I always thought that Jeff Beck was the best guitar player out of the Yardbirds triad of Beck, Clapton and Page. Clapton can really play, but he became so pop and lazy that I can't even listen to him anymore. It's like pablum (baby food) Maybe the Cream gig will wake him up. Hendrix, Beck, it drops off fast after that.....Di Meola, McLaughlin, doing new age spanish style,,,arrgghhhh.

Pagey, Clapton, Beck.

sorry, the holy trinity of guitarists (according to me, formed back in 1979 or so):

Hendrix, Clapton, Allman

The highest apostles:

Beck, Page, Walsh

There are a bunch of other great players though...

'twas referring to the Yardbirds ranks specifically. Of course I was born 15 years too late, so any opinion I have when discussing the matter at hand with my much respected admired 'elders' is strictly moot!

I really hope they come to the states. They may have broken up 11 years before I was born, but I don't think a day has gone by since I've owned a car that I haven't had a Cream album in it.

Now I have 'Tales of Brave Ulyses' stuck in my head...

Hendrix is by far the most creative and accomplished of ANY guitarist....in a league all his own....

EC.....I just don't know... how to catagorize him...supream technican sure, creative genius?????

Duane Allman...yep....he was all that and more...

Ry Cooder....yep....deserves alot more credit....he stands up there with the very BEST of them...

Alvin Lee......Hehe....remember him?

Mick Taylor....sure made the Stones jump...

But lets mention guys whose sound (creativity) was more important than their technical ability...cause a Guitar is only one piece of an ensemble.

Keith Richards
Pete Townsend
Lennon/ McCartney
John Fogerty

Re: EC, I agree...I enjoy listening to, and admiring, EC's recent (past many years) work, and that's about it - I listen, enjoy, and admire. I seem to not *experience* it anymore. Not the same blood-rushing, moving, and passionate experience I had from his early work. Obviously not, it's different music. But I can take it on its own terms - maybe 'gentleman's' music now. (?)
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Not fair to bring out the Hendrix trump card. :) Personally, I'd set Hendrix aside on his own...separate category.
I watched a 3 hour PBS History of Rock 'n Roll presentation years back - 'wish I had taped it - wherein many musicians were interviewed. Peter Townsend recounted his first experience of Hendrix. He rec'd a call from a fellow Brit musician ('can't remember who now) inviting him to go watch/listen to a new guitarist in some dive. "You have *got* to see this guy." PT said they both sat there slack-jawed. He then said that he left secretly fearing his career was over, that he just knew he was finished and could never compete with Hendrix's experimentations. Says volumes, to me.
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Anyway, back on topic...yes, 'look forward to Cream re-uniting.
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ps Not done yet...(speaking of Hendrix) Stevie Ray Vaughn! ;)
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Good thread...brings back memories.
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"Alvin Lee......Hehe....remember him?"
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Yep. His quick recovery reminds me of J. Page's. Unreal, both.
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I agree.

Alvin Lee never did it for me. I was into what he did, but not to that level. The mention of Ry Cooder brings back memories of Mike Bloomfield. I saw him a year or two before he died...amazing.

For "sound stylists" I agree about Richards and Townsend, and put Page into that camp too. Peter Green is another one, and for that matter, Lindsey Buckingham and Andy Summers. You might not be able to exactly pin what it was, but Fleetwood Mac and The Police wouldn't have sounded the same with anyone else.

Ohhhh Well ......I know who Peter Green is....and then there was Ziggys guitarist...MIck Ronson.....

Here are my favorites. This is a mish mash of completely different styles, but still, these guys rule.

Randy Rhoads, Angus, George Lynch, Hendrix, SRV, Clapton, Page, Richards, Cliff Burton, Steve Harris, and Les Claypool. I know three of them are bassists, but anyone who can play fingerstyle bass as fast as those guys can stays on my list.

Wow! This thread is moving all over the place, rather neat that one's age really kind of dials in ones favorites. any other Pelicans here that remember Rory Gallagher ? If anyone does, I bet they are at least 40 or so. Douk

yep...54

How about Tommy Bolin? anyone remeber him?

As for the yardbirds, Beck was the best out of all of them, but I've never really "felt" anything from him..

Yes. Jeff Beck is probably the best guitarist of all time.

He is the only guy who can make his guitar talk. Listen to Blow by Blow...there are some sloppy moments on it, but he really knows how to make the notes "talk"

dont know if a non guitarist could understand what I mean by this...

I do.

Cause We've Ended As Lovers is a GREAT song, but his guitar is out of tune.. I like a lot of the stuff he did with the Faces and with Appice, but he just never touched me the way someone like SRV or Clapton does when he plays. It's kind of like listening to Steve Vai, he's incredible, but to me it's just too technical.

As for Page, he was smokin back in the 60's but as he got older, he just couldnt pull it off live. He did break his fingers a couple of times, but I think the heroin and the Crowley/Paganist influenced lifestyle did a number on him.

Clapton I have a ton of respect for. This is a man who went to Muddy Waters and basically asked him permission to play the blues. He also believed in the idea that you have to suffer for your art. It's pretty evident in his music just how much he has suffered. I've always loved 461 Ocean blvd. and Disraeli Gears the most.

I'd also have to note the following players as underappreciated

Steve Marriot
Peter Frampton
Mick Ronson

I saw Beck for the "There and Back" tour. It was with Mo Foster on Bass, Jan Hammer on keys, and SImon Phillips on drums. I had front row center seats. It is the only time I've wanted to throw my guitar in the trash after seeing someone play. He had *complete* control over his instrument. He would strike a note, have it start to feedback, then rotate his body 45 degrees and get a different feedback pitch. He did gymnastics with notes that the generation of tappers try to approximate but so miss the mark. He is an absolute magician.

oh, and wrt Clapton. He has had so many different careers, it is hard to pin him down. For instance I love the August album (87), but lots of people panned it for being too R&B. There is some great stuff on it..."Miss You" is an epic tune for instance. But it is more sublime stuff and not blazing guitar histrionics that was found on earlier stuff.

The work with Derek and the Dominos stands as the most gut-wrenching guitar work I have ever heard. Listen to the solos on "Have you Ever Loved a Woman". And listen to the vocals on "Anyday" or "Why Does Love got to be So Sad." And if you are lucky enough to have the vinyl version of D&tD live (not the remastsered CD which has a different night's version), listen to the solo on "Let it Rain". He is totally smacked out at the beginning and stumbles. But then he clicks in and it is some of the most magical guitar work I've ever heard from anybody. The way he starts down low and gradually works up the fretboard, moving in bursts, varying intensity and attack....egad.

Joe Pass? Stanley Jordan?

Cracks me up when people try to come up with "the best guitar player"

Any of those mentioned here qualify, all great players.

Saw Alvin Lee on the "ten years later tour".

SRV is probably my favorite, never saw him live.