(08-27-2003) The Edge is #24 on Rolling Stone Guitar Great List - Rolling Stone *

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I would venture to say that for people who have only heard the White Stripes' radio singles.. they wouldn't really truly hear what fervent fans by the thousand have latched onto. "Fell in love with a girl" sucked to me, and "7NA" is closer to what they're about.. but still doesn't even touch on their core sound.
 
They should get a bass player. I heard Steve McDonald (Redd Kross) played bass on the entire "White Blood Cells" but they rejected it. I miss bass guitar.
 
MrBrau1 said:
They should get a bass player. I heard Steve McDonald (Redd Kross) played bass on the entire "White Blood Cells" but they rejected it. I miss bass guitar. And the hype surrounding them has sorta killed my interest recently. The hipsters in NYC could make me hate beer.
 
I think their lack of a bass player is pretty noble - it's a different approach - but at least they're doing things their own way. Still though, if you haven't heard "Elephant" yet, you're missing an incredible record.

Don't let hype get to you. I could care less about hype. When the British press gets humpty about a band, I usually will check them out - but coverage on CNN, MTV, SPIN and RollingStone doesn't really bother me enough to lose interest in a great band.

I hope you don't think I'm arguing with you, MrBrau.. I just would hate for you to miss out on a fantastic band. :)
 
womanfish said:
I've always hated Eddie Van Halen's guitar playing. Horrible in my opinion, so glad to see him at #70. And MBH, Satriani better than the Edge!?!? damn it man are you crazy. Remember this list is not about technical skills. If it were than Van Halen, Satriani, etc... would be very high on the list. The Edge is on there for his unique perspective on the instrument, and his totally unique playing style and use of musical atmosphere.

That said - Jack White!?!?!? Curt Cobain!?!?!?!? Hammet!?!?!?



Womanfish,
I understand your point about technicallity. Although that is true, the Edge has many simple riffs that are simply not nearly as impressive, challenging or influential as others.

Satriani and Via are "technical" guitarists and virtuosos that do not attach a mainstream audience. With that said, they are truly 2 of the greats in history...

As for your comment on Eddie Van Halen: with all due respect, that is simply ignorant. EVH was voted guitarist of the Century back in 1990, is consistently in the top 10 on these lists (Guitar Mag, Blender, Spin) and is constantly mentioned as an influence on many, many guitarists.

Just b/c you don't like something, does not make it bad. You could still recognize and acknowledge his greatness. (if someone doesn't like the Beatles or Zepplin, they are STILL great; same thing for Eddie VH--he transcended the instrument, whether you want to acknowledge it or not).
 
gherman said:
I like the White Stripes and their music but when you look who is on the list lower than Jack... its just not right.

Agreed! Jack is an amazing guitarist.. but I really believe RS put him high on the list so that maybe he'd agree to do a cover story soon. He deserves to be on that list, but not #17.
 
I've got to bitch again. WHY THE HELL IS SLASH NOT ON THE LIST?
I can understand why they left off Johnny Marr, Robert Smith, Bernard Sumner, and Porl Thompson, since Rolling Stone has never paid any attention to the guitar rock/alternative bands of Britain. However leaving Slash off is just a joke and RS has lost ALL credibility. The man deserves to be in the top ten, quite possibly in the top five.
Also I don't understand why the Edge ranks so high. I love him as much as the next U2 fan, but the guitarists I just mentioned are all better on a technical level.
However The Edge is still the greatest melodic guitarist of all time!
 
Skwege said:
I've got to bitch again. WHY THE HELL IS SLASH NOT ON THE LIST?
I can understand why they left off Johnny Marr, Robert Smith, Bernard Sumner, and Porl Thompson, since Rolling Stone has never paid any attention to the guitar rock/alternative bands of Britain.
time!

The Stones, Pink Floyd, AC/DC, and a lot of other bands on the list wave the Union Jack. I don't think it's a matter of Rolling Stone not paying attention to British rock/alternative bands, I think it's mainly that Rolling Stone sucks.
 
Keocmb said:


The Stones, Pink Floyd, AC/DC, and a lot of other bands on the list wave the Union Jack. I don't think it's a matter of Rolling Stone not paying attention to British rock/alternative bands, I think it's mainly that Rolling Stone sucks.


Those are all mainstream bands. Besides AC/DC isnt British, they're Australian.
I'm refering to real alternative bands like The Smiths, Echo & The Bunnymen, Joy Division, and The Cure. Those bands blow away The White Stripes any day.
 
Skwege said:



Those are all mainstream bands. Besides AC/DC isnt British, they're Australian.
I'm refering to real alternative bands like The Smiths, Echo & The Bunnymen, Joy Division, and The Cure. Those bands blow away The White Stripes any day.

Agree :yes:
 
Skwege said:



Those are all mainstream bands. Besides AC/DC isnt British, they're Australian.
I'm refering to real alternative bands like The Smiths, Echo & The Bunnymen, Joy Division, and The Cure. Those bands blow away The White Stripes any day.


Of course, comparing those bands with the White Stripes is apples and oranges - they make 2 completely different types of music. So I would have to disagree with you there. But again, sometimes it depends on how well versed you are about a band to accurately comment on them. Comparing British "moody" bands to The White Stripes is two different playing fields.

I love The Cure because of their amazing lyrics - and the Stripes have amazing lyrics too - but they both address their topics in very different ways - musically and lyrically.
 
Nice that the Edge is on list, but that list is meaningless.
It's a popularity poll. Has nothing to do with talent.
There are people on that list that don't belong there.
Some people on there deserve to be given a higher rating.
Rolling Stone sucks and has sucked since the late 70s.
 
Re: Lets be logical

MBH said:




Although we love U2 and the Edge, he is probably rated too high on the list. He is a hell of a guitarist but there are many on this list--and not on this list--that are better (Fruciante, Van Halen, Vai, Satriani, etc...) Whatever. I'm glad he received his recognition...


I love the rhcp, (seeing them live again on Sep 21 and frequent their board!) but john isn't as good as edge. Maybe purely in the technical sense but aesthetically no way can he touch edge. Edge is so under rated. What he can do with that guitar, it touches so many emotions in me i can't explain. And my "WHAT THE HELL?" for this list is kurt cobain. Nirvana gets so much recognition and i just do not get why they are so good. I think they are mediocre. And don't get me started on how much i hate dave grohl! :no: Jimmy page should be #2, edge #3. I think hendrix and page are so technically good that thats why they deserve those spots. But Edge is the best in the artistic sense, and my personal favorite. Pete townshend deserves to be MUCH higher.
 
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Skwege said:



Those are all mainstream bands. Besides AC/DC isnt British, they're Australian.
I'm refering to real alternative bands like The Smiths, Echo & The Bunnymen, Joy Division, and The Cure.

My mistake, apologies. I was just pointing out that there are bands from various places on the list, regardless of their popularity or genre.
 
1. Jimi Hendrix
2 Duane Allman of the Allman Brothers Band (Bullshit. No way in hell is he top 5.)
3 B.B. King
4 Eric Clapton
5 Robert Johnson
6 Chuck Berry
7 Stevie Ray Vaughan
8 Ry Cooder
9 Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin
10 Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones
11Kirk Hammett of Metallica (Bullshit. Shouldn't even be top 50. All cause he plays fast and makes semi-interesting riffs. A cool riff and finger speed does not a great guitarist make.)
12 Kurt Cobain of Nirvana (Bullshit. HIGHLY overrated. Should be on the low extreme of this list, if at all.)
13 Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead
14 Jeff Beck
15 Carlos Santana
16 Johnny Ramone of the Ramones (Bullshit. Power chords, power chords, power chords. I can play anything the Ramones put out and I'm not even very good.)
17 Jack White of the White Stripes (Bullshit. See above comment about Johnny Ramone.)
18 John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers (Semi-bullshit. Definitely deserves to be on this list, but not Top 50.)
19 Richard Thompson
20 James Burton
21 George Harrison
22 Mike Bloomfield
23 Warren Haynes
24 The Edge of U2 (Definitely NOT bullshit. I'm not even sure he should be this high, actually, and please don't kill me. :reject: )
25 Freddy King
26 Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave
27 Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits (Bullshit. Top 10, or at the very least, Top 20.)
28 Stephen Stills
29 Ron Asheton of the Stooges
30 Buddy Guy
31 Dick Dale
32 John Cipollina of Quicksilver Messenger Service
33 & 34 Lee Ranaldo, Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth
35 John Fahey
36 Steve Cropper of Booker T. and the MG's
37 Bod Diddley
38 Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac
39 Brian May of Queen (Bullshit. Top 25 material.)
40 John Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival
41 Clarence White of the Byrds
42 Robert Fripp of King Crimson
43 Eddie Hazel of Funkadelic
44 Scotty Moore
45 Frank Zappa
46 Les Paul
47 T-Bone Walker
48 Joe Perry of Aerosmith
49 John McLaughlin
50 Pete Townshend (Absolute total HORSESHIT. Top 5 at the VERY least!)
51 Paul Kossoff of Free
52 Lou Reed
53 Mickey Baker
54 Jorma Kaukonen of Jefferson Airplane
55 Ritchie Blackmore of Deep Purple
56 Tom Verlaine of Television
57 Roy Buchanan
58 Dickey Betts
59 & 60 Jonny Greenwood, Ed O'Brien of Radiohead
61 Ike Turner
62 Zoot Horn Rollo of the Magic Band
63 Danny Gatton
64 Mick Ronson
65 Hubert Sumlin
66 Vernon Reid of Living Colour
67 Link Wray
68 Jerry Miller of Moby Grape
69 Steve Howe of Yes
70 Eddie Van Halen
71 Lightnin' Hopkins
72 Joni Mitchell
73 Trey Anastasio of Phish
74 Johnny Winter
75 Adam Jones of Tool
76 Ali Farka Toure
77 Henry Vestine of Canned Heat
78 Robbie Robertson of the Band
79 Cliff Gallup of the Blue Caps (1997)
80 Robert Quine of the Voidoids
81 Derek Trucks
82 David Gilmour of Pink Floyd (Absolute motherfucking BULLSHIT!!!!!! This pisses me off more than anything on this god damned list!! Gilmour should be Top 5, if not #1!!! :mad: :madspit: :scream: :angry: :rant: :banghead: :yell: )
83 Neil Young
84 Eddie Cochran
85 Randy Rhoads
86 Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath
87 Joan Jett
88 Dave Davies of the Kinks
89 D. Boon of the Minutemen
90 Glen Buxton of Alice Cooper
91 Robby Krieger of the Doors
92 & 93 Fred "Sonic" Smith, Wayne Kramer of the MC5
94 Bert Jansch
95 Kevin Shields of My Bloody Valentine
96 Angus Young of AC/DC
97 Robert Randolph
98 Leigh Stephens of Blue Cheer
99 Greg Ginn of Black Flag
100 Kim Thayil of Soundgarden
 
theblazer said:
Wow, that list sure is a joke. Who the **** cares what RS thinks? It's hard to rate guitarists because of their different styles, but putting Cobain, Jack White, Keith Richards, Frusciante, Hammett, etc. above the Edge is complete stupidity. Haha..needed a good laugh today. Why do people like to trash on anything U2?
:up:
 
DaveC said:
1. Jimi Hendrix
2 Duane Allman of the Allman Brothers Band (Bullshit. No way in hell is he top 5.)
3 B.B. King
4 Eric Clapton
5 Robert Johnson
6 Chuck Berry
7 Stevie Ray Vaughan
8 Ry Cooder
9 Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin
10 Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones
11Kirk Hammett of Metallica (Bullshit. Shouldn't even be top 50. All cause he plays fast and makes semi-interesting riffs. A cool riff and finger speed does not a great guitarist make.)
12 Kurt Cobain of Nirvana (Bullshit. HIGHLY overrated. Should be on the low extreme of this list, if at all.)
13 Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead
14 Jeff Beck
15 Carlos Santana
16 Johnny Ramone of the Ramones (Bullshit. Power chords, power chords, power chords. I can play anything the Ramones put out and I'm not even very good.)
17 Jack White of the White Stripes (Bullshit. See above comment about Johnny Ramone.)
18 John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers (Semi-bullshit. Definitely deserves to be on this list, but not Top 50.)
19 Richard Thompson
20 James Burton
21 George Harrison
22 Mike Bloomfield
23 Warren Haynes
24 The Edge of U2 (Definitely NOT bullshit. I'm not even sure he should be this high, actually, and please don't kill me. :reject: )
25 Freddy King
26 Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave
27 Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits (Bullshit. Top 10, or at the very least, Top 20.)
28 Stephen Stills
29 Ron Asheton of the Stooges
30 Buddy Guy
31 Dick Dale
32 John Cipollina of Quicksilver Messenger Service
33 & 34 Lee Ranaldo, Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth
35 John Fahey
36 Steve Cropper of Booker T. and the MG's
37 Bod Diddley
38 Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac
39 Brian May of Queen (Bullshit. Top 25 material.)
40 John Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival
41 Clarence White of the Byrds
42 Robert Fripp of King Crimson
43 Eddie Hazel of Funkadelic
44 Scotty Moore
45 Frank Zappa
46 Les Paul
47 T-Bone Walker
48 Joe Perry of Aerosmith
49 John McLaughlin
50 Pete Townshend (Absolute total HORSESHIT. Top 5 at the VERY least!)
51 Paul Kossoff of Free
52 Lou Reed
53 Mickey Baker
54 Jorma Kaukonen of Jefferson Airplane
55 Ritchie Blackmore of Deep Purple
56 Tom Verlaine of Television
57 Roy Buchanan
58 Dickey Betts
59 & 60 Jonny Greenwood, Ed O'Brien of Radiohead
61 Ike Turner
62 Zoot Horn Rollo of the Magic Band
63 Danny Gatton
64 Mick Ronson
65 Hubert Sumlin
66 Vernon Reid of Living Colour
67 Link Wray
68 Jerry Miller of Moby Grape
69 Steve Howe of Yes
70 Eddie Van Halen
71 Lightnin' Hopkins
72 Joni Mitchell
73 Trey Anastasio of Phish
74 Johnny Winter
75 Adam Jones of Tool
76 Ali Farka Toure
77 Henry Vestine of Canned Heat
78 Robbie Robertson of the Band
79 Cliff Gallup of the Blue Caps (1997)
80 Robert Quine of the Voidoids
81 Derek Trucks
82 David Gilmour of Pink Floyd (Absolute motherfucking BULLSHIT!!!!!! This pisses me off more than anything on this god damned list!! Gilmour should be Top 5, if not #1!!! :mad: :madspit: :scream: :angry: :rant: :banghead: :yell: )
83 Neil Young
84 Eddie Cochran
85 Randy Rhoads
86 Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath
87 Joan Jett
88 Dave Davies of the Kinks
89 D. Boon of the Minutemen
90 Glen Buxton of Alice Cooper
91 Robby Krieger of the Doors
92 & 93 Fred "Sonic" Smith, Wayne Kramer of the MC5
94 Bert Jansch
95 Kevin Shields of My Bloody Valentine
96 Angus Young of AC/DC
97 Robert Randolph
98 Leigh Stephens of Blue Cheer
99 Greg Ginn of Black Flag
100 Kim Thayil of Soundgarden



Yo Dave,
I've been in a shitty mood lately and became even more depressed after watching the MTV Awards tonight as I realized the sorry state of music.

However, after reading your post, I got a great laugh; it was hysterical!! LOL!
 
Bunbury said:


Dave Matthews??? Why would he be in any list?:no:


I don't care about Dave Matthews not being on this list, because this list is bullshit. I'm glad The Edge is getting recognized, and I feel he deserves #24. But I'm a pretty accomplished guitar player, and Dave Matthews has some of the hardest guitar parts to play. You have to wonder how the fuck he thought some of them up. And to play them and sing at the same time is crazy. Think what you want about them, but his guitar work is really very good. Worthy of this list. Better than Jack White's power chords, which I could've learned in 7th grade.
 
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