Worlds most underrated guitarist....

[jacobhimself]

who would you all say is the most under rated guitarist?

i dont mean that guy in your local club band that plays eruption everynight note perfect... i mean guys who are well into their career or even finished, but are painfully unknown or not considered when discussing the guitar worlds elite..

id have to say johnny thunders, any classic rock/punk fans should really chech his **** out. try pills and personality crisis by the new york dolls.

[cormac]

That's a really tough question -- a good one tho.

I think really all in all, for all the s*** he takes and the band takes, I'm gonna say Angus Young. AC/DC just get thrashed for all kinds of things but I still think they are -- and Angus is -- one of the great, straight ahead- damn-the-torpedoes rock bands.

Just my opinion tho :)

[RUSHFANnLV]

Good question. As you can tell from my user name, I'm a huge Alex Lifeson fan. I think he is under rated. Alot of new guitarist list rush as an influence. The new Rush CD "Vaportrails" has very little guitar solo work on it but is still very interesting and textured to listen to. I think that says alot about his playing.
Check out the new rush if you get a chance. Also check out Grace Under Pressure and you'll see what i mean about him being under rated.

tanx

[LesPaulStrat]

Jeff Beck.

I base that on the fact that no one knows who he is, unless I'm talking to fellow guitarists. He is one of the most emotional and soulful players that has yet to be recognized by the lame commercial rock industry. Having said that there are a lot of great players who fail to get recognition for what they do.

[i_finlayson37]

Bernard Butler is pretty underrated.

[sonny-boy]

Originally posted by i_finlayson37
Bernard Butler is pretty underrated.

right on. Jeff Beck is SO much better than Eric Clapton it's not even funny.

[darkstar54mm]

john frusciante

[idm13]

That is a good...and tough question. It all depends on the person you are asking and their personal influences. I think it also depends on genre...you can't mix apples and oranges.

For instance: Lifeson is defenitely under rated. He has never gotten any of the acclaim that even the guys in his band have. Be honest...every drummer in the world knows and aspires to be Neil Pert. And the road is litered with Geddy knock offs. Everyone knows the other two guys...but very few guitarist even know who Lifeson is. Most definitely under rated. His use of simple effects, common scales used in most uncommon ways, simple but effective progressions. As a musician/songwriter/guitarist he is definitely someone who should get much more respect and renown.

I disagree with Angus Young. He is not under rated. By far the opposite. He has gotten more than his fair share of press and acclaim. And has gotten credit for his straight forward, no frills playing that has influenced millions.

John Frusciante has gotten a bit of acclaim...but not really enough. Another one of those deals where we know the other guys in the band...but not him. Flea gets a ton of credit...but Frusciante is the real machine in the Pepper's arsenal. He pushing the music...is responsible for the layers of emotion. And sets alot of the rythmic value. No offense to the guys they tried to keep going with...but he made their sound. He lit the spark when he replaced their first guitarist...and they were not the same when he left.

I think a lot of those guys in the hair bands got passed over because the genre didn't get respect. There were quite a few really good guitarist who went down in the flannel revolution. Reb Beach from Winger comes to mind...every bit the player that guys like John Petrucci is.

Then there are the guys like Leo Kotke and Phil Keagy that only old guitarist seem to know about. Those guys are beyond amazing. And they have been doing it for 30 years.

The point is...there are way to many to count. And hopefully a question like this will do it's job...and turn all of us to other players that we may or may not have given a good listen too. :)

[Ice age coming]

Joey Santiago and Frank Black of Pixies

both are awesome!

[coldbuggin]

nick mccabe

[veer chasm]

Robin Guthrie of the Cocteau Twins. And to the guy that said the Pixies... They rock! I love "wave of mutilation".
Lindsey Buckingham is really underrated. Just listen to their 70's and 80's pop songs and you'll hear these really intense guitar lines peppered thoughout. His finger picking technique is amazing.

http://members.aol.com/veerchasm

[BlueOrb]

Malcolm young, angus young gets loads more credits, but malcolm came up with alot of they're riffs, example, back in black

[cormac]

Originally posted by idm13

I disagree with Angus Young. He is not under rated. By far the opposite. He has gotten more than his fair share of press and acclaim. And has gotten credit for his straight forward, no frills playing that has influenced millions.



Well, not to like create some long debate, I was thinking more from the "legitimate" music press (I know -- whatever that is). I'm not thinking so much praise and stuff from "headbangers monthly" but more from the bit more serious critics. But I do understand your point and can see your reasoning is good also :)