NationStates Jolt Archive

Who do you guys reckon was a better guitarist?

Jimmy Page

or

Brian May

Myrth

It's not really a fair contest, given the delta in how long each band lasted... and the technology changes. Queen had access to MUCH better kit in the 80s...

The only reason I picked Page is because the vast body of his work (not including his session work in the 60's) is not pop. May is a brilliant guitarist as well, but Queen had just too much pop in it's catalog.

It's not a fair contest at all, Queen don't stand a chance against Led Zep..

Jimmy Page most definately.

Jimmy Page, definitely.

C. Neither.

:D

Randy Roads had great potential (but got killed in a crazy accident before the world could appreciate him).

;) Rory Gallagher. But out of dem 2.... Page, by far. Dats not sayin dat May isnt good, but page is just pure class!

Randy Roads had great potential (but got killed in a crazy accident before the world could appreciate him).

Yes, he was pretty good. But like Kurt Cobain or even Janis Joplin, his death probably built him up into something much bigger than he really was.

I could easily be the grooviest fucker on the face of the earth, and I can, without any reservations, say that Jimmy Page is a god among lesser men, when it comes to guitarists.

I picked Page... but Hendrix PWND ALL. :D

Page - but they're both nothing compared to Van Halen :p

jonny greenwood.

its not that i cant choose from out of those two, its that i dont want to.

can i tell you why it's may? because a person, who is not a hardcore fan of either band, hears brian may, they'll say "that's brian may playing!" - if they hear page, they'll say "mmm... thats just a run-of-the-mill rock guitarist, sounds the same as any opther rock peice i've heard"
may is distinctive, and that matters. it's veyer hard to acheive.

can i tell you why it's may? because a person, who is not a hardcore fan of either band, hears brian may, they'll say "that's brian may playing!" - if they hear page, they'll say "mmm... thats just a run-of-the-mill rock guitarist, sounds the same as any opther rock peice i've heard"
may is distinctive, and that matters. it's veyer hard to acheive.

I'd agree with most of that (except the harsh "run-of-the-mill" line) - May was classically trained and I believe that made him the better player.

when i said run of the mill i meant that he sounded the same as everyone else, which he does, i didnt mean he wasn't a good player

and anyway, none of them were techinacly good - i mean, they can't play EVERYTHING - people like vai and petrucci are the guitarists that are truly masters of the instrument and can sweep pick and shred, and page/may can't do either.

There are a lot of great guitarists, and while art is subjective I would have to cast my vote for Page. He's influenced way more people than Brian May (ie. Dean Deleo of STP, Rich Robinson of the Black Crowes and Jeff Martin of the Tea Party to name a few.) and even though May built his own guitar, Page was much more experiemental with open chord tunings, using the violin bow and playing around with post guitar in the studio. So while I think Brian May is a great guitarist in his own right, Page is easily the Beethoven of Rock.

and anyway, none of them were techinacly good - i mean, they can't play EVERYTHING - people like vai and petrucci are the guitarists that are truly masters of the instrument and can sweep pick and shred, and page/may can't do either.
Absolute fallacy. Page was a virtuoso, rememeber he was a session guitarist? True for May though.
Also this is my 555 post. How significant!

I say Jimmy Page. He was much more creative. Many of May's solos cound the same.

The only reason I picked Page is because the vast body of his work (not including his session work in the 60's) is not pop. May is a brilliant guitarist as well, but Queen had just too much pop in it's catalog.
Why does the fact that Queen made pop music make Brian May a worse guitarist?

Out of the two, Brian May.

Although I prefer Peter Buck.

and anyway, none of them were techinacly good - i mean, they can't play EVERYTHING - people like vai and petrucci are the guitarists that are truly masters of the instrument and can sweep pick and shred, and page/may can't do either.
And then again, guys like Al DiMeola, John McLaughlin, Paco De Lucia, and Juan Martín put the rock shredders to shame. What's the point in arguing about this?

And then again, guys like Al DiMeola, John McLaughlin, Paco De Lucia, and Juan Martín put the rock shredders to shame. What's the point in arguing about this?
This reminded me of that movie, Crossroads, I think.

Page - but they're both nothing compared to Van Halen :p

word

Frank Zappa.

Dude. Page, No contest.

A better one would be Page vs. Hendrix.

Brian May was much more clever than Jimmy Page.

Page only ever soloed in Pentatonic Scales, whereas May could use a whole range of modes.

And then again, guys like Al DiMeola, John McLaughlin, Paco De Lucia, and Juan Martín put the rock shredders to shame. What's the point in arguing about this?

Because sometimes, one must choose between a shit sandwich and a giant douche.

Don't you watch South Park?!?

Who do you guys reckon was a better guitarist?

Jimmy Page

or

Brian May

Pete Townshend.

Jimmy Page I would say. Those were some riffs..

Otherwise..

Stevie Ray Vaughan, Randy Rhoads or Ritchie Blackmore..

Or maybe..

Paul Gilbert, Yngwie Malmsteem or Eddie Van Halen, depending how many notes you want to hear per bar of music..

It would probably be better to pick guitarists in the same era to compare. Not only are there differences in technology but also playing developments, i.e. two-hand tapping, pinched harmonics, sweep picking and so on..

Page!

And Tony Iommi is awesome too. He is missing the tips of two fingers.