Your Guitar Hero

[davidg3333]

yeah Charlie, you're right. As I got older my tastes changed and I appreciated jazz more - Kenny Burrell, Django Reinhardt, Joe Pass, and of course Herb Ellis... as well as local names that no one much has heard of.

[gvdv]

George Harrison for me. (And John and Paul, too).

 

Despite what some others have said here, I contend that even George's early work was technically accomplished in that he played precisely and idiosyncratically. Even playing things like the 'She's A Woman' solo make you realize that he had his own way of playing, and it was always tasteful. He is the most economical guitarist I can think of - he gets in there, says what has to be said in a way which sounds like a different song in itself, and then gets out. I love that kind of playing. And it's the hardest thing to do in terms of guitar playing.

 

The 'Help!' descending riff; the 'Ticket To Ride' riff (I know that Paul did the solo), 'Til There Was You', the fills in 'She Loves You' and 'I Want to Hold Your Hand'; the solo in 'All My Loving'; 'Something', the album version of 'Let It Be'; that amazing solo in 'The One After 909'; 'And Your Bird Can Sing'; the guitar 'bits' in 'Strawberry Fields Forever'; that exquisite backwards solo on 'I'm Only Sleeping' (who else had that melodic invention????); the 'solo' solos - 'Life Itself', 'Blow Away', and 'Life Itself', and the intro to 'Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)'....the list just goes on, and on. He came up with the most memorable solos and licks and riffs of all time, time after time.

 

So, according to Geoff Emerick, he made mistakes earlier on in his career. Big deal. He got the work done, and it must have been in a very short time given the (initially) short recording sessions, and the need to rush off to radio and T.V. shows, film sets, and concerts. We know from live footage that George performed these solos and riffs many times over. From screwing up the immortal 'Help!' descending riff to perfecting it was only a couple of hours. Amazing. How many of us could come up with a memorable riff or solo, and have the definitive version of it down in a very short time? Jimmy Page comped his 'Stairway to Heaven' solo; does that make him flawed in some way?

 

I once read somebody (Andy Babiuk, I think) saying something like, listen to Paul M.'s early records, and you'll hear how Paul's music was missing George on the guitar solos. Somebody else said that The Beatles were technically conservative and artistically revolutionary/marxist. I think that that says it all.

 

I also really like Steve Jones as a guitar player, and find it a shame that he can't stand The Beatles.

 

I always felt, during George's life, that somebody should pay tribute to him, but as Eric C. said, he probably would have been initially enthusiastic about a tribute concert and then turned contrary about it.

 

I love that man, and I miss him. I only wish that I could have seen and heard him perform, and that I could have had a nice chat with him.

 

And in terms of his contribution to the development of our culture (introducing 'world music' via his popularization and support of Panditji - Ravi Shankar), and of his songwriting - well, we won't even get into that.

 

Just my 2 cents.

[humbucker]

The guitar hero who made me pick up the guitar was Johnny Marr of The Smiths. I first heard a radio programme about the Smiths' Queen is Dead album in the summer of 1986 on German radio. I always loved the sound of acoustic guitars and clean electrics, especially when played together.

 

After I started learning guitar, I began discovering the great guitarists of the 50s and 60s, such as Chuck Berry, Scotty Moore, Buddy Holly, Cliff Gallup, Chet Atkins, George Harrisson, Brian Jones, Keith Richards, etc.

 

Another 80's guitar hero of mine is Brian Setzer of the Stray Cats. That one Stray Cats gig I've been to in 1992 will be unforgettable for me.

 

A more recent favorite guitarist of mine which I'm just starting to discover is Tommy Emmanuel.

[Billybob Dylan]

Steve Jones

Something about his style and tone just grabs me.

It was said that they couldn't play their instruments but if you really listen' date=' Jonesy is very technical in his own way. He knows his way around a fretboard. He plays a white Gibson Les Paul Custom with pinup girl stickers. [/quote']

I didn't think they played on their own records either. The sound on the Spunk bootleg was a million miles away from the sound on NMTB-HTSP. And all the rumors about Chris Spedding playing on the Pistols stuff didn't help either.

 

There's a clip on YouTube with Chris Thomas singing Jones's praises, and I think he is very underrated.

 

Talking of underrated guitarists, James Honeyman-Scott of the Pretenders could have been a colossus if he hadn't screwed around with drugs.

[Recycled Rocker]

The one person who inspired me to start playing was Bo Diddley, then moved in to rock, with Les Gock, from Hush in OZ, Angus Young, George Harrison, Eric Clapton, Carlos, Jimmy Page most of the guitarist from the 60/70's, Bands like Led Zep, Deep Purple, The Who, etc.

 

Later years Mark Knoffler, Brian May, Richie Samborra, Slash, David Gilmour, Carlos, are my heroes but there are still several that I admire probable to many to list here.

 

 

Cheers Ken.

[cookieman15061]

I had just turned 4 yrs old the day before the Beatles were on Ed Sullivan and it wasn't to long after that my dad brought home a cheap acoustic for me to strum. Since then the guitar has always been a big part of my life. I love all the players mentioned but two guys I always felt were overlooked was Elliot Easton of the Cars and Neil Giraldo guitarist/ husband of Pat Benatar. Like G. Harrison so effecient. Get in -play great- get out! Always loved players that got to the point before i got bored.

[Ron G]

The Beatles. First, the Sullivan show in '64, when I was 11. I remember lying on the

floor with the removable stereo speakers next to each ear, listening to my first

Beatles album, The Early Beatles over and over again. I started guitar lessons

when I was 12. Like a lot of Beatles fans back then, I didn't really know who

was playing what, but the guitars sounded fantastic.

[smerdlap]

It wasn’t single guitarists which got me into it. It was a few specific songs.

#1- Eruption by Eddie Van Halen

#2- Frankenstein by the Edgar Winter group

#3- Welcome Home by Coheed and Cambria

#4- Yyz by Rush

#5- The Story in Your Eyes by the Moody Blues

Each of these songs showed me a part of the guitar which could be further experimented with, which led me to pick up my dad’s Ibanez and start playing.

[mrjones200x]

Mr Eddie van halen for me for his pure difference. Also Richie Blackmore.

 

Then along the likes of Clapton/Slash ect.

 

All before my time but when i really started listening to van halen then checking out there youtube vids i was hooked.

[OhioSlashFan]

Alvin Lee

[matiac]

Roy Clark. That dude used to amaze me with the stuff he played. When I was a kid, I used to watch "Hee Haw" in the hopes that he (Clark) and Chet Atkins would do something together, and they did a few times. I'll never even come close to those two...

[afiez]

First made me pick up guitar is nirvana.

First made me adore les paul is, bob sager haha, i saw the guitar first in the series Full House, and bob was auditioning or some thing for his brother's band i think??

[afiez]

First made me pick up guitar is nirvana.

First made me adore les paul is, bob sager haha, i saw the guitar first in the series Full House, and bob was auditioning or some thing for his brother's band i think??

[slim_blues_boy]

Jimmy Page made me picked guitar.

then B.B King inspired me to learn the blues.

[Ranger]

Love Segovia, Django and Gibbons et al. Add Frank Reckard, Albert Lee and David Gilmour plus all the other guys who who just make a noise that sounds pleasant to my ears.

 

Steve.

[The_Sentry]

It's changed a bit over the years. The "Holy Trinity" (Page, Hendrix, Clapton) still influence me heavily, but over the years my interest in many players has waxed and waned. For whatever reason this year I got quite a bit into Joe Walsh (James Gang and solo work vs. the Eagles stuff) and Billy Gibbons (Pre Eliminator). And as I really started to open up the Les Pauls on cleaner tones, I started really enjoying that Jimmy Page tone.

 

As far as stylistically....I love guys like Chuck Berry, and Stevie Ray Vaughan who are just rhythm machines and pop in some great leads. From a songwriting perspective? It's tough to beat Lennon and McCartney...or for that matter, George Harrison.

 

As far as just bending a string....Angus Young.

 

For the heaviest tone, it's tough to find anything bigger than Tony Iommi.

 

Randy Rhoads deserves his own wing as far as the Gibson Hall of Fame goes. (I also like Zakk Wylde...although I'm more impressed when he's playing without distortion. Go fig.)

 

I also like Brian May a lot. And one guy who continues to be awesome in my eyes (and vastly underrated) is Mike Campbell, Tom Petty's Lead Guitarist. His leads are perfect.

 

As far as newer guitar players? John Mayer impresses me, as does Derek Trucks.

 

But to be honest I could also list people I've jammed with.....hey, as far as I'm concerned, if you picked up a guitar and stuck with it...hey....you're my hero!!!

[o8jedi]

George Harrison was one of the first people I distinctly tried to emulate and, to this day, he remains my favorite guitarist of all time. Other major influences include Pete Townshend, Alex Lifeson, Glenn Frey (mostly because I have nowhere near the talent of Don Felder and/or Joe Walsh), Eddie Van Halen (as a rhythm player, he's top notch, but I'll never be able to pull of anything close to "Eruption"), James Hetfield, David Gilmour, and Jimmy Page.

[Recycled Rocker]

But to be honest I could also list people I've jammed with.....hey' date=' as far as I'm concerned, if you picked up a guitar and stuck with it...hey....you're my hero!!![/quote']

 

Yep I agree, I still really enjoy watching any guitarist (Player) profesional or amateur, do his or her thing, just can't beat LIVE music.

 

 

havagrateone

 

 

RR

 

Ken.

[Johno]

Duane Eddy was the guy I listened too.

 

I was 10 when the Beatles hit and that's when I started to pay attention to guitarists in bands.

Before that I liked Chuck Berry, Carl Perkins, Buddy Holly and Eddie Cochran records but those guys were ancient history.

I liked the guitarist for Elvis but I didn't know his name was Scotty Moore.

I liked the guitarist for Johnny Cash but I didn't know his name was Luther Perkins.

I liked the guitarist for Ricky Nelson but I didn't know his name was James Burton.

I liked the Ventures but I didn't know who Bogle, Wilson and Edwards were.

 

Duane Eddy, Wes Montgomery and Chet Atkins were the individual guitarists I knew and Dune Eddy was who I listened too the most.

 

Once the Beatles came out then I knew George Harrison and John Lennon and all the guitarists in the English Invasion bands that followed.

[Nic]

Many moons ago my guitar heroes were: Jimi Hendrix' date=' Eric Clapton, Johnny Winter, Edgar Winter, Carlos Santana, Neil Youngf, Alvin Lee. I also liked Paul Butterfield and Jeff Beck.

 

I don't know I have a guitar hero any more but I would have to say I enjoy Clapton the most of all.[/quote']

 

I would agree with this list, but add Allman Brothers.

[bear222]

Steve Howe of course!

[SlagJones]

The guitar hero who made me pick up the guitar was Johnny Marr of The Smiths. I first heard a radio programme about the Smiths' Queen is Dead album in the summer of 1986 on German radio. I always loved the sound of acoustic guitars and clean electrics' date=' especially when played together.

 

After I started learning guitar, I began discovering the great guitarists of the 50s and 60s, such as Chuck Berry, Scotty Moore, Buddy Holly, Cliff Gallup, Chet Atkins, George Harrisson, Brian Jones, Keith Richards, etc.

 

Another 80's guitar hero of mine is Brian Setzer of the Stray Cats. That one Stray Cats gig I've been to in 1992 will be unforgettable for me.

 

A more recent favorite guitarist of mine which I'm just starting to discover is Tommy Emmanuel.[/quote']

 

Johnny Marr! Setzer! Awesome!

[Zergle]

Page got me to pick up the guitar. Not because of the rock, but because of the acoustic stuff. From there, a lot of Alex Lifeson and then my hero Michael Hedges (RIP).

[rlajack1217]

It would have to be my step brother Barrett Tagliarino

 

http://monsterguitars.com/

 

He's always been an incredible guitar player and when I was 10 he really impressed me.

[V-Type]

There are so Many Greats that I consider heroes. Picking any one or even three would do many other influences on me Ill justice.

My top 10 Known Guitar Heroes in No paticular order:

Iommi : Amazing playing and tone with finger tips missing too boot. Pure Genius IMO.

SRV : Took where Hendrix was going and Texas Big Sized it.

EVH : From the World altering Eruption too Van Hagar Ed was on Top in Rock Easily.

Gary Moore : Blues mixed with Rock and Metal with Mucho Soul too boot. Another Pure Talent.

Frank Zappa : He played and Wrote some of the most Instrumental Rock Ive ever heard. Underrated Guitar God IMO.

Randy Rhoads : His time was short but his Guitar playing prowess reach was Huge and Haunting too date.

Gilmour : He has it all IMO. So many textures and melodies within melodies. Huge.

Hendrix : The Father of Hard Rock.

Page: His take on Blues Standards whether drug induced or stolen are Essential IMO.

Nugent: Unforgettable riffs and playing with just a Birdland and Fenders in Overdive. I love it.

 

I know I could throw more.........