Five Underrated Rock Guitarists

In the history of rock music, there have been many fine guitarists that have been forgotten. This happens for many reasons: other band members over shadow their success, they leave a successful band moments before they get famous, untimely death, or many other reasons. Here's a list of five of the most interesting, unique, and forgotten guitarists in rock history.

Ricky Wilson

The B-52's are famous for their irreverent, fun, party happy music. Hits like "Loveshack" and "Roam" are still popular on the radio nearly twenty years after their release. These keyboard dominated tunes make people forget that early in their career, the band was a guitar dominated band. The band line-up consisted of Ricky Wilson on guitar, Fred Schneider on vocals, Ricky's sister Cindy on vocals and percussion, Kate Pierson on vocals and keyboards, and Keith Strickland on drums. Starting in Athens, Georgia, they lacked a bass player. Ricky decided to string the lowest two strings of his guitars with bass strings and the upper three like a normal guitar. This allowed him to cover bass and normal guitar parts. Often, he would play bass lines and rhythm guitar parts simultaneously, or would alternate between bass lines and guitar riffs. His guitar style was equal parts surf guitar and punk rhythm. His trademarks include sharp stabbing chords, punk inspired rhythm parts, echoed surf leads, and quirky off beat riffs. Ricky Wilson sadly died of AIDS before the band hit the big time. Excellent examples of his guitar playing include the bizarre "Rock Lobster" and the snappy "Private Idaho."

Randy California

Randy California was guitarist and songwriter for the nearly forgotten 60's and 70's group Spirit. Spirit mixed blues, rock, and jazz in a unique way for the time. Even after several big hits in the 60's, they simply faded away and rarely mentioned. It's a shame because their albums are very worthy and Randy a unique and talented guitarist. Randy was equally at home playing soft delicate acoustic instrumentals (the song "Taurus" which directly inspired "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin) down and gritty blues, hard rock riff tunes (his self-written "Got A Line") and soloing in jazz modes on nearly every one of their albums. Randy was a strong songwriter as well, and dominated many songs to their repertoire. Hendrix was an admirer. Randy kept Spirit going strongly into the 90's when he sadly passed away while saving his son from drowning. The forgotten nature of Spirit combined with his tragic early death has left him a relative unknown.

D. Boon

D. Boon was another guitarist who died too soon. Guitarist for the 80's underground punk band, the Minutemen, D. Boon was an accomplished guitarist and singer who easily transcended the boundaries and limitations of punk rock. Starting out as a punk band who lived up to their name (their songs rarely lasted much more than a minute and a half) the Minutemen started integrating funk, blues, country, classical guitar, political protest, jazz, and avant-guard into their sound. Their seminal double album "Double Nickel On the Dimes" is a perfect introduction to Boon's sound. His fast paced guitar riffs often fall off rhythm and chug in a funky manner. His riffs are usually clipped, staccato, and memorable. He riffs harshly against the clever rhythm section (featuring bassist Mike Watt) and takes time for a solo acoustic piece on "Cohesion." He shouts "cut em down with guitar solos" on "Political Song for Michael Jackson to Sing" and proceeds to unleash a dissonant and fast guitar solo heavily influenced by jazz trumpeter John Coltrane. He covers the blues rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival and smart alec jazz pop band Steely Dan. Everything slows down, speeds up, he shouts, and the songs are rarely, if ever, over two minutes long. Tragically, D. Boon died in a van accident while on tour, cutting the band's promising career short. Boon's guitar playing has received an accidental boost in popularity due to the song "Corona" being used as the theme for the popular reality comedy show "Jackass." However, many people have no idea who is playing and never bother to learn.

Terry Kath

When most people hear the word "Chicago" they think of bland soft rock hits like "Baby What A Big Surprise" which sucked up so much airwaves in the 80's. However, when Chicago started in the late 60's, they were a hard edged rock and roll band that successfully integrated jazz and classical music in a startling way that surprises many who are only familiar with the hits. One of the main proponents of this early edgy sound was guitarist Terry Kath. Jimi Hendrix once said to Chicago's trombone player that "...your guitarist is better than me." High praise. Terry was fluent in blues (heard on their cover of "I'm A Man") jazz (heard on the suite "It Better Happen Soon") hard rock (illustrated by "25 or 6 to 4") bouncy acoustic guitar ("Beginnings") funk and Hendrix inspired feedback mania ("Freeform Guitar" from their first album). Terry was also an inspired songwriter and singer who sang on many of the bands early hits. Chicago was a huge band (keyboardist, guitarist, bassist, drummer, and three horn players) four of which wrote, so Terry was often drowned out by the rest of the band. He was content to play back up, though. Chicago's growing soft rock reputation as well as a tragic, easily preventable death by shotgun makes Terry Kath one of the least known of the 60's guitar heroes.

Dave Stewart

Dave Stewart was one half of the hugely successful 80's rock band Eurythmics. Despite being overshadowed by singer Annie Lennox Dave is a well known songwriter. However, what many people don't k now about Dave is that he is an excellent guitarist. The reason for this is obvious: much of the Eurythmics early sound was based on keyboards and synthesizers. Their most well known hit, "Sweet Dreams" is based entirely around keyboards and synthesizers, and the accompanying album features little to no guitar. Subsequent hits like "Here Comes the Rain Again" are orchestral in tone, but primarily synthesizer as is the hit "Who's That Girl." Their debut album, "In the Garden" was a highly artistic, guitar based art rock album that is nothing like their later synthesizer work. Songs like "Caveman Head" showcase Dave's talent at feedback, dirty rock riffs, and stinging, dissonant solos. The rest of the album show a man totally in control of his guitar tone and style, playing rhythm and lead with equal aplomb, and using feedback like a true pro. Later hits like "Would I Lie To You" begin to show Dave's talent as well, featuring a dirty rock riff and another wild, dissonant solo. There are many other worthwhile guitarists I didn't have time to mention. We all love George Harrison, but how many people knew Paul McCartney often took guitar solos on Beatles albums? How many people have heard Michael Rother's unnerving guitar landscapes in Neu, or Michael Karoli's soulful guitar wails in Can? Keeping track of all the forgotten guitarists is simply impo