Spin's 100 Greatest Guitarists Ever

[Shakespeare In The Alley]

purists be damned, i kinda like the idea of the term "guitarist" being expanded to cover sampling/manipulation of other guitarists' work.

[Degenerex]

"look no further than the obscene number of "Skrillex guitar cover" videos on YouTube!"

 

Using that criteria, I wonder what number Super Mario Bros came in at?

[jff]

Their dissing of Jeff Beck was uncalled for, and reveraled a knee-jerk bias. Much of what he does with a guitar is every bit as edgy, or whatever, as the people they listed. I sort of feel like they're portraying him as a flashy scale burner, which is very much not the case, nor has it ever been. His playing is every bit as unorthodox, imaginative, and outside the box as anyone on that list.

[tinnitus photography]

Their dissing of Jeff Beck was uncalled for, and reveraled a knee-jerk bias. Much of what he does with a guitar is every bit as edgy, or whatever, as the people they listed. I sort of feel like they're portraying him as a flashy scale burner, which is very much not the case, nor has it ever been. His playing is every bit as unorthodox, imaginative, and outside the box as anyone on that list.

 

have you heard everyone on that list?

 

seriously, Derek Bailey was doing bizarre, avant-garde shit when Beck was learning barre chords.

[Mr. Heartbreak]

That list is an excellent example of why the term hipster is used as a dis.

The only good thing I could find on it was the inclusion of Syd Barrett...which, unfortunately, also undercuts their whole premise, as Syd was recording as early as 1965.

[tinnitus photography]

mr heartbreak, no need to be so old and cranky...

 

out of those 100 names, you could only find one good one? not even the token Nels inclusion made your list of one?

[Sweet Papa Crimbo]

I love this list! If for no other reason than it does not trot out the same tired Hendrix, Page, Clapton, Beck, Santana, Allman... as every other. This list is as silly and as equally valid as any other Greatest guitarists list.

Including Malkmus, PJ Harvey, Andy Gill makes it at least more interesting.

 

Even being dead over 30 40 years Duane Allman can STILL outplay 75% of this list.

Dig him up and see.

[Doug C]

Most of the comments at Spin were unimpressive but a few made me laugh. This was my favorite: Andrew Creech1 hour ago

This is the worst list of guitarists I have ever read. Sonic Youth? Stop booting the horse dude. Put the needle down.

[Shakespeare In The Alley]

That list is an excellent example of why the term hipster is used as a dis.

The only good thing I could find on it was the inclusion of Syd Barrett...which, unfortunately, also undercuts their whole premise, as Syd was recording as early as 1965.

says more about your knowledge of guitar music than anything else, really. lots of great players on there.

[Doug C]

Wikipedia lists Skrillex's occupations thusly: Occupations

Musician, DJ, music producer, guitarist

So does this mean that he has held a guitar in his life?

[tinnitus photography]

Most of the comments at Spin were unimpressive but a few made me laugh. This was my favorite: Andrew Creech1 hour ago

This is the worst list of guitarists I have ever read. Sonic Youth? Stop booting the horse dude. Put the needle down.

 

everyone's got a different reference point of what makes music good.

 

 

but that's your favorite line?

[Moss]

Even being dead over 30 40 years Duane Allman can STILL outplay 75% of this list.

Dig him up and see.

 

I'm 43 years old and learned everything I know from Allman, Hendrix, Page, Beck. No need to dig anything up. Our band plays Southbound, Whipping Post, Melissa, Dreams, and about 10 other Allman songs. My list of greatest guitarists ever would have Allman way up on the list. But I still get tired of the same list of guitarists as if time stopped in 1975. And I'm not sure what "outplay" means. I doubt Duane Allman could play "Expressway to yr skull" for shit. Just as Thurston probably couldn't whip out "in memory of Elizabeth Reed" worth a damn. So what?

[jff]

have you heard everyone on that list?

 

seriously, Derek Bailey was doing bizarre, avant-garde shit when Beck was learning barre chords.

jesus. obnoxious post.

 

 

If you really want to get into a pissing contest we can end it right now by citing Les Paul.

[Doug C]

everyone's got a different reference point of what makes music good.

 

 

but that's your favorite line?

Yeah. I found the inference that the list compiler is a heroin addict humorous. I have no opinion on the list itself. Beyond a cursory glance, I couldn't give 2 hoots in Hell about who is or isn't on a list of 100 Greatest Guitarists. As far as a good list, I suppose that it is as good as any other. Being someone's opinion, best of lists are of equal quality.

[cooperissup3r]

I'm 43 years old and learned everything I know from Allman, Hendrix, Page, Beck. No need to dig anything up. Our band plays Southbound, Whipping Post, Melissa, Dreams, and about 10 other Allman songs. My list of greatest guitarists ever would have Allman way up on the list. But I still get tired of the same list of guitarists as if time stopped in 1975. And I'm not sure what "outplay" means. I doubt Duane Allman could play "Expressway to yr skull" for shit. Just as Thurston probably couldn't whip out "in memory of Elizabeth Reed" worth a damn. So what?

 

i'd be willing to bet Thurston Moore could do a decent to good job on "In Memory...". He WAS a dead head, and I'm sure was a fan of the Allmans at some point too.

[PopTodd]

Yeah. I found the inference that the list compiler is a heroin addict humorous. I have no opinion on the list itself. Beyond a cursory glance, I couldn't give 2 hoots in Hell about who is or isn't on a list of 100 Greatest Guitarists. As far as a good list, I suppose that it is as good as any other. Being someone's opinion, best of lists are of equal quality.

The compiler is actually a guy who I knew from another music board: former writer for CMJ, then a freelancer until he landed the gig at Spin. Also plays drums for a band called Parts & Labor. Good musician, too. And I don't think that he's a junkie.

[Doug C]

The compiler is actually a guy who I knew from another music board: former writer for CMJ, then a freelancer until he landed the gig at Spin. Also plays drums for a band called Parts & Labor. Good musician, too. And I don't think that he's a junkie.

Thanks for his bio but as I don't care about the list, it doesn't really matter to me but I did enjoy his writing style. I, too, though I don't know him, doubt that he is a junkie. I just laughed at the comment.

[jff]

i'd be willing to bet Thurston Moore could do a decent to good job on "In Memory...". He WAS a dead head, and I'm sure was a fan of the Allmans at some point too.

 

Maybe. I remember reading a Guitar Player interview with him from the early '90s. He said his life's goal as a guitarist was to be able to play a decent version of Jimi Hendrix's Red House.

 

 

I thought it was Lee Ranaldo who was the deadhead, but I guess both of them could have been.

[tinnitus photography]

jesus. obnoxious post.

 

 

If you really want to get into a pissing contest we can end it right now by citing Les Paul.

 

what's so obnoxious about it? you are the one who made the broad statement.

 

His playing is every bit as unorthodox, imaginative, and outside the box as anyone on that list.

[tinnitus photography]

Yeah. I found the inference that the list compiler is a heroin addict humorous. I have no opinion on the list itself. Beyond a cursory glance, I couldn't give 2 hoots in Hell about who is or isn't on a list of 100 Greatest Guitarists. As far as a good list, I suppose that it is as good as any other. Being someone's opinion, best of lists are of equal quality.

 

so an 11 year old justin beiber fan's list has equal merit to yours?

 

maybe the NYT should hire someone who only eats at KFC as a food critic.

 

 

rise of the internet = the death of the pundit.... do you believe it?

[PopTodd]

Thanks for his bio but as I don't care about the list, it doesn't really matter to me but I did enjoy his writing style. I, too, though I don't know him, doubt that he is a junkie. I just laughed at the comment.

I didn't think that anyone actually thought he was a junkie, I only just checked the byline after reading the first comment and said, "I know that guy!" (sorta.)

[Doug C]

so an 11 year old justin beiber fan's list has equal merit to yours?

 

maybe the NYT should hire someone who only eats at KFC as a food critic.

 

 

rise of the internet = the death of the pundit.... do you believe it?

I don't fully understand why we are arguing/debating/discussing, as I didn't intentionally try to bait you, but, what the hell. The 11 year old Justin Beiber fan's list would have equal merit as mine. Both of our lists would be made based on our own preferences and experiences. It would be foolish for the New York Times to hire a KFC addict as a food critic since, I assume, the vast majority of NYT reader's don't eat a large amount of chain fast food but rather eat at independent restaurants. A KFC lover would likely be a fine choice to be food critic for some "Joe The Plumber"-esque blog or, pehaps, for some irony-drenched hipster emag.

The rise of the internet is not the death of the pundit. It simply allows more pundits for more specific target audiences. That is exactly what the Spin list is doing. I would guess that most readeers of Spin recognize more of those guitarists than readers of Rolling Stone. Also, as mentioned by another VCer, it is designed to create hits by being somewhat controversial and get linked in other websites to encourage more hits.

 

Have a good day.

[Mr. Heartbreak]

mr heartbreak, no need to be so old and cranky...

 

out of those 100 names, you could only find one good one? not even the token Nels inclusion made your list of one?

 

Actually, I have seen Wilco a bunch of times with Nels, and I tolerate him...but don't love him.

 

As for being old and cranky - I'll give you old and cranky now - these jackasses actually put the phrase "Shut Up And Play Yer Guitar" at the beginning of the article, but no one thought to include Frank Zappa anywhere in their top 100 list?

 

That list is the biggest pile of shit I have ever seen.

 

There's your old and cranky.

[jff]

what's so obnoxious about it? you are the one who made the broad statement.

 

It seemed nit-picky and annoying to me. My point is that Beck meets the criteria Spin seems to be using, but they've dismissed him as a shredder, which he is not, nor has he ever been.

 

I stand by that.

[Mr. Heartbreak]

says more about your knowledge of guitar music than anything else, really. lots of great players on there.

I have extensive knowledge of guitarists and most of the people on this list are pretty lousy, in my opinion. It's a matter of personal taste. But thanks for attempting to evaluate my level of knowledge. I am sure you are far more knowledgeable than me about it.