Members blue2blue Posted January 18, 2010 Members Share Posted January 18, 2010 I think by now we've proved pretty conclusively that songwriting and proficiency on lead guitar are not mutually exclusive - though they're obviously not always necessary. I'd probably take a Young/Green/Robertson type songwriting guitarist over most solely lead guitarists (flash ones like Malmsteen or Vai or whatever) anyway, because they know the value of economy, being writers. They do what works for the song. Roger McGuinn - wrote some pretty good songs, great guitar player. Stephen Stills before about 1975, Mick Jones of The Clash, Lou Reed is pretty bitchin' when he's in the mood, George Harrison (and probably McCartney as well) and the mighty Curtis Mayfield are all excellent (if perhaps sometimes understated) at providing leads when required, and have written lots of great songs. John Martyn. Steve Marriott. Richard Thompson. Robert Johnson. M. Ward. All some of my favourite guitar players and songwriters. Ry Cooder was a good shout, although perhaps he was known as an interpreter primarily? I seem to remember him doing a lot of traditional stuff on the records of his I have, early 70s mainly. But I did really like a couple of his more recent ones. And as for Hendrix, well, man, he had it all. Classics both uptempo and down, fairly straight nestling against full-blown weirdness. Robert Johnson! How could we have missed him? A then little known artist, who was dead before most folks would have ever heard of him, but who would become an iconic symbol of rural blues. Great tunes and some great, innovative playing that it took the greater guitar community quite a while to absorb. Curtis Mayfield... another one I can't believe I didn't catch. At a time when a lot of guitar players were going in a straight line as fast as they could, Mayfield took a very different approach, going microscopic with the fatbacking rhythms of funk and helping to perfect the iconic funk guitar scratch that's all but synonymous with old school urban cool. I loved Curtis Mayfield. Strike that. I love Mayfield. I saw him at his last show, the day before the accident that would paralyze him. It was a great show and it was crushing to hear later two days later that he'd received life-threatening injuries in a stage accident on the east coast. But it was inspiring to see him continue to make music, even paralyzed from the neck down. A true inspiration. God rest him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Stackabones Posted January 19, 2010 Members Share Posted January 19, 2010 Robert Johnson ! I'm sure the blues guys have a list of chops & songs. Mayfield made me think of another RnB/soul player -- STEVE CROPPER! Did anyone mention Prince, yet? Also, Berlioz played guitar -- and he could definitely write though I'm not sure if he could solo over a 12-bar blues or shred. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Faust1587 Posted January 19, 2010 Members Share Posted January 19, 2010 On the hard rock/metal side Dave Mustaine has come up with some memorable leads and memorable riffs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members A Happy Crowd Posted January 19, 2010 Members Share Posted January 19, 2010 I don't think I've seen George Harrison mentioned here yet. I'd also add Robert Smith to the list. Even though they were primarily solo singer/songwriters, Nick Drake and Elliott Smith were both very proficient on guitar. And if we consider just music to count as songwriting, there's Johnny Marr. Morrissey may have written all the words, but Marr wrote all the music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Boydog Posted January 19, 2010 Members Share Posted January 19, 2010 Peter Green Lindsey Buckingham, maybe because I'm listening to some Mac lately. BB King Kim Simmons Steve Windwood ain't no body to be laughed at on lead or his writing abilities either.Albert KingKenny NealPeter FramptonJoe Walsh Mark Farner Grand Funk RailroadTed NuggentTaj MahalAlbert (the Ice man) Collinsjust to name a few Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members speierg Posted January 19, 2010 Members Share Posted January 19, 2010 Well, like anything else in life, it's not easy to be AWESOME at everything. I mean, MOST of your really gifted artists (not just music, but ANY type of art) are generally NOT so gifted in other areas (as an example, organization...a lot of really artistic people are a nigthmare when it comes to organization). Obviously there are exceptions to any rule, but on the whole, being super-gifted in one area usually leaves a deficiency somewhere else. So, perhaps song writing and amazing guitar technical proficiency are skills that require different gift sets. Both can be developed and honed, but it's rare that someone is AMAZING at both. And when you do find one of those exceptions, well, WOW. Mark Knopfler is my favorite example so far. He has written some amazing songs and is also a fabulous guitar player...truly one of the best from a technique standpoint. Others have been mentioned: Jimi Hendrix, Ry Cooder, Richard Thompson (brilliant writer and soloist), David Rawlings, John Mayer (I'm sure some folks here loathe him, but I find him to be extremely gifted), etc. Then you have others that are finger-style acoustic guys that might not play the flashy electric guitar solo, but are amazing guitar players in a different way (Martin Simpson, for example). Anyhow, I think most people are probably better at one or the other. If you are truly gifted at either, consider yourself blessed. If you are truly gifted at both...consider yourself blessed beyond belief. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members blue2blue Posted January 19, 2010 Members Share Posted January 19, 2010 Also, Berlioz played guitar -- and he could definitely write though I'm not sure if he could solo over a 12-bar blues or shred. [big and bold added] Oops. And I was thinking about guys like BB and Albert Collins and others... Pretty soon, though, it looks like we're going to have mentioned just about every songwriter who ever played some kind of lead (there are a couple guys here who I give top props to as songwriters and legendary figures who still can't play a 12 string electric solo to save their lives, I'm sorry! ) as well as every guitar grinder who's ever penned a set of changes to wank over... so... well... you know... I think we've got enough exceptions to prove it ain't no rule -- but when I was working on my first short list, I did note that a lot of the folks I thought were notable lead guitarists were not notable lyricists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tbry Posted January 19, 2010 Members Share Posted January 19, 2010 Keith Richards? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members blue2blue Posted January 19, 2010 Members Share Posted January 19, 2010 I'm sure Keith's played some kind of lead at some point or other... I mean, stands to reason. That said, I don't know that I've heard him do it. (Is he playing slide on "Sister Morphine"? It's all so hazy. Although I'm sure I could find out quick enough. Think of this as a color comment.) And I think he's written some lyrics -- notably the parenthetically mentioned "Sister Morhpine." (Wait, can I mention something from inside a parenthetic statement back outside in the real world paragraph...?) This is getting very complex and multi-layered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members samtrips Posted January 19, 2010 Members Share Posted January 19, 2010 I'm sure Keith's played some kind of lead at some point or other... I mean, stands to reason. That said, I don't know that I've heard him do it. (Is he playing slide on "Sister Morphine"? It's all so hazy. Although I'm sure I could find out quick enough. Think of this as a color comment.) And I think he's written some lyrics -- notably the parenthetically mentioned "Sister Morhpine." (Wait, can I mention something from inside a parenthetic statement back outside in the real world paragraph...?) This is getting very complex and multi-layered. It's actually Cooder on slide on Sister Morphine I believe. He met the Stones through Jack Nitzsche, who plays the madcap piano on the same track. Keith does play lead on Gimme Shelter on Let It Bleed and Bitch from Sticky Fingers and a few more here and there - probably a lot of Beggars Banquet and Let It Bleed actually as the Jones out/Taylor in transition took a while. And he has written lyrics - mostly phrases here and there, but some stuff (Happy off Exile, You Got The Silver on Let It Bleed, Coming Down Again on Goat's Head Soup to name three beauties) is pure Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members eeglug Posted January 19, 2010 Members Share Posted January 19, 2010 I'm sure Keith's played some kind of lead at some point or other... I mean, stands to reason. The one I know he does fer sure is Sympathy For The Devil. It's not a very impressive lead in my mind but I'm sure others dig it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members blue2blue Posted January 19, 2010 Members Share Posted January 19, 2010 If it's the one I'm thinking of, I was just thinking a few weeks ago that it was both primitive and quite effective. Authority is everything. Or as they used to say, play it like you mean it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members djowens123 Posted January 21, 2010 Members Share Posted January 21, 2010 Songwriter's... but better guitarist's. Hendrix, Gilmour, Roy buchanan, Jimmy Page, Peter Green, Angus young, Knopfler, to name but a few. All have written great songs but have played solo's etc that are by far the best part of them or any song they recorded. Great song's and even better Guitar lead solo's etc! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Swingfinger Posted January 21, 2010 Members Share Posted January 21, 2010 What do you mean "even Vampire Weekend"? they are all pretty good at their instruments and write great pop music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members blue2blue Posted January 21, 2010 Members Share Posted January 21, 2010 Missed a couple more: John Renbourn and Bert Jansch, the guitar maestros from English progressive jazz-folk outfit, Pentangle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members lastdreams Posted January 21, 2010 Members Share Posted January 21, 2010 actually the only lead guitarist i know who can write a really good pop song is billy corgan from the Smashing Pumpkins he's a really good lead gtr player too, in Starla and Soma especially. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Matximus Posted January 21, 2010 Members Share Posted January 21, 2010 Cool thread. But I think this seems truer than it actually. Amateurs tend to be good at one or the other. The top-flite pros tend to excel at both, even if they're not showy about it and tend to be modest about their chops. Examples of great songwriting/guitarists. Jimi John Mayer - best guitarist of his generation probably. Wonderful songwriter. Robbie Robertson - the Door's secret weapon. He wrote all their best stuff and was one of hte greatest lead men of all time. Noel Gallagher -Famously derisive of his playing, but I think he has great feel.Jerry Cantrell Slash (Known as an axe man, but he co-wrote Welcome to the Jungle, Mr. Brownstone, Sweet Child, other hits.)Peter Frampton Kurt Cobain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Matximus Posted January 21, 2010 Members Share Posted January 21, 2010 Oh yeah - and Jack White, Duh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Matximus Posted January 21, 2010 Members Share Posted January 21, 2010 Also, J. Mascis. Totally forgot about him. Indie-rock guitar god. "Where You Been" is an alt-rock masterpiece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Matximus Posted January 21, 2010 Members Share Posted January 21, 2010 Doh! And Jeff Tweedy!! I know what you're thinking. He's a singer songwriter!! File him in modest about his chops file - check out his lead work on Ghost His Born and the Solo stuff he did for the Chelsea Walls soundtrack. Understated but colorful. He's akin to John Lennon when he comes to electric guitar: He knows how to make a guitar speak. Speaking of Beatles - John, Paul and George were all proficient lead guitarists. No better evidence than the guitar duel in "The End", in which Maca, Georgie boy and John let it rip, in that order, at about 50 seconds in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members blue2blue Posted January 21, 2010 Members Share Posted January 21, 2010 Oh yeah - and Jack White, Duh. See... I predicted pretty soon we'd have a large subset of everyone who had ever picked up a guitar and written a song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Matximus Posted January 21, 2010 Members Share Posted January 21, 2010 See... I predicted pretty soon we'd have a large subset of everyone who had ever picked up a guitar and written a song. Whattdya talkin about!!! Jack White is brilliant tunesmith and I think it's become general consensus among rock-mongers that he's one of the most dick-swingingly awesome guitarists working today. I mean, some of his solos can scorch the hair off your nuts: Icky Thump.. Ball and Biscuit. As far as tunes go My Doorbell, You've got her in your pocket, Dead Leaves... those are some serious jams. The guy does it all. But yeah, Mike McCready and Tom Morello fall into the picked up the guitar and wrote a song bucket. Okay. Definitely not JW, though. Guy's a beast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members samtrips Posted January 21, 2010 Members Share Posted January 21, 2010 Robbie Robertson - the Door's secret weapon. He wrote all their best stuff and was one of hte greatest lead men of all time. Robbie Kreiger you mean? Great solo on 'Peace Frog'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BetaCarotene Posted January 21, 2010 Members Share Posted January 21, 2010 Issac Brock is a phenomenal songwriter and lead guitarist from Modest Mouse and Ugly Casanova Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BetaCarotene Posted January 21, 2010 Members Share Posted January 21, 2010 Roy Harper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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