The World’s Greatest Guitarist who is it? And the World’s Best Lick What is it?

You only have to have read one or two guitar magazines in your whole life to realize this is a burning and very enduring question. It can divide a room of people faster than saying “Man United” in a Liverpool pub.

If I was courageous enough (and I’m not convinced I am) to boldly proclaim in the earshot of a large group of guitarists, Jimi Hendrix was the greatest, most innovative musician of all time. A strange phenomenon would take place. About half of those present would loudly shout, right on man, tell it like it is. The rest, almost unable to contain there genuine horror, would spring to the honour of the true champion. What planet have you been living on, have you not heard...

If you have ever read some magazine’s list, of the 100 best licks of all time, and your favourite 10 which you know really are the best, either languish at the bottom or have been banished to outer darkness. Then you understand the above conundrum. And what is far more pressing, who’s right?

The problem is probably best observed standing in the stands at a football match, the strange tribal divide, the temporary loathing, and the weird delicious identifying with the winner.

Well it turns out that maybe everyone is right. And that is no real surprise. Because while we are all looking for the lick that sends a shiver down our spine, we all have spines in particular. I love hearing that lovely 9th harmony with its hinting at dissonance, you might be pulled in by funky off beat, and then sometimes, and these are the best times we all see it together. What a concert. What a jamb.

It is important even in the moment when we are just loving what some great guitarist is laying down, that we are not tempted to live our life vicariously neglecting our own expression or thinking it is somehow lesser. Taking the bull by the horns or the guitar by the neck is much harder than watching someone else take the bull by the horns. But the horn grabber knows things the non grabber only imagines. If you are a beginner all inspired just starting out, or been at it a while and feeling slightly bogged. Grab that mythical beast and get going. Learn new stuff make your palette large. And have a ball doing it not just watching it. Oh and good luck.