Posted on 08/19/2010 5:38:47 PM PDT by Mr. Blonde
The top 10
1. Van Halen, Van Halen (1978)
2. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Are You Experienced (1967)
3. Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin IV (1971)
4. Derek and the Dominos, Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs (1970)
5. Guns N’ Roses, Appetite for Destruction (1987)
6. Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin II (1969)
7. The Allman Brothers Band, At Fillmore East (1971)
8. Cream, Disraeli Gears (1967)
9. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Electric Ladyland (1968)
10. AC/DC, Back in Black (1980)
(Excerpt) Read more at gibson.com ...
Like Link Wray I think those two just came from a different time where albums even were different. Definitely bending the rules to put Chuck Berry’s The Great 28 on there, but Chuck drives more eyeballs than the other 3. Although all are enormously influential.
I love/hate these lists. Even if you double it to a hundred someone important/influential/incredible gets left off. But they do get the juices flowing, don’t they?!
Predictable list.
All 10, with the possible exception of Van Halen, are blues guitar in whole or in part.
But hold on, you say, rock and roll is drawn from the blues and the guitar parts in particular haven’t changed much. Fair point.
But...if the ‘top’ rankings are based on virtuosity, originality, influence, or other criteria then some of the usual suspects can be dropped down or off (or have their multiple albums reduced by one or two).
Where are U2? Edge’s delay techniques were and are unique.
Where are the Ramones? Buzzsaw power chords are commonplace now but in 1976 they were revolutionary.
Where are the Police? Andy Summers had the entire world buying chorus pedals starting in 1977-78.
And as much as I love Oasis, Definitely Maybe pales in comparison to (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? as an album and/or a guitar album. DM is full of plodding, derivative sludge due to Noel and Bonehead’s lack of technique when it was recorded. Morning Glory is full of inventive riffs and tasty acoustic parts.
And where, for crying out loud, are the Ventures and/or Duane Eddy? They defined guitar music and guitar albums.
The problem with asking guitarists about favorite albums is that you get the same list over and over again, because guitar parts from those albums form most players’ vocabulary. In the end, it’s a self-limiting exercise.
Wasn’t Jeff “Skunk” Baxter in Moby Grape? Great guitarist.
Quite true .. in fact, as you well know, Zepp's biggest hit was never a single at all ... "Stairway To Heaven" was never released as a single, one had to buy the entire Zepp IV in order to get it. Not a bad deal since that album overall is quite classic.
This should be called the Top 50 *Electric* Guitar Album list.
Since when does good guitar have to be heavily amplified? Anyone ever heard of the Reverend Gary Davis?
Where is James Burton, the best guitar player of all time?
As I said earlier in the thread I was surprised to see Rage Against the Machine didn’t make the list.
The Ramones were probably supplanted by The Sex Pistols.
You forgot Alex Lifeson.
Roy Buchanan was excellent. Alvin Lee is no slouch.
Whoa...thanks!
Zappa? Trower? Mountain? Rush for Pete’s sake? Oy.
Skynyrd - One More From the Road
Steve Gaines, Rossington & Collins
Really. Irish Tour? Bridge of Sighs? Hello?
Jeff Baxter was also in the Doobie Brothers, and I would put their “Stampede” album on that last.
BTO’s “Not Fragile”, James Gang’s “James Gang Rides Again”, Ten Years After’s “Undead”, and any of a number of ZZ Top’s albums. Pick one.
Guitar album?
The Who - Live at Leeds
Humble Pie - Live at the Filmore
What the...? No “Mason Williams Phonograph Record”?
“Classical Gas”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSiqsCCnnHw&feature=related
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.