Topic: Favourite Guitarist (Read 26079 times)

The Joker · « **on:** 15 Apr 2009, 11:40 »

Pretty straightforward - who is your absolute favourite guitarist? Please include the song you think best showcases their skills.

Mine is Jeff Healey - See The Light.

Edit: I just realized I can't pick just one. So I'll limit it to three guitarists. Same goes for songs.

So also: Slash - Sweet Child O' Mine

and Jimi Hendrix - Purple Haze and Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)

zerobar · « **Reply #1 on:** 15 Apr 2009, 12:10 »

George Lynch- the song that probably best showcases his skill is "Mr. Scary," but I think his best attribute is his tone.

Nuno Bettencourt- "It (s a Monster), great sense of rhythm, plus the fact that he's all over the place on all their songs. It sounds like he's got four hands. Oh, and the crazy string skipping run at the end of the solo.

Andy Timmons- Can play literally EVERY style as good as the best in that genre. I like his "ballad" pieces, in that he gets literally every amount of emotion out of every note. Best song would either be "Cry for You," or "Resolution."

It was really harder for me to choose a particular SONG, rather than guitarist. I've always kinda found that I like a particular guitarist for the sum of their work, not a singular "best" song.

rynne · « **Reply #2 on:** 15 Apr 2009, 12:17 »

Mark Ribot. Basically the king guitarist of the downtown New York scene. Free jazz to lounge to klezmer to hardcore? Yes, please.

Agata (Melt-Banana). Dude sounds like Robert Fripp conducting a battalion of Tom Morellos.

Cadeonehalf · « **Reply #3 on:** 15 Apr 2009, 12:19 »

Jimi Hendrix- Little Wing
J.D. Chronise- The Black River
Eric Clapton WITH George Harrison: BADGE (Them together is superior than either apart)

Dazed · « **Reply #4 on:** 15 Apr 2009, 12:37 »

Steve Howe. There isn't any one song I think that displays him at his best, because there is simply *so much* he can do. Basically, listen to all of the Fragile album, and you'll have some idea I guess? He cuts loose more on the live stuff though. The guy is incredible.

John McLaughlin - Dawn. Basically the guy just had insane chops, he was ahead of his time in terms of sheer technical ability. And he knew how to craft a bitchin' guitar solo. Also, he wrote some pretty awesome music in general.

Neil Young. I can't think of any song in particular for why I love Neil Young's guitarwork, maybe Cortez the Killer? Basically, the guy is just the master of the simple song. Sloppy, ugly, simplistic guitar work, but goddamn he makes it sound so good.

Harun · « **Reply #5 on:** 15 Apr 2009, 13:26 »

Jason Becker - Altitudes. Incredible talent, feeling. Even more incredible composer.

Derek Trucks - Sahib Teri Bandi/Maki Madni - is keeping slide guitar as alive and awesome as it was when Duane was playing, while adding some extra spice (curry?)

Anders Björler (At the Gates) - Cold. Melodic death metal perfection.

and more recently:

Misha Mansoor (Bulb/Periphery) (listen) - one of the first guys I heard that incorporated the addictive elements of polyrythmic metal a la Meshuggah, and added much more melody, coherence, and ambience with his own style. The result is incredibly rich, complex, and beautiful music.

Tosin Abasi (Animals as Leaders) (listen) - along the same lines as Misha, except more jazz influenced, and with more eight-string guitar

zerobar · « **Reply #6 on:** 15 Apr 2009, 14:13 »

Quote from: Harun on 15 Apr 2009, 13:26

Jason Becker - Altitudes. Incredible talent, feeling. Even more incredible composer.

Amen, I should have put him in there. The fact that he still composes amazing music with only the use of his eyes makes me feel like I should try and get as much as I can out of life. Truly amazing.

The Joker · « **Reply #7 on:** 15 Apr 2009, 15:33 »

Quote from: Harun on 15 Apr 2009, 13:26

Derek Trucks

Agreed. I'm going to see him in Winnipeg and damn I am excited.

KickThatBathProf · « **Reply #8 on:** 15 Apr 2009, 15:45 »

I am a fan of Victor Villareal

TheFuriousWombat · « **Reply #9 on:** 15 Apr 2009, 16:10 »

Quote from: The Joker on 15 Apr 2009, 11:40

and Jimi Hendrix - Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)

Whenever I see this song title, I picture Augusto Pinochet making potions out of chicken blood and sticking pins into dolls of Karl Marx.

celticgeek · « **Reply #10 on:** 15 Apr 2009, 16:34 »

If I have to limit it to three:

Andres Segovia
Liona Boyd
Alirio Diaz

Then there are the Romeros, and others...

Patrick · « **Reply #11 on:** 15 Apr 2009, 16:51 »

Limiting it to three is really shitkicking me, but after giving it some thought:

1. Brent Mason, Nashville session guitarist
2. Whoever the fuck was axe-slinging for CAKE when they recorded Nugget
3. Isaac Brock of Modest Mouse

Joseph · « **Reply #12 on:** 15 Apr 2009, 16:56 »

Quote from: KickThatBathProf on 15 Apr 2009, 15:45

Victor Villareal

Quote from: Jeans on 15 Apr 2009, 13:16

Sir Richard Bishop and Andy Cohen

Christophe · « **Reply #13 on:** 15 Apr 2009, 17:03 »

A lot of my favorite guitarists acted in two, so I'll do my favorite three pairs of guitarists and three individual guitarists:

Teams
1. Ian MacKaye/Guy Picciotto (Fugazi)
2. Thurston Moore/Lee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth)
3. Jeff Mueller/Sean Meadows (June of 44)

Individuals
1. Andy Cohen (SKWM)
2. Payam Bavafa (Sholi)
3. Justin Trosper (Unwound)

Siibillam-Law · « **Reply #14 on:** 15 Apr 2009, 17:23 »

Joe Satriani defnitely... can't think of a definitive song though. Summer Song, If I Could Fly, House of Bullets, perhaps

michaelicious · « **Reply #15 on:** 15 Apr 2009, 19:04 »

Quote from: Christophe on 15 Apr 2009, 17:03

A lot of my favorite guitarists acted in two, so I'll do my favorite three pairs of guitarists and three individual guitarists:

Teams
1. Ian MacKaye/Guy Picciotto (Fugazi)
2. Thurston Moore/Lee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth)
3. Jeff Mueller/Sean Meadows (June of 44)

Yup. Most bands I listen to specifically because I like the guitar sound have at least two guitarists.

KickThatBathProf · « **Reply #16 on:** 15 Apr 2009, 19:32 »

Yeah I probably should've mentioned Sam Zurick along with Villareal

Oh I forgot to mention Spencer Seim from Hella

JimmyJazz · « **Reply #17 on:** 15 Apr 2009, 19:34 »

Jimi Hendrix. I don't care if he's most people or if stupid magazines like Rolling Stone all him the best, I've loved the man since I first heard "Voodoo Child" when I was 12. He just wrote some awesome songs and sang them passionately, all while playing some pretty kick-ass guitar. That's good enough for me.

A more recent one would probabl be Johnny Greenwood. He manages to do a bunch of cool shit with the instrument, even if a lot of is is through effects.

MakuseruSukotto · « **Reply #18 on:** 15 Apr 2009, 19:53 »

Taka Goto.

DarkAvenger · « **Reply #19 on:** 15 Apr 2009, 21:39 »

Andy Cohen, Sir Richard Bishop, and Victor Villareal.

Joseph · « **Reply #20 on:** 15 Apr 2009, 21:57 »

Copycat

Bearer · « **Reply #21 on:** 15 Apr 2009, 22:19 »

Hmmm, 3 ehh

Lindsey Buckingham - I'm so afraid
Neil Young - Down by the River
David Gilmour - Um, I can't really pick a song. Maybe "Dogs" or "shine on you crazy diamond"

DarkAvenger · « **Reply #22 on:** 15 Apr 2009, 23:35 »

Quote from: Dark Flame on 15 Apr 2009, 21:57

Copycat

Perhaps there is an "obvious three" answer to this question we can use universally.

MadassAlex · « **Reply #23 on:** 16 Apr 2009, 00:11 »

In no particular order

Marty Friedman - Devil Take Tomorrow, or Tornado Of Souls. Both pieces of music display him at his best.

Jason Becker- Let me second Altitudes. Fuck yeah.

Arkadius (and Marcel, although he left) of SuidAkrA - Dead Man's Reel. Celtic melody. <3

Syu - The Awakening. This guy is a god amongst shredders. Melodious, interesting and lightning-quick.

Also, this thread is a horrible idea.

The Joker · « **Reply #24 on:** 16 Apr 2009, 10:35 »

Quote from: MadassAlex on 16 Apr 2009, 00:11

this thread is a horrible idea.

Thanks for supporting it anyway!

Quote from: Siibillam-Law on 15 Apr 2009, 17:23

Joe Satriani defnitely... can't think of a definitive song though. Summer Song, If I Could Fly, House of Bullets, perhaps

YES. Saw him in late 2008 and was blown away. And Mountain was opening, so for the final encore, Leslie West and him did an epic guitar duel.

valley_parade · « **Reply #25 on:** 16 Apr 2009, 10:37 »

Johnny Ramone.

And Wata.

NotAFanOfFenders · « **Reply #26 on:** 16 Apr 2009, 10:58 »

Mikael Åkerfeldt - Bleak OR Blackwater Park live at the Roundhouse.

John Petrucci - The Instrumedley.

Cadeonehalf · « **Reply #27 on:** 16 Apr 2009, 14:12 »

Quote from: Patrick on 15 Apr 2009, 16:51

Limiting it to three is really shitkicking me, but after giving it some thought:

1. Brent Mason, Nashville session guitarist
2. Whoever the fuck was axe-slinging for CAKE when they recorded Nugget
3. Isaac Brock of Modest Mouse

I like Cake, but Axe-slinging with Cake is like mixing an acid and base.

Siibillam-Law · « **Reply #28 on:** 16 Apr 2009, 15:42 »

Quote from: The Joker on 16 Apr 2009, 10:35

YES. Saw him in late 2008 and was blown away. And Mountain was opening, so for the final encore, Leslie West and him did an epic guitar duel.

That sounds amazing

I must find a way to watch that

spoon_of_grimbo · « **Reply #29 on:** 16 Apr 2009, 17:12 »

i can pick three (in no order, as I'd probably place them as equals), but it's more due to their strengths as songwriters rather than plain showboating...

1. J. Robbins (Jawbox/Rollkicker Laydown/Burning Airlines/Channels)
Dude kinda plays somewhere between rhythm and lead, but always goes with strange kinda lines that really work well but always make you think "well, shit, i'd NEVER have thought to do THAT!" i guess i'll choose the song that got me into his work, "Outside the Aviary" by Burning Airlines. Nothing spectacular, I just like how he takes what could have been a straight forward poppy punk song and puts that post-hardcore twist on it, doing riffs that kinda start off as rhythmic chords and then go off on tangents. And you could pretty much sing along to the guitar lines in this song.

2. Devin Townsend (The Devin Townsend Band/Strapping Young Lad)
I'd say Devin is the definitive metal guitarist if you're looking for an all-rounder. Knuckle tight rhythms, brilliant solos (but not overdone), and in his solo stuff he's able to create massive walls of beautiful atmosphere with just a guitar. And as a producer, he's got a great mind for layering guitars for ultimate effect, whilst retaining the ability to pull it off live. For the best example of all his abilities, try "Wrong Side" by Strapping Young Lad.

3. Ginger (The Wildhearts/solo stuff)
When somebody first described Guns N Roses to me, they said they were a combination of 80s metal, proper metal, and punk rock with a bit of a glam twist. I felt VERY let down when I finally did hear them. However, The Wildhearts (who I discovered much later) were making the exact sound I had in my head upon hearing that description. Ginger has always been the main songwriter, and his mind for riffs and melodies, as well as slightly odd rhythms, is second to none. Nobody writes huge chunky-yet-melodic riffs like this guy, and his occasional forays into solos are pretty impressive too. His solo stuff is often a little less guitar-centric, but even the less in-yer-face guitar parts are still remarkably well written. For the best examples of his work, I'd go with "Sky Babies" (a 11+ minutes Wildhearts song about aliens (in a non-cheesy-sci-fi-nerd way) packed with giant riffs and guitar melodies), and his solo track "Black Windows" which somehow marries Police-style guitar parts with a strangely mid-peroid-Megadeth-esque instrumental section.

orangepeas · « **Reply #30 on:** 16 Apr 2009, 19:03 »

I defiantly agree with Neil Young.
Jimi Hendrix is also up there, along with Tom. S. Englund from the Evergrey.

Harun · « **Reply #31 on:** 16 Apr 2009, 19:09 »

Quote from: orangepeas on 16 Apr 2009, 19:03

Tom. S. Englund from the Evergrey.

Tom is amazing, but I think the duo of him and Henrik Danhage is much stronger.

Zingoleb · « **Reply #32 on:** 16 Apr 2009, 19:13 »

Tommy Emmanuel

Angelina

Thrillho · « **Reply #33 on:** 17 Apr 2009, 04:36 »

David Gilmour is the biggest influence on me, mainly because he taught me that you don't need to play fast to play well and that melody is important.

Graham Coxon does some crazy things with his guitars and so is a large influence. Also one of the first I saw playing a black Telecaster, which I wanted since then.

Larry Hibbitt, the second Telecaster Messiah, fucks around with his tunings so much and his interplay with the other guitarist in Hundred Reasons is an example of a guitarist who plays what is necessary for the song, not what is necessary for their own ego.

Sonic Youth also fuck about with their guitars and effects and a LOT of feedback, which I like.

rynne · « **Reply #34 on:** 17 Apr 2009, 07:04 »

Ah, I remembered a local guy who impresses the hell out of me: Rob Hinkal of ilyAIMY. He does some amazingly fast stuff with acoustic guitars. If you're in the Baltimore/DC area, ilyAIMY's probably playing an open mic or small venue near you in the next few months. Check 'em out, they're well worth it.

Some amateur video of live shows:
"Storm" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9vo2hmVrtg
"We Can Work It Out" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KB3rQ3ArvE

Patrick · « **Reply #35 on:** 17 Apr 2009, 12:46 »

Quote from: Cadeonehalf on 16 Apr 2009, 14:12

Quote from: Patrick on 15 Apr 2009, 16:51
Limiting it to three is really shitkicking me, but after giving it some thought:

1. Brent Mason, Nashville session guitarist
2. Whoever the fuck was axe-slinging for CAKE when they recorded Nugget
3. Isaac Brock of Modest Mouse

I like Cake, but Axe-slinging with Cake is like mixing an acid and base.

Mixing acids and bases is awesome dude so I hope you were comparing and not contrasting.

onewheelwizzard · « **Reply #36 on:** 18 Apr 2009, 07:07 »

Jack Rose

Josh Homme

Tony Iommi

Aimless · « **Reply #37 on:** 18 Apr 2009, 07:16 »

I'll pick Mark Knopfler, because I think he's the most complete guitarist to whom I regularly listen. I don't think I can pick a single song that "showcases" his skills. They all do!

Dimmukane · « **Reply #38 on:** 18 Apr 2009, 08:50 »

Stefan Koglek -- cuz I sing along to his melodies and don't really do that for any other band

Matthieu Marcotte -- cuz he dares to dream (of conspiracy theories).

Kyle Gass -- cuz fuck you.

Be My Head · « **Reply #39 on:** 18 Apr 2009, 17:18 »

Allan Holdsworth >>>>>>>>>>> Everything

Retrospectre · « **Reply #40 on:** 18 Apr 2009, 20:42 »

I enjoy the work of J Mascis.

Cadeonehalf · « **Reply #41 on:** 20 Apr 2009, 08:38 »

Quote from: Patrick on 17 Apr 2009, 12:46

Quote from: Cadeonehalf on 16 Apr 2009, 14:12
Quote from: Patrick on 15 Apr 2009, 16:51
Limiting it to three is really shitkicking me, but after giving it some thought:

1. Brent Mason, Nashville session guitarist
2. Whoever the fuck was axe-slinging for CAKE when they recorded Nugget
3. Isaac Brock of Modest Mouse

I like Cake, but Axe-slinging with Cake is like mixing an acid and base.

Mixing acids and bases is awesome dude so I hope you were comparing and not contrasting.

I'm just saying your figure of speech doesn't really match the style of the band in question.

orangepeas · « **Reply #42 on:** 20 Apr 2009, 11:49 »

Quote from: Harun on 16 Apr 2009, 19:09

Quote from: orangepeas on 16 Apr 2009, 19:03
Tom. S. Englund from the Evergrey.

Tom is amazing, but I think the duo of him and Henrik Danhage is much stronger.

I totally agree with this post.

skydivingninja · « **Reply #43 on:** 20 Apr 2009, 12:21 »

Steve Howe-Really, anything. The guy is amazing.
David Gilmour-Comfortably Numb, Dogs, or SOYCD
Alex Lifeson-Limelight or Freewill
Steve Rothery-Sugar Mice
John Petrucci-Under a Glass Moon

SilentJ · « **Reply #44 on:** 20 Apr 2009, 20:16 »

My opinions on anything music related will change with the week, but lately if I had to pick a few...

John Petrucci - Acid Rain, or most of Scenes From A Memory (particularly Home)

Tom Morello - anything from Rage's s/t or Battle of Los Angeles

onewheelwizzard · « **Reply #45 on:** 20 Apr 2009, 23:53 »

Quote from: Dimmukane on 18 Apr 2009, 08:50

Stefan Koglek

This

valley_parade · « **Reply #46 on:** 21 Apr 2009, 08:06 »

Quote from: Retrospectre on 18 Apr 2009, 20:42

I enjoy the work of J Mascis.

Seconded.

WriterofAllWrongs · « **Reply #47 on:** 21 Apr 2009, 08:20 »

Top Three:

1. Jonny Greenwood - Radiohead
2. Joey Santiago - Pixies
3. John Dietrich - Deerhoof

Reverb-minimalist-oddguys!

Chad K. · « **Reply #48 on:** 21 Apr 2009, 09:59 »

Quote from: spoon_of_grimbo on 16 Apr 2009, 17:12

1. J. Robbins (Jawbox/Rollkicker Laydown/Burning Airlines/Channels)
Dude kinda plays somewhere between rhythm and lead, but always goes with strange kinda lines that really work well but always make you think "well, shit, i'd NEVER have thought to do THAT!" i guess i'll choose the song that got me into his work, "Outside the Aviary" by Burning Airlines. Nothing spectacular, I just like how he takes what could have been a straight forward poppy punk song and puts that post-hardcore twist on it, doing riffs that kinda start off as rhythmic chords and then go off on tangents. And you could pretty much sing along to the guitar lines in this song.

Totally agreed. Also, Allen Epley from Shiner/The Life and Times for similar reasons.

Zingoleb · « **Reply #49 on:** 22 Apr 2009, 01:12 »

Quote from: Be My Head on 18 Apr 2009, 17:18

Allan Holdsworth >>>>>>>>>>> Everything

He's a great guitarist, but he's not the best, hands-down. He's certainly up there, though.

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Author Topic: Favourite Guitarist (Read 26079 times)

Zingoleb

Zingoleb