# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![Chicken\_Fingers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Chicken\_Fingers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicken_Fingers)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2009, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481/41 "2009-11-15T07:29:26Z")
The Boomtown Rats and Devo had some good guitar. ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2009, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481/42 "2009-11-15T09:18:24Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > 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. Mould played to stunning affect on Husker Du’s Metal Circus and the Eight Miles High cover. Definitely punk and very influential. Anything by the Replacements previous to Tim qualifies easily as punk. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2009, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481/43 "2009-11-15T09:23:45Z")
D. Boon is my pick, but I’ve seen a bunch of others named here that I’d place a close second… if it wasn’t for Joe Baiza being a better choice. Seriously, if you haven’t seen him play live, you are missing out. [Links to UCO music on top of page](http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=universal%20congress%20of&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=vw). I still maintain that the 2 best concerts I ever saw were both UCO shows. One was free & the other cost me $2. Awesome band; great guys. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2009, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481/44 "2009-11-15T09:38:36Z")
Sorry; there was some info I should have given in that last post: Joe Baiza was the guitarist for **Saccharine Trust** ; after that band broke up, Baiza formed a new band that played very tight, very avante-garde jazz/rock called **Universal Congress Of** , or **UCO** in shorthand. ---
**Author:** ![BigBertha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@BigBertha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigBertha)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2009, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481/45 "2009-11-15T18:22:23Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > I’ll second the nomination for Johnny Ramone. Watching that guy play was an awesome experience. I’ll third it. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Falling\_Reverend](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aca169/32.png) [@The\_Falling\_Reverend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Falling_Reverend)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2009, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481/46 "2009-11-15T19:25:02Z")
Good to see Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd getting so much appreciation. I think the Lenny Kaye from the Patti Smith Group and Captain Sensible from The Damned should be on this list 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 15, 2009, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481/47 "2009-11-15T19:40:28Z")
I still think John McGeoch owns this thread, but I also would co-sign on Andy Gill and Andy Summers. I’d also want to add Andy Cox (English Beat, Fine Young Cannibals) for a trifecta of Andrews. Jimmy Honeyman-Scott, if he had lived, would have been the guitar god of the 80s. Johnny Marr has mentioned often how influential his sound was on his playing. ---
**Author:** ![Simmerdown](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simmerdown/32/14859_2.png) [@Simmerdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simmerdown)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2009, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481/48 "2009-11-15T19:44:21Z")
I don’t know if I would say “best”, but since these threads always seem to become lists of generally influential figures, I will mention Elliot Easton and Rick Ocasek of the Cars. Also Andy Partridge of XTC. The one that always blows me away whenever I see him live still today is Jonathan Richman. ---
**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 15, 2009, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481/49 "2009-11-15T19:46:16Z")
> [@Simmerdown](#): > > I don’t know if I would say “best”, but since these threads always seem to become lists of generally influential figures, I will mention Elliot Easton and Rick Ocasek of the Cars. Also Andy Partridge of XTC. The one that always blows me away whenever I see him live still today is Jonathan Richman. **Simmerdown** has me thinking that the other XTC axeman, Dave Gregory, should be on the list too. ---
**Author:** ![Simmerdown](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simmerdown/32/14859_2.png) [@Simmerdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simmerdown)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2009, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481/50 "2009-11-15T20:00:13Z")
> [@Hippy\_Hollow](#): > > **Simmerdown** has me thinking that the other XTC axeman, Dave Gregory, should be on the list too. :smack: I can’t believe I left him out. I’ve been listening to alot of Wasp Star lately, so the focus has been on Partridge, since Gregory was out by then. ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481/51 "2009-11-16T14:02:42Z")
I don’t know about ‘best’ but **J. Mascis** of Dinosaur Jr. made a great noise! ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481/52 "2009-11-16T14:31:29Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > I once heard Tom Petty refer to his early stuff as New Wave, in which case I’d nominate Mike Campbell. This is one of the funniest things I’ve read in some time. In the late 70s and early 80s we often discussed the impossibility of defining "new wave, but one thing is for sure, no one would have called TP it! Don’t get me wrong - a lot of good stuff on his first 2 records (and a whole lotta shite for decades after), but TP is deluding himself if he thinks anyone ever considered him new wave. My most obvious choices have been listed above. But how about a shout out for Brinsley Schwarz? I’d put Cheap Trick down as mostly pop, but Rick Nielson sure was one of the funnest axemen of the time. Stretching punk a tad I’ll offer up Rick Miller of SCOTS. And since Dave Alvin was mentioned, I saw the Blasters on Sat, and MAN Keith Wyatt can BRING IT! ---
**Author:** ![phungi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phungi/32/395_2.png) [@phungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phungi)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481/53 "2009-11-16T15:20:01Z")
I third the Andy Partridge noms… ---
**Author:** ![Simmerdown](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simmerdown/32/14859_2.png) [@Simmerdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simmerdown)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481/54 "2009-11-16T16:15:28Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > And since Dave Alvin was mentioned, I saw the Blasters on Sat, and MAN Keith Wyatt can BRING IT! I’m thinking “Keith Wyatt, Keith Wyatt, sounds dang familiar.” He was one of my instructors at GIT in 1983. And yes, he can bring it. ---
**Author:** ![bcarstensen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@bcarstensen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bcarstensen)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2016, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481/55 "2016-05-24T18:21:12Z")
I’m really surprised at this thread to me the answer is obvious but no one has mentioned him…Elliot Easton! ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2016, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481/56 "2016-05-24T19:04:24Z")
> [@bcarstensen](#): > > I’m really surprised at this thread to me the answer is obvious but no one has mentioned him…Elliot Easton! Well yeah, except he was actually mentioned up thread. Good guitarist though. ---
**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:** [May 24, 2016, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481/57 "2016-05-24T19:27:14Z")
> [@Purd\_Werfect](#): > > Well yeah, except he was actually mentioned up thread. Good guitarist though. It seems like 10 times out of 10, when a zombie is resurrected with a “I can’t believe nobody mentioned!” type of post, that person or thing has, in fact, already been mentioned years ago in the thread. ---
**Author:** ![neofishboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/neofishboy/32/444_2.png) [@neofishboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neofishboy)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2016, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481/58 "2016-05-24T20:34:09Z")
As an aside … man, is it better being a Bob Mould fan in 2016 than in was in 2009. _District Line_ ('08) and _Life and Times_ ('09) were okay, but the last three albums with Narducy and Wurster have been great. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2016, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481/59 "2016-05-24T21:03:44Z")
I think Robert Fripp counts. His work with Bowie on _Scary Monsters_ is about as New Wave as it’s possible to get. ---
**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:** [May 24, 2016, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481/60 "2016-05-24T22:27:49Z")
> [@neofishboy](#): > > As an aside … man, is it better being a Bob Mould fan in 2016 than in was in 2009. _District Line_ ('08) and _Life and Times_ ('09) were okay, but the last three albums with Narducy and Wurster have been great. Seconded. Especially _Silver Age_ is a blast, as good as everything he did with Sugar. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-guitarist-of-the-new-wave-punk-era/517481.md?page=4)