Globex Corporation Newsletter

It's Thursday morning. I'm drinking coffee (this time...) and listening to Sue Foley's Change. It's warmer than it has been this time of day in about a week. I'm making bread and I have stuff laid out to make Hearty Lentil & Barley Soup. Yeah, it's the perfect environment for some Pointless Shit.

We got into a discussion the other day about guitarists and Rolling Stone's list of top 100 guitarists. After some "I could pull a better list out of my ass" comments we decided to make our own list of guitarists. We decided to pare it down to just 10 per person because none of us write for worldwide rock and roll publications, we all work for a living (as it were) and don't listen to music all day long. But we all love music. For the most part none of us are extremely knowledgable of more than the type of music we listen to. I, for example loaded my list with blues players, Sean loaded his with heavy metal guitarists.

Does that make one list more valid than the other? Mine is completely valid to me, Sean's is the list for him. My point is that there is no point. It truly is pointless shit. Rolling Stone's doesn't prove anything any more than Jack's crappy list does (or Jason's when I get it).

So these are our lists. We offer some justification, but each list is personal. And remember, these are lists from the guys that I am forced to watch fine TV fare like Hot Body: Naked Bull Riding and Jerry Springer's Jerry's Naked Rumble VI with every night at work. That should explain a thing or two....

BOJ's List

My list is mostly about innovation. If I compare most any of these guitarists to the great guitarists of today, today's guitarists will generally be technically better. But today's guitarists all had these guitarists as examples, to show what was possible, to break new ground. My list is almost exclusively blues guitarists as they are what I know and like best, but also because the rock and roll guitar tradition was born out of the Mississippi delta.

10) The Edge - U2 - While every U2 album up to The Joshua Tree was special, the Edge's guitar work on the seminal U2 effort is something to behold. In my opinion, The Joshua Tree is the finest album of my generation, due in great part, to the Edge's fine guitar work.

9) Jimmy Rogers - Muddy Waters Blues Band - In the early 50's, Muddy Waters plugged in, simply to compete with other musicians in Chicago. That alone created a new sound. Then he formed a band, "Little Walter" Jacobs on harmonica; Fred Bellow (among others) on drums and the under appreciated Jimmy Rogers on guitar. Jimmy and Muddy became the standard of what was expected, guitar-wise, in a blues band. And while Muddy Waters was amazing, it's the guitar work of Jimmy Rogers that, for me, defines the early blues combo sound that rock and roll was built on.

8) Buddy Guy - Technically great, innovative, loud and fast. If the Chess brothers had allowed him to, Buddy Guy could have been known as one of the greatest rock guitarists of all time. The Chess label made money selling blues records, though and constantly reigned Guy in. Closer in age to the British rockers of the 60's, Buddy Guy was a big influence on them.

7) Stevie Ray Vaughn - Personally, I like Stevie's brother Jimmy better, but I recognize the technical skill. Along with Robert Cray (who I tried desperately to fit into this list), SRV fueled the late 80's blues resurgence.

6) Albert Collins - "The Master of the Telecaster." This is Texas blues, different than that of the delta, but no less exciting. Another technically amazing guitarist who inspired a generation of blues and rock guitarists.

5) Elias McDaniel, aka Bo Diddley - Listen to Bo Diddley tracks from the 50's and 60's and you'll hear lowdown blues and early rock and roll along with the beginnings of funk, soul and rap. Plus he gave us the "Bo Diddley Beat" that you hear in every genre of music at some point or another.

4) Robert "Junior" Lockwood - Lockwood had the ultimate advantage, his mother "married" Robert Johnson and he's the only person known to have gotten instruction from the legend. Robert Palmer contends in his book Deep Blues that Lockwood was the first modern lead guitarist, playing single string leads before any else. Plus he worked on the railroad and lived in Casper for a while, playing in a country band. How cool is that?

3) T-Bone Walker - I would argue that Walker is the first modern lead guitarist. Playing Texas blues in more of a big band style, Walker played single string solos as well. There were obvious jazz influences with T-Bone that influence his style greatly.

2) Jimi Hendrix - The original "Guitar God." He inspired every electric guitarist who came after him. Pick up an electric guitar turn on the amp and try not to think for just a second that you're Jimi Hendrix. He opened our ears to a whole new palette of sounds that nobody knew could be made on a guitar.

1) Robert Johnson - Legends have grown around Johnson most of which probably aren't true. To his credit, he didn't do anything to dispel them. We still talk about him 80 years after his death, partly because of the legends, mostly because of his amazing talent.

Jack's List

Okay folks, I stressed over this list; I spent many sleepless nights in debate with myself (which didn't sit well with my wife), and came up with my top-ten greatest guitarists list, which I'm hesitant to say 'for all time' because next week I might change it. Anyway, my criteria for the top three names consist of one main category:their technical mastery of the guitar. These guys are world-class musicians. They move around on the fretboard and produce amazing non-standard licks and melodies. The remaining seven on the list are pretty technically proficient also, but some have going for them greater mass popularity, some have been around for a longer time than others and have influenced later generation musicians, and some are on the list because I just really like their music. I understand the rules of this game are we have to stop the list at ten--that's why it's called a 'Top-Ten' list, so the other greats who didn't make my list can't be mentioned--guys like Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana, Mark Knopfler, Johnny Winter, David Gilmore, Dicky Betts, Alvin Lee, Peter Frampton, Stevie Ray Vaughn (Jimi's Clone)--just to not mention a few.
So these fine human beings will go down into musical obscurity because we had to limit our effin' list to ten. I know these lists tend to create controversy, because everyone has their own opinion, but I just want to state that my list is the correct one and I'm right. I'm a guitarist and I know these things.
If you don't agree with me, too effin frakkin bad. LOL. Anyway here's my list:

1) Steve Vai
2) Joe Satriani
3) Larry Carlton (Steely Dan)
4) Jimi Hendrix
5) Jimmy Page
6) Duane Allman
7) Steve Howe (Yes)
8) Eddie Van Halen
9) Pat Metheny
10) John Petrucci (Dream Theatre)

Jason's List

I must first preface this list by stating that even though I have never played a true guitar (I have been known to play a mean “air guitar”), I feel I am more of an expert than say, someone who has played for longer than I have been alive-Jack. Seriously, though, my opinion is just that, an opinion. The sounds that come from a guitar truly define the artist and in some cases (Led Zeppelin) the group. Since I have no true musical talent, here is my list:



1. Jimi Hendrix
2. Stevie Ray Vaughan
3. Eric Clapton
4. Steve Via I guess Steve Vai was busy.....
5. Carlos Santana
6. BB King
7. Duanne Allman
8. Jimmy Page
9. John Fogerty
10. Chuck Berry

Sean's List

1) Tony Iommi Considered by many to be the originator of the heavy metal guitar style and sound.

2) Jimmy Page Some of the things he did with his guitar were truly innovative.

3) Jimi Hendrix How could there be a top 10 guitarist list without Jimi on it. He was just truly amazing.

4) John Petrucci Guitarist for Dream Theater for those who haven't heard of him. I swear it sounds like two people playing when he gets going.

5) B.B. King A legend in blues, the music that has spawned so many other types of music.

6) Angus Young So he only knows three chords, like they say, it's not the size of the pencil but how you use it, and boy can he use those three chords.

7) Randy Rhoads .A guitar virtuoso. How would the music scene be different if he hadn't died so young?

8) Yngwie J. Malmsteen The master at blending a classical guitar sound with the heaviness of rock.

9) Joe Satriani He can make the guitar sound like anything he wants. Truly incredible at what he does.

10) Adrian Smith & Dave Murray The dual guitar attack of Iron Maiden (when there were only 2). They have been instrumental (pun intended) in shaping the metal guitar sound. I had to list them both as #10 because they are both an integral part of the distinctive Iron Maiden guitar sound and pretty much function as one unit.

I am sure I have neglected some, but at this moment in time, that is the way my top 10 list looks. It may be different as soon as tomorrow, but this is the one I am sending off.


ADDITIONAL READER SUBMITTED LISTS

Quinn's List

Another TV guy, though he works for the Evil Empire

At least Jack and Sean listed Satriani (BOJ, I’m disappointed in you), talk about one of the greatest sounds to ever be made on an electric guitar, so here’s my top ten list of guitarists you guys left entirely off your lists (in no particular order)! Maybe my age is a factor here in some cases, though I may be in my early 30’s but I listen to music that’s twenty years older on a daily basis. – Quinn: Creator of the Misery Maker



David Gilmore (Pink Floyd)

Frank Zappa

Eddie Van Halen (Van Halen)

Kirk Hammett (Metallica)

Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits)

John Fogerty (CCR)

Joe Perry (Aerosmith)

Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple)

Robby Krieger (The Doors)

Kurt Cobain (Nirvana)

MonyP's List

MonyP is another TV person, and once again, we hear from the Evil Empire.

1. U2’s-The Edge


2. Eddie Van Halen


3. Carlos Santana


4. Neil Schon


5. Randy Rhoades


6. Vince Gill/Keith Urban (Tied)


7. Eric Clapton


8. Tom Scholz


9. Alex Lifeson


10. Slash

Not a bad list for a girl......

I told you we wouldn't prove anything. Still, it was a lot of fun. It personally made me think of a number of guitarists that I hadn't given any thought to in a long time.

So did you find this intersting, or do you want to be part of the pointless fun here at The Globex Corporation Newletter? You can send me an email containing your own list for this category, and I'll let you know the next time we do one of these lists. We're thinking about songwriters for next time.

And don't forget that the comments still work, so go ahead and tell Jack (for example, any of us really) what an idiot he is.

And don't forget to vote on the left side bar! I' really tired of Bon Jovi beating The Who!!!

BOJ

Labels: Lists