The Annual Guitaristas Thread

Don't get me started on Lowell George's slide playing.

Then Dragon, my man, you need to download this:

http://www.archive.org/audio/etree-d...b.php?id=18848

Nothing less then Little Feat at the top of their game. Just listen to Rock n Roll Doctor as loud as you can, and then tell me you're not hooked...

I've been making my way through the Grateful Dead archive. Only about 2500 shows to go.

Like most people with taste, I've always loved Led Zeppelin - which some might find a tired topic. But recently I have been delving even deeper into Zeppelin by picking up all of their remastered CDs gradually. In the last 5 years or so, my favorite guitarist of all-time has shifted from Hendrix to Page. I was watching the 2-Disc Led Zeppelin CD last night that came out in 2003. It was the first time in a long-time that I broke out laughing in total awe of a band and one that has been driven in the ground for ages for that matter. It's all oustanding, but disc 2 is what really did it for me. Their 1973 Madison Square Garden performance of "The Ocean" sent me reeling. Jimmy Page is the master.

I also have to say that although Eddie Hazel of P-Funk is highly praised by many, a lot of people overlook him. What a bad-ass he was. Funkadelic's "Standing On the Verge Of Getting It On" is his shining achievement in my book. Not the most polished album ever, but one of the most fierce and contagious albums that you'll ever hear if you have any level of appreciation for funky rock and roll.

Back to Hendrix for a minute, I recently heard a lot of the Isle of Wight disc entitled "Blue Wild Angel" which I think contains some of the best commercially released live Hendrix. Also, if you do not own The Jimi Hendrix Experience box set, you're missing out. Aside from the 3 official relases and perhaps Band of Gypsys, I think that they are the most essential Hendrix recordings available. "Message to Blues" and "Earth Blues" are some of my favorites on there and reveal that in the end - Hendrix was starting to work more of an R&B style into his psychedelia.

If you are more interested in discovering more obscure gems and you enjoy avant-garde, jazz-fusion and world music stylings, check out the legendary Sonny Sharock. Some of his best stuff is OOP, but you can still find a lot of it used. I would suggest starting with "Into Another Light" which is a collection of some great tracks from his later work ('80s - '90s).

Although John Frusciante's 500 solo albums are hit-and-miss, I think that he is one of the most passionate guitar player/song-writers out there. He finally nailed his solo sound with the album "Shadows Collide With People" which I consider his best solo record.

I've been diggin' on some Satch. The guy is an electric guitar god.

Zappa was an excellent guitarist. I've heard some live stuff of his where he's peeling off these insane solos left, right and centre.

I hear (mostly read online actually) a lot of people criticize Zeppelin for various reasons which usually stems from problems that they have with Plant (vocals and/or lyrics) or Page (sloppy playing, grand-standing). While I can understand that neither is perfect, I still think that Led Zeppelin is the greatest "hard-rock" band of all-time. Their energy and influence for that matter are unmatched. Plus, I'd rather listen to an audacious yet infinitely inventive guitarist like Page than Satriani (not knocking him, but I don't always get into that kind of sound often either).

About Hendrix, I have been a HUGE fan ever since I can remember, but no - I actually have not heard the entire Woodstock performance that I can remember. I remember reading a few places that the show was very unfocused and one of his lesser performances. But I don't totally trust criticism and know that I have to check it out for myself. But Dragon, you and I seem to have a lot of similar tastes in music, so I think that I'll check it out. Thanks. Oh and Volta, you're right - Zappa is damn good. I've got tons of his stuff. I could go on for days about Frank, but one of his coolest recordings is "Roxy and Elsewhere". If I could just have one Zappa disc, that one might be it.

If we're talking slide guitar (again) there's also Ry Cooder.

I have to admit that I've never heard of Phelps.

I haven't listened to much of Derek Trucks, either. Have you got any recommendations? Or even better, have you found anything worth listening to on archive.org?

Mark Knopfler is God when it comes to guitar.

Leo Kottke isn't too shabby on a 12 string either.

Yeah Haynes is excellent. He's also got a great voice.

I have my all time favorites like Hendrix (although I know most of his stuff, I don't yet have alot of it) and Brian May. I've been collecting some Led Zep recently too.

I like Surfing' and Flying' from Joe Satriani, that techie style doesn't bother me depending on the player. I still have tapes of 80's shredders Greg Howe and Tony MacAlpine I still dig.

As I have had occasional urges to get back to learning electric guitar, I have decided I would eventually like to focus on all those classic rock bands of the late 60's and 70's.

I'm planning to get some Leslie West/Mountain, The Who, etc.

Although Clapton is one of the GODS, I haven't heard enough of his early work to be interested, the obvious radio stuff doesn't do it for me. And his current old fart radio friendly pap certainly doesn't!

Cheers for Sonny Sharrock, sumbitch was heavy! There's a track called Black Woman, which is relatively simple chords which Sonny plays more and more intensely as his then wife wails and screams over the top. Splendid!
Also Ask the Ages was some heavy duty free jazz as well, with memorable melodies.

I'm surprised nobody's mentioned Jeff Beck. He could play, back in the day (or so they tell me).

Billy Gibbons is indeed a great guitarist. He's not hugely appreciated, though. I have a special place in my heart for ZZ Top, since they were the first band I really got into. (Nowadays, when I hear about them performing for the Republican National Convention, I just have wince & bear it...)

At one stage I had all their albums...but I haven't heard anything really since Recycler. I think of their earlier stuff, I like Rio Grande Mud and Tres Hombres the best. Francine, on RGM, is fantastic. TH is loaded with greatness: Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers, Jesus Just Left Chicago, La Grange...

I'm probably going to catch a lot of shit for this, but I reckon Trey Anastasio's an extraordinary player. Especially in the early years. The playing's not only technically excellent, but I also love the unique tone of the guitars he uses (hollowbody electrics) and the sonic experimentation (digital delay loops, etc).

Lil' Wayne, imo.

Anybody pick up the Peter Green Anthology? I've never listened to his stuff with the early Fleetwood Mac but it's supposed to be great. Mojo had an interesting piece on him..some, including B.B King considered him better than Clapton & Beck.

I've been on a Hendrix kick for three months now and show no signs of stopping. The closing medley from Woodstock (Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)/ Star-Spangled Banner/ Purple Haze) keeps kicking my ass.

Al Di Meola. His work with Return to Forever is astounding, but he really took off when he went solo. 'Elegant Gypsy' and 'Casino' are fantastic jazz fusion records with some excellent musicianship.

I saw Al this past June when he reunited with Return to Forever. It was easily one of my top 10 concerts ever.

You nailed it for his catalog of music. I pretty much just stick with his 70s output (the two albums already mentioned plus 'Land of the Midnight Sun' and 'Splendido Hotel') and his Return to Forever stuff.

See him live sometime; he's phenomenal.

I can never get enough of SRV. Sure, a lot of people will tell you he was just emulating Jimi and Buddy Guy, but I don't give a shit, he was incredible. Dave Gilmour STILL rips it up playing solo. In metal, the guys form Lamb of God have been putting out some pretty damn fast shit that is, at the very least, impressive on a technical level (if not particularly inspired in m opinion). I've always enjoyed and respected Eddie Van Halen, but he's so out on his own plane comparatively. In the G3 guys (Vai, Satriani, and Eric Johnson) I've always preferred Johnson. He has amazingly fast fingers, yet he never gets in the way of an incredible melody, which I consider very important.

Many people sleep on how great a guitarist Prince is. Just youtube him playing "While my guitar gently weeps" at a rock and roll hall of fame to see proof. Stanley Jordan brings a really cool alternate sound to how he plays. I still consider Jimi to be the biggest game changer in Rock guitar, as well as The Edge, and Tom Morello.

Andres Segovia played some of the most amazing classical pieces I ever heard, if you want to hear how the instrument sounds out of the contemporary settings of rock, blues, and jazz, I highly recommend picking up anything he did. I'll probably come back and add tons more later.

Jack White III.

I scanned this thread over and over, and still see no mention of Jimmy Herring. Shame. He's my axe god at the moment. His most recent album, Lifeboat, is that increasingly hard-to-find marriage of genuine jazz/rock songcraft and axe-murdering prowess.

Also, Shawn Lane, anyone?

Ralph Towner makes it look easy.

Do you dig the World Sinfonia stuff?

Obviously dozens more that would deserve discussion. I'll just toss out a few of my favorites:

Richard Thompson. From Fairport Convention, through the years with Linda, the solo stuff... it's all great, but he didn't really start stretching out on record till he began releasing live CD's through his own website. Nowadays, that's almost the only Thompson I listen to: as important an acoustic player as an electric one, and not sure how many others like that there have been (Neil Young, maybe?).

Tom Verlaine. Self-taught, with little conception of conventional chords or fingering when he began. Again, while all his studio stuff is incredible, the place to hear him is live-- on "Television Live At The Old Waldorf," or the live disc in the "Miller's Tale" anthology. Sadly, though, neither include my favorite Television covers: "Let's Talk About Girls" and "Psychotic Reaction."

Junior Brown. Yeah, his tongue's too far in his cheek some of the time (and he's way too sentimental the rest of the time), but holy hell can the guy play. Not too many country players would have the balls or good taste to put together his "Surf Medley" of "Pipeline," "Walk Don't Run," and "Secret Agent Man."

Dan Auerbach. I know-- Black Keys/White Stripes. One guitar, drums. But what a guitar. No offense to Jack White, but this guy's amazing.

Bruce Springsteen-- like Prince, underrated as a guitarist (and, like so many of my favorites, tends to save the wild stuff for live performance), but knows how to construct a song around an electric guitar riff as well as anyone.

Lots more, of course. Could do a whole thread on my favorite jazz players: Djanog Reinhardt, Kenny Burrell, Charlie Byrd, Joe Pass, Herb Ellis, etc.

And let's not forget Keef. 'Nuff said.

Any of you guys talking about Hendrix's Woodstock performance MUST go pick up the DVD! It is jaw-droppingly amazing. ESPECIALLY Voodoo Child.

My fav guitarists that I constantly go back to are:

Jimi Hendrix
Jimmy Page
Adam Jones (not a technical wiz by any means, but as far as tone and writing/restraint go, he's amazing in my book)
David Gilmour
Robert Fripp

Great record. I think Keith Moon & Entwistle play on a couple of tracks. "I Ain't Superstitious" just smokes.

That said, think "Beck-ola" is even better. A little more loose and fun.

Billy McLaughlin has always amazed me. I wondered why he hadn't released any albums for a while, and then I found this . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_8EV1KzWOY

. . . and now he amazes me even more.