Guitarists, list your 5 main influences !

[RockyRhoads]

Billy Gibbons
Stone Gossard
Bruce Fairweather
Keith Wyatt
Mike Wilton/Chris DeGarmo

The more I think about it the more I need to add a couple...

Ace Frehley - made me want to play in the first place
Ted Nugent - I can't listen to Ted without wanting to go pick up my guitar
Matthias Jabs - He is just fantastic and gets no press at all
CC DeVille - I know everyone loves to hate CC, but in the context of a song, the man kicks ass.
Eddie Van Halen - I love everything he played up until 1982 when his playing went into eternal repeat.
Michael Schenker - one of the best ever


And probably my favorite underated player John Sykes - check him out, he is brilliant in every sense of the word.

[Ilusive]

1. Randy Rhoads: Without his playing I would probably still be stuck playing in E minor. Everything about his playing seems perfect, his choice of notes, his emotion, his clean speed and how he is a real guitarist. Most "guitarists" don't know anything about theory. An example of this is how Kerry King apparently can't even play A Aeolian scale. I doubt this is true though...

2. Tony Iommi: Nearly all of his riffs send chills down my spine. Excellent songwritter. He is very under-rated.

3. Michael Angelo Batio: Whether with one neck, two or four he always manages to amaze me. It's a shame I can barely find any of his albums or tabs.

4. Dave Sabo: Check out Midnight/Tornado and Rattlesnake Shake. He is a very talented player and riff maker.

5. Eddie Van Halen: Guitar playing would be a lot more dull without Eddie.

6. Adrian Smith and Steve Harris: They each had a huge influence on me as a songwritter.

[The Flying Dutchman]

1) Randy
2) Eddy
3) Michael Schenker
4) All the others like Adrian Vandenberg, Gary Moore, John Sykes, Vivian Campbell, Jeff Beck etc.

[BIG_P]

You know guys after seeing some of your responces I can honestly say that I AM HONORED AND HUMBLED TO BE IN YOUR PRESENCE!!! TRUE musicians here!!!! I mean that because of the chosen like Schenker, Gibbson, Campbell, Sabo.....SO underrated yet so, kick ass!!! Hats off to you all!!!.....P

[Paul Wolfe]

I've got to also mention "Fast" Eddie Clarke of Motorhead and Fastway.

The first Fastway record is just great, a heavier Led Zeppelin and just a great working man's hard rock band.

The boys from Aerosmith weren't too shabby in their day, either.

[therhoadlesstraveled]

1. Jeffery Philip Wielandt
2. Randall William Rhoads
3. Darrell Lance Abbot
4. Jakey Lou Williams
5. Kirk Hammet (early MetallicA stuff)

[comatorium]

Hm, hard...

- Greg Brown
- Omar Rodrigez
- Josh Homme
- Randy Rhoads
- Tony Iommi

[Supernaut]

1. Jeffery Philip Wielandt

Zakk Wylde

[Stiltzkin]

I might have to add Ritchie Blackmore, Akira Takasaki and Eddie Van Halen to my list

[skezza]

I think I should whack Jake E Lee into the equation. He is fantastic!

[Stiltzkin]

I think I should whack Jake E Lee into the equation. He is fantastic!

that's no news

[strat2tele1]

Randy Rhoads
George Lynch
Jake E Lee
Marty Friedman
John Petrucci

honorable mention...Warren DeMartini, Vivian Campbell (w/Dio),

[enchantgy]

Michael Schenker was my first favorite guitar player, before I discovered Randy.

Since then there have been many greats that I enjoy.

Uli Roth (anyone mention him yet?)

Joe Satriani (did I see his name???)

Rory Gallagher (truly unique player, another name I don't recall reading)

Criss Oliva (Amazing what this guy was capable of)

(there are many others I enjoy listening to, including, but not limited to: John Petrucci, Michael Wilton, Jeff Martin(Tea party) Paul Gilbert, Nuno Bettencourt, Brad Gillis, John Sykes, Akira Takasaki, Kyoji Yamamoto, Neal Morse ...)

[Ivar]

1) Randy Rhoads
2) Zakk Wylde
3) Vivian Campbell
4) Eddie Van Halen
5) Adrian Vandenberg

[Wild Child]

I won`t be original:

1. Randy Rhoads- almost everything,
2. Kirk Hammett- he built wonderful expression,
3. Kay Hansen- creative and very talented,
4. Chris Holmes- because he rocks,
5. Tony Iommi- riffmaster and also good musician,