If You Can Name Just ONE Guitar Player...

[Toshiro]

He didn't make me pick up guitar intially, but who has had the biggest impact on my guitar playing is definately James Murphy.

Why? Just listen to him.

Ditto, except James' playing on Death's Spiritual Healing *is* what made me get a guitar in the first place.

 

[Elysian]

Chuck Schuldiner.

 

[velocity]

well. i had already been playing for a few years, when i heard vinnie moore's meltdown. it showed me you could play as fast as hell, and stop on a dime... and BAMM phrasing and feeling! does that count?

 

[metalfiend666]

Dimebag

 

[dpm]

This is hard coz I've got 2 who are probably the only 2 I could call my 'guitar heroes'.
I'll have to go for Bill Steer today. Tomorrow it could be Calvin Robertshaw, but today it's Bill

 

[Ancestor]

Randy.

 

[maliciousteve]

I really can't narrow it down to one player. It's far too hard.

 

[Martin_777]

James Hetfield definitly made me start playing ... when "And Justice For All" came out he was my personal god .... and still is in some way.
But now I'm more into Loomis or Petrucci but Hetfield is still cool anyway.

 

[Vegetta]

Ritchie Blackmore.

Yes

 

[Goomba9]

Petrucci... He is the only player in the universe that makes my jaw drop literally when he plays... if that isn't a sign i dont know what is

 

[Rev2010]

One guitar player who inspired you to pick up and play. One who, above all others created that certain riff or solo, that each time you hear it, you shiver...

Interesting thread. There has really only been one set of guitarist that have inspired me to pickup and play and that was the entire reason I started playing guitar. Those two guitarists are from Iron Maiden. I originally was thinking I'd do vocals or something but got a used guitar from a friend and was playing some Maiden stuff and it just kept on from there. This was 15 years ago. Other than them there's been no single individual I can think of that I hear and am inspired to play cause I'm a guitarist. I'm always inspired to play by default. But as for guitarists who play things that give me the shivers... that's ALWAYS been Rick Hunolt and Gary Holt from Exodus. Their solo's just plain always fucking amazed me. Not only are they technically impressive but more importantly there's emotion to them. They do these amazing harmonies, just plain godly solo's to me.


Rev.

 

[WayneCustom7]

Interesting thread. There has really only been one set of guitarist that have inspired me to pickup and play and that was the entire reason I started playing guitar. Those two guitarists are from Iron Maiden. I originally was thinking I'd do vocals or something but got a used guitar from a friend and was playing some Maiden stuff and it just kept on from there. This was 15 years ago. Other than them there's been no single individual I can think of that I hear and am inspired to play cause I'm a guitarist. I'm always inspired to play by default. But as for guitarists who play things that give me the shivers... that's ALWAYS been Rick Hunolt and Gary Holt from Exodus. Their solo's just plain always fucking amazed me. Not only are they technically impressive but more importantly there's emotion to them. They do these amazing harmonies, just plain godly solo's to me.


Rev.

You know I'm glad you mentioned them because I was torn, Murray and Smith are two of my all time favs, for solos and duel harmony guitar attack, but because there were two, I took the easy route...cooll bro!

 

[Oogadee Boogadee]

Dave Mustaine. No surprise there.

The reason? Rust In Peace. Always thought it was bad ass.

The magic moment - watching him play Holy Wars live for the umpteenth time. I finally paid attention instead of moshing and thought "wait a minute... maybe *I* can do that! - he's barely moving his fingers and the song sounds so freaking busy!"

so little did i know. there's doing it, and doing it RIGHT.

 

[zimbloth]

No guitarist had anything to do with me picking up the guitar. I just started becoming obsessed with metal, and becoming extremely attracted to heavy guitars. I'd say it was a variety of bands such as Slayer, Fear Factory, Machine Head, Sepultura, etc.

Of course over time I got into some of the guitar virtuosos out there, but it all started out of the love for heavy riffs. In general though I'm bored to tears with the likes of Vai, Satch, Petrucci, etc. Personally I'd just much rather listen to good bands with great songs than soloists. I was influenced by Randy Rhoads and Jake E. Lee back in the day though. Now my favorite is Jeff Loomis and Michael Amott.

 

[thepunisher]

tom morello with his digitech whammy skills.

 

[eaeolian]

so little did i know. there's doing it, and doing it RIGHT.

Yeah, and Dave even occasionally gets it right...

 

[forelander]

Say what you will, but mick from slipknot. Loved the riffs and watching him play and thought 'man i wish i could do that.'

 

[SHREDDER]

In 1976 (I was only 9, showing my age here) my uncle took me to see Black Sabbath. Holy Shit, that concert blew me away and changed my life forever. TONY IOMMI! His bone crushing riffs just captivated me. I begged my dad for a guitar for over 7 months until he finnally gave in and bought me my first guitar. An Ibanez artist series, double cutaway with a sunburst finish. I have been playing ever since.

TONI IOMMI

 

[Roland777]

To be honest, it was Head and Munky from Korn who got me started. The one guitarist who´s had the largest influence on me up to date, however, is Fredrik Thordendal. Just listen to those madtap solos of his! "NMCC", "the mouth licking what you´ve bled" and "corridor of chameleons" are insane, and the solo in "Stengah" is the most impressive and stylish metal solo I´ve heard.

 

[Cancer]

Eddie Van Halen. Not only is he a fantastic guitarist with amazing tone, but he's one of the few guitarists on stage who looked like he was having a blast! He is all smiles!

Same.....

No Eddie Van = No Tony playing guitar


...and as an add, yeah I always dug how happy he seemed to be while playing. Like there was absolutely nothing else on Earth he'd rather do.

Loved that....