Rolling Stone’s new (and always controversial) greatest guitarists of all time list

[WhiskeyJack]

I made it thru the list. I just has a feel of some editors at Rolling Stone throwing 300 names of the usual suspects in a hat and drawing 250 to be honest. Kinda sad Frankie Stubbs never showed up on that list or any list of the sort. Not a lot of Lefties: Courtney Barnett, Dick Dale & Kurt.

Cool to see Marissa Paternoster and Kim and Kelly Deal on there though. very cool.

[Greg_L]

I made it thru the list. I just has a feel of some editors at Rolling Stone throwing 300 names of the usual suspects in a hat and drawing 250 to be honest. Kinda sad Frankie Stubbs never showed up on that list or any list of the sort. Not a lot of Lefties: Courtney Barnett, Dick Dale & Kurt.

Cool to see Marissa Paternoster and Kim and Kelly Deal on there though. very cool.

I'm kind of surprised Mike Ness didn't make it. Not that he's anything super special but his tone and gear is bad ass and he's a pretty big name in punk rock and roll.

[WhiskeyJack]

I made it thru the list. I just has a feel of some editors at Rolling Stone throwing 300 names of the usual suspects in a hat and drawing 250 to be honest. Kinda sad Frankie Stubbs never showed up on that list or any list of the sort. Not a lot of Lefties: Courtney Barnett, Dick Dale & Kurt.

Cool to see Marissa Paternoster and Kim and Kelly Deal on there though. very cool.

I'm kind of surprised Mike Ness didn't make it. Not that he's anything super special but his tone and gear is bad ass and he's a pretty big name in punk rock and roll.

I agree. For all the reasons you listed, yes he 100% should be on these silly lists. Especially even more so now in his later years as he's embraced alot more of a Blues Lawyer style of riffing and lead work as heard on the last two records and less of his more aggressive punk roots. You'd think it would land more in the radar of some of those turds at places like Rolling Stone. Kind of a mystery entirely.

[Greg_L]

I agree. For all the reasons you listed, yes he 100% should be on these silly lists. Especially even more so now in his later years as he's embraced alot more of a Blues Lawyer style of riffing and lead work as heard on the last two records and less of his more aggressive punk roots. You'd think it would land more in the radar of some of those turds at places like Rolling Stone. Kind of a mystery entirely.

Yeah if you're talking top 10 or top 50 maybe Mike Ness doesn't make the cut. But 250 names? He could easily be on there.

[WhiskeyJack]

I agree. For all the reasons you listed, yes he 100% should be on these silly lists. Especially even more so now in his later years as he's embraced alot more of a Blues Lawyer style of riffing and lead work as heard on the last two records and less of his more aggressive punk roots. You'd think it would land more in the radar of some of those turds at places like Rolling Stone. Kind of a mystery entirely.

Yeah if you're talking top 10 or top 50 maybe Mike Ness doesn't make the cut. But 250 names? He could easily be on there.

I'd put him in the top 50. But i am also fanboy McGee over here.

[vomitHatSteve]

I think the thing with these lists is nobody has any idea what the criteria for "best" is, including the list makers themselves.

Is it the most technically competent?
The most innovative?
The ones who've had the most impact on other guitarists? (I don't think Orville Gibson was even on the list!)
The most popular all-around musicians? (There were two Beatles on the list but neither was George)

[Greg_L]

I think the thing with these lists is nobody has any idea what the criteria for "best" is, including the list makers themselves.

Is it the most technically competent?
The most innovative?
The ones who've had the most impact on other guitarists? (I don't think Orville Gibson was even on the list!)
The most popular all-around musicians? (There were two Beatles on the list but neither was George)

It's probably all of that.

For example...I think Mr Les Paul should have been way higher on the list. Not just for his namesake guitar, but that guy was an amazing guitar player and innovator of equipment and techniques we still use today.

I don't think anyone would argue Hendrix for #1 but the rest of those top 20-30 names could be thrown into a hat and drawn at random.

[CrowsofFritz]

I think the thing with these lists is nobody has any idea what the criteria for "best" is, including the list makers themselves.

Is it the most technically competent?
The most innovative?
The ones who've had the most impact on other guitarists? (I don't think Orville Gibson was even on the list!)
The most popular all-around musicians? (There were two Beatles on the list but neither was George)

George is 30th I think.

[Greg_L]

I can't imagine any objective guitar-centric scenario where Paul or John are better than George.

[vomitHatSteve]

I think the thing with these lists is nobody has any idea what the criteria for "best" is, including the list makers themselves.

Is it the most technically competent?
The most innovative?
The ones who've had the most impact on other guitarists? (I don't think Orville Gibson was even on the list!)
The most popular all-around musicians? (There were two Beatles on the list but neither was George)

George is 30th I think.

Oh, you're right. He's 31 and John and Paul are above 100

[Armistice]

Speaking of guitarists on steroids,

You just had to stop at Kevin Frasard really. Kinda the last stop in roided out guitarists.

Should do a cover of "You're So Vein"...

[CrowsofFritz]

I can't imagine any objective guitar-centric scenario where Paul or John are better than George.

I feel like Paul was better before 1968. Especially in 65 through 67. George had no big licks then while Paul did: Taxman, Paperback Writer, Drive My Car, Sgt. Peppers, etc.

Plus, George was really into the sitar at the time.

Once he left the sitar behind around the White Album and started developing his signature style that really became more apparent in Let It Be and Abbey Road did George leave them both in the dust. And it’s not even close.

George’s solos in the early years were just…something. They were something.

[rayc]

Once he left the sitar behind around the White Album and started developing his signature style that really became more apparent in Let It Be and Abbey Road did George leave them both in the dust. And it’s not even close.

You mean when he was allowed to write songs for albums and therefore his playing style - one that best suited his songs - was allowed to develop?

He played standard licks on the 1st few LPs - it was what was asked of him and what he knew. They were gigging & recording so often getting new ideas would've been quite difficult.

When you write "I feel" is it becasue that's what you feel or what you think based on listening? I can't seem to nail people down on the use of the "I feel" thing...rather like the impermanence of "I'm loving".

[CrowsofFritz]

Once he left the sitar behind around the White Album and started developing his signature style that really became more apparent in Let It Be and Abbey Road did George leave them both in the dust. And it’s not even close.

You mean when he was allowed to write songs for albums and therefore his playing style - one that best suited his songs - was allowed to develop?

He played standard licks on the 1st few LPs - it was what was asked of him and what he knew. They were gigging & recording so often getting new ideas would've been quite difficult.

When you write "I feel" is it becasue that's what you feel or what you think based on listening? I can't seem to nail people down on the use of the "I feel" thing...rather like the impermanence of "I'm loving".

Doesn’t matter whether he was allowed or not. The fact is, he didn’t.

It never occurred. You can’t take a scenario and say it doesn’t apply simply because there’s another plausible scenario out there that could have happened.

Honestly Ray, you’re such a contrarian. It’s frustrating.

[Armistice]

Ringo's guitar playing is criminally underrated IMO...

[Greg_L]

Ringo was the best Beatle.

Proof? They were nothing before him, then he joins, then they were The Beatles.

Ringo > all the other dumbass stupid Beatle boys.

[vomitHatSteve]

Ringo's guitar playing is criminally underrated IMO...

Been mulling posting this take for days, tbh.

Ringo was the best Beatle.

Proof? They were nothing before him, then he joins, then they were The Beatles.

Ringo > all the other dumbass stupid Beatle boys.

Are you disparaging Pete Best here? I would remind you that he was the Best of The Beatles.

[muttley]

The best member of the Beatles was George Martin.

[Greg_L]

The best Beatle was Yoko Ono.

[muttley]

The best Beatle was Yoko Ono.

She was largely the cause of their split so you may have a point.