| ~-:Moet et Chandon:-~ 31.03.2005 01:56 |
Thoughts on the matter? I've had this argument so many times with my friends - the case of Brian May vs. (other guitarist). Always coming up is Jimi Hendrix (fair enough hehe!!). Page as well...van Halen...and well Mark Knopfler is one of my favourites, though I'm usually trying to make a case for Brian not him lol! But who is yr fave (silly question for some, perhaps...) and in what ways do you think some other guitarist might outclass Brian (the usual thought is that Jimi Hendrix was far better technically, and far more innovative), or vice versa? And do you think Brian would go down as one of the "all time greats" or legends of rock guitar? My opinion in short - Brian easily my favourite (Knopfler second), tho I wud concede that there are others better than him in various regards. |
| i'm going slight mad... 31.03.2005 06:53 |
i think that brian is just so precise in his playing, and has an unbelievable sense of timing. his guitar playing is not just some flashy show off (though he can do that pretty well too! for example the intrumental cyborg) they really have a story to them. and while its all very good to be a ywngie malmsteen, where it's all about how fast you can go but it doesn't say anything to me. brian does. that's what makes him so good to me. |
| GreatKingSam 31.03.2005 10:05 |
a friend of mine always goes on about Metallica and how fast their solos are... but at the end of the day - bollocks. just becuase it is fast and hard to play, doesn't mean it sounds good? Killer Queen or A Kind Of Magic have great solo (despite being overplayed songs), and they're perfect examples - not too flashy, slow and perfect. and Jimi Hendrix, although amazing and one of his kind - as much as I like him - is only so amazing as he was the "first" real guitar player. in a way, he's kinda like the Beatles. becuase he/they were the first, people regard them too high because they feel they should. Whereas, in my opinion, Brian tops it for me. Eric Clapton is good, but he bores me. Mark Knopfler is pretty damn good, but I don't like all his songs. Slash is cool, but he's nothing too special... there's just something about Brian. Maybe becuase he doesn't consider himself to be the best, and is very humble and honest, and has a guitar he built with his own hands. how many other people could perform solo's like him. all those echoes and repeat-delays, anyone else would just mess it up. perhaps the fact that, too look, he is the most uncool cool person there is. |
| Daveboy35 31.03.2005 10:20 |
Brian may has always been my favourite guitarist and he still his but there are many great guitarists other than brian who are great in their own right where as brian i think has passion,dedication sheer feeling in his guitar playing bowls me over everytime he plays, and apart from that you'll never get a unique sound like that from any other guitar which makes him so special and the best. As for my other faves they include in no particular order: Jimi Hendrix Steve vai Joe satriani steve collen (def leppard) Eddie van halen (just listen to eruption) pure genius. Jeff beck tomy iommi gary moore eric clapton george harrison stevie ray vaughan and loads more. |
| brENsKi 31.03.2005 12:03 |
the only truly awesome guitarist that i genuinely think better than BHM was Randy Rhoads - unfortunately he never lived to fulfill his potential - but those two albums were as good - guitar-wise as anything Brian has done others worth a shout (bands in brackets for those who don't know) Tom Scholtz (boston) Michael Schenker (UFO/MSG) Bernie Torme (Gillan) Phil Collen (Girl/Def Leppard) Paul Kossoff (Free) |
| Leppar 31.03.2005 12:06 |
My fave guitarists? Phil Collen is my absolute fave, then Steve Clark, then Viv Campbell, then Brian May, then maybe Slash.( The top four are set in stone in that order but sometimes number 5 changes a bit - depends on the mood.) :) |
| My Melancholy Blues 31.03.2005 12:22 |
Brian has been always my favorite guitarist and imo, if some numbers such as "Don't Stop Me Now", "Save Me", "Keep Yourself Alive", "Killer Queen", "We Are The Champions" and "WWRY" etc. lacked his Red Special sounds, they wouldn't impress us so much as they do now. Besides, my fav. guitarists are... Jimi Hendrix Eric Clapton Carlos Santana Tony Iommi Elmore James |
| Gunpowder Gelatine 31.03.2005 14:35 |
I think it's hard to classify who's a better guitarist - what's it based on? How fast they can play? How long they can solo for? How much emotion they put into their solos? For me, Brian's my favorite guitarist, but it just depends on the person. |
| ~-:Moet et Chandon:-~ 31.03.2005 17:00 |
Ah yes I see what you mean, I suppose this is really a very similar argument as the Freddie vs. other pianists one. Though a difference here, however, is that unlike with Freddie on piano, Brian's technical ability (in addition to everything else) is really, you could say, "right up there" lol. Read this poll though, it's rather interesting. link The Jimi Hendrix vs Brian May debate... I guess there are really a number of levels and aspects on which you can compare different guitarists, but I.M.O, Brian May is - on the whole, and maybe even easily perhaps - the best. |
| kerfuffle87 31.03.2005 17:15 |
I love George Harrison's guitar playing cos it sounds unique, i love the song 'Something' cos of that, but when it comes to emotions, whether complex or simple, Brian channels them amazingly well, through his guitar. He is the best. IMO! |
| hoop-didi-didi 31.03.2005 18:33 |
Besides Brian (of course) I have to say my favourite guitarist is Eric Clapton. He is a genius! |
| supernova190188 31.03.2005 18:54 |
that bit in a kind of magic with the slack guitar is fantastic, it's easier heard in a kind of a kind of magic, i love that guitaring p.s brian may is absolutely the best guitarist although he may not have been here had hendrix not have succeeded |
| matt V 01.04.2005 09:48 |
Music and guitarists are so relative to peoples personal taste and what moves you as an individual, however: The thing for me about Brians guitar work that is outstanding is his spot on sense of melody...something that seems lost to flash in the world of guitar solos. I think that you could say he was and is more technically advanced than Hendrix as far as harmony and melody is concerned. Hendrix was certainly more influential and probably, in the greater scheme of the guitar much more inovative than Brian, but, Brian would walk all over him for musical technique. Page is one of my favs and generally has come up with some of the greatest riffs of all time. I think Page appears to me to be a huge influence on Brian..especially the early Queen stuff. Having said that I still think that Brian is better than Page at coming up with the perfect compact solo that has melody, tension,release and a sense that the solo to any given song truly fits and means something..no note is wasted with Brian, whether its a mini symphony or just plain rocking out...sheer class all the way. Cheers Matt |
| Scott_Mercury 01.04.2005 10:15 |
Brian May is a wonderful guitarist. Are there people in his league?? Yes, To name a few: Hendrix, Clapton, Beck, Page, Slash, Vai, Satriani, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Malmsteen, Young. But you know what makes a great guitarist a great guitarist??? It's when you have someone who hits 2 notes, and you know its them. Brian May's sound, and style have what I call the "it factor".... Brian May is not a flashy show-off guitarist....Brian May is a guitar technician. Brian always did what was best for the song, and often times, that meant he was backing up Mr. Mercury who was out front causing the chaos :-> Are there guitarist from the 1980's,or speed gods that are technically beyong Brian?? A whole slew of them....Steve Vai, Paul Gilbert, Vinnie Moore, Shawn Lane, John Petrucci, Eric Johnson, Tony MacAlpine, Frank Gambale, Brett Garsed...I literally could name 100's that Brian May cannot compete with in terms of theory and advanced techniques... But keep in mind... Hendrix can't compete with these above guys in that catagory either. And honestly, at the end of the day..... thats great that Paul Gilbert or Malmsteen can do 6 string sweeps flawlessly at 220 bpm.... But that all sounds like a guitar masturbation after 20 seconds... Give me a Brian May, Angus Young, or Hendrix any day of the week. |
| Jude 02.04.2005 12:07 |
Brian is my fav. His great, like looking on his hands when he's playing. It looks like his hand and guitar's neck are parts of one body. Besides the others I like are: Harrison, Clapton, Plant,Hendrix,Me =) |
| doremi 02.04.2005 12:14 |
Well my favorite is Duane Allman, always has been, then Eric Clapton, then Brian..so he's in Great company..for me. I like Brian's playing best when he plays very emotional, lush, orchestrated melodies that evoke incredible feeling as in TATDOOL, LOML, Las Palabres De Amor. But I also like how he can make his guitar sound sort of exhuberant, very rhythmic, and bouncy almost as a duet voice to Freddie's singing as on Killer Queen, Bicycle Race, AKOM... and of course Brian's awesome rockin' fireworks on One Vision, Stone Cold Crazy, Hero, Tear It Up... |