Rain

Quiet Riot - Slick Black Cadillac

Randy Rhoads is the reason I started playing electric guitar and went on to study classical music. I was a big fan of EVH too, obviously. And I’ve always felt that George Lynch was the other side of that triangle - he has qualities that remind me of both (and he also happened to teach at Rhoads’ mother music school for a while). No disrespect to Jake E. Lee, whom I very much appreciate, but I think Lynch would have done a terrific job for Ozzy - just too bad they thought he didn’t have the look for the part. I’ve always liked Adrian Smith - nothing flashy about him but I dig his phrasing. I’ve always felt that he provides the emotional anchor to Maiden’s music - when his solo starts, the song just opens up on a whole other level. Vivian Campbell was another one I dug. I must mention James Hetfield - a tremendous influence on me. It’s often more exciting to hear him playing rhythm than it is to listen to someone shredding, to me anyway.

Signed, the country that gave us the greatest rock band ever. Seriously, though... What an amazing musician he was.

Kirk Hammett is the very first person I think of when I thing of awful vibrato and indecisive bends. He gives me tooth aches every time I hear him. Within the confines of the genre, he is one of the worse guitar players I can think of. James Hetfield is a much better lead guitarist (and he certainly is in my top 5 for rhythm guitar). Although that's not saying much. As a member of Metallica, Kirk was a hero of mine, and he seems like a really cool dude. But he sucks. He may an underrated rhythm guitar player though, seeing how he has to follow Hetfield. But even just within that top 50 - Hammett before Vernon Reid? James Burton? Brian May? Zappa? Frusciante? David Gilmour? Kamawn!!!! And where's Alex Lifeson?!

Guys - this lady says she's here to put an end to this thread...

Trey Parker and Matt Stone - Alabama Man (fake ad jingle)

I feel like I'm missing an important one with Alabama in the title, here... ?

Mick Taylor - Alabama

Tedeschi Trucks Band - Alabama

John Coltrane - Alabama

David Bowie - Alabama Song

Elvis Presley - There Ain't Nothing Like A Song

Stone Temple Pilots - Lounge Fly

Bill Conti - Gonna Fly Now

Lenny Kravitz - Fly Away

U2 - The Fly

Indeed, one of the first names that popped in my mind. I assumed (or not really) he had to be somewhere in there, though... And again, many of the cats listed are on my personal list of favorites because I come from that school. I just don't mistake them for "the greatest guitarists".

Whenever an entry starts with a justification like "he or she may no actually be a very good guitarist, but he or she creates interesting stuff", you know you're dealing with BS. But again, it's Rolling Stone. 250 relevant guitarists would already be better. Any list that has The Edge (whom I sincerely like and appreciate) but no Danny Gatton or Django (I only browsed through the top 50) is a joke.

Yeah, no. lol

Steve Miller Band - Fly Like an Eagle

The Beauty of Gemina - Victims of Love (Qui Tollis)

Front Line Assembly - Victim

Dare I? Yes, yes. I do. The Beatles - Revolution 9

Sisters of Mercy - Nine While Nine

Jimi Hendrix - If 6 Was 9