Most Overlooked Rock Guitar Genius

Most Overlooked Rock Guitar Genius

  • Brian May

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Rory Gallagher

    Votes: 6 33.3%
  • Alex Lifeson

    Votes: 9 50.0%
  • David Evans

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Dee Murray

    Votes: 1 5.6%
  • Steve Hackett

    Votes: 2 11.1%

  • Total voters
    18

joe

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2010
Posts
6,717
Reaction score
1,595
Location
Cascadia
First of all, IMHO the word "genius" is overused and has lost it's potency to some degree.

I think all these guitarists are very talented(not know Dee Murray) and most choices are made on one's favourite artist(s) and genre(s) and on a regional basis. For example, on that list I would chose Alex Lifeson as Rush is on one of my fav bands and they're Canadian. No, I wouldn't consider him a genius. A very good guitarist, yes.
 

Schmetterling

Senior Member
Joined
May 11, 2014
Posts
202
Reaction score
82
First of all, IMHO the word "genius" is overused and has lost it's potency to some degree.

I think all these guitarists are very talented(not know Dee Murray) and most choices are made on one's favourite artist(s) and genre(s) and on a regional basis. For example, on that list I would chose Alex Lifeson as Rush is on one of my fav bands and they're Canadian. No, I wouldn't consider him a genius. A very good guitarist, yes.


Sensible thinking.

They're all good guitarists but I tend to agree with what you say about it all being a matter of ones own perspective and taste. If you'd asked me in 1979 if I thought Hackett was a genius I might have said yes because I was very young and impressionable and hadn't quite recovered from the effects of "Seconds Out" and "Please don't Touch" etc....., but I wouldn't say yes now - he's just a guitarist, fairly average in his electric work and quite outstanding on his acoustic work, but a genius ...? no.

Same goes for Lifeson, great guitarist and one who I've enjoyed listening to since the very first Rush album, but a genius...? probably not.

As for the rest it's just a plain old 'no'.

Dee Murray was the bass player in Elton Johns band for a while, and in Procol Harum as well as a few others.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: joe

Dave78

Dave's not here, man
Joined
Nov 13, 2009
Posts
2,143
Reaction score
427
I reserve the word "Genius" for guys like Jimi and Eddie; two guitarists whose playing was so unique and groundbreaking for their time, and stood out above everyone else around them. I sometimes feel that way about Slash, but that may be because of the band he was in more than his own talent. But I think all three pretty much reset the bar for what a rock guitarist should look, play and sound like. Of course they were all hugely popular and in hugely popular bands, and that is probably what sets them apart from the run-of-the-mill rock guitarist.

But the most overlooked rock guitar genius? After the self-destructive Michael Schenker, they may be the much-in-demand studio musicians Dick Wagner and Steven Hunter from the 70's. You've no doubt heard them and perhaps not even known it:



 

Schmetterling

Senior Member
Joined
May 11, 2014
Posts
202
Reaction score
82
Having mulled this over for a while I'd like to have another stab at it and daringly suggest 'None of the above who have been mentioned in this thread so far'

They are of course all quite good, but the reality of it is that they were all just lucky enough to have been in the right place at the right time to get that elusive record deal to kick start their careers. Add to that the fact that virtually everything they've ever done is pretty damned easy to play convincingly by just about anyone who's a half decent player. That aint genius in my book.

Here are a few alternatives who I think might be a bit closer to the mark although none of them were ever overlooked. (feel free to disagree as it's all just a bit of fun anyway)

1. Stanley Jordan - can anyone else out there do what he does...? I certainly can't..
2. Martin Taylor - as per Stanley above, I couldn't begin to emulate this guy who often sounds like 3 guitarists at once.

For anyone not familiar with them, the above two are jazzers. Check 'em out. They'll make your eyes pop.

3. Tony Macalpine - classically trained and also rather a good piano player.
4. Steve Vai - for sheer originality in a world where almost everything has been done before
 
Last edited:

Porch Monkey

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2017
Posts
419
Reaction score
719
Location
Carlisle, England
...Add to that the fact that virtually everything they've ever done is pretty damned easy to play convincingly by just about anyone who's a half decent player. That aint genius in my book.

Here are a few alternatives who I think might be a bit closer to the mark (feel free to disagree as it's all just a bit of fun anyway)

1. Stanley Jordan - can anyone else out there do what he does...? I certainly can't..
2. Martin Taylor - as per Stanley above, I couldn't begin to emulate this guy who often sounds like 3 guitarists at once...

OTOH, I can play to a reasonable standard much of Jimi Hendrix's music, but I don't doubt he was a genius. He fused certain music genres in a way no other rock guitarist had, pushing boundaries and influencing just about everyone who picked up an electric guitar afterwards. That's genius!

If there was a rock guitarist who's genius has been overlooked, I can't think of him. Most great players and people who truly did something new that no one else had thought of certainly have been recognised.
 

Schmetterling

Senior Member
Joined
May 11, 2014
Posts
202
Reaction score
82
OTOH, I can play to a reasonable standard much of Jimi Hendrix's music, but I don't doubt he was a genius. He fused certain music genres in a way no other rock guitarist had, pushing boundaries and influencing just about everyone who picked up an electric guitar afterwards. That's genius!

If there was a rock guitarist who's genius has been overlooked, I can't think of him. Most great players and people who truly did something new that no one else had thought of certainly have been recognised.


Hendrix set the benchmark for so many others right enough so he undoubtedly qualifies as a potential genius pioneer of the genre. But....he was hardly overlooked was he....?

Maybe the whole discussion is invalid on the grounds that if a true genius actually had ever been overlooked then none of us would have ever heard of him. or her....
 
Last edited:

Speed King

Rockin to the East & West
Joined
Feb 4, 2014
Posts
879
Reaction score
449
Location
Back home, at Conry's Bar
I think the word "genius" has thrown a wrench in the whole discussion. Had the word genius been replaced with almost any other adjective, the thread might have been more fruitful. I have to agree, all true genius' on guitar have had ample recogintion. Overlooked "awesome" guitarists on the other hand,...the list would go on, and on, and on.
 
Joined
Jul 8, 2017
Posts
1,796
Reaction score
246
The most overlooked rock guitar "genius" is missing from this poll and not even mentioned by anyone. Which proves the point
 

Find member

Forum statistics

Threads
30,659
Posts
1,064,936
Members
6,353
Latest member
edmerka

Members online

Top