One Guitar Bands

[hekawi]

some of the most successful rock bands ever have featured only one guitar. it's always pretty impressive to me that one guy can handle all the guitar duties for a group. some of my favorites:

Buddy Holly & the Crickets (Buddy himself on the strat)
Grand Funk Railroad (Mark Farner)
Cream (Clapton!)
the Who (Pete!)
ZZ Top (Billy Gibbons)
Yes (my favorite guitarist Steve Howe)
The Police (the excellent Andy Summers)
U2 (the Edge)

weigh in with some of your faves and comments.

 

[Jerry J]

Pink Floyd?

 

[petebradt]

Helps to have a keys player in the band to handle half the solos. I'd get bored if I had to play every damned solo. BTDT. <Yawn>

 

[wetland10]

Original lineup -- Fabulous Thunderbirds (Jimmie Vaughan)

 

[neocaster]

Black Sabbath / Tony Iommi
Queen / Brian May

 

[J. Hayes]

I like some of the old fifties rockabilly things which only had lead guitar such as Scotty Moore did with Elvis. Sure, there was an acoustic rhythm guitar but no drums....... Also the old Sun record stuff by Johnny Cash with Luther Perkins, and the Rock & Roll Trio with Paul Burlison and the Burnette Brothers (Dorsey & Johnny). Later on there's Creedence Clearwater Revival with John Fogerty who sang all the leads, played all the lead guitar, and on top of that wrote the songs. He could've hired any other three competant players to work with him and it'd probably have still sounded the same. Personally, I love to work with just a good bass player and drummer and maybe a female vocalist. You can make better money for sure. If you have a "chick" singer who ain't bad lookin' it also makes your band look better on stage which a lot of buyers like. I use my wife in a lot of band gigs these days as she's cute (but old like me) and it takes the heat off us old and ugly guys...............JH in Va.

 

[1293]

Mountain

 

[Oskar]

Well, there a guy named Hendrix... I think he spells it Jimi who was the only guitar player in his band. Anyone heard of him?

 

[byrdbrain]

The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Edit: Oops, did not see the post above!

 

[genelovesjez]

Most of my favourite bands only have one guitar player. Just off the top of my head: The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Led Zeppelin, Jane's Addiction, The Smiths, REM, U2, The Stooges, Chili Peppers, Police, etc., ...

Actually, it would probably be easier for me to list the two guitar bands that I really like - a much shorter list!

 

[david henman]

...i front a trio, as i have done many times over the years. i love the freedom to go just about anywhere on the guitar.

my biggest influence in this regard has always been townsend.

still is.

-dh

 

[Mojohand40]

Rush.
Still remember seeing them way back around 1981-83ish(?) Saw a LOT of concerts around then. Though I'm not a huge Rush Fan, Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee impressed the stink out of me. Man, for a three piece band, Rush can make some HUGE music.

 

[Mojohand40]

Oh yeah, almost forgot! One of my all time favorite bands had only one guitar slinger...



....The Ramones!

 

[cvansickle]

Free, with Paul Kossoff.

 

[maestrovert]

Jimmy Page - Led Zepplin

 

[Filthy McNasty]

The Jam- Paul Weller
The Minutemen- D Boon
Black Flag- Greg Ginn
The Band- Robbie Robertson
Small Faces- Steve Marriott
The Faces- Ronnie Wood

Just to name a few off of the top of my head.

 

[Rock on]

Led zeppelin had page. Jones also played guitar but not as big time.

 

[OutlawSteph1975]

Young power trio in the tradition of Cream, Free and Jimi..

http://www.rosehilldrive.com/

I saw these guys open for the Drive By Truckers.. they rocked!

 

[Disastercaster]

The Sex Pistols- Steve Jones
Booker T and the MGs- Steve Cropper
Stray Cats- God..

 

[hekawi]

one guitar

Bad Company with former Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs