It's a loaded question and of course, everyone will have their favourites, but I think Slash from Guns 'N Roses and Velvet Revolver is the greatest guitar player of all time. Slash is one of the few guitarists who stands out more than the lead singer in a band. His licks and solos are legendary.

 

If Slash doesn't do it for you, who does?

I might sound like an ignorant jerk but I don't really get excited about Slash or Santana or any other guitar/drum players that try to make it big on their own name. I can't deny that their songs sound good, but they don't sound any more special to me than anything else. I just can't usually pick out anything different they do with how they play their instruments (And to be fair, this is probably partially due to me not playing myself and not being able to understand exactly how complicated/hard it is).

 

I know they surely have great skill, but in the practical application of putting it in a song, I don't hear any difference between the litany of other guitar/drum players in all the other bands I hear on a daily basis. I'm sure there are differences, but what I mean is that they sound equally as capable as anyone else, interchangeable even.

I'd much rather listen to Slash play than Axl Rose sing. I would put a couple of classic standbys at the top of my list, Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton.

I think Eddie Van Halen has the fastest fingers and is the best shredder of all time. However, none of it really pops in my mind beyond his solo in Jump. On the other hand, five of Slash's solos immediately popped into my head upon reading the thread title. How strange. Maybe Slash's playing is the easiest to identify and the most memorable, but he's not technically the most gifted.

Edited November 16, 20195 yr by Gareth The Great

I might sound like an ignorant jerk but I don't really get excited about Slash or Santana or any other guitar/drum players that try to make it big on their own name. . .I know they surely have great skill, but in the practical application of putting it in a song, I don't hear any difference between the litany of other guitar/drum players in all the other bands I hear on a daily basis.

Eh, you like what you like, and that's fine. So, does that mean the lead singers are more your thing? Most have a distinguishable voice from any other.

Well, I am not a rock fan, but I don't dispute the fact that Slash is one among the best guitarists ever. On the other hand, Brad Whitford and Joe Perry of Aerosmith have always personified the guitar. To be the best in anything requires effort and I believe they have put in their best to get to where they are now.

If we're talking only G and R, I cast my vote for Izzy Stradlin. The OTHER G and R guitarist.

 

But of all time? You have guys like Ronnie Wood of The Stones ( he's more versatile than people may realize), Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton that top my list.

 

Eddie Van Halen is probably the most technical guitar player of all time, no doubt about that. But I like guitars that have soul.

Old school? I'm going with Jimmy Page because he wasn't afraid to experiment. Late 70s-90s? I'm going with Joe Perry from Aerosmith because he has a distinctive style that's not commercialistic. 2000s-today? None come to mind. Who are the great guitarists today?

If we're talking only G and R, I cast my vote for Izzy Stradlin. The OTHER G and R guitarist.

Izzy and Axl wrote most of their music and it's a shame that Izzy doesn't get much credit for it. This thread mentally sent me back to Guns 'N Roses' heyday. Remember Axl Rose and his love for boy shorts?

Eh, you like what you like, and that's fine. So, does that mean the lead singers are more your thing? Most have a distinguishable voice from any other.

 

Yea, the voice of the singer is a big identifying factor for me in recognizing a band. The other way is just memorizing how songs start. I don't think I can consciously describe Disturbed's guitar riffs, or Shinedown's drum methodology. Some styles are more easily recognizable, like KoRn's weird Twist-like noises, but most of the time I value voice/lyrics above music because that's the true meat of the song to me. The music is extremely important too, I don't want to make it sound like it's not. But without lyrics/voice, music doesn't do nearly as much for me.