I should be used to this by now and have a tougher skin. But I can't help myself. I was outraged when the latest issue of Rolling Stone arrived a few days ago with its cover story on the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.” The list was compiled from picks by a truly diverse group of guitarists young and old— including Trey Anastasio, Ritchie Blackmore, Tom Morello, Robbie Krieger, the Black Keys' Dan Auerbach, Scotty Moore, Andy Summers and Carlos Santana, to name just a few of the more than 50—plus a handful of rock journalists and music industry folks. The article reveals nothing about the poll's methodology—how many guitarists the respondents could list, what criteria should be considered, etc. Are these “favorites”? “The best”? “Most influential”? Probably all those things, to varying degrees.
The #1 choice was no surprise—Jimi Hendrix, of course. And most of the other members of the Top Ten are names that have always placed high on these sorts of lists—and there have been a million of 'em—through the years: Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Jeff Beck, B.B. King, Chuck Berry, Eddie Van Halen, Duane Allman and Pete Townshend. All fine guitarists. OK, Chuck Berry is on there for essentially inventing one riff (and several variations thereof)… but what a great and important riff it was!
Yet the glaring injustice in this top 100 is ranking Jerry Garcia as #46. Really? Below Johnny Ramone (#28)? Curtis Mayfield (#34)? Frickin' Randy Rhoads (#36; tragic death—always a good career move)? Bo Diddley (#27)? Cat had one riff he stole from Johnny Otis, and was not a good guitarist. But, yeah, influential for sure. Still, I'm not here to criticize other guitarists (though it sure is fun). I'm just sayin'…
Alas, Jerry is never going to get his props in these sorts of polls, just as Phil never fares well in Greatest Bassists surveys (how absurd!), nor Mickey and Bill in Greatest Drummers lists. (I would also argue that Weir is a better and more inventive player than most in Rolling Stone's 100, too, but I guess it's too much to expect people to appreciate the subtleties and intricacies of his playing. After all, he's “just” a rhythm guitarist, right? Wrong!) The sad fact is that all the members of the Grateful Dead—and the group itself—will always be underrated by people unable to look beyond the surface cliché: an acid-rock band that noodled endlessly and aimlessly during their five-hour concerts for an audience of stoned hippies. This common misconception can be the only reason why the Dead didn't make it into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame during their first year of eligibility back in 1993. Can you imagine?
To enumerate Jerry's gifts as a guitarist here is preaching to the choir, I suppose. But let me just tick off a few salient points. No major rock guitarist ever traversed as many different styles and idioms as Garcia (no, not even Frank Zappa). He was comfortable playing blues, folk, jazz, country, free-form avant-garde, standards, bluegrass, Motown, Latin; you name it. Not only could he navigate through all those genres, he always sounded like himself when he did—the Garcia style is instantly recognizable and unique. He was a master improviser who, rather than automatically accepting conventional ideas about form and structure, constantly looked for opportunities to extend or escape those limitations. He took chances: His intoxicating spirit of adventure and musical fearlessness led him places that were often unexpected, weird, wonderful, beautiful, scary and just about any other adjective you can conjure. The landscape (and spacescape) he covered was unimaginably immense. He was the consummate ensemble player, sensitive to the musicians around him, but also not afraid to take charge and lead. At his best, his solos were masterful melodic constructions with brilliantly conceived tonal shadings and an indefinable—but clear—rhythmic logic that rivaled some of the greatest jazz musicians, from Django to Coltrane (both of whom he admired and studied). And the breadth and depth of his own songwriting and choices of songs to cover brought out so many emotions in his playing, that we, as fans, were privileged to accompany him on his remarkable musical journey that was at once intensely personal (for him and for us) yet somehow also drew us all together.
Do I have to disqualify myself from this argument because I'm a Dead Head? To the contrary, I'm a Dead Head in large part because of Garcia's guitar playing. I've always been a guitar guy. I worshipped at the altar of Hendrix and Clapton in the '60s, but also dug Cipollina, Jorma and Barry Melton. John McLaughlin and Duane Allman blew my mind in the early '70s, and my life was enriched by Neil Young, Ry Cooder, James Burton and so many others later in that decade. I've seen Lindsey Buckingham be God-for-a-night with Fleetwood Mac, and Bruce Springsteen tear it up like no one else can. I've been transported by The Edge, dug the primal growl of John Lee Hooker's axe and enjoyed the fluid perfection of Mike Campbell. No one riffs better than Keith Richards, and in his prime Stevie Ray was just about untouchable. Bonnie Raitt is still killing it on slide and Bill Frisell exudes an elegant simplicity I find very appealing. Is there anything Los Lobos' David Hidalgo can't do? Flashy or tasteful, electric or acoustic—I just love guitar.
But something about Garcia's playing spoke to me on a level that no other player ever has. Call it a soul connection, maybe. It's hard to communicate what that's like to others, but chances are you know what I'm talking about. Think about the opening of “Birdsong,” the quietest parts of “Stella Blue,” the roar of the climax of “Morning Dew,” the breezy lilt of a great “Eyes” solo, the dramatic ascension towards the end of “Slipknot!” or any number of other passages that sweep us up and carry us away. Perhaps he wasn't as influential as some other guitarists, but that's in part because he was a singular talent in what always was (and will be) a cult band.
That's why Jerry's not #46 on my list. I can honestly say he's #1, and no else is even close.
Jerry and his “Wolf” guitar, 1974.
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Minor Musical Injustice
Blair, thanks for putting down in words what I've felt for over 25 years. As a professional musician (bass and guitar), I've always wondered why the entire band wasn't recognized (in the mainstream) for their amazing talent. By the early 80's, Garcia was hitting his prime and playing some of the most beautiful, inventive and melodic guitar ever. And he still doesn't get proper credit for his incredible tone.
And I agree about Weir--his playing is as unique as Jerry's and he is definitely one of the top 5 rhythm guitarists of all time.
Back in the early 80's, I played a '79 show for my fusion-loving friend and he finally got how amazing Garcia was. It just takes an open mind and ears willing to listen past "Trucking" and "Sugar Magnolia" from the albums.
"greatest guitarist"
I've thought about this for years - the 4 BEST guitarists of all time (IMHO)
Buddy Guy plays music that comes from his balls
SRV plays music that comes from his soul
Jimi Hendrix plays music that comes from his heart
Jerry plays music that comes from his intoxication! ;)
It's all subjective
There are so many great guitarists it depends on how widely varied your tates are. It's nice to see there are Jerry fans like myself who also dig Randy Rhoads. Look I love Jerry . My first show was Englishtown 77 and have seen a few hundred Dead, Jerry, Other Ones Phil and friends and Furthur shows. But it's a great big music world out there. I love Django Reinhart, Dickey Betts, Allen Collins, Gary Rossington, Sreve Gaines Leslie West Robert Fripp, Steve Howe, Lou Reed Mick Taylor, Robin Trower Frank Marino, Ritchie Blackmore Jorma Kaukonen. Earl Hooker Magic Sam. There are so many cool styles that lists will alaways vary.
And they had Thompson at #60?
And they had Thompson at #60? And I'll bet Greg Brown wasn't even listed. Just goes to show, indeed. I guess these sorts of popularity polls will alway default to "most widely known" rather than truly representing the "best." As you and Blair and others say. We will survive…
whew
whew, when i saw the title of the blog i was afraid he was left out all together
#46 aint bad... although being below j. ramone is tough
heck it was the idea of getting something that the mainstream didnt get that was one of the many things that first attracted me to the GD
i may not have bothered to chime it but...
i first read this post yesterday, then i had the good fortune to go to paul simon at the landmark theater in richmond (formerly the mosque) last night
he put on a masterful show that surpassed my wildest expectations having never been in his live presence before
he covered many eras and many moods but most surprising to me and so coincidental since i had just read this blog earlier was when he covered "mystery train" into a pseudo bo diddley beat rocknroll medley culminating with "pretty thing" by bo diddley, (but no "not fade away")
during this jam he played a rectangular electric guitar similiar to the one associated with BD and projected a larger than life almost deifying image of BD for several minutes
i had to laugh recalling this blog
anyway PS was awesome, i just wish he played more tunes from "one trick pony" besides just "late in the evening" (which was awesomely re-arranged)
btw PS is a mean guitarist!
polls
Jerry would not make it on American Idol either. Who really takes Rolling Stone seriously. What really is the criteria for this list. Van Gogh only sold one painting in his life and what do people think of him now. Jerry's playing speaks for itself. There is a story that Tom Verlaine taught him self to play guitar by listening to Jerry on records. Tom Verlaine is without question the most influentual guitarist of the punk era. His band Television was refered to as the punk Grateful Dead for their double guitar attack similiar to the dead.
--------blairj----------(----@
Ahhhhhhhhhhhh, Love it!This has been such a turn-on!
I love a good rant from the soul>>>>
OOOOOOOwwwwwwwwwww!
Your point has been well received by me.
-------------------------(-------@
And lest I forget how delightful the posts from
the Other Ones have been TOO!
Thanks and don't waste that fiesty energy;
why....cause that would be a waste of it.
And those that just don't understand would
win again and I don't like see that.
-----------------------------(---------@
Win, you winner---come out on top!
I have a coffe table and....bathroom shelf,
with Rolling Stones issues and have been
a subscriber on and off for years and years.
When you write for a magazine or other publication
it becomes an "art"-icle or article or a form of art!
This task of 100 greatest should be art but it's a
EPIC FAIL
And I could write a teriffic article about it, xo.
It would not be a top 100 list because that
hurts musicans not helps them and
I certainly would never do that.
Mine would be a list of 100 #1 guitar players in the world
Volume #1, others would follow.
Now, that's right-hearted, I love You, ALL.
Have a FAN-tastic day Blair!
------------------(---@
In lovingkindness always,
Sherry
great technique does not make great art...
deadmike
interesting you say tommy emmanuel would out-play jerry on acoustic, but you'd rather listen to jerry. so who's the better artist/guitar player? the same argument can be made on pizza tapes? tony rice clearly has better chops than jerry, but it's tony, to me, who sounds almost...out of place? jerry kills. the thing about jerry, to me, is how emotive he is. i feel i know his thoughts, emotions, when jerry plays. THAT to me is the mark of a great artist/guitar player. i'm not gonna make a list of great technical guitar players, heck we probably wouldn't know any of them! great licks? i don't care! i saw jeff beck warm up for santana one time. beck, higher on list, santana, better on mine. SOUL!!! it's all how you choose to look at it.
so, i'm sure many phish fans might be outraged trey didn't make the list. i guess he's great, but he bores me to death. i, like blair wrote ages ago, tried many times to get into phish. the bottom line for me was there was no great guitar player who floored me. as for today, one guy i can listen to ALL DAY is luther dickinson from the north miss all-stars...
Richard Thompson response
I saw the below on RT's website...seemed a pretty cryptic message to me until I saw the RS poll:
Rolling Stone, the popular music and related arts and culture magazine, dropped 50 places in Richard Thompson's annual assessment of periodical publications. When asked to comment on the sudden decrease in popularity, Thompson said, "It was a close-run thing for number 68, but I thought Cheese Gourmet Monthly just edged it for their terrific piece on Blue Wensleydale in the August issue. I placed RS above Woman’s Realm, which has had some fairly insipid knitting patterns lately." Rolling Stone were unavailable for comment.
RT took an even more precipitous fall in the poll than Jerry did (#19 to #63, I believe), and who knows why? The guy is flat-out amazing. Funny response, though.
I know that part of the appeal of this kind of poll is to make everyone crazy who has some bone to pick with the choices...which is to say, everyone. Some of the nuttiest results in my mind:
George Harrison at #11. I'm as big a Beatles fan as a Deadhead, and even I don't quite get this one...top 100, yes, but #11? Even stranger, John Lennon makes the list, residing down in Jerry's neighborhood...but Paul McCartney, who may actually have been the best Beatles guitarist, doesn't. Why John is there, I don't have a clue. And my favorite Beatles list is John, George, Paul, Ringo in that order.
Keith Richards at #4. I think that Mick Taylor was the best guitarist ever in the Stones, but he's mired somewhere in the 30s. I love Keef, and his contributions to rock guitar are certainly important, but #4?
And so on.
Yeah but..................
Jerry has sold alot more ties, then all of them put together......so there.
Of course, subjectivity...
While any and all lists of this sort are subjective, I, for one, was pleased to see that Rory Gallagher made it. Someone earlier noted that SRV's playing came from his soul - and if that's not the case with Rory, I don't know what is. So much energy and emotion in his playing....a real musician's musician. When trying to describe him to people the best I can come up with is a cross between Clapton and SRV, but that still doesn't tell the whole story. He'd definitely be in my top 10. (Jerry and Derek Trucks are 1 and 2, respectively, for me.)
Rolling Stone a joke
First of all, a "best" guitarist list that counts Angus Young, Johnny Ramone, and the Deep Purple guy as top 100 material and omits so many great blues and country guitarists is a joke. Here's just a few guitarists who have more talent in their little pinkies than those guys: Elizabeth Cotten, Skip James, Tony Rice, Michael Hedges, Stanley Jordan, Larry Campbell.
RS likes to think of themselves as arbiters of taste in the popular music world, but sadly the magazine has become another superficial by-product of a shallow and degraded popular culture. The fact that they throw in a few "serious" musicians and cite their panel of "top guitarists and other experts" doesn't compensate for the overall bias in favor of guys from the "wanking" school of music (as in, who can play his wanker, er, guitar, the fastest?).
From the Horse's Mouth Dept:
An interviewer once asked Hendrix what it felt like to be the worlds greatest guitar player. Jimi's reply was, "I don't know. You should go ask Rory Gallagher."
*edit
This was supposed to be a reply to Dr. Lunchbox. Why does threading only work sometimes?
*edit II
I listen to more Jerry than I do Jimi. Not that it's the reason why, but there is a lot more Jerry available. Just my preference. "Greatness" is in the eye (or should I say ear) of the beholder. Silly sheeple and their need for lists and polls and such to find validation for their own subjectivity. NEWS FLASH: You are the only you. Pretty silly to try to be somebody else.
Excellent post mp51. My
Excellent post mp51. My sentiments exactly as I read deadmikes post.Technical virtuosity is a lame criteria of an artists greatness. The world of classical music is full of fantastic virtuosos that are considered unimportant. Many seem to have no real understanding of what they are playing or why. Many others, with less skill, that can interpret and communicate great music memorably despite limited technique. (Ehh- for the record I rank Garcia's guitar virtuosity second to none- )
For me, Garcia just seemed to "feel" his playing more deeply than any other instrumentalist I've heard. So I rate him "#1, no one else even close" as an electric, acoustic, and pedal steel player. deadmike, I'm curious who you would rate higher as a pedal steel guitarist? I mean, on purely artistic terms, not in terms of a "technique competition"- who do you feel is a superior pedal steel artist? Not a fan of NRPS? How about the "Teach your Children" recording, made in only a few takes, so I've read. As for the banjo, I'll back off a little bit. Jerry's my favorite banjo player and I consider him the equal of any of the greats, including Earl Scruggs, Sonny Osborne, Don Reno. But again, I'm talking about feeling and artistry, not as a technician. I have a feeling Jerry would really be pissed off if anyone compared his banjo playing to Earl Scruggs, hehe.
I don't know if...
anyone mentioned: Jorma Kaokonen, David Hidalgo, Cesar Rosas, John McLaughlin, Robert Fripp, Jimmy Herring, Wes Montgomery just to name a few great players who may be off "the popular" wavelength. Or, Jerry Miller(Moby Grape-remember)or David Crosby, Stephen Stills. There are a lot of amzing people out there or who were out there at one time who don't get exposure because of the politics of music distribution. Another one just came to mind: remember Robin Trower? Leslie West. I know I'm dating myself but what the hey.
Who cares.......
......about polls? Makes not one bit of difference. We all have our own take on reality and that's the problem with lists of this nature......its one persons opinion. I'm sure Jerry didn't care. Regardless of that I completely agree with you Blair and beautifully spoken as well.
What always impressed me about the Dead was how each member was singularly talented and how they fit together as a whole. In my mind there was no better guitarist than Jerry, no better bass player than Phil, no better rhythm devils than Billy & Mickey, Bobby on rhythm, Brent was phenomenal, Pigpen of course! They were the best at what they did. All in one band with the ability to transport and bend one's reality in a most beautiful way. It was akin to the stars aligning for a magical moment in time or the spectacularness of a supernova. Count ourselves lucky that the Dead were not popular in the mainstream. Wouldn't have been the same and that's not what they were about anyway.
I always enjoyed picking out each instrument in the matrix of sound the band was laying down and being carried by that sound wherever it went and how it would weave in and around the other instruments at once both individual and collective.
And I have tried on numerous occasions to relay the experience of the Dead to someone who wasn't lucky enough to be there. Life is experiential and one had to be there. That's what I tell folks now.......smoke some cannabis, close your eyes and listen to the tapes. It was magic and you had to be there and I leave it at that.
Amen.
Not to pick on Rolling Stone.......in a culture of garbage its one of the better things out there. But the only thing its really good for is a bit of truth in their political articles and the occasional good profile of an interesting life. The rest is mostly pop culture fluff and trash.
Peace on......
Steve Howe
YES is not in the R&R Hall of Fame. Steve Howe not included in this poll. Jerry is lucky to have made it at all (though I think Jerry is the greatest ever).
Howe (sic) many years in a row was Howe Guitar Player magazine's Guitarist of the Year? Didn't they end up disqualifying him because he was too automatic a winner?
Poo.
Criteria?
There seems to be a complete lack of uniform criteria. Judging by some of the names on the list, it appears that writing 6 - 8 rock tunes with cool guitar riffs makes one a great guitarist. It's a completely flawed list. Creating a few catchy guitar riffs does not a great guitar player make. Sorry.
Did Derek Trucks or Warren Haynes even make the list at all?
Derek and Warren
Derek was near the top of the list while Warren wasn't on it at all. He can play circles around lots of the folks listed. He probably had points against him because he plays with jam bands. Damn for me he is right up there. He works at it and has more soul and technique than lots of these guys. While I am at it, where is Jimmy Herring on the list?
Steely Dan guitarists
How about Walter Becker, check out Don't Take Me Alive and Black Friday, Denny Dias who played an amazing sitar solo on Do It Again which was not only a great song but a hit single as well. and the amazing Larry Carlton. Also Terry Kath, Tommy Bolin, Danny Gatton,Scotty Moore.Adrian Belew Mick Ronson Joni Mitchell Malcom Young, Leo Nocentelli and the Great Bobby Ace Weir
You can't make a list like this
With blinders on. You can separate into different lists - best guitarist for rock, blues, country, metal, bluegrass, reggae, whatever, but to make one comprehensive list you can't have blinders on. And it is difficult and a lot of work to be an expert in every music genre ... so it seems impossible to do this comparison...
Drew...
Joni's on there (75), as are Ronson (41) and Scotty Moore (29). But I like the Adrian Belew pick!
Not sure about Becker--a lot of Steely Dan's best guitar work was by Jeff Baxter (also excellent). Gatton will always be a fringe pick. I don't think Terry Kath is in the elite league (tragic death, again, notwithstanding). Seems like none of the jazz/fusion types made it--Carlton, Ritenour, Metheny (who should be on there in my opinion), etc.
True The diss was pissed and missed the point
This List is about POPULARITY and not chopsSome obvious missing
#1 Frank Marino
#2 Bob Weir (As mentioned above)
#3 Steve Vai
#4 David Bromberg
#5 Michael Hedges
#6 Warren Haynes
#7 Steve Hunter
#8 Steve Hackett
#9 Steve Howe
#10 Jimmy Vaughan
I think you also get points against
If you've gotten stuck with the "muli-instumentalist" tag. No David Lindley, no Larry Campbell, no Steve Winwood, and so on.
On the plus side, I'm just as happy that the likes of Peter Frampton, Alvin Lee, Rick Derringer, Ted Nugent, and Mark Farner didn't somehow sneak in the door.
I'm not unhappy to see Springsteen on the list, but if he's there, where's the best guitarist in HIS band, Nils Lofgren? Just looking for some consistency in the picks, but I guess that it's unrealistic to expect any kind of logic to apply to the results of a poll of any kind.
Maybe I'm not a "guitar guy" after all...by my quick count I've seen just 22 of the chosen ones in person. Of course, ain't none of us seen Robert Johnson, so it's amazing how highly regarded one can be as an instrumentalist based on a handful of scratchy lo-fi recordings....
Rory Gallagher
Yes, this time around Rory made it into the Rolling Stones top 100. Hopefully next time they'll move him up the ladder. He is my favorite guitarist. I did an interview with Robin Sylvester (Ratdog) about his time as Rory's studio sound man. You can read it on my blog.http://shadowplays.com/blog/?page_id=1898
Milo
this rolling stone gathers a lot of moss
I haven't bought a rolling stone since Jerry's death, with his death, it seems that the stone simply forgot where their roots are, Jerry and the band used to be on the cover of the stone all the time, now, nothing. To put 45 other guitarists before Jerry is an insult and a sure sign that all the old heads that wrote and helped shape the stone are gone. I met Mick Ronson in the eighties when he was playing with Ian Hunter and he had a unique sound, but a great guitar player, ok, but better than Jerry, come on. Also, the total lack of greats that didn't make the list is astonishing. What about Randy California, Spirit gunslinger and the master of the three min. and 50 sec song.
Perhaps if Randy had jumped on the record company bandwagon, he would be on the poll, but he just wanted to make music. I saw Randy in 95, right before his death, and they were playing for their dinner at a place called the Junkyard, a very small bar in Orlando. I had meet Randy several times in the past and I asked him then what was up with him and the band, he said "we will play for food, but mostly we play because we love it."
Jerry played because he loved it, and didn't give two shits about lists. There will never be another guitar player like Jerry in our lifetime or most likely not in the next, he will always be the best in my book with no one even close to second.
Jimi Hendrix, Original, but all flash and show
Jimi Page, the biggest ripoff ever, ripped off the opening riff for stairway to heaven from above mentioned Randy California.
Eric Clapton, saw him 10 times, each time too drunk to finish a song, well alone do improv.
I could go on, but you get my drift, no one did what Jerry did, he made it up as he went along and it was almost always excellent.
public opinion
Good article, of course if I really listened to public opinion I probably wouldn't have worn tie dye the last 33 years...just say'n...opinions and assholes, everyone's got one and everyone else's stinks.
AMEN Blair Jackson !!
Hey there Sir !
I couldn't agree more with all of your points, but I suppose we must consider that RS's aim is as left-of-center as some of us Deadheads. We really enjoy, examine and flourish in our passion for thinking people's musical choices. Admittedly, you're very correct, but more pop-oriented press may not ever grasp what 'we' love so dearly. As I read your blog, I thought to myself of Jerry's ability to;1-begin a song with that chunky, signature rhythm pattern, and then leave it to Weir; 2-his ability to slide effortlessly in/out of 'lead' position,3-how to say more, with less. What a man. It's always a pleasure to read and digest your writings; Cheers to you Blair !
Jon Dexter
The list
Rolling Stone's list is the most hideous assault ever made on the tenets of rational discourse.
Okay, maybe not. But putting Johnny Ramone and Angus Young ahead of Jerome Garcia qualifies.
Another affront: putting Slash ahead of anybody, much less ahead of Joni Mitchell and Richard Thompson.
Christ, Phil plays a better lead guitar than Slash.
Now, if they listed the top 100 slide guitarists, I bet Weir would be near the top.
: /
Really, really well said,
Really, really well said, Blair. Garcia's incendiary and all encompassing style is infectious. He simply has no equal. And those pandering idiots at Rolling Stone (most of whom have less musical knowledge than you or I) can piss off. There was only one Babe Ruth of guitar, and his name was Jerry.
taste and style
I regard Garcia as a musical stylist. We saw each night that his intentions were about mood and a song's proprietary qualities rather than technical guitar agility (ya think?).
Who gives a shit about how his playing stacked up by spandex, fringe-leather, afro, jew-fro, or sirrichardthompson standards? Tragic brilliance and passion, and maybe their own ENORMOUS GRATITUDE, those are the only things that Rolling Stone should talk about in reference to Jerry.
Rock and Roll
I wish the Grateful Dead was not in that sham of a so called R&R HOF. We are better off without stupid people telling us where we rank. Alex Lifeson in the high 90's!?!?, Most guys on that list couldn't hold his jock. Lifeson is top ten just like Jer, nuff said.
"Nothing to tell now let the words be yours I am done with mine"
Wrong on Page
Led Heads don't give a shit about stairway much less LZ IV, listen to Achilles Last Stand and tell me the guy is full of shit. I could go on and on.
nafoster1...
good one about slash!
i remember hearing a story about how slash played at a bb king tribute (at the pyramid in memphis). he refused to go on stage unless he could 'jam' with bb. some of the guys backstage asked him if he's sure he wanted to do that. those backstage were the likes of steve cropper and other memphis type guys. slash insisted. well, by the time he walked off stage, they said he looked like a puppy with his tail between his legs!!! and yes, the entire guitar crowd backstage was rolling with laughter...!
Pop guitarists
What can one expect from the Rolling Stone? The list is the 100 POP guitarists of all time. So they got it wrong. Jerry should ranked at 100.
who's best???
that's why i love these discussions (thanks blair). it's so personal. as for page and lifeson, they don't really do it for me. i was never into zep, but lord knows i've heard plenty. (zep to me is jon bonham and thats all) as for rush, i like them more, but my interest ended after farewell to kings. some earlier post said the 'deep purple guy' sucked. see, there you go, i LOVE ritchie blackmore! he'd be on my personal top 10 (if we stayed with rock) i still put that classic mach IV deep purple on (but live over studio, where have we heard that before???). i would venture to say that very few deadheads would agree with me here, but thats cool. but what about the other genre's? pat metheny, sure, what about joe pass? herb ellis and the other great guitars...barney kessell and charlie byrd? (one of the coolest guitar shows i ever saw was the great guitars. 3 guys on stage, no one else, all instrumentals, trading licks. so cool!!! i'll never forget their version of the flintstones!!!) i know fahey made it, but like others have said, where's kottke? i love norman blake over tony rice. huge bromberg fan. just saw him with jorma. personally, i like david's guitar playing more. john hurt, doc watson... gosh, it just doesn't end, does it???
but i still know who MY #1 is... JER !!!
Sorry I dissed Ritchie Blackmore
I just think "Smoke on the Water" is over-rated and overplayed. I don't know much of his other stuff.
However, I've heard enough AC/DC and Guns n' Roses to know that neither Slash nor Angus belongs on this list. I mean, has anyone ever seen Slash actually play the guitar? My theory is they have a cassette player up there with a pre-recorded solo and it's some roadie's job to know when to hit 'play.' That's how authentic his solos sound.
I get that they think they're emphasizing players (in general) who did something original with the guitar (again, how does Slash fit this criteria?), but there is a difference between entertainment and deliberate, nuanced creative expression.
I guess that's why Jerry gets the snub. Somewhere Jerry said (I paraphrase loosely) that he had to remind himself sometimes that the guitar isn't the end, it's just the means for the music, that the music is the important thing. He was by all accounts a witty, analytical, and thoughtful person, and obviously a creative genius, and (sadly for us) that doesn't have the cache that a schoolboy outfit/phalllic guitar thrashing combo does in popular culture.
jerry's the rodney dangefield of "best guitarists" polls...
He just can’t get no respect…
i hate the rolling stone polls - from best bands, to songwriters, to songs, to individual musicians, as they're all a typical rundown of the usual suspects that everyone brings into the argument, especially about "classic rock." The top ones are guaranteed to be a mix of Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, maybe even Keith Richards, and Duane Allman is always in there, and highly praised for his improvisational skills. For example, I believe Duane was number two in the 2003 poll and while Jerry was # 13, if i recall correctly, they had Kurt Cobain as #12. i am of the nirvana generation and i am a huge fan of their music, but to list Kurt Cobain as a better guitarist then Jerry is a joke. That being said, the magazine still treats Jerry, and the band, with more respect then any "classic rock" radio station here in New York does.
I had “who’s the best guitarist to you” conversation with friends over drinks at a bar just a few weeks ago, and what drives me nuts is how some people seem shocked that you would want to include Jerry Garcia in this conversation at all. I make all the same arguments as you Blair, and apparently as many other readers of this blog make – that he’s a master, or at least quite adept at multiple styles of music - from rock to folk to blues and jazz and bluegrass and traditionals - and he’s a master of improvisation in all of those styles, and also while not a master, then at the very least quite adept at the banjo and steel pedal guitar. I also argue that the fact that Jerry’s magic was not contained to a studio with chances for multiple takes and overdubs, but that his magic and true talents were exhibited while performing live onstage in front of an audience especially when improvising, is the final selling point for me as Jerry being the best. It also can’t be ignored that Jerry’s improvisation wasn’t the “type 1 jamming,” where the guitarist “rocks out” on an extended solo, which he could do (see “sugar magnolia,” maybe a “deal”), but more that he thrived in the “type 2 jamming,” or the total group improvisation of say “bird song,” or “dark star,” which requires listening and reacting to what the others are doing, you know active participation in taking the song and extending it to be the music of the moment. He’s not just playing a song that was perfected in a studio which was meant to create a mood, he’s playing these “same old songs” in a way that reflects the mood. To some people that just means nothing though, responding with dismissive statements as “it’s just too different, it doesn’t compare.”
To those who argue that he’s not as good as Jimi or Eric Clapton, I’d say I believe there are countless Dead shows from ’67-’70 that show he is just as good, if not better then Hendrix, and anything Clapton was doing with Cream at the time.
I also think Jerry’s as note perfect as a guitarist can get, especially through the first twelve years. I’ve heard few guitarists that walk up and down the fret board with as much ease as Jerry does, and I love that in the videos he rarely looks down at his guitar while playing but seems to prefer to watch the band as they’re playing. Tell the people at RS and classic rock stations to check out “the eleven,” or any of the ’73-’74 “eyes of the worlds,” and “WRS,” maybe a “Cumberland Blues” from ’72, possibly a spring ’77 “morning dew.”
Anyway, I could go on, but I think I’ve kissed Jerry’s butt enough for one day – I swear, I’m just doing it to makes sure he gets representation in the argument. I don’t want jerry to be everyone favorite, or expect everyone to appreciate his music like I do, I just want people to not look at me like I have three heads when I throw his name in the hat of best ever.
Also, I think the “proof is in the pudding” for us deadheads in this argument, in that if you can put on the right shows for the right people you’ll be able to get many to at least understand where you’re coming from. However none of those people work at RS, or Clear-Channel owned classic rock radio stations.
Consensus Reality
Where would Jerry come if the question were about proven generosity to other musicians, and the guitarist's fan base/community? If the debate were not just about talent with the guitar, but with life itself? Fame nearly always accentuates mean-ness and creates spats and splits within groups, ego games. We never got anything of that with Jerry. Jerry use words like 'gestalt' with good intent, gestalt is where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. 'Consensus reality' was the name of production company for some of his music. Consensus reality is something that leaves a good taste behind it.......
grate comments
This conversation is recalling many great players whom I haven't thought about in a long time-I've got to do some more listening as time permits. I agree with many others here that any evaluation of Jerry requires the consideration of many facets of playing. Regardless of who evaluates-there seems always to be emphasis on the popular reference point-who sold more records, who got the most radio play, who had the one catchiest riff, who was politically correct for the mainstream media, who is now "cool", etc. The Dead and Jerry were ignored, dissed , barely tolerated for years. They were dismissed as burned-out hippies playing to incoherent stoners for the longest time. Of course, this cultural ignorance and prejudice has its toll and most will think of only the usuals in any poll-unfortunately this feeds on itself-polls begat polls, if you know what I mean. I'm sure Jerry is laughing down on all of this. I will always proclaim my strong preference for Jerry and the Dead-those who will be receptive to having their eyes opened will open their eyes-those who won't-won't. Its as simple as that. Twas ever thus.
each one finger on a string
yes, some great comments; jerry will indeed be chuckling and pretty pleased i think. he wanted to convey emotion and to strive for lyricism and inspiration, not court popularity or acceptance.however much i adore the Dead, i can't see Jerry in the number one position (that would've been frightening if that had hit the news stands!!!); would've required a major dosage of all the critics. actually, good idea......
but there is never any criteria given for these polls; is it for originality? changing the course of popular music in the widest possible sense? technical ability?
each rule would provide a different list.
if it was originality, then most of the people on the list would disappear; if technical ability, then we would have got a terribly bland list of incredible dexterity but in large parts, devoid of music that would touch you on a deeper level. and how about the ability to frame a song? while i'm not a fan of Springsteen, his guitar is what he hangs his lyrics on, his vehicle, so why not? he deserves his place. Dylan too and Nick Drake. (it's the same argument given as to why Ringo Starr is repeatedly left off any drumming polls; true, he was terrible at fills, couldn't even do them, nothing flashy, no complexity, but boy oh boy...can you imagine The Beatles without him? it was because you never gave a thought to the drums that made him so perfect. it was to fuel the tune. absolutely perfect).
safe to say, i think most of us could've guessed who would be there; (although looking back at the 2003 poll, they were some heartening inclusions, completely missing from this time around though - Greg Ginn, Kevin Shields, Bert Jansch, Leigh Stephens, D. Boon, Zoot Horn Rollo etc.).
personally i'm disappointed that Zoot Horn Rollo (Captain Beefheart) isn't there. also, Davy Graham is a shocking omission, Robbie Basho, Sonny Sharrock (good call whoever mentioned that earlier), John Martyn...
knowing that the Dead encompassed all the best that music can provide. an unbelievable listening experience that incorporated sweet country, greasy blues, jazz-like dexterity, swing, willful and glorious abstraction, rippling psychedelia and bluegrass harmony, i would offer these guitarists for people to check out.
Grant Green (he really should've been there; those Blue Note albums are beautiful), Davy Graham (astonishing folk, blues and Indian raga excursions), Snakefinger (art-pop player for The Residents), Marc Ribot (again, another no-show; one listen to the Tom Waits albums "Swordfishtrombone" and "Rain Dogs" will make a fan for life as well as his playing with John Zorn and many others), Tisziji Muñoz (incredible acid-free-jazz-fire music!), Fred Frith (avant garde experimenter, composer and collaborator with many artists), Larry Lalonde (from Primus. always overlooked; humble, self deprecating, with an amazing approach to texture - huge Jerry fan too), Haino Keiji (japanese acid folk/avant garde shaman), Derek Bailey (improvisor par excellence), Django Reinhardt, Clarence Gatemouth Brown, Son House, Steve Hillage (psychedelic shimmer from bands Gong & System 7), Buzz Osbourne (Melvins. always inventive), artists using the guitar as a sound source such as Oren Ambarchi, Rafael Toral and Christian Fennesz, Pete Cosey (check him out with Miles Davis), Lee Ranaldo (from Sonic Youth - always overlooked in favour of Thurston Moore, but Lee's playing is by far more interesting - another big Jerry fan too; check out his Creedence like runs on the albums "Washing Machine" & "A Thousand Leaves"), Taku Sugimoto (free improvisor and major player on the Japanese Onkyo scene - incorporates long passages of silence, almost sonic calligraphy), Michael Rother (from bands like Neu!, Cluster, Harmonia, Kraftwerk etc. - incredible texture), Michiro Kurihara (from Acid folk collective Ghost; i really can't recommend this band enough; his idol is John Cippoloina and his playing reflects that LSD soaked metallic spike. they incorporate traditional Japanese folk instruments with psychedelia, acid rock, and temple-like atmospheric improvisation) and......
all of the players in the infamous Wrecking Crew; they who graced so many recordings that changed the world and made us smile - Glen Campbell, Barney Kessel, Tommy Tedesco, Al Casey, Billy Strange, Howard Roberts, Jerry Cole and many more.
i think a lot of people here would find some of these guys interesting, if nothing else.
all have sonic links to what incorporated influences and the music of the Grateful Dead; exploratory, gentle picking, gutbucket blues, improvisation, abstraction, lithe swing, sweet lyricism, you name it.
but, as a lot of people have already pointed out, you too Blair; this is just another example of the bias, misinformation and clueless-ness towards the Grateful Dead. but hey, they're missing out (unless of course the Dead got trendy and hip in the future and then you can bet they'll be championing them and claiming kudos, desperate to make a profit off people they once ignored).
as you say, Phil won't make bass polls; Billy and Mickey drum polls; Keith and Brent keyboard polls (and neither would the sublime playing of Garth Hudson either).
but, they were some good ones on that list - Stephen Stills (incredibly underrated), Derek Trucks, Frank Zappa, Robert Fripp, Hubert Sumlin, Robert Johnson, Henry Vestine to name but a few. oh, and some guy called Jerry.
personally, i've never heard of him.....
I was wondering...
...when you were going to weigh in, Jonapi. Lots of good names on your list and many I need to check out. Among the ones that I, too, admire are Steve Hillage ("L" is my favorite), Grant Green (love my Blue Note "Retrospective"), Marc Ribot (not always my cup of tea, but he's done some amazing stuff), and, of course, Django, whom I really listen to a lot, and have for years--so many moods and such technique... Wrecking Crew guys are a bit tasteful and restrained for me, but all super-talented, obviously. (I interviewed Tommy Tedesco 30-plus years ago and found him a wonderful guy... And If you ever get a chance to see the "Wrecking Crew" movie made by his son and which has been making the rounds at festivals for a couple of years but still has no distributor, you won't be disappointed! Here's a little piece I wrote about it a few year back for Mix: http://mixonline.com/post/features/sfp-wrecking-crew/ )
lotus petals flowering
thanks for link Blair; would love to catch that movie! maybe it's bootleg time when we move to Japan next year; it'll be there somewhere!!
here's a couple of tasters to whet the appetite, from Davy Graham & Robbie Basho respectively -
Davy Graham -
Robbie Basho -
have good weekends everyone.
I forgot to mention, Jonapi....
Robbie Basho was also a favorite of mine. In the early '70s I went through a very serious phase of listening to a ton of Fahey ("The Great San Bernardino Birthday Party"!), Kottke (the armadillo album) and Basho, and, in fact, the first musician interview I ever did in what is now a pretty long career was with Basho for a big story in the long-gone Berkeley News in 1974 or '75. Went over to his house in Berkeley and spent a day with him. Smart, nice guy but was kind of depressed and very serious. Saw him play several times around town in during that era. Amazing guitarist and singer.
goin' up that road again
yeah!i always feel that Canned Heat are kinda ignored sometimes. the two volumes they recorded with John Lee Hooker are great.
and although i mentioned him in passing, John Cippolina is another beautiful player. and 'absolutely' to the person who mentioned David Lindley. Kaleidoscope are one of my favourite bands of all time. such taste. i hope there is a box set with a ton of extras lurking in the vaults sometime soon.
and two other mentions i forgot; Sir Richard Bishop (from Sun City Girls; now records a lot of Django-inspired solo acoustic works) and the unsung guitarists who performed on all those classic Ennio Morricone soundtracks.
ahhh, the beauty of music, eh? if it moved you, it was the BEST! no polls necessary.
as Jerry Garcia said: all music is psychedelic.
It takes time and effort to really hear the breadth of Jerry's genius. I suspect that many of the judges barely scratched the surface of the live Dead opus. You can't get a sense oF Jerry's genius from most of the studio recordings and you have to listen to dozens of live recordings, often poor quality, to grasp the breadth. It also takes a certain forgiveness that comes with such endless inventiveness. Many guitarists practice their solos to perfection. Jerry sometimes tried things that were a bit beyond his technique and even an amateur listener like myself can hear the occasional flubbed lick or run.
He rooted his solos to the lyrics and sang them on his guitar in ways reminiscent of Lester Young and Phil Woods. He was always lyrical and always tried to speak a personal truth through his playing.
But you can't isolate Jerry's playing from the rest of the band. The ensemble playing is an equal showcase to Jerry's brilliance. I happen to especially love the trio of Jerry, Phil and Bobby that was so prominent in the 70s. But every era has its qualities.