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)

[tahiti]

"Nigel Tufnel..."

Nigel is really Christopher Guest.

[driftless]

Thanks for mentioning Watson and Rice. There's a few more in the pantheon of folk, bluegrass, and country pickers like Norman Blake, Dan Crary, Clarence White and a number of others who are heroes to the unplugged set. But it's obvious that most of the people taking part in the poll (or on this forum) believe that there is only one kind of music---loud rock and roll---and the louder, distorted, and more atonal the guitar the better. Congrats for having a good deal of taste.

[Wumpus Hunter]

I don't know how long it's been since you guys heard Chicago, but the guy they have now (Keith Howland) comes CLOSE to Terry Kath!

I know most of their albums are like the last, but I found the 1 "must have" performance.

Try to find "Chicago Live on Soundstage". It's got all their greatest, as well as some OLD stuff. It was only released through a PBS beg-a-thon, so you'll probably have to go to Ebay (where I got mine). It's on a video DVD, and it's the tightest I've ever heard them play. Everyone is has perfect tempo on every song!

BTW - Petey Pussy left them long ago and was replaced with another pretty boy, but he's easier to stomach than Ceterra was.

[TheBigB]

Suzy Quattro

AKA Leather Tuscadero of Leather & The Suedes

[freedom44]

14. Ace Frehley & Paul Stanley (KISS)

What the hell is Paul Stanley doing at #14

[Diverdogz]

Well, Jerry did play a bit of bluegrass. Check out "Old and In the Way". Quite an impressive list of talent he played with... Vassar Clements, Peter Rowan, John Kahn, and David "Dawg" Grisman.

[StoneColdGOP]

Great list, awesome #1 choice.

I love Black Sabbath.

[Jonah Johansen]

Problem is the term "greatest" is meaningless in this context.

What are the criteria and how do you weight them.
Speed? Technical virtuosity? Origianlity? Influence on other musicians? Should credit be given to song/melody writing ability? Showmanship? Energy level of live performance?

If you wanted to do a poll without clear criteria; I think your most accurate method would be polling the top 50 highest paid studio musicians in LA or at very least polling people who actually make a living playing guitar not wanna-bees and air guitarists.

[Mr. Buzzcut]

Wow ... other people know Strato, Arch Enemy, Gamma Ray, Iced Earth and Children of Bodom!? I thought I was alone!

[StoneColdGOP]

OK... On further inspection, Stevie Ray Vaughn not only deserves to be on the list, but to be ranked in the top 12.

[Cosmo]

Cool. I about died when I saw Curt Cobain beat out Eddie Van Halen in the RS poll. Hell, I about died when I saw he made the list

[Hardastarboard]

No Nils Lofgren?

[gg188]

Here's the Rolling Stone Top 100 list:

Jimi Hendrix is #1
2 Duane Allman of the Allman Brothers Band
3 B.B. King
4 Eric Clapton
5 Robert Johnson
6 Chuck Berry
7 Stevie Ray Vaughan
8 Ry Cooder
9 Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin
10 Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones
11Kirk Hammett of Metallica
12 Kurt Cobain of Nirvana
13 Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead
14 Jeff Beck
15 Carlos Santana
16 Johnny Ramone of the Ramones
17 Jack White of the White Stripes
18 John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers
19 Richard Thompson
20 James Burton
21 George Harrison
22 Mike Bloomfield
23 Warren Haynes
24 The Edge of U2
25 Freddy King
26 Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave
27 Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits
28 Stephen Stills
29 Ron Asheton of the Stooges
30 Buddy Guy
31 Dick Dale
32 John Cipollina of Quicksilver Messenger Service
33 & 34 Lee Ranaldo, Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth
35 John Fahey
36 Steve Cropper of Booker T. and the MG's
37 Bo Diddley
38 Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac
39 Brian May of Queen
40 John Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival
41 Clarence White of the Byrds
42 Robert Fripp of King Crimson
43 Eddie Hazel of Funkadelic
44 Scotty Moore
45 Frank Zappa
46 Les Paul
47 T-Bone Walker
48 Joe Perry of Aerosmith
49 John McLaughlin
50 Pete Townshend
51 Paul Kossoff of Free
52 Lou Reed
53 Mickey Baker
54 Jorma Kaukonen of Jefferson Airplane
55 Ritchie Blackmore of Deep Purple
56 Tom Verlaine of Television
57 Roy Buchanan
58 Dickey Betts
59 & 60 Jonny Greenwood, Ed O'Brien of Radiohead
61 Ike Turner
62 Zoot Horn Rollo of the Magic Band
63 Danny Gatton
64 Mick Ronson
65 Hubert Sumlin
66 Vernon Reid of Living Colour
67 Link Wray
68 Jerry Miller of Moby Grape
69 Steve Howe of Yes
70 Eddie Van Halen
71 Lightnin' Hopkins
72 Joni Mitchell
73 Trey Anastasio of Phish
74 Johnny Winter
75 Adam Jones of Tool
76 Ali Farka Toure
77 Henry Vestine of Canned Heat
78 Robbie Robertson of the Band
79 Cliff Gallup of the Blue Caps (1997)
80 Robert Quine of the Voidoids
81 Derek Trucks
82 David Gilmour of Pink Floyd
83 Neil Young
84 Eddie Cochran
85 Randy Rhoads
86 Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath
87 Joan Jett
88 Dave Davies of the Kinks
89 D. Boon of the Minutemen
90 Glen Buxton of Alice Cooper
91 Robby Krieger of the Doors
92 & 93 Fred "Sonic" Smith, Wayne Kramer of the MC5
94 Bert Jansch
95 Kevin Shields of My Bloody Valentine
96 Angus Young of AC/DC
97 Robert Randolph
98 Leigh Stephens of Blue Cheer
99 Greg Ginn of Black Flag
100 Kim Thayil of Soundgarden

[Cosmo]

Pretty sad, yes, but don't you think Duane was a bit overrated in the RS poll?

[My Favorite Headache]

Nevermind that...what the hell is he doing on the list period?

[teldon30]

agreed!

[gg188]

#72...Joni Mitchell

What?

[teldon30]

mega dittos!

[prairiebreeze]

"Old and In The Way"---is a classic. I was lucky enough to see Vassar Clements recently in a concert. And saw David Grisman a few years back with Doc Watson when they were touring after releasing that excellent recording of theirs that they did together (can't think of name right now).

Prairie

[Uncle Meat]

Found a King Biscuit CD of Robin Trower with James Dewar singing the vocals.I never knew it existed.Has some fantastic cuts on it.He had cut some mediocre stuff like with BLT,but No Island lost is kickass.Too bad the rest of the CD isn't like that cut.Rory Gallagher's "Top Priority is kick ass too.Unfortanately the only Mahogany Rush that I have is the Live CD.Went through I donm't know how many copies of records,cassettes and an old eight track of that one I 've worn out of that one until I bought the CD.