Harrison, Clapton, Hendrix, King, Berry, Page, or Richards?

[St. Jarvitude]

Poll question: Harrison, Clapton, Hendrix, King, Berry, Page, or Richards?

Harrison: Beatles lead guitarist

Clapton: Guitarist extraordinaire (also did lead for Beatles' While My Guitar Gently Weeps)

Hendrix: Guitarist extraordinaire. Played with his fucking teeth.

King: Invented good music.

Berry: No, he invented good music.

Page: Zeppelin's guitarist. What more do you need to know?

Richards: I know there are some Stones fans out there, and I know you'd be rabid if I didn't include him.

Let's say you're stranded on a desert island with a Les Paul (or gi-tar of your choice), an amp, and a couple of solar panels with appropriate transformers. Who do you want to entertain you when you're not listening to the coconut radio?

[Droopy]

1. Gotta go with Hendrix

But he can't play "Foxy Lady." That's probably the only song of his I don't like.

[Kenneth ken]

2. Jeff Beck of course

Hendrix and Harrison are both dead, so I'm pretty sure they wouldn't be very entertaining guitar players now. :D

[Droopy]

3. I took as a given

that you could magically bring those guys back to life or summon them down from heaven to play in your fantasy land.

[Kenneth ken]

31. I was just goofin'

but actually, on reflection, I'd be more inclined to go with a Joni Mitchell or Dar Williams - ignoring guitar wizardry (though Joni is a unique and talented guitarist in her own right) and leaning toward song-writing brillance instead. JB will probably always be my favorite guitar wizard, but he isn't the most gifted lyricist/singer I can think of. :7

[pintobean]

4. SRV..eom

[ulysses]

14. oh lord yes.

:thumbsup:

[baldguy]

19. "OMFG! I can't believe you left Stevie Ray Vaughan off the list! "

[T Town Jake]

5. Hendrix. Period. eom.

(n/t)

[sportndandy]

6. Garcia please. And Steve Howe (Yes)

Steve Howe is probably the most interesting guitarist overall, and Garcia was the best band leader.

[Must_B_Free]

7. others

Hendrix: a showman at heart.
Harrison: nothing special
Clapton: copier, mediocre
King: Feeling player, one note at a time
Berry: creator of it all
Page: best composer of them all
Richards: best at stealing other peoples stuff

You forgot
Jerry Garcia - greatest musical storyteller of all time, most magic of the all
Pat Metheney - outstainding technician and composer; boring; asshole
Danny Gatton - essentially sick in the head
Adrian Belew - unique
Robert Fripp - biggest asshole of them all
Albert Collins - one of the greatest of blues guitar players ever
Stevie Ray Vaughn - copied Albert Collins and Hendrix
Buddy Guy - most feelin, similar to Hendrix
Django - greatest guitar player of all time and he only had two fingers
Wes Montgomery - who Pat Metheney admires and will never approach
Eddie Van Halen - inventor if gimmics; disappointment, careerwise
Frank Zappa - sloppy, out of control player, yet tasty

[Droopy]

8. How about Trey Anastasio

Guy from Phish. I think that's how you spell his name.

[sportndandy]

11. Opinionated?

What about your take on:

Alex Lifeson - Rush
Alvin Lee - 10 years after
David Gilmour - Pink Floyd
Steve Howe - Yes
Stephen Stills - CSN

[Robeson]

12. And as I stated below...

...Carlos Santana...who copied no one.

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. Dave Gilmour, because the end result music was the best

though in the desert island scenario, I suspect Hendrix or King would do a better job on their own with no support.

[Robeson]

10. Hello? Carlos Santana maybe?

I believe he could stack up against any...

[St. Jarvitude]

32. The list could only be so long

I guess the #9 option didn't need to be in there, but eh...

Santana is a great jam guitarist, which I guess would be nice to have on desert island.

If I could have two, I'd take Clapton and Santana in a heartbeat, just to hear them have a guitar duel.

[Drifter]

13. Ahem .... Zappa

Composer ... virtuouso
Hardest working "musician" ever.

Cheers
Drifter

[katinmn]

16. Zappa -- brilliant n/t

[Boswells_Johnson]

15. Ritchie Blackmore

[reprehensor]

17. Death precludes most of them.

Drug addiction eliminates a solid half if they were alive. Page and Richards are alive... sorta.

B.B. King would die for lack of insulin.

I guess it's Clapton. Not bad at all.

If you play Crossroads one more time, I'll shove 'Blackie' up your--"

------------------------------------------

Optionals off the list, Steve Howe, Steve Hackett, Adrian Belew, Jeff Beck, Petrucci (sp), John Hiatt.

[reprehensor]

18. Whups! Ryland Cooder!

How could I forget...

[Atlas Mugged]

20. Pete Townsend

Not that I would've picked him, but he does deserve mention.

[Zuni]

21. Peter Green (blues guitarist, founded Fleetwood Mac)

easily the greatest white blues player of all time, phenomenol guitarist, soulful singer, excellent harmonica player
Took over Eric Clapton's lead guitar position in John Mayall's band in 1966. Founded Fleetwood Mac in 67.
Originally a blues band, In Fleetwood Mac Peter Green's guitar playing is soulful and even haunting, while restrained. Nevertheless, when the situation called for it, he could rip a high octane blues solo like no other.
He went crazy in the early 1970s and in the last couple of years returned to blues playing after years of mental problems.

He has my vote for all time greatest guitarist.

[Zensea]

29. in a tie with Michael Bloomfield imo

From what I've read, Santana rates Green and Bloomfield at the very top and so do I.
People always forget or don't realize that Green wrote Black Magic Woman.
I've read interviews with Santana where he said that when he was just starting out he saw both those guys at the Fillmore West or Avalon and that they completely blew him away and cemented his avocation.

Another guitarist people often leave off these lists is Rory Gallagher.

Obviously (?) Django is the greatest of them all, but it's not really fair to put him on a list.

Then there's McLaughlin, Link Wray,Fripp, Duane Allman, Sonny Sharrock, James "Blood" Ulmer, Bill Kirchner, Jorma Kaukonen ....... & all the other suspects.

I've seen SRV, Beck, Garcia, Kaukonen, Clapton, Howe, Ulmer, Ribot, Buddy Guy, Metheny, McLaughlin, Kirchner, Albert Collins live (just to name a few) and I'd have to pick Beck and Fripp from that bunch -- even if it's an essentially useless exercise.

Doesn't it all come down to where your heart is at the moment?

edit addition -- and just to prove it I see Alvin Lee added by someone which reminds me he should be on a list as well as Mick Taylor, Frank Zappa, Muddy Waters, Robbie Robertson. & Jesus, I forgot about Cippolina!

[proud2BlibKansan]

22. Clapton

cause he can sing better than any of the rest of them.

[Wat_Tyler]

23. Kevin Shields.

[mac56]

24. Buddy Guy, Robert Cray, T-Bone Walker, Albert Collins, Freddie King

Every one of them the equal of BB King.

[Zuni]

26. You forgot Hubert Sumlin and Otis Rush

Hubert Sumlin played on most of Howlin' Wolf's records. His guitar is often so raw and perfect

[Guaranteed]

25. Depends on if you want technical brilliance or songwriting ability.

Hendrix for the former, Page otherwise.

Of course, Page was technically awesome in any case, and Hendrix could write a song, too.

I go with Page.

[Tikki]

27. Billy Zoom....

[hickman1937]

28. Dwayne Allman

He's been gone a long time, but was a great. Best slide guitar of his time.

[leftofthedial]

30. for desert island stuff

clapton is the most diverse

I'd have to choose something other than a Les Paul though. Hmm. A Strat, or a Martin. Since the Martin does not require the amps or the solar panels, could I get TWO acoustics, so I could play along?