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Rolling Stone Top Guitarists Thread of Clickbait

sidis

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sidis

sidis 9802

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You knew it was coming...as will all the eye rolls of the lists' perceived slights and errors.  But regardless...

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-guitarists-1234814010/chuck-berry-14-1234814185/

getting the outrage controversy started...my submission is the notion of SRV at 20 behind some of the people in front of him is silly.  

i will go ahead and voice @BrickHorn's outrage of prince being 14 even thought it is one i'd probably agree with.

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ztejas

ztejas 43394

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Yeah other than the 2 ladies they had to shoehorn into the top 10 because it's 2023 seems fairly typical. 

I would rather see a list of the top female players ever. Would make more sense imo. Guitar is so physically demanding... it's like ranking athletes together. 

Edited by ztejas
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jimmyjazz

jimmyjazz 45790

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3 minutes ago, G650 said:

Honestly other than Joni Mitchell (LOOOOOLLLLLL) I don't the list is that absurd. Obviously you move these people all around with different criteria, but solid top 3 anyway

Eh, not to disparage them, but of the ones I'm very familiar with, I wouldn't put Nile Rodgers, Joni Mitchell (as you said), Carlos Santana, Tony Iommi, or Tom fucking Morello above Stevie.  Beyond that, I'd put him in the top 5, but at least the rest of them have credible arguments.

And then there's Hetfield & Hammett at 24.  lulz

It's the same old clickbait.

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Pato del Muerto

Pato del Muerto 52441

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Man, if you propose Love Struck Baby and Cold Shot as the entirety of your key tracks list, do you really have a handle on srv?

also, how much of the Hendrix bio applies equally to Stevie, with the inverse of a white guy getting respect in the black dominated blues genre?

although I did like his phrase “casual virtuosity” as a great descriptor for him. 
 

list, at least the top 20 that I read, seems to have a bent for invention of style or technique. 

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ztejas

ztejas 43394

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I will contend that Jack White is better than most of the people ahead of him. 

And I only scrolled so far but Knopfler is too low wherever he is. 

20 minutes ago, Pato del Muerto said:

list, at least the top 20 that I read, seems to have a bent for invention of style or technique. 

Yeah I mean it sort of has to for what they're going for. They did the same thing with the singers list. But, if that's their criteria, then how is someone like The Edge 48th?

Edited by ztejas
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Chad Fuck

Chad Fuck 17617

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Goddamit.  They used a picture of "Robert Johnson" that's been fucking proven wasn't Robert Johnson.  The man who influenced countless guys on that list and they can't even get his fucking picture right.  

For the record, here are the three known pictures of Robert Johnson:

21634193_web1_200526-CDT-johnson-photogr

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locodos

locodos 5385

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45 minutes ago, ztejas said:

I will contend that Jack White is better than most of the people ahead of him. 

And I only scrolled so far but Knopfler is too low wherever he is. 

Yeah I mean it sort of has to for what they're going for. They did the same thing with the singers list. But, if that's their criteria, then how is someone like The Edge 48th?

He's at 96...  you think that's to low?

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0xdeadbeef

0xdeadbeef 1638

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The first part of the list

  1. Hendrix
  2. Chuck Berry
  3. Page
  4. EVH
  5. Jeff Beck
  6. Sister Rosetta Tharpe 
  7. Nile Rodgers
  8. BB King
  9. Joni Mitchell
  10. Duane Allman
  11. Santana
  12. jimmy Nolen
  13. Toni Iommi
  14. Prince
  15. Keith
  16. Robert Johnson
  17. Mother Maybelle Carter
  18. Tom Morello
  19. Freddy King
  20. SRV
  21. Randy Rhoads
  22. Albert King
  23. Hetfield and Hammett
  24. James Burton
  25. John Frusciante
  26. St. Vincent
  27. Buddy Guy
  28. Gilmour
  29. Eddie Hazel
  30. Neil Young
  31. Harrison
  32. Jack White
  33. May
  34. Garcia
  35. Clapton

 

Da Faq is wrong with those people?
 

Quote

 

In making the list, we tended to value heaviness over tastiness, feel over polish, invention over refinement, risk-takers and originators more than technicians. We also tended to give an edge to artists who channeled whatever gifts god gave them into great songs and game-changing albums, not just impressive playing.

 

 

So the Rolling Stone thinks there are only 5 guitarists that rate higher than this one:

 

 

Clickbait is clickbait.

 

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ztejas

ztejas 43394

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5 minutes ago, locodos said:

He's at 96...  you think that's to low?

Yeah. I give a lot of points for inventiveness, not sounding like the pack, writing good licks etc. Same reason I regard Jack White highly. 

Technical proficiency doesn't move the needle for me very much past a certain point. When you're talking top 100 ever you're just splitting hairs a lot of the time. They're all freakishly talented players. 

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locodos

locodos 5385

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1 minute ago, ztejas said:

Yeah. I give a lot of points for inventiveness, not sounding like the pack, writing good licks etc. Same reason I regard Jack White highly. 

Technical proficiency doesn't move the needle for me very much past a certain point. When you're talking top 100 ever you're just splitting hairs a lot of the time. They're all freakishly talented players. 

I'm thinking we are talking past each other. 

I took your comment to mean he should be in the 100s or 200s

I'm thinking more like top 50

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Napoleon

Napoleon 8651

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18 minutes ago, 0xdeadbeef said:

The first part of the list

  1. Hendrix
  2. Chuck Berry
  3. Page
  4. EVH
  5. Jeff Beck
  6. Sister Rosetta Tharpe 
  7. Nile Rodgers
  8. BB King
  9. Joni Mitchell
  10. Duane Allman
  11. Santana
  12. jimmy Nolen
  13. Toni Iommi
  14. Prince
  15. Keith
  16. Robert Johnson
  17. Mother Maybelle Carter
  18. Tom Morello
  19. Freddy King
  20. SRV
  21. Randy Rhoads
  22. Albert King
  23. Hetfield and Hammett
  24. James Burton
  25. John Frusciante
  26. St. Vincent
  27. Buddy Guy
  28. Gilmour
  29. Eddie Hazel
  30. Neil Young
  31. Harrison
  32. Jack White
  33. May
  34. Garcia
  35. Clapton

 

Da Faq is wrong with those people?
 

 

So the Rolling Stone thinks there are only 5 guitarists that rate higher than this one:

 

 

Clickbait is clickbait.

 

I hope that we don’t have to ever read another “When Clapton saw _____ play, he left in frustration because he knew that he would never be able to play at that level.” comment again.

The video of the fat lady plucking away made me chuckle.

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locodos

locodos 5385

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3 minutes ago, ztejas said:

You know what I mean. The way Rolling Stone has the list configured is fucking stupid. Generally 1 is at the top and you scroll down to the rest.

I do, but your post still made me laugh.  I was trying to use numbers to clarify, but out of habit, put "top" in my post where I was deliberately trying to avoid directional metrics.

When you replied, I got your point, but it still felt like you were fucking with me for including "top".  My exact thought was "well played!"

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sidis

sidis 9802

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22 minutes ago, Napoleon said:

I hope that we don’t have to ever read another “When Clapton saw _____ play, he left in frustration because he knew that he would never be able to play at that level.” comment again.

The video of the fat lady plucking away made me chuckle.

get it right...that idiotic mythology goes:

"when asked what it is like to be the world's best guitarist...clapton said 'ask prince.'"

list totally invalidated by not having @Goredho and @Celery Man in the top 50 imo. 

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Deej

Deej 76706

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1 hour ago, Chad Fuck said:

Goddamit.  They used a picture of "Robert Johnson" that's been fucking proven wasn't Robert Johnson.  The man who influenced countless guys on that list and they can't even get his fucking picture right.  

For the record, here are the three known pictures of Robert Johnson:

21634193_web1_200526-CDT-johnson-photogr

"The middle picture is Dave Chappelle"

-Katfid

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sidis

sidis 9802

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1 hour ago, Chad Fuck said:

Goddamit.  They used a picture of "Robert Johnson" that's been fucking proven wasn't Robert Johnson.  The man who influenced countless guys on that list and they can't even get his fucking picture right.  

For the record, here are the three known pictures of Robert Johnson:

21634193_web1_200526-CDT-johnson-photogr

 

28 minutes ago, Deej said:

"The middle picture is Dave Chappelle"

-Katfid

 

Damnit, that's the one i used for my little RJ silly tune.

 

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G650

G650 14166

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2 hours ago, jimmyjazz said:

Eh, not to disparage them, but of the ones I'm very familiar with, I wouldn't put Nile Rodgers, Joni Mitchell (as you said), Carlos Santana, Tony Iommi, or Tom fucking Morello above Stevie.  Beyond that, I'd put him in the top 5, but at least the rest of them have credible arguments.

And then there's Hetfield & Hammett at 24.  lulz

It's the same old clickbait.

Tom Morello is the other one I thought was out there. I'm OK with the others, and SRV at 20 or whatever. Mostly because it seems to be off impact on music and influence, so Iommi being up there doesn't ruffle me too much. Obviously easily could argue he shouldn't be there either.

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Chad Fuck

Chad Fuck 17617

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2 minutes ago, sidis said:

 

 

Damnit, that's the one i used for my little RJ silly tune.

 

giphy.gif

You are forgiven because (a) you're not a shitty RS journalist and (b) you're putting music into the world, not just blabbering about it.

Edited by Chad Fuck
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sidis

sidis 9802

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8 minutes ago, Chad Fuck said:

giphy.gif

You are forgiven because (a) you're not a shitty RS journalist and (b) you're putting music into the world, not just blabbering about it.

i was being sarcastic about deej's post.  i used the middle pic that actually is RJ.

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Deej

Deej 76706

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18 minutes ago, Chad Fuck said:

I am a long time Jack White proponent.  @BrickHorn can verify my long time sparring with him over this issue. 

 

Jack White isn't terrible, but he's not groundbreaking in any way. I always felt like they were trolling Page by having him spend a day with Jack White and The Edge and film it. 

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Chad Fuck

Chad Fuck 17617

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3 minutes ago, Deej said:

Jack White isn't terrible, but he's not groundbreaking in any way. I always felt like they were trolling Page by having him spend a day with Jack White and The Edge and film it. 

White clearly was enthralled by Page.  Page was loving the adulation, because he is a sucker for any excuse to revel in his glory days.  Upon this we should all agree.  White enthusiastically plays with blues tropes with a little modern spin here and there, just as Page did back in the 60s and 70s.  They are of the same cloth.  Neither are virtuosos, but they both have their own inimitable styles.  

I say this as a kid who mowed many, many lawns in the hot, hot Texas summer of 1986 to save up enough money to buy an LP just so's I could pretend in the mirror to be him.  

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G650

G650 14166

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Just now, Deej said:

Maybe, but Page influenced much more of what was to follow, and was much more versatile.

Page definitely influenced a lot more, and I would rate him higher, but he is nowhere near as versatile as White, not even close.

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Chad Fuck

Chad Fuck 17617

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2 minutes ago, Deej said:

Maybe, but Page influenced much more of what was to follow, and was much more versatile.

 

1 minute ago, G650 said:

Page definitely influenced a lot more, and I would rate him higher, but he is nowhere near as versatile as White, not even close.

Gentlemen, first I agree Page influenced much more.

But White is "more versatile"?  Please, expound on this.  I've never heard White riff on Indian ragas, or Moroccan scales.  

Most of what I've heard from White is straight down the middle blues based rock.  Even his Loretta Lynn collaboration.  But I'm open to being persuaded.

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Deej

Deej 76706

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8 minutes ago, G650 said:

Page definitely influenced a lot more, and I would rate him higher, but he is nowhere near as versatile as White, not even close.

Maybe you missed all his session work and his acoustic stuff.

And his arrangements and producing. 

Page was a straight up genius. 

Edited by Deej
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G650

G650 14166

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15 minutes ago, Chad Fuck said:

 

Gentlemen, first I agree Page influenced much more.

But White is "more versatile"?  Please, expound on this.  I've never heard White riff on Indian ragas, or Moroccan scales.  

Most of what I've heard from White is straight down the middle blues based rock.  Even his Loretta Lynn collaboration.  But I'm open to being persuaded.

 

Blues based rock is a small part of Whites oeuvre really. He delves into roots America much further than anything else.

 

I have to reiterate that guitar is only a small part.

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ztejas

ztejas 43394

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One of my main reasons for thinking that White should be ranked very highly on these lists is that he doesn't really have any contemporaries. Who else post-2000 even holds a candle to his body of work?

I can't think of one other artist who has been or was remotely as commercially successful as basically a singular, guitar driven force as the White Stripes were in the 2000s. Like 80% of their shit is him, a couple guitar tracks and Meg White just sort of phoning in some drum beats. All of it centers directly around his playing.

(And all of that is true whether or not you like his playing)

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G650

G650 14166

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Just now, Deej said:

I have to wonder if you should possess the 58 LP, then. 

Lol.

I mean love Page, Zep is a top 5 band for me. But his session work in particular is super pedestrian. He was the rhythm player to Big Jim Sullivan's lead playing for 99.9999999% of it in reality. The Yardbirds transition was where he became the powerhouse in Led Zeppelin, where he really hit his stride.

 

Now as producer, you get no argument from me. He is probably the greatest ever.

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Deej

Deej 76706

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He was called in to play on almost every big record at the time. Records of all styles and genres.

If you really think Jack White is as good or better than Page, then I don't know ow what to tell you.

Jack White would disagree with your opinion..

 

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G650

G650 14166

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35 minutes ago, G650 said:

Page definitely influenced a lot more, and I would rate him higher, but he is nowhere near as versatile as White, not even close.

6 minutes ago, Deej said:

 

If you really think Jack White is as good or better than Page, then I don't know ow what to tell you.

 

 

 

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