Well everyone has given their take on the rockers and blues guys and I would give a ditto on most of the above, particularly the Dead and Allman Brothers prior to the untimely death of Dwayne of course. Saw them both before and the very first concert they did after his death. And so far as Country Rock who could forget Poco in their early incarnation. With Jim Messina, Ritchie Furay and Rusty Young on steel pedal they could rock the house down and electrify a crowd with the best of them and they could really harmonize, great group. Seatrain is another great concert group from that era (1968-1972, their albums unfortunately never translated as well as their live performances. But the greatest guitar assemblage (not band) I've EVER heard (I'm talking pure talent and the performance of a lifetime) is the "live" San Francisco concert of John McLaughlin, Al DiMeola and Paco DeLuca. The moon lined up with the stars on that night. Oh no I wasn't there but can hear it anytime because it is available on CD. The recording is as spectacular as the performance.
Greatest Guitar Band
I thought just before Christmas I'd get a good thread going. IMHO,the greatest guitar band was the Yardbirds, not because E Clapton,or J Beck, or J Page was in it but because Chris Deja, and Paul Samwell-Smith were great rhythm and bass guitarists that could rock and keep up with the above. Plus Jim McCarty the drummer could keep the group in line and fine harmonica work from Keith Relf(ok not the greatest vocalist, more of a finesse singer).They had it all, I cannot think of another band that had three great guitarists in the band at one time(J Beck, C Deja, P Samwell-Smith). In 1967, when J Beck and J Page were in the band togther as co-lead guitars, they were the lead in band for the rolling stones, they just blow them away,ok, that is not a fair comparison considering the rolling stones still cannot play their instruments very well. But in comparison to say Led Zepplin, LZ did not have a rhthym guitarist(except J Page would overdub that part on recordings). That made them sound not as well rounded live as far as guitar work is concerned. I am not saying LZ was a bad band on the contrary,they put on probably the best show ever, but I do not consider them a guitar band per se. Besides, J Page stole vitually from his former band anyway. Remember "How Many More Times" is a repackaged version of the YBs "Smokestack Lightning", a Howlin Wolf tune. YBs version is in my mind the best rock song ever. So what do you think????
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- 93 posts total
- 93 posts total