Who is the Greatest Rock Musician of all Time?

[Shadowmancer]

Just keeping this to four names that are routinely chucked up there as the greatest musician of all time. So who is the greatest rock musician of all time Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain or Joe Strummer.

This is probably harder than is immediately clear when you think through every aspect in terms of musicality, who they influenced and how wide an influence as well.

Ill give my thoughts later on who I think is the greatest rock musician ever.

 

[HBK_Is_Awesome43]

omg this is obvious

KurtCobain

He Is

The one who killed hair metal.
The greatest songwriter ever.
The hero of rock.
A Musical God and Genius.

 

[Conor *Charmismo*]

Can't pick. They are 4 different people, playing 4 diffrent styles of rock

What are we comparing?

Who Is The Greatest Rock Musician Ever?

So that would be Jimmi Hendrix, he did things with the guitar nobody had publicly done before.

Cobain moved music as a whole in a new direction which is a incredible thing to do, but it was more because of the times then anything.

I'm going for Hendrix

 

[Shadowmancer]

Maybe I should state this again as a whole, with influence on others after them as well Musicality of the guy. Just so you know HBK_Is_Awesome43 Hair Metal isn't dead, however Grunge is. But you can make a convincing case for each of the people on this list. And both of you are discrediting Joe Strummer far to easily here. Have you listened to London Calling? The Clash pretty much ended the first wave of Punk, They also influenced the second wave of Punk, with music that opened up the use of Ska and Reggae as well as other forms of music into Punk. This has continued since, add to it who Joe Strummer has influenced over the course of his career, It is a who's who of fairly modern rock and Punk including Rancid and more particularly Tim Armstrong who is as underrated as they come.

Jim Morrison was a Genius, there is no other way to describe him. The lyrics and delivery of songs is possibly the most important parts of songs and Jim Morrison nailed it down to a tee. He worked the crowd Like Hogan did, got them eating out of the palm of his hand, including tricking people into thinking that he flashed them multiple times. Then you look at who he has influenced Ian Astbury from the Cult, and if that isn't enough he is a heavy influence on fuckin Iggy Pop and the Stooges.

You can't say that when you take the influence on others into account you cannot make a case for either of these two. Im not the formost authority on these four men but I know that they are awesome and any of these four could be in the top position.

 

[Conor *Charmismo*]

Maybe I should state this again as a whole, with influence on others after them as well Musicality of the guy. Just so you know HBK_Is_Awesome43 Hair Metal isn't dead, however Grunge is. But you can make a convincing case for each of the people on this list. And both of you are discrediting Joe Strummer far to easily here. Have you listened to London Calling? The Clash pretty much ended the first wave of Punk, They also influenced the second wave of Punk, with music that opened up the use of Ska and Reggae as well as other forms of music into Punk. This has continued since, add to it who Joe Strummer has influenced over the course of his career, It is a who's who of fairly modern rock and Punk including Rancid and more particularly Tim Armstrong who is as underrated as they come.

Jim Morrison was a Genius, there is no other way to describe him. The lyrics and delivery of songs is possibly the most important parts of songs and Jim Morrison nailed it down to a tee. He worked the crowd Like Hogan did, got them eating out of the palm of his hand, including tricking people into thinking that he flashed them multiple times. Then you look at who he has influenced Ian Astbury from the Cult, and if that isn't enough he is a heavy influence on fuckin Iggy Pop and the Stooges.

You can't say that when you take the influence on others into account you cannot make a case for either of these two. Im not the formost authority on these four men but I know that they are awesome and any of these four could be in the top position.

Yep, listened to London's Calling. It's good. Don't get me wrong, i just enjoyed Nevermind more. Personally.

And i agree Jim Morrison is a great rock musician who has influenced rock music for decades.

Is that what this poll is on? Influence? Still it is close.

I enjoy Cobain's work more then most of the list. But i still appreciate Doors classics such as "Break on through" and "People are strange" But i can't say i've ever gotten into them more then a popular song type of deal.


Hell all 4 men are great.

 

[Shadowmancer]

After reading a book from Kris Needs called Joe Strummer and the legend of the Clash (well worth reading as it is by a guy who was close to the Clash for there entire Career) Joe Strummer is the voice for that Generation far more than Cobain was for the early 90's. The 101er's is a different band than the clash but they still have a sound that for the most part was Joe Strummer, The Clash nothing to say here except listen to the evolution of the sound from their first album through to combat Rock and then Listen to the song This Is England. Then go listen to his solo stuff towards the end of his life, you realise how criminally underrated Joe Strummer is. He was branching out into House Music as well, something foreign to Punk Music, foreign to most musical Genres as well to a degree. Listen to the lyrics that Joe came up with for White Riot, (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais, Tommy Gun and Bankrobber and you have a huge number of reasons for Joe Strummer getting this position.

 

["RAVEN"]

I didn't choose any of them. Because it was top 4 Jimmy Page totally takes at least Joe Strummer off the list. Page has what is considered one of the greatest guitar solos EVER. Just listen to some of Zeppelins greatest hits. The guitar work is unparallelled. But Morrison would be my choice.

 

[Frank the Frowner]

Cobain being on this list is very questionable. I'd say that Dave Grohl is a better musician than Cobain. He was a monster on the drums back when he played for Nirvana and Queens of the Stone Age. Cobain couldn't play the drums. Grohl also taught himself how to play the guitar, and has turned the Foo Fighters into one of the world's biggest rock bands. I also prefer Grohl vocally to Cobain.

As far as lyrically goes, it's a matter of choice. Cobain mainly wrote depressing music, whereas Grohl is more upbeat. Either way, both are/were excellent songwriters. Grohl will never have the aura or influence Cobain had, and with no Cobain, it's very likely that Grohl wouldn't be where he is now. Grohl is the better musician, though.

As far as the greatest rock musician goes... it's Eric Clapton. He's been in music for over 40 years. He's been involved in a number of groups, and still has a solo career that is going strong. He's working on a new album now, and just sold out 3 concerts at Madison Square Garden last week. He's also headlining a major concert in London, and has agreed in principle to become the first American singer to hold a concert in North Korea sometime in 2009. He's also the greatest guitar player to ever have lived, and is an amazing songwriter.

He's also lived a much more interesting life than pretty much anyone out there. If you picked to read a musician's memoirs, wouldn't your first choice be Clapton? He's gone through so much, it's unreal.