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Rolling Stone top 100 Guitarists - Howe/Van Halen

OK, I just listened to The Yes Album for about the millionth time and I have one question; how on earth did the dudes at Rolling Stone put Steve Howe at number 69 on their list? I realize they tend to be a holier than thou (or smarter-than-thou) bunch, but come on. Didn't this guy win like every guitar award from musician magazines in the 70's? I was shocked as I read through the list and saw the names ahead of him. I just assumed he would be in the top 10 for unbelievable technical skill alone. The guy is simply amazing. I don't want to start a debate on some of the extremely questionable picks, especially in the top 10, but this guy is one of the all time greats.

To me it's like forgetting about Stan Musial because he played in St Louis instead of NY, LA or Chicago. Still one of the all time greats.

That brings me to the most amazing slight on that list: Eddie Van Halen at 70??? Didn't he basically invent speed metal? His tapping technic along with the rest of his unbelievable arsenal should put him in the top 10 if not the top 5, I mean come on. Because they didn't like Van Halen's pop/Rock they shun him down to 70?? I'm not a huge Van Halen fan but I think they had 2 great albums (Van Halen, 1984) and his playing on those alone should get him in the top 10.

I kept thinking that with the exceptions, IMO, of Jimmy Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn and Kirk Hammett no one else could play all the music of all the other guitarists as well as VH could. George Harrison, Keith Richards, Eric Clapton or The Edge getting through 'Eruption', 'Ain't Talkin' Bout Love' or 'Hot for Teacher'? I don't think so. I can't think of anything Van Halen couldn't play extremely well, both artistically and technically.

Most the "Greatest" lists are BS, but this instance seemed really egregious to me.
macdadtexas

Showing 6 responses by mapman

mapman's avatar
mapman
21,865 posts
 
I've seen Howe and Yes live 5 times or so.

Worth the price of admission every time just to watch Howe do his thing on guitar.
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,865 posts
 
Rolling Stone lists? Blah! Why should anyone care?

I've seen Yes many times. Howe is mesmerizing on guitar. You can put him in my top 10 list, though I must say there are so many to chose from, the top 10 is hard to pick.
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,865 posts
 
TFk,

Yes, RS has always had a clear and major anti progressive rock bias as does the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

This narrow mindedness in particular drives me crazy and is why I pay little attention to anything the mainstream media these days promotes. Its all about money and not artistic merit at all, just like much of modern American culture.

Very sad indeed!
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,865 posts
 
People play guitar to make noise that sounds good to themselves and hopefully other people.

Being flashy is just one way to possibly succeed in this goal.

"Top" in the RS sense is largely based on reputation and popularity I would guess. Popularity translates to influence as well.

There are many great and unique guitarists that are influential beyond their level of fame that would never make such a list. Steve Hackett is one of my enduring favs that is a good example.

Andrew Latimer of Camel is another treasure out there that relatively few people know or have ever heard.
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,865 posts
 
"I think people think he is the world's best guitar player simply because there has been 40 years of hype about him!"

Yes, hype/promotion is key!

#'s are required to objectively measure anything. Hype/promotion is the key to exposure and obtaining #'s.

The music industry has always understood this principle well.

Popularity assures some level of ability and influence on others usually but level of popularity does not correlate to level of quality. Artistic quality is a very subjective thing to measure as we all know. Still, there are many who are influential beyond their level of mass popularity. That usually is an indicator that something special may be going on there.

Clapton is good but certainly not better than many others to me.
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,865 posts
 
Was listening to the live version of Close to the Edge on Keys to Ascension. hadn't heard it in a while. Awesome live recording and performance, totally off the charts! After listening to it Howe sits at #1 again for me as he often does when I am properly reminded.

While listening I'm thinking CTTE is the modern rock music equivalent of a Mahler symphony say.
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