Who Is Underrated...And Why
Aug 19 '00
In the history of popular music there have been man underrated guitarists. There are numerous possible reasons for this. Some died before they could reach their full potential (i.e. Randy Rhoads). Some belonged to bands that never achieved national exposure (i.e. John Pettruci). But I have found that most are underrated because they belong to a group where another member overshadows them, or maybe their personal lives overshadow their musicianship. This is the possibility I will focus on.
Many times a band will feature an absolutely outstanding guitarist, but the lead singer, or other member of the group overshadows them. The most blatant example of this is Lindsey Buckingham of the group Fleetwood Mac. Lindsey has never been listed amongst the greats of guitar, yet he displays amazing skill. He didn't solo too often, but when he did, he filled his solos with intricately picked multi-string parts. He was also a very good fingerpicker, which is displayed in the song "Landslide." But as good as Lindsey was, most of the attention Fleetwood Mac received went to Stevie Nicks and her "witchy ways." What attention Lindsey did receive was usually due to his relationship and break-up with Stevie. Lindsey was also not flashy, and played parts to assist the song instead of assisting his ego.
Robby Krieger suffered a similar fate. Krieger was trained in many styles of music, from rock to flamenco to jazz. He was able to jam fluently for long periods of time, such as in the Doors classic "Light My Fire," or play brief, rocking solos, as displayed in the song "Peace Frog." As good as Krieger was, he was overshadowed by two people in the band. The Doors had an organist, Ray Manzarek. Few bands at the time had organists, so the sound was very fresh. Because of this, most of the musical praise went to the innovativeness Manzarek displayed, essentially ignoring Krieger. But the biggest reason Krieger was ignored was because of lead singer Jim Morrison. Morrison and his legendary baritone voice were full of personality, enthralling the audiences. He would sometimes expose himself onstage, sometimes not face the audience at all, but he was always the center of attention. And when he died in an untimely death, Morrison became the legend of the group, leaving Krieger in the dust.
Sometimes a guitarist's antics off the stage will take the focus off of their guitar playing. Prince is a fantastic guitar player. His playing is fluid, and very reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix. It is a mix of funk, rock, and hip hop. He has amazing tone, and can shred like few others. However, Prince has become infamous for many things, from his frequent changes in name to his many female companions to constant questions about his sexuality. These unimportant matters, however, have taken away from Prince's musicianship, especially his guitar playing.
There are some guitarists, like Scotty Moore and James Burton, who never achieved fame because they were hired guitar players. This means that they were not in the band, but were hired by musicians to add a guitar part, usually a solo, to the record. Scotty Moore was the guitarist on many of Elvis's records. How many guitarists could play with Elvis without being completely ignored? Very few. Scotty continues to have a loyal following amongst guitar aficionados, yet he has never achieved national recognition. James Burton played as a hired hand of Ricky Nelson records. He played many eight bar and twelve bar solos, and they are all unforgettable. They were never too flashy, but they added a great deal to the song with very tasteful playing. Burton is possibly the most underrated hired hand in the history of popular music.
Frank Zappa was a great guitarist as well. Sometimes his solos would wander a bit, and he didn't have his own distinctive style, but he was a technically gifted axeman. However, most of the attention Zappa received went to his bizarre persona and out-of-this-world lyrics. Perhaps had he not died young, he would have eventually received more praise, but he probably will always main somewhat hidden in obscurity outside of his cult following.
I personally feel Jeff Beck is underrated. While he does have a massive following and is highly respected, he receives little attention compared to the two other great British guitarists of his time, Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page. This is due in a large part to the fact that Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page played much more commercial music, and each had quite a few radio hits during their career. Jeff Beck has stuck to more experimental styles, such as fusion, and therefore has never received the mass radio attention Clapton and Page have.
These are the guitarists that I feel are the most underrated. Whether due to being overshadowed by another person, or possibly overshadowing themselves, they do not receive the praise and respect that they deserve. Take a listen to these guitarists and you will see for yourself why they are legends in my book.
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kidhendrix
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Member: Matt D
Location: Los Angeles, California
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"Talking about music is like dancing about architecture."-Elvis Costello
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