Guitar World Magazine Respons To Rolling Stone Magazine:Top 100 Rock/Metal Guitarists List GW Style

Guitar World Magazine -March 2004 Issue | 2-16-04 | my favorite headache

[My Favorite Headache]

March 2004 Issue Guitar World

Guitar World magazine has responded with their Top 100 Guitarists Poll of their own. In response to the outrage of many due to the Rolling Stone magazine issue which left off many names Guitar World conducted a poll of readers and internet browsers to vote for the Top 100 Guitarists of All Time. Here are the results:

01. Tony Iommi (BLACK SABBATH)

02. Kirk Hammett & James Hetfield (METALLICA)

03. Angus & Malcolm Young (AC/DC)

04. Randy Rhoads (OZZY OSBOURNE)

05. Eddie Van Halen (VAN HALEN)

06. Jimmy Page (LED ZEPPELIN)

07. Dimebag Darrell (PANTERA, DAMAGEPLAN)

08. Zakk Wylde (OZZY OSBOURNE, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY)

09. Adam Jones (TOOL)

10. Kerry King & Jeff Hanneman (SLAYER)

11. Dave Murray & Adrian Smith (IRON MAIDEN)

12. Jimi Hendrix

13. Glen Tipton & K.K. Downing (JUDAS PRIEST)

14. Ace Frehley & Paul Stanley (KISS)

15. Slash (GUNS N' ROSES)

16. Ritchie Blackmore (DEEP PURPLE, RAINBOW)

17. Yngwie Malmsteen

18. Joe Perry & Brad Whitford (AEROSMITH)

19. Dave Mustaine & Marty Friedman (MEGADETH)

20. Chuck Schuldiner (DEATH)

21. Brian May (QUEEN)

22. Michael Schenker (MSG, UFO)

23. Nigel Tufnel (SPINAL TAP)

24. Jeff Beck

25. Tom Morello (RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE)

26. Head & Munky (KORN)

27. John Petrucci (DREAM THEATER)

28. Kim Thayil (SOUNDGARDEN)

29. Vivian Campbell (DEF LEPPARD)

30. Daron Malakian (SYSTEM OF A DOWN)

31. Scott Ian (ANTHRAX)

32. Tom G. Warrior (CELTIC FROST)

33. Chris Degarmo & Michael Wilton (QUEENSRYCHE)

34. C.C. Deville (POISON)

35. Marten Hagstrom & Fredrik Thorndendal (MESHUGGAH)

36. Alex Lifeson (RUSH)

37. Paul Gilbert (MR. BIG, RACER X)

38. Jerry Cantrell (ALICE IN CHAINS)

39. Mantas (VENOM)

40. Jason Becker (DAVE LEE ROTH)

41. Phil Collen & Steve Clarke (DEF LEPPARD)

42. Mikael Akerfeldt & Peter Lindgren (OPETH)

43. Fast Eddie Clarke (MOTORHEAD)

44. Nuno Bettencourt (EXTREME)

45. Warren DeMartini (RATT)

46. Mick Mars (MOTLEY CRUE)

47. George Lynch (DOKKEN)

48. Ted Nugent

49. Jake E. Lee (OZZY OSBOURNE, BADLANDS)

50. Rudolf Schenker & Uli John Roth (SCORPIONS)

51. Oystein "Euronymous" Aarseth (MAYHEM)

52. Scott Gorham & Brian Robertson (THIN LIZZY)

53. Steve Vai (DAVE LEE ROTH,WHITESNAKE)

54. Reb Beach (WINGER, DOKKEN)

55. Trey Azagthoth (MORBID ANGEL)

56. John Sykes (THIN LIZZY,WHITESNAKE, BLUE MURDER)

57. Hank Shermann & Michael Denner (MERCYFUL FATE)

58. Richie Sambora (BON JOVI)

59. Jon Donais & Matt Backhand (SHADOWS FALL)

60. Stephen Carpenter (DEFTONES)

61. Alex Skolnick & Eric Peterson (TESTAMENT)

62. Brian Tatler (DIAMOND HEAD)

63. John Christ (DANZIG)

64. Scott "Wino" Weinrich (THE OBSESSED)

65. Pepper Keenan & Woody Weatherman (C.O.C.)

66. Tommy Victor (PRONG)

67. Leslie West (MOUNTAIN)

68. Vernon Reid (LIVING COLOUR)

69. Glen Buxton & Michael Bruce (ALICE COOPER)

70. Bjorn Gelotte & Jesper Stromblad (IN FLAMES)

71. Jim Matheos (FATES WARNING)

72. Gary Holt & Rick Hunolt (EXODUS)

73. Donald Buck Dharma Roeser (BLUE OYSTER CULT)

74. Michael Amott (ARCH ENEMY)

75. Robert Fripp (KING CRIMSON)

76. Andre Olbrich (BLIND GUARDIAN)

77. Joe Satriani

78. Frank Hannon & Tommy Skeoch (TESLA)

79. Ty Tabor (KING'S X)

80. Mark Morton & Will Adler (LAMB OF GOD)

81. Dino Cazares (FEAR FACTORY)

82. Pete Townshend (THE WHO)

83. Jon Schaffer (ICED EARTH)

84. Timo Tolkki (STRATOVARIUS)

85. Neil Young

86. Abbath Doom Occulta (IMMORTAL)

87. Kai Hansen (GAMMA RAY)

88. Uffe Cederlund & Alex Hellid (ENTOMBED)

89. Leigh Stephens (BLUE CHEER)

90. Jim Martin (FAITH NO MORE)

91. Michael Romeo (SYMPHONY X)

92. Bill Steer (CARCASS)

93. Piggy (VOIVOD)

94. Tony Bourge (BUDGIE)

95. Sammy Hagar (VAN HALEN)

96. Alexi Laiho (CHILDREN OF BODOM)

97. Akira Takasaki (LOUDNESS)

98. Michael Angelo

99. John Kay & Michael Monarh (STEPPENWOLF)

100. Nick Bowcott (GRIM REAPER)

[Diva Betsy Ross]

agree... James Taylor is under rated as a guitarist.

[archy]

Were did Norte Mexicanos acquire the love of the accordion? Is it an Old Country leftover?.............

German and Czechoslovakia settled in Texas of course. I think Northern Mexico too. Both used the accordian though IRRC it came more from the Czechs.

Very common in Serbo-Croatian music as well. And in Gypsy music for the last couple of hundred years.

[yawningotter]

Yup. Mostly metal axe men with fast fingers, but whose range of emotion in their playing doesn't go much beyond raging teenage hormones. I started listening to rock with a more critical ear for guitar parts, and I noticed that most guitar players are overrated. While the metal players can play fast, they are just playing. They don't SAY anything interesting. Give me guitarists who can play and convey a wide range of emotion. After all, music without emotion is nothing. Hey, even The Edge can play solos with more emotion than most fingers of flame big hair types.

[Skooz]

Years ago, I read a poll on some guitar magazine website. The site allowed you to vote for your favorite guitarist and also leave some comments.

One guy voted for David Gilmour and left this message: "Gilmour can say more in three notes than Malmsteen can say in three hundred."

[Guvmint_Cheese]

#101. Robin Trower

That's downright wrong that he isn't on either list. I destroyed two Bridge of Sighs cassettes from overplaying. Even his work with Procul Harum rocked ("Whisky Train," Conquistador"). He was considered the "White Jimi Hendrix" of his time.

[dogbyte12]

Bruce Cockburn can probably outplay 90% of the people on both lists. He is a radical leftist/born again christian though so he doesn't get much airplay. Technically though, he has some serious chops.

[Guvmint_Cheese]

#97 Robert Randolph

Keep an eye out for this guy and his Family Band. He plays a pedal steel guitar something fierce! I've never seen anyone play one quite like him.

Check out his stuff at http://www.robertrandolph.net

[itssoamusing]

Amazing CD as someone pointed out earlier.

[smith288]

Nigel Tufnel makes the list and Carlos Santana doesn't? That's a joke right?

You just dont know GOOD music ;)

[atlaw]

"Mostly metal axe men with fast fingers, but whose range of emotion in their playing doesn't go much beyond raging teenage hormones."

Mostly? Sheesh, the whole list is compiled from one narrow little sliver of painfully adolescent, one-chord rock and roll. These aren't guitarists -- they're head bangers from a club scene.

In no particular order, and without limiting the missing guitarists to those listed below, I guess the following just didn't, or don't, have what it takes to make the grade in this day and age:


Charlie Christian
Joe Pass
Julian Bream
Stevie Ray Vaughn
George Thorogood
Lightnin' Hopkins
Chet Atkins
John Scofield
Carlos Barbosa-Lima
Leo Kottke
Mark Knopfler
JJ Cale
Les Paul
Robert Johnson
Duane Allman
John Williams
Roy Buchannon
Wes Montgomery


Ah, heck, the list goes on and on.....

[archy]

Yeah. Also, the guy who played for Iron Butterfly who was also in his mid-teens, IIRC.

Erik Braunn, who was 16 when he was with Iron Butterfly in '67 and '68. He was also a violinist, and passed away last summer. Replacement bassist Philip Taylor Kramer, who I think came in with the group after Braunn had left was another death in the group- his disappearance and death was more than a little suspicious. That old boy was into some real interesting things beyond music.

[love n hate tattoo]

Guitar World is for metal heads. BB King and Brain Setzer fans don't read or frequent that website. Yet another slanted poll!

[daler]

"Oh, yeah! Definitely Chet Atkins!"

I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not, but several of my "rock" guitar-playing friends rank Mr. Atkins at the top (even those that revere Hendrix & Van Halen).

Allow me to add Rick Derringer and Robin Trower to the list.

[RosieCotton]

I wouldn't be sarcastic about Mr. Atkins. I fingerpick a bit and though for the most part don't play the same style, I have TREMENDOUS respect for him...he was a wizard. I'm feelin' a bit hurt that you would doubt me. ;-)

As someone else mentioned (I'm wayyy behind on this thread), I'd also add Norman Blake and some of the more bluegrassy guys like Dan Tyminski and Dan Crary - Bryan Sutton, too. And Django Rheinhardt, Les Paul (recently picked up a really good album of mostly Les Paul instrumental stuff), Segovia...

I don't know really any rock or metal guitarists at all.

[BattleFlag]

Nothing low-brow about PT - nothing at all....Always been my favorite.

I agree 1000%. There was a "twinge" of sarcasm in my statement.
IMO, PT is one of, if not the most underrated, unacknowledged and unknown "Guitar Gods" ever. You almost never see him mentioned when the greats are talked about.

He put out nearly 40 albums over a period of almost 30 years and having seen him live twice almost 15 years apart, I can say he is one of the most awesome live performers I have ever seen.

He just never had the commerical success that makes for creation of a household name.

[TomServo]

He just never had the commerical success that makes for creation of a household name.

Yeah. Bad management, a nasty label brouhaha and unfortunately - the drugs, were the main causes of his downfall. But at least he's still out there. And doing quite nicely.

[grumple]

Neal Schon (Journey) gets snubbed again...

[Skooz]

I saw Pat Travers open for The Who at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, December 5, 1982.

Someone in the crowd threw a boot at him, barely missing him. I could hardly hear him for the boos.

[Dr.Deth]

This looks like a top-100 Metal list, after hackers got ahold of the poll. I mean, it's not even a most-influential list without Hendrix in the top-10 (although Iommi at #1 most-influential Metal guitarist sounds about right).

32. Tom G. Warrior (CELTIC FROST)

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

Tom himself admits he barely knew how to play on the Hellhammer demo thru To Mega Therion.

Where the hell is Tom Vitterli (Coroner)?

[dfwgator]

Roy Clark is hardly ever mentioned as a great guitarist, but he is right up there with Chet.