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

124

Comments

  • mrussel1mrussel1 Posts: 28,600
    Pete Townshend
    rgambs said:
    dankind said:
    I picked Allman because of his time on earth.

    I would have picked Townsend though then Richards.

    KR wrote memorable riffs?  He admittedly stole everything from blues records!
    Rhoads and Hendrix had short tenures on this mortal coil. Both are still in my top 3. And when I listen to them, they're easily number 1 at that moment.

    Nothing stops me in my tracks and demands all of my attention like Frusciante, though. I basically just fucking space out like the "Desperado" weirdo on Seinfeld when I play Frusciante.

    RE: Keith, you know Jimmy Page's nickname among his cohort, yes? Difference being that he will never own up to it.
    Yeah but show me something KR has done that exceeds bar-band level?  Dude doesn't shred.  Page shreds.
    And then there's songs like Over the Hills and Far Away and The Rain Song...there's no plagiarism there lol
    Meh, who cares about shredding.  Vai and Malmsteen shred but that shit is boring.  KR is friggin' awesome.  The licks he wrote are so great.  If you think Tumbling Dice, Salt of the Earth, Torn and Frayed, Loving Cup, etc. are bar band, you've lost your damn mind or never have dug into the catalog. 
  • tbergstbergs Posts: 9,195
    Chuck Berry
    I know Allman's probably going out, but some of his work is phenomenal even his career was short. If you listen to Wilson Pickett's cover of Hey Jude, the last few minutes is a fun listen just to hear Duane play it with such soul.

    https://youtu.be/0y8Q2PATVyI

    It's a hopeless situation...
  • mrussel1mrussel1 Posts: 28,600
    Pete Townshend
    Duane was amazing.. just too short.  I can only imagine what he could have done.  
  • brianluxbrianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 40,592
    edited April 2021
    Pete Townshend
    mrussel1 said:
    rgambs said:
    dankind said:
    I picked Allman because of his time on earth.

    I would have picked Townsend though then Richards.

    KR wrote memorable riffs?  He admittedly stole everything from blues records!
    Rhoads and Hendrix had short tenures on this mortal coil. Both are still in my top 3. And when I listen to them, they're easily number 1 at that moment.

    Nothing stops me in my tracks and demands all of my attention like Frusciante, though. I basically just fucking space out like the "Desperado" weirdo on Seinfeld when I play Frusciante.

    RE: Keith, you know Jimmy Page's nickname among his cohort, yes? Difference being that he will never own up to it.
    Yeah but show me something KR has done that exceeds bar-band level?  Dude doesn't shred.  Page shreds.
    And then there's songs like Over the Hills and Far Away and The Rain Song...there's no plagiarism there lol
    Meh, who cares about shredding.  Vai and Malmsteen shred but that shit is boring.  KR is friggin' awesome.  The licks he wrote are so great.  If you think Tumbling Dice, Salt of the Earth, Torn and Frayed, Loving Cup, etc. are bar band, you've lost your damn mind or never have dug into the catalog. 

    Keith is great but not one I would think of as the greatest.  But one of my favorite musicians would be right there with you in singing Keith's praises- Paul Westerberg.
    Everything you need to get excited about the Replacements Keith Richards  and 30 Rock  Yer doin great a muzak clickclackEverything you need to get excited about the Replacements Keith Richards  and 30 Rock  Yer doin great a muzak clickclack


    Post edited by brianlux on
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • mrussel1mrussel1 Posts: 28,600
    Pete Townshend
    brianlux said:
    mrussel1 said:
    rgambs said:
    dankind said:
    I picked Allman because of his time on earth.

    I would have picked Townsend though then Richards.

    KR wrote memorable riffs?  He admittedly stole everything from blues records!
    Rhoads and Hendrix had short tenures on this mortal coil. Both are still in my top 3. And when I listen to them, they're easily number 1 at that moment.

    Nothing stops me in my tracks and demands all of my attention like Frusciante, though. I basically just fucking space out like the "Desperado" weirdo on Seinfeld when I play Frusciante.

    RE: Keith, you know Jimmy Page's nickname among his cohort, yes? Difference being that he will never own up to it.
    Yeah but show me something KR has done that exceeds bar-band level?  Dude doesn't shred.  Page shreds.
    And then there's songs like Over the Hills and Far Away and The Rain Song...there's no plagiarism there lol
    Meh, who cares about shredding.  Vai and Malmsteen shred but that shit is boring.  KR is friggin' awesome.  The licks he wrote are so great.  If you think Tumbling Dice, Salt of the Earth, Torn and Frayed, Loving Cup, etc. are bar band, you've lost your damn mind or never have dug into the catalog. 

    Keith is great but not one I would think of as the greatest.  But one of my favorite musicians would be right there with you in singing Keith's praises- Paul Westerberg.
    Everything you need to get excited about the Replacements Keith Richards  and 30 Rock  Yer doin great a muzak clickclack

    I definitely don't think he is the greatest, and probably not in the top 10.  But he's great.  Funny, I could never quite get into Westerberg or the Replacements. 
  • mrussel1mrussel1 Posts: 28,600
    Pete Townshend
    There's an old saying that every time you smoke, Richards takes 7 minutes of your life. 
  • tbergstbergs Posts: 9,195
    Chuck Berry
    Music is in a much better place because of KR and that makes him great, just not the greatest. No reason for anyone to compare him to bar band material though. I think he earned his top ten due to his writing. I could easily swap him out of the top ten with anyone the next ten down, although I think he is better than Berry and Townshend.

    I also think James Taylor is a fantastic guitar player, but his style is not meant to make him a great in that aspect, but he is great at it.
    It's a hopeless situation...
  • tbergstbergs Posts: 9,195
    Chuck Berry
    mrussel1 said:
    There's an old saying that every time you smoke, Richards takes 7 minutes of your life. 
    I feel like he takes 7 minutes every time I see a picture of him. He stole like a year of my life when they did that appearance on the covid relief show last year.
    It's a hopeless situation...
  • mrussel1mrussel1 Posts: 28,600
    Pete Townshend
    tbergs said:
    mrussel1 said:
    There's an old saying that every time you smoke, Richards takes 7 minutes of your life. 
    I feel like he takes 7 minutes every time I see a picture of him. He stole like a year of my life when they did that appearance on the covid relief show last year.
    He's immortal. That has to be worth something. 
  • rgambsrgambs Posts: 13,576
    Keith Richards
    mrussel1 said:
    rgambs said:
    dankind said:
    I picked Allman because of his time on earth.

    I would have picked Townsend though then Richards.

    KR wrote memorable riffs?  He admittedly stole everything from blues records!
    Rhoads and Hendrix had short tenures on this mortal coil. Both are still in my top 3. And when I listen to them, they're easily number 1 at that moment.

    Nothing stops me in my tracks and demands all of my attention like Frusciante, though. I basically just fucking space out like the "Desperado" weirdo on Seinfeld when I play Frusciante.

    RE: Keith, you know Jimmy Page's nickname among his cohort, yes? Difference being that he will never own up to it.
    Yeah but show me something KR has done that exceeds bar-band level?  Dude doesn't shred.  Page shreds.
    And then there's songs like Over the Hills and Far Away and The Rain Song...there's no plagiarism there lol
    Meh, who cares about shredding.  Vai and Malmsteen shred but that shit is boring.  KR is friggin' awesome.  The licks he wrote are so great.  If you think Tumbling Dice, Salt of the Earth, Torn and Frayed, Loving Cup, etc. are bar band, you've lost your damn mind or never have dug into the catalog. 
    Mike McCready cares about shredding lol
    It certainly isn't everything, but you aren't top ten material if you can't.  


    Monkey Driven, Call this Living?
  • rgambsrgambs Posts: 13,576
    Keith Richards
    tbergs said:
    Music is in a much better place because of KR and that makes him great, just not the greatest. No reason for anyone to compare him to bar band material though. I think he earned his top ten due to his writing. I could easily swap him out of the top ten with anyone the next ten down, although I think he is better than Berry and Townshend.

    I also think James Taylor is a fantastic guitar player, but his style is not meant to make him a great in that aspect, but he is great at it.
    James Taylor is a fantastic and underrated guitar player for sure!  He might not be top ten material overall, but his finger-picking acoustic work is harder for many musicians to emulate than much of the lead work that landed most of these top ten folks on the list.  
    Monkey Driven, Call this Living?
  • mrussel1mrussel1 Posts: 28,600
    edited April 2021
    Pete Townshend
    rgambs said:
    mrussel1 said:
    rgambs said:
    dankind said:
    I picked Allman because of his time on earth.

    I would have picked Townsend though then Richards.

    KR wrote memorable riffs?  He admittedly stole everything from blues records!
    Rhoads and Hendrix had short tenures on this mortal coil. Both are still in my top 3. And when I listen to them, they're easily number 1 at that moment.

    Nothing stops me in my tracks and demands all of my attention like Frusciante, though. I basically just fucking space out like the "Desperado" weirdo on Seinfeld when I play Frusciante.

    RE: Keith, you know Jimmy Page's nickname among his cohort, yes? Difference being that he will never own up to it.
    Yeah but show me something KR has done that exceeds bar-band level?  Dude doesn't shred.  Page shreds.
    And then there's songs like Over the Hills and Far Away and The Rain Song...there's no plagiarism there lol
    Meh, who cares about shredding.  Vai and Malmsteen shred but that shit is boring.  KR is friggin' awesome.  The licks he wrote are so great.  If you think Tumbling Dice, Salt of the Earth, Torn and Frayed, Loving Cup, etc. are bar band, you've lost your damn mind or never have dug into the catalog. 
    Mike McCready cares about shredding lol
    It certainly isn't everything, but you aren't top ten material if you can't.  


    Who says he can't? It's just not his style.  
  • HobbesHobbes Pacific Northwest Posts: 6,377
    Jeff Beck
    dankind said:
    dankind said:
    Hobbes said:
    2 of my top 3 did not make the top 10.

    1) Page
    2) Gilmour
    3) Young
    Same.

    My top 3

    1) Frusciante
    2) Hendrix
    3) Rhoads

    1 & 3 are/were amazing...I like those additions!
    Hobbesy, which Young? Angus? Malcom? Neil?
    Neil
  • brianluxbrianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 40,592
    Pete Townshend
    These "Who is the best..." polls are always fun and interesting and I'm a sucker for them.  But today, I ran across this perspective that is well worth at least considering.  It's in a book that I'm reading that is easily one of the best music related books I've yet to come across called Ascension; John Coltrane and His Quest by Eric Nisenson.  It's basically a biography of John Coltrane. but Nisenson covers a lot of ground regarding jazz in general in this most excellent, captivating book.  In the second chapter (pages 21-22), the author talks about the emergence in the 1950's of two great tenor saxophonists, John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins.  He says,

    "The difficulty is that he [Rollins] was constantly compared with Coltrane, and in the late Fifties jazz fans and critics loved to argue over which one was "better", as if there were some way of objectively determining the relative quality of two men who were clearly both great artists and virtuosos of their instrument.  Both men were musical geniuses with very different but equally valid artistic agendas.  Here is an aspect of the jazz scene that I truly find regrettable, this spirit of competitiveness engendered by the jazz polls and by too many fans and critics.  This most American music could not help adopting certain less fortunate traits of its native land, such as the extreme competitiveness so endemic to the American way of life.  In art, competition, though perhaps unavoidable, is basically irrelevant.  Both Coltrane and Rollins were ultimate masters of their instruments and the art of improvisation, and the style of each man was so deeply personal that comparisons are fruitless."


    When I read these words, I really had to pause and think about all these "Who is the best..." polls.  It became even more provocative when I read on:

    "Nevertheless, the competition, engendered by the jazz press and continued in every bar or hangout where jazz fans gathered, became intense enough to force Sonny Rollins into a retirement that lasted about two years.  What was worse, it put a crimp in the friendship between the two men."




    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • rgambsrgambs Posts: 13,576
    Keith Richards
    brianlux said:
    These "Who is the best..." polls are always fun and interesting and I'm a sucker for them.  But today, I ran across this perspective that is well worth at least considering.  It's in a book that I'm reading that is easily one of the best music related books I've yet to come across called Ascension; John Coltrane and His Quest by Eric Nisenson.  It's basically a biography of John Coltrane. but Nisenson covers a lot of ground regarding jazz in general in this most excellent, captivating book.  In the second chapter (pages 21-22), the author talks about the emergence in the 1950's of two great tenor saxophonists, John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins.  He says,

    "The difficulty is that he [Rollins] was constantly compared with Coltrane, and in the late Fifties jazz fans and critics loved to argue over which one was "better", as if there were some way of objectively determining the relative quality of two men who were clearly both great artists and virtuosos of their instrument.  Both men were musical geniuses with very different but equally valid artistic agendas.  Here is an aspect of the jazz scene that I truly find regrettable, this spirit of competitiveness engendered by the jazz polls and by too many fans and critics.  This most American music could not help adopting certain less fortunate traits of its native land, such as the extreme competitiveness so endemic to the American way of life.  In art, competition, though perhaps unavoidable, is basically irrelevant.  Both Coltrane and Rollins were ultimate masters of their instruments and the art of improvisation, and the style of each man was so deeply personal that comparisons are fruitless."


    When I read these words, I really had to pause and think about all these "Who is the best..." polls.  It became even more provocative when I read on:

    "Nevertheless, the competition, engendered by the jazz press and continued in every bar or hangout where jazz fans gathered, became intense enough to force Sonny Rollins into a retirement that lasted about two years.  What was worse, it put a crimp in the friendship between the two men."




    It's just human nature.  We love the competition, the strife.  It's good old-fashioned fun.  
    Monkey Driven, Call this Living?
  • HobbesHobbes Pacific Northwest Posts: 6,377
    Jeff Beck
    Not sure if he's been mentioned yet, but Buddy Guy deserves a nod.
  • mickeyratmickeyrat up my ass, like Chadwick was up his Posts: 35,408
    Chuck Berry
    so being its tied, do all three get the boot?
    _____________________________________SIGNATURE________________________________________________

    Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
    you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
    memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
    another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
  • tbergstbergs Posts: 9,195
    Chuck Berry
    mickeyrat said:
    so being its tied, do all three get the boot?
    Usually that's what happens, at least in the first round.
    It's a hopeless situation...
  • F Me In The BrainF Me In The Brain this knows everybody from other commets Posts: 30,586
    Pete Townshend
    tbergs said:
    mickeyrat said:
    so being its tied, do all three get the boot?
    Usually that's what happens, at least in the first round.

    It looks like 4 are tied at 5 votes each...Rounds 1 & 2 at the same time!
    The love he receives is the love that is saved
  • brianluxbrianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 40,592
    Pete Townshend
    rgambs said:
    brianlux said:
    These "Who is the best..." polls are always fun and interesting and I'm a sucker for them.  But today, I ran across this perspective that is well worth at least considering.  It's in a book that I'm reading that is easily one of the best music related books I've yet to come across called Ascension; John Coltrane and His Quest by Eric Nisenson.  It's basically a biography of John Coltrane. but Nisenson covers a lot of ground regarding jazz in general in this most excellent, captivating book.  In the second chapter (pages 21-22), the author talks about the emergence in the 1950's of two great tenor saxophonists, John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins.  He says,

    "The difficulty is that he [Rollins] was constantly compared with Coltrane, and in the late Fifties jazz fans and critics loved to argue over which one was "better", as if there were some way of objectively determining the relative quality of two men who were clearly both great artists and virtuosos of their instrument.  Both men were musical geniuses with very different but equally valid artistic agendas.  Here is an aspect of the jazz scene that I truly find regrettable, this spirit of competitiveness engendered by the jazz polls and by too many fans and critics.  This most American music could not help adopting certain less fortunate traits of its native land, such as the extreme competitiveness so endemic to the American way of life.  In art, competition, though perhaps unavoidable, is basically irrelevant.  Both Coltrane and Rollins were ultimate masters of their instruments and the art of improvisation, and the style of each man was so deeply personal that comparisons are fruitless."


    When I read these words, I really had to pause and think about all these "Who is the best..." polls.  It became even more provocative when I read on:

    "Nevertheless, the competition, engendered by the jazz press and continued in every bar or hangout where jazz fans gathered, became intense enough to force Sonny Rollins into a retirement that lasted about two years.  What was worse, it put a crimp in the friendship between the two men."




    It's just human nature.  We love the competition, the strife.  It's good old-fashioned fun.  

    That's an easy answer and I'm not accusing you of doing this, but it's one that could be used as a cop out.  It's human nature to love sugar and salt and saturated fats.  How good is it for us to eat nothing but sugar, salt and saturated fats?  It's human nature to engage in war.  Is that a reasonable excuse to exterminate millions of human lives? 
    Yes, competition is human nature, but are we not of such high intelligence that we cannot rise above some of our more base instincts when it comes to something as creative as music?  Do we excuse bullying because "it is human nature"?  Do we shrug off high murder rates in some places in the world because it's human nature to act violently in densely populated areas?  Is there not a higher road in some of our human endeavors? 
    Yes, I know a poll set out to determine who is "the greatest guitar player" may not be as important as some other  things, but  I think the point Nisenson brought up is at least worth considering. It is for me at any rate, especially because to me how we view and respond to music, especially at it's finest or most impassioned, is worthy of serious consideration.


    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • cutzcutz Posts: 11,400
    Keith Richards
    MedozK said:
    tbergs said:
    cutz said:
    dankind said:
    rgambs said:
    cutz said:
    Where's Robin Trower on that list?
    I wonder where Frampton and Blackmore landed on the list too?
    Link to RS list in poll. 
    I can't locate the list for Guitarist. The Link takes me to the Top 500 Songs.
    Link was wrong. I had to use the darn Google: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/100-greatest-guitarists-153675/


    Sorry about that. I corrected it on the first page. Thanks
    Thanks for the Link.

    No problem, MedozK. Thanks for doing this one.

    I quickly scrolled through the list and I didn't see Robin Trower? If so, he's not a TOP 100 guitar player? 
  • tempo_n_groovetempo_n_groove Posts: 38,847
    Duane Allman
    brianlux said:
    rgambs said:
    brianlux said:
    These "Who is the best..." polls are always fun and interesting and I'm a sucker for them.  But today, I ran across this perspective that is well worth at least considering.  It's in a book that I'm reading that is easily one of the best music related books I've yet to come across called Ascension; John Coltrane and His Quest by Eric Nisenson.  It's basically a biography of John Coltrane. but Nisenson covers a lot of ground regarding jazz in general in this most excellent, captivating book.  In the second chapter (pages 21-22), the author talks about the emergence in the 1950's of two great tenor saxophonists, John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins.  He says,

    "The difficulty is that he [Rollins] was constantly compared with Coltrane, and in the late Fifties jazz fans and critics loved to argue over which one was "better", as if there were some way of objectively determining the relative quality of two men who were clearly both great artists and virtuosos of their instrument.  Both men were musical geniuses with very different but equally valid artistic agendas.  Here is an aspect of the jazz scene that I truly find regrettable, this spirit of competitiveness engendered by the jazz polls and by too many fans and critics.  This most American music could not help adopting certain less fortunate traits of its native land, such as the extreme competitiveness so endemic to the American way of life.  In art, competition, though perhaps unavoidable, is basically irrelevant.  Both Coltrane and Rollins were ultimate masters of their instruments and the art of improvisation, and the style of each man was so deeply personal that comparisons are fruitless."


    When I read these words, I really had to pause and think about all these "Who is the best..." polls.  It became even more provocative when I read on:

    "Nevertheless, the competition, engendered by the jazz press and continued in every bar or hangout where jazz fans gathered, became intense enough to force Sonny Rollins into a retirement that lasted about two years.  What was worse, it put a crimp in the friendship between the two men."




    It's just human nature.  We love the competition, the strife.  It's good old-fashioned fun.  

    That's an easy answer and I'm not accusing you of doing this, but it's one that could be used as a cop out.  It's human nature to love sugar and salt and saturated fats.  How good is it for us to eat nothing but sugar, salt and saturated fats?  It's human nature to engage in war.  Is that a reasonable excuse to exterminate millions of human lives? 
    Yes, competition is human nature, but are we not of such high intelligence that we cannot rise above some of our more base instincts when it comes to something as creative as music?  Do we excuse bullying because "it is human nature"?  Do we shrug off high murder rates in some places in the world because it's human nature to act violently in densely populated areas?  Is there not a higher road in some of our human endeavors? 
    Yes, I know a poll set out to determine who is "the greatest guitar player" may not be as important as some other  things, but  I think the point Nisenson brought up is at least worth considering. It is for me at any rate, especially because to me how we view and respond to music, especially at it's finest or most impassioned, is worthy of serious consideration.


    Coltrane is an excellent one and Buddy guy too.

    I would also throw John Scofield in there.
  • MedozKMedozK Tennessee Posts: 9,209
    Need a couple more votes, or 4 will be removed in Round 1.
  • mrussel1mrussel1 Posts: 28,600
    Pete Townshend
    MedozK said:
    Need a couple more votes, or 4 will be removed in Round 1.
    Break the tie.  Why aren't you voting?
  • MedozKMedozK Tennessee Posts: 9,209
    mrussel1 said:
    MedozK said:
    Need a couple more votes, or 4 will be removed in Round 1.
    Break the tie.  Why aren't you voting?
    That would be only 1 at 6 votes, need at least one more and I will.
  • PoncierPoncier Posts: 16,169
    Eric Clapton
    MedozK said:
    Need a couple more votes, or 4 will be removed in Round 1.
    Just eliminate the 4, the 2 that survive would likely lose next round anyway. Speeds up the process so we can get to drummers and bassists sooner.
    This weekend we rock Portland
  • tempo_n_groovetempo_n_groove Posts: 38,847
    Duane Allman
    Poncier said:
    MedozK said:
    Need a couple more votes, or 4 will be removed in Round 1.
    Just eliminate the 4, the 2 that survive would likely lose next round anyway. Speeds up the process so we can get to drummers and bassists sooner.
    The bassist one should be a laugh.
  • mrussel1mrussel1 Posts: 28,600
    Pete Townshend
    Poncier said:
    MedozK said:
    Need a couple more votes, or 4 will be removed in Round 1.
    Just eliminate the 4, the 2 that survive would likely lose next round anyway. Speeds up the process so we can get to drummers and bassists sooner.
    The bassist one should be a laugh.
    Well that would depend on if we're only talking rock bassists.  If so, I got John E then JPJ., then Les, then Geddy.  If we go deeper, then I've got Scott Lafaro.  
  • dankinddankind I am not your foot. Posts: 20,827
    Eric Clapton
    mrussel1 said:
    Poncier said:
    MedozK said:
    Need a couple more votes, or 4 will be removed in Round 1.
    Just eliminate the 4, the 2 that survive would likely lose next round anyway. Speeds up the process so we can get to drummers and bassists sooner.
    The bassist one should be a laugh.
    Well that would depend on if we're only talking rock bassists.  If so, I got John E then JPJ., then Les, then Geddy.  If we go deeper, then I've got Scott Lafaro.  
    Larry Graham, Chris Squire, Yauch, Geezer Butler, Steve Harris, Les Claypool, Roger Waters, Simon Gallup, Kim Deal, Bootsy Collins
    I SAW PEARL JAM
  • F Me In The BrainF Me In The Brain this knows everybody from other commets Posts: 30,586
    edited April 2021
    Pete Townshend
    You guys left out the best one of all....Vic Wooten.  (Actually, is he listed for Rock?  If not, that could be why)
    The love he receives is the love that is saved
This discussion has been closed.