{"id":1241,"date":"2021-05-29T00:16:49","date_gmt":"2021-05-29T00:16:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mrzeros.com\/blog\/?p=1241"},"modified":"2021-05-29T00:16:49","modified_gmt":"2021-05-29T00:16:49","slug":"the-guitarists-that-changed-the-face-of-music","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mrzeros.com\/blog\/the-guitarists-that-changed-the-face-of-music\/","title":{"rendered":"The Guitarists That Changed The Face Of Music"},"content":{"rendered":"

“Guitarists That Changed The Face Of Music”<\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Dr. Rox Remember When?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Article #123: May 2021<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

By: RL Schwinden aka MrZerr0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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When I was a kid growing up on the Westside of Sioux City, I loved music and though my Dad (Bill Jr.) was a drummer, I was drawn to the guitar on songs like Beatles: “Day Tripper” with George Harrison and Monkees “Last Train To Clarksville” with Gerry McGee on Lead Guitar and Osmonds\u00a0“Hold Her Tight” with Wayne Osmond on Lead Guitar. In 1971 my Uncle Jeff gave me\u00a0 my 1st guitar an Egmund acoustic, it was\u00a0 hard enough to play\u00a0 that thing, much less to play Leads on it, so I resided myself to playing Rhythm Guitar. Though I always wanted to play Lead Guitar, like\u00a0my\u00a0Uncle Jeff’s acquaintance\u00a0Tommy Bolin from 27th and Clark who had just left Sioux City and put out the 1st Zephyr Album in 1969.<\/p>\n

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In 1973 my Dad bought me a WB Records 4 LP set that had artists like Black Sabbath, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin etc. it was then I really discovered the power of the Lead Guitar, and I really began to research the artists I had admired so much. In about 1982 I read an interview with Tony Iommi, who had mentioned he was talking to Pete Willis, from Def Leppard, and Willis had this to say “When it comes to learning how to imitate your guitar idols, the best way to do this is to find out Who, they were influenced by, obtain some records by those influenced your hero and start there, you will have a better understanding of that guitarist\u2019s style. Take my band’s (Def Leppard) guitarists, myself and (Steve) Clark, he studied music, so he knows the theory and rules, I studied my heroes influences, so I (Willis) don’t” This set me on a journey of researching who influenced the guitarist I admired, which eventually lead to me compiling this list, and eventually creating this 2 part radio show\u00a0for\u00a0WDGY.<\/p>\n

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“PsychoGello Show Episode #192” 9 May\u00a02021 on Radi0 WDGY<\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Chuck Berry:<\/em><\/strong> “Roll\u00a0 Over Beethoven” May 1956 (#42)<\/p>\n

Charles Edward Anderson Berry: 18 Oct 1926 St. Louis, MO. – 8 Mar 2017<\/p>\n

25 Albums and 54 Singles<\/p>\n

In my opinion the Originator, all things “Rock” Guitar extend from Chuck Berry, though Chuck took lessons from Ira Harris, it was Berry that put out the Rock N Roll Records, with the 2 string\u00a0 “E-B” & “B-G” bends, the foundation of the Rock Lead Solo.<\/p>\n

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Jimi Hendrix:<\/em><\/strong> “Voodoo Chile (slight return) Oct 1968<\/p>\n

Johnny Allen Hendrix : 27 Nov 1942 Seattle, WA. – 18 Nov 1970<\/p>\n

5 Albums and 11 Singles<\/p>\n

So Chuck Berry invented the Rock N Roll guitar style, Hendrix took the guitar to a whole new level, with his usage of the “Wah Wah Pedal” and the “Tremolo Bar” and “Fuzz Face” distortion pedal. Using all\u00a0of these to create a whole new sound by rethinking the way the guitar was played.<\/p>\n

One of Jimi’s main influences was Eddie Cochran.<\/p>\n

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Jimmy Page:<\/em><\/strong> “Four Sticks” Nov 1971<\/p>\n

James Patrick Page: 9 Jan 1944 Middlesex, ENG.<\/p>\n

Yardbirds: 1 Album and 4 Singles, Led Zeppelin:13 Albums and 12 Singles,\u00a0 The Firm: 2 Albums,\u00a0 Solo: 10 Albums and 1 Single.<\/p>\n

While Page started out as a “Session Player” he went on to join the Yardbirds, eventually replacing Jeff Beck, though not nearly as innovative as Hendrix, he did bring forth a new kind of music with Led Zeppelin, no doubt the most popular band of all time.<\/p>\n

One of Jimmy’s main influences was Hank Marvin.<\/p>\n

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Tommy Bolin:<\/em><\/strong> “Wild Dogs” Nov 1975<\/p>\n

Thomas Richard Michael Bolin: 1 Aug 1951: Sioux City, IA. 4 Dec 1976<\/p>\n

Zephyr: 3 Albums and 2 Singles, Billy Cobham: 1 Album,\u00a0James Gang: 2 Albums\u00a0and 3 Singles\u00a0 Alphonse \u00a0Mouzon: 1 Album, Moxy: 1 Album, Deep Purple: 2 Albums and 2 Singles,\u00a0 Solo: 2 Albums\u00a0and 3 Singles<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, Tommy is not a household name and is often confused with Marc Bolan of “T-Rex”. Bolin’s contribution to the guitar world was that he was a Jazz Guitar Player, playing “Rock Music” using a totally different approach, as well as the Master of the “Echoplex”.<\/p>\n

One of Tommy’s main influences was Wes Montgomery.<\/p>\n

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Edward Van Halen:<\/em><\/strong> “Atomic Punk” Feb 1978<\/p>\n

Edvard \u00a0Lodevijk Van Halen: 26 Jan 1955: Amsterdam, Holland – 6 Oct 2020<\/p>\n

14 Albums and 58 Singles<\/p>\n

Undoubtedly the last true innovator of the electric guitar, Edward is the 3rd of what I like to call “The Big 3”, he really was the 1st one since Hendrix to take the guitar in a totally different direction, with his usage of “Finger Tapping” and the “Phaser” and “Flanger” pedals.<\/p>\n

One of Eddie’s main influences was Allan Holdsworth.<\/p>\n

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Randy Rhodes:<\/em><\/strong> “Over The Mountain” Nov 1981<\/p>\n

Randall William Rhodes: 6 Dec 1956: Santa Monica, Ca. -19 Mar 1982<\/p>\n

Quiet Riot: 3 Albums and 3 Singles,\u00a0\u00a0Blizzard\u00a0Of Ozz: 3 Albums.<\/p>\n

Not nearly as original as Edward Van Halen, Rhodes, much like Bolin, did take a unique approach to his playing. Randy a “Classically” trained guitarist applied those techniques in playing Rock Guitar.<\/p>\n

One of Randy’s main influences was Andreas Segovia.<\/p>\n

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The Edge (U2):<\/em><\/strong> “Bullet The Blue Sky” Mar 1987<\/p>\n

David Howell Evans: 8 Aug 1961: Dublin, IRE.<\/p>\n

21 Albums and 71 Singles.<\/p>\n

Edge, though not as flashy as some others on this list, was added because of his innovation with usage of the “Delay” pedal and slide guitar technique. I will also state I chose Edge for this list almost 2 decades before the 2008 film “It Might Get Loud”.<\/p>\n

One of Edge’s main influences was Rory Gallagher.<\/p>\n

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“PsychoGello Show Episode #194” 23 May 2021 on radio WDGY\u00a0<\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Les Paul:<\/em><\/strong> “How High The Moon” Mar 1951<\/p>\n

Lester William Polsfuss: 9 Jun 1915: Waukesha, WI. – 12 Aug 2009<\/p>\n

12 Albums and 54 Singles.<\/p>\n

Les built a prototype of the 1st “Electric Guitar” dubbed “The Log” and pioneered “Multi Track Recording” while generally a “Country” or “Big Band” guitarist, he does have the most famous “Rock Guitar” named after him “Les Paul”.<\/p>\n

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Eric Clapton:<\/em><\/strong> “Badge” Feb 1969<\/p>\n

Eric Patrick Clapton: 30 Mar 1945: Surrey, ENG.<\/p>\n

Yardbirds: 2 Albums and 3 Singles\u00a0 Cream: 6 Albums\u00a0 Derek & Dominos:1 Album, , Blind Faith: 2 Albums,\u00a0 Plastic Ono Band: 1 Album, Delaney & Bonnie: 1 Album, Solo:30 Albums and 55 Singles, as well as 60 other Guest Appearances.<\/p>\n

Originally a “Blues” guitarist Clapton took his style in a new direction with the Yardbirds and then Cream creating the extend jam solo.<\/p>\n

One of Eric’s main influences was Robert Johnson.<\/p>\n

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Tony Iommi<\/em><\/strong> (Black Sabbath): “Fairies\u00a0Wear Boots” Sep 1970<\/p>\n

Anthony Frank Iommi: 19 Feb 1948: Birmingham, ENG.<\/p>\n

Black Sabbath; 27 Albums and 34 Singles: Solo: 3 Albums.<\/p>\n

Iommi is added to this list for his innovations such as: tuning down a step and a half to “C#” creating the 1st set of “Light Gauge Strings” .008 to .032, and more importantly creating his own prosthetic finger tips, all of this lead to the creation of \u00a0\u201dHeavy Metal” though the phrase was coined by Mars Bonfire of “Sparrow” in 1968.<\/p>\n

One of Tony’s main influences was\u00a0Django Reinhardt.<\/p>\n

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Ace Frehley:<\/em><\/strong> “Let Me Go Rock And Roll” Oct 1974<\/p>\n

Paul Daniel Frehley: 27 Apr 1951 Bronx, NY<\/p>\n

KISS:15 Albums,\u00a0 Solo: 13 Albums and 17 Singles.<\/p>\n

I have added Ace, not just because he is one of my favorites, but more so that he combined, Page, Clapton & Hendrix to create a style that launched 1000s of other guitarists.<\/p>\n

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Brian May:<\/em><\/strong> “Now I’m Here” Nov 1974<\/p>\n

Brian Harold May: 19 July 1947: London, ENG.<\/p>\n

Queen: 22 Albums and 55 Singles, Solo: 4 Albums.<\/p>\n

Much like Edge, I added May, because of his innovations, Brian and his father built his own guitar the “Red Special” and he uses an English Sixpence as a guitar pick, to create his unique sound.<\/p>\n

One of Brian’s main influences was Jimi Hendrix.<\/p>\n

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Jeff Beck:<\/em><\/strong> “Freeway Jam” July 1975<\/p>\n

Geoffrey\u00a0Arnold Beck: 24 June 1944: Surrey, ENG.<\/p>\n

Yardbirds: 5 Albums and 10 Singles, Solo: 20 Albums and 18 Singles.<\/p>\n

While Beck replaced Clapton in the Yardbirds, Jeff came into his own later taking a cue from “Cobham’s Spectrum” Album and taking the Instrumental guitar in a whole new direction.<\/p>\n

One of Jeff’s main influences was Chet Atkins.<\/p>\n

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Gary Moore:<\/em><\/strong> “Back On The Streets” Sep 1978<\/p>\n

Robert William Gary Moore: 4 Apr 1952: Belfast, N. Ire. – 6 Feb 2001<\/p>\n

Thin Lizzy: 1 Album, Solo: 27 Albums and 55 Singles.<\/p>\n

I felt I had to add Gary as in the age\u00a0of “Speed and Flash” Moore continued to crank out the blues. Truthfully I prefer Gary’s voice to his playing, I still feel he is one of the greats.<\/p>\n

One of Gary’s main influences was John Mayall.<\/p>\n

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You can catch me on St. Paul Radi0 WDGY 7am Sunday’s for the last 4 years. You can hear the past 90 Episodes of the “PsychoGello Show” and the “Cover Up Show” at www.MrZeroS.Com -Podacst. You can hear MrZeros “Evolation Show” and “Hits And History Show” at www.MixCloud.Com.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n