Guitar World Presents Guitar Legends - Special Collectors Issue - No. 42 (2001)
(cover: Jimi Hendrix)
Guitar World Presents 100 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time
THE GUITAR is one of the most flexible vehicles of expression known to man and beast. No instrument appeals to a wider range of personalities -- from the anal retentive classical player to the sociopathic thrasher -- and there isn't a single style of music that hasn't been affected by some crazed visionary with a six- or seven-string. (A bold statement, for sure, but we can back it up.)
That's why compiling a list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time is no picnic. Sure, it's easy to put together a list of the 100 greatest tuba or banjo players (try naming two), but there are so many great guitarists that you'd probably have better luck counting all the "speed versus feel" references that appeared in the pages of Guitar World magazine from 1988-92. Nevertheless, we determined souls decided to accept this challenge, even if it led to headaches, arguments and pillow fights.
Now, before you go scanning the list to see if Punky Meadows made the cut (he didn't), let us explain what determined who got a space on the life raft and who got fed to the sharks. While technical ability was important, the candidates' influence on other players held greater weight. Of course, that wasn't the prime consideration, or else we would have called this "The 100 Most Influential Guitarists." We also considered the guitarists' relevance to today's musician, so their contributions had to be of greater duration than the average Carmen Electra marriage. Originality also ranked high on our list; that's why your brother, who plays a note-perfect version of "Eruption," wasn't considered. Finally, all of the players had to be snappy dressers (extra points were given for exceptionally tight pants).
You may not agree with our selections -- in fact, we're counting on it -- but we hope that our list will give you some insight into what makes a player a truly great guitarist. If you want to protest your favorite player's absence from the list, seal your complaint in a self-addressed stamped envelope. Mail it.
on page 51, in the "Space Cadets" section:
ROBBY KRIEGER: "When I first started playing electric guitar, everyone was playing Chuck Berry and B.B. King licks. I decided that I wasn't going to do that. I was going to find other avenues of expression."
Robby Krieger's dedication to finding his own path made him a singular voice in an extraordinary band, the Doors. Originally a flamenco guitarist, Krieger bought his first electric guitar just six months before forming the band. He quickly developed a distinct style that was perfectly suited to the band's experimental sound and unique lineup: a three-piece with keyboards but without a bass. "I really learned how to play electric guitar in the Doors," Krieger says. "My style was completely formed by the fact that we didn't have a bass player or a rhythm guitarist."
Drawing on his flamenco background, Krieger played exclusively with his fingers, allowing him to simultaneously cover bass, rhythm and lead guitar parts. His solos with the band were always well-crafted, informed by the same melodic sense that led him to compose rock classics like "Light My Fire," "Touch Me" and "Love Me Two Times." On 1967's "The End," Krieger utilized a dropped-D tuning and introduced Indian elements to his playing. Even his wildest excursions, like the demented slide lead on "Been Down So Long" or the two-guitar masterpiece of "When The Music's Over," remained eminently accessible.
Equipment: Gibson SG; Fender Twin Reverb; Maestro Fuzz-tone
Signature Song: "When The Music's Over," from The Doors - Strange Days (Elektra, 1967)
Classic Album: The Doors -- The Doors (Elektra, 1967)
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1/14/04