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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 2 responses by tfkaudio

tfkaudio
591 posts
 
If you look at another Rolling Stone list - the best albums of all time, you'll find all "Prog Rock" conspicuously absent. No King Crimson, Yes, Genesis, etc. It seems obvious that they don't like prog at Rolling Stone. Thus the Steve Howe ranking.

Cheers.
tfkaudio
591 posts
 
I would actually put Joni Mitchell higher on the list. A great guitar player. Maybe had she windmilled, leapt over the mike stand, and smashed it she might have finished ahead of Pete at #50. But alas she just played it.

As for #50... I've often said that Pete Townshend is nowhere near the technical master of the guitar that, say, Eric Clapton is - but anyone who'd rather listen to Clapton than Townshend is bonkers.

Maybe they need 2 lists - a skills list and an adrenaline list.

Yeah, let's have more lists.

Cheers
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