The ShadowMusic Web Community

The Times has been running a series of supplements this week..."Pop School"... compiled by Bob Stanley of Saint Etienne.
He has made some clear and sensible choices for his top twenty's.... Monday was the 20 best bands.... with The Shadow's appearing at No.17 just behind The Smith's... Today it has been the 20 best guitarist's..... and Hank is at No.2 just behind Jimi Hendrix.

The List of goes like this:

1-Jimi Hendrix
2-Hank Marvin
3-Prince
4-Roger McGuinn
5-Neil Young
6-James Burton
7-Vini Reilly
8-Nancy Wilson
9-Bert Jansch
10-Jimmy Page
11-Steve Cropper
12-Kevin Shields
13-George Harrison
14-Barbara Lynn
15- John Fahey
16-Nile Rogers
17-Les Paul
18-Johnny Marr
19-Bert Weedon
20-Kelley Deal

If you ignore the actual numberings (which are massively subjective), that's quite an impressive list.

Who is Kevin Shields?

My Bloody Valentine.... an architect of feedback and white noise whose weapon of choice is a Fender Jazzmaster... the list is quite an eclectic selection... but they all deserve a place rather than the usual suspects that these list's usually attract.

The usual ridiculous list.
One man's meat etc.....

That has to be the first list I have ever seen without mark knopfler, Eric Clapton and Brian may

...and no Chet Atkins?....

...and no Keith Richards...

Where's Tony Hicks???

I never take any notice of these polls in the media, as someone already said they are subjective.
What I do know as fact is, Hank Marvin turned thousands of heads back in the early sixties and inspired thousands of young guitarists, some who later found themselves on these media lists.

Apart from Hank, It was Chet Atkins, Les Paul, Duane Eddy, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Big Jim Sullivan and later Mark Knopfler, Brian May and Tommy Emmanuel who inspired me - and that to me what is important - subjective ? Maybe, but I bet those same guitarists are on thousands of similar lists to mine.