Guitar World Readers Poll: The Greatest Guitarist of All Time

[VitaminG]

Thats fine my caveman ears don't understand his high speed noise. i also don't understand free form jazz that sounds like kids learning how to figure out what key something is in, chromatic scale, its always the right notes. actually most shredders bore me, i saw Satch open for deep purple years ago, about 15-20 minutes into satch's set, i was outside getting drinks. technically impressive but, boring as FUCK after the first 15 minutes of awe. Id rather hear Joe Walsh than Joe Satriani....but im a primitive caveman, who doesnt comprehend advanced music....or punctuation.

I don't mind Lane, he's technically impressive but his music appeals to me as much as Eric Johnson's. His hardcore fans remind me Metallifans - they don't need to listen to or experience anything else because they already know that this one thing they've discovered is as good as that kind of thing can possibly get. So why waste your time wading through lesser crap? (or risk finding out that you are wrong and it's not really as mind-blowing as you first suspected)

it was right after my first listen of the first Andy Timmons album I bought that I posted on the JCF something to the effect of: "if Joe Satriani could write instrumental music like this, I might own more than one of his albums". I can listen to some guitarists play instrumentals all day. And while I appreciate his abilities and accomplishments, Satch fails to move me at all. I picked up his live in San Fran dvd for a great price in a bin at store a long time ago. Listened to 3/4s of the first disc, didn't get around to playing the second. I have considered gifting it to my dad, but I don't think he'd listen to it either. He'd much rather listen to Dave Gilmour or Mark Knopfler play.

[j2379]

ooooh, watch yourself! You'll find yourself surrounded by Lane fanboys telling you how you clearly just don't have a mature enough ear to understand what Shawn is doing. And that if they have to explain how much better he is than every guitarist that has ever lived, you probably don't have to the mentual acuity to grasp it.

Thats fine my caveman ears don't understand his high speed noise. i also don't understand free form jazz that sounds like kids learning how to figure out what key something is in, chromatic scale, its always the right notes. actually most shredders bore me, i saw Satch open for deep purple years ago, about 15-20 minutes into satch's set, i was outside getting drinks. technically impressive but, boring as FUCK after the first 15 minutes of awe. Id rather hear Joe Walsh than Joe Satriani....but im a primitive caveman, who doesnt comprehend advanced music....or punctuation.

[Endrik]

let's see totalitarian...

go ahead and see, I was born in it, so I have no use for totalitarian and conservative music form and people who defend it.

I am fine with that

nope

but the problem I have with you is the fact you are taking it beyond an opinion

nope

and into disrespect areas

nope, no disrespect intended, I approach art as a formalist, all critique is based on analysis and aimed at the form above all, if someone feels disrespected then I can't help it, I can't relate to it, I'm not offended by words etc. I'm offended when I have to bear bad art.

how are your songwriting skills????? probably a big pile of shit!!!!!!! How does that feel???

as a rational human being I figure out my faults myself and acknowledge them freely unlike some people who feel they can bullshit the audience forever.
lacking in some department makes me want to improve and not to keep bullshiting myself and the others.

MY point is if you can't walk the walk(AND PROVE IT!) don't talk the talk!!!

Your point is stupid. I forbid you to criticize any subpar meal if you are not a 3 Michelin star chef.

shit spewing from your keyboard.

sorry, I'm pretty lame at this... I am much more direct in real life.

but to say one of the greatest of all-times music

This why I took the time to talk some shit in this thread. Some ridiculous exaggerations need to be balanced out a bit.

If you are such a music genius why bother with enlightenment of us common folk.

Because I'm a very caring and compassionate person who wants to improve the world if you haven't noticed yet.

[METAL MANIAC]

bad attempt to run away from the subject



you did.. or let's be more accurate... you defended garbage songwriting



where?



imperative



imperative



another imperative

But it's no surprise that people who like totalitarian 1-2-3-4 march music form also like totalitarian communication.

Oh cool, I am glad you are educated or at least it seems..........so am I, Masters in MIT but of course, you MUST BE A DR...............let's see totalitarian... centralized and dictatorial: relating to or operating a centralized government system in which a single party without opposition rules over political, economic, social, and cultural life......imperative.......commanding: forceful and demanding the obedience and respect of others...I hope you got more...trust me I can handle the large words, even though I am dumb...Huh, which way did he go George?:think:....Look, I know everyone has their opinion and I am fine with that but the problem I have with you is the fact you are taking it beyond an opinion and into disrespect areas....I think the fact that you DO NOT HAVE HIS TALENT IS VERY RELEVANT IF YOU ARE GOING TO TALK MAJOR MAD SHIT!!!!!I see you do not deny that fact.....how are your songwriting skills????? probably a big pile of shit!!!!!!! How does that feel??? MY point is if you can't walk the walk(AND PROVE IT!) don't talk the talk!!! There are a lot of guitar players I personally do not like but I would not resort to the shit spewing from your keyboard. It is one thing to say one guitar player is better than another...that is cool and relies on taste but to say one of the greatest of all-times music is garbage is BULLSHIT!!!!!!!!If you are such a music genius why bother with enlightenment of us common folk. Just remember I know those hundred dollar words you like to use and be SURE to use them in proper context!!! MMMF

[Endrik]

Ok, let me ask you where is your place is guitar musical history?????

bad attempt to run away from the subject

I did not defend mediocrity

you did.. or let's be more accurate... you defended garbage songwriting

you seem to imply that you do

where?

so let's see it!

imperative

Let us see you

imperative

otherwise you do the same.......

another imperative

But it's no surprise that people who like totalitarian 1-2-3-4 march music form also like totalitarian communication.

[METAL MANIAC]

[QUOTE=atomic charvel guy;1529487]i never said he was terrible, i just think his tunes are too repetitive for my ears. the guy is as accomplished a player as one may can possibly get,
but after a tune or two, i've kind of heard the whole thing already. i'll crank Far Beyond the Sun, and after it, it's time for a different
tune, that's all i am saying. and that's just my ears, others can listen to him all day, and that's great too.[/QUOT

I understand and respect what you have to say but the other guy is a crock!!!!!

[METAL MANIAC]

What case? You just defended mediocrity and populist entertainment business model instead of creative integrity. Synthetic attributes such as money, success, fame etc. are irrelevant to music. Music doesn't care about this at all.
Yngwie has talent when it comes to playing an instrument but not enough talent to create music which is not banal. He has a lot of fun doing what he does but why should I care? I only care what I can listen. I don't like artistic death.

I guess I'm nostalgic for Romantic period. I like people who reached for the stars, pushing the limits and were constantly on the edge just to improve themselves and create something as good as human beings possibly could create.

I hate this cynicism in music. Guitarist gets on the stage plays ascending and descending scale and arpeggio runs really fast, doesn't pay attention to harmonic context, colours, texture etc. Believes everyone in the audience are bunch of idiots who buy this. I'm not impressed when someone vomits in my face anymore.

Why should I read a book where I have hundreds of pages of A B C D E F G written all over it. A simple writing exercise for hundreds of pages. What do I get out from it? How does it compare to "Don Quixote", "War and Peace" or "Madame Bovary"? A B C D E F G compared to actual words, phrases, sentences etc. to express something.
Why should anyone care for A B C D E F G exercise in music instead of "War and Peace" of music?

Ok, let me ask you where is your place is guitar musical history????? I did not defend mediocrity ,Yngwie is anything but that...I never have nor do I have this kind of talent but sir you seem to imply that you do...so let's see it! Let us see you come up with something better instead of sitting behind a chair talking shit!!!! We all have our opinions but I never disrespect someone above my talent level....if your talent is above Yngwie let me hear it and then I will shut the fuck up, otherwise you do the same........MM

[Endrik]

I can see some your points but I have to disagree...I just can't see how you can say he is terrible in one sentence and fuckin' great in another...He will never get the credit he is due and that is why I got in this thread to start with but oh well, I am a little offended with the use of the word "garbage" and Yngwie or any other great musician for that matter in a descriptive sentence. Obviously his garbage affords him more to do with his time than we have to do with ours..so I rest my case on that...MM............

What case? You just defended mediocrity and populist entertainment business model instead of creative integrity. Synthetic attributes such as money, success, fame etc. are irrelevant to music. Music doesn't care about this at all.
Yngwie has talent when it comes to playing an instrument but not enough talent to create music which is not banal. He has a lot of fun doing what he does but why should I care? I only care what I can listen. I don't like artistic death.

I guess I'm nostalgic for Romantic period. I like people who reached for the stars, pushing the limits and were constantly on the edge just to improve themselves and create something as good as human beings possibly could create.

I hate this cynicism in music. Guitarist gets on the stage plays ascending and descending scale and arpeggio runs really fast, doesn't pay attention to harmonic context, colours, texture etc. Believes everyone in the audience are bunch of idiots who buy this. I'm not impressed when someone vomits in my face anymore.

Why should I read a book where I have hundreds of pages of A B C D E F G written all over it. A simple writing exercise for hundreds of pages. What do I get out from it? How does it compare to "Don Quixote", "War and Peace" or "Madame Bovary"? A B C D E F G compared to actual words, phrases, sentences etc. to express something.
Why should anyone care for A B C D E F G exercise in music instead of "War and Peace" of music?

[atomic charvel guy]

gary,
"i'm the one" with doug aldrich is a hairy ride.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbctbWJkEHw

[VitaminG]

i think Paul Gilbert is 100times better than Shawn Lane. the guy can play anything, can shred, play tasty stuff, and makes everything look effortless. & i think i saw Jimmy Page beat Chet Atkins, SORRY, jimmy wrote stairway GREAT (sarcasm), Chet could play circles around Page.

ooooh, watch yourself! You'll find yourself surrounded by Lane fanboys telling you how you clearly just don't have a mature enough ear to understand what Shawn is doing. And that if they have to explain how much better he is than every guitarist that has ever lived, you probably don't have to the mentual acuity to grasp it.

speaking of yngwie, here's a cool tribute to van halen, what a lineup, yngwie, doug from kings x, billy sheehan, and fuckin' vinnie colaiuta for godsakes.
light up the sky

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KUCk6bsQA4

you can't go off of lists, be it any publication. there's just too many greats, everyone will always have their own favorites, leave it at that.

Loved Ying Yang's playing on that. It's my favourite track on the whole album. And there are a couple of pretty smoking VH covers on there.

this has been a paid presentation for aTomic Boy Enterprises (tm)

I used to buy this religiously after I was begining once I found a copy that had "Bach's bouree in Em" and "Skeletons in the closet" in the same issue, it was incredible to me at the time just picking up the guitar(after years of BS formal piano lessons).... Hahahahaha, I still remember the Jackson ads that featured nothing but heastock pointies!!!!!

I never really liked the mag it morphed into, but maybe that's because Nirvana tabs are ridiculous!!!!!!!!

Sorry for the derailment, as you were

The Nirvana tabs were great! They were so space-saving. One page, mainly chord slashes, repeat, repeat, repeat.

[atomic charvel guy]

I can see some your points but I have to disagree...I just can't see how you can say he is terrible in one sentence and fuckin' great in another...He will never get the credit he is due and that is why I got in this thread to start with but oh well, I am a little offended with the use of the word "garbage" and Yngwie or any other great musician for that matter in a descriptive sentence. Obviously his garbage affords him more to do with his time than we have to do with ours..so I rest my case on that...MM............

i never said he was terrible, i just think his tunes are too repetitive for my ears. the guy is as accomplished a player as one may can possibly get,
but after a tune or two, i've kind of heard the whole thing already. i'll crank Far Beyond the Sun, and after it, it's time for a different
tune, that's all i am saying. and that's just my ears, others can listen to him all day, and that's great too.

[Jayster]

+1. Still have 3 years worth of their issues from '88 on... granted, GFPM was 50% ads, 20% tabs and 30% columns/features but at least it wasn't a shill for every manufacturer that was advertising in it.

I used to buy this religiously after I was begining once I found a copy that had "Bach's bouree in Em" and "Skeletons in the closet" in the same issue, it was incredible to me at the time just picking up the guitar(after years of BS formal piano lessons).... Hahahahaha, I still remember the Jackson ads that featured nothing but heastock pointies!!!!!

I never really liked the mag it morphed into, but maybe that's because Nirvana tabs are ridiculous!!!!!!!!

Sorry for the derailment, as you were

[METAL MANIAC]

From Endrik-
"Yngwie is a very talented guitarist with excellent pitch, he has amazing vibrato and plays with plenty of fire but his music is just terrible, philistine garbage with Guitar 101 for Beginner scale exercises played over and over again over that garbage."


endy,
that's dead on balls accurate, i feel the same way. he's so fuckin' great , but the tunes are a chore to get through for me.
i mean, i can take 1 yngwie tune at a time, but that's it, i could never listen to a whole CD, or even half, it's alot of repetition.

I can see some your points but I have to disagree...I just can't see how you can say he is terrible in one sentence and fuckin' great in another...He will never get the credit he is due and that is why I got in this thread to start with but oh well, I am a little offended with the use of the word "garbage" and Yngwie or any other great musician for that matter in a descriptive sentence. Obviously his garbage affords him more to do with his time than we have to do with ours..so I rest my case on that...MM............

[Jayster]

Is it really even possible to be 100 times better than Shawn Lane?? :think:

Haven't you heard of the legendary Estaban ????

[atomic charvel guy]

Is it really even possible to be 100 times better than Shawn Lane?? :think:

that's a good one Axe. I don't bother anymore with these top 100 lists, everyone has their favorites, there is no way to rank a guitar player
in my opinion. You can rank athletes, that's why they have statistics, but music is the driving force of the universe, it's unmeasurable.