He made the blues slightly more commercial and easier to relate to for me as a teenager. Stratocaster was introduced in 1954 and it changed the music world. He has a historical approach. Of course, we know that isn't true. And I played his guitar and it sounded like Steve Vai. I couldn’t believe it – that Brian May was standing there. All those mid-60s Beatle tracks, whether it was Day Tripper or Ticket To Ride or whatever, they all start with a guitar lick that you wait to come around again in the chorus. We’ve just played with Billy Idol, and Steve Stevens still has that fire. In my mind, what he was playing was a strange new take on rock‘n’roll. "I recall being given one of his guitar picks after a gig on the band’s current tour, and it was half worn down. Then I ended up getting some Van Halen records and from there I just really wanted to play like him. Trey Anastasio recently called Derek Trucks the “best guitar player on earth right now,” and many people would likely agree. #9 - Stevie Ray Vaughan. Timeless, too. Watch his videos and you can learn things. Kurt Cobain. "King Crimson and Robert Fripp were the most fascinating of all for me. During some of my searching, I found a few cool guitar gadgets that I'm sure many guitar players would like. He was so kind and so warm, and for who? I don’t quite know why. "If you check out something like I Need Your Love So Bad, then what you hear is a guitarist prepared to submerge his own ego for the sake of the song. The 50 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time 10-1. Then I found Rush, through Exit… Stage Left. The way that he can perfectly and seamlessly orchestrate guitars? It’s the most important dimension in art. I found that frustrating and hard to believe. And probably Joe Perry… I still love these guys. I was terrified to look at it in case I could see myself as some awkward teenager on Billy Cobham’s side of the stage. When you get someone like Blackmore – when he hit a chord it was like being punched in the face. "My most overriding memory of back then is covering those songs and, more importantly, trying to play them like Robin. What he chose to play is what we chose to love. It’s something that’s inherent in the brain of the guitar player. Despite the fact that he had a mainstream career that lasted for only 4 years, Jimi Hendrix can be considered the greatest instrumentalist in the history of rock. Rich Robinson (The Black Crowes, The Magpie Salute): "Growing up in America, you couldn’t help but hear the Rumours and the Fleetwood Mac albums on the radio all the time. "That record was a huge influence because it’s so cool. But, is he really the third greatest guitar player of all time, as Rolling Stone suggests, let alone the greatest of all time as many others have proclaimed? 1. It was on the radio and I heard him playing that solo and I was like, man, that’s unbelievable, who is this guitar player? "He’s a class act from head to toe and it shows in his playing. Please refresh the page and try again. A god among men (with a great guitar tech!)! I was already in a band and we began playing Day Of The Eagle and the same album’s Too Rolling Stoned. The Mahavishnu Orchestra came out... and the music damaged me for life. I love really flashy lead guitar playing, and Blackmore’s technique is great – it’s aggressive. There is a fair bit of variety in the list so one of the musicians should align with your taste. Michael’s a melodic and technical player but he didn’t sound technical, it sounded full of feeling. There are some great players out there but it doesn’t mean anything; it doesn’t cross over like Hendrix, Blackmore, Page or Beck. "There can be no substitute for originality. It sounded so unique to me – the tone, everything, but it was more about the way that he played the notes. But what McLaughlin and the Mahavishnu Orchestra came out and did next – the sound, the visual element and especially the music – damaged me for life. Any feature like this is a rock'n'roll bunfight, and we've inevitably included musicians some readers would never have chosen, and ignored others they believe worthy of a place near the top. Randy Rhoads #1 and Dime #2 both were the Real McCoy. "Guitarists now are like saxophonists were in the 1950s – a few original voices and thousands of imitators. That’s pretty impressive.". That’s rare. I went to the Rainbow Bar & Grill and Brian May was there. Over the years, various instrument from distinct culture have been developed of which Guitar is the most vital and famous instrument. Paul Gilbert. Jimmy Page. Vai is nothing if not eclectic and quirky with his shred style, … His contribution to orchestrated guitars is unprecedented. Thank you for signing up to Louder. All great players play according to the music they are playing, it’s not like it’s a self-promotion vehicle. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Scott Ian (Anthrax): "Malcolm Young has gotta be the most unsung, underrated guitar hero of all time. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. But I wish everybody could have rock’n’roll laid out for them the way it was for me on that particular day. Steven Wilson: "He’s probably the biggest influence of all for me. Obviously, he’d left Fleetwood Mac long before these were done, but I was influenced enough by them to want to know more about what the band had done before – and that’s when I discovered the amazing talent of the man. "And I began to discover this wonderful era, what you’d call the great album era, from 1967 to 1977, from Sgt Pepper through to punk. But in about 1979, when I began to get into guitar playing in a serious way, I gravitated towards Malcolm. To my mind, Peter Green is the finest white man I’ve ever heard playing blues guitar. "That’s was what probably got me going, looking at George Harrison. Clapton, of course, Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck. Jimmy was by himself in this club, drinking, and I got an autograph from him. For me, as a singer, it took me a long time to find myself as an artist. Mike McReady (Pearl Jam): "It’s really hard to pick just one guitarist. A lot of the guys in my generation that saw Harrison play, that’s how we learned how to be a lead guitarist in a band. Elliot Easton (The Cars): "To me, George Harrison is the one. What I like about Steve’s playing is that he’s not one of those guys that thinks that Jimmy Page was the first electric guitarist. On that album their drummer, Rod Morgenstein, almost revolutionised his instrument, but of course guitarist Steve Morse also stood out. King and Jimi Hendrix, Rolling Stone critic chooses the best and most influential guitarists in rock Originally known as a blues guitarist, who eventually started playing the blues faster, Page developed his style over his career, and by the time he was the main man in Led … It was no surprise to me that he was such an amazing session player even before Led Zeppelin. I grew up with that music. Like Malmsteen and I, Jimi and Robin came out at the same time and had had the same set of influences. It was clear that Jimmy loves the man’s talent. I guess you could say that his paintings launched a thousand ships. There are so many greats that limiting it down to ten makes it inevitable that someone will be left out. "Unfortunately the 70s were a hellish period for many great players, if you look at Hendrix’s comrades it was a rough road. Those kinds of artists have been important to me, rather than just the pure musicians.". Joe Satriani. They’re all so identifiable but Brian May had such a tone in his head and in his fingers, it speaks volumes. Ralph Mooney was the best steel guitar player ever. I had just moved out to Los Angeles, nobody knew me, I was just this little kid, 21 years old. The other songs I’d strongly recommend are Riff Raff and Beating Around The Bush. This classification is subjective => Leave the common beliefs on guitars behind before reading this article! "To be honest I think he was more interested in my girlfriend, which was fine by me [laughs]. Jimi Hendrix. Widely recognized as one of the most creative and influential musicians of the 20th century, Jimi Hendrix pioneered the explosive possibilities of the electric guitar. "I got into Paul Gilbert through the school’s resident shred-master. He was 16 years old in The Scorpions. When he was a kid, that’s the music he learned on. Back in ’68 he was pretty much just using natural distortion on those live tracks on Wheels Of Fire and Goodbye. "I never knew rock music could astound in this way. And I mustered up every little bit of courage and went up to him and said: “Brian May, oh my god, it’s really you. Playing with Steve was so unforgettable.". The dude just flat-out works hard. In another life he’d be the guitarist in the Ohio Players. I don’t really care about finger picking, and acoustic doesn’t satisfy me. Joe Satriani: "The first thing that really flipped me out was hearing The Wind Cries Mary on the radio. This was rock, but not like I’d ever heard it. Guitar, as a music instrument, came in recognition in 20th century. Malcolm got through a pick for every song, because he hit the strings so hard. In virtually any high-end music store, you can still find Chet Atkins signature model guitars, which Gibson and Gretsch designed to his specifications. And that title also means that he is probably the best guitar player the world has ever seen, so the fact that he died aged 27 is a tragic thing for music as well. Who are Some of the Greatest Guitar Players? Sign up below to get the latest from Louder, plus exclusive special offers, direct to your inbox! Please deactivate your ad blocker in order to see our subscription offer, The 50 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time 50-41, The 50 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time 40-31, Marillion and the unexpected return of prog rock, The 50 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time 30-21, The 50 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time 20-11, The 50 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time 10-1, Tom Morello, Roger Waters, Brian Eno to play April 10 Live For Gaza fundraiser, Tigercub announce UK tour, share new single Blue Mist In My Head, This Winter Machine unveil new line-up and video for Pleasure And Purpose. I was 10 years old when the Beatles played the Ed Sullivan Show and I was already playing a little guitar. Fripp’s the ultimate evolving musician. "But he’s also got that sound, and he developed that sound at a really young age. Jimi Hendrix. "I went down and he brought me up on the stage and he let me play the guitar – the guitar that he built with his dad. A guitar legend, Atkins was elected to the Country Music Hal of Fame in 1973. It was very apparent to me that his tone is in his fingers and his head. What he does is so interesting, because he doesn’t overplay. © The man is truly a one-off. Jimi Hendrix. His contribution to orchestrated guitars is unprecedented. Chris Goss (Producer/Masters Of Reality): "I’ll never forget the day I discovered John McLaughlin’s music. Period. The 10 Greatest Electric-Guitar Players ... Clapton is probably best known as the king of the Tulsa Sound. Ritchie Kotzen (Poison, Mr Big, Winery Dogs): "This is kinda embarrassing but the first time I heard Eddie Van Halen was on the Beat It solo. It was voted for by you. He’s a great technician, he’s got an amazing ear, and his feel and emotion really resonate with me personally. Check for exceptional guitar lessons near me. You made this. Topping our classic rock poll and receiving more votes than any polled player, Brian’s a true pioneer of... 2. The Best Guitar Players of All Time. "Alex Lifeson is a god – I remember watching this on video and thinking: ‘One day I’m going have a guitar like that and I’m going to know how to play it.’ I never knew rock music could uplift, astound and move you in that way. Jim Davies (The Prodigy, Pitchshifter ): "As a guitarist with The Prodigy and Pitchshifter, I guess I might be considered an unlikely fan of Paul Gilbert. Day Of The Eagle also has a great, unusual conclusion. Though he obviously has bags of inherent talent, he became that good because he practised, which gives hope to everybody. You know who the Real McCoy was don't you? Back in those days I would stay afterwards and practise and practise. It would have to be… early on, I’d say Ace Frehley and Paul Stanley. That’s what I heard in Brian May’s playing. Maybe even top 3. They’ll be around forever. Please deactivate your ad blocker in order to see our subscription offer, The 50 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time 10-1, The 50 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time 20-11, Marillion and the unexpected return of prog rock, The 50 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time 50-41, The 50 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time 40-31, The 50 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time 30-21, Tom Morello, Roger Waters, Brian Eno to play April 10 Live For Gaza fundraiser, Tigercub announce UK tour, share new single Blue Mist In My Head, This Winter Machine unveil new line-up and video for Pleasure And Purpose. There was a problem. Wow. "He also has such an incredible range. I asked around and found out it was Eddie Van Halen. "Before then I was a drummer and I started from watching The Stones and The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show. The addiction started, and I’ve now seen them over 50 times. He later told me that I was an influence of his, which was immensely flattering. You can’t ever claim that one particular song defined him, in the way that you can possibly do with Hendrix, for instance. "The first time I saw Eddie play I had the best possible seats, because we had the same guitar tech. Kiss was the reason I started playing music. However, when Chuck Berry released it back in 1958, everyone was blown away by it. Unfortunately, by the time I got to the end I realized this was the author’s favorites list versus the Top 10 Greatest Guitar Players. As anyone who’s attempted to perform it will know, the ending of Too Rolling Stoned is just a single bass note with Trower soloing over the top. That, for me, makes their whole catalogue fascinating. So I was in this little service room where all his guitars are and his tech is in there tuning stuff. ", Current page: What he chose to play is what we chose to love. Visit our corporate site. Totally crazy.". Skimming over almost a century of music, here are the 10 best guitarists the world ever saw. Jimi Hendrix Jimmy Hendrix is the best guitarist in history. But without him what would AC/DC sound like? This is also expressed in the way he uses the guitar to complement his vocals and vice versa. At the time I was really into Ozzy and Sabbath and that sort of thing, but when I heard that guitar solo it just didn’t sound like anyone else. Trower is sometimes unfairly dismissed for copying Jimi Hendrix – well, there are worse people to imitate! Then when he played it it sounded just like Brian May. Malcolm got through a pick for every song, because he hit the strings so hard. Actually I have a UFO tribute band called Flight To Mars, we do a [charity] show every year, and we do shows up around Seattle, and we do most of the Strangers In The Night record. That’s a real gift, because a lot of players might be really great technically, or they might have a great emotional thing, but Slash has all that. And it was through getting into these records that I started to explore the Peter Green legacy. It took me to Planet Rush. "I don’t use the term ‘revolutionary’ lightly, so, ladies and gentlemen, based on this metric, The Revolution is in good hands.". All rights reserved. I just bought Floating Point, one of his most recent records, which inspired me to write a song called Johnny’s Dream as a nod to McLaughlin on the new Masters Of Reality album.". And I always loved Michael Schenker. Hopefully, we have given you a good idea of some of the best and most badass guitar players throughout history. He later told me that I was an influence of his, which was immensely flattering. Of his whole generation, Beck’s the only one for me who’s never lost the fire. It’s down to playing what the song requires and no more, basically. What makes him great is his choice of notes. So in order to get a different or unique sound, I had to learn to squeeze it out of the strings with just my fingers. Top 5. Wonderful records in every genre, whether it was Donna Summer making great disco records, Marvin Gaye making great soul records or King Crimson and Pink Floyd making these great art rock albums. He’s the only guitarist I know of who regularly devises new and wholly unorthodox textures and noises, always remaining in complete control. I have played with him on recording sessions and dozens of live performances, and what my experience has shown me is that he is among the most original and creative players in the game. So I fell in love with the idea of the album as a musical journey. Features The 50 Best Jazz Guitarists Of All Time. I was a little kid, and being a guitar player and hearing Brian…. And in later years McLaughlin was to exert a strong influence on the development of rock music, not by becoming a household name but because the few he touched went on, in turn, to touch millions. So I was sitting in there watching the show. And on Strangers In The Night, which I think you guys (Classic Rock) put as your second best live album of all time, he was pretty incredible. End of story. "To my mind, Peter Green is the finest white man I’ve ever heard playing blues guitar. "Of course, there’s no way to have this conversation without mentioning Jimmy Page. When I began to learn my instrument, I was massively into Iron Maiden, Pantera and the likes of Steve Vai and Joe Satriani. Through his commanding guitar performances and his equally commanding voice, Cobain cemented himself as one of the most influential rock musicians of all time.