Posted on 01/17/2006 1:52:36 PM PST by lunarbicep
Guitarist Jimmy Page of the band Led Zeppelin has been voted the top guitar soloist of all time for the song Stairway to heaven.
According to contactmusic.com, Page's performance topped the survey held by the website aboutguitars.com and beat out the likes of Eddie Van Halen for the track Eruption.
The third place was occupied by the dual guitar solo by Allen Collins and Gary Rossington on Lynyrd Skynyrd's Freebird.
The top 10 guitar solos are:
1. Stairway to heaven - Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin)
2. Eruption - Eddie Van Halen (Van Halen)
3. Freebird - Allen Collins and Gary Rossington (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
4. Comfortably numb - David Gilmour (Pink Floyd)
5. All along the watchtower - Jimi Hendrix
6. November rain - Slash (Guns N' Roses)
7. One - Kirk Hammett (Metallica)
8. Hotel California - Don Felder and Joe Walsh (The Eagles)
9. Crazy Train - Randy Rhoads (Ozzy Osbourne)
10. Crossroads - Eric Clapton (Cream)
Haven't heard Syl Johnson's version, but it is probably real good. Al wrote many songs and many people did them, kind of like a black Bob Dylan. Probably most versions of his songs are pretty darn good.
With all due respect nu, Hendrix was a phenomenon. Danny Gatton was a one-of-a-kind virtuoso. I prefer not to compare these top shelf guys.
I was sifting through the "B"s in a used record shop in Nashville back in the 80's, and came upon one of Roy Buchanon's LPs. I picked it up, shook my head and said aloud, "This guy is such a good player, I wish he would not sing on his albums". I said this to no one in particular. After replacing the album, I look up, and who is standing across the record bin, glaring at me.
Roy Buchanon.
1. Stevie Ray Vaughan - Superstitious
2. Angus Young - Let there be Rock (AC/DC)
3. Ricky Medlock - Train Train (Blackfoot)
4. Robin Trower - Day of the Eagle
5. Ted Nugent - Fred Bear
6. Peter Frampton - I don't need no Doctor. (Humble Pie)
7. Eddie Van Halen - Poundcake
8. Michael Schenker - Only you can Rock Me (UFO)
9. Allen Collins? - The Needle and the Spoon (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
10. Duane Allman - Whipping Post
Some of the best singing with Roy Buchanan is by Billy Price of the Keystone Rythym Band. The Livestock album. "Can I Change My Mind" especially.
Lol. Good story. Did you apologize?
"Hendrix was a phenomenon." Yes. It's the whole package and the time frame.
That's why his playing is overrated and always will be.
Take, heart, Scott, there is more than enough old stuff that is great to keep you busy for a long time. As for live shows, I would go with guys like Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Gary Moore. The price of the tickets shouldn't kill you like seeing the Stones live would.
Don't have any of the Byrds stuff. Used to have it on wax and never replaced the records with CD's. Sure would like that live Dylan tribute show with everyone playing on it like Roger McGuinn. Dylan's birthday, I think.
Ever hear the Dylan song, "Things Have Changed"? That's where my tag line comes from.
I find it very hard to argue with that statement, and I'm a fan of Prince, Glenn Tilbrook, and Phil Solem. I've never seen a guitarist who can keep fast time with his thumb, fingerpick with his other four right hand fingers, and sing at the same time the way Lindsey does. He makes it seem so effortless, like breathing. No rock guitarist has a better right hand.
If I had a dime for every time I've tried to learn "Never Going Back Again," I'd have, like, all these dimes...
"Brighton Rock" might be his best solo, but you have to give honorable mention to his arrangement on "The Millionaire Waltz." For those that don't know, it does to guitars what "Bohemian Rhapsody" does to vocals. Great tune, great orchestra.
Oh, and honorable mention has to go to "Good Company" for making guitars sound like woodwinds and brass...
Lindsey Buckingham and Roy Buchanan both used, at times, a "circle picking" technique. Both excellent guitar players that are fun to listen to.
"He has some really brilliant moments, just not all his moments are brilliant. People expect him to be brilliant all the time and they get disappointed when he isn't."
Lol. Okay.
In the context of technique and evolution of the electric instrument, I understand where you are coming from. I feel his rhythm playing stands the test of time. Jeff Beck was a contemporary of Hendrix, and has evolved with the times to become a true freak(in the best possible way). Of course, it helps to stay alive.
On Gatton... I lived in the D.C. area and have been to Elvira Street. It crosses S. Capital Street near Bolling AFB. The house from the album cover is, of course, long gone. Danny's family is in Charles County, MD, selling his guitar collection piece by piece. Unfortunate.
Tom Principato is a D.C. area player who flirts with Danny's stylings. Fine player.
Before I start, let me say I'm the biggest Beatle fan around. In fact, I'm listening to "Nowhere Man" from Tokyo, 1966 right now. Anyway, I love George Harrison. Great guitarist, great songwriter. However, he was never a flashy soloist. The three flashiest solos in the Beatles' catalogue were played by either Eric Clapton ("Gently Weeps") or Paul McCartney ("Taxman," "Good Morning"). George pulled off some great ones ("Something," the LP version of "Let it Be," "Dig a Pony," "Old Brown Shoe") but nothing that made you say "Wow, what was *that*?"
Al did a song called,Have You Been Making Out OK? that was covered by Quiet Elegance,a female studio group from his record label.Beautiful tune.I saw him at the Cow Palace in 1972,on a bill with Smokey and the Miracles and The Whispers.
"Of course, it helps to stay alive."
Lol. Yup. If he'd lived and gotten off drugs, who knows?
Tom Principato > Blazing Telecasters.
You can only hope that the people buying Danny's stuff are real fans who appreciate what they're buying.
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