Attempting to unravel the greatest guitar riffs of the past not even the glorified Rolling Stone Magazine will attempt and with good reason. The controversy and debate that could swell from such an undertaking may cause loss of readership largely because nobody digs their heroes being gutted. Albeit opinion the statements must have some credibility and although not fully agreed upon will at least have a nod of approval from the more astute rock aficionados of the world. Let’s talk speed and I don’t mean ‘thresher metal’, I mean speed with dexterity, in my heyday Mahavishnu Orchestra- "Lila’s Dance" had no equals but John cLaughlin’s guitar was still too overlaid compared to the holy grail of Alvin Lee’s riffs at Klooks Kleek Railway Hotel, yes I’m talking Woody Herman’s “Woodchopper’s Ball” where you can hear every freaking note, sussed and emulated by the Irish dynamo Rory Gallagher when he executes Dobro with similar dexterity. I suppose speed is not everything, so lets talk application and technique, and few would challenge the sustaining crescendo of Carlos Santana, sheer class in every aspect. Although often forgotten is that Carlos failed terribly in the blues, err yes he did, were they not initially called The Santana Blues Band ?? You can't blame him once he saw that young Jewish cat called Mike Bloomfield cradle the guitar like a baby and nimbly reach into delta restrain. Application application !! you gonna love or hate me but Frank Zappa really knew how to apply and sometimes so freaking fast but his riffs were often gestures leaving you with the thought, ‘could he keep it up,’ when he did the riffs became indecipherable just like another great guitarist called Robert Fripp of King Crimson who also tended to hammer into abstract and bizarre scales deemed 'Fripptronics' .
Ok Jimi Hendrix ! you've been waiting for this and I so wished to keep him out of this debate, but you can’t and why not, simply because he is out of this world from blues to psyche, even his acoustic is outstanding, a blues qualification I would like to have attributed more to Stephen Stills, Davey Graham or Jorma Kaukonan, my fuck the latter could surprise you in a mean way, ‘I’m talking Hot Tuna baby’.
The blues vibrato of say Paul Kossoff or heavy loaded Robin Trower have few competitors but even Gary Moore ‘and I don’t dig him’ because his roots are rock has to be commended for fulfilling his obligations. Untouchable blues tone can only be Peter Green while Snowy White came close, yet the frazzled torso of Jimmy Page’s blues is so infectious , sexual and oh so freaking nice, Page makes love to his blues, its erotic and oozes, you cannot resist it. ‘God’ Clapton, sorry ignore that, Eric hates it also, was more traditional in application but very finally tuned and sweet as mothers milk, overrated yes, but for damn good reason, except oh sheet!…as Clapton remarked when Mr Roy Buchanan held those sustaining notes, hate to say this, even sweeter than ‘Slow ‘Hand, well until Roy starts overlaying and everything gets a bit distorted, ‘he always freaking does that’.
I will put Duane Allman up there, how can I not, he upstaged Clapton on numerous occasions and Clapton was in awe of him, certainly the best blues slide guitarist ever, My favourite blues man was Les Harvey of Stone The Crows, (personal yes) but he had something I have never heard with anybody else, up to you to check that out otherwise you would never believe me.
When it comes to class rhythm blues , don’t underestimate Steve Miller and Chris Spedding, they ejaculated twang style and with such finesse’ Ok as a blues all rounder I have to give Mick Taylor full points , have not heard anybody better , his live blues execution is phenomenal, flawless and gives me shivers. Getting back to Prog technique, Richie Blackmore and Trevor Rabin get full points for their determined salvo riffs, while the dense frenetic complex axe runs of Steve Howe were unique for its time. Steve Hackett of Genesis knew timing like few before him and the balance between acoustic and electric was incredible, although these days the latter seems to have overwhelmed. But what of the underrated guitarists that seemed to always be absent from the polls, I’m talking Clem Clempson, whom Jack Bruce regards as one of the best and I cannot argue. Then Miller Anderson of Keef Hartley Band or silent Stones guitarist Harvey Mandel who could ignite sporadically and create fierce and very fast riffs, a.k.a Canned Heat live? Another favourite of mine was Brian Parrish from Badger, John Hedley of Every Which Way and Gong’s Steve Hilage, but the latter does get a bit boring with his glissando riffs. Here I go again, Les Harvey Stone the Crows live at The BBC has no equals? Ok so all this is so freaking retro but these days its all flash and showmanship, the two last great guitarists that held me was Stevie Ray Vaughn but keep comparing him to his mentor Hendrix and the blind guitarist Jeff Healy, shoo! that cat has serious revelation but then again don't forget I'm just waffling.........
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