So what makes a guitar hero

guitars4you · September 2023

Following on from a previous thread about the first UK guitar hero - And a touch of a debate between Lonnie Donnegan and Hank Marvin - So it led to me to ask the question, what makes a guitar hero

In simple terms I think it is someone that inspires me and is better than me

But going back to Hank v Lonnie - No contest that Hank is far more developed as a guitar player, even when we compare their playing styles back in the 50's - Lonnie was effectively a strummer, whereas you'd have to work much harder to match the skill levels portrayed by Hank to play such songs - Yet is it talent alone that makes a guitar hero and here I certainly think not ?

Moving on to today and let's take a battle between Noel v a host of super profecient guitar players - Vai, Satriani, Johnson etc etc just for starters - The skill level to play like Vai etc is far harder to master than the skill to play like Noel - I think many will agree with that - Yet the ability to write a host of monstrous hits, known throughout the world, makes Noel far more of a guitar hero than Vai and co will ever be

I learnt to play guitar in 1974 and was inspired as a 14 year old lad by Noddy Holder and Marc Bolan (Slade and T-Rex for the younger members who don't know who Noddy and Marc are) - So they were my first guitar hero's - Yet neither are excellent guitar players from a flash solo point of view - It is only later you find out about the likes of SRV, Robben Ford and a host of other guitar hero's that inspire you once you delve more and more into guitar playing

I recall a few years ago a chat with a guy in the pub who had just seen Oasis a few days earlier - He said to me 'surely Noel is the best guitar player in the world' - My reply was that 'I'm probably a better guitar player than Noel, but he can write monstrous hits and I can't' - Maybe a flippant comment from me, but equally some validity in there as well - I dare say there are a host of FB members who are far better players than Noel - But me and those FB members are not guitar hero's

But the point is that to the average non guitar player, then guitar hero's are not SRV, Eric Johnson, Vai, Satriani etc etc etc as most of the public have never heard of them - To Mr Ave a guitar hero is Brian May, Noel, Hank, Hendrix, Angus, Slash - In short, artists who have achieved chart success - So that takes me back to Hank v Lonnie in that Lonnie was the first guitar hero, not because he was a better player, as he wasn't, but because he inspired many others to pick up the guitar and learn to play and he came along before Hank

So maybe a guitar hero comes in 2 different formats - Those that are generally more talented, but are really only well known amongst fellow guitar players - SRV, Vai, Satriani , Carlton and co - Then those that inspire you to pick-up the guitar and learn to play - These hero's are normally from the well known chart acts be it Clash, AC/DC, Beatles, The Stones, Quo etc etc

There is of course a bit of a cross over when you look at the likes of Slash, Angus, Knopfler and Eric C - In that they are known both as guitar hero's to Mr Ave who is generally not a player, as well as those that play guitar

As I said earlier, a simple statement is that I think a guitar hero is someone that inspires me and is better than me

imalrightjack · September 2023

guitars4you said:

So maybe a guitar hero comes in 2 different formats - Those that are generally more talented, but are really only well known amongst fellow guitar players - SRV, Vai, Satriani , Carlton and co - Then those that inspire you to pick-up the guitar and learn to play - These hero's are normally from the well known chart acts be it Clash, AC/DC, Beatles, The Stones, Quo etc etc

There is of course a bit of a cross over when you look at the likes of Slash, Angus, Knopfler and Eric C - In that they are known both as guitar hero's to Mr Ave who is generally not a player, as well as those that play guitar

As I said earlier, a simple statement is that I think a guitar hero is someone that inspires me and is better than me

This is maybe why nobody has replied - because you've summed it up very well! Agree totally on the two types.

Marty Friedman is my biggest hero because his playing is creative, great to listen to and technically way better than I can play - but it still inspires me. I have zero interest in Vai/Satriani, etc., not because they're not amazing, but they simply don't musically turn me on. Marty plays in the context of a band I love but find most of his solo work pretty forgettable.

thecolourbox · September 2023

I think there are different kind of categories for a guitar hero to fall into. Your personal guitar heroes, ie who inspires you and plays the music you like, and the more mainstream "culturally accepted" guitar heroes, who are more like those with a public image be it through commercial success or just being considered cool in some capacity. There's probably a category that straddles those two as well whereby you get those who are popular amongst those in the know but don't necessarily achieved wide mainstream recognition, and on individual levels nobody can like every piece of music or playing.

I think the Cultural Guitar Heroes generally have an image associated with them as well as their playing - Cobain, Slash, Jimi, I guess even Noel Gallagher with the Oasis image. I'd say it would be similar to how some singers get that elusive "cool" status, Jim Morrison, Amy Winehouse, even Harry Styles, they have something culturally relevant for the time they are in and therefore seem to evoke it or even appear to have brought that sub culture about (even though largely they didn't, it was more than just them).

jasonbone75 · September 2023

No such thing. Probably not a commonly held viewpoint but that's where I am.

HerbieTheRadDorklift · September 2023

They have to have frontman-like qualities (Even if they aren't the frontman)

flying_pie · September 2023

A guitar hero is someone that inspires others to play guitar. Plain and simple.

For kids of today that could be Ed Sheeran or Machine Gun Kelly and there's nothing wrong with that.

For established guitar players the list will be different - perhaps slanting towards those with incredible technical proficiency yet if you ask those very top players who the guitar heroes are they'll usually go with someone like Angus or Brian May

stratman3142 · September 2023

flying_pie said:

A guitar hero is someone that inspires others to play guitar. Plain and simple...

I was going to say the same. Much as it pains me to agree with you, after what you said about one of my guitar heroes

Teflon · September 2023

I agree with much of the OP, but still believe Hank to be the first guitar hero. Lonnie inspired so many folk (including Hank), but he didn't specifically inspire them to play guitar, it was more a case inspiring them to make music - he showed folk that anyone could form a band, make some music, and have a great time. I doubt there were many who specifically wanted to play guitar like Lonnie, but they certainly wanted to be in a band like Lonnie. A bigger overall influence than Hank, definitely, but if we're talking specifically guitar, it has to be Hank. All those red Fenders, and not forgetting how the AC30 came about! An interesting topic, and I doubt there will ever be complete agreement on the subject, but that's what makes it interesting in the first place

.

BTW, for anyone interested in the early days of British pop (i.e. pre Beatles), I can thoroughly recommend a book by Pete Frame "The Restless Generation". A fascinating read, with probably a good few surprises along the way.

Cliff

SpoonMan · September 2023

I personally wouldn't call noddy and Bolan guitar heroes, necessarily. I'd say they are rock stars, frontmen, singers, songwriters, even musicians before guitar hero.

For me a guitar hero has to be known almost exclusively for playing guitar. Not that, I'm sure, they can't do other things, but they are so good at it that you wouldn't ask them to play drums even if they were pretty good.
Hendrix, Clapton etc.
They're both good singers too right enough.

Bob Dylan, for example, would be, to me, definitely a songwriter, even "singer"

well before guitar hero.

It's all going to depend on your point of view though, and what these people mean to you.

stickyfiddle · September 2023

It's anyone who can appear on TV and make non guitar players want to pick up the instrument and learn it.

Power_Freak · September 2023

flying_pie said:

A guitar hero is someone that inspires others to play guitar. Plain and simple.

I would say a "guitar hero" is somebody who makes you want to play guitar... Your guitar teacher, sibling, cousin, friend, guy down the pub, whoever, could be your "guitar hero". They needn't be famous

guitars4you · September 2023

Teflon said:

BTW, for anyone interested in the early days of British pop (i.e. pre Beatles), I can thoroughly recommend a book by Pete Frame "The Restless Generation". A fascinating read, with probably a good few surprises along the way.

Cliff

I’ll have a look at then - I love to hear about the changes to culture and society as well, following new influences. Be it changes to society and work from sport or music

My grandfather was ex pro musician in the 30s and 40s - But dad always said it was so predictable and bland. Take your partner for the next dance which will be a gay Gordon - How you’d get away with calling a dance by such a name today. But they played every thing from the music in front of them . Wearing a suit or dinner jacket

Whilst my dad was brought up through such channels he always tells the story about his early stages as a pro musician - This would be late 50s and early days of rock n roll - Dad played with Ray McVay on the Mecca circuit as a tenor sax player- As a young kid he was expected to thrust his body about, show some sex appeal and lye on his back simulating sex whilst playing a solo - He told his dad about how great the band was and said he should come and see them - So one Friday night grandad went to the gig - Dad was on stage playing and noticed his dad - So at the interval he went to see him but he’d gone home - So the following day he bumped into his dad and asked him what he thought of the band - He replied 'I didn’t teach you to play saxophone so you could prostitute your art ‘

How it all changed

apparently grandad said when he first heard the Beatles and the Stones 'it won’t last as they can’t read and play properly'

BillDL · September 2023

Power_Freak said:

I would say a "guitar hero" is somebody who makes you want to play guitar... Your guitar teacher, sibling, cousin, friend, guy down the pub, whoever, could be your "guitar hero". They needn't be famous

Brad Paisley is a guitar hero to some people. Brad Paisley's guitar hero was his maternal Grandfather (Warren Jarvis), who was neither a particularly accomplished guitar player nor famous in any way for anything else, but he gave Brad his first guitar (Sears Danelectro Silvertone) at the age of eight and taught him the basics. During his acceptance speech for Entertainer of the Year at the 2010 Country Music Awards, Paisley paid tribute to his Grandfather as the person that inspired him to play the guitar.

I would say there are two distinct types of guitar hero, or rather two categories of people for whom guitar heroes are quite often very different.

1. Guitar players that guitar players hold in esteem.

2. Guitar players that non-guitar players idolise.

The latter doesn't usually have to be, and sometimes isn't, a fantastic guitarist, but may have other attributes such as being a tremendous front man/woman, or being physically attractive.

The guitar players' heroes usually do have to be highly accomplished or have a unique style, or else many guitar players would already be able to play "better" and wouldn't really be in awe of their playing.

BillDL · September 2023

Teflon said:

BTW, for anyone interested in the early days of British pop (i.e. pre Beatles), I can thoroughly recommend a book by Pete Frame "The Restless Generation". A fascinating read, with probably a good few surprises along the way.

He certainly was an interesting character in his own right, and he met more famous musicians than most of us could ever dream of doing in a lifetime. His "Family Trees" are quite fascinating when you see how musicians bounced around from band to band. I used to work alongside his nephew who had been a singer in bands during the 70s and 80s around the Glasgow area. He showed me some of his uncle's hand-drawn family trees and some of the stuff that was never included in the books.

RocknRollDave · September 2023

Guitar heroism

Open_G · September 2023

The guys who I picked up the guitar because of, but also thought that there would be no way I’d ever be able to play their stuff, were Slash and Nuno. These were the hero’s for me.

However this time coincided with Grunge and latterly Britpop. -eminently accessible musicians technically. The heros were just that. Super human players whereas i think the first chord progression I learned was teen spirit. Accessible from day 1

Sassafras · September 2023

I know a lot of non musicians who can't stand what we would term a "guitar hero", they just want a good song without all the extended widd;y solos, which is how it should be.

swiller · September 2023

Guitar hero : Someone who transforms the possibilities of the instrument through playing a unique style, . and re shapes the possibilities and imaginations of the instrument.

Only 3 ever true heroes for me, electric guitar wise.

Hendrix. Hardly ever listen to his stuff though. But watched him a lot. Monterey is pretty much someone having musical sex with a stratocaster.
Marr. Listen lots to his stuff and probably the unsung guitar hero of guitar world. The whole space would be better if youngsters saw Marr as their hero vs van halen/srv etc.
Nile rogers. Love his stuff. He is the best "band player" ever imho. A lot of his stuff you can hardly hear and by his own admission, you are not really supposed to.

Great quote from the recent noel gallagher youtube thingy where he quotes Johnny marr saying that its a duty to keep the electric guitar dreams alive for the now and next generations. Thats hero speak to me.

I think people like knopfler, srv, clapton, slash, van halen are like the shake shack of guitarists. They take existing style of playing/ music and improve on it like a competitive sport almost which is impressive competency, not heroic imho.

scrumhalf · September 2023

To me there are individual heroes and collective heroes.

The first may be special to the individual - a teacher, friend, first gig you went to, first album you bought on the strength of a particular guitarist.

The second are those who appeal across the guitar-playing community, the iconic guitarists like Hendrix, Clapton, etc.

BigPaulie · September 2023

The fans make guitar heroes.

Nothing else.

Kittyfrisk · September 2023

BigPaulie said:

The fans make guitar heroes.

Nothing else.

Beg to disagree. Mick Ronson, end of discussion.

guitars4you · September 2023

swiller said:

Guitar hero : Someone who transforms the possibilities of the instrument through playing a unique style, . and re shapes the possibilities and imaginations of the instrument.

Only 3 ever true heroes for me, electric guitar wise.
Hendrix. Hardly ever listen to his stuff though. But watched him a lot. Monterey is pretty much someone having musical sex with a stratocaster.
Marr. Listen lots to his stuff and probably the unsung guitar hero of guitar world. The whole space would be better if youngsters saw Marr as their hero vs van halen/srv etc.
Nile rogers. Love his stuff. He is the best "band player" ever imho. A lot of his stuff you can hardly hear and by his own admission, you are not really supposed to.
Great quote from the recent noel gallagher youtube thingy where he quotes Johnny marr saying that its a duty to keep the electric guitar dreams alive for the now and next generations. Thats hero speak to me.

I think people like knopfler, srv, clapton, slash, van halen are like the shake shack of guitarists. They take existing style of playing/ music and improve on it like a competitive sport almost which is impressive competency, not heroic imho.

Nile Rodgers is an interesting one - Most will know of Chic - But the amount of times people say to me who is Nile Rodgers - They've never heard of him - I had one friend saw him life at a festival and knew nothing about who he is outside Chic - Almost like the most heard guitar player on record, but no one knows him

stratman3142 · September 2023

Nile Rodgers is one of my heroes. I could mention a lot more, but I'd be here all day.

Who's Nile 'Rogers'

SpoonMan · September 2023

I think it's subjective, like when does a car become a supercar.

BigPaulie · September 2023

Kittyfrisk said:

BigPaulie said:

The fans make guitar heroes.

Nothing else.

Beg to disagree. Mick Ronson, end of discussion.

I'm a Mick Ronson fan. I know plenty of others too.

bluecat · September 2023

I consider a guitar hero as someone you inspire to be as good as, someone you have followed, someone who has great playing skills.

Philly_Q · September 2023

Sassafras said:

I know a lot of non musicians who can't stand what we would term a "guitar hero", they just want a good song without all the extended widdly solos, which is how it should be.

... or not.

Tannin · September 2023

I always enjoy your posts @guitars4you but this time I think you've missed the point. You correctly say out that a guitar hero must be famous - there is no such thing as a "guitar hero" who hardly anyone has heard of.

However, it is also true that a guitar hero must be an unusually good player. (Typically a spectacular and fast player, though sometimes a slow and smooth player with great control takes the mantle - think George Benson, BB King, or indeed Hank Marvin - but these are exceptions; most "heros" are fast and spectacular players. A guitar hero is worshipped because (rightly or wrongly) fans think the player's instrumental skills are outstanding.

This is why Hank Marvin qualifies, and Lonnie Donegan doesn't. You and I are probably better guitarists than Lonnie (as are most people reading these words). Donegan is famous not for his guitar playing (he could have played the same songs on a different instrument, or not played an instrument at all and just sung and been every bit as famous, popular, and influential) . He is famous for the genre he pretty much invented, and famous also because his genre was the foundation and starting point for the massive wave of music which followed, led by but far from limited to the Beatles. So not a guitar hero.

hollywoodrox · September 2023

Slash can get pretty Shreddy when he’s a mind to & is iconic & awesome
As are Ronnie & Keef , Joe Perry & Eddie.

Vai is freakin awesome & a living Prophet . Some of my first guitar mags were Vai & malmsteen covers . I also remember getting a flexi disc of Greg Howe playing “ The Pepper Shake “ & being amazed .

Vai has definitely been a huge part of my musical taste with my fave album ever being Skyscraper
& I’ve had 3 Charvel Green meanies over the years but never had a Jem yet . Hope to put a small part of the money from my Slash Les Paul towards one of some description,even if it’s a junior . I need to put a large chunk to my house move next year if something comes available .

https://youtu.be/oj7eTaDfXic?si=cmwBR_4oTatbUijC

Litterick · September 2023

Your guitar hero is the one whose genius made you give up guitar and get a respectable job.

Rocker · September 2023

IMHO a guitar hero is someone who inspired you to try to play a guitar. He may or may not be famous or well known but if he got you thinking about guitar, he fits the bill.

A lot of so called guitar heroes are a combination of player and performers. Stripping away the performance bit, does the remaining bit inspire you?

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So what makes a guitar hero

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