Underrated AND Overrated guitarists

No Chris, I agree with you. I think Clapton is indeed overrated. Did you guys saw The Rolling Stone Top 100 guitarplayers of all time? Take a look at it. You'll be suprised who is overrated and underrated. They had put Eddy van Halen on number 77 (!!!) and Curt Kobain en Jack White (yes, that dude of the White Stripes) nearly in the top 20!!

The list is a nightmare for every guitarplayer.

Greetz,

David

Wasn't Brad Delson from Linkin Park in there somewhere? :eek:

Bumping up the ol' chestnut again. :D

UNDERRATED:

-Robbie Krieger from The Doors (genius with a capital G. One of the most distinctive rock players of the sixties, who unfortunately doesn't receive enough recognition)
-Curtis Mayfield (one of the most surprising rhythm guitarists I've ever listened to)
-Albert King (not only could he play mean lead guitar, but he had an amazing singing voice)
-George Benson (he mainly capitalises on his strength as a singer-songwriter, but he could easily outshine the likes of Al Dimeola and John Scofield as a full-time lead guitarist)
-Robert Fripp (far ahead of his time in his manipulation of effects, and also quite a good soloist)
-John Petrucci (I know! I KNOW I said he has overrated last time, but I've had a turnaround! I've listened to "Images and Words" and "Metropolis part 2", and I think he's so much better than the likes of Michael Romeo and Steve Vai, it's ridiculous. I still prefer Queensryche to Dream Theatre, though! :p )

OVERRATED
-Pat Metheny (yawn!)
-Ted Nugent (Johnny Weismuller could dress in a fur toga and prance around like a loon; does that mean that he was a good guitarist?)
-Michael Angelo Batio (if I wanted to listen to a series of intricately arranged but utterly tuneless blipping noises, I'd listen to my mobile phone ringtone)
-Steve Vai (technically amazing, but compositionally, his musical muses are eclipsed by his ego)
-Dan Jacobs from Atreyu (if I tune down, pick three or four power chords, and strum them aggressively, can I have a signature model as well?)

Definatley Kirk Hammet, but for that matter all of Metallica. I like them, dont get me wrong but I seriously think they cant live up to the hype.
Kurt Cobain is another over rated one....but im not gonna get into that whole situation for fear of rivaling the king of long-winded posts himself.

Originally Posted by: jiujitsu_jesusBumping up the ol' chestnut again. :D
-John Petrucci (I know! I KNOW I said he has overrated last time, but I've had a turnaround! I've listened to "Images and Words" and "Metropolis part 2", and I think he's so much better than the likes of Michael Romeo and Steve Vai, it's ridiculous. I still prefer Queensryche to Dream Theatre, though! :p )
[/QUOTE]

It's ok. Petrucci is literally too good to be underrated.

OVERRATED
-Dan Jacobs from Atreyu (if I tune down, pick three or four power chords, and strum them aggressively, can I have a signature model as well?)

Dude, benji madden gets his own music man. With that theory, we should be playing diamond harps.

Originally Posted by: ericthecableguyIt's ok. Petrucci is literally too good to be underrated.

Naw, I think he's definitely underrated. Steve Vai gets all the kudos, but Petrucci owns Vai's butt in my opinion.

Know who I think is over rated? Keith Stupid Richards. He's cool and all but his guitar playing is nothing special.

Originally Posted by: acapella rapemeKnow who I think is over rated? Keith Stupid Richards. He's cool and all but his guitar playing is nothing special.

You're probably a little jaded to make that statement... Think back to the 70's when the Stones were just getting started....... Kieth Richards guitar playing was breakthrough. No one had mixed rock and blues like that aside from Jimi Hendrix who did it in a more psychadelic way... You have to see his playing through that time period... not the one we currently live in.

If you're going to view it through the eye of today you can even say that Jimi's playing isn't anything special... people cover it all the time... Black Sabbath is also nothing special... People have since advanced what they started.... View through the time period... and see what they were doing at the point... You can't compare it to the present time.

Originally Posted by: aschlemanYou're probably a little jaded to make that statement... Think back to the 70's when the Stones were just getting started....... Kieth Richards guitar playing was breakthrough. No one had mixed rock and blues like that aside from Jimi Hendrix who did it in a more psychadelic way... You have to see his playing through that time period... not the one we currently live in.

If you're going to view it through the eye of today you can even say that Jimi's playing isn't anything special... people cover it all the time... Black Sabbath is also nothing special... People have since advanced what they started.... View through the time period... and see what they were doing at the point... You can't compare it to the present time.

I agree with you about Keith Richards, but I disagree about the Jimi Hendrix Experience and Black Sabbath being nothing special by today's standards. I think both bands were far ahead of their time in the way they made music, and if they had released it today instead of forty years ago, it would still be regarded as "extraordinary". I mean, okay, you've got bands like Lamb of God who have pushed the boundaries of technical rhythm guitar, but I doubt even they could come up with a great riff-based song like "War Pigs" or "Hand of Doom". And there are guitarists like Tom Morello and Steve Vai who have done some extraordinary things with modulation effects, but "All Along the Watchtower" easily stands in line with their efforts. I think you can compare musicians from past eras with contemporary musicians - but only to a certain extent.

I agree. I was simply using those as examples of people comparing there music to todays... I still think Sabbath and Jimi would be held in the highest respect even today.

Originally Posted by: aschlemanI agree. I was simply using those as examples of people comparing there music to todays... I still think Sabbath and Jimi would be held in the highest respect even today.

Oh, sorry! Oops... :o

No worries. I was a little unclear in my statement.

Originally Posted by: jiujitsu_jesusNaw, I think he's definitely underrated. Steve Vai gets all the kudos, but Petrucci owns Vai's butt in my opinion.

Maybe not so much underrated, as under exposed.

Originally Posted by: jiujitsu_jesusNaw, I think he's definitely underrated. Steve Vai gets all the kudos, but Petrucci owns Vai's butt in my opinion.

Who the **** underrates John Petrucci? There is no one on EARTH who would say Petrucci is anything less than a phenomenally talented player.

I dunno about owning Vai, though...Petrucci's legato and tapping certainly aren't quite on par with Steve Vai's level. Also, I'd say Vai has the edge in sweeping as well.

Yeah, Eric hit it on the head, I meant under-exposed in the first place. Sorry for not being clearer... :o :o

How good do you guys think Eddie Van Halen is

Originally Posted by: mkrty05How good do you guys think Eddie Van Halen is

Not as good as George Lynch of Dokken, to compare him to someone from a competing band of that era.

I personally think Van Halen was a phenomenal band before Sammy Hagar. The best song they had with Hagar was "Up For Breakfast" and, honestly, that song would have sounded SO much better with Roth's voice. Personally, I don't think Eddie is overrated, though some here would disagree, I believe he gets the credit he deserves, take a good listen to "Atomic Punk" and tell me that's not a great guitarist, seriously.

Still, I mean, people like Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, and Ron Thal just blow Eddie out of the water in the same way SRV blew everyone before him out of the water in blues

Originally Posted by: jiujitsu_jesusYeah, Eric hit it on the head, I meant under-exposed in the first place. Sorry for not being clearer... :o :o

Buddy, there's no need to be embarassed. And there's definately nothing to be sorry for. Hakkunah Matata

Originally Posted by: jack7over=Ace F.KISS Even i play that good.
under=Zakk W. He contiues to WOW me. And his live
stuff! he's a well rounded player for sure.:cool:

Zakk Wylde is most DEFINITLY underrated...he is a complete legend

Originally Posted by: ~candi~Zakk Wylde is most DEFINITLY underrated...he is a complete legend

Here's the thing about Zakk Wylde: everyone recognizes his speed. But I think this thread has examined the weaknesses of Zakk Wylde's style, for instance his repetitive pentatonic licks, that really hamper listener response. Zakk's just too much of the same thing for me. His music is like paint by numbers. Lay down a single-note rhythm, add the same pentatonic shred you've done for years, say the word "****" a few thousand times and you're good to go. If anything, Wylde is widely overrated. Plenty of people would go around saying "Zakk Wylde is the greatest guitarist ever," but few people would say that about someone like Jerry Cantrel.