# Best guitarist of the New wave/Punk era? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 13, 2009, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481 "2009-11-13T20:50:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2009, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481/1 "2009-11-13T20:50:04Z")
I vote for Tom Verlaine. I know, his style was unusual for the time, but it did fit in, and man, he can play. What do you think? ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2009, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481/2 "2009-11-13T21:17:33Z")
I loved Greg Ginn, Dr. Know, and East Bay Ray. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2009, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481/3 "2009-11-13T23:30:14Z")
Best? Dunno. In addition to the above ( Verlaine in particular )… I liked D. Boon of the Minutemen quite a bit. Adrian Belew during his Talking Heads run was always interesting. Mick Jones of the Clash. Assorted others I’m blanking on :D. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2009, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481/4 "2009-11-14T00:08:46Z")
Second D. Boone. Others to consider: DOA’s Joey Shithead Minor Threat’s Lyle Preslar Husker Du’s Bob Mould ---
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2009, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481/5 "2009-11-14T02:53:24Z")
Andy Summers ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2009, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481/6 "2009-11-14T03:03:53Z")
I probably would’ve said Verlaine and Richard Lloyd, too…but Andy Summers is excellent as well… Johnny Ramone is a huge fave. Billy Zoom can bring it James Calvin Wilsey, who started in punk but ended up with Chris Isaak for years is a slow, clean, reverb-soaked, twangy genius. The lead off that one song - the B&W Video with Isaak and the super model Helena whatshername - Wicked Game, that’s the song - just amazing… ---
**Author:** ![WreckingCrew](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wreckingcrew/32/4080_2.png) [@WreckingCrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WreckingCrew)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2009, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481/7 "2009-11-14T03:19:47Z")
Gotta go with my main man, Johnny Thunders. I’ll add Ross the Boss, James Williamson, and Wayne Kramer. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2009, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481/8 "2009-11-14T03:22:17Z")
Well Mark Knopfler was from the era, though he wasn’t exactly punk or new wave. Does he qualify? ---
**Author:** ![Lobot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ce7236/32.png) [@Lobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobot)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2009, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481/9 "2009-11-14T03:30:55Z")
I’ll second Andy Summers. He’s just a superb musician all 'round. I love Belew, but I wouldn’t count him in this group. Robert Fripp played with Talking Heads, Blondie, Hall & Oates, etc., but I wouldn’t count him, either. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2009, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481/10 "2009-11-14T03:31:07Z")
I once heard Tom Petty refer to his early stuff as New Wave, in which case I’d nominate Mike Campbell. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2009, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481/11 "2009-11-14T03:47:33Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > Husker Du’s Bob Mould Definitely. ---
**Author:** ![Claire\_Beauchamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ec9cab/32.png) [@Claire\_Beauchamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claire_Beauchamp)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2009, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481/12 "2009-11-14T03:50:56Z")
Andy Summers, fo sho ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2009, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481/13 "2009-11-14T04:51:37Z")
> [@Lobot](#): > > I love Belew, but I wouldn’t count him in this group. Maybe. But _Remain in Light_ has to be one of **the** quintessential New Wave albums. His career definitely veered all over the place, but if that disqualifies him I’d say Andy Summers starting his in the 1960’s playing for the likes of Eric Burdon is a taller hurdle to overcome :D. For that matter Bob Mould and Bob Stinson ( another one I like ) are kind of veering into the “post-punk” generation, assuming we’re drawing such straight distinctions. ETA: Love Billy Zoom as well. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2009, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481/14 "2009-11-14T05:05:20Z")
John McGeoch ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2009, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481/15 "2009-11-14T05:09:02Z")
I’ll add James Honeyman-Scott (Pretenders) and perhaps Andy Gill (Gang of Four) to the list. If The Smiths can qualify as New Wave (which I think is a stretch), then you can absolutely add Johnny Marr to that list. ---
**Author:** ![Mixolydian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/da6949/32.png) [@Mixolydian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mixolydian)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2009, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481/16 "2009-11-14T05:12:49Z")
David Hidalgo Honorable mention to Greg Ginn… ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2009, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481/17 "2009-11-14T05:51:19Z")
Dave Alvin’s done mostly roots-rock and blues stuff over his career, but he replaced Zoom in X for a few live shows and some of the _See How We Are_ recording sessions. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2009, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481/18 "2009-11-14T05:56:04Z")
Andy Summers Daniel Ash Robert Smith ---
**Author:** ![Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellis_Aponte_Jr)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2009, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481/19 "2009-11-14T06:41:46Z")
Keith Levene of Public Image Ltd. should be mentioned. His style is much-imitated. And I think it’s fair to include Robert Fripp here since he seemed to fully understand the idiom. ---
**Author:** ![Lobot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ce7236/32.png) [@Lobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobot)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2009, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481/20 "2009-11-14T07:10:45Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > Maybe. But _Remain in Light_ has to be one of **the** quintessential New Wave albums. His career definitely veered all over the place, but if that disqualifies him I’d say Andy Summers starting his in the 1960’s playing for the likes of Eric Burdon is a taller hurdle to overcome :D. Fair point, so I’ll vote Belew and Fripp as well. (Fripp’s work on “Fade Away and Radiate” on _Parallel Lines_ is a great WTF moment on a fantastic album, and _Exposure_ is arguably Fripp doing New Wave anyway.) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481.md?page=2)