything credible about rock music from a rag like that. Rolling Stone magazine has as much to do with rock music as the Food Network

 

[Bassman96]

Rolling Stone magazine has as much to do with rock music as the Food Network

Or MTV for that matter....

 

[Papa Joe]

Meaningless crap..Popularity poll, nothing more..Some very good players? yeah no doubt..But where's Segovia,Joe Pass,Django,Wes Montgomery,Charlie Christain and dozens of others that laid the ground-work for the rest of us to build on..
There's hundred of players working the honky-tonks for peanuts that can play the tails off most of those listed..
That's why I hate to see people making it a competition...

 

[Caddy]

If you want ground breaking, then Chuck Berry deserves at least a very high spot. I grew up during that time. Before him, lead guitar was lilttle more than playing the melody, either that or more jazz oriented. The first time we saw him on TV was a revolution! Completely different than anything before him. It blew us young guitar players away. Guess it did for many The Rolling Stones, Beatles and on and on copied and learned from his playing. Also before him bands, and mainly guitar players, just mainly stood still on stage while playing. Seeing him jumping around the stage was another revolution. The duck walk also blew us away. We thought, Hey, you can play lead guitar and move around at the same time.

Influential? I guess! He took lead playing and performing to a very different place than it had ever been.

 

[Caddy]

There is really no right or wrong. I also agree that guitar playing is not a competition. It is an art. Neither is it a competition to see who can play the most notes in the shortest amount of time. Chet Atkins, while not a rocker, was a great guitarist. He also had feeling and taste in his playing and once said that the most important notes aren't always the ones you play, but those you choose to leave out.

It just seems to have gotten to the point where speed wins. I'll take feeling over speed any time. B.B. King may not be fast, or technical, but he does put a lot of feeling in it. That speaks to me. There is much more to guitar, and music in general, than trying to play a ton of notes in 30 seconds. A lot of people seem to put speed above the music. It's not a 100 yard dash, it's feeling and art.

Speed doesn't necessarily equate with good.

 

[galleta loco]

What no Roy Buchannon,well at least Johnny Winter beat out Joni MitchellDrugz iz bad don't drug and vote

 

[Rockbreaker]

Must be the same panel that votes on the R&RHoF (Rock & Roll Hall of Fame)

 

[Rockbreaker]

You got to be f****ing kidding!! I just re-read the list, I know most of this stuff is a matter of personal preference but, NO Gary Moore OR Joe Bonamassa??? AND they have "the edge"(?) on the list??? WOW!

 

[Caddy]

It's just a main-stream popularity contest. They should only let guitar players vote for their list, if they want a list. Might be a very different result.

 

[Roccobagadonuts]

My personal fav is Keith Richards at #4... When he isnt even the best guitar player in his own band... There was a reason the Stones jumped at the chance at bringing in Ronnie Wood when The Faces broke up and went their own way... Alex Lifeson below Joni Mitchell is another good one... Still kinda shocked I didnt make the top 20. They must have never heard my version of Star Spangled Banner or somethin... Plus I used to play a killer Stairway back when I was a young whipper snapper... Guess they missed that as well...