Paul Stanley, a rhythm guitarist himself, recently explained what he believes makes a great guitarist. During his conversation with Guitar World, he praised some of rock ‘n’ roll’s most innovative guitarists and pointed out that rhythm guitarists, in particular, are just as important as solo players.
“That’s not meant to be derogatory towards lead guitarists in any way. But it’s hard to perform a dance when there’s no music. “I’ve always hoped to elevate and bring attention to the importance of a rhythm guitarist,” he explained.
Stanley mentioned in his interview with “Guitar World” 13 different guitarists as his favorites: the ones who inspired him the most. He also explained to all the musicians why they are so important to him.
13th place: Nancy Wilson (Heart)
Paul Stanley says of her: “Nancy is a great guitarist. And let me just say that I hate the idea of people saying, ‘Oh, she’s good for a woman.’ Why do people have to say that? Saying that cancels everything out, no matter what you say. You can continue with ‘She’s so good’, but it loses all meaning and impact. So, Nancy is great, period. Without reservations.”
12th place: Lindsey Buckingham (Fleetwood Mac)
“What’s really great about his playing is that it’s a mix of Travis picking and a very traditional folk style that he really created all on his own. What Lindsey Buckingham does is timeless and truly distinctive, and it made those classic Fleetwood Mac albums very special. I’ve really never heard anything like it or heard anyone play like him.”
11th place: Paul Kossoff (Free)
“I remember the first time I heard Paul Kossoff, it was extremely meaningful. I sat in the car and drove, but I hadn’t had my license for long. But when I turned on the radio and heard Paul Kossoff performing ‘All Right Now’ by Free, I had to stop and take a breath. His mastery of chords belied what he seemed to be doing versus what he was actually doing. And the solo was more about what he didn’t play than what he did play. I prefer that to any overwhelming or supposedly exquisite solo.”
10th place: Neil Young
“Another one, perhaps less obvious than others, would be Neil Young. As an acoustic guitarist, Neil is simply fantastic. I actually prefer his acoustic playing to his electric playing, but that’s a matter of taste. Neil Young has so much subtlety in his rhythm playing and chords. And his fingerpicking is just great. He’s a really great guitarist with a lot of nuance that I’ve always been drawn to. However, that doesn’t mean he isn’t a great electric player; it just means I appreciate what Neil does sonically more.”
9th place: Jimi Hendrix
“Of course there’s Jimi Hendrix. I saw Hendrix twice with Mitch Mitchell and it was like watching something from another planet. It was absolutely indefinable. I mention Mitch Mitchell because Eric (Singer) from KISS often says he follows me and watches me for the changes. The relationship between a rhythm guitarist and a drummer is significant, just as significant as the relationship between drums and bass. I learned that early on. Seeing Jimi was just so inspiring to me.”
8th place: Malcolm Young (AC/DC)
“He came after me, but I have to mention Malcolm Young. Of course we know he is one of the greatest rhythm guitarists of all time. If you listen to AC/DC’s music, you know that while Angus is an incredible lead guitarist, Malcolm Young is clearly the foundation that allows Angus to do what he does so well. It’s not quite the same, and KISS is a different band than AC/DC, but I have a similar mentality. And like I said, if you understand what KISS does as a band, you can hear that, especially when we play live.”
7th place: Steve Marriott (Humble Pie)
“I’ve always loved Humble Pie; Steve Marriott was a big reason for that. Steve was undoubtedly a very respectable lead guitarist, but his rhythm playing was so tight that it was downright immobile. I saw Steve at the Fillmore as a much younger man, and what I saw had an indelible impact on me as a young guitarist. Humble Pie and Steve’s playing were a big part of what I had in mind when KISS first started.”
6th place: Richie Havens
“I mentioned him earlier, and for good reason. If you want to become a great rhythm guitarist, I encourage you to watch Richie Havens. But you really have to listen carefully and understand what he’s doing because it’s just incredible. What Richie Havens could do with his right hand was simply insane. Again, I’ve never really heard anything like it, but when I did, it had a big impact on me in terms of what rhythm can play and what it should sound like within the structure of a song.”
5th place: Pete Townshend (The Who)
“Pete Townshend is someone who obviously prefers to avoid flashy solos most of the time. All of his songs are essentially chord based, whether they’re inversions or not, they’re chord based. This is something I have always taken to heart and tried to apply to my own game. He’s also a great showman and a fantastic example of the importance of being a rhythm guitarist without playing too much.”
4th place: Jimmy Page
“For me, Jimmy Page is the perfect guitarist. He is Beethoven. He paints with music in a way that is just so outstanding. And I know there are a lot of British guitarists that we talk about that people say, ‘Who’s better, this guy or that guy?’ Well, I’ll tell you this – there was only one of those players who was able to move beyond the original definition and work outside of it, and that’s Jimmy. It’s not rock or metal; it is true world music that encompasses so much. His love for music is palpable; he is an amazing showman and an accomplished lead and rhythm guitarist.”
Top 1 to 3: Albert King, Freddie King and BB King
In “Guitar World” Stanley says of his top three:
“It’s not about whether you emulate the players who inspired you; it’s about absorbing what they do and letting it become part of your reference and vocabulary.
I’ve always thought that if you only listen to one type of music, that one type of music becomes incestuous to what you do and you don’t bring anything new to what you do. Once I left Eddie Cochran and that era behind, I was a folkie with a harmonica around my neck.
But I was also into Albert, Freddie and BB, along with guys like Sonny Terry, Brownie McGehee, Junior Wells and Buddy Guy. To me there are two types of music – good and bad – you are malnourished if you only listen to one of them.”