Guitar gods
Finally, here is my top ten guitar gods. What qualifies as being a guitar god? Well, naturally the individual has to be simply the best. Technical expertise in music is rated first, and showmanship second. Before anyone flies off the handle because I didn’t inlude Hendrix or Clapton or (fill in the blank), keep in mind I had to limit this to the “Top Ten”. Jimi and Eric were and are great guitar players, but I personally didn’t feel they were the best. However, some in the “Top Ten” below have will never have a platinum album, so being a guitar god isn’t everything. I tried to include guitar playing that was accessible, mostly electric, and avoided classical and jazz guitar players - or at least such players who played exclusively classical and jazz. Frankly, I just don’t have enough personal depth in that field to make a judgement.
- Yngwie Malmsteen
- Joe Satriani
- Randy Rhoads
- Tony MacAlpine
- Kirk Hammett
- Steve Vai
- Zakk Wylde
- Michael Schenker
- Eddie VanHalen
- Peter Frampton
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if u r going to measure “electric” guitar “gods” you must consider the impact or contribution they made to the music of the band they were a part of, and was the music the band made “great” because of the guitar contribution - as such the following cannot be left out of any “list”:
billy duffy (the cult)
angus young (ac/dc)
You’ve most definitely missed 2 that I would put right up at the top AND Frampton (are you kidding?). Phil Keaggy is no. 1. and Frank Zappa. Of course, I’d also add Ty Tabor of King’s X to the list. Also, where is Jimmy Page?????
Thats a good well thought out list, but I just have one disagreement. I feel that you should have included Michael Angelo Batio. He has a bachleors degree in music theory and was voted #1 fastest guitar player ever in Guitar One Magazine. You may not have heard of him, he played in Nitro and is also known for his double and quad necked guitar solos.
Gecko: No, I don’t really need to consider that fact at all, else I might have called this “Contributing Guitar Gods”, which would hardly make them a “god” at all, but more like a team player. I like both Duffy and Young, but they aren’t Top 10 guys. Definitely Top 100 though - and I’m glad you like them. They truly rock.
Cummins: Keaggy is fantastic, you are so right. Hard to put him in the same league as Satriani. Kind of a different breed I guess. I’d’ like to squeeze him in. He’d definitely be in the Top 20 if that’s any consolation. Peter Frampton is well, so 70’s, you know. Great guitarist, but not in the current Top 10. Try listening to some of the guitarists I mentioned and see if you don’t agree. Ty Tabor: Well, I don’t know. I always liked King’s X. But kind of like Gekko’s choices above, I think he might just really be a great team player. I’ll have to give him a relisten sometime soon. Can you suggest any good songs that highlight him? As for Page: Sorry, he gets the “overrated” tag in my book. Top 100, but maybe around #90, along with Clapton (ha ha), but that’s just my personal tastes. If you like him, you like him, and that’s enough for me.
Blackwell: Way to pull one out of your hat. I feel so inept that I forgot Batio. I may have to redo this list. As it is, with all the good suggestions, I may have to turn it into a Top 20. Everyone go listen to Nitro. Blackwell is right on with that one. Now, where to put Batio… hmmm… Someone has to get bumped!
Ok,so you chose Malmsteen, Satriani, Vai & Schenker, all great guitar/musicians, but comon, how can you possibly not pick Uli Jon Roth, or Frank Marino, and not to forget about Jimi Hendrix, or Mr. Chuck Berry, or Alvin Lee, whats up with that???
I totally agree with this whole list (except peter frampton…wtf????). and hendrix and clapton are over-rated, even if they are amazing. i would put randy rhoads as number one though, considering he died at age 24 after only being in the business for a short time. if he had lived, he would undoubtedly be the greatest. and zakk wylde should be ahead of kirk hammett, only because he is this ages guitar hero.
what about clapton?
frampton needs to be on top
and hendrix
micheal angelo batio is not original.
kk hammet #3 and hendrix had album that was never relesed because he died it was all solos and they sucked + if u restrong the guitar the correct way thats Low e on top hed suck plus he is the only famous guitarest to get booed of stage at there last concert and he only was called the guitar king after he died so hendrix u dont belong in the top 1000 go hammet and sam and the twins from dragonforce and what about Slash
@ronald denenea - Clapton vs. Vai…yeah, I see Clapton winning that one (here’s a towel for the sarcasm…)
Kirk Hammett? Didn’t he take lessons from Joe Satriani? Sure, so did Vai, but I think that Vai’s technical ability FAR surpasses that of most everybody.
Batio is good. But a bachelors in music is still a bit short of Vai’s Doctorate.
You can tell who’s #1 on my list…heh heh.
ha. if you can stand to listen to either of them batio vs. vai… batio’s technical ability far surpasses vai.. and thats maybe what vai might have over clapton, but clapton has songs that you actually want to listen to. that should have some impact on being a guitar god.