My Ten Favorite Guitar Players
I saw something yesterday on Mick Ronson, who I consider to be terminally under-appreciated, and I thought I’d share some of my favorite players and a highlight video to check out.
In no particular order:
Mick Ronson - David Bowie, Lou Reed, Mott the Hoople & produced “Jack & Diane” and Morrissey. There is no Ziggy Stardust as we know it without Mick. There’s no Transformer by Lou Reed without Mick. “Jean Genie” on the Old Grey Whistle Test
Steve Jones - Sex Pistols, Neurotic Outsiders. People think of punk as sloppy, but Steve is anything but. Here he is with Slash and Lita Ford at the Whisky in 2013.
Malcolm Young - AC/DC. Scott Ian of Anthrax, for Gretch Guitars, talking about Malcolm and playing his riffs.
Mike Campbell - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Fleetwood Mac. Doesn’t play a note that doesn’t demand to be played. The definition of tasteful. The guitar solo to “Runnin’ Down a Dream”
Billy Duffy - The Cult. Another guy who defines taste. So economical with his notes but he makes them all count. “Rain” in 2001.
Link Wray - the original. Had an instrumental, “Rumble”, banned for being obscene and inciting teenage riots. “Jack the Ripper” in the UK, 1996,
Johnny Marr - The Smiths, Modest Mouse. One of the few, non-hair metal guys, making the guitar cool in the 1980s. Here he is with The Killers at Glastonbury playing “This Charming Man”
Mick Taylor - The Rolling Stones. In my opinion, the best period of Stones, after Brian Jones, before Ron Wood. Sticky Finger, Exile on Main Street, Goat’s Head Soup. Here he is playing “Sway” with the Stones in Chicago in 2013.
Kevin Shields - My Bloody Valentine. Created new ways to play and made the guitar into a sonic tool to create audio landscapes. Here he is playing “Thorn” in 1988.
Brian Setzer - Stray Cats. What is there to say about this dude? “Stray Cat Strut” live in Montreaux in 1981.