Your Picks for the Most Underrated Rock Guitarists

[peter]

Who do you think is the most underrated Rock Guitarist or at least seriously underrated?

My Pick: Terry Kath, Chicago

I’ll start this one off. Peter Torriello, a guitarist himself, and I had this discussion many years ago, more than a decade ago, and both agreed, that Terry Kath of Chicago is one of the most underrated rock guitarists of all time. When Hendrix looks up to a guitar player, you know he was something special. In my book, the guitar work on “25 or 6 to 4” is a masterpiece that reveals Kath’s genius as a rock guitarist. I played with a lot of bands when I was working as a drummer, and of all the covers I played, covering Chicago with a three piece horn section was among the most fun between the excitement of having a horn section and those great guitar parts. Kath’s playing was part rock, part blues, part jazz and always full of passion. I’ve listened to this song since I was a little boy and must have heard it a million times and I’m still not tired of it, or enjoying Terry’s great guitar work.

So, who would you pick and why?

Your friend who keeps the beat. I suppose I'm also the chef at this place.

11

[jude77]

My vote would go to Paul McCartney.  He certainly doesn’t fall in the “Genius” category, and I find his electric playing as stiff as a starched shirt, but on acoustic he has a wonderfully fluid style that is all his own and sounds effortless.  I love how he uses the combination of his forefinger and thumb to create rhythm and he has a tone that’s his. Plus, his playing always serves the song beautifully.  To me, his style is very simple, but remarkably effective.

Right after him I would have to nominate Leo Kottke who isn’t underrated so much as overlooked.  Now that guy does fall in the Genius category.

1

[peter]

On jude77 said

My vote would go to Paul McCartney.  He certainly doesn’t fall in the “Genius” category, and I find his electric playing as stiff as a starched shirt, but on acoustic he has a wonderfully fluid style that is all his own and sounds effortless.  I love how he uses the combination of his forefinger and thumb to create rhythm and he has a tone that’s his. Plus, his playing always serves the song beautifully.  To me, his style is very simple, but remarkably effective.

Right after him I would have to nominate Leo Kottke who isn’t underrated so much as overlooked.  Now that guy does fall in the Genius category.

The Beatles were out slightly before my time. I became a Beatles fan after becoming a huge McCartney fan.. When I finally saw him live in 1989 with a guitarist friend, McCartney played lead guitar and played better than I’ve ever heard him play with the Beatles or solo since. Although he did a fantastic job on songs like “Maybe I’m Amazed.”

On a McCartney fan related note. I got to know his drummer from that tour, Chris Whitten. He was a very popular UK studio drummer who did tracks with Dire Straits, World Party, The The… Legend has it that Paul’s super bossy. So being a HUGE McCartney fan since I was a little boy, I asked him what Paul was like to work with. He told me that he was really easy going, a super nice guy and that he never once told him what to play or not to play, he just trusted him to play and Chris is not someone shy about giving his opinions, so, being a pragmatist, I believe him.

• This reply was modified 1 month, 4 weeks ago by peter.

Your friend who keeps the beat. I suppose I'm also the chef at this place.

1

[joegyork]

Richard Thompson. A giant in the folk world but less appreciated outside that genre I believe w

2

[MagicRuss]

I was just playing 25 or 4 on Rocksmith the other day.  There’s for sure a lot going on in that one.

There are a lot of people who I think are overlooked.  Jeff “Skunk” Baxter would be one, Michael Hurley of dada would be another, also Nels Cline.  Jan Akkerman.  Buck Dharma.  Christopher Cross.  Ross Godfrey of Morcheeba.  Jez Williams of Doves.

There’s also a generational aspect where some that were well regarded during their heydays are being less appreciated now.  Someone like Steve Howe would fit in that bin.

I’ll also shout out to Hank Marvin.  The dude influenced pretty much every great guitar player that came out of Great Britain in the 60s or 70s.

 

 

1

[peter]

On MagicRuss said

I was just playing 25 or 4 on Rocksmith the other day.  There’s for sure a lot going on in that one.

There are a lot of people who I think are overlooked.  Jeff “Skunk” Baxter would be one, Michael Hurley of dada would be another, also Nels Cline.  Jan Akkerman.  Buck Dharma.  Christopher Cross.  Ross Godfrey of Morcheeba.  Jez Williams of Doves.

There’s also a generational aspect where some that were well regarded during their heydays are being less appreciated now.  Someone like Steve Howe would fit in that bin.

I’ll also shout out to Hank Marvin.  The dude influenced pretty much every great guitar player that came out of Great Britain in the 60s or 70s.

I agreed with what you wrote, but then you mentioned Hank Marvin — and the truth is, I don’t know who he is. I could google him, but I thought I’d ask you first. Who was he and what band or bands did he play in?

Your friend who keeps the beat. I suppose I'm also the chef at this place.

[MagicRuss]

Aside from being one of the people Paul McCartney dressed up as in his “Coming Up” video, Hank Marvin played for the Shadows.  Not only were they the backing band for UK pop star Cliff Richard, but they had some success as an instrumental/surf band in the early 60s.  Their best known song is “Apache”.  Oddly that is one of Tony Iommi’s favorite songs.

Apparently they were much more popular in the UK than in America.  I’ll admit I was only aware of Hank Marvin because one of the British guitar magazines published a transcription of “Apache”.

 

 

He’s done a number of solo albums.  Most of those are trash because they come across as a guy who is playing guitar over karaoke CDs.  There are a couple of good tracks here and there, such as his cover of Jean Michel Jarre’s “Oxygene”.

He also has done some credible gypsy jazz playing from time to time.

 

 

• This reply was modified 1 month, 3 weeks ago by MagicRuss.
• This reply was modified 1 month, 3 weeks ago by MagicRuss.

1

[peter]

@MagicRuss I watched both videos! I didn’t recall the name of the song, but I absolutely remember the song “Apache.” Cool trivia on McCartney’s “Coming Up” video. I recall that I think one of the people i guessed McCartney dressed up as was Buddy Holly and then he mimicked himself from his early Beatles year. Very cool. Now I need to watch that video again too. Thanks for sharing.

Your friend who keeps the beat. I suppose I'm also the chef at this place.

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