DHS Alumni Message Board

A documentary on the history of rock guitar. The subject is discussed with three guitarists from three different generations: Jimmy Page, The Edge, and Jack White. Yes, they jam together.

Pretty good. The movie was trying to explain something that quite possibly can't be explained: what is it about rock guitar that reaches into our souls and changes our lives, or moves us, or whatever. The answer to that is too varied. There isn't ONE thing that grabs everyone, it's something different to everyone.

...but it was a pretty good attempt, and the jam session is pretty damn cool. I would have chosen different guitarists if I had been the filmmaker, and maybe chosen more of them from varied rock genres (old 50's rock, british invasion, surf, punk, etc. etc.)...not that I'm not a fan of these guys.

I'll definitely have to check out that one! I think Page is a great representative, but The Edge and Jack White, though certainly passable guitarists, aren't what I'd call historical or defining in any way. I guess the question, then, would be who would you get to represent Rock guitar from, say, the mid 80s to the mid 90s (presumably this is the slot The Edge held down) and then for the mid 90s to the mid 00s (presumably White's spot)?

For the 70s, though, Page is pretty spot on, I'd say.

I'd say Vai or Van Halen or Gibbons would work for the 80s (maybe not so much Vai--though he's a guitarist's guitarist, I don't know how much he actually defined Rock guitar in that decade). As for the 90s to the 00s, maybe Slash? Maybe Wylde? Maybe (cough) John Mayer?

Just off the top of my head, and if I could pick people from all rock eras, I'd go with:

50's: Scotty Moore
60's/70's: Keith Richards/Jimmy Page
80's: Eddie or Prince
90's: Kirk Hammett or Slash
00's: Billie Joe Armstrong

I'd also include at least one of the following women: Jennifer Batten, Sheryl Crow, Melissa Etheridge, Joan Jett, Liz Phair or Jane Wiedlin.