100 Greatest Guitarists To Promote Sales

So as I was casually browsing Rolling Stone today, I came across what they concider the 100 greatest guitarists of all time. Not surprisingly the list is topped by Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, and Jimi Hendrix (all of which I admire and listen to). They humourously say of Jimi Hendrix that

"his lead lines were an electric LSD trip down to the crossroads, where he pimp-slapped the devil."

The mental image I got from this was definitely the high point of my day. Now for the blasphemy… Although I'm fully on board with this list of 100 guitarist ineed being truly great guitarists, I can't help but be arogant and look at modern bands with twenty-something year olds who play riffs with speed and finesse that would make most of these legends' fingers atrophy and cower in fear. Check out Thomas Erak from Fall Of Troy or Justin Shekoski of Saosin. I'm not simply referencing speed of shredding. I'm talking about speed, style, and creativity.

I just disagree with the concept that all the greats are in the past, and the the modern guitarists are simply leaching form them. I acknowledge these "top 100" people as great guitarists… but every time I walk into a mega-chain guitar store and hear a million would-be rockstars shredding up and down their "oh if only I could afford this guitar" fret board, I can't help but feel we have been media-hyped into thinking these repeated lists are truly the "best 100 guitarists" when they are nothing more than "top 100 gutiarists that will sell our product by mentioning their name". In contrast, I would imagine the actual top 100 guitarist of all time probably pour concrete, change your oil, and use their power drill to build your house, as apposed to this less-than-awesome power drill gimick…

By Joseph 2012-02-20