Just like past discussions I invite your nominations for the worlds very best rhythm guitar players. This one I believe should be opened up to include guitarists from any genre because there are some great guitar players out there who may be overlooked otherwise.
So let's perhaps define rhythm guitar in the context of this discussion. To that end I will quote a section from Wikipedia.
"In rock music, the most common way to construct chord progressions is to play "triads", each comprising a root, third and fifth note of a given scale, or four-note chords, which include the sixth, seventh or ninth note of the scale. In some cases, the chord progression is implied with a simplified sequence of two or three notes, sometimes called a "riff", that is repeated throughout the composition.
In heavy metal (or just "metal") music, this is typically expanded to more complex sequences comprising a combination of chords, single notes and palm muting.
The rhythm guitar part in compositions performed by more technically oriented bands often include riffs employing complex lead guitar techniques. In some genres, especially metal, the audio signal from the rhythm guitar's output is often subsequently heavily distorted by overdriving the guitar's amplifier to create a thicker, "crunchier" sound for the palm-muted rhythms."
Let the nominations begin.
Re: The Worlds Very Best Rhythm Guitar Players
Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 2:57 pm
by tennis_nick
Though some will say they love him for other reasons, I always found the absolute greatest rhythm guitarist is Jimi Hendrix.
I offer this song as evidence
Re: The Worlds Very Best Rhythm Guitar Players
Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 3:26 pm
by sowhat
Plain and simple: John McNally. Say you don't know who he is? Well... um, oh well, no problem.
Re: The Worlds Very Best Rhythm Guitar Players
Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 3:45 pm
by winston
Two very good nominations so far. Nic I applaud your "out of the box" thinking. That is great.
I have to say my vote goes with Keith (personal favorite)
Re: The Worlds Very Best Rhythm Guitar Players
Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 9:35 pm
by longboard_ric
Brilliant topic Brian !!!!
My theory is that behind every "great" lead player there is an even better rhythm player. The use of alternative chord voicings and strum patterns etc can enhance any piece of music.
Anyway amongst all the name that will appear here, you will have to include David Knopfler an underrated guitarist if there ever was one. Hendrix's ability to combine rhythym and lead parts is unequalled, and thirdly Freddie Green a true master of rhythm.
Re: The Worlds Very Best Rhythm Guitar Players
Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 9:56 pm
by winston
Bonnie Raitt is a possible candidate because her slide guitar parts move through and blend in so well with the the very strong, flowing rhythm parts that she plays while singing. Yet another example of out of the box rhythm playing.
Re: The Worlds Very Best Rhythm Guitar Players
Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 10:29 pm
by antipodean
I've just been playing disc 2 of "The Name of This Band is the Talking Heads" and I'd have to nominate Jerry Harrison and David Byrne. The multiple rhythm parts on songs like "Crosseyed and Painless" are gems. Throw in Adrian Bellew on lead/rhythm and you have an amazing three-headed rhythm guitar monster. Aplogies for the length of the clip, but it's a great performance:
Re: The Worlds Very Best Rhythm Guitar Players
Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 1:47 am
by whojamfan
Laugh if you want, but I say Johnny Ramone. All that guy played was rhythm for 30 years, and invented a style of playing it . Are there more technical and tastefull players, sure, but they all progressed, and most incorporated leads in to their style. Surely not everyones cup of tea, but he's definitely worth acknowledging for his solid dedication to rhythm guitar playing.
And sometimes he even played a Rick!
Re: The Worlds Very Best Rhythm Guitar Players
Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 2:39 am
by antipodean
whojamfan wrote:Laugh if you want, but I say Johnny Ramone. All that guy played was rhythm for 30 years, and invented a style of playing it . Are there more technical and tastefull players, sure, but they all progressed, and most incorporated leads in to their style. Surely not everyones cup of tea, but he's definitely worth acknowledging for his solid dedication to rhythm guitar playing.
And sometimes he even played a Rick!
Mike,
Good pick - but I thought you'd be on the Pete Townsend bandwagon!
Re: The Worlds Very Best Rhythm Guitar Players
Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 2:42 am
by sowhat
whojamfan wrote:Laugh if you want, but I say Johnny Ramone. All that guy played was rhythm for 30 years, and invented a style of playing it . Are there more technical and tastefull players, sure, but they all progressed, and most incorporated leads in to their style. Surely not everyones cup of tea, but he's definitely worth acknowledging for his solid dedication to rhythm guitar playing.
And sometimes he even played a Rick!
Cannot agree more.
Re: The Worlds Very Best Rhythm Guitar Players
Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 3:17 am
by whojamfan
[/quote]
Mike,
Good pick - but I thought you'd be on the Pete Townsend bandwagon![/quote]
I love Townshend as a musician, and artist. I respect his dedication to his songwriting and rhythm stylings, which have influenced many, myself included. Where I see the problem here is that he was multi-faceted, and played different instruments. He quickly progressed to a lead player in the better half of the 60s and settled back more in to rhythm and licks for pretty much the rest of the Who. I had the priveledge of seeing them live when Entwistle was still with us, and Pete played some leads that would rival anyone of his generation. Absolutely brilliant.
The point of all of this is to simply say that Pete Townshend would have never been happy just chugging away the chords.
I guess if that's the criteria, Malcolm Young of AC/DC is one chord playing son of a gun!
