Jimi Hendrix Named Greatest Guitarist Of All Time By Rolling Stone

**robby27** · 12-08-2011, 11:26 PM

[quote=Tom Karol;183382]"One of many things that Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello highlights in his short writeup for Hendrix in the magazine:

'He seamlessly weaves chords and single-note runs together and uses chord voicings that don't appear in any music book. His riffs were a pre-metal funk bulldozer, and his lead lines were an electric LSD trip down to the crossroads, where he pimp-slapped the devil.'

I know this guy (Tom Morello) went to Harvard and all that, but distractingly trite, inaccurate (and 15-year-old-boyishly juvenile sounding(like Morello's music, I might add)) commentary like this, (coming from a musician who, himself, totally sucks IMHO) should serve as a pretty accurate indicator of how seriously anyone with any significant level of musical sophistication should take Rolling Stone's "best guitarist of all time" poll.

Hendrix and Duane Allman were fantastic artists and musicians and were head and shoulders above any other rock players back in the day and who knows what they'd be doing now if they had made it. And they're the ones who got me excited me back then about playing electric guitar. Before that I was a nerdy little kid obsessed with my nylon string playing along with my father's latin and Bossa Nova records.

But the best anything of all time is an absurd concept.

But, what do I know? I always thought Clapton was pretty mediocre, and I have never been able to get the B.B. King greatness thing. I mean, 80 years in the business and he (by his own admission) still only knows 2 or 3 chords and a couple of licks in 12th position blues box fingering pattern 1. I'd personally be embarrassed. I mean, its no wonder he plays the so-called B.B. King signature lick better than anyone else. Give any of us one lick to work on for 80 years and we could nail it from the grave.

**robertm2000** · 12-09-2011, 12:05 AM

interesting and accurate observations.. I've always thought that what all of this means to me is that it's all for money - and TAINTED money at that. Cause "TAINT" mine!

And "Nobody ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American Public."

**mattymel** · 12-09-2011, 03:12 PM

Agreed Tom Morello is weak. Though actually I'd say calling Clapton "#2" is pretty accurate. Ive used that term for him on many occasions, just a different "scale".

**robby27** · 12-09-2011, 09:52 PM

Originally Posted by mattymel

Agreed Tom Morello is weak. Though actually I'd say calling Clapton "#2" is pretty accurate. Ive used that term for him on many occasions, just a different "scale".

Fair enough. I guess it all boils down to a matter of taste. Keeping in mind that primarily the poll is about popular rock/blues guitarists from the last 40 years who are known to Rolling Stone readers. Of the top ten I'd tap Hendrix, Duane, Jeff, and Page, as the most interesting players and maybe Clapton for taking to the limit with what he was capable of, but the rest of the top ten, with the exception of Van Halen the rest of them are popular one-trick ponies. I can appreciate Eddie's talent but I've just never liked that style of playing.

The "greatest" thing though is absurd. I don't think anyone who is familiar with the late Mike Bloomfield, for example, would suggest he shouldn't up there with Hendrix and a few others. How many Rolling Stone readers do you think even know who he is?

I guess whole point though was to generate discussion.

**AmundLauritzen** · 12-09-2011, 10:48 PM

Originally Posted by mattymel

Agreed Tom Morello is weak. Though actually I'd say calling Clapton "#2" is pretty accurate. Ive used that term for him on many occasions, just a different "scale".

Tom Morello is good at what he does. Not very genre versatile, but he's got the groove going and is creative with sound, tone and effects and has a unique style. I haven't listened to him in ages, so I don't know what he is doing these days though. Probably the same thing as always with a new lineup.
That's the thing with these highly rated rock guitarists(overrated or not is up to the individual to decide according to their taste). They usually get good at a few different things, and do them over and over again. Whatever works for them. They get paid more than jazz musicians, so they must be doing something right. They appeal to a different demographic though.
Most people get confused by hearing confirmation changes because their ears are accustomed to simpler concepts harmonically and structurally.

For those not accustomed to the nuances of jazz, banging on a whammy pedal all day will sound impressive.

**Shadow of the Sun** · 12-11-2011, 07:13 AM

I do think that a lot of people in this thread are being really down on rock.

I mean, yeah, okay. Jazz is a lot more complicated than rock, and takes more skill.

And yeah, it's really silly to make a "100 best guitarists" list.

But getting denigrating about players just because they play a different kind of music than you is kind of...well, odd. Elitist.

I love jazz, and rock, and I'm a big fan of Jimi Hendrix, who was a great guitarist in my mind because if he wanted a sound, he could get the guitar to make it- listen to Machine Gun, for example. No, he's not the greatest, probably because there is no greatest.

But do we have to look at Jimi Hendrix and turn our noses up just because we're jazz guys? He did some good stuff.

**Smelodies** · 12-11-2011, 08:56 PM

Hendrix is great but I think some of you are overhyping him, even in his own idiom. Regardless, one of his main influences is being buried on Monday and deserves a mention: Hubert Sumlin. All time great. I personally loved his sound and there is barely a '60s rock guitarist you could name who wasn't directly influenced by him. 1931-2011.

**gcb** · 12-12-2011, 11:37 AM

Didn't find Grady Martin in that Rolling Stone list. At least James Burton is #20. And Cliff Gallup 79!

**Al_F** · 12-13-2011, 10:24 AM

Originally Posted by Smelodies

Hendrix is great but I think some of you are overhyping him, even in his own idiom. Regardless, one of his main influences is being buried on Monday and deserves a mention: Hubert Sumlin. All time great. I personally loved his sound and there is barely a '60s rock guitarist you could name who wasn't directly influenced by him. 1931-2011.

Very true! RIP Hubert.

**aniss1001** · 12-14-2011, 12:39 PM

He he funny

Hey I love hendrix! As far as rock/blues guitarists go he's the man in my book. But to say he was BETTER than Wes, Metheny, Scofield, Pass, Hall etc. is nothing less than pathetic...

In general this comparing musicians is really lame. It's not a competition. Besides what are you basing it on? How do you factor out personal preference in order to make an objective assessment? And how on earth can you even compare something as simple as blues/rock with something as complicated as jazz?

Ah and even mentioning Keith Richards in this context makes me wanna burn my guitar and never listen to any music ever again.. Haha

**mattymel** · 12-14-2011, 02:39 PM

scary how NOBODY in this entire thread EVER said Hendrix was better than Wes, Metheny, Sco, Pass, Hall or ANY OTHER JAZZER.

and yet a certain demographic keeps chiming in about how people must think that. and its always the same people that are up in arms about Rolling Stone not mentioning jazzers in a stupid pop magazine.

hendrix was a bad dude. even joe henderson made a point about saying how Stevie Ray "was a motherfucker". i dont even like him that much, but the point is, Joe by saying that didn't mean Stevie was better than Wes...just that there is in fact other music besides improvising over chord changes to old standards. maybe you should check some out. it might be good for your playing.

**aniss1001** · 12-14-2011, 02:53 PM

Originally Posted by mattymel

scary how NOBODY in this entire thread EVER said Hendrix was better than Wes, Metheny, Sco, Pass, Hall or ANY OTHER JAZZER.

Didn't say that anyone said it here. But Hendrix was named the best GUITARIST. NOT the best BLUES/ROCK guitarist. Now this would be silly enough given that music isn't a competition, but making a list of the best guitarists (no style indicated) and then mentioning a bunch of blues/rock guitarists and completely disregarding all other styles (jazz, classical, flamingo, etc.) is simply silly time a million.

And personally I grew up playing rock, blues, funk, etc. Jazz is relatively new to me. My comment had nothing to do with the fact that I personally prefer jazz these days.

**Pat Clare** · 12-14-2011, 03:20 PM

I am a big fan of Hendrix, and think that he was in a completely different league than any other rock guitarist period, none has ever come remotely close to the level that Jimi played at. I don't think he is better than Pat Martino, Wes or any of the other great jazz guitar players, although his use of effect pedals was vastly superior to any of today's stomp box jazzer's who all have the same clichéd sounds and tones.
He was very influential partly because of the time period that he was in, just like the Beatles. I do think that if he had the desire to learn how to play bebop, he could have the same as us, but would of have had to work it out, just like us.
Hendrix was able to play and jam with jazz musicians ( sam rivers, roland kirk, sonny simmons, dave holland larry young, tony williams ect...), which is something not many rock guitarists could do. I've heard the jam with Jimi Hendrix, John McLaughlin, Billy Cox and Buddy Miles and in that setting Hendrix could challenge any Jazz Musician, Just as in a jazz setting Hendrix would be challenged.
But I do think that Jimi Hendrix has inluenced many people from all styels of music.

**Flyin' Brian** · 12-14-2011, 04:48 PM

The comparison of jazz and rock guitar players is as absurd as comparing a member of the New York Yankees to a member of the New York Jets. A waste of bandwidth.