Eddie van Halen is not my favourite guitar player, though. There are other guys I prefer. Just to mention a few guitarists with a distinct sound that I like. Mind you, as I already said - "I may not know much about guitar techniques, but I know what I like!"
In no particular order:
- Glen Buxton (
Alice Cooper) : very underrated chap
- Duane Allman (
The Allman Brothers Band) : slide guitar king
- Alvin Lee (
Ten Years After) : groove master
- B.B.King : very few notes, a lot of music
- Adrian Gurvitz (
The Buddy Miles Band, Baker Gurvitz Army) : just listen to this, and you'll adore him the way I do:
- Mike Bloomfield (
The Electric Flag) : Blues Master; not even Hendrix could play "Killing Floor" better!
- Tommy Bolin (
Zephyr, Deep Purple, Billy Cobham) : Blues, Rock, Jazz - he could play any music and still sounded like Bolin
- Harvey Mandel / Alan Wilson (
Canned Heat) :
Future Blues is one of the best Blues Rock albums ever!
- Buddy Guy: one of the very best. Recorded epic stuff with Junior Wells.
- Rusty Day (
Cactus): Heavy Rock master - love his version of "Evil".
- Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown (
Professor Longhair) : I just love his tone!
- David Lindley : buy any record of his, and party! Happiest guitar music in the world!
- Vivian Campbell (
Dio, Def Leppard):
Dio's Holy Diver album - say no more!
- Pepper Keenan / Kirk Windstein (
Down) : heaviest Guitar duo ever! Simply stunning!
- Mark Farner (
Grand Funk Railroad): still one of my favourite bands - up to the "We're An American Band" album
- Hound Dog Taylor : no technique at all (I guess), but 399 % of feeling!
- Adrian Smith / Dave Murray (
Iron Maiden) : no words needed!
- Joe Walsh (
The James Gang, The Eagles) : I love his albums with the
The James Gang, especially their Live album.
- John Hammond : the only white Blues guitarist to sound like a black Blues guitarist
- Angus Young / Malcolm Young (
AC/DC) : very simple, yet very effective. That's Rock 'n' Roll reduced to its basic message!
- Ace Frehley / Paul Stanley (
KISS) : see AC/DC.
- Magic Slim (
Magic Slim & The Teardrops): there's Heavy Rock and there's Heavy Metal - Magic Slim invented Heavy Blues!
- Wayne Kramer / Fred "Sonic" Smith (
MC5) : Kick out the Jams, motherf*ckers!
I stop here... there are so many more, but I don't think that too many people will be interested in a layman's list of guitar players...
Greetings!