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| gypsy |
First stringers
After much fretting, we pick the top axemen of the rock era
By JASON MacNEIL -- Toronto Sun
While there are few truly legendary guitar players out there, there are certainly more than five. Therefore selecting who gets on this list is arduous, agonizing and painful.
It also will possibly result in letters asking for head examinations for not including Chuck Berry, Jeff Beck, Pete Townshend or Jimmy Page.
(Not to worry dear readers, the doctors found nothing.) Nonetheless, here are five of the greatest rock guitarists.
1. JIMI HENDRIX
Guitar playing was never the same after this man's brief yet unbelievably brilliant career. With solos sometimes referred to as a "psychedelic symphony," the Seattle native was able to turn feedback into an art form, pushing the envelope further than anyone before. Songs such as Hey Joe, The Wind Cries Mary or Purple Haze -- all from his 1967 Are You Experienced? -- show Hendrix placing no boundaries on himself or his playing. Playing left-handed, Hendrix could simply turn right-handed guitars around and play perfectly.
Most remember performances such as The Star-Spangled Banner from Woodstock or Hendrix lighting his guitar on fire at the Monterey Pop Festival. But playing with his teeth or behind his head seemed bland in comparison to his ferocious, jaw-dropping yet intricate solos. Hendrix was able to take his years of playing supporting roles in the early '60s to mix blues, R&B and rock into his own sound using his Fender Stratocaster and various effect pedals, including the Uni-Vibe.
2. ERIC CLAPTON
Having mellowed somewhat in recent years, Eric Clapton's early work with The Yardbirds and later John Mayall's Bluesbreakers is the foundation for his legendary work in the late '60s and '70s. It also set the tone for what would later be the immortal "Clapton Is God" graffiti in recognition of his playing. After his tenure with Mayall, Clapton formed Cream and the blending of his blues pedigree with psychedelic rock made songs such as White Room and Sunshine Of Your Love soar.
The crispness and clarity of Clapton's playing is his greatest asset though, similar to Pink Floyd's David Gilmour and Dire Straits' Mark Knopfler. The coda on Layla (brought back to life through Goodfellas) and Wonderful Tonight are outstanding pieces of work. But at heart, Clapton is a blues man, judging by the fine covers album From The Cradle and later Pilgrim.
3. NEIL YOUNG
Whether through his solo work, his years with Buffalo Springfield or his occasional spot alongside Crosby, Stills and Nash, Young's technical style was never the greatest. But the garage-band sound that still resonates during solo shows or with longtime supporting cast Crazy Horse makes Young as relevant today as he was more than three decades ago.
In 1966 Young discovered and started using D modal tuning, a technique that created Young's signature dirty sound. "Only I took it to the next level, which is how The Loner and Cinnamon Girl happened," Young told British magazine Mojo in 1995. "You make a traditional chord shape and any finger that doesn't work, you just lift it up and let the string just ring. I've used that tuning throughout my career right up to today."
Pearl Jam, Nirvana and Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher were influenced greatly by Young's playing.
4. STEVIE RAY VAUGHN
Stevie Ray Vaughn in many ways was the closest thing to Jimi Hendrix. The Austin, Tex.-based musician fused blues and rock that at times contained Clapton's grace with the sheer brawn of Hendrix on albums such as Texas Flood and 1984's Couldn't Stand The Weather.
But despite his occasional manic solos, Vaughn always believed that less could say more."A lot of my tendency is not to slow down," he said in a 1990 radio interview. "That's something that I'm trying to learn and I probably will, hopefully I'll learn it one of these days. But it means a lot more to play one note that really says something than it does to play a million notes that don't ever get there."
Only 35 when he died in a 1990 plane crash after a night playing with Clapton, among others, Vaughn has been cited by newcomers Johnny Lang and Kenny Wayne Shepherd as a huge influence.
5. KEITH RICHARDS
If Keith Richards were put up against any of the above in duelling guitars, he would be thoroughly slaughtered. But his ability to simply work with what he has, combined with the often underappreciated trait of leaving space between riffs, makes his playing instantly recognizable.
Richards has several influences, including Chuck Berry and The Everly Brothers, but Ry Cooder was one of the biggest in terms of his sound. Tuning his Fender Telecaster and Les Paul to an open G, Richards also would remove the low E string from his guitar as a result of playing this alternate style. Riffs to songs such as Satisfaction, Honky Tonk Women and Brown Sugar, although simplistic compared to the frenetic likes of Jimmy Page, are classics.
Richards is no stranger to "weaving" his guitar with the Stones' other guitarists, previously Brian Jones and Mick Taylor and now Ron Wood. "You eventually give up who's playing lead guitar or rhythm," he said in a 1998 interview. "It's like an art form."
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| LadyJane |
Great read, gypsy. Thanks for posting.
Nice to see Keith finally getting his "props".
LadyJ.
PS. Where have you been? Did you get my e-mail?? |
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| mac_daddy |
thanks gypsy. |
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| gypsy |
LJ, I did get your email. I've been using my laptop...which freezes up every few minutes. We have been moving into our new house all week. We're painting the last room tonight. I start my new job tomorrow at a hospital in OKC...just a few minutes from here. I will email you whenever we hook up our computer...I don't trust the laptop. I tried to reply to you once, and it froze up, naturally. |
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| Joey |
No Pete Townshend ..................?!?!?!?!
No Brian May or Jimmy Page ..........?!?!?!?
No Slash or Carlos Santana ..........?!?!?!?
Ahhhhhh, Yeah !!!!!!!!!!!
" Tie Me Up and Slap Me Silly Ronnie "
J . Kins.
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