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Rank of Electric Guitarists


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Here's another phenomenal guitarist for inclusion. He's in my Top 5 for sure. This guy brought back Rockabilly and made it popular, then he did something nobody had ever done when he took Big Band music and placed an electric, rocking guitar out front. I give you... Mr. Brian Setzer...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1H6eQMksOgc

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Here's another phenomenal guitarist for inclusion. He's in my Top 5 for sure. This guy brought back Rockabilly and made it popular, then he did something nobody had ever done when he took Big Band music and placed an electric, rocking guitar out front. I give you... Mr. Brian Setzer...

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=1H6eQMksOgc

You know, I love Brian Setzer but as much as I love his playing and the music that the Stray Cats were putting out, I don't find it all that ...ORIGINAL. He did make the most of a style that hadn't been at the forefront for a number of years but certainly, it was a steal at best, Yep, I know, everybody was and is stealing from somebody but Zep and others were doing what the Stray Cats did much earlier. Just the same, I loved it and, Brian Setzers playing !

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You know, I love Brian Setzer but as much as I love his playing and the music that the Stray Cats were putting out, I don't find it all that ...ORIGINAL. He did make the most of a style that hadn't been at the forefront for a number of years but certainly, it was a steal at best, Yep, I know, everybody was and is stealing from somebody but Zep and others were doing what the Stray Cats did much earlier. Just the same, I loved it and, Brian Setzers playing !

I think the big difference w/ Brian is that he {Stray Cats} brought Rockabilly back from the dead. Sure, some bands played around in that genre of music, but the Stray Cats did it full time and made it prominent again. Then, in the early 90's he comes out w/ The Brian Setzer Orchestra and makes Big Band cool again.

Is it completely original? No. But to be responsible for resurrecting two styles of music and making them both hugely popular again is pretty darn impressive.

As a guitarist Brian has few peers. His technique is so incredible and if you've ever seen him live, watching his hands is a treat all itself. I've seen him w/ the Orchestra 3 times and the Stray Cats as well, and the guy always blows me away.

On a related note... back in 1985 when Robert was on SNL w/ The Honeydrippers and Brian was on guitar... man, that lineup would have been fun to see do an album and tour.

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I love the movie Crossroads, if just for the guitar-playing. When Macchio is playing the blues (for the first real time according to his companion Willie Brown) after his woman has left him is a really cool scene. But the ultimate credit has to go to the guitar duel at the end (like last twenty or fifteen minutes of the movie), which is hands down the best example of guitar-playing in a fictional movie. It's Ralph Macchio as Eugene "Lightning" Martone (actual audio is being done by Ry Cooder; but you gotta give Macchio credit for making it look like real enough) against Steve Vai as Jack Butler (Vai's doing his own stunts of course). Butler (Vai as Vai) begins the duel with heavy licks that immediately impress. Martone (Cooder as Macchio) responds with an equally astounding series of licks played in a blues-rock slide fashion. You can tell how much I love the movie (and this scene) by how I'm describing it. Anyways, each player delivers astounding guitar-work, and as a result of this movie I a ) became aware of the music of such players as Cooder and Vai (who both brought me to more music); b ) have wanted to witness a real head-cutting duel (everybody I've talked to about this has come to the agreement that a real one would probably be embarrassing or a wankfest... oh well); and c ) now love Ralph Macchio (as if being the Karate Kid wasn't enough).

So today's the day that I look over the feedback this thread has gotten and decide who the most fitting choice is. My own choice would have been hard rock legend Eddie Van Halen (for popularizing double-handed tapping and shredding, although the latter credit must also go to about a half-dozen other people, e.g. Yngwie Malmsteen). Soon Beck (already mentioned prior as a prime contender... obviously) was brought up. My take on this (and I'm just giving my take because I'm here; my take is no more important than anybody else's) is fairly simple: I wouldn't complain about losing Van Halen to Beck. The only problem is that part of me would also see Clapton as #3. So as Zep 4 Life summed it up, it's Eddie Van Halen vs. Eric Clapton vs. Jeff Beck (that's from my point-of-view anyways).

As I've said in just about every post I've put on this thread, I have no problem with the feedback. It makes for good discussion, stirs new ideas, hell it's the lifeblood of this thread. But because most people would rather talk about their favorite guitarists than help with this list (not that there's anything wrong with that), this has left me with a dilemna: this time around, I have no idea who I should choose.

So I'm starting a poll to determine who should hold the rank of #3 which will last until about 10:00 PM Eastern Standard Time (that would be the time zone including the east coast of the United States; about six and a half hours from now). There will be four options: Eddie Van Halen, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, and "Other electric guitarist". If one should choose "Other electric guitarist", please name the person you are advocating. Mind that these four choices are a reflection of how I'm looking at the thread. Unless you have already firmly stated your opinion on the matter (like a few of us have; btw if you object to me making your vote for you, just comment), please vote sometime before 10 PM EST if you will. Then I will tally the votes, and whoever got the most will be #3.

Referendum for #3 on Rank of Electric Guitarists

Electric guitarists on referendum:

1. Eddie Van Halen.

Explanation: Van Halen was my choice for #3, and he was getting a good bit of support for the position, which is why he's on the referendum. Van Halen, an incredibly talented guitarist, is notable for popularizing double-handed tapping, and being the most prominent of all the hard-rock guitarists in the shredder boom.

Example of guitar-work: "Mean Street" - Van Halen. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2R2KXNQR1M.

Votes: 2 (Dr Death and I).

2. Jeff Beck.

Explanation: Beck has received support since page 1 of this thread, and was mentioned as a contender for #3 by Deborah J. Beck has an incredible range (everything from blues to soul to jazz), and he experimented with feedback and fuzz before it was mass-popularized by Hendrix.

Example of guitar-work: "Cause We've Ended as Lovers" - Jeff Beck. http://www.youtube.c...h?v=JDgjBl86vq8.

Votes: at least 1 (Deborah J).

3. Eric Clapton.

Explanation: Clapton has received support since page 1 of this thread, like Beck, and was named by Zep 4 Life as contender for #3. Clapton has remained a legend ever since he hit the spotlight as the guitarist for John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, then as a member of Cream and Derek and the Dominos, followed by a successful solo career beginning in the '70s and continuing well into the present day.

Example of guitar-work: "Sunshine of Your Love" - Cream. http://www.youtube.c...h?v=Hv-EOc_74bY.

Votes: at least 1 (Zep 4 Life).

4. Other electric guitarist.

Explanation: It would be stupid to generalize these things. So many people have been named. If you want to choose another person for this rank, just remember to make yourself clear.

Example of guitar-work: To represent any other choice, here's a good song most of you have probably heard. "Truckin'" - The Grateful Dead. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pafY6sZt0FE.

Votes: ?. I say "?" because I'm unsure if there's anybody else out there who's been clear on who their choice for #3 is. I'll read through this thread again just to make sure.

And here's the official list:

Rank of Electric Guitarists

#1 - Jimi Hendrix.

#2 - Jimmy Page.

#3 - N/A, see "Referendum for #3 on Rank of Electric Guitarists" above.

Also (for the millionth time), give more feedback, respect others' opinions, don't be afraid to speak your mind, and all that stuff. Peace out, I'll be back at 10 EST.

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^ If I were to choose between those 3 for the third spot, I'd pick Eddie.

Both influential - expanding the guitar vocabulary - and also a great composer. He is admired by both guitar freaks and casual listeners.

(aside from that, I don't get Beck... :unsure: )

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#1 Hendrix

#2 Pagey

OK

No way is Eddie #3!!

You can tell a lot by how many people list a guitar player as an influence. Let's stick to rock guitarists too please 'cuz I really LOVE Freddie King, Hubert Sumlin, Elmore James, Albert Collins, etc. (Maybe we need seperate lists for blues and jazz!) I just don't want to compare apples to oranges. A lot of people are technicly excellent players but never move me on the inside, Vai, Satriani, McLaughlin, etc.

Zappa, Clapton, Beck, Allman, Garcia and Fripp move me much more than Eddie.

And what about Lennon for influences on others? And Townsend? And Richards?

Warren Haynes is one hell of a guitar player! Derek Trucks too!

Dang, this is a lot harder than I expected!

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This is a great thread. Jeff Beck has made his guiter sing, and stood the test of time and trends,I dare say he's getting better as time goes by.

My pick for # 3 is Jeff Beck.

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Very interesting. Final tally:

1. Eddie Van Halen: 3.

2. Jeff Beck: 2.

3. Eric Clapton: 2.

4. Other(s): 0.

So Van Halen has won. I'm actually a bit surprised. Also, mind that any position can be retconned, but make sure you are clear about what you are saying. If you want to see a position changed, say so. The changing of a position will be done on a Friday, but it will be secondary to the adding of a new guitarist. But let's just see if we can get to 100.

#3 - Eddie Van Halen.

Van Halen was the most popular guitarist of the period ranging from the late '70s to mid '80s, an era which had its highs and lows. Hard rock and heavy metal were about as hip as they were ever going to get, and with this came a huge focus on guitar skill. Also with this came glam rock/metal; "glam" being a synonym for the semi-derogative "hair". Representing the best of this era was one of its innovators, Van Halen (the band), originally known as Mammoth, renamed after the Van Halen brothers Eddie (guitarist) and Alex (drummer). Van Halen is a pure representation of this era (without the negative attributes, but with the same general attitude). Despite high profile vocalists David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar, the driving force behind the band's popularity has always been its guitarist. Van Halen (Eddie, the guitarist) redefined the guitar's usage with Van Halen (the band)'s first album, Van Halen. Although truly a great album, much of its lasting fame can be traced to the brief instrumental "Eruption", a fast, complex explosion of guitar tapping and other assorted trickery. This has overshadowed many of Van Halen's other credentials as a guitarist, but it is probably the reason his other credentials are regarded at all. The band was quickly the center of attention for guitarists and fans alike. Some said he was a god, others said he was the ultimate wanker. But either way, he was the shit then. Thus their golden age began. All of their following albums were popular, but none as much as the first. Not that it mattered, their legacy was solidifed. Notable hits from this period include "Panama", "Jump", and "Hot for Teacher". Van Halen also found the time to appear as a guest musician in Michael Jackson's hit single "Beat It". Van Halen (the band) was not without its problems: David Lee Roth left the band and began a feud with the other members, who remained with new vocalist Sammy Hagar. Unfortunately, the band was never as popular under Hagar as it was with Roth. This was only part of the problem though: rock was beginning to shy away from the guitar extravagance that had thrived in the '80s, and even to this day guitar-playing is getting less and less emphasis (lead guitar is already virtually ignored in pop and rap). Van Halen has had an incredible influence on guitar-playing and the music scene in general, and the band, now reunited with Roth, continues to play. Three of the four current members share the namesake Van Halen: Eddie's son by Valerie Bertinelli, Wolfgang, is the bassist. Even if he's associated with a single trend more than anything else, Van Halen has touched upon the rock guitar-playing community as much as Hendrix and Page, which is more than many can say.

Rank of Electric Guitarists

#1 - Jimi Hendrix.

#2 - Jimmy Page.

#3 - Eddie Van Halen.

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Anyways, I'm thinking Clapton or Beck for #5.

Since the list for the first three has been created:

#4 Mr. Jeff Beck- I have listed my reasons already. If I need to add reasons for these choices I will :-)

#5 BB King- listed reasons already.

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I'm not sure I'll have to tally up votes again for #4 - hope not anyways, I'd rather just be able to look at feedback instead of having to hold a vote. I've looked at feedback since I inserted Van Halen as #3, and the usuals are being mentioned. Looking good for both Beck and Clapton. And of course there are plenty of other greats who've already been mentioned who could take the position, although none of them are getting any kind of real support right now.

So I guess I ought to make my own official pick. I've had my first three choices down solid even before I began this thread (Hendrix, Page, and Van Halen: Hendrix was inserted as #1 mostly to begin the list, and was chosen because of his sacred status amongst guitarists; Page who was already a contender for #1 was placed at second; Van Halen won a referendum for #3, although hardly by a landslide), and I consider myself very lucky to have had these three choices supported (and so far) more or less unchallenged. But when I attempted to pick #4 (for my personal list), I was flustered. I knew that #4 would have to a no-f***ing around choice (anybody on the top ten would have to be), and I had narrowed it down to Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton. But I couldn't choose. Clapton's probably had more all around signifigance as a direct influence, but Beck's shown a gigantic range. By the narrowest margin, I'll have to choose Clapton. I won't challenge anybody about choosing Beck, especially considering the lucky streak I've had - my first three choices in a row.

Here's an important matter to address - chef free has suggested that we stick to rock guitarists (and brought up the matter of possibly doing separate lists for genres), and Oracle has already noted that the list will inevitably lean to rock. Should the list be exclusive of non-rock guitarists? My initial thought is to wait until we reach #5 to vote on this. When we get to #5, it'll give us a pretty good indication of where the list may be headed. Deborah J has chosen B.B. King, a blues guitarist as her fifth choice, but #4 and #5 will probably end up going to Beck and Clapton (or Clapton and Beck). So assuming we have 5 guitarists who could easily be called rock guitarists, what does that say about where blues, jazz, and country players are going? And how would we define rock as a genre? Would we be inclusive of fusion genres? Too many questions which may or may not be worth asking. But let's wait at least a week.

There are definitely a lot of great unknowns out there though. Like I said, I've met great players who've never gotten any notable recognition. Its a shame that realistically speaking, none of them will make this list (unless we go beyond 100, and even then it'd be at least a good 500 guitarists in before we get one who doesn't have an article on Wikipedia).

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You have to understand that rock was born from blues, so to discount blues in this thread would be a mistake, I feel. I also feel if you discount blues you have to discount Clapton, as his career has been made by playing the blues. While all the guitar players in this thread so far have leaned on blues {pentatonic scales | blues scales} as the primary source for their playing, all of them have taken that simple concept and expanded on it. All except Clapton.

Notable examples:

Hendrix - Axis: Bold As Love {song} - Wind Cries Mary - Burning Of The Midnight Lamp

Page - Kashmir - Achilles Last Stand - Ten Years Gone

Van Halen - Mean Street - Eruption - Can't Get This Stuff No More

Beck - 'Cause We've Ended As Lovers - Where Were You - Blue Wind

Someone posted earlier that they just don't get Beck. Perhaps that's because so much of his music is instrumental. There's nothing anyone can say to change someone's thought on Beck if they don't get or like instrumental music, but perhaps that person should go to You Tube and dial up Beck videos like People Get Ready. Or Tina Turner's Private Dancer, which features Jeff Beck on lead guitar. Jon Bon Jovi's Blaze Of Glory, another track Beck excels on. Or Roger Waters entire Amused To Death album. It may be that some people have heard Beck play and just don't know it's him.

Clearly I am all for Beck at number 4. Another guitarist that I can't remember seeing in here yet is Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits fame. I have all of his early Straits work, pre-Brothers In Arms as well as The Local Hero and Princess Bride soundtracks and the guy is an amazing guitarist/composer. He also wrote the Tina Turner track that Beck plays on mentioned above.

So... Beck at 4 for me. I would place Clapton around 10. But that's just me.

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Yeah, I'm leaning towards including any electric guitarist at this point, although rock will be the most prominently represented genre, as it is the genre which uses the electric guitar most prominently. Ive already established it as all electric though, so the list is already discriminatory, wherein one can argue that the list should be focused on predominantly electric genres (rock), and ignore originally acoustic genres (blues, jazz, country). But I don't really care, I think the lines are too blurred to get too precise about these things. So we'll just see what happens when the time comes.

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IMHO there is just NO WAY on this earth that Eddie Van Halen is a better guitarist than Clapton or Beck. Not in terms of influence, range of styles, or technical skill! Really Eddie's a bit of a one trick pony. Hammer-ons, period. He hasn't done much since his hay day anyways. Don't get me wrong, I had all the records "back in the day" and I played the heck out of 'em. But seriously, better than Clapton and Beck? Not a chance. I demand a recount! Somebody call Al Gore! Cripes!

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