BBC pole for best guitarist

[ToneMonkey]

Just noticed this (while looking for last nights match of the day)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/events/theaxefactor/

[Philly Q]

It's certainly a "different" list.  Won't be very popular with the shredders. 

[Ratrod]

Don't know half of 'em.

[maverickf1jockey]

Only about two or three that I rate in any way whatsoever.

Kurt Cobain?
Matt Bellamy?
Jeff Buckley?
They are not what I would class as great guitarists.

Also where the hell are the blues players?

How can you have a poll for great guitar players that omits the big three British blues players; Beck, Clapton and Green?

[Fourth Feline]

I saw a list on the link ; but rather strangely, it did not contain a lot of those people  who I recognise to be guitarists .  :lol:

 It reminded me of a similar poll run in 1978.  I sat in the works canteen with my mate Dave ( an avid 70's Rocker ) - awaiting the results to be announced on a B.B.C lunchtime T.V magazine program.

You should have seen Dave's face when some bloke called 'Eric Clapton' - got placed behind 'Woody' from the Bay City Rollers ...    

AAAARggggghhh !   :lol:

[Philly Q]

I don't care that they haven't included my favourite players.  They're obviously not blues/rock/metal fans, but that's OK.  I'm more interested to see who they have included.

It's a list compiled by people who love guitar-based music but don't necessarily know (or care) about the technicalities of guitar playing.  Good for them I say.

[badgermark]

That's an excellent list of guitarists. They are all (except Slash and Hammett) good guitarists who deserve some recognition. I have no idea who I'll vote for, as there are a good 5 or 6 of them that are my favourite guitarists.

[Plexi Ken]

How can you have a poll for great guitar players that omits the big three British blues players; Beck, Clapton and Green?

Quote from the site...

Forty years on from their heyday, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton continue to top 'Best Guitarists' votes. But what about Jonny Greenwood or Slash? Surely John Squire and Johnny Marr are every bit as influential as the greats from the 60s and 70s? Contemporary fret wizards are often over-looked, so we've come up with The Axe Factor - an endeavour to find the best guitarists of the last 30 years.

[Fourth Feline]

I don't care that they haven't included my favourite players.  They're obviously not blues/rock/metal fans, but that's OK.  I'm more interested to see who they have included.

It's a list compiled by people who love guitar-based music but don't necessarily know (or care) about the technicalities of guitar playing.  Good for them I say.

Fair comment Philly.  :)

I must confess , that the first and most obvious one for me ( As in had directly entertained me ) was Prince. I bought the 1999 album on it's initial release - and  the meltdown at the end of 'Let's go Crazy' made me a bit giddy at the time.

I still think the best thing he ever did - was  Sheena Easton .  

[nfe]

With the exception of one or two (And right enough, the few whom I'm not familiar with) I think they're all great players. As it happens, outwith jazz and classical music, there's very, very players from earlier whom I prefer to many of those, though there are lots of players from within the last 30 years who I like more than any selected.

Johnny Marr would be my pick.

[maverickf1jockey]

How can you have a poll for great guitar players that omits the big three British blues players; Beck, Clapton and Green?

Quote from the site...

Forty years on from their heyday, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton continue to top 'Best Guitarists' votes. But what about Jonny Greenwood or Slash? Surely John Squire and Johnny Marr are every bit as influential as the greats from the 60s and 70s? Contemporary fret wizards are often over-looked, so we've come up with The Axe Factor - an endeavour to find the best guitarists of the last 30 years.

Didn't see that bit but Slash always places well in these polls anyway so why is he arbitrarily included?
Not only that but they have totally sidestepped people like Paul Gilbert or Steve Vai who are seriously big name players; regularly performing to sellout crowds in their respective bands.

Also why are the players almost exclusively taken from 'cool' bands?
Many of them are talented songwriters but not traditional guitar heroes by any stretch of the imagination.

[dave_mc]

i see they're running it like politics, where you don't actually want to vote for anyone.

(navarro or slash would probably be my pick out of those)

[Will]

i see they're running it like politics, where you don't actually want to vote for anyone.

(navarro or slash would probably be my pick out of those)

:lol: fair comment.

Noel Gallagher? ugh

[Dmoney]

I like some of the music those guys have been involved in.
J Mascis, John Squire, Stephen Malkmus. A lot of the music associated with those guys isn't my thing at all.

Then I'm not into blues played by Clapton or anyone, but I do like blues a lot.

Charlotte from Ash? what? urgh.

[nfe]

How can you have a poll for great guitar players that omits the big three British blues players; Beck, Clapton and Green?

Quote from the site...

Forty years on from their heyday, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton continue to top 'Best Guitarists' votes. But what about Jonny Greenwood or Slash? Surely John Squire and Johnny Marr are every bit as influential as the greats from the 60s and 70s? Contemporary fret wizards are often over-looked, so we've come up with The Axe Factor - an endeavour to find the best guitarists of the last 30 years.

Didn't see that bit but Slash always places well in these polls anyway so why is he arbitrarily included?
Not only that but they have totally sidestepped people like Paul Gilbert or Steve Vai who are seriously big name players; regularly performing to sellout crowds in their respective bands.

Also why are the players almost exclusively taken from 'cool' bands?
Many of them are talented songwriters but not traditional guitar heroes by any stretch of the imagination.

Because it will predominantly be voted for by people who are into popular music. 99% (I don't even reckon that's much of an exaggeration) of the nations population haven't ever heard of Steve Vai or Paul Gilbert.