#2 
Name: Andy Gill
Associated Bands: Gang Of Four
Gang Of Four were a band fueled by deeply ideological, politicized beliefs. They were never really your normal, English rock band and, as such, they didn’t have a normal, English guitarist. Instead, they had Andy Gill and his jagged slices of electric fury. Although his playing had a certain funkiness to it, “smooth” is most definitely not a word that you can associate with Andy Gill. Jacking up the treble and utilizing all kinds of skittery, jerky rhythms, Gill’s guitar can be quite grating but also insanely dynamic. His tense, tightly-wound chords and blistering riffs formed the backbone of Gang Of Four’s music and laid the groundwork for much of guitar work heard in alternative rock to this day, from Franz Ferdinand all the way to the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Required Listening: “Damaged Goods”, “To Hell With Poverty”, “What We All Want”
#1
Name: Ron Asheton
Associated Bands: The Stooges
Simply put, Ron Asheton plays his guitar like its melting. Though often fiery, volatile and incredibly menacing, Asheton’s playing is more than just the brutal assault we associate with metal or punk guitar. Asheton’s playing is characterized by a strange, murky slowness, which actually creates a sound much scary and ominous than any thrash shredder could hope to conjure up. Asheton was essentially a blues guitarist, but he played with such force and power. Never afraid of hitting strings just for the sake of adding some discordance and jarring noise, Asheton’s playing sinks its teeth into you and keeping shaking until you stop moving. The Stooges continue to be one of the most underappreciated bands in history and with that, Asheton’s astonishing guitar style seems to have been overlooked. Especially in light of his tragic death this past January, it’s time people recognized one of the most influential and exciting guitarists the world has ever seen.
Required Listening: “I Wanna Be Your Dog”, “T.V. Eye”, “1970”
Name: Andy Gill
Associated Bands: Gang Of Four
Gang Of Four were a band fueled by deeply ideological, politicized beliefs. They were never really your normal, English rock band and, as such, they didn’t have a normal, English guitarist. Instead, they had Andy Gill and his jagged slices of electric fury. Although his playing had a certain funkiness to it, “smooth” is most definitely not a word that you can associate with Andy Gill. Jacking up the treble and utilizing all kinds of skittery, jerky rhythms, Gill’s guitar can be quite grating but also insanely dynamic. His tense, tightly-wound chords and blistering riffs formed the backbone of Gang Of Four’s music and laid the groundwork for much of guitar work heard in alternative rock to this day, from Franz Ferdinand all the way to the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Required Listening: “Damaged Goods”, “To Hell With Poverty”, “What We All Want”
#1
Name: Ron Asheton
Associated Bands: The Stooges
Simply put, Ron Asheton plays his guitar like its melting. Though often fiery, volatile and incredibly menacing, Asheton’s playing is more than just the brutal assault we associate with metal or punk guitar. Asheton’s playing is characterized by a strange, murky slowness, which actually creates a sound much scary and ominous than any thrash shredder could hope to conjure up. Asheton was essentially a blues guitarist, but he played with such force and power. Never afraid of hitting strings just for the sake of adding some discordance and jarring noise, Asheton’s playing sinks its teeth into you and keeping shaking until you stop moving. The Stooges continue to be one of the most underappreciated bands in history and with that, Asheton’s astonishing guitar style seems to have been overlooked. Especially in light of his tragic death this past January, it’s time people recognized one of the most influential and exciting guitarists the world has ever seen.
Required Listening: “I Wanna Be Your Dog”, “T.V. Eye”, “1970”
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