Ten punk rock “guitar gods” with Lou Reed, Johnny Thunders, Mick Jones, Billy Zoom, Johnny Ramone

Contributed by truebeliever. Posted by aubin on Friday, July 11, 2008 at 5:00 PM (EDT)

Ultimate Guitar has put together a feature covering what they describe as "Punk Rock's 10 Mightiest Guitar Gods." The list mostly focuses on the so-called golden age of punk, with many of the early CBGB and 70's/80's-era British acts well represented. The list includes the Velvet Underground, Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers, Patti Smith, The Ramones, Sex Pistols, The Clash, Television and more.

You can check out the feature here.

Bands in this story

Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers

News (74 comments)

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

01011010 (July 11, 2008)

01001111 01111000 01111001 01101101 01101111 01110010 01101111 01101110 00101100 00100000 01100001 01101110 01100100 00100000 01001001 00100000 01101101 01100101 01100001 01101110 00100000 01110100 01101000 01100001 01110100 00100000 01101001 01101110 00100000 01100001 00100000 01100111 01101111 01101111 01100100 00100000 01110111 01100001 01111001 00101110

Banal242 (July 11, 2008)

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/fun/bizarro.asp

Badger_Legion (July 11, 2008)

For some reason, I took the time to translate that. It comes out as: ¹GK·'¨=

bikeage (July 11, 2008)

well at least you mean it in a good way

dX927 (July 12, 2008)

Stop drinking beer and do some crunches.

Torgo (July 11, 2008)

49 20 61 67 72 65 65 2c 20 65 73 70 65 63 69 61 6c 6c 79 20 77 69 74 68 20 56 55 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 72 65

Torgo (July 11, 2008)

Any list involving punk rock that incucles VU, Patti Smith and Television is way punk, no foolin.

The_Ken_Chin_Imposter (July 11, 2008)

This list is pretty predictable, boring, and unnecessary.

android (July 11, 2008)

I agree.

LORDSHREDDER (July 11, 2008)

The dude from the TOy Dolls is a guitar god. ANd El Jefe, Chris Hannah, the guys from A Wilhelm Scream, Jake Kiley & Rob Ramos

dev (July 11, 2008)

Haven't listened to much Toy Dolls, but I agree with the rest of your list, no doubt.

a_cobb (July 11, 2008)

http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=38_MwcGDNhQ

dev (July 11, 2008)

how much is Ultimate Guitar paying you? this is blatant editorial bling bling blah...

android (July 11, 2008)

don´t push me - cause I´m close to the eeeeeeedge.

mikexdude (July 11, 2008)

Wait... I'm not on this list?

TheOneTrueBill (July 11, 2008)

Greg Ginn, anyone?

Torgo (July 11, 2008)

Greg Ginn, everyone!

LookBackAndLaugh (July 11, 2008)

That's my opinion.

contrarian (July 12, 2008)

So true. Decent list, though; Lou Reed is punk rock Jesus.

scientistrock (July 12, 2008)

if we're gonna use biblical stuff he's more like John the Baptist. He annointed Jesus, who is probably Tom Verlaine (Television played the first CBGB's rock show) or someone (Johnny Thunders? He died) from the New York Scene.

AnonymousCoward (July 12, 2008)

Bob Mould?

scientistrock (July 11, 2008)

Greg Ginn.

Ultimate Guitar, go get fucked.

mikexdude (July 11, 2008)

Top 10 Hardcore Guitarists? Gregg Ginn, Dr. Know, Walter Schreifels, Dan Yemin... who else?

LookBackAndLaugh (July 11, 2008)

Kurt Ballou, Aaron Dalbec, the guy from Embrace, Ian Mackaye (fugazi)

scientistrock (July 11, 2008)

Bob Mould?

sugarfull (July 11, 2008)

Keith Huckins. Such an underrated guitarist, and all of his bands were genious.

fox82 (July 12, 2008)

Porcel and Vinny Stigma. 'Talent' (or apparent lack of) aside, both of them wrote some fucking classics.

Someone (July 11, 2008)

East Bay Ray.

Someone (July 11, 2008)

East Bay Ray.

Someone (July 11, 2008)

Clean up on aisle 3

Someone (July 11, 2008)

East Bay Ray

Someone (July 11, 2008)

East Bay Ray

SydBarrett420 (July 11, 2008)

Aren't the terms "Punk Rock" and "Guitar God" sort of contradictary?

Isn't being a guitar god in a 3 chord world the equivalent to being tops in the special olympics?

mikexdude (July 11, 2008)

Well, depending on what your idea of punk is, The Clash had some pretty flashy double stop solos. The guy from Television was pretty sick too.

SLFSubhuman (July 11, 2008)

So where the fuck is Olga from Toy Dolls?
Greg Ginn?

Those 2 names should definitely be there.

Someone (July 11, 2008)

East Bay Ray?

MONTEAM (July 11, 2008)

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With new pages, photos and info on what's been happening to the legacy of the Ramones since 2003. This is a MUST-HAVE book for all Ramones fans. Based around the story of Monte A. Melnick who was the Ramones tour manager (and much more) throughout their entire career (1974-1996, and 2,263 live shows). It's an inside look from the people who were actually there witnessing and experiencing all the extreme highs and lows of one of rock's greatest bands. The book is packed with interviews from the Ramones and many many more people who where very close to the band. There is over 250 photographs and pictures of memorabilia Monte collected along the way. Buy it, read it and then revisit their albums. You'll never look at the Ramones in the same light.

MattRamone (July 11, 2008)

Hey! Thanks for the ad!

SloaneDaley (July 11, 2008)

someone ban this fool.

phnxrecords (July 11, 2008)

This is apparently Monte, but who knows if it's true.

dev (July 11, 2008)

Well this isn't a very memorable meme at all...

Dordon (July 11, 2008)

they totally ignore anyone who plays a fender or other guitars in that article.

i frequently visit UG and all their "(insert rock genre here) gods" articles are gibson sponsored...

its ridiculous.

but anyway...

the AWS guys should def be in there.

LORDSHREDDER (July 11, 2008)

Fenders are usually a beginner guitar and are pretty difficult to play shredding licks on. But sometimes the sound is rad, like for ska, twangy clean, blues.

JustLikeDelilah (July 12, 2008)

You're a fucking idiot. The dudes from AWS rocked Fenders back in the day.

JustLikeDelilah (July 12, 2008)

also, Iron Maiden.

half_empty (July 12, 2008)

Yngwie Malmsteen? Iron Maiden? Many bands play technical on Fenders.

DIfficult to play shredding licks on what are you on about? If anything they might be slightly easier than gibsons due to the slightly thinner necks, but thats more preference than anything, people can shredd on anything.

The most popular guitar for all types of players ever is hardly a beginners guitar.

Adlai_E_Stevenson (July 12, 2008)

Squiers are a beginner's guitar. Actual Fenders rock the shit.

psychosis_cheer (July 11, 2008)

seriously worst list ever........warren fitzgerald should have been on there at the very least.......

jumpkid_638 (July 12, 2008)

He is one of the most entertaining people to watch on stage.

High five.

contrarian (July 12, 2008)

Your Punk Rock membership card has been revoked.

lostandclowned (July 11, 2008)

i saw this article yesterday on the site. there are some lame comments as well.

sammy_sam_saminson (July 11, 2008)

where's the "top ten articles compiling the top ten punk rock guitarists" list? or is there too many to choose from?

BMXpunk (July 11, 2008)

I agree with the all the guitarists people are posting here and submit the late Thomas "Pig Champion" Roberts.

beau_rossin (July 11, 2008)

So Greg Ginn, Greg Heston and Brian baker aren't punk?

Hubitcherkokov (July 11, 2008)

Jake/Rob - Strung Out
Tom - Bigwig
Chris - Propagandhi
Teppai - Thrice
Dudes (I think Luke and Tim?) - Protest The Hero
Ben - Dillinger Escape Plan

That's my list of shredders.

LORDSHREDDER (July 11, 2008)

Ben rules! Now if we're getting into core, metal, etc, then I can come up with a massive list.
Good call though.

wonton (July 12, 2008)

FUCK YES! rob and jake!

maybe they shoul make a list of best guitar tandems.

i also agree that teppei can fucking shred.

iandisurvive (July 11, 2008)

Where's John Reis, Guy P, Dr Know, Bob Mould, Yemin, Thurston Moore?

Fuck Thunders. Every poser gutter punk junkie ive ever had the misfortune of meeting loves that tool.

Adlai_E_Stevenson (July 11, 2008)

Where the fuck is D. Boon?

LookBackAndLaugh (July 11, 2008)

Oh shit, that's true...

jumpkid_638 (July 12, 2008)

And where the fuck is Waldo?

atomicgarden89 (July 11, 2008)

I hate it when people who know nothing of Punk Rock try to Capitalize on it by making bullshit lists like that. I also hate how they didn't include any Punk Guitarist past the 1970's. What the fuck?

LookBackAndLaugh (July 11, 2008)

According to lists, hardcore didn't happen.

throw_aways (July 11, 2008)

while this list might as well be titled "all 10 relevant punk guitar players in the 1970's", i'm still stoked any time a list includes Robert Quine. though i think they should have done a 50/50 Robert Quine/Ivan Julian entry, the way they did with Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd. But yeah. mostly boring list, go Robert Quine

T-Rock (July 11, 2008)

I love The Ramones, but how the hell is Johnny Ramone a "guitar god" of any kind? The guy openly played simple, three-chord riffs. It was pretty much the whole basis of his band.

contrarian (July 12, 2008)

Agreed, but the nonstop speed and energy with which he played those chords was revolutionary at the time.

edgelife (July 11, 2008)

greg ginn and the dude from bad brains anyone??

eDWeiRD (July 12, 2008)

Steve Albini is my guitar hero.

Holy_Balls (July 12, 2008)

getarz r for suckaz. let me sum1 freestyla aginst me. i will kik ur azz, bitchsukka

RRR (July 12, 2008)

Captain Sensible!!!!

BritSwedeGuy (July 12, 2008)

'Prime cut: "God Save The Queen" from the Sex Pistols' 1977 Never Mind The Bullocks, Here's The Sex Pistols.'
BOLLOCKS!