The British Strum back!
In a way it simply isn’t fair to compare the top guitarist from America to the top ones in Britain. The scales are slightly tipped in favor of the British, clearly. There is a saying that i have either heard or said before, the americans invented Rock and Roll, but the British brought it to unfathomable heights. Lets take a look and see.
We start with the best band ever, the Beatles. John Lennon the band’s leader, played rhythm guitar. His job was to keep the song moving along while the rest of the guys were playing different leads and melodies. John was half of the great songwriting team of Lennon/McCartney and sung a bit more than half of the groups songs. George Harrison ,the quite beatle, played Lead guitar. Handling all the solos that you hear on the records, except for a handful that were played by either Paul or John. The strengths of both John and George were not their guitar playing ability, it layed more in their songwriting craftmanship. With the band Led Zeppelin, the story is completely different. Jimmy Page frequently listed as one of the greatest guitarists ever, played guitar like someone picking a berry of a bush. Effortlessly and smooth, Page has laid down some of the most famous guitar solos ever heard on record. Just listen to the album Presence and you will hear why Jimmy Page is a master guitarist. Next we have once again not only a really great guitarist but, one hell of a song writer. The Who’s Pete Townsend. Pete brought the guitar to new levels both sonically and talent wise. His play is highlighted by his ability to trash out a guitar on stage while putting on an outragious, energetic rock performance. Simply amazing. Pete is also known for bringing in an acoustic guitar and making it a viable rock and roll instrument. Something only folk and soft rock artists would use. Townsend is an amazing songwriter his guitar writing skills are best heard on the album Tommy, where Pete uses a guitar and an instrument from an orchestra. Lastly we have my favorite british guitarist. Pink Floyd’s David Gilmore. A super talented, lead guitar virtuoso. David as well has played on some of the most famous rock solos ever heard on a record. When Pink Floyd were playing The Wall live, the construction of an all white cardboard wall would be built up around the band, between them and the audience. When the show would get to “Comfortably Numb” the “wall” would be complete. At that moment David would get on the very top and perform the guitar solo heard on the record, note perfect and simply awesome. His best work can be heard nearly on every Pink Floyd record, just listen to the guitar tracks and you will know.
In this battle i must lean with the British side, they simply have way too much talent and guitar prowess, that the American side just can not keep up with.
