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Who is the most underrated prog rock guitarist?

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Manuel View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Manuel Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 10 2021 at 07:36
Originally posted by A Crimson Mellotron A Crimson Mellotron wrote:

^Interesting mention for sure, I would add Roine Stolt to the bulk, whose name I think hasn't come up yet.
Yes, Roine Stolt is a great guitarist, and deserves more credit than he usually gets. Same goes for Martin Barre. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote AFlowerKingCrimson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 10 2021 at 09:51
Originally posted by Awesoreno Awesoreno wrote:

All the more reason Chick should have his own entry here. His mid-70s and early 80s output certainly qualifies him, moreso than Elektric Band. 

But we're talking guitarists. I love Allan Holdsworth, who is only maybe slightly underrated here (his solo output certainly is), but is certainly less well-known than he should be to the masses.

Holdsworth is pretty well known and so I wouldn't call him underrated. Outside of prog and fusion circles maybe but that would mean 99.5 percent of those who are discussed here are underrated. The guy I mentioned earlier, Scott McGill, is way more underrated. Although most on here might not know him he has played with McGill, Manring, Stevens(with Michael Manring and Vic Stevens)and also Finneaus Gauge(which featured echolyn keyboardist Chris Buzby)as well as with Guy Leblanc(Nathan Mahl). Scott is pretty much the textbook definition of an underrated guitarist. He's technically almost as good(actually maybe as good)as Holdsworth. He also has several instructional videos on youtube. I'm pretty sure he teaches guitar also.





Edited by AFlowerKingCrimson - January 10 2021 at 09:53
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote verslibre Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 10 2021 at 11:32
Originally posted by richardh richardh wrote:

Originally posted by lostrom lostrom wrote:

Mike Oldfield?

valid suggestion for sure. Oldfield has created his own style with one of the most used instruments in existence. No mean achievement. Who else can we truly say has done that?
Brian May springs to mind. Others?

I doubt Oldfield could be a candidate for "most underrated..." The guy's world famous. There are four or five sequels to Tubular Bells. He has numerous compilations and live videos, including the amazing Live at Montreux 1981 video.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (2) Thanks(2)   Quote tszirmay Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 10 2021 at 11:40
Many choices here may be underrated as ROCK guitarists but as prog guitarists , really not! Oldfield, Barre, Hackett, Gilmour, Howe, Holdsworth, May, Rothery, Blackmore, etc...and all the classic PROG axemen (aka Tier 1) are not UNDERRATED at all. In fact, they are mentioned in all ROCK lists, even Rolling Stoned (sic!) 
I never post anything anywhere without doing more than basic research, often in depth.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Awesoreno Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 10 2021 at 13:23
Originally posted by AFlowerKingCrimson AFlowerKingCrimson wrote:

Originally posted by Awesoreno Awesoreno wrote:

All the more reason Chick should have his own entry here. His mid-70s and early 80s output certainly qualifies him, moreso than Elektric Band. 

But we're talking guitarists. I love Allan Holdsworth, who is only maybe slightly underrated here (his solo output certainly is), but is certainly less well-known than he should be to the masses.

Holdsworth is pretty well known and so I wouldn't call him underrated. Outside of prog and fusion circles maybe but that would mean 99.5 percent of those who are discussed here are underrated. The guy I mentioned earlier, Scott McGill, is way more underrated. Although most on here might not know him he has played with McGill, Manring, Stevens(with Michael Manring and Vic Stevens)and also Finneaus Gauge(which featured echolyn keyboardist Chris Buzby)as well as with Guy Leblanc(Nathan Mahl). Scott is pretty much the textbook definition of an underrated guitarist. He's technically almost as good(actually maybe as good)as Holdsworth. He also has several instructional videos on youtube. I'm pretty sure he teaches guitar also.



Fair. I brought him up because I was always so surprised when people I played jazz with in college, including guitarists, had never heard of him.

I also though I should mention SOMETHING about guitarists rather than just plug Chick Corea.


Edited by Awesoreno - January 10 2021 at 13:24
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AFlowerKingCrimson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 10 2021 at 13:41
^Ok, but does anyone really think Chick Corea is underrated? I suppose Herbie Hancock and Joe Zawinul are underrated too. Yes, I know they aren't guitarists but just thought I would mention that. It can be like a domino thing where if one guy is then a whole bunch of others are too.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BaldFriede Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 10 2021 at 13:58
I still stick to saying Roman Bunka is the most underrated guitar player. He is technically excellent and has a unique style, yet no-one but Jean and me ever mentions him.


Edited by BaldFriede - January 10 2021 at 13:58


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AFlowerKingCrimson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 10 2021 at 14:07
^I've actually heard you(or one of you guys)mention him before. What band did he play with? Or does he play with?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote BaldFriede Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 10 2021 at 14:37
Originally posted by AFlowerKingCrimson AFlowerKingCrimson wrote:

^I've actually heard you(or one of you guys)mention him before. What band did he play with? Or does he play with?

Embryo, Aera (on their first live album only), together with Roland Schaeffer of Guru Guru as RoRo, with the trio Orientación, solo albums and more.

With Embryo:



With Aera:


With RoRo:



With Orientación:



From his first solo album:



He is also one of the few European virtuosos on the oud (a fretless Arabian lute):



He also made a lot of film music and, together with his Korean wife Grace Yoon, took part in many musical radio plays.








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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Awesoreno Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 11 2021 at 00:21
Originally posted by AFlowerKingCrimson AFlowerKingCrimson wrote:

^Ok, but does anyone really think Chick Corea is underrated? I suppose Herbie Hancock and Joe Zawinul are underrated too. Yes, I know they aren't guitarists but just thought I would mention that. It can be like a domino thing where if one guy is then a whole bunch of others are too.
To clarify, I was saying that Chick should be on here as a solo artist. He is anything but underrated. Another reason why he should be on here. His progressive output is revered, both in and out of RTF (and Elektric Band I suppose).
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote martinprog77 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 11 2021 at 03:13
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Intruder Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 11 2021 at 19:12
Terje Rypdal 
Siegi Schwarb (Embyro guitarist on their best LP, Rocksession with Mal Waldron on the electric piano)
Larry Coryell.....I know, I know, not so underrated but I'm talking about the Coryell with the Chico Hamilton Quintet and the mid-60s Gary Burton bands - the guy brought fire to those sessions.
Peter Banks.....my heart goes out for this guy, man; maybe not the most technically proficient but those Wes Montgomery licks he brought to those early Yesyears are priceless.
I like to feel the suspense when you're certain you know I am there.....
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AFlowerKingCrimson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 11 2021 at 19:23
Originally posted by Intruder Intruder wrote:

Terje Rypdal 
Siegi Schwarb (Embyro guitarist on their best LP, Rocksession with Mal Waldron on the electric piano)
Larry Coryell.....I know, I know, not so underrated but I'm talking about the Coryell with the Chico Hamilton Quintet and the mid-60s Gary Burton bands - the guy brought fire to those sessions.
Peter Banks.....my heart goes out for this guy, man; maybe not the most technically proficient but those Wes Montgomery licks he brought to those early Yesyears are priceless.

Yep, Steve Howe practically stole Pete Banks' idea of incorporating jazz guitar into Yes. Steve did it on perpetual change and yours is no disgrace but Pete did it first. He actually became more technically proficient later imo although the early stuff was still very good. Listen to his playing on that first Flash album for example. Yes, he's very underrated. Good call.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote verslibre Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 11 2021 at 23:12
Originally posted by Intruder Intruder wrote:

Terje Rypdal

Yes. Oh, yes! Clap
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Frenetic Zetetic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 11 2021 at 23:31
"Big Steeve" Hurdle (RIP) of Gorguts:




"I am so prog, I listen to concept albums on shuffle." -KMac2021
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sacro_Porgo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 12 2021 at 17:02
Thing is it could really be Mike Rutherford. Hackett gets all the attention from prog fans but even when Hackett was in the band Mike played a lot of acoustic parts both live and on the albums that fleshed out the sound phenomenally. Plus after Hackett left he did a great job of creating a lead sound and style that reflected Hackett's influence but was better suited to the more commercial direction they'd go in, and wasn't a Hackett ripoff.

Obviously he's not underrated as a bass player and he's not exactly unknown, but he doesn't get talked about for his guitar contributions much.
Porg for short. My love of music doesn't end with prog! Feel free to discuss all sorts of music with me. Odds are I'll give it a chance if I haven't already! :)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote cstack3 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 12 2021 at 23:29
Originally posted by Intruder Intruder wrote:

Peter Banks.....my heart goes out for this guy, man; maybe not the most technically proficient but those Wes Montgomery licks he brought to those early Yesyears are priceless.

Peter never gave up working on his craft up until his death.  Check out his lead guitar work on this tune, he positively channels Steve Vai by using one of Vai's signature Ibanez Jem guitar models!  Pete turns on the burners about 1:30 and doesn't look back to Planet Earth.  This CD was released in 1994.  





Edited by cstack3 - January 12 2021 at 23:33
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote triptych Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 13 2021 at 02:51

Probably Nash the Slash (he also played other instruments as well, of course).
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jaketejas Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 15 2021 at 22:56
Originally posted by chopper chopper wrote:

Originally posted by Deadwing Deadwing wrote:

Alex Lifeson, Ed Wynn and Piotr Grudziński.
Steven Wilson is also one of my favorites, even though he's actually really average (at best) technically speaking.


Again, I wouldn't say Lifeson is underrated, certainly not in the prog world.


Rolling Stone ranked Alex Lifeson as #98 when he’s really #1, so I can see the point. Another recent ranking didn’t have him listed at all. The click bait title said “Top 100 guitarists. It’s not who you think it is.” Guess what? They were right. The man has multiple chords named after him. Multiple! As in more than one. How many guitarists do you know of that have chords named after them? There’s the wobbly chord in Message in a Bottle ... called the Andy Summers chord. That’s one I suppose, but I can’t think of too many others. I digress.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Frenetic Zetetic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 15 2021 at 23:12
Originally posted by Sacro_Porgo Sacro_Porgo wrote:

Thing is it could really be Mike Rutherford. Hackett gets all the attention from prog fans but even when Hackett was in the band Mike played a lot of acoustic parts both live and on the albums that fleshed out the sound phenomenally. Plus after Hackett left he did a great job of creating a lead sound and style that reflected Hackett's influence but was better suited to the more commercial direction they'd go in, and wasn't a Hackett ripoff.

Obviously he's not underrated as a bass player and he's not exactly unknown, but he doesn't get talked about for his guitar contributions much.

Dude Rutherford rules, he's the unsung hero of Genesis lol. He gets overlooked. I agree completely on his lead guitar take over after Hackett's departure. Second Home by The Sea FTW!

Don't forget his bass work on the classic Genesis Gabriel era entries; he and Ray Shulman were trailing Squire's cape-tail that entire time!

"I am so prog, I listen to concept albums on shuffle." -KMac2021
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