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#13: Greatest Guitar Gods |
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Written by Jesse Thompson
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Monday, 05 November 2001 |
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Page 1 of 2  And you thought the topic of drummers was controversial. Let us open the can of worms known as guitarists--or more specifically, rock guitarists, who are sometimes called Guitar Gods. I mention this, because I don't want to hear about Robert Johnson or Albert Lee or something. This is simply the Top 7 Guitar Gods.
As usual, we must ask what the criteria are. First of all, what does it take to become a god of the six-string? Certainly technical flair, but there were plenty of those around in the 80's, and where are they now? Second, they must have blazed a trail. Guys like Randy Rhoads were amazing musicians, but they didn't do their share of pioneering. Respect from their peers and critics is important, but perhaps not vital. Finally, a guitar deity has his or her own sound. When you hear a single note from their instrument, you know that it's either them, or someone imitating them. Here we go, then, let's see who reigns!
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| Keith Richards Rolling Stones
Keith is perhaps the most underrated player of his stature. The creator of more famous licks than almost anyone, he's been a staple of the list since 1964.
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| Pete Townsend The Who
Pete Townsend was perhaps the greatest band guitarist from the British Invasion. While he later had a solo career, it never came close to what he accomplished in The Who, and not just because he went deaf (in one ear) before he went solo.
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| Jimmy Page Led Zepplin
The master of repetition, he could make just a few notes sound great together. Rock fans recognize more Page riffs than anyone else's, a tribute to his ability to creative catchy hooks like no other axe-wielder.
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| Eddie Van Halen Van Halen
Eddie was such an innovator that he began playing his concerts facing away from the audience, for fear that people would steal his techniques. That didn't last too long, and indeed about a million guitarists made off with his style, which includes pretty much every metal slinger out there.
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| Eric Clapton Yardbirds/Cream/etc
Slowhand was the only British blues player of his generation, and is perhaps the most influential rock guitarist of all time. His detractors say that his music has always been "safe", but this wasn't the case in the days of Cream, when no one in the world had ever heard the sounds coming out of his guitar.
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| Richard Thompson Fairport Convention/solo
An innovator in every decade since the 60's, he is perhaps the most critically lauded guitarist in the world. He has the tools to do it all, and has never stopped taking chances. Aside from dozens of albums of his own, he has played on well over 100 other musicians' records.
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