The VH Trade Site Forums Archives

[Bradleon]

The 3 most influencial guitarist's all-time!!!


MY RATING:


1. EDDIE
2. YNGWIE
3. JIMI



THEN 4,5

4. JIMMY PAGE
5, GEORGE LYNCH



- ERUPTION IS STILL THE BEST RECORDED GUITAR WORK I HAVE HEARD TO DATE.
-THE 1ST YNGWIE RECORD... RISING FORCE, SHOULD HAVE WON A GRAMMY!!
-HENDRIX, LITTLE WING IS THE GREATEST CHORD STRUCTURE I HAVE EVER HEARD.


PAGE.... WELL.. STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN...... PERFECTION!!!

GEORGE.... MR. SCARY WAS GOD IN DISGUISE!!!

[Iron Miami]

1. Eddie V.H
2. Jimmy Hendrix
3. Yngwie

[Chris UK]

I dont like putting people in charts as music is not a sport! Trying to compare Hendrix to Halen is like trying to compare curry to ice cream..... I love both, but I wouldnt want to eat a curry on a blazing hot summers afternoon on the beach..... equally an ice cream wouldnt satisfy my munchies after a night down the pub! Horses for courses!

My personal opinions are...

Hendrix - the most important electric guitarist of the 20th century. Popular music would sound completley different without him. Not just rock either, but also Jazz, Funk, Blues and all kinds of alternative/indie music. Technically out of the 3 guys you mentioned, he was certainly the slowest, but his rhythm playing was phenomenal. His knowledge and control of tone, distortion and feedback was pioneering. He also wrote some great songs. Without Hendrix there would be no EVH or Malmsteen.

Halen - the most important electric guitarist post Hendrix. Technically a far superior soloist than Hendrix... obviously faster. Main difference is that he brought ideas and scales in from outside the blues/rock n roll realm. Harmonic Minor, augmented (whole tone) and chromatic scales where quite unusual in Rock music back in 78, yet Eruption is choc full of them. Then there are all the new tecniques he brought to the table.... RH hammer-ons, tapped harmonics and many new wang bar techniques made possible by his work with the Floyd Rose trem. An awesome rhythm guitarist and a great composer of music.... but not a lyricist or a true songwriter like Hendrix.

Malmsteen - Technically the best player of all 3 you mentioned. Great tone, very clean and precise, the best picker of the 3. Blew me away as an 18 year old back in 84. But IMO one of the biggest wastes of guitar tallent around. Exciting to listen to for a while, but for me the novelty wears off after 3 or 4 songs as he just keeps on covering the same ground. His music always seems to be sub Priest/Dio type metal. I really dont think he has done anything of note in the last 15 years. Many people see him as an innovator, but the truth is that the 80s neo-classical movement's roots started in Europe way earlier with Uli Jon Roth, Ritchie Blackmore, Jan Akkerman and Michael Schenker in the mid 70s. A few years later it crossed to the US with Rhoads and EVH incorporating classical ideas into their playing. Malmsteen just refined all this into the mid 80s metal arena. Take a listen to Virgin Killer or In Trance LPs by the Scorpions and you will see how Uli was 10 years ahead of his time and just how much Malmsteen 'borrowed' from him. He even named his band Rising Force after the name of the painting of the cover of Uli's first solo album Earthquake.

Just my humble opinion though :D

Chris.

[Decatone]

Yikes Chris :eek: what an overview!

Vindaloo Curry vs. The Ice Cream Man... I'd have to say curry, cause I grew up listening to Hendrix, he got me playing guitar, the man was a genius.

Eddie, to me was an 'explorer' of the guitar, the first album was unique, nuff said.

Mingin Marmalade, technically brill, but hey, is there a song in there? not a great lover of that 'neo-classical' thing, but full marks for ability.

:thumb:

[Chris UK]

Decatone wrote: Yikes Chris :eek: what an overview!

:thumb:

yep I had a touch of verbal diahorrea after brekky today! :D

Chris.

[vhroxu2]

I also don't like rating musicians, but an excellent topic. Here's a few thoughts on the 3 mentioned:

Jimi - I'm a huge fan. Truly a bluesman that shattered the music scene forever in a "this is what guitar playing is all about" kind of way. He wasn't technically brilliant, but he had something that a lot of guitarists don't = heart and soul in his playing. Jimi would just close his eyes on "Red House" for instance, and go to another emotional place unheard of. As Townshend told Clapton when he first saw Jimi - "this guys from another planet!" To sum up Jimi in one word, to me it's 'soul'.

Eddie - The best. End of story. No one speaks to me musically like Ed. I've heard 'Eruption' a thousand times, and to this day, I still smile to myself and think "it doesn't get any better than THAT!" And there's many more VH songs that have little nuances that I love. I can't imagine a world without the music of Eddie and VH.

Yngwie - I just don't get this guy. I've tried for years to get into his stuff, but it sounds like gibberish to me. He's an amazing talent who plays a million notes per minute, but there's no emotion there. It's way too machine-like for my taste.

Honorable mention - Stevie Ray Vaughan. Now this guy understood how to reach people with his guitar. Every note he played was from his heart, and you FELT it. I've said it for years and I repeat it here - SRV's playing was closer to Jimi Hendrix than anyone.

Daryl

[GGirl]

It seems like everyone is only mentioning "rock" guitarists. Ed, Jimi, Yngwie are all amazing and have individually left their mark on the music world, and or ears, with their unique styles, but what about those musicians that are from other genres? For that matter what about those that came before them and cemented the building blocks of what was to be?

I'm not an expert by any means but I think the following guitarists had a great deal to do with where the music was going and where we are today.

Andres Segovia - My father took me to see him years ago back in the early 80's (I think it was in '82). Here was this frail man that had to be helped on stage, seated, have his foot placed on a stool and then the guitar placed in his hands. What I heard that evening is simply beyond words. He literally took his music and flooded your ears with such beauty that it made people realize that classical guitar was cool. There is no doubt he inspired many to want to play the guitar just as some of the above mentioned artists did.

Chet Atkins - Without Chet the Nashville sound may have never come to be. I honestly don't think country music would have crossed over the way it did if it wasn't for people hearing his music and demanding their attention.

Jeff Beck - He is simply one of those guitarists that can play one song and you know it is a guitar he is playing but on the next song you listen and say to yourself, "Damn, what is he playing? Is that a guitar or what?" He reinvents the guitar every time he picks it up and is a true innovator. He is the sole reason I discovered jazz fusion. If you haven't done so I suggest you check out his newest release "Jeff". It is one hell of a joy ride.

Duane Allman - Gutsy, raw, straight from the bowels of his soul guitarist. To this day his solos are some of the best I have ever heard. I can only imagine what else he would have accomplished had he not died so young.

Chuck Berry - There is no doubt about it...he IS the Grand Daddy of rock & roll. Pure energy, plain and simple. Not many can have their music viewed as "cool" 50+ years later. I have no doubt he is the reason so many started playing a broom or air guitar in front of their bedroom mirror.

T-Bone Walker - In my best Barbara Streisand voice, "Like butta". The smoothest blues guitarist you will ever hear. He managed to take acoustic blues to the next level, electric, all the while never loosing the purity of it.

I can't go without mentioning my all time favorite...

Warren Haynes - His playing has literally brought me to tears. One minute he is raunchy as hell, the next sorrowful and weeping. Rock, blues, soul, country...there is nothing this man can't do. His slide guitar is something to be reckoned with as well. Either acoustic or electric the emotion is right there in your face. Not to mention his singing voice is one of the sexiest I have ever heard. Barry White had nothing on him.

Like I said, I am not an expert. These are just my views. It's impossible to look at the current guitarists though without looking at those that influenced them, as well as us.

[Chris UK]

GanjaGirl wrote: It seems like everyone is only mentioning "rock" guitarists. Ed, Jimi, Yngwie are all amazing and have individually left their mark on the music world, and or ears, with their unique styles, but what about those musicians that are from other genres? For that matter what about those that came before them and cemented the building blocks of what was to be?


I couldnt agree more GG..... I was just answering the original question from Bradleon.

As a guitarist myself, its easy to forget the perspective of people who dont play. Most 'normal' people couldnt give a flying f*£k about guitar solos, they want songs with great melodies and rhythms (just rhythms if its dance music :( ) The vocalist is the most important member of the band, cos 9 times out of 10 that is who Joe Bloggs relates to. Thats why VH out sells old Yngwiddle.... VH write songs that people can relate to, luckily they also have awesome melodies, riff and solos. Malmsteen maybe able to do the fastest 2 octave diminished sweep picked arpeggios this side of Paul Gilbert but only a tiny handful of people actually care. Technique talk is fun, I can pontificate about scales, modes & the pros and cons of floating trem set ups til I'm blue in the face...... BUT its only a means to an end...... at the end of the day its about making MUSIC and evoking an emotional experience in the listener..... The Edge can do that with a handful of notes and a beautiful shimmering guitar tone..... no shredding on U2 records, yet they are probably the biggest band on the planet at the mo.

New players..... there are loads of great 'post shred' era players if you go in with an open mind.....

Matt Bellamy (Muse)
John Frusciante
Tom Morello
Vernon Reid
Josh Homme
Graham Coxon
Reeves Gabrelles
Jeff Buckley (RIP)
Francis Dunnery
Ty Tabor
Robert DeLeo

...even the guy from the White Stripes has his moments!

Old school guys...... Beck is just amazing, his guitar seems to be part of his body, music just flows out of him...... two others stand out in my mind right now..... Santana and Billy Gibbons... both technically rudimentary players, but both have such awesome tone and feel I love em both...... and you can tell its them from just 1 or 2 notes..... nuff said!

I'm waffling again :D ..... over & out

Chris.

[Iron Miami]

What do u guys think about Carlos Santana ?

[Bradleon]

Santana is great!!!



Hey CHRIS UK... nice breakdown of the 3 guitar giants....

Maybe you can take a listen to a demo of mine I am working on now for a metal album I am hoping to have completed by this summer.

It is a guitar solo piece that is 60 secs of guitar chops, being a player maybe you can give me your honest opinion on it....


PM your email and I will send you an MP3....

[TAP]

1. Hendrix
2. EVH
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10,000,000. YJM

[Bradleon]

GG,


I see you point... there are so many great players in every field of style.

I can name a guy like MIKE STERN, he is a jazz guy that is the greatest soloist on the earth with chops and good taste.

There is a guy in Cinci, Ohio named Scottie Anderson who plays country. He has this
country technique that I have never seen before. Excellent 2 guitar parts going on at the same time.

BUT, for me being a rock guitar player for nearly 20 years now.... I ONLY SEE A HANDFULL that have lasted the test of time with just sheer over the top creativity
& style.

Yngwie, let take this guy and put him at the best technical player that has ever graced
the rock scene. This kid was a teenager and turned the rock guitar inside out. At
an early teen age he was doing the most technical picking, sweeping , and phrasing
that has been unmatched since the release of the first ALCATRAZZ recording,
Anyone who has the DVD, ALCATRAZZ 1984 JAPAN with Yngwie can sit and watch
the most talented tech performance of all-time in the concert. I feel that Yngwie was
(well for me) the best at this period...... He had great melody, chops, feel, control,
and stage mayhem.

But, his last 4 or 5 albums sound the same... sounwise and he plays the same licks on each song over and over. I have every Malmsteen record and it seems that after
FACING THE ANIMAL came out he took over control of writing everything.. down to the melody line for who sang on the recording.

I thought the Odyssey era with JOE LYNN TURNER was his peak solo wise.
The combination was brilliant... Heaven Tonight, Dreaming, Rising Force, and etc.

Being a guitar player I still love the guy but get bored with the album put out once a year that is horrilble... I love the fact of keeping it 80's metal, but you only have so many good riffs in your blood. He has used them all.

Eddie, I don't really like his songs or his playing as much after the Dave reunion.
I thought the 2 Roth tunes on the best of were classic VH. Ed was burnin'.
The 3 record I agree did have some good points... Dirty Water Dog WAS VERY COOL.
I thought he started to drop at that point.

The Fact of the matter is Gary did not fail that record, it was just weak riffs and songs.
Dave nor Sammy could have saved the music. Ed branched way out in left field wanting to be different. He said " I would rather bomb with my own shit then make it with some one else's". That is what happened.

I realy tried giving the VH3 several listens to get better but I just could not get into it.

[sonic_raver]

Awesome thread! Great posts. How about Ron Asheton and James Williamson from the Stooges? Very mediocre guitarists but played on records that changed rock n roll forever. Raw, unhinged, original, dirty, and very gutsy. A couple chords is all you need as long as you got the heart and soul. Punk was born.

[Chris UK]

sonic_raver wrote: Awesome thread! Great posts. How about Ron Asheton and James Williamson from the Stooges? Very mediocre guitarists but played on records that changed rock n roll forever. Raw, unhinged, original, dirty, and very gutsy. A couple chords is all you need as long as you got the heart and soul. Punk was born.

Yep :thumb: ...... and similarly Fred 'Sonic' Smith & Wayne Kramer from the MC5...... basic, brutal & dangerous!

and for the greatest punk rock rhythm guitar wall of sound I just love Steve Jones playing on 'Bollocks' and also with his post-Pistols band The Proffesionals.

Chris.

[sonic_raver]

Chris UK wrote:
and for the greatest punk rock rhythm guitar wall of sound I just love Steve Jones playing on 'Bollocks' and also with his post-Pistols band The Proffesionals.

Chris.

Chris,
I love Steve Jones! I gotta check out the Professionals, thanks for mentioning it! I have his solo record Fire and Gasoline from 89. Very good, more hard rock then punk. I wish that he would go on tour sometime.