srv vs jimi - cast your vote and discuss

[wagdog]

http://www.guitarworld.com/poll-greatest-guitarist-all-time-round-5-jimi-hendrix-vs-stevie-ray-vaughan

 

I begrudgingly voted for srv.

 

I suspect srv, without thought, would have voted for Hendrix.

 

I went with srv because he changed my guitar playing direction and his playing influences me still today. This is probably due to my age - although I loved Hendrix when I was a teenager, I was almost 5 when he passed.

[honeyiscool]

Jimi because as much as people try to convince me that he isn't, I still think that at some level, SRV is a bit of a second rate Jimi.

[Tone Deaf]

Jimi because as much as people try to convince me that he isn't, I still think that at some level, SRV is a bit of a second rate Jimi.

Somebody write it down, HIC and I just agreed on something

[RogerF]

In the summer of 1968 I purchased the Are You Experienced LP. I was teenager and had never heard anything that stunning electric guitar-wise before or since. I was fortunate to have seen SRV play live in concert and he was real, real good. But Jimi is still the big dog on the block.

[craigny]

Apples and oranges IMO. Well red apples and green apples at least. My personal vote goes to Stevie. But Jimi changed guitar forever.

[mistersully]

i won't vote.. but i'll say this

 

srv was definitely influenced by jimi in a huge way, but he was influenced by a lot of people... anyone that sees him as just a jimi clone is mistaken, and has obviously missed out on hearing a lot of his music

[tiltsta]

I have to go with Hendrix. He revolutionized the instrument when he came along. SRV was a great player, but his impact was much smaller, IMHO.

[vintage clubber]

love them both! Jimi was definately one of my earliest influences to even pick up a guitar and certainly SRV was an influence and an oasis of good music in a desert of bad '80's popular music...

[wagdog]

I almost didn't vote as well, it seems sort of ridiculous actually.

 

SRV was not a second rate Jimi, or a second rate anything for that matter. Mind you, I'm not emotionally tied to the idea, but it's simply not the case. If someone doesn't see that, that's fine, their loss.

 

SRV was the real deal. I saw him live, he changed things for a generation (or a few generations) of guitar players. Jimi changed things for many generations of guitar players for sure, and his influence was probably greater then SRV's - but for me personally, SRV is/was more influential.

 

And as I mentioned in the OP; SRV would have probably voted for Jimi. Actually I don't think there is any question about it.

[Folky_Grunge]

 

Jimi because as much as people try to convince me that he isn't, I still think that at some level, SRV is a bit of a second rate Jimi.

 

 

I agree with this. Jimi did stuff that was original and innovative. SRV, as much as I like some of his stuff, was basically rehashing stuff that others (Jimi, Clapton, Albert King, etc.) had already done; he was a good player, and he popularized some things, which does deserve some credit, but he wasn't very original. I don't see it as much of a comparison.

[Floyd Rosenbomb]

I like them both.

[jhamnett]

Jimi. No question.

[kayd_mon]

I didn't vote yet, but I would say Jimi because I really like his guitar playing and his vocals. Also, Axis Bold as Love ranks highly for me as far as albums go. SRV has no albums like that for me.

[DaveAronow]

There is not one SRV song that I would purposely go out of my way to listen to, and, in fact, I would change the channel on any station I am listening to if he comes on.

 

There is no Hendrix song that I would purposely go out of my way to listen to, but there are at least some Hendrix songs I wouldn't change the station on.

[sammyreynolds01]

People that call SRV a second rate Jimi haven't done very much listening. If anything he was a clone of Albert King.

[GAS Man]

I like SRV's tone better than Jimi's

 

I was more of a rabid fan of SRV's than I ever was of Jimi's, but I think Jimi's catalog has a bit more staying power than SRV's.

 

I can't call it right now.

[DaleH]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5ZsKdmCIVY&feature=related

[wagdog]

 

People that call SRV a second rate Jimi haven't done very much listening. If anything he was a clone of Albert King.

 

 

He introduced a LOT of people to Albert King. I know you didn't state this, but he made absolutely no excuses as to where he got his riffs.

[mdintx]

 

I agree with this. Jimi did stuff that was original and innovative. SRV, as much as I like some of his stuff, was basically rehashing stuff that others (Jimi, Clapton, Albert King, etc.) had already done; he was a good player, and he popularized some things, which does deserve some credit, but he wasn't very original. I don't see it as much of a comparison.

 

 

I suspect that Jimi picked up just as many influences along they way. They just weren't as popular relative to Jimi as Jimi is relative to SRV.

 

That said, Jimi takes the cake for me.

[nuke_diver]

And as I mentioned in the OP; SRV would have probably voted for Jimi. Actually I don't think there is any question about it.

 

No doubt

 

But I won't vote cause this is music not an election you can actually like everyone the same if you want

[STRANDMAN1]

Although I stand in awe of both I have to vote Jimmy. SRV was one of the great Blues men of all time. So was Hendrix. But it's important to place Hendrix in time and space when judging him. When I do that it becomes clear that Hendrix influence over not only SRV but almost every Rock musician that followed him puts him at the top of the heap.

[Bro Blue]

I would have to go with Jimi. Both were fantastic players, both owed a great deal to Albert King. Where SRV was more of a blues player, Jimi went past that and really explored what the guitar was capable of. If SRV had lived longer, he might have as well.

 

Both were great, both died too soon. Now all we can do is enjoy and speculate.

[BeanoBoy]

 

I would have to go with Jimi. Both were fantastic players, both owed a great deal to Albert King. Where SRV was more of a blues player, Jimi went past that and really explored what the guitar was capable of. If SRV had lived longer, he might have as well. Both were great, both died too soon. Now all we can do is enjoy and speculate.

 

 

I agree, both were great guitar players. Stevie stuck pretty much to Blues. Jimi invented his own thing which was way ahead of his time. Jimi was a great songwriter and explored the recording studio to a new level as well. Basically Jimi was a Rock icon. I love Stevie but as others have said, he would have wisely voted for Jimi.

[BuckshotJenkins]

I didn't read the reasons for the voters there that voted for Jimi, because I voted for him too. I grew up liking SRV and only knowing mostly the Greatest Hits of Jimi. The first 30 seconds of Jimi breaking out in Power to Love (with Buddy's "kick off" hits and yell) settles it for me. Beyond that first hit, :53 to 1:00 is my favorite. Incredible.

I did think that the lone SRV voter had a point though. In an "all things equal" I-VI-V jam, SRV would throw down, and I bet would get Jimi's respect. I read somewhere that Jimi liked the Reverend Willy G, so he'd probly dig SRV's tenacity and dedication in the moment.

Jimi, while his jam might not be transcendent, would simply have gone places that no one else would even think of. Some parts might not be on point, but it'd be Jimi.

Then again, a head to head or back to back performance would probly put both guys into business mode. Stevie would lock in and throw down the gauntlet. Jimi would smile, turn up the volume...make love to his amp...and win the war.

[Bucksstudent]

I agree with this. Jimi did stuff that was original and innovative. SRV, as much as I like some of his stuff, was basically rehashing stuff that others (Jimi, Clapton, Albert King, etc.) had already done; he was a good player, and he popularized some things, which does deserve some credit, but he wasn't very original. I don't see it as much of a comparison.

 

 

Oh yes.