Jaimoe Posted August 24, 2003 Report Share Posted August 24, 2003 Some of the most powerful guitarists in music are minimalists to the core. It's not about virtuosity, it's about taste and style. Obviously Trey, Malmsteen, Eddie Van Halen, Di Meola and Zappa do not qualify. Here's some of my favourites: Nick Drake - listen to the album Pink Moon for evidence. Hell, buy the fucking album. If you don't think it's brilliant, I'll reimburse you. Pete Townshend - most of Pete's solos are minimalist, but the guitar solo on " I Can See For Miles " is one of his best, and consists of only two notes! Muddy Waters - especially on " Rollin' Stone " and " I Can't Be Satisfied " B.B. King - no one uses notes better than B.B., and he has the tone that I'd kill for. The Edge - listen to the earlier U2 songs like " Sunday Bloody Sunday ", " New Year's Day " and " Bullet The Blue Sky ". The sparse leads are powerful and imaginative. Keith Richards - all Stones songs Brian Jones Paul, John and George - all three played lead guitar on Beatles albums. I love John's heavy hollow-body lines - see " I Want You ( She's So Heavy ) " for evidence. Bo Diddley John Lee Hooker Phelps " Catfish " Collins - see James Brown's " Get Up ( I Feel Like Being A ) Sex Machine " and " Super Bad ". Hubert Sumlin - listen to his famous leads on Howlin' Wolf's " Spoonful " or " Killin' Floor ". Paul Simon - his subtle and melodic guitar playing is underrated. Neil Young - his solos on " Cinnamon Girl ", " Cortez The Killer " and " Down By The River " taught me how to play lead guitar. Chrissie Hynde - an underrated rhythm player who surrounds herself with flashy lead guitarist like ( the late ) James Honeyman-Scott and Robbie MacIntosh. Albert King - the least flashy Flying-V guitarist ever, but arguably the most influential. Paul Westerberg - his Telecaster sound with the Replacements was distinctive in the drab 1980's. Bruce Springsteen - I love when he plays lead, which is more than you'd think. Malcolm Young - the songwriter for AC/DC and chief riff-master. Jack White - I love the garage-blues of The White Stripes and I like Jack's economy of notes ( Ball & Biscuit excluded ). Adam Jones - I love Tool. The Pink Floyd of metal. Bob Weir - when he wants to play lead, he never wastes any notes. A fine rhythm player too. Lou Reed & Sterling Morrison - on all VU albums, but the starkness of their playing on the album White Light/White Heat really stands out. Joe Strummer & Mick Jones - The Clash was the greatest of all punk bands and Joe and Mick's simple yet creative guitaring continually impress me. See " Train In Vain ", " Police & Thieves ", " White Riot " etc... Paul Weller - The Jam briefly brought back power-pop in the early 80s. Gaz Coombs - Supergrass are one of my favourite power-pop band of the last 6 years. Gaz is a good restrained lead player. Black Francis ( Frank Black ) - " Here Comes Your Man " is one of the great " alternative " pop songs of the late 80s. I love Frank's Telecaster sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esau Posted August 24, 2003 Report Share Posted August 24, 2003 Lowell George Paul Barrere Fred Tackett oh yeah,I am listening to one guy right now actually : Luther Allison.(although he really rips it up during this show....) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaimoe Posted August 24, 2003 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2003 I thought of Lowell George, but I don't know about Paul Barrere. He lets his fingers fly quite a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esau Posted August 24, 2003 Report Share Posted August 24, 2003 Thats true, but when ya go with taste & style.... Paul Barrere has both,IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaimoe Posted August 24, 2003 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2003 I hear you Esau, but Paul's solos are not too economical. Have you heard of Luther Allison's son Bernard? He's a guy who wastes all kinds of notes. He could learn something from his father. Bernard has all the talent in the world, but is waaaay to flashy. I hate that type of player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esau Posted August 24, 2003 Report Share Posted August 24, 2003 Agreed, I caught Bernard at a blues show in Paris(FR) back in the fall of 97 and I was blown away at some of the playing,but it seemed he was more about the visualness of the show and trying to hit the amazing solo each time,he destroyed a Hound Dog Taylor tune,that hurt.The show was a tribute to his father with some french blues guys(I forget who).The covers of his fathers tunes were actually really good,but the destruction the the Taylor tune really freakin' hurt. Last time I saw Luther was at the Ottawa blues fest in 97, not long after he was gone,definatley a great player. Another guitar player I think that doesn't get to crazy but knows what he's doin' is R.L Burnside. Cheers~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shitidiot Posted August 24, 2003 Report Share Posted August 24, 2003 Then i have to say Syd Barrett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaimoe Posted August 24, 2003 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2003 For the most part, Roger McGuinn is a minimalist guitar genius. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaimoe Posted August 24, 2003 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2003 Rage Against The Machine and Audioslave member Tom Morello is a minimalist guitarist, but I hate his style and imagination. He's a good rhythm player, but I detest his creative approach to lead solos. He can shove his sound-effects solos up his pompous ass. On a more positive note, another great minimalist guitarist that I forgot to mention is Kurt Cobain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skelter Posted August 24, 2003 Report Share Posted August 24, 2003 John Frusciante - Chili's aren't what they were on BSSM, but he's still a great player ... doing exactly what he needs too with very little Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaimoe Posted August 24, 2003 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2003 Original Chili Pepper's guitarist, the late Hillel Slovak has to be mentioned , along-side current RHCP John Frusciante. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven_Space Posted August 24, 2003 Report Share Posted August 24, 2003 John Fahey Skip Spence Tom Rapp Those are real minimlaist guitarists. Check any of them out. All are amazing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kung Posted August 25, 2003 Report Share Posted August 25, 2003 Police and Thieves is a Junior Murvin song so add late Wailers era Murvin to the list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaimoe Posted August 25, 2003 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2003 I forgot R.L. Burnside. Same with butter-knifed lap-slide North Mississippi Delta polio surivivor and wheel-chair bound guitarist Cedell Davis. Agreed Kung, Murvin should be on the list. The Clash do an almost identical version of Murvin's " Police & Thieves ". I do love that Simonon's bass and Joe's guitar riff however. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave-O Posted August 25, 2003 Report Share Posted August 25, 2003 Andy Summers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaimoe Posted August 25, 2003 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2003 Where is my mind? Johnny Ramone! I forgot Andy Summers too. He does shred occasionally, but generally he laid down some great reggae-laced riffs for the Police. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mister slippery Posted August 25, 2003 Report Share Posted August 25, 2003 good call, dave-o, on Andy. i propose the addition of Robert Fripp to the list, for the solo on King Crimson's "starless" (from Red, not the Starless And Bible Blck collection, btw). now and again, he may wank a bit, but as a whole he falls right into the minimalist category. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSD25 Posted August 25, 2003 Report Share Posted August 25, 2003 I would also like to propose David Gilmour, as can be seen, he became more and more minimalist as time went on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradm Posted August 25, 2003 Report Share Posted August 25, 2003 I'm not sure how "minimalist" Bill Frisell would be considered, but he's certainly one of the most restrained and tasteful guitarists out there. Jimmy Vaughan is that way, too: he doesn't play much (especially when compared to his brother), but when he plays, it's golden. Would Ed Bickert be considered "minimalist"? He's a jazz player, so doesn't display a lot of flash, but even within jazz, he lays back and plays what's necessary (especially when he's a sideman, e.g., with Shirley Eikhard). Aloha, Brad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyRage Posted August 25, 2003 Report Share Posted August 25, 2003 The most tasteful guitarist around has just got to be Phillip Sayce. I mean, he never ever ever shreds at all and jsut plays what is neccesary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Not Bob Posted August 26, 2003 Report Share Posted August 26, 2003 For shame on all of you for not mentioning Steve Cropper. I think Jimmy "Chank" Nolen would qualify too. RnB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyRage Posted August 26, 2003 Report Share Posted August 26, 2003 Ok, for a more serious answer: JJ Cale is one of the most economical players of all time. His picking on the original version of Cocaine makes you just squirm with excitment. Such a nice light touch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blane Posted August 26, 2003 Report Share Posted August 26, 2003 bradm, I was thinking bill frisell through this whole thread. He certainly keeps it tasteful and generally understated. I'd add a few more: -peter buck from REM -ry cooder (at least on most of his stuff. check out the soundtrack from paris, texas) -mark ribot (note choice before anything else) -martin tielli from the rheostatics (brilliant guitarist who never shreds) ps. Ottawa folks should check out the rheos at the black sheep inn on sept. 4/5 or 5/6. I forget which. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Not Bob Posted August 26, 2003 Report Share Posted August 26, 2003 I can't believe I forgot Dave Brock from Hawkwind RnB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davey Boy 2.0 Posted August 26, 2003 Report Share Posted August 26, 2003 Giggles and Booche, Kingston, ON July 22, 1998 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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