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Is Malmsteen!

You know in hindsight

Chuck Berry
Jimi Hendrix
Eddie Van Halen
Yngwie J Malmsteen

Are the most influential guitarists in history.

YJM isn't widely regarded or even known by the mainstream, but he's pretty much the guy that took Eddie's crazy speed and tapping to all new heights, no?

It feels like Clapton should be on this list...but did he really innovate, or just play incredibly tastefully? (Honest question)

PsychoCid wrote: ↑Sun Feb 27, 2022 10:18 am You know in hindsight

Chuck Berry
Jimi Hendrix
Eddie Van Halen
Yngwie J Malmsteen

Are the most influential guitarists in history.

YJM isn't widely regarded or even known by the mainstream, but he's pretty much the guy that took Eddie's crazy speed and tapping to all new heights, no?

It feels like Clapton should be on this list...but did he really innovate, or just play incredibly tastefully? (Honest question)

If we're discounting people like Segovia, Django Reinhardt, Joe Pass, Larry Coryell, you know, guys who play in genres like that . . . then a list of most influential guitarist in the rock/blues genre should include at least these guys:

T-Bone Walker
BB
Hubert Sumlin
Scotty Moore
Chet Atkins
Jeff Beck
Clapton

Even if some of them don't have wide public recognition, the important thing is that other guitar players listened to them and intensely copied them. The influence and lasting impact of some of these guys is so deep that it passes through generations and many players today don't even know what it is they're copying because it's just there as part of the musical landscape we all inhabit. Like the sky, the mountains, and the oceans, it's just there.

Regarding Clapton specifically, he was basically the guy that let the world know what a Les Paul played through a cranked Marshall can do, which was monumental in it's impact. Eddie putting a PAF in Strat body and cranking his Plexi was an emulation of that.

And yes, Yngwie is awesome and massively influential. He's just wasn't fit for wide public consumption or recognition in the late 20th/early 21st centuries. Poor guy was born in the wrong place and time.

"influential" ? Nope. Blackmore was tapping a long time ago. Melodic speed is impressive.

Jeff Beck is a great call out. Appears we have a number of ways to define influential.

Y'all are thinking influential to other musicians. I'm thinking influential to mainstream music, and should have been more clear.

Chuck Berry changed the way mainstream rock sounded. As did Jimi. As did VH. As did YJM.

Clapton, Beck, and some of the older guys are pretty much unknown to most of the general public. They definitely influenced other artists but in no way fundamentally changed how the radio sounded.

mozz wrote: ↑Sun Feb 27, 2022 11:16 am "influential" ? Nope. Blackmore was tapping a long time ago. Melodic speed is impressive.

I'd bet like 1 person out of 10,000 have any idea who Blackmore is, hehehe.

But yeah context of "influential" mattered. Did he fundamentally change the way all of rock radio stations sounded?

Ok, Yngwie had a big impact. Huge. I read an article by Wolf Marshall many years ago about how he went to see a band called Steeler at a club. Yngwie was their guitarist, and literally overnight there was a new standard for chops. All of those superfast kids on Shrapnel Records in the 80s came from that moment. There was before Yngwie and after.

But he is not a household name because he could only be himself.

I would argue Jack Butler had a big impact too...him being Steve Vai. The guitar duel in Crossroads launched a lot of players.

But here is the key: songs. If people don't dig the songs, they listen once, and put away the album. The true biggies amazed you with the playing and the songs. That's how they stand the test of time.

Rollin Hand wrote: ↑Sun Feb 27, 2022 9:29 pm Ok, Yngwie had a big impact. Huge. I read an article by Wolf Marshall many years ago about how he went to see a band called Steeler at a club. Yngwie was their guitarist, and literally overnight there was a new standard for chops. All of those superfast kids on Shrapnel Records in the 80s came from that moment. There was before Yngwie and after.

But he is not a household name because he could only be himself.

I would argue Jack Butler had a big impact too...him being Steve Vai. The guitar duel in Crossroads launched a lot of players.

But here is the key: songs. If people don't dig the songs, they listen once, and put away the album. The true biggies amazed you with the playing and the songs. That's how they stand the test of time.

GREAT point. That character was pivotal.

You know who's an ultimate guitar god who didn't change the radio and melted into obscurity?

Vito effin Bratta.

Yngwie bored the crap out of me when I saw him a few years back on the Generation Axe tour. I couldn't wait for him to get his ass off the stage.

PsychoCid wrote: ↑Mon Feb 28, 2022 8:45 am

Rollin Hand wrote: ↑Sun Feb 27, 2022 9:29 pm Ok, Yngwie had a big impact. Huge. I read an article by Wolf Marshall many years ago about how he went to see a band called Steeler at a club. Yngwie was their guitarist, and literally overnight there was a new standard for chops. All of those superfast kids on Shrapnel Records in the 80s came from that moment. There was before Yngwie and after.

But he is not a household name because he could only be himself.

I would argue Jack Butler had a big impact too...him being Steve Vai. The guitar duel in Crossroads launched a lot of players.

But here is the key: songs. If people don't dig the songs, they listen once, and put away the album. The true biggies amazed you with the playing and the songs. That's how they stand the test of time.

GREAT point. That character was pivotal.

You know who's an ultimate guitar god who didn't change the radio and melted into obscurity?

Vito effin Bratta.

Yep. Michael Waegner says that George Lynch is in his all time top 3 guitarists....but Vito is in his top 2.

And the wild part: the Wait solo was one take, recorded while he was playing a guide track for the drummer. Apparently everyone's jaws were on the floor. And that solo is the one on the album.

Sinster wrote: ↑Mon Feb 28, 2022 2:22 pm Yngwie bored the crap out of me when I saw him a few years back on the Generation Axe tour. I couldn't wait for him to get his ass off the stage.

Lol.

Went to a show a number of years back... think Iron Maiden was the headliner

Zack Wylde played like a 10-15 minute solo (literally) that was soooo bad half the audience went to the restroom, myself included.

So, I can believe it.

Rollin Hand wrote: ↑Mon Feb 28, 2022 4:12 pm

PsychoCid wrote: ↑Mon Feb 28, 2022 8:45 am

Rollin Hand wrote: ↑Sun Feb 27, 2022 9:29 pm Ok, Yngwie had a big impact. Huge. I read an article by Wolf Marshall many years ago about how he went to see a band called Steeler at a club. Yngwie was their guitarist, and literally overnight there was a new standard for chops. All of those superfast kids on Shrapnel Records in the 80s came from that moment. There was before Yngwie and after.

But he is not a household name because he could only be himself.

I would argue Jack Butler had a big impact too...him being Steve Vai. The guitar duel in Crossroads launched a lot of players.

But here is the key: songs. If people don't dig the songs, they listen once, and put away the album. The true biggies amazed you with the playing and the songs. That's how they stand the test of time.

GREAT point. That character was pivotal.

You know who's an ultimate guitar god who didn't change the radio and melted into obscurity?

Vito effin Bratta.

Yep. Michael Waegner says that George Lynch is in his all time top 3 guitarists....but Vito is in his top 2.

And the wild part: the Wait solo was one take, recorded while he was playing a guide track for the drummer. Apparently everyone's jaws were on the floor. And that solo is the one on the album.

That's ridiculous.

I should really learn the second half of that solo.

Dunno whether he was using a 59 or a JB at that stage. That crisp clear tone I could even believe EMG, but I'm told those came later.

PsychoCid wrote: ↑Sun Feb 27, 2022 11:49 am Clapton, Beck, and some of the older guys are pretty much unknown to most of the general public. They definitely influenced other artists but in no way fundamentally changed how the radio sounded.

When these guys came on the scene in the 60s and early 70s, I was there and oh man did they change how the radio sounded. Prior to this the only "rock radio" was progressive AM stations and you heard them playing leftovers from the 50s that for the most part were songs formed with cowboy chords and clean amps or acoustic folk music of the early to mid 60s Like the Mama's and the Papa's. Then came these guys laying down brand new stuff never played before by anyone overdrive, feedback, delay, reverb these things hadn't been used before and these cats were the pioneers fashioning the blues influences of the generations before into modern day Rock and Roll. AM radio didn't know what to do but at the same time came this new FM radio and many of those stations came out swinging this new rock across the airways and radio was never the same.
That was my experience with rock, and it kept me gigging for nearly 40 years. I can dig what you're saying and for you and your generation I'm sure it changed how your radio sounded and I think that's awesome. I also think that it's an age demographic thing and what changed radio in my day is not the same as yours.

redman wrote: ↑Mon Feb 28, 2022 9:06 pm

PsychoCid wrote: ↑Sun Feb 27, 2022 11:49 am Clapton, Beck, and some of the older guys are pretty much unknown to most of the general public. They definitely influenced other artists but in no way fundamentally changed how the radio sounded.

When these guys came on the scene in the 60s and early 70s, I was there and oh man did they change how the radio sounded. Prior to this the only "rock radio" was progressive AM stations and you heard them playing leftovers from the 50s that for the most part were songs formed with cowboy chords and clean amps or acoustic folk music of the early to mid 60s Like the Mama's and the Papa's. Then came these guys laying down brand new stuff never played before by anyone overdrive, feedback, delay, reverb these things hadn't been used before and these cats were the pioneers fashioning the blues influences of the generations before into modern day Rock and Roll. AM radio didn't know what to do but at the same time came this new FM radio and many of those stations came out swinging this new rock across the airways and radio was never the same.
That was my experience with rock, and it kept me gigging for nearly 40 years. I can dig what you're saying and for you and your generation I'm sure it changed how your radio sounded and I think that's awesome. I also think that it's an age demographic thing and what changed radio in my day is not the same as yours.

That's awesome, thank you for sharing.

I love Americana, and nostalgia.

The dude plays fasts and accurate. But I don't find what he does interesting. It's hard to measure influence. I guess if I saw a lot of guitarists I admire citing him as an influence I'd agree.