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

Entry: Guitar Heroes - A3384317
Author: Danny B. [Musicians' Guild (U150368)] - U182633

Don't know whether anyone still hangs around here, but I'll give it a go...

What I'm looking to write is an Entry about what makes a guitar hero, not just a list of guitarists that people like.

So, if you can explain why your favourite guitarist should be classed as a hero, let me know!



Danny B.

To my way of thinking the guitar hero is mainly a rock phenomenon...

Obviously some talent with the guitar is a must, but more than that is the 'larger-then life' quailty.

Take Angus Young from AC-DC. He's a good guitar player, but his trademark schoolboy uniform elevates his status. Along with his crazy antics, rolling on the floor ect...

Also, only a true guitar hero could pull off playing a double-necked guitar without looking silly. Jimmy Page springs to mind. Plus a really audacious style of play - again Page playing with a violin bow as an example.

But equally, Pete Townsend's windmill style. Hendrix playing behind his head, with his teeth, setting the guitar alight...

Frank Zappa, while a great player, never really achieved any mainstream recognition as a guitar hero. The same can be said for Steve Vai or even Alex Lifeson of Rush. All great musicians, but for the most part they were content to let their playing speak for itself without the showmanship that creates the true 'guitar hero'.

I think the late 1960s and 70s were the hey-day for the guitar hero. I can think of dozens of people fitting the category from that time, but very few after... Perhaps it was a necessary ingrediant of the *huge* rock shows and stadium tours of the time?

I'll go think this over some and get back to you.


- Jimi X

Perfect - Thanks Jimi (hmm... the name is a bit of a giveaway really, isn't it )

I did wonder if the showmanship aspect would be the key. Does this mean that people like Eric Clapton aren't guitar heroes, just virtuosos, maybe..?

I think Jimi has a point.
Does you want peoples who are guitar heroes because the popular image of them is attached to a guitar or does you want peoples who are guitar heroes to guitar players and music aficionados?

I think Brian May counts on both.
So does Nancy Wilson.

"To my way of thinking the guitar hero is mainly a rock phenomenon..."

Oh, I don't know... Django and Burl Ives did pretty well in their times, as did Lonnie Donegan...

Both!

I think the Entry will easily divide itself into two (at least):

- 'Obvious' guitar heroes (Hendrix, Townshend, Page etc.)

- Guitarists guitar heroes

What I'd like to focus on is what makes them guitar heroes. In the first instance, it's probably the image, the gimmicks etc. In the second it's presumably something else. Is it simply because they're highly skilled players, or is there some other requirement? If there's more than one way of defining a guitar hero, great - it'll make the Entry longer and, hopefully, more interesting

Tell me more about Nancy Wilson - the name doesn't ring a bell

Lonnie Donnegan and Burl Ives..? Interesting choices - care to elaborate a little?

Hello again Marcus Miller who leaves me speechless so it's a bit difficult to explain his heroic qualities but I'm thinking about it

Elf

Hi, Elf

Marcus Miller is another name I'm not familiar with (I don't get out much, muscically speaking ) so let me know when you've had a think!

Another example if a guitar hero would have to be Carlos Santana, althuogh not really a mainstream rockstar he has been on the periphery for ages. Hie is hard to categorise. He has a style which is unique therefore hits high on innovation. He is an inspiration to many guitarists yet is modest in his approach. Iconic status for sure is what Carlos has.

Another icon is Brian May who of course isn't so much an axe man as he lovingly makes his own guitars

I've posted also on the 'other' thread...

I think the division between Guitarists Guitar heros, and Guitar heros makes sense (after reading Jimi X's comment).

Dave Gilmour, George Harrison, Frank Zappa, Paco de Lucia, Steve Howe, Stanley Jordan, Ty Tabor, BB King etc... would probably be a few of the guitarist's guitar heroes. This kind of guitar heroes will always exist.

Following this differentiation, I think, then, that the phenomenon of 'non-guitarist's' guitar heroes is probably restricted to a time in which one could actually hear guitars and solos on the mainstream radio. And that's mainly the 70's and 80's. Of course guitar music did not completely die, but who of the non-guitarist grungy-band-fans in the 90's would say Kim Thayil, Jim Martin, Nuno Bettencourt are guitar heroes?

HELL

My opinion, for it is that which you requested, is that any viable candidate for 'Guitar Hero' status must first have talent on the guitar. Antics may qualify one for an 'Entertainment Hero' status, or perhaps a 'Novelty Act' status; but not for 'Guitar Hero'.

As an example, Bill and Ted had all the right moves and energy, but who'd go to their concert (pre-Rufus)?

Popularity is another key element. I've known incredible guitarists who never wanted or got the break that would propel them into the public eye. Just too much life getting in the way. So, talent alone, is not enough either.

I wouldn't want to count out Blues guitar legends or classical guitarists as guitar heroes. Each genre has its stars, and rock does not have a lock on the title. Many classical guitarists, for example, can play rings around most rock guitarists (ever see Crossroads?). The style is different, but the hero status to their fans remains the same.

Finally, personality should be considered. I find it most unfortunate that a lot of 'popular' artists, athletes, and musicians are considered heroes, when they do not represent anything that we would want our children (current or potential) to emulate. Jerks should never be raised to the level of Hero, even if they achieve stardom. A hero is a person who, if emulated, would make the fan a better person too.

Perhaps that last is a little stringent, there are certainly war heroes who turned out to be morally bankrupt, I suppose. But, even within a theme, a certain amount of honour and humanity should be retained. I wouldn't want the 'Jack the Rippers' of the world to be raised to hero status, just because they were good at what they did.

Some interesting points there Fords

I think you're right about the combination of talent and showmanship - and nice to see someone sticking up for the classical players

But, surely, the whole 'sex, drugs and 'n' rock and roll' aspect of it is a critical part of the guitar hero? They may not be heroes in the Nelson Mandela/Gandhi mould, but that's why they're musicians, not statesmen

So, having said all that, is there anyone you feel fits the bill in terms of talent, popularity and personality?

And thanks for mentioning Bill and Ted - another source of quotes I can use to spice up the Entry

In reply to Hell, maybe you can make an argument for each generation having its own guitar heroes (people like Nuno Bettencourt in the 1990s, and maybe Dan Hawkins of the Darkness for the 2000s..?)

So that's at least 3 categories so far:

- 'Universal' guitar heroes (Hendrix, May etc.)
- 'Guitarists' guitar heroes (Gilmour, Harrison, BB King etc.)
- 'Generational' guitar heroes (Bettencourt, and maybe people like Django and Lonnie Donnegan)

Keep 'em coming - I think this could be a very interesting Entry

Just a quick note on Vai--he has about as much showmanship as one is to find...playing with his tongue, teeth, feet...unfortunately he's never gotten the status he so deserves...still one of my heros tho

oh...and cant forget satriani...and slash

there i've put in my 2 cents w/3 of my top 10 that were missed (i think you guys got most of the other ones!)

Keep Strummin'
-GuitarChik

There are other possible names that haven't been mentioned yet - the sort of people that come up in lists of 'Greatest guitarists of all time' and so forth. A few I can think of off the top of my head are:

- Johnny Marr
- The Edge
- Yngwie Malmsteen
- Eddie Van Halen
- Jeff Beck

Do these guys count? I'd say Van Halen might; Marr and the Edge aren't 'showy' enough (guitarists guitar heroes or generational guitar heroes, perhaps?). Malmsteen isn't widely known enough, but I don't really know anything about him, or much about Jeff Beck...

Any thoughts?

And if anyone has any theories about why you get guitar heroes, but not, say, drum heroes or keyboard heroes, then that might make an interesting aside.

Or maybe you do: Dave Grohl, Roger Taylor, Keith Moon, John Bonham, Mick Fleetwood - all possible drum heroes.

Elton John and Billy Joel..?

... Back to Marcus Miller - He is a bass player!!! Are we including bassists in this as well?

If you like! In the 'prototype' Entry (A3384317) I suggested a few psosibilities for 'bass heroes', so feel free to expand on why they should (or shouldn't) be counted

Thanks for giving MHO some thought, Danny Boy.

On the subject of 'sex, drugs and 'n' rock and roll', my thoughts are: Nah. It is 'AN' aspect of 'SOME' (maybe even most) guitar heroes, but certainly not a prerequisite. You wouldn't want to eliminate someone like Yo-Yo Ma, if his instrument was guitar, simply because he didn't debauch his way to the top.

Perhaps, as Deep Thought said, 'I think the problems is that you never really said what the question is'. An entry like this should probably have either parameters or a focus; not to tight a focus, I hope.

Guitarists, in the recording industry, were originally rythym musicians in large bands. As time went on, even some of those guitarists became well-known for their talent, but probably never did rise to the level of guitar hero.

There some that I would consider guitar heroes who never played Rock 'n' Roll, but perhaps American Blues or Country. While not my favorite genres perhaps, they require a virtuosity of their own.

Two you might want to consider from these categories are Robert Johnson and Dave Bromberg. You'd never think they were playing the same instrument as a Steve Vai, but every bit as incredible as talents.