For a recent book reading, I was lucky enough to have Greg Kihn alongside, interviewing me. This was at Clayton Books, a shop in Clayton, a small town in Contra Costa County. Turns out Kihn lives nearby. I’ve known Greg for years, back when his band was working local clubs before scoring with “The Breakup Song” and “Jeopardy” in the early ‘80s. He’s morphed into a mystery writer and morning DJ, hosting a rockin’ show, studded with music-insider stories, on KUFX “The Fox” in San Jose.
With Greg on board, I decided to keep the usual book reading and signing stuff to a minimum. Since I was promoting the Grateful Dead Scrapbook, I’d play a couple of excerpts from the CD that comes with the book — bits of my interviews with Jerry Garcia; and I’d read a short piece I’d written about “Touch of Grey.” Kihn and I would wing it from there.
And we did. It was a relaxed time, with a nice crowd, including Annie Sampson, singer and former member of Stoneground, and Ron Cabral, long-time buddy of Country Joe McDonald and the author of a book about Joe and the Fish. I decided that we wouldn’t restrict ourselves to talking about the Dead. We didn’t, and one of the questions from the audience was, “Who’s your favorite guitarist of all time?” I said Jimi Hendrix, for his technical wizardry, inventiveness, flash and charisma. I turned to Kihn, who actually plays guitar, for his two cents. He gave me a dollar.
“I concur 100 percent,” he said. “If you’re a guitar player you have this conversation every three or four days. We’ve been doing it since 1967, and we had our Clapton period and our Jimmy Page period and our Jeff Beck period and the new gods, Joe Satriani, who was in my band for awhile.
“So I’m talking to Eddie Van Halen backstage at the Long Beach Arena, and we were talking about the greatness that is Hendrix. And he’s saying, ‘Well, I think Satch is pretty good, man,’ and I said, ‘Eddie, with all due respect, you and Satriani would have to stand on a chair to kiss Jimi Hendrix’s ass.’ And he just went—” Here, Greg feigned shock. “But it was true. You can’t denigrate the fact that what he did was light years beyond what anyone…He was like Charlie Parker. He was off the scale…I was a guitarist and I wanted to learn all the songs in Sgt. Pepper and I did. They were easy; they had three chords. Hendrix comes along… ‘What is that?’ Omigod, that chord in ‘Foxy Lady!’ I spent the rest of my life searching for that chord. In one solo — ’Watchtower’ — he does every style. He does a Wes Montgomery octave thing; he does wah-wah; he does a Jimmy Page flashy part — in one solo. So without peer, Jimi Hendrix was the man, and I don’t think he’ll be surpassed in our lifetime.”
And don’t forget, he also had flash and charisma.
But was he your Number One axe man?
11 Comments
Hendrix was phenomenal but technically better then satch or John McLaughlin? It’s hard to say, are you judging on technical prowess alone ? Flash and Charisma alone? Or the whole damn thing?
But my favorite axeman for me has got to be Carlos Santana
Yes maybe Hendrix, but I am always amazed the Frank Zappa is never part of the conversation, I think he deserves to be rigth in there with the best.
And then of course there’s Santana…..
It’s interesting that Hendrix and Duane Allman are usually listed in people’s top 5…makes you wonder, does legend factor in at all? What if Clapton had tragically left us after the Dominos?
In terms of all-around creativity, ability, eclecticity (is that a word?), and influence, I’d say Hendrix. For blues, Peter Green. For sonic landscaping, David Gilmour.
Hard to argue with Hendrix, but I’m a riff guy and no one wrote licks like Jimmy Page.
Here’s another vote for Zappa!
Jimi is great but listen to Roy Buchanan- just as great and just as soulful.
There is no best anything.We as fans&orplayers are guided by our “times”,personal taste,etc.I can’t list my fovorite top 20{poss. 50}guitar players.I can say this:Clapton is STILL a vital influence,Satch&Vai,Frankie Z.,Buddy Guy,BB KING,Chet Atkins,Les Paul&Carl Perkins….I’ll stop now{oops,Johnny Winter then S.R.V.}Thank you,VaultKeepers for making so many of these greats available,Keep On Doin’ Waycha’ Do,GTRZAN ;.}
Eddie Van Halen must have been extremely high and drunk to suggest that Satriani should even be mentioned in the same sentence has Hendrix.
Charlie Byrd,Robert Johnson,Stephen Stills,JohnMAYER,Miami Steve,Nils,G.Harrison,Dave Gilmour,Wes Montgomery,Brian Setzer,Brian May,Neil Young,Ry Cooder,Leo Kottke,Roy Clark,Vince Gill,Danny GATTON,Roy Buchannon,Kieth Richards,Mick Taylor,Ron Wood,David Crosby,the guy I saw near Kst. in N.W. D.C. playing in a breezway beneath the “D.C.101″Bldg.,several people Ive heard or played with at various open mics&battle of the bamd events,&sometimes…even ME.I apologize for mispelling Keith.Hey Who’s Got The Biggest…u can call me Johnson? GTRZAN ;.}
Rather than set some guiness world record for most guitarist’s listed in some consecutive time frame,I’ll just Ask::::::::WOULD JIMI WASTE HIS TIME WITH THIS ISSUE?I think he’d ponder it briefly,than continue the constant streem of beautiful sound.I’m gonna try &tune my 12 string now.GTRZAN ;.}
….When ya start me up…Johnny Cash,Marty Stuart,Jeff Beck,Joe Perry,Brad Whitford,Paul Gilbert,Chris Robinson.AND many more I left off w/a guy who knows his open tunings,which I just dove back into w/my 12 string{i have a list of alt. tunings that Scares me}…BUT i DIGRESS!I’ve made a glaring or BLARING{if amplified}omission.Women who have been every bit as important to the guitar world.Open tunings is a good place to start.June Carter,Joni Mitchell,Joan Baez,Bonnie Raitt,Judy Collins,Lucinda Williams,Wynonna Judd,Lita Ford,Joan Jett{shout out from merryland Lady}The Girlschool Women,Vixen’s Jan,Lisa Loeb,Nancy Wilson,Emmylou Harris,Sheryl Crow&All the Ladies i was influenced by;Mom,many relatives&friends that ALWAYS reminded me that guitar like lot’s of things ain’t just a man thing,oh yeah for this list the New York Doll’s guitarist&Paul Stanley{w/make-up}.I could burn infinibytes of virtual space,i still have dozens of names to add,but there ain’t no best,no envelope or box–Mr.’s Torres&Kihn.With Open Mind,Ears,Eyes&Heart{w/tongue firmly in..my mouth}Thank You VaultKeepers, GTRZAN ;.}