Who are the new guitar gods?

[jhale667]

So maybe it's the death of Ronnie James Dio, I don't know, but was thinking about the fact that for the most part, our guitar heroes are getting old (like their fans). So, who are the guys who are going to accept the challenge, get handed the torch, whatever?

I'm talking people under say...35. Which I'm pretty sure rules out someone like Guthrie Govan, who I think is among the best of the new crop..

Alexi Laiho? Good, but not necessarily stunning, or breaking new ground. Dragonfarce? Uh, no.


So who? Anyone? Bueller?

[GO-SPURS-GO]

That’s a tough question, my man. In my opinion, there are no great new bands out there, so by thinking like that I don’t see a guitar player around who plays like a God. I don’t see a Hendrix, Rhoads, EVH, SRV or Vai in the making. Zakk is the only player that comes to mind, maybe as a Demigod? I know you’re not too big on him.

[jhale667]

That’s a tough question, my man. In my opinion, there are no great new bands out there, so by thinking like that I don’t see a guitar player around who plays like a God. I don’t see a Hendrix, Rhoads, EVH, SRV or Vai in the making. Zakk is the only player that comes to mind, maybe as a Demigod? I know you’re not too big on him.

Zakk's cool, but he's 43. And more people I dig are also DQ'd in this scenario: Jerry Cantrell, Dean Deleo...and even if they weren't, they're still all writers of HUGE riffs (still more important, btw) but neither really breath-taking soloists.


Agree about great new bands. Not much out there. But who will end the long cycle of shoe-gazing, pouty 1-finger playing downtuned Emo kids? The 20-somethings I work with suggest bands like Wolfmother (not really) and another girl I know suggested My Chemical Romance, and while they're OK...liked the 1st record better than the second. And there's no real shreddery goin' on there?


Guthrie Govan's 39...missed it by this much...





Seems they've taken the video of him doing Steve Vai's epic EEAS "Big Trouble" solo down, so let's instead substitute this dude and hope he's within the demographic we're talkin' about here.

[binnie]

The idea that there are no 'great' new bands out there is, frankly, laughable. Is there great music that sounds like bands did in the 1970s and 1980s? No - but if bands engaged in shameless emulation, how would they ever be great? There are bands out there pushing the boundaries of heavy music, and I would argue that prog is having a revival.

I think we need to think about the term 'guitar God' - what do we mean? If we're looking for the plank-spanking solos of yore, then maybe there aren't any guys doing that. Not because they can't, but because music has moved on, and the music they use their talents to make has moved on too. So, if you're looking for today's guitar Gods, you have to broaden what you mean.

I'll give you an example: Dimebag Darrell could play everything and anything that Eddie, Randy, Michael Schenker or any other guitar legend could play, but he did something else with his sound too. These days, I would argue that the guitar's role in heavy music has become divorced from the 80s a move further - its role in the music is subtler, less 'hey Mom, watch this' but rather something adding tones and textures underneath.

That's the non guitar player pont of view, anyway. I'll post some names after I've had a think about this.....

[ELVIS]

[Panamark]

ORIANTHI !!!!

Aussie chick in her 20's,

With Steve VAI, is this the passing of the torch routine at the crossroads ??

[indeedido]

As good as Orianthi is, I don't see longevity outside the pop world. Don't get me wrong, she is a fantastic player (and easy on the eyes) but I"m not sure of the longevity there. Remember Jennifer Battan?

There really are no more guitar Gods, those days are over and still laying dormant. Still too many detune players and seven string players playing power chords. A Guitar God is the master of their instrument and let's face it, a real shredder. Something these new bands aren't. Granted that style ended after the '70s and 80's but that is where the term came from. There's no talk of "who's the best grunge band" for a reason, the genre is dead.

Guitar driven music is on the cusp of a come back as a new generation becomes exposed to the music of yesteryear. I just don't know when it will be back.

[78/84 guy]

The guys from Black Stone Cherry & Shinedown are great songwriters and player's !!! Avenged has good stuff in it. It's almost over !!! Long live rock. Is rock dead ?? It's close.

[Hardrock69]

Indeedido said it right.

The reason that the Guitar Gods are 'gods' is because they blew everyone's mind by doing something nobody else had ever done before.
Malmsteen is a guitar god.

But I feel he is one of the last ones to come along that is still alive. Stevie Ray Vaughan is a guitar god, but of course he is no longer with us.

There are so many millions of shredders out there now, mostly unoriginal.

I think once the original Guitar Gods die off, and then the ones from the 80s (Eric Johnson, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Yngwie), that will be it. They will be relegated to myth and legend (much like Jimi Hendrix).

[jhale667]

As good as Orianthi is, I don't see longevity outside the pop world. Don't get me wrong, she is a fantastic player (and easy on the eyes) but I"m not sure of the longevity there. Remember Jennifer Battan?

There really are no more guitar Gods, those days are over and still laying dormant. Still too many detune players and seven string players playing power chords. A Guitar God is the master of their instrument and let's face it, a real shredder. Something these new bands aren't. Granted that style ended after the '70s and 80's but that is where the term came from. There's no talk of "who's the best grunge band" for a reason, the genre is dead.

Guitar driven music is on the cusp of a come back as a new generation becomes exposed to the music of yesteryear. I just don't know when it will be back.

Excellent post, and kind of what I'm getting at. True Avenged and Stone Sour have cool riffs and songs, and to Binnie's point(s), not suggesting there are NO great bands out there, just kind of slim pickings...and not soloing in a "Hey mom, look at me" kind of way, but in a "WTF did he (she, whatevs) just DO?" sense...Oranthi is indeed cute, but agree they'll try to market her as a pop-tart, even if she's got a "Passion and Warfare" type work in her.

Keep the suggestions coming...

[chefcraig]

I'm not sure if this Zack Kim fellow is a future guitar god, a guy exploiting a gimmick or an outright freak of nature. Notice how he plays two separate melodies at the same time here. I pretty much get my fingers stuck in the strings attempting to play one of them.

[jhale667]

That's crazy, and I've seen that guy too, but does he have a band? Amazing display of ambidexterity, that's for sure.

[chefcraig]

If you think about it, all he needs to do is team up with Stanley Jordan and Bobby McFerrin and the three of 'em could be an freakin' orchestra.

[jhale667]

If you think about it, all he needs to do is team up with Stanley Jordan and Bobby McFerrin and the three of 'em could be an freakin' orchestra.

Possibly, thought there might be a "clash of styles". And to really do that concept right, they'd need a drummer with four arms.

[chefcraig]

I figured McFerrin could handle the percussion, as well as the bass parts.