Slash Says Hendrix Is Still The Best Guitarist

Slash thinks Jimi Hendrix is still the best guitarist of all-time.

The Guns N’ Roses legend has drawn up a list of twelve best guitarists for the American edition of Esquire magazine, with Jimi defiantly making the cut. Describing the big-haired star as the primal wild man, Slash doesn’t think the fact Jimi died 44 years ago matters when it comes to his continued greatness.

“He was the pioneer for electric lead guitar,” Slash exclaimed. “Even the guys before him – like Clapton and Beck and all that – but the thing about Jimi is he came along and he was definitely the primal wild man, sh*t coming out of his pores.

“It was the extremes of all the different nuances that all the different guitar players before him had and just coming out in droves and saying it in a certain way that was uniquely Jimi and nobody else. Jimi’s still the man. It’s funny because you hear about him so much but he was that great. And his material stands the test of time all these years later.”

Slash, real name Saul Hudson, rose to fame thanks to smash hits like Sweet Child O’ Mine and Paradise City. His third solo studio album, World on Fire, was released earlier this week, featuring the vocal talents of Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators, and the musician has been reflecting on his icons.

Also on his list are Joe Perry and Brad Whitford of Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page and Mick Taylor of The Rolling Stones.

Pete Townshend also made a huge impression on a young Slash. “He’s not even a lead guitar player, really or doesn’t consider himself as such. But he had a big impact on me from day one,” Slash said of Pete. “When I was living in England as a kid, my dad’s favorite band out of all the British bands was The Who. And a lot of it had to do with Pete Townshend and the aggressive nature of his playing.

“So I always identified with The Who and with that sound. And as I started to play guitar I really started to pay attention to how he played.”

Slash Says Hendrix Is Still The Best Guitarist

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