[Christien]

I look at it in two ways, technical ability and expressive ability. I think Satriani would take it for technical ability - his chops always impress me, but like Chinese food I'm left wanting more, because there's little expressivity. Expressive ability would be tough to nail down. I don't think Clapton would get it, nor SRV. It would probably come from the blues world. The best musicians are well stocked in both, and use the technical to achieve greater heights of the expressive. Hendrix is definitely near the top here.

I think Slash might enter this territory in another 10 or 20 years. He hadamazing technical ability even as far back as Appetite, but not lacking in expressive ability as well. A few more years of life experience and performing, and I think so long as he doesn't drink himself to death he could find himself among the ranks of the true greats.