POLL- The WEAKEST LINK: Rolling Stone Magazine's Top 10 Guitarist- ROUND 1

MedozK

Since we definitely didn't agree with Rolling Stone Magazine's Top 10 albums or songs of all time, I figured for fun we could move to one last questionable Rolling Stone List. This time we will look at their list of the GREATEST GUITARIST OF ALL-TIME.

Alright, so here we will play the game to determine the BEST song in the Rolling Stone Top 10.

You are going to pick the song that you think is the "Weakest Link" after 2 days I remove the two (2) songs with the most votes. We will then move on to Round 2.
 
Rolling Stone Magazine's Top 10 Guitarist of ALL-TIME

1) Jimi Hendrix

2) Eric Clapton

3) Jimmy Page

4) Keith Richards

5) Jeff Beck

6) B.B. King

7) Chuck Berry

8) Eddie Van Halen

9) Duane Allman

10) Pete Townshend

Complete list located here: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/100-greatest-guitarists-153675/

MedozK

I throw my 2 cents in on this one. This list is beyond messed up. There are great guitarist not on the list at all, and some on here for who knows the reason.

tbergs

Chuck Berry

MedozK said:

I throw my 2 cents in on this one. This list is beyond messed up. There are great guitarist not on the list at all, and some on here for who knows the reason.

You mean Keith Richards

tempo_n_groove

Duane Allman

Duane Allman can play but man, I don’t know...

Some that should be on here for their innovations are Robert Johnson, G3 Vai, Satriani and Eric Johnson and where the hell is Stevie Ray?

tempo_n_groove

Duane Allman

3 others I forgot... Freddie and Albert King and James Burton..

rgambs

Keith Richards

Only Dankind could vote for Clapton in the first round lol

What a pud move 🤣🤣🤣

rgambs

Keith Richards

Eddie, Page, and Clapton stand above the rest here, for me.  I've never actually been a big EVH fan, just not my personal cup of tea, but his techniques and range were undeniably impressive.  Clapton should always be in this conversation for his relentlessly flawless stage execution...that has lasted for coming on 60 years now. 
Page was always known as a studio guitarist more than live, but he was still top-notch on stage, and of everyone on this list, he absolutely produced the widest variety of tones, licks, and riffs from a guitar.

josevolution

Pete Townshend

Townshend 

F Me In The Brain

Pete Townshend

It was a toss up between Pete and Eric.

Clapton is a fucking jackass of high order.
He's next.

dankind

Eric Clapton

F Me In The Brain said:

It was a toss up between Pete and Eric.

Clapton is a fucking jackass of high order.
He's next.

So boring. And a white nationalist denier of science to boot. 

In my opinion, Mark Knopfler is much more skilled than EC if I want couch music. A more true virtuoso. As far as I know, he’s also not a white nationalist science denier. 

I usually fast forward through his EC's guest spot of The Last Waltz, but when I watch it, Robbie slays Clapton, especially when he has to step in and play his solo because of a strap issue. 

F Me In The Brain

Pete Townshend

Don't forget he wrote Layla about another man's wife.    

Suuuuper nice guy.

F Me In The Brain

Pete Townshend

Also, I love some Dire Straits.

SO many great guitarists.  Feel like they really missed out with some of the newer guys.

Hobbes

Jeff Beck

F Me In The Brain said:

Also, I love some Dire Straits.

SO many great guitarists.  Feel like they really missed out with some of the newer guys.

Jack White first came to mind.

dankind

Eric Clapton

tbergs said:

MedozK said:

I throw my 2 cents in on this one. This list is beyond messed up. There are great guitarist not on the list at all, and some on here for who knows the reason.

You mean Keith Richards

rgambs said:

Only Dankind could vote for Clapton in the first round lol

What a pud move 🤣🤣🤣

The average person, at the very least, knows 10 Keith riffs by heart. That's massive! You can probably hear them in your head right now while reading this. And, surprise, they might make you shake your tushy a little bit.

Now try Clapton. Other than his stuff with Cream (which had stellar rhythm section!) and the intro to "Layla," I cannot do this. His riffs are tired, his fills and solos pretty much chromatic when that's the time to step out of the box.

F Me In The Brain

Pete Townshend

Hobbes said:

F Me In The Brain said:

Also, I love some Dire Straits.

SO many great guitarists.  Feel like they really missed out with some of the newer guys.

Jack White first came to mind.

Yeah, he is something else.  Certainly think of him.

I think of Pat Matheny or John Frusciane or Satch, or Morello.....Some of the Satch disciples like Hammet and LaLonde.

This could be a list of hundreds depending on a person's musical tastes.

tbergs

Chuck Berry

Clapton secured himself as a grade A asshole recently, but his early work in the 60's and 70's still stands out even if he sucks as a person. 

F Me In The Brain

Pete Townshend

tbergs said:

Clapton secured himself as a grade A asshole recently, but his early work in the 60's and 70's still stands out even if he sucks as a person. 

He was an asshole then as well.     Many examples -- but I know this is not a Good Person List, it is a greatest guitarist list so totally get what you are saying.

tbergs

Chuck Berry

F Me In The Brain said:

tbergs said:

Clapton secured himself as a grade A asshole recently, but his early work in the 60's and 70's still stands out even if he sucks as a person. 

He was an asshole then as well.     Many examples -- but I know this is not a Good Person List, it is a greatest guitarist list so totally get what you are saying.

No doubt. Lots of talented assholes in the world.

tempo_n_groove

Duane Allman

Morello and White I considered.  Morello more so for what sounds, innovation he made and White is in my mind just a good guitarist.

Buckethead I consider to be the best technical guitarist I've ever heard and thought about him being up there as well.

Keith Richards stole from every blues musician he heard so I would hardly count him as one of the best...

I thought of Frusciante too but he is just a really good guitarist and put him in the likes of Tedeski, , Trucks, Warren Haynes and any other great jamming artist.

tbergs

Chuck Berry

tempo_n_groove said:

Morello and White I considered.  Morello more so for what sounds, innovation he made and White is in my mind just a good guitarist.

Buckethead I consider to be the best technical guitarist I've ever heard and thought about him being up there as well.

Keith Richards stole from every blues musician he heard so I would hardly count him as one of the best...

I thought of Frusciante too but he is just a really good guitarist and put him in the likes of Tedeski, , Trucks, Warren Haynes and any other great jamming artist.

I think that's the conundrum. Do you go with innovative and influential or just a badass guitar player who kicked ass. Morrello was so unique in the sounds he could create, but I'd have a hard time putting him in the top ten. Same way I feel about Fru. 

tempo_n_groove

Duane Allman

tbergs said:

tempo_n_groove said:

Morello and White I considered.  Morello more so for what sounds, innovation he made and White is in my mind just a good guitarist.

Buckethead I consider to be the best technical guitarist I've ever heard and thought about him being up there as well.

Keith Richards stole from every blues musician he heard so I would hardly count him as one of the best...

I thought of Frusciante too but he is just a really good guitarist and put him in the likes of Tedeski, , Trucks, Warren Haynes and any other great jamming artist.

I think that's the conundrum. Do you go with innovative and influential or just a badass guitar player who kicked ass. Morrello was so unique in the sounds he could create, but I'd have a hard time putting him in the top ten. Same way I feel about Fru. 

I'd put Morello in over Allman and Richards any day.  Fru?  No.

brianlux

Pete Townshend

I had to vote off Pete and that's kind of a bummer because he is quite the showman.  But, of course, that doesn't equate to greatest guitar player.

My list of major omissions for the R.S. list (which I would make as 15 or 20 long):

Robert Johnson

Django Reinhardt

Larry Coryell

John McLaughlin

Richard Thompson

Robert Fripp

Leo Kottke

John Fahey

And I have to at least honorably mention Peter Green, Neil Young, Mike Bloomfield, and Jason Victor.

brianlux

Pete Townshend

And have to add, what makes this list bogus is the exclusive inclusion only of rock guitarists.  No jazz or blues guitarist?  Andrés Segovia, anyone?

tbergs

Chuck Berry

brianlux said:

And have to add, what makes this list bogus is the exclusive inclusion only of rock guitarists.  No jazz or blues guitarist?  Andrés Segovia, anyone?

I'll be honest Brian, I don't know half the names you mentioned. Who should I start with?

tempo_n_groove

Duane Allman

brianlux said:

And have to add, what makes this list bogus is the exclusive inclusion only of rock guitarists.  No jazz or blues guitarist?  Andrés Segovia, anyone?

I would add Charro too.  That girl can play!

brianlux

Pete Townshend

tbergs said:

brianlux said:

And have to add, what makes this list bogus is the exclusive inclusion only of rock guitarists.  No jazz or blues guitarist?  Andrés Segovia, anyone?

I'll be honest Brian, I don't know half the names you mentioned. Who should I start with?

That's as hard to answer as naming the greatest guitarist, lol!  But here's a brief rundown of what makes these players great:

Robert Johnson you probably know as the founder of modern blues as we know it . A great place to start with blues guitar appreciation

Django Reinhardt is regarded as the first to use guitar in jazz as a lead instrument.

Larry Coryell was the godfather of jazz rock fusion.  His first two albums, Lady Coryell and Coryell are great!

John McLaughlin is still playing and has covered a lot of territory from fusion (solo and with Miles Davis) to exotic acoustic.

Richard Thompson is a phenomenal guitarist.  Shoot Out the Lights with former wife Linda is a great place to start.

Robert Fripp is a master.  Check out his stuff with King Crimson, David Bowie, and Brian Eno.

Leo Kottke is an amazing folk and blues guitarist who manages to sound like two or three guitarist while playing solo.  6 and 12 Sting Guitar is a great album to start with.

John Fahey was a marvelous self-taught guitarist blending blue and folk and other roots styles. The Yellow Princess is my favorite of LPs of his I have but I'm told The Transfiguration of Blind Joe Death is even better (a pricey, fairly hard to find LP last I checked).

Andrés Segovia is generally consider the greatest classical guitarist of all times.  Julian Bream is right up there too.

I hope you get a chance to check out some of these players, T.

And maybe our fine thread host will do a "greatest female guitarist" shootout some time.  There are some phenomenal lady guitarists out there as well!

SmallestOceans

Chuck Berry

Chuck Berry rated higher than EVH


Trey Anastasio and Jerry G should probably be on the list over Berry and Townshend at this point. Terry Kath is my #1, Jimi thought he was a better player.
https://www.classicrockhistory.com/why-jimmy-hendrix-called-chicagos-terry-kath-the-best-guitarist-in-the-universe/

Here’s Duane and Clapton jamming for 2 hours...
https://youtu.be/pOcgqg_IzG0

cutz

Keith Richards

I like Keith Richards and The Rolling Stones, but he's , at best, the 3rd best guitarist  the Stones have/had.

 Ronnie Wood and especially Mick Taylor are/were better. 

Great Riffs, but not a great guitar player.

brianlux

Pete Townshend

SmallestOceans said:

Chuck Berry rated higher than EVH


Trey Anastasio and Jerry G should probably be on the list over Berry and Townshend at this point. Terry Kath is my #1, Jimi thought he was a better player.
https://www.classicrockhistory.com/why-jimmy-hendrix-called-chicagos-terry-kath-the-best-guitarist-in-the-universe/

Here’s Duane and Clapton jamming for 2 hours...
https://youtu.be/pOcgqg_IzG0

I would have loved to seen Terry Kath in some configuration other than Chicago.  But you're right, he was a fine guitarist.

brianlux

Pete Townshend

A couple more honorable mentions:

J Mascis.  Maybe not the greatest, but J touches on greatness and find the zone in "The Lung" starting at 33:38 (poor recording, phenomenal performance):

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2fkhyn

Harvey Mandel.  Runner up behind Mick Taylor to become a Stone.  Fantastic guitar player!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbXQPmmq7us

tbergs

Chuck Berry

brianlux said:

tbergs said:

brianlux said:

And have to add, what makes this list bogus is the exclusive inclusion only of rock guitarists.  No jazz or blues guitarist?  Andrés Segovia, anyone?

I'll be honest Brian, I don't know half the names you mentioned. Who should I start with?

That's as hard to answer as naming the greatest guitarist, lol!  But here's a brief rundown of what makes these players great:

Robert Johnson you probably know as the founder of modern blues as we know it . A great place to start with blues guitar appreciation

Django Reinhardt is regarded as the first to use guitar in jazz as a lead instrument.

Larry Coryell was the godfather of jazz rock fusion.  His first two albums, Lady Coryell and Coryell are great!

John McLaughlin is still playing and has covered a lot of territory from fusion (solo and with Miles Davis) to exotic acoustic.

Richard Thompson is a phenomenal guitarist.  Shoot Out the Lights with former wife Linda is a great place to start.

Robert Fripp is a master.  Check out his stuff with King Crimson, David Bowie, and Brian Eno.

Leo Kottke is an amazing folk and blues guitarist who manages to sound like two or three guitarist while playing solo.  6 and 12 Sting Guitar is a great album to start with.

John Fahey was a marvelous self-taught guitarist blending blue and folk and other roots styles. The Yellow Princess is my favorite of LPs of his I have but I'm told The Transfiguration of Blind Joe Death is even better (a pricey, fairly hard to find LP last I checked).

Andrés Segovia is generally consider the greatest classical guitarist of all times.  Julian Bream is right up there too.

I hope you get a chance to check out some of these players, T.

And maybe our fine thread host will do a "greatest female guitarist" shootout some time.  There are some phenomenal lady guitarists out there as well!

Thanks, Brian! I will definitely give them a listen. I know some of them and I'm sure heard others without realizing it.