h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Yeah, I know everyone could say "what about ," but I think Jeff Beck really deserves a mention. Certainly always coming high on 'greatest guitarists ever!!!!!!!!1' type lists, and I seem to recall he topped one voted for solely by guitar legends.

I second and third and fourth this. Beck is a living marvel.

Jeff Beck indeed, and - at the risk of jumping on the bandwagon, what about Richie Blackmore?

Outstanding technically and musically, blistering guitar solos all over Deep Purple's catalog, but Machine Head comes naturally to mind: Lazy and Highway Star are great examples of the fluency of style. Capable of some really nice background work as well as the solos - contributed immensely to the overall structure of the songs. Amazing stage presence - nothing very flashy most of the time, but being a moody bugger by all accounts he could create fireworks. I was always struck by his presence and control of the entire stage. As for songs being emulated; how many kids HAVEN'T played Smoke On The Water when they were first learning rock guitar? That strikes me as something like the definition of an intellectual - someone who can hear the William Tell Overture and not think of the Lone Ranger.

I have to say that Brian May was an excellent exemplar, and that it was an excellent article!!!! Left me with a number of things to go listen to for the first time, and some to go pull out again after a long break. All this from a drummer who can't play a tuned instrument to save his life (if air guitar is going to be so unfairly excluded). I'm thinking I might have to think through the same sorts of criteria for drummers. Let's see - choked on vomit: couple there. Bizarre Gardening accident: Jeff Porcaro. Exploded on stage: must go check the web.

Well... the article was in CWW for 3 weeks and PR for 2 weeks, and in all that time no-one mentioned either Beck or Blackmore! Still, that's why Entries have conversations attached, I suppose