# Underrated rock guitarists **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 27, 2003, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underrated-rock-guitarists/157901 "2003-02-27T15:51:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underrated-rock-guitarists/157901/61 "2004-03-08T17:08:47Z")
Nick McCabe John Squire ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underrated-rock-guitarists/157901/62 "2004-03-08T17:22:02Z")
**Jorma Kaukonen** from the Jefferson Airplane was a fine, tasty guitarist who also went on tour for many years in the bluesy Hot Tuna. Listen to **Bruce Cockburn’s** guitar work: from the symphonic bombast on “If I Had a Rocket Laucher” to the beautiful jazz of his Gary Burton duet, “Mistress of Storms.” **Phil Manzanera** did endless spectacular lead guitar for Roxy Music. Nobody’s mentioned **Carlos Santana**. Is that because he’s considered a god of the Hendrix/Clapton variety or truly underrated? Same with **Mark Knofler** of Dire Straits. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underrated-rock-guitarists/157901/63 "2004-03-08T17:25:46Z")
Someone suggested **Johnny Marr**. Actually I think he’s in the David Gilmour camp as a guitarist’s guitarist. He is respected in the field. Also mentioned **Robyn Hitchcock** I don’t know that he’s as much under-rated as unknown(?) He is an _interesting_ guitarist. If we’re also going for unheard of guitarists - how about **Kimberly Rew**? Also: **Ricky Wilson** from the B52s. Pretty darn original **Joni Mitchell** ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underrated-rock-guitarists/157901/64 "2004-03-08T17:26:05Z")
Eric Johnson Tony Rice Ricky Skaggs Steve Miller Walter Becker Larry Carlton ---
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underrated-rock-guitarists/157901/65 "2004-03-08T18:36:35Z")
> [@ecugrad](#): > > I don’t think Mick Jones (not the one from The Clash) gets his due recognition. Well, I’ll say it … I think **Mick Jones** of The Clash doesn’t get his due, either. Sure, his solos were not overly complex (and he overused the Roland Echoplex he got in 1981) but as a musical arranger, he is a genius. ---
**Author:** ![Husker\_Dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Husker\_Dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Husker_Dude)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underrated-rock-guitarists/157901/66 "2004-03-08T19:37:26Z")
J. Mascis from Dinosaur Jr. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underrated-rock-guitarists/157901/67 "2004-03-08T22:58:49Z")
I was reading the thread wondering if anyone was going to mention Steve Morse before I could. Of course someone did. Although he doesn’t fit into the OP. He has been extnsively mentioned in the technical player mags, but he is almost unknown to the general public. After about 10 albums he had to quit music for a while because he wasn’t making a living and he became an airline pilot. He has the fastest fingers I have ever seen and he doesn’t cheat (no hammer ons). He is not all about the speed. He plays mostly rock now but started with fusion. My favorite example is his first solo album, The Steve Morse Band, _The Introduction_. I have to defend Alex Lifeson as under-rated. Rush is usually talked about for the drumming, or the lyrics or the writing. Lifeson is usually left out. I think this is because as guitar playing became more mastabatory in the 80’s, his playing became tighter and less flashy. Still a great player. Rik Emmit of Triumph is under-rated. A great player who is over-shadowed by that other Canadian power trio. ---
**Author:** ![DVsickgirlDV](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5e925/32.png) [@DVsickgirlDV](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DVsickgirlDV)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2004, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underrated-rock-guitarists/157901/68 "2004-03-09T01:03:09Z")
I didn’t read through all the posts to see if she was mentioned, but LIZ PHAIR. Ok, yes her latest album sucks, but if you ever listen to any of her work pre-1998, she uses the most obsure and creative guitar chords and progressions. I dare any of you guys to listen to her stuff and try to tab it out! ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2004, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underrated-rock-guitarists/157901/69 "2004-03-09T02:05:37Z")
This must be the umpteenth “underrated guitarist” thread, but I’ll put my choice in once again - **Randy California of Spirit**. And I agree with **Borderlund and Gargoyle** about **Martin Barre**. To paraphrase a “Star Trek” expression, “His ‘Aqualung’ solo is required listening at the Academy”. ---
**Author:** ![Hometownboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5e9695/32.png) [@Hometownboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hometownboy)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2004, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underrated-rock-guitarists/157901/70 "2004-03-09T05:59:25Z")
> [@Exapno Mapcase](#): > > **Jorma Kaukonen** from the Jefferson Airplane was a fine, tasty guitarist who also went on tour for many years in the bluesy Hot Tuna. Yes, indeedy-do. I would also nominate **Barry Melton** of Country Joe and the Fish, if only for his tasty work on “Rock & Soul Music” from Woodstock. ---
**Author:** ![Beauty\_Personified](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e480ec/32.png) [@Beauty\_Personified](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beauty_Personified)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2004, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underrated-rock-guitarists/157901/71 "2004-03-09T06:29:17Z")
The late **Glen Buxton** of the _Alice Cooper_ group. It’s a shame we’ll never be able to see a reunion. ( **Michael Bruce** wasn’t bad either, but I’m more a fan of his for the fact that he wrote or co-wrote most of my favorite ACG songs.) Anyhoo… ---
**Author:** ![unclviny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e274bd/32.png) [@unclviny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unclviny)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2004, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underrated-rock-guitarists/157901/72 "2004-03-09T06:45:44Z")
Pravnik, I agree Adrian Belew does not get much recognition (except by other guitar players) but everyone! has heard him play (they just don’t know it). John Petrucci is awesome! (check out Liquid Tension Experiment). Others on my list: Steve Stephens (Billy Idol’s former “axeman”) Steve Hillage Carlos Alomar (formerly with David Bowie) David Rhodes (of Peter Gabriel’s band) Unclviny [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/underrated-rock-guitarists/157901.md?page=3)