Tired of the same ol’ same ol’ “top guitarists of all time” lists? Tired of seeing people who barely know how to operate a guitar get nominated? Well, this is a list for you! Put your big girl panties on...it’s time to shred.
Steve Vai – Most people have heard of Steve Vai. Shoot, even my mom has. It’s mainly because he’s a bit “Fabio” looking…but the man can shred. Vai got his start as a music transcriptionist for Frank Zappa. Before long he took off on his own as a soloist and also has toured with a variety of bands, like David Lee Roth and Whitesnake.
John Petrucci – JP is well known as being a Prog master. Highly influenced by the likes of Rush, Deep Purple, Pink Floyd and Metallica. Put all those together and you get the sound of Dream Theater. Mr. Petrucci is such a great guitarist that he’s been invited to partake in the “G3” tour (which is basically THE best guitar masturbation concert) numerous times.
Randy Rhoads – Randy Rhoads didn’t live a very long life, but did very well to leave behind a huge imprint on the metal world. Randy started out playing with Quiet Riot and Ozzy Osbourne. One of his trademark songs (and solo) is the very popular “Crazy Train.” To this day he is cited as an influence by many contemporary heavy metal guitarists, including longtime Osbourne guitarist Zakk Wylde.
Dimebag Darrell – Another tragic tale in the shred world is the one of “Dimebag” Darrell Abbot. Dimebag frequently appeared in guitar magazines writing a long-running Guitar World magazine column, which was compiled into the book, Riffer Madness. He was praised for his tone and was included in “The 50 Greatest Tones of All Time” by Guitar Player magazine.
Jason Becker – Once again…another virtuoso stricken by tragedy. Jason Becker started off as a neo-classical metal guitarist and composer. By the age of 16, he started Cacophony with his friend Marty Friedman. Becker continued on and released his own solo work and later joined David Lee Roth. Becker’s success was then hindered by his diagnosis of Lou Gehrig’s Disease and was given only three to five years to live. He eventually lost the ability to speak and now communicates with his eyes via a system developed by his father. Despite his disability, he continues composing by using a computer and has released Collection.
Jeff Loomis - Jeff Loomis is the lead guitarist for the metal band Nevermore. He auditioned for Megadeth at age 16, after their lead guitarist Jeff Young was fired from the band. After they played a few songs together, Dave Mustaine thanked Loomis and told him that one day he would become a great guitar player, but because of his age he was not right for the position. Flash forward to now and that’s exactly what he’s become. I always think of Jeff as the guitarist from the Dark Side of the Force. For those seeking something a little heavier and a little darker…but still with some great complexity and passion, Jeff delivers.
Joe Satriani – The bald-headed genius who got everyone “Surfing with the Alien” back in 1989. Satriani is a multi-instrumentalist with multiple Grammy nominations and has toured with everyone from Mick Jagger to Deep Purple. He has taught many of the best in the industry: Steve Vai, Larry LaLonde, Kirk Hammett and plenty more.
