Who is the best hair metal guitarist?

How come Schenker's not on the list? Doesn't being that close to Robin McCauley's "Hair helmet" in the mid to late '80's automatically qualify him?

No votes for Reb Beach surprises me.

[quote="the sentinel"How come Schenker's not on the list? Doesn't being that close to Robin McCauley's "Hair helmet" in the mid to late '80's automatically qualify him?][/quote]

Big Rich wrote:

Gilbert wrote:

Boris2008 wrote:

The man from Japan but I have a really hard time thinking of Loudness as a hair metal band

I tend to agree. Two of my favourite Loudness albums (s/t and King of Pain) are pure heavy metal worship.

I took the choices from lists other people made, and threads from other boards. Blame the hair metal masses, they don't agree.

Yeah, I mean when you look at this



It's hard to argue, but before I saw that I heard this




That's the problem with the whole '80s hair metal thing, it was very subjective. W.A.S.P looked glam but were pure HM and even Ozzy looked like a drugged up drag queen most of the decade.

I don't necessarily think Stryper's music is hair metal, but that's what they're considered.

Nuno. On a technical level he has a greater range of dynamics and injected influences than the others listed. Plus he's a precise motherfucker; his accuracy is the envy of many a guitarist. The only other 80's shredder I would pit next to him is Paul Gilbert, but whether Racer X is considered the same vein of that subgenre remains debatable.

But my personal favorite to listen to and learn is Demartini, and Crosby should be lumped in there as well because they really do compliment each other in a left-hand-right-hand fashion. I always felt Warren did a good job at elevating EVH's style in pop metal, thus cementing a certain standard for the decade.

Other... Harry K Cody (Shotgun Messiah)

John Sykes...He is so bad ass and a great singer also..

brokentulsa wrote:

John Sykes...He is so bad ass and a great singer also..

Would be my second choice, if I had not seen him half-ass it at the Surf Ballroom one year. He did not wanna be there and let the whole crowd know it. My vote goes to Akira.

My favorite tandem would be Wexler/Aquilino of Icon. Killer tones, melodic, and could take off on a dime without overplaying.

James B. wrote:

Other... Harry K Cody (Shotgun Messiah)

If there was no other, he wouldn't been number 15.

I'm going with George Lynch. He's one of my favorite guitarists.

George Lynch got my vote.

Reb Beach is definitely bad ass though too.

Lurideath wrote:

Reb Beach is definitely bad ass though too.

Do you think that the music that band released diminishes him in these discussions? To me, he should've been mentioned long before your post. Then I remember I wasn't a fan of their music and maybe others feel the same.

Winger might be the most talented hair band ever. But their music didn't hold up, imo.

Big Rich wrote:

Troublezone wrote:

I voted DeMartini, but I forgot about Vito! He is actually the best.

It's a shame he stopped playing.

I know...

His solo for Little Fighter is amazing!

Big Rich wrote:

No votes for Reb Beach surprises me.

He was actually the player that got me interested in guitar solos. It was 1988, I was in junior high and “hair metal” ruled MTV. His playing on the first Winger album is smooth and effortless.

Big Rich wrote:

Lurideath wrote:

Reb Beach is definitely bad ass though too.

Do you think that the music that band released diminishes him in these discussions? To me, he should've been mentioned long before your post. Then I remember I wasn't a fan of their music and maybe others feel the same.

Winger might be the most talented hair band ever. But their music didn't hold up, imo.  

Yeah, you’re right. Winger’s lyrics are pure cheese and didn’t age well. I like the music on the s/t because it’s melodic and catchy with excellent soloing, but the 2nd album is crap (too much poppy keyboards) and the lyrics are even worse!

I think the only song I ever liked by them was Madelayne or however you spell it.

They were 4 talented guys who weren't really butt rockers making butt rock.

Everybody forgets Winger's Pull album. It is still a great album and they have solid albums since their comeback.

I can't forget Pull, because I've never heard it.

Big Rich wrote:

Lurideath wrote:

Reb Beach is definitely bad ass though too.

Do you think that the music that band released diminishes him in these discussions? To me, he should've been mentioned long before your post. Then I remember I wasn't a fan of their music and maybe others feel the same.

Winger might be the most talented hair band ever. But their music didn't hold up, imo.  

Well it isn't really the fact that the music didn't hold up. I think people (Like myself) never took Winger serious. The few songs I heard from Winger were great for his riffs and solo's though. Seeing him when he was in Dokken was what really struck me because in that live setting he was AMAZING! He should have stayed with Dokken in my opinion He also was great in Whitesnake.

He's not even from my favorite band on that list but I went with Nuno....dude is just insane.

Lurideath wrote:

Big Rich wrote:

Lurideath wrote:

Reb Beach is definitely bad ass though too.

Do you think that the music that band released diminishes him in these discussions? To me, he should've been mentioned long before your post. Then I remember I wasn't a fan of their music and maybe others feel the same.

Winger might be the most talented hair band ever. But their music didn't hold up, imo.  

Well it isn't really the fact that the music didn't hold up. I think people (Like myself) never took Winger serious. The few songs I heard from Winger were great for his riffs and solo's though. Seeing him when he was in Dokken was what really struck me because in that live setting he was AMAZING! He should have stayed with Dokken in my opinion He also was great in Whitesnake.

I should've phrased that differently. I meant hold up to it's peers. Or as you say, not taken seriously.

I didn't mean hold up over time, it was never good, imo.

Michael and Oz got zero votes.

Big Rich wrote:

Lurideath wrote:

Big Rich wrote:

Lurideath wrote:

Reb Beach is definitely bad ass though too.

Do you think that the music that band released diminishes him in these discussions? To me, he should've been mentioned long before your post. Then I remember I wasn't a fan of their music and maybe others feel the same.

Winger might be the most talented hair band ever. But their music didn't hold up, imo.  

Well it isn't really the fact that the music didn't hold up. I think people (Like myself) never took Winger serious. The few songs I heard from Winger were great for his riffs and solo's though. Seeing him when he was in Dokken was what really struck me because in that live setting he was AMAZING! He should have stayed with Dokken in my opinion He also was great in Whitesnake.

I should've phrased that differently. I meant hold up to it's peers. Or as you say, not taken seriously.

I didn't mean hold up over time, it was never good, imo.
 

At least they have a sense of humor. I remember seeing some live footage of them playing Seventeen, and Kip changed the lyric to “she’s only 45”.

Kip used to be really angry about Metallica throwing darts at his pic back in the day...