Pretty self explanatory.

My pick?.....C.C. DeVille of Poison.

Probably the worst phrasing and use of any scale of the many hacks out there.

John Mayer. Guy simply does not shred.

Zebulon Dak wrote:John Mayer. Guy simply does not shred.

HAHAHAHAHAAH DOES NOT SHRED.

Kurt Cobain. Noel Gallagher. Jerry Garcia.

Garcia just never did anything to impress me at all. Cobain should speak for itself. I like Nirvana, and the guy quite literally changed the whole face of music, but he was not a good guitar player by any stretch of the imagination. And Noel Gallagher. I was quite the Oasis fanboy back in the mid 90's, but the years have told me what I didn't know then - Noel isn't great. He's good at what he does, but not great as far as guitarists go.

Cobain at least had a unique, raw style to him in the vein of Hendrix. Certainly not as talented, but absolutely was he connected to his guitar through pure raw emotion.






*edit* That's most times I've used 'raw' in a few short sentences since describing my wedding night.

The guy from Uriah Heap. WTF was that solo in the song "stealin"?.....Maybe the worst lead ever.

The Edge. At least he knows it though.

seahawk2k wrote:The Edge. At least he knows it though.

Good one.

Cobain, Garcia, and Deville were all successful not because of their talent at playing guitar, but because of their unique style, which for each was pretty groundbreaking and new at the time they hit it big. Hard to hack on them for that. Even if they couldn't play technical guitar well, they sure knew how to make original music.

The others, who not only can't play well, but also just retread the rest of the popular stuff can suck a nut, though.

Billy Joe?

Zebulon Dak wrote:Billy Joe?

If you're talking about Billy Joel; I believe he plays keyboards.

LymonHawk wrote:

Zebulon Dak wrote:Billy Joe?

If you're talking about Billy Joel; I believe he plays keyboards.

I'm assuming he means the Green Day singer/guitarist.

SonicHawk wrote:

Zebulon Dak wrote:John Mayer. Guy simply does not shred.

HAHAHAHAHAAH DOES NOT SHRED.

Yeah, not sure what dude was on about, but John Mayer is god damned skilled. I can't stand his music, but I respect the hell out of his chops.

I'm not sure I get why Rob thinks Cee Cee DeVille was bad, but to each their own. He was no master but I can think of plenty of guitarists less talented than he was.

I think Kurt Cobain has to be the worst guitarist ever to make it to megastardom. Not even sure #2 is close. The dude had the sloppiest picking I have ever heard.

Neil Giraldo.....been riding the coattails of his wife (Pat Benetar) for 30 years. His leads sound like something an average 12 yr. old student would come up with.

SonicHawk wrote:

LymonHawk wrote:

Zebulon Dak wrote:Billy Joe?

If you're talking about Billy Joel; I believe he plays keyboards.

I'm assuming he means the Green Day singer/guitarist.

Thanks, that makes more sense. Besides, everyone knows Zeb knows diddly squat about REAL music.....LOL!

It's true. Clearly I didn't know that John Mayer could shred.

I always felt bad for the guy from Ratt. I can't even remember his name. He honestly couldn't play the solos on their first album. They were pieced together by a slick producer from different parts he had played during their sessions and processed to high heaven, and they were pieced together quite seamlessly. They went on their first tour and he couldn't do it. He was seriously suicidal over it, and I believe they had to resort to bringing in a "rhythm guy" (studio master guitarist) who was actually playing the solos after a couple of shows. Even I can play well when I have everything running through my DigiTech effects (thanks work!). The 80's produced a lot of guys that could play amazingly cool sounding stuff. I can loop crap over itself and use my whammy pedal to pitchshift all over the place and sound like I know what I'm doing, but it's all smoke and mirrors and that's a lot of what the 80's guys were doing.

On the flipside, whatever happened to Vito Bratta? He was the most underrated guitarist I've heard. He wasn't just fast. The guy could play any style and did it extremely well. He was much too talented for the guys he was around. I saw some random underground stuff of him giving guitar lessons and just noodling around and he was amazing and such a humble guy. I think the business didn't suit him. He played because he loved it. Danny Gatton was the same way and ultimately took his own life.

I wasn't saying DeVille didn't have talent, it is just the way he uses it. As a lead guitar player phrasing shapes style, and in that category, he was / is atrocious. Those guys found a niche at the right time, and lucked out.

To compare, see a very under rated Guitarist from a band of the same era.......Mathias Jabs of the Scorpions. That guy has talent and phrasing nailed.

SharkHawk wrote:I always felt bad for the guy from Ratt. I can't even remember his name. He honestly couldn't play the solos on their first album. They were pieced together by a slick producer from different parts he had played during their sessions and processed to high heaven, and they were pieced together quite seamlessly. They went on their first tour and he couldn't do it. He was seriously suicidal over it, and I believe they had to resort to bringing in a "rhythm guy" (studio master guitarist) who was actually playing the solos after a couple of shows. Even I can play well when I have everything running through my DigiTech effects (thanks work!). The 80's produced a lot of guys that could play amazingly cool sounding stuff. I can loop crap over itself and use my whammy pedal to pitchshift all over the place and sound like I know what I'm doing, but it's all smoke and mirrors and that's a lot of what the 80's guys were doing.

On the flipside, whatever happened to Vito Bratta? He was the most underrated guitarist I've heard. He wasn't just fast. The guy could play any style and did it extremely well. He was much too talented for the guys he was around. I saw some random underground stuff of him giving guitar lessons and just noodling around and he was amazing and such a humble guy. I think the business didn't suit him. He played because he loved it. Danny Gatton was the same way and ultimately took his own life.

O.k. I really don't get this one. His name is Warren DiMartini. I'm not sure when you caught him live, but he had no issues in 85 or 87 when I saw him. Here is a clip of him standing side by side with one of the all time greats...



You have to remember when these guys hit the world stage they were already out of control. Ratt and the Crue were battling it out for the biggest party band out there and neither gave an inch. They might have been too fubar to play..but Warren has MAD chops.

Don't get how anyone could rip the Edge either. Shredmiester?? No. But his tone...damn. Pure frikin magic. Effects, and phrasing, the same. Everyone on the planet can tell its a U2 song within the first two bars without even hearing Bono singing a single note. Rip him for not being Satch or something sure, but he is a gift to music...and i dont even like U2. flame on if you will.

I specifically said on their first tour. Which would have been previous to when you saw them. Warren obviously could play as the solos they pieced together were all with HIM playing. He just couldn't do the stuff they had him doing on the record at the time of his first tour. I read it in several magazines, saw actual quotes from him, and have spoken to people that have performed with him that confirmed it. I don't know how much more evidence I can dig up. Maybe he'd deny it all now.

But he worked his butt off and was able to play what they PRETENDED he played all in one session by probably mid-84 I'm guessing. I was a fan of Ratt from the time I was in fourth grade in 1983 and remembered hearing them on Seattle radio stations the entire summer that I moved (which would have been 1984 as we spent the days working on packing crap, and the evenings watching the LA Olympics). People I know and trust saw Warren play in that summer and said he wasn't up to par. I saw him years later and he was a shredder. He was probably a high school kid when their early stuff came out, and it makes total sense to me that he didn't have the mastery of the instrument in 1983 or 84 that he would have developed from 85-87.

Even my favorite guitarist (Zakk Wylde) is significantly better now than he was when he first joined Ozzy, and even then he was better than 99.999999999999% of guitarists who have ever lived. But you can sense a clear growth in his playing and comfort and mastery of the instrument. Part of that is his ability to now take on lead vocals in live shows. The guitar stuff is almost secondary if you listen to Black Label Society. He still shreds just as much, but he doesn't seem like he is even having to think about it.

Let me correct that... on their first BIG tour. I know they were an underground band, and hit it big in 83 or 84. So it was in that era. They obviously played a lot of shows in the buildup to the "hair band Ratt".

I can dig it..I have no idea how old the guy was or how long he had played back in 83, but he was pretty dang solid a year or two after. Rough start maybe, but by no means a sucky guitarist.

No, I was going off of the sucking and then making it big aspect. He couldn't play his own solos, but then did, so he made it big and was ultimately a great guitarist. Apparently I misread it. They were going for guys that suck and are famous. Sorry. My bad on misreading the intent.

I thought Zakk Wylde hit the ground running on the song "No More Tears". One of the most awesome riffs ever, played with slide, and conventional.

Zakk did. Like I said... better than basically everybody who ever lived, but has still improved. He says in his book that he just stole Leslie West's pinch harmonics and entire playing style early while he got his feet under him basically. Think about "No More Tears" and "Mississippi Queen". I had never made a connection until I heard Zakk say it himself. Kind of funny that there are similarities between that Ozzy metal and some southern fried rock.

Zakk is even better today. He never stopped practicing. I think that's all he does (except lift weights) now that he stopped drinking. He is also a virtuoso on the piano. His album "Pride and Glory" (prior to the forming of Black Label Society) was supposedly all him. He played every instrument and then put together a group of guys to play the songs with him in live shows. Quite impressive, especially considering how young he was and how diverse and cool that entire album is.

The guy is a musical genius and studies and learns amazing amounts of information. It must be nice to have a photographic memory, perfect pitch, and an ability to recreate anything you hear instantaneously.

Glad to hear Zakk quit drinking. He needed to.

Gonna Hi-jack my thread and say I am gacked to see Satriani in a small theatre in L.A. on the 31st.

Nickel Back is pretty god damn awful.

Radiohead doesn't shred but they are still pretty big. They have a really unique sound though.

Peter Buck and "The Edge" are two d00dz who get WAY too much credit as guitar players in my book.

m0ng0 wrote:Peter Buck and "The Edge" are two d00dz who get WAY too much credit as guitar players in my book.

Concur... the "Edge" made a living off of a nice reverb setup. I once had a "friend" tell me that Edge was a far superior player to Joe Satriani. Not making this up. His reasoning was that it was obvious, because Edge had sold millions of albums and wrote music that people liked. I asked him this simple question... "Do you think Satriani could step in and play Edge's parts for a section of a U2 tour if say Edge broke his hand or got sick?" He said, "Sure... he could." I said, "Could Edge play "Surfing With the Alien" all the way through?" He said "No way." I said, "Then there is your answer." He said, "F--- you." Ha.

Axx wrote:Nickel Back is pretty god damn awful.

Radiohead doesn't shred but they are still pretty big. They have a really unique sound though.

Don't sleep on Jonny Greenwood. He's got plenty of his own chops, but that style of music doesn't call for tech demos on guitar. Greenwood is very talented.

Keith Richards.

I am biased when it comers to U2, because I think they are fantastic, so I don't agree with the Edge being a terrible guitar player. That said, the bit about Satriani stepping in to take the Edge's place, he could certainly do the guitar work, but little else. The Edge is a pretty damned good musician. Dude plays a keyboard with his feet and sings backup. It's not like U2 gets by with poppy crap like Beiber or Britney Spears. They have some really great music. Hell, their Joshua Tree album is a masterpiece.
Last time I checked, not being as good as Joe Satriani doesn't mean you suck.

I would WHOLLY disagree with Warren DeMartini being anywhere on this "list".

I would, however, add Mick Mars to it.

HoustonHawk82 wrote:Keith Richards.

Eeven with those riffs? I mean I get he's not the killer lead guy and all, but he's written some of the most memorable riffs of the era. BTW, not a fav of mine by any stretch. Just a point of discussion.

Richards playing is over-simplified on purpose so he can sound good live while being blasted out of his mind. He doesn't even do a good job of concealing it. I mean, a solo just playing one note? Come on.

Had a friend back in WA that is a really good guitarist. Similar to that recording somebody made and sent to Lars called "In Justice for All, WITH bass", this guy made a compilation of Stones tunes remastered with more creative leads and riffs. He gave me a copy but I cant find it to save my life.

His contention is that the Stones music was too basic and boring so he went into the studio to rewrite it for fun. I remember it sounded freakin awesome. Wish I could find it.

LargentFan wrote:I am biased when it comers to U2, because I think they are fantastic, so I don't agree with the Edge being a terrible guitar player. That said, the bit about Satriani stepping in to take the Edge's place, he could certainly do the guitar work, but little else. The Edge is a pretty damned good musician. Dude plays a keyboard with his feet and sings backup. It's not like U2 gets by with poppy crap like Beiber or Britney Spears. They have some really great music. Hell, their Joshua Tree album is a masterpiece.
Last time I checked, not being as good as Joe Satriani doesn't mean you suck.

The Edge is pretty sucky, dude. I don't mind U2 necessarily, but the Edge is and always has bene a one-trick pony. He's on par with Noel Gallagher. Not BAD musicians, per se, just not great guitar players.

All the Edge does is hold a chord and pick the notes out of it.

And like a Twister he does it well, and he fits nicely into the "suck zone".