No!!! Guitar Gods: Hendrix or Zappa?

[Zomby Woof]

I hold them both equally in high esteem. Zappa's advantage is a greater and more diverse body of work, and Hendrix's was doing so much in such a short period of time - he is more influential. They were friends, actually, and Zappa played a Strat Hendrix gave him right up until his retirement, which was the one Hendrix set fire to at the Miami Pop Festival in 1968.

If you aren't familiar with Zappa's axe work, get "Hot Rats" or "Shut Up And Play Yer Guitar" for starters.

[sujan]

1. I say zappa - Lot more talented

and not just in guitar.....

[LynneSin]

2. Apples and Oranges my friend, apples and oranges!!

yeesh!

[salmonhorse]

7. Whoop, there it is ~

Zappa perhaps for reasons such as musical composition, rock & roll inovation if you will; but Hendrix, as well, for composition (Kronos Quartet's renderings are useful here hearing them laid out by they very respectful indeed of classical form) though in particular fluidity of improvised style and the blues line...

Apples & Oranges ~

[Zomby Woof]

13. I prefer contrast

Page and Clapton were great technicians, but derivative as hell. I wanted to contrast two great players who were innovators in their own right, and also had common ties, having actually played on stage together.

[salmonhorse]

16. Page always bothered me...

Not that I am the ultimate technician but; his fingering/fret work was very sloppy live and even in the studio. Though I have enjoyed to this day his break in: Good Times/Bad Times ~

[Zomby Woof]

17. he could hit or miss

Sloppy on "Whole Lotta Love", but smooth as silk on "Fool In The Rain".

[StopTheMorans]

20. I for one as a guitarist love that about Page

which is why he is one of my faves. I like hearing someone's fingers squeak across the strings, hearing an occasional unintended muted note, or some other little idiosyncracy. I think this gives the songs a "human touch", unlike a lot of the virtuoso stuff that came out in the late 80's/early 90's (not going to mention names, but you all know what I'm talking about). I know I'll get hell for this, but this is why Joe Perry's guitar work in the mid 70's was some of my favorite guitar playing. Lots of double and triple stops, a little sloppy, but his phrasing is great, and the solos are definitely NOT composed. Just my preferences:)

[salmonhorse]

23. While studying music theory...

I lent a required work to an avant garde, street, jazz saxophonist friend of mine: The Acoustical Foundations of Music

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0393090965/104-5418294-2561542?vi=glance

It validated much of what he felt about the expression of his own art. I received it back some six months later with copius notes in the margins specific to reed instrumentation and reed usage in particular. Where it is clearly and known all along; the raggedy 'side' aspects of said 'reed usage' having been deployed by the likes of Coltrane, Roland Kirk, Ornette Coleman and such. Adding here myself: Captain Beefheart. But there should be no illusion between the employing of such techniques and the pursuit of a Top 40 Hit With A Bullet ~

In the end it is all like; well, I mean, I'm just me and he is Jimmy Page...

ps; "human touch" is what it is all about ~ :hi:

[DarkPhenyx]

3. Steve Vai.

Hands down.

Next question please.

[Zomby Woof]

5. ummm...

I love Vai, but he owes his career and lots of his style to Zappa. Besides, Vai is docked points for humiliating himself by pretending to guitar duel with Ralph Macchio (though at least it was Ry Cooder in the overdubbing) in a really lame movie.

[Kat45]

10. But it had a great blues soundtrack. w/ Ry Cooder.

I assume you're talking about "Crossroads"?

[Zomby Woof]

12. yep

It would have been an okay movie except for casting the Karate Kid, lol.

[opiate69]

18. Actually....

While Ry Cooder played most of Macchio's parts, the entire "cuttin' heads" scene was, in fact, Vai. I've heard rumors of him planning to release a boxed set with "Eugene's Trick Bag", since it was mysteriously left off of the movie's soundtrack release.

[DarkPhenyx]

21. Yeah, lame movie...

...but have you ever seen him actually play that classical piece? Besides, "Passion and Warfare" is an awesome album.

[salmonhorse]

8. Eric Johnson?

:shrug:

[commander bunnypants]

4. How many times must I repeat myself

It is Pete Townsend. End of story


DDQM

[rocktivity]

6. In high school, I started referring to Hendrix, Clapton and Paige

as The Holy Trinity. Thirty years later, I still do.


rocknation

[ThorsteinVeblen]

9. Zappa can't really play guitar - AT ALL

He talent was in composing.

I can't see how anyone could actually consider him a "guitar player" or mention him in the same sentence as Hendrix. Zappa had no craft whatsoever when it came to guitar.

Zappa was more akin to someone like Monk, but not even that technically proficient.

[Zomby Woof]

11. um ok

Just for his nasty 'fuck you' tone, he deserves accolades.

Since he could play the complex work he composed, that would qualify him as great by default.

Much as I love Hendrix, or even Page or Clapton, they were blues-derivative players.

[Character Assassin]

19. Wait, you mean Buford Zappa, right? You can't be talking about Frank...

Are you kidding? No 'craft'? Not 'technically proficient'?

The 'Shut Up and Play Your Guitar' collection utterly, completely and decisively destroys those quaint notions.

[Skittles]

22. DISAGREE

Zappa could play - he just never took it seriously. Hendrix did.

[Zomby Woof]

25. check out Lather

He is as serious as anyone in the history of music on such tracks like "The Ocean Is The Ultimate Solution" and "Regyptian Strut".

True, though, that his packaging and titles were humorous even when the tunes occasionally weren't.

[salmonhorse]

26. Peaches En Regalia ~

[Skittles]

27. oh I loved Zappa

although I confess I haven't heard those tunes in years.

[Emboldened Chimp]

14. Take a guess...

[Zomby Woof]

15. hehe

Fitting that DU accomodates their avatars, don't ya think?

[David Zephyr]

24. Both Great Guitarists, Far Different Styles...But I'd Have to Say Jimi

I hitched a ride to see Zappa and the Mothers when I was 16. Saw Hendrix only once.

But I have an signed oil painting by Grace Slick, herself, of Jimi hanging in my bedroom called Nature's Son.

Jimi is a God.

[ZoCrowes]

28. Both are amazing

and both are highly respected. In terms of being a "Guitar God" my hat goes off to Hendrix. The man changed the way the electric guitar was played forever in 4 short years. I think that given enough enough time his studio revoloutions would have rivaled The Beatles.