Comments on: Underrated Guitarists EXTRA — by Delancey Leathers

By: metal man

metal man — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 03:11:49 +0000

Id have to say David Mrava. His work back in the early 90′s ruled.
Don’t know what he’s doing these days. If I had to bet, he’s a blues guy now, remember
Reading in a interview he was doing a blues/ jazz outfit in SoCal.

By: Chris Parizo

Chris Parizo — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:38:24 +0000

I have no idea how I forgot this, but John Squire goes high, very high, on my list. I need to go throw away my baggy jeans and hollowbody now.

By: Chris Parizo

Chris Parizo — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:58:33 +0000

I think Kaki’s playing is more percussive in nature than Hedges – Hedges took a different approach to melody instrumentation, but Kaki’s playing is more tribal in nature – more chaotic!

And, yes, Ovation guitars sound like tin can music boxes.

Add Jack Palance and Grace Jones in there and you get Buckingham, Palance, Grace, Slick.

By: casey

casey — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:54:12 +0000

Dude, I totally agree with Buckingham and Slick (now there’s a name for a group!), but I gotta protest the Kaki pick.

I think she’s actually OVERrated. Everything she does that’s “cool” or “tricky” is essentially ripped off from Michael Hedges. I’ve seen her live, and her stunt technique ain’t even that great. Plus, she plays Ovation guitars, which should be considered a crime against humanity. Or at least a crime against tone.

By: Chris Parizo

Chris Parizo — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:48:32 +0000

More bodies on the pile:

1) Lindsey Buckingham
2) Kaki King
3) Earl Slick

By: Del

Del — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 06:34:14 +0000

Chris. I agree with two things you said: (1) “Bozos” was a bit harsh, and (2) the other dudes in LF are top notch musicians. I wish them well and don’t begrudge their right to make a living.

Having said that, I own several of the post-Lowell albums and saw them live in the Shaun Murphy era. I find the albums to be unremarkable and the show made me feel like I stepped in audio doo doo. I stand by my opinion that they have marginalized the Little Feat name with the activities of the past 30 years.

By: chris

chris — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 19:24:47 +0000

You must not have listened to any Little FEAT since Lowell died. I agree Lowell was probably the heart of the band but the other musicians are also top rate and don’t deserve to be called Bozo’s As someone who’s followed them, and hung out and supported them both before and after Lowell’s death, I can say Pull yer head out of your butt and do some listening instead of yakking about something you obviously have no clue.

By: casey

casey — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:52:39 +0000

I’d also LOVE to add Jesse Ed Davis, the massive Native American guitarist who played with Taj Mahal, John Lennon, Harry Nilsson, Jackson Browne, etc. His licks on “Doctor My Eyes” always make the hairs on my neck stand up.

By: Casey Rae-Hunter

Casey Rae-Hunter — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:27:48 +0000

Nels is a personal fave, but since joining Wilco, he’s not entirely underrated anymore.

I’d actually like to strike Kim Thayil and replace him with James Mankey, who was in Sparks back in the day, but most people know from Concrete Blonde. Now, Concrete Blonde’s stuff has NOT aged well, by any means, but his solos are really something else. He doesn’t use a pick, and he’s got this whole Robbie Krieger-meets-Jeff-Beck thing going on, with Krieger’s psychedelic dinner jazz phrasing, and Beck’s super-precise whammy bar use.

By: Kimmet

Kimmet — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:04:11 +0000

I’m going to add Mike Keneally to this list. Aside from being Zappa’s final stunt-guitarist, and Vai’s sideman for years, Mike has written some of the best avant-garde pop/rock/jazz/out there shit I’ve ever heard.

Also, what about Nels Cline?