Greatest Guitar Band


I thought just before Christmas I'd get a good thread going. IMHO,the greatest guitar band was the Yardbirds, not because E Clapton,or J Beck, or J Page was in it but because Chris Deja, and Paul Samwell-Smith were great rhythm and bass guitarists that could rock and keep up with the above. Plus Jim McCarty the drummer could keep the group in line and fine harmonica work from Keith Relf(ok not the greatest vocalist, more of a finesse singer).They had it all, I cannot think of another band that had three great guitarists in the band at one time(J Beck, C Deja, P Samwell-Smith). In 1967, when J Beck and J Page were in the band togther as co-lead guitars, they were the lead in band for the rolling stones, they just blow them away,ok, that is not a fair comparison considering the rolling stones still cannot play their instruments very well. But in comparison to say Led Zepplin, LZ did not have a rhthym guitarist(except J Page would overdub that part on recordings). That made them sound not as well rounded live as far as guitar work is concerned. I am not saying LZ was a bad band on the contrary,they put on probably the best show ever, but I do not consider them a guitar band per se. Besides, J Page stole vitually from his former band anyway. Remember "How Many More Times" is a repackaged version of the YBs "Smokestack Lightning", a Howlin Wolf tune. YBs version is in my mind the best rock song ever. So what do you think????
shubertmaniac
Nobody mentions Stevie Ray Vaughan, hard to say what G Band is was the best but alot of great music mentioned here. Great post SM
Thanks for all replies. There were some great guitar bands through the years and thanks for bringing up some that I forgot about over the years including Savoy Brown(was "lonesome Dave" lead guitar of SB???)and QuickSilver Messenger Service. Dire Straits and the Allman Brothers were good choices(though they never hit me emotional like some of the others). I did notice a dirth of 1990s bands (does Nirvana qualify or not???). My last comment on the Yardbirds and then I will be silent. In an interview last year Guitar Magazine asked Jimmy Page if he would ever work with Jeff Beck...Jimmy laughed..."Jeff is so far out there musically that I would not know what to play" Jeff was doing that 35 years ago and is still doing it today. Enough. Now what is Schubert greatest String Quartet? Votes being taken now.
George Thorogood is the greatest guitar player in the world! Hey, it's the silly season isn't it? I play the guitar better than GT, but along with his Delaware Destroyers band, I really enjoy their music and have all their CDs. Why? GT is a blues rocker "throwback" to simpler times with a purist approach to R&R. And his style of rock is just fine with an old coot like me. Chuck Berry, throughout his career, used studio musicians. More seriously, I've seen Buddy Guy live (with at least 3 guitars), and IMO he is the greatest, and if he uses "merely studio muscians", his choices are excellent 'cuz they were great too. I've got to agree with Dire Straits, when Mark Knoppfler was with them. And also The Allman Brothers in their day. Good thread Schubertmaniac. Happy Holidays. Craig
Mikec, re: SRV, brings to mind the early Fabuluous Thunderbirds, also one of the greats. Craig