Before the 1950’s there really wasn’t any such thing as “rock ‘n’ roll”. It was a mostly new form of music, dreamed up by the likes of Les Paul, and other like minded men of the day. These were men no longer interested by the politics of folk. These were men who lacked the time, and energy for the complexity of jazz. Rock music at its core, has always been based on an aesthetic. Rock music is a symbol of rebellion, but in the same token, a sense of belonging to those who wanted to scream, and roar with angst, but never knew by what means to do so. Rock music is a rush of blood to the head, jam packed into three chords and three minutes. Rock music is James Dean in a leather jacket. Rock music is what Brian Fallon calls “The Cool”. So, this list is dedicated to rock music, but further more this list is dedicated to the Top 10 Best Rock Guitarists Of All Time.

10) Adrian Smith – Iron Maiden

People often site many heavy metal guitarists as pioneers. Adrian Smith is unfortunately a name that too often gets left out of that conversation. Iron Maiden is well known for its trio of lead guitar players, so perhaps he gets lost in that shuffle, especially since he is the least flashy of the bunch, in terms of showmanship. However, what Adrian lacks in panache, he more than makes up for in skill, effort and spirit. Anyone who has seen Iron Maiden live in the last three decades, can tell you that he is the stand out of the bunch. Adrian has a presence on stage, not a larger than life, but more an air of rock ‘n’ roll decency, rooted in a very real respect for his audiance, his music, and his instrument. I would go as far as to say he is the unsaid eb and flow of this band.

9) Tommy Iommi – Black Sabbath

This man’s presence on this list, is almost as dark and stormy as his presence in the music industry itself, and that…is a massive compliment. Tommy Iommi is more or less the man who invented the heavy metal “riff”, and his band Black Sabbath were, and are the flagship band for what we know today as “heavy metal”. Tommy showed us that rock music didn’t just have to be loud, or aggressive, but that it could have a vibe. He showed us that the riff really does make the song, and that the music can be literally driven by more than technique. Tommy showed us, that by filling a space with enough sonic presence, that music can take on a whole new meaning. Tommy knew how to get his message across, by saying as little as possible…message received.

8) Joey Santiago – The Pixies

Joey Santiago is not what you would call the most skilled player, and back in the 1980’s when The Pixies were beginning to literally make noise, one would have never assumed that he would experience the longevity in the music business that he has. What he lacks in skill, he has more than made up for in sheer songwriting innovation. Most people will credit Nirvana for grunge, more specially they will credit Kurt Cobain and his associates, for the now famous “quiet/loud/quiet” song writing style and structure. What most people don’t know, is that Joey Santiago, and Frank Black had been doing it for about ten years with The Pixies. Joey had the foresight to know that people would enjoy…noise.

7) Graham Coxon – Blur

This man is simply one of the finest guitar players to come out of the 1990’s. About twenty-five years ago, Graham and his band Blur took the brit-pop world by storm, and they did it in style, even if they were too often overshadowed by arguably lesser artists in Oasis and The Verve. Graham built on the idea, put forth by bands like Slint and The Pixies, that people like noise, as a result Grahams patterned brand of weirdo distortion, intertwined with sugary-sweet Brit-Pop chorus’s put Blur on the map. However, the true test of an artist is time, and Graham is still forging onward today, making beautifully distorted and undeniably Britsh music, that you cannot help but love. Graham Coxon is probably the only true Brit-Pop guitar hero. He is truly a virtuoso, who is recognized by both rock forefathers, and new comers alike. He is a man that bridges the gap of the 60’s and 70’s giants, with the players of today. His generational presence, has made it possible for the likes of Jimmy Page, Jack White and The Edge to share a stage. Graham is a rock an roll peace keeper, and a key-holder between rock gate houses, showing us that all forms of rock can coexist. Graham Coxon brings class to rock music, but in the same token he knows how good, and important he is, even is he is too reserved to admit it. However, fans and fellow musicians alike know the truth – he doesn’t need too.

6) Alex Lifeson – Rush

Unfortunately for Alex Lifeson, it seems he suffers the same fate as the band he plays in (Rush), people either love him, or hate him…supposedly. It could be the polarizing voice of the lead singer (Geddy Lee) he shares the stage with. Perhaps its the massive presence of their drummer, who shall remain nameless (Neil Pert) seems to always have. I have always wondered how a man, who resides in a top-selling band, with forty-plus years worth of gold records, who has won multiple guitar player of the year awards, could really be considered “underrated” and “forgotten”, as so many seem to think he is. I don’t believe he is at all. I believe he highly skilled, and has had a certain amount of longevity in music, as well in the quality of his playing. The sheer amount of turns Rush records still receive on rock radio to this day, is proof that Alex Lifeson and Rush possesses the craftsmanship to conjure up some of rocks best, and most memorable solos and songs. It also proves, that perhaps the idea that Rush is this polarizing and half-hated band, went out of style in the early 80’s with disco music, and the afro. I think we all need to revisit our idea of Alex and Rush. How about we call a spade a  spade, and admit the truth – Alex Lifeson is a phenomenally consistent guitar player. As for Rush, they are a great band, with a cool name, who has experienced consistent popularity, and unrivaled longevity, through an ever-changing rock climate. Cheers to Alex, and Rush alike.

5) Eddie Van Halen – Van Halen

Often imitated, but never duplicated. The absolute best. A legend in his time. These are terms of endearment often reserved for Eddie Van Halen, and perhaps they are deserved. The interesting thing about Eddie, is that he himself is the master of imitation and duplication. Many of his most famous licks, and techniques are actually things that Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and Ace Frehley had been doing for years, but Eddie simply did them faster, and in some opinions – better. Eddie Van Halen is no doubt extremely talented, and is absolutely one of rocks great songwriters. However, what really makes him stand out, is the guitar tone he has been able to acheive. When Eddie plays, you know without a shadow of a doubt who you are listening too. Eddie has created his own unique guitar tone, which he calls “the brown sound“. Eddie achieved this, by building his owns guitars (until he had money to have others do it). However, when you have no real technical background, or knowledge of basic electronics, some very funky results, such as yellow striped guitars, held together with duct tape can rise to life. The good news for Eddie, and the rest of Van Halen is – they were able to ride those results all way to the bank.

4) Ace Frehley – KISS

Ace Frehley is my personal favorite, but even I know that he is not the best. I do however believe that he deserves placement on this list, so here he is. In the early 1970’s, along with three other guys from New York City, Ace created and took the world by storm, as members of the now infamous rock band KISS. You may also know them for their rock “n” roll anthem – “Rock and Roll All Night”. Ace created something of an institution, as well as a world renowned brand. Ace Frehley has contributed to more gold rock records, than any other rock guitar player to date. Countless rock musicians of all genres alike, will continue to site “Space” Ace Frehley as a direct influence. His solos are memorable, if not fantastic, and the man himself, is highly likable, if not hilarious. His work, style and showmanship have been  ripped off too many times to count, but Ace is a true rock ‘n’ roll survivor. Ace is all that is good about rock music, and he also perhaps one of rocks biggest remaining enigmas. Ace Frehley arguably stopped progressing as a guitar player around 1975, when he was about 24 years old, as a result he has gotten by in his career, on sheer skill alone. Ace is one of rocks most lovable, and recognizable characters, but no one with ever mistake him for one of its hardest workers.

3) Johnny Marr – The Smiths

I implore you to recall one of Johnny Marrs best, and most shred worthy guitar solos. Can you do it? I would bet not, and that is precisely Johnny’s intention. With his band The Smiths, possibly the worlds greatest, and most infamous indie rock band, he became known as “the man who would not solo“. In the early 1980’s, Johnny Marr turned back the clock, to a time when music was about the song as a whole, and less about the take-turns style of singing and soloing, that too many bands of the day were relying on. Johnny combined the brashness of The Ramones, with the bright-shiny-day chimes of The Byrds, and the results were no less than astounding. There has never been a guitar player better than Johnny Marr, when it comes to filling negative space within the confines of a song, and considering we are talking about “pop” music, that is no small feat. Johnny Marr does not subscribe to the theory that you should just riff, instead he uses his guitar as means of harmonizing with the vocal track. Never short on frenetic flourishes and spastic chimes, that stay with you long after the song has finished, much to lead singer Morrissey’s dismay, in The Smiths we found a band whose guitar licks were possibly more catchy than their choruses

2) Jimmy Page – Led Zeppelin

Some people might say I am insane for not placing Jimmy Page as number one on this list, and his position as number two, by no means discredits him. The man is an absolute legend. The man wrote “Stairway to Heaven”. Jimmy Page is perhaps rocks first real innovator, not just in the way he plays his instrument, but in the way he coaxes almost unnatural sounds from his guitar. Jimmy pushed the envelope, in terms of what could be produced in the studio, and heard on a record. Jimmy pioneered microphone positioning, and tension of strings, as well as different pick types and thickness grades. The result was an absolutely massive, and legendary band known as Led Zeppelin, a band whose songs are peppered with solos, and riffs we will never forget. In the studio the man was a wizard, but where Jimmy fell short was in concert, not for lack of ability but for lack of…sobriety. Jimmy Page is a player who could easily hold his own, he needed no help in terms of a second guitar player on stage – a very rare thing. Jimmy Page is also a player that has never stopped wanting to progress. His primary issue as a player, is that on stage he was unable to conjure the magic he sparked in the studio. Jimmy suffered this fate for two reasons, the first being his well documented substance abuse, which at times rendered him half the player he should have been. The second being, that perhaps he was too innovative in the studio for his own good, thus when it came time to play live, many of Led Zeppelin’s famed songs were simply unable to be spoken in a live musical language.  As a result, Jimmy is often handed the title of sloppy, a title that cannot be considered anything less than an insult, for a player of his caliber. Jimmy Page is a unique, innovative, and larger than life guitar player. He is rock ‘n’ rolls first true, and most definitive lead guitar player. However, the catch-22 Jimmy has often found himself in, is that he is unable to meet the expectations that he himself has set.

1) Rory Gallagher – Solo Artist

Here is a man that far too many people have never heard of, but if you asked the likes of say…Jimi Hendrix, or…Keith Richards – “who is the best guitar player in the world?”– they would often say – Rory Gallagher. Rory is Ireland’s finest. He played with raw, unbridled passion. Early on in this piece, I spoke about the desire, and rebellion that defines rock ‘ roll music. Rory had a fire in him, that burned hotter than most of his contemporaries combined. This fire came out in his records, and in his stage shows. Rory was not larger than life in terms of who he was a man. Rory did not reinvented the wheel in terms of studio trickery. At this point you may be wondering – “why are you placing him in front of Eddie, and Jimmy?”. You may be thinking – “why have you left Hendrix and Clapton off, in Rory Gallaghers favor?”. The answer is simple, and complex all in the same. If you love music, you may understand this simple fact – Rory Gallagher played the guitar, brought forth a sound, lived a life, and made music that embodied the rock ‘n’ roll spirit. Rory had an energy in his fingers, that had never been heard before he picked up the guitar, and has not been seen, or heard from since his death, nearly thirty years ago. Like Jimmy Page, he also could easily get by without a second guitar player on stage. However, where Rory differs is when he played live – it was absolute insanity, despite his also well documented substance abuse issues, that in the end did him in.  Some little known facts about Rory Gallagher: 1) he was asked to join the Rolling Stones, after Mick Taylor left, but declined. 2) He was Jimi Hendrix’s favorite guitar player, despite the fact that they had never met, and that Jimi had never seen him live. To close, and to truly understand why he has earned his placement on this list, you simply need to listen to him. You simply need to experience rock ‘n’ roll as it was intended. If you like music, then you like Rory Gallagher. What’s not to like? It is that simple.

P.S – look up pictures of Rory’s beat-up Fender Statocaster. Its easily one of the coolest rock artifacts left in the world today.