Greatest Underrated Guitar Players

Ask anybody who the greatest guitar players in the history of rock music are, and you'll likely get the standard answers. The big three, Clapton, Beck and Page; certainly Eddie Van Halen; maybe Stevie Ray Vaughn. The metal-heads will cite Randy Rhodes and George Lynch. These are all valid answers, but if you would put forth names like Elliot Easton and Andy Summers, you might be likely to get a blank stare in return. Too often great guitarists are overlooked simply because they lack the flash of a star like Eddie Van Halen or because they are part of a group that simply has an overabundance of talent and they tend to be moved to the background. Take Andy Summers, guitarist for the Police. Everybody knows who Sting is, and there is no doubt that he is tremendously talented, as is drummer Stewart Copeland. As part of that unit, however, Summers was often overlooked. What is so amazing about Andy Summers is not only his command of the instrument, but his overwhelming versatility. From ska to punk to reggae to straight ahead rock and roll, nothing is outside of his ability. His style has been described as minimalist, but that minimalism is a plus, and he is to be credited for not falling prey to his critics and trying to overplay to compensate for a lack of complex layers of sound. Below, in no particular order, I've listed some of my favorite underappreciated players, and the reasons why I consider them to be great.

Elliot Easton (The Cars): Elliot Easton is probably the greatest reason for the success of The Cars. Without Easton's accessible rock guitar cutting through the synth driven Cars sound, they never would have found the mainstream acceptance that they did. Imagine the spacey pair of Ric Ocasik and Greg Hawkes playing over an equally new-wave influenced guitarist and you have a style of music that would not appeal to people on a large scale. Easton's Buddy Hollyesque sound, however, served to make The Cars commercially viable. "My Best Friend's Girl" from their debut album is an excellent example of how Easton's contribution was essential in creating hit records for The Cars.

Warren DiMartini (Ratt): What impresses me most about DiMartini is that fact that despite being known as a speed demon who is content to throw a startling flurry of notes at the listener, is that he knows the value of a rest. Too many metal artists try to play as fast as possible, and DiMartini can keep up with the best of them, but I'm more taken with the fact that on songs like "Lay it Down", "Wanted Man" and "Round and Round", it's DiMartini's artful use of pauses and mutings to lend depth and character to what would otherwise be just another ripping metal tune.

Kathy Valentine (The Go-Go's/solo): The Go-Go's will never be known for stunning musicianship, but Kathy Valentine's reputation suffered from being thrown together with a group of girls who were far less proficient in their playing. Not to say that the Go-Go's were not any good. Their style of music was based on catchy beats and fun lyrics, so being technically perfect was not a requirement. Unfortunately, the fact that this was an easily exploitable fault that the critics could grab a hold of, the band was unfairly criticized for being "a bunch of girls who could barely play their instruments." If they had bothered to check, they would have found the Valentine was actually an experienced and talented guitarist, making the switch to bass to fill the spot with the Go-Go's. Actually, a casual listen will show that Valentine's bass playing stands out more that Charlotte Caffey's or Jane Wiedlin's guitar work. At times it's almost melodic. Since the Go-Go's Valentine has gone solo, along with a side project called the Delpines. I would strongly urge you to check out Valentine's appealing mix of rock and punk on her "Light Years" album.

Slash (Guns 'N' Roses/Velvet Revolver): Guns 'N' Roses now Velvet Revolver bassist Duff McKagan once claimed that Slash had "the fastest right hand I've ever seen." While it may be argued that the left (fretting) hand is more important for a guitarist, after hearing Slash play, there can be no discounting the value of a fast right hand. "Sweet Child of Mine", "Paradise City" and "Welcome to the Jungle" received more radio play, but to hear one of the best examples of Slash's work, check out "Mr. Brownstone" on "Appetite for Destruction".

Steve "Steamin" Clark (Def Leppard): It seems that all great artists have their demons and Steve Clark was no exception. Before alcohol claimed his life at too young an age, Steve Clark had built up a legacy of fine work that will live on. Steve's gift was an ability to build spatial separation into his phrasing. It was almost as if he was playing in a huge empty amphitheater in which each note rang out perfectly and separately and yet, along with the complimentary work of bandmate Phil Colin, fit tightly together like pieces in a puzzle. The song "Love Bites" from the "Hysteria" album perfectly illustrates this point. Unlike previous member Pete Willis, Colin provided a perfect foil for Clark to play off of. Unfortunately, Def Leppard seemed to be associated more with the fact that drummer Rick Allen played with one arm, the result of a 1984 auto accident, taking some of the attention away from the fact that Clark's playing made Def Leppard one of the finest pop metal bands of the 80's.

Howard Leese (Heart): Fated to share the stage with two of the most beautiful and talented women of the rock era, Howard Leese continued to lend his creative talents to Heart long after its other founding members had departed. It was Nancy with her beautiful blond tresses that stole the spotlight, but it was Howard's guitar that powered the group. Secure in the knowledge that he was a key component in Heart's driving guitar based sound, he was never bitter about the fact that his name was only recognizable amongst true fans of the group. Listen to "Barracuda" or "Magic Man" or "Even it Up" and you are instantly struck by the inherent "coolness" of the opening riffs, and his mastery of harmonic overtones is second to none.

Mick Mars (Motley Crüe): Mostly thought of as a fair to middling heavy metal guitarist, Mick Mars phrasing is perfect for the Crüe's sound. Chunky, dirty and staccato at times, it still manages to be melodic. Upstaged by Vince Neil, Nikki Sixx and Tommy Lee and their bad-boy images, Mick stays cool and aloof behind his powerful music. Despite the darkness inherent in some of their tunes, you cannot fail to be uplifted by Mick Mars' musical skills.

Really there are so many worthy players that I could go on and on, but this is just a listing of those few that have bugging me for years. It's true that people have their own tastes, and for some, these guys wouldn't even make the top 10, but it makes me feel better to have my sentiments known. If I'm lucky there may be a few of you out there - just a few - who will say, "Man, I've been saying for years that he (or she) has never got enough credit."

Kenny Auyoung: Webmaster @ GetMeABand.com [http://www.getmeaband.com] - Looking for a band? Search through thousands of musician’s profiles to find the right band members in your local area. Find musicians, start a band, and play music - [http://www.getmeaband.com]

Is Eric Clapton God?

Many people consider Eric Clapton to be the best guitarist in the world. Eric himself being a very humble man would say "he just enjoys playing the guitar". If you ever see films about the music of the sixties and seventies you will always see the graffiti that say's "Eric Clapton is God". One thing is for sure, Clapton has got the highest profile over any other guitarist in the world. Clapton is a great blues player with a wonderful feel and beautiful tone but technically speaking there are many guitarists that would come to mind. Andy Timmons is perhaps the most versatile and Steve Vai is perhaps the best known of the many so called shredders.

David Gilmour is perhaps the most tasteful with a great style of his own where space is a key element. Brian May is known for big harmonies and his home made guitar that he made at school. Then of coarse there is Hendrix who many would say is God also. Also one may consider the classical players like Segovia but many would say that this is a different instrument. I am a grade 8 classical guitarist myself, I would say that it is the same instrument but there are many differences in the way that you play, the control and use of right hand techniques are very different from electric guitar.

So is Eric Clapton God? I would say that Clapton has had a tough life with a lot of struggles and tragedy but you can still go and see him today in concert. Eric Clapton may not be God but he certainly is a legend.

Chris Adams has been playing guitar for over thirty years and has enjoyed 12 number ones at various download charts including amazon.com and mp3.com

Chris Adams Myspace page.
http://www.myspace.com/chrisadams7

Slash by Slash Album Review

Slash by Slash had me feeling nervous and unsure, however those nerves were put to rest after listening to the entire album.

This is arguably the best album from Slash since the Guns and Roses days.

The reason why I love the album is because many of the tracks are so different. Thus creating a sound that is not heavy rock and not light hearted either.

Some fans may get the feeling of Slash selling out but I would have to argue against this. If you listen to the album a few times it soon begins to become apparent why Slash has made this album. The album gives the guitar legend a way of expressing himself through different mediums of guitar playing without the constraints of sticking to one style.

Slash is the real deal, the genuine article and who are we to question this Rock gods musical genius, Slash is one of the most recognisable guitar players of all time due to his amazing talent and bad boy image. In my opinion slash by slash shows both of those unique qualities. The musical genius speaks for its self, the guitar playing is excellent and then Slash's personality shines through when he mixes the styles up, he does this by saying "hey look, I can do this and I can also play like this and guess what? If you don't like it I couldn't care less".

Thankfully I love this album, if you're a fan of slash be sure not to miss out on this gem, because it truly is an amazing album.

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Eric Clapton Riding With The King Blues Music CD Review

Eric Clapton, very talented Blues artist has released him latest album titled Riding With The King and Wow! It's really a good one.

Unfortunately, it's not everyday that I get a CD from an artist that I can just pop in and comfortably listen to from beginning to end. There is usually a song or two that I just can't force myself to get through. Not at all the case with Riding With The King. Every track is enjoyable and was pretty easy for me to listen to from start to finish.

Eric Clapton possesses the characteristic of being able to win you over with him talent alone. The kind of artist I frankly just flat out enjoy listening to.

Listen to this CD and I believe you'll find there's not much to dis-like about it. The songs are inspired, the production is simply outstanding, and Eric Clapton is clearly in top form. So much so that if you're even mildly into Blues music you'll enjoy this album.

While this entire album is outstanding the truly standout tunes are track 1 - Riding With The King, track 8 - Worried Life Blues, and track 10 - When My Heart Beats Like A Hammer.

My Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 12 - Come Rain Or Come Shine. Great track!

Riding With The King Release Notes:

Eric Clapton originally released Riding With The King on June 13, 2000 on the Reprise label.

CD Track List Follows:

1. Riding With The King

2. Ten Long Years

3. Key To The Highway

4. Marry You

5. Three O'Clock Blues

6. Help The Poor

7. I Wanna Be

8. Worried Life Blues

9. Days Of Old

10. When My Heart Beats Like A Hammer

11. Hold On I'm Coming

12. Come Rain Or Come Shine

Personnel: Eric Clapton, B.B. King (vocals, guitar); Doyle Bramhall II (guitar, background vocals); Andy Fairweather-Low, Jimmie Vaughan (guitar); Joe Sample (piano, Wurlitzer piano); Tim Carmon (organ); Nathan East (bass); Steve Gadd (drums); Paul Waller (programming); Susannah Melvoin, Wendy Melvoin (background vocals).

RIDING WITH THE KING won the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album.

Funny Stuff Forums

Why Aren't Tube Guitar Amps Obsolete?

What did the guitarist do when his teacher told him to turn his guitar amplifier on?.......He caressed it and told it he loved it!

Only a joke yes, but there is a lot of sentiment expressed about guitar amps, especially the tube variety, which have been knocking around (and knocked around) since the 1950s. Ever since Leo Fender designed the first commercially available power guitar amplifiers, guitarists have developed a love affair with tube /valve guitar amps, which on the face of it appears to defy logic or reason, but why should logic or reason apply to artistic expression. The basic design of tube amps has evolved very little since those early designs in the fifties and sixties, enhancements yes but the basic principles are the same.

As one article put it:..."So how is it that a 1950's design got it so right that it is still relevant today? Was it luck? Or were they designed by geniuses of the day? I like to think it's a bit of both...the vast majority of players prefer valve designs for their guitar amplifiers, and there are some good reasons for this"

Is it really so black and white, did they get it right first time and haven't been able to improve on it since or are there other aspects worth considering. What they did was build amps using the only technology available at the time. The guitarists of the time pushed the technology to the limits and beyond, developing their SOUND. When the guitar amp didn't meet the guitarists expectations they modified or added enhancements to achieve their sound (such enhancements including making holes in the amp speakers) So when the electronic revolution that was the solid state amp arrived in the late sixties, there was no competition, the warmer richer sound of the valves was preferred by the serious guitarists to the "harsher" or more "brittle" sound of the transistor guitar amp.

It's well recognized that there was still a definite audible difference between tube amps and solid state amps, especially when a tube amp was pushed hard and being played by a blues guitarist. The soft clipping overdrive "tone" of a tube amp was most noticeable with a blues guitar players' particular style of playing. Although it can be next to impossible to differentiate the clean setting of a tube guitar amp (with no overdrive) over a solid state amp, or the high gain setting of a tube guitar amp with that of a solid state amp.

Audible differences apart is it also not the case that most serious players developed "their sound" on a tube guitar amp and unless something came along which sounded better than a tube guitar amp their preference would always be for the tube amp. These guys could afford the additional expense and therefore the sentimental attachments. Considering the rate of advancement of the microelectronic industry (they can put 2 billion transistors into an area smaller than a guitar pick) has the time not arrived when the tube amp might might finally be superceded.

Talking to the younger emerging players of today there appears to be a preference for the latest modelling guitar amps. Of course expense is always a consideration and emerging artists are always strapped for cash, but just like their guitar heroes of the sixties and seventies, they'll improvise, develop their sound, but unlike their heroes they'll be able to store that sound and maybe a few others at the press of a button. The modelling guitar amp enables the guitarist to create multiple sounds replicating the sound of a variety of different guitar amps. One guitar amp can now be made to sound like any vintage tube guitar amp and the setting save and implemented at the press of a button. The article quoted earlier also stated:

"When a new design becomes available that sounds better than a good guitar plugged direct into a good valve amplifier, guitarists will buy it and move on"

Is that time now upon us??

Tom McCool is writing a blog about guitar sounds with a particular emphasis on guitar amps and effects at http://www.reverbguitaramps.com. The blog provides latest news views and reviews of upcoming events in the guitar music field, as well as links to some interesting artists. So why not pay a visit and comment on the published articles at http://www.reverbguitaramps.com

Working With Chet Atkins - An Interview With Pat Bergeson, Part 1

Guitarist and harmonica player Pat Bergeson has written, toured, and recorded with many of his musical heroes. Beginning at the University of Illinois in his home state, he moved on to New York City and picked up a Jazz Studies degree at William Patterson University. After playing in New York for ten years, he arrived in Nashville upon the request of Chet Atkins who heard Pat on a demo tape. Chet invited him to play on his album Sneakin' Around with Jerry Reed, and later featured Pat's guitar and compositions on his 1994 release Read My Licks. They were good friends and toured together for several years.

A versatile guitarist as well as chromatic and diatonic harmonica player, Pat's style incorporates jazz, blues, rock and finger style and he is known for his session work with a variety of artists. He has been in the studio with Lyle Lovett, Alison Krauss, Dolly Parton, Bill Frisell, Martin Taylor, Suzy Bogguss, Bill Evans, Peter Frampton, Michael McDonald and many others. He has toured with Shelby Lynne, Wynonna Judd, Suzy Bogguss and then four years with Lyle Lovett and his Large Band. Pat has been a teacher and producer and has appeared on many movie soundtracks.

In 2007, Pat released a CD entitled "Country Gentleman - A Tribute To Chet Atkins." He produced and recorded it for Green Hill Music and is available at their website, http://www.greenhillmusic.com. Pat Bergeson was named as one of Chet Atkins' top twelve favorite guitarists in the Oct. 2001 issue of Vintage Guitar Magazine.Keep an eye out for Steve Shapiro & Pat Bergeson's release "Backward Compatible" on the Apria Records label due out in June 2008.Pat Bergeson endorses Fender and Gretsch guitars, Hughes & Kettner amplifiers, Visual Sound pedals, Line 6 effects and Seydel harmonicas.

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TR: One of the interesting things about you is that you're multi-instrumental. Some people think of you as a harmonica player, some people think of you as a guitarist -- Which came first, the guitar or the harmonica, and how did you develop your proficient skills on each of them?

PB: Well what came first was the drums. I actually played drums from the time I was in third grade until I was about 21. Initially, all I wanted to do was be a drummer. When I was a kid I played in orchestra and band, went to music camp in the summers, and studied all the percussion instruments: chimes, bells, xylophone, vibraphone, marimba and snare drum.

PB: Back then I would play drums along with Frank Zappa records and Rolling Stones and Lynyrd Skynyrd and whoever else - all those songs on the radio in the '70's.

TR: So you basically would crank up the stereo and play along?

PB: Yes, I just played along with the top-40 radio songs.

TR: When did you start on harmonica?

PB: Well, I started fooling around on the harmonica when I was in junior high school. First I just learned how to play Christmas songs and really simple tunes like "Oh Susanna". I learned how to get a decent tone when I was pretty young, but back then I could only bend one note, the fourth hole draw. After that I just kind of put it down for a while. I didn't touch it for many, many years. And then about eighth grade my Mom and Dad got my older brother Keith a Fender Stratocaster. It was an early '70's Sunburst Stratocaster. I started playing around on that guitar and I remember telling my brother, "Well, if you get a guitar, I'm going to learn how to play it."

I was really started getting into it and then I met this guy in Batavia, Illinois named Gary Marzuki. I was walking by the Batavia News Agency and I heard him inside jammin' with some guys. He showed me some licks on the guitar, and I remember there was another kid in my neighborhood who had a Country Gentleman. It had the half-moon fret markers and I thought they were so cool and had the Bigsby bar on it. He taught me "Stairway to Heaven" which I learned in 10 minutes in the back room.

TR: So you were playing with your fingers, not a flat pick?

PB: I was using my fingers and a pick. I still didn't know what I was doing. And then in high school, I played in a rock band with some friends. It was mostly J. Geils Band, the Rolling Stones, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Led Zeppelin, some Roy Buchanan.

TR: So you didn't grow up in a household where your father idolized Chet and played all the Chet records.

PB: No. My Dad had a bunch of different records but he did have one of Chet's - "Finger Pickin' Good". I started listening to that one and really, really loved it. That's the only Chet record that I had when I was a kid, and it was so over my head.

I couldn't figure out how he was doing what he was doing, but I remember really liking the music a lot. I remember trying to learn "Yakety Axe" and I couldn't figure out how he got the tone. One summer, our band the River Rats learned "Yakety Axe", that's one of the first Chet tunes that we played. Back then I had no idea about a thumb pick. I didn't even know people used thumb picks on the guitar except Leo Kottke. I did see Chet on television a few times when I was a kid, and that had a big influence on me. I saw him on TV with George Benson, and on a few other TV specials like the Glen Campbell Show.

TR: Is that when you saw he was playing with a thumbpick?

PB: I think what I noticed most was he was playing with all of his fingers of his right hand.

TR: I read on your Web site that you had a demo tape that was sent to Chet somehow. How did that happen?

PB: I switched over from drums to guitar during high school and for awhile I was doing both. I ended up going to college for guitar, the University of Illinois and then ended up going to William Patterson in New Jersey, finishing with a Jazz Studies degree. While I was out there, I got a job teaching at the National Guitar Summer Workshop in Connecticut.

I taught in Connecticut for eight or nine years, and one summer I took a camping vacation. The week I was gone Chet came to town and did a clinic and a concert at the workshop which I missed. I remember being really upset that I missed it. When I got back, I found out my friend, R.L. Kass, who now goes by Robert Lee Castleman, had given Chet a cassette tape of a recording that he and I had made.

TR: About what year would that have been?

PB: Around 1990 or '91. R.L and I had made a demo of his song, "Sneakin' Around". It was a crude tape, with R.L. playing the melody and I played some licks and fills. He gave that to Chet the week I was on vacation.

Chet's manager at the time Fred Kewley was also part of things. Fred heard R.L. play at the NGSW faculty concert, and he loved R.L.'s writing and singing and wanted to help get him a record deal.

After Chet heard the demo tape he asked R.L. who was playing guitar on it.

Not much longer after that, Fred Kewley sent R.L. down to Muscle Shoals Sound to do some demos to try to get him a spec deal.

R.L. wanted to have me on the session in Muscle Shoals. It was with David Hood, Roger Hawkins and Steve Nathan and all these big-name session guys. I was pretty terrified. After that I went to Nashville. Chet heard I was in town and asked Fred and R.L. to bring me over to his office. We probably hung out for six hours that first day, sitting there playing guitar.

TR: I'd be curious as to what kind of songs you might have played on a first sit-down with Chet.

PB: We were just sitting there, pretty much just passing the guitar back and forth showing each other licks. He sat there and just played a number of songs. I remember he played "Autumn Leaves". We were playing my green Stratocaster. I just thought it was so cool how he was so interested in the guitar and interested in what I was doing on the guitar.

END Part ONE

Eric Clapton - Tidbits and Trivia

One of my all time favorite lead guitarists is Eric Clapton. I especially enjoy listening to his CD Riding With the King, which he produced with blues artist B.B. King. Fun stuff. My feet get to tappin and pretty soon I find myself dancing around the living room!

For those of you who weren't around to appreciate the excitement of Eric Clapton's rise to power and fame during the 1960s, here are a few rock & roll tidbits for you to chew on...

- Eric's first guitar was an acoustic which was given to him for his thirteenth birthday. He had so much trouble trying to learn how to play it that he almost gave up.

- Eric's nickname is "Slowhand."

- In mid-1966 Eric formed the band Cream which became one of the very first supergroups.

- Cream included composer/singer/bassist- Jack Bruce, renowned drummer- Ginger Baker, and lead guitarist- Eric Clapton.

- Clapton developed his singer/songwriter skills during his time with Cream.

- Cream was one of the earliest "power trios." Other "power trios" to emerge in the '60s were The Doors and The Jimi Henrix Experience.

- Eric's grew uncomfortable with his fame when a fan scrawled "Clapton is God" on a wall in London in 1966.

- Jimi Hendrix once said that Eric Clapton was his favorite guitar player.

- On October 1, 1966, Hendrix attended a Cream concert at the Central London Polytechnic. Though still relatively unknown to the general public, Jimi was invited on stage to "jam" with Eric and the band. Little did The audience know back then that they were watching a rare moment of rock & roll history in the making. Sure wish I coulda been there!

- Eric Clapton is one of the most well respected and influential musicians in rock history. He has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame a total of three times- more than any other artist.

- In 1998 Eric Clapton founded Crossroads Treatment & Rehabilitation Center to help addicts and their families move toward recovery. Crossroads, located in the beautiful Caribbean, provides professional care in a safe and serene environment.

- Eric's custom-made Blackie guitar was auctioned at $24,000. He originally paid about $300 for it. Eric built the guitar himself from the best parts of 3 other Strats which he owned at the time. These guitars were only worth about $100 each. Blackie was the primary guitar he used from 1970-1985. Eric planned to use some of the money collected from the auction of his Blackie Strat to help Crossroads.

If you would love to jam on Clapton's Blackie Strat, but just don't have $24,000 to spend, don't worry... You can obtain a nice black Fender Eric Clapton Signature Strat for $2,459.95 which is about one tenth of the price of his Blackie Strat. If you're really on a tight budget, the Standard Stratocaster for a mere $999.95 is a steal!

Learn More About Eric Clapton

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Kathy Unruh has been writing songs and providing guitar lessons to students of all ages for over 20 years. Get free guitar tips and more when you visit her website at: AbcLearnGuitar.com

Eddie Van Halen - A One Off Original

As rock acts go, there are not many who have been or are as big and notorious as Van Halen, their reputation as the biggest party band of their era is now well defined and accepted. The new rock kings were no band of drunken slouches though, in Eddie Van Halen they had and still do have the most groundbreaking and electrifying guitar player since Jimi Hendrix.

There are definitely more technical proficient guitarists in the rock world, Satriani, Vai, Malmsteen to name but a few of the old boys, but none of these guys will ever be held in as high esteem as Eddie, he did it before them and no matter how fast any other guitar player can sweep pick or play exotic scales, they are not Edward Van Halen.

The Van Halen band has of course gone through changes since the original lineup, David Lee Roth was famously replaced by Sammy Hagar, the new lineup being tagged "Van Hagar" by many original fans of the band, because they did not like the new sound. More recently Dave has returned to the band and new material has been promised, but alas there is no Michael Anthony, he has been replaced by Wolfgang Van Halen, son of Ed.

Dave did not sit around when the band originally split, he went and got his own band with Steve Vai and Billy Sheehan, for anyone who saw this lineup it was a treat, Dave did Dave even bigger, and with huge personalities like the aforementioned virtuosos to compete with they were for a short while dubbed "the greatest show on earth" by many rock fans.

The band produced several classic rock tracks that really were special, I think he did top Van Halen for a short while until the band disintegrated, Dave still put out some decent solo albums but they were never quite as exciting as the first couple.

Eddie has for many years also supplemented his income by endorsing guitar equipment like amplifiers and guitars, his later models even being named after his son. The one great thing with all the gear he has put his name on, it has been well received and used by many pros, his amps really do kick butt and his guitars are really what he plays himself. His signature equipment can be seen in almost all genres of music, his influence being so huge on guitarists no matter what style they play.

More recently he has also put out replicas of his old effects pedals, as well as strings, picks and Wah Pedals, he has commissioned cheaper versions of his own guitar designs, so that everyone gets a chance to copy his famous "brown sound" even if they do not have a lot of money!

So, with the old band (almost) back together, the guys seem to be a lot more healthy than they have ever been, the future looks a lot better for the band and their fans. Whatever happens next, Eddie will always be the guitar king of his generation, and yes, every bar band player can play all his licks and ape him pretty well, but the electrifying force that blew the rock world to pieces is still a one off original, and his influence can be heard all over music everywhere.

John Osgood is a writer who specializes in many genres including Music and Musical Instruments.

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