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rolling stone top 100 guitarists

magpaulmagpaul 1,314 Posts
edited February 2007 in Strut Central
1 Jimi Hendrix 2 Duane Allman of the Allman Brothers Band 3 B.B. King 4 Eric Clapton 5 Robert Johnson 6 Chuck Berry 7 Stevie Ray Vaughan 8 Ry Cooder 9 Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin 10 Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones 11Kirk Hammett of Metallica 12 Kurt Cobain of Nirvana 13 Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead 14 Jeff Beck 15 Carlos Santana 16 Johnny Ramone of the Ramones 17 Jack White of the White Stripes 18 John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers 19 Richard Thompson 20 James Burton 21 George Harrison 22 Mike Bloomfield 23 Warren Haynes 24 The Edge of U2 25 Freddy King 26 Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave 27 Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits 28 Stephen Stills 29 Ron Asheton of the Stooges 30 Buddy Guy 31 Dick Dale 32 John Cipollina of Quicksilver Messenger Service 33 & 34 Lee Ranaldo, Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth 35 John Fahey 36 Steve Cropper of Booker T. and the MG's 37 Bo Diddley 38 Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac 39 Brian May of Queen 40 John Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival 41 Clarence White of the Byrds 42 Robert Fripp of King Crimson 43 Eddie Hazel of Funkadelic 44 Scotty Moore 45 Frank Zappa 46 Les Paul 47 T-Bone Walker 48 Joe Perry of Aerosmith 49 John McLaughlin 50 Pete Townshend 51 Paul Kossoff of Free 52 Lou Reed 53 Mickey Baker 54 Jorma Kaukonen of Jefferson Airplane 55 Ritchie Blackmore of Deep Purple 56 Tom Verlaine of Television 57 Roy Buchanan 58 Dickey Betts 59 & 60 Jonny Greenwood, Ed O'Brien of Radiohead 61 Ike Turner 62 Zoot Horn Rollo of the Magic Band 63 Danny Gatton 64 Mick Ronson 65 Hubert Sumlin 66 Vernon Reid of Living Colour 67 Link Wray 68 Jerry Miller of Moby Grape 69 Steve Howe of Yes 70 Eddie Van Halen 71 Lightnin' Hopkins 72 Joni Mitchell 73 Trey Anastasio of Phish 74 Johnny Winter 75 Adam Jones of Tool 76 Ali Farka Toure 77 Henry Vestine of Canned Heat 78 Robbie Robertson of the Band 79 Cliff Gallup of the Blue Caps (1997) 80 Robert Quine of the Voidoids 81 Derek Trucks 82 David Gilmour of Pink Floyd 83 Neil Young 84 Eddie Cochran 85 Randy Rhoads 86 Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath 87 Joan Jett 88 Dave Davies of the Kinks 89 D. Boon of the Minutemen 90 Glen Buxton of Alice Cooper 91 Robby Krieger of the Doors 92 & 93 Fred "Sonic" Smith, Wayne Kramer of the MC5 94 Bert Jansch 95 Kevin Shields of My Bloody Valentine 96 Angus Young of AC/DC 97 Robert Randolph 98 Leigh Stephens of Blue Cheer 99 Greg Ginn of Black Flag 100 Kim Thayil of Soundgarden I can think of a few glaring omissions already.
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  Comments

  • FatbackFatback 6,746 Posts
    What's all this "so and so" of "this band"? Are their readers that fucking retarded?

  • kitchenknightkitchenknight 4,922 Posts
    who cares? fuck a rolling stone. worthless rag- wrap a fish and shit.
  • SoulOnIceSoulOnIce 13,027 Posts
    Carlos Santana < Kurt Cobain ???


  • CousinLarryCousinLarry 4,618 Posts
    Someone got me a subscription to rolling stone for Christmas. I had not read it in a long time, and the only thing worth reading in it so far has been the non music related articles. I mean the current issue is about current guitar gods. Its fucking john mayer and john freshanti or what ever the fuck his name is from the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
  • jaymackjaymack 5,199 Posts
    oh, who really gives a fuck about what they say. they do this ever two years, always the same people.
  • fishmongerfunkfishmongerfunk 4,154 Posts
    they come out with these "definitive" lists periodically and they never come even close to getting it right in terms of choice or rank.

    my list would include:

    gabor szabo
    pat martino
    sonny sharrock
    lenny breau
    ernie isley
    luiz bonfa
    chet atkins
    larry carlton
  • JLRJLR 3,835 Posts

    3 B.B. King


    dude can't play chords and is nothing without his
  • pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts
    they somehow missed curtis mayfield, but its good to see that link wray is in there
  • FlomotionFlomotion 2,391 Posts
    ...and Ellen McIlwaine, George Benson, Grant Green, Wes Montogomery, Django Reinhardt etc etc etc. Rolling Stone never was very good at the music stuff, it's all about the features.
  • GenePontecorvoGenePontecorvo 5,612 Posts
    That list is wack. RS is wack. John Frusciante is a good guitarist though for sure. His work outside of RHCP has been fantastic.



    If this were a private record fools would be jocking it hard. It has to be in the Top 5 of "outsider" records with major label distribution.
  • white_teawhite_tea 3,262 Posts
    Someone got me a subscription to rolling stone for Christmas. I had not read it in a long time, and the only thing worth reading in it so far has been the non music related articles. I mean the current issue is about current guitar gods. Its fucking john mayer and john freshanti or what ever the fuck his name is from the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

    I subscribe to this magazine. I find most of the political articles are more laughable than the music coverage. I know that's hard to imagine, but it's true. There was an article shortly before the midterm elections last year, about the worst house reps and senators. They said that one of the guys was basically Satan himself. Sure, they're a shameful bunch, but it was just ridiculous how slanted the story was. So far to the left, I can't take it seriously.

    There was a jaw-dropping article a few months back about the Smithfield meat producing company, and sometimes the coverage of Fall Out Boy's fashion choices can be very insightful. Otherwise, it's nothing but a bathroom picture book.
  • kitchenknightkitchenknight 4,922 Posts
    Someone got me a subscription to rolling stone for Christmas. I had not read it in a long time, and the only thing worth reading in it so far has been the non music related articles. I mean the current issue is about current guitar gods. Its fucking john mayer and john freshanti or what ever the fuck his name is from the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

    I subscribe to this magazine. I find most of the political articles are more laughable than the music coverage. I know that's hard to imagine, but it's true. There was an article shortly before the midterm elections last year, about the worst house reps and senators. They said that one of the guys was basically Satan himself. Sure, they're a shameful bunch, but it was just ridiculous how slanted the story was. So far to the left, I can't take it seriously.

    There was a jaw-dropping article a few months back about the Smithfield meat producing company, and sometimes the coverage of Fall Out Boy's fashion choices can be very insightful. Otherwise, it's nothing but a bathroom picture book.

    If i may ask...why then do you subscribe? i'm not trying to stir shit- i've kept subscriptions long after they've been useful, or gotten some as gifts. so, i'm really just curious.
  • pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts
    ...and Ellen McIlwaine, George Benson, Grant Green, Wes Montogomery, Django Reinhardt etc etc etc. Rolling Stone never was very good at the music stuff, it's all about the features.

    I'm no Rolling Stone reader myself, but I notice that most of the names you (and Fishmongerfunk) mentioned were all jazz guys. And the Stone is primarily rock-oriented, right? Let's face it, y'all, this ain't Down Beat, so naturally Wes Montgomery, Django Reinhardt and Lenny Breau are gonna be an oversight.
  • RAJRAJ tenacious local 7,783 Posts
    I hope this is the top 100 INFLUENTIAL guitarists ' cause Kurt Cobain can't play a lick but inspired a whole generation of talentless 3 chord strumming indie dick faces.

    Two of the best most infulential guitar players aren;t on there.

    Andy Summers
    Lindsey Buckingham

    Both were not shredders but could compliment a song like a muthafugga.

    I love being snowed in.
  • white_teawhite_tea 3,262 Posts
    Good question. Basically, it's like $10 the year. I skim the music reviews in a attempt to "keep current." Maybe one or two bits of news in the front of the magazine, and an enjoyable fluff feature on musicians or celebrities. You can read the whole thing in 20 minutes and then give it away. No harm, no foul.

    I like to subscribe to different magazines each year. This just happened to be Rolling Stone's time in the limelight.
  • rootlesscosmorootlesscosmo 12,848 Posts
    I did a word search in the list for Stanley Jordan.

    Came up empty so didn't bother reading the list at all.
  • rape_donkeysrape_donkeys 615 Posts
    i think that is actually a decent list
  • FlomotionFlomotion 2,391 Posts
    Hey Pickwick,

    Yeah, you're right - I realised that after I posted (not sure I'd call Ellen jazz) but looking at that list again there's a lot more than rock there. Joni Mitchell, BB King, Ali Fakar Toure, Steve Cropper, Bo Diddley etc don't seem to quite fit the bill either.

    I hate those lists but they always manage to provoke a reaction from me, which is the whole idea I guess.
  • Jonny_PaycheckJonny_Paycheck 17,825 Posts
    I did a word search in the list for Stanley Jordan.

    Came up empty so didn't bother reading the list at all.

    I'm no big fan of RS but this is a laughably ignorant thing to say
  • DrWuDrWu 4,021 Posts
    I did a word search in the list for Stanley Jordan.

    Came up empty so didn't bother reading the list at all.

    I'm no big fan of RS but this is a laughably ignorant thing to say
  • DrWuDrWu 4,021 Posts
    Ernest Ranglin, would have been a wise choice even for these numbskulls. Is it me or do my eyes deceive? I can't find Prince up in this bitch. Check this clip at the 3:30 mark if you have any doubts.

  • CousinLarryCousinLarry 4,618 Posts
    Someone got me a subscription to rolling stone for Christmas. I had not read it in a long time, and the only thing worth reading in it so far has been the non music related articles. I mean the current issue is about current guitar gods. Its fucking john mayer and john freshanti or what ever the fuck his name is from the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

    I subscribe to this magazine. I find most of the political articles are more laughable than the music coverage. I know that's hard to imagine, but it's true. There was an article shortly before the midterm elections last year, about the worst house reps and senators. They said that one of the guys was basically Satan himself. Sure, they're a shameful bunch, but it was just ridiculous how slanted the story was. So far to the left, I can't take it seriously.

    There was a jaw-dropping article a few months back about the Smithfield meat producing company, and sometimes the coverage of Fall Out Boy's fashion choices can be very insightful. Otherwise, it's nothing but a bathroom picture book.

    I only just got my second issue. The first issue had a good article about Nepal. That was the only thing in it that was remotely worth reading.
  • faux_rillzfaux_rillz 14,343 Posts
    I can't find Prince up in this bitch.

    That is pretty scandalous.
  • faux_rillzfaux_rillz 14,343 Posts
    I can't find Prince up in this bitch.

    That is pretty scandalous.

    They did at least include Eddie Hazel.
  • RAJRAJ tenacious local 7,783 Posts
    I can't find Prince up in this bitch.

    That is pretty scandalous.

    As much as he is a good guitarist... he is a Hendrix wannabe.
  • m_dejeanm_dejean Quadratisch. Praktisch. Gut. 2,946 Posts
    I can't find Prince up in this bitch.

    That is pretty scandalous.

    Yes. And Michael Karoli needs to be on that list.
  • GenePontecorvoGenePontecorvo 5,612 Posts
    Eddie Hazel would be in the Top 10 in my list. One of the most emotive players ever.

    Also, that list needs Gabor Szabo. And Keith Levene.
  • white_teawhite_tea 3,262 Posts
    Do what all the ESPN guys do: You want to put someone in the list, take someone out.
  • djdepositdjdeposit 224 Posts
    96. Angus Young

    This guy should be in the top 50 at least.
  • DrWuDrWu 4,021 Posts
    I can't find Prince up in this bitch.

    That is pretty scandalous.

    As much as he is a good guitarist... he is a Hendrix wannabe.

    Self-admitted Hendrix ripoff artist SRV is #7. I guess that would make Prince, with his much greater originality and soul, about #5.

    The BB King thing I just do not get.
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