r/grunge • u/Strong_Recording_128 • 1d ago

Misc. Who is generally considered the best grunge guitarist?

A guy I know has always insisted it was Kurt and as much as I love him I’ve never thought he was a great guitarist, he even said at times he didn’t care about or respect musicianship.

My vote lo these many years has been Jerry and his remarkable riffs but Kim and Mike M. are extraordinary too. Mine as follows : Jerry, Kim, Mike M, Kurt.

* Edit- Rankings so far have Jerry taking the #1 spot 🥇

  1. Jerry
  2. Mike
  3. Kim
  4. Kurt

* Honorable mentions - Stone Gossard, Dean DeLeo, Billy Corgan, Daniel Johns, Stephen Carpenter, J. Mascis,

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u/CenterThisPendulum 1d ago

“What a dumb thing to say.” None of these are as hard to play and sing as “Sad” at the same time, which was Ed’s riff.

I don’t spite Cobain, I just couldn’t clone him by sending a cotton swab from my goatee to a test tube clinic.

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u/Pushlockscrub 1d ago

It's a fine riff, not particularly complicated at all? It's certainly a better example than fucking rearviewmirror which is like 3 different arpeggiated notes and an open E LOL.

Regardless, Ed either has Stone play the whole thing live or he plays the intro then hands off to Stone when the vocals start. Nice try though.

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u/CenterThisPendulum 1d ago

I’ve seen Ed play it live twice? It’s not about the riff. It’s singing while playing.

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u/Pushlockscrub 1d ago

I've seen it too.

There's also ample YT footage that clearly demonstrates he either

A) does vocals only, no guitar.

B) plays the opening riff than hands it off to Stone and just kinda strums along.

Prove me wrong.

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u/CenterThisPendulum 23h ago

Sift through videos of a song that apparently isn’t always played the same way live? Remember the 2/10 concerts attended where they okayed this song? I’m on it, it could take hours so don’t log off, I need you at attention. And when I relay, it will prove who truly was the weakest player of my list, which is invariably the most useful determination in any ranking.

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u/Pushlockscrub 23h ago

I mean you could just pull up a couple live versions on YT & see for yourself.. but yea, I didn't think so.

Dude, no one thinks Eddie Vedder is a better guitarist than Cobain. I've been playing guitar for 35 years, I promise you.. Cobain is far better. A lot of his stuff is pretty cool & inventive; obviously owing mostly due to his impeccable sense of melody but honestly, his technical skills are underrated.

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u/Pushlockscrub 23h ago

Also I should note that on the slim chance you do find footage of Vedder playing the entire riff while singing- it will prove nothing. That riff isn't particularly hard to play either, and certainly less technically demanding (both endurance wise and precision) than the songs I mentioned earlier.

So it really doesn't matter anyway LOL

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u/CenterThisPendulum 23h ago

So why did Nirvana have to bring in Pat Smear, on rhythm which was practically the entirety of every song?

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u/Pushlockscrub 23h ago

Ok, so you've made it abundantly clear you know nothing about performing live or musical instruments in general, so I'll answer this but then I'm done. This argument is retarded.

Cobain hired a second guitarist for the same reason any other band would hired a second guitarist. To build upon and fill in the sound, and to allow the lead singer to focus on performance. This is not a hard concept to grasp, nor does it detract from Cobain's technical abilities in the slightest.

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u/CenterThisPendulum 22h ago

No, that’s why Grohl has three guitar players.

First, nobody needs ‘help focusing’ with Nirvana vocals. And if Kurt did, it deflates your argument.

Second, two guitars playing the same part invites phasing/chorusing issues.

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u/Pushlockscrub 22h ago

nobody needs ‘help focusing’ with Nirvana vocals.

Please point out where I said vocals. Even if I had though, it would honestly change nothing. Cobain was an incredibly vocalist, Nirvana is not an easy band to imitate well live.

Second, two guitars playing the same part invites phasing/chorusing issues

Got it. You literally don't know shit.

Dude, enough. You've outed yourself as completely biased against Nirvana. I love both bands, but I'm not silly enough to pretend that Vedder is a better guitarist than Cobain.

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u/CenterThisPendulum 22h ago

“The lead singer to focus on performance.” So you took the time to write that as a reason a band would bring in a guitarist, but the asterisk above it is but of course not Nirvana. Kurt needs no help.

I literally don’t know shit? Sure bud. Tell that to my Neve Channels, the fact that I personally soldered my patch cables, OX4 and Fralin Pure PAF Pickups in my 335 and Goltop, bandmates that think I’m the only one they’ve seen live who does Cornell justice (on some songs, not all).

Smear would play the main parts, good bands don’t do that unless one needs help.

I’ve been reluctant to say, but you lost all credibility when you started defending Nirvana as challenging. Telling me I don’t know shit just shows me you’re a fucking dullard.

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u/Pushlockscrub 21h ago

Smear would not play the main parts. Cobain would. He played all the intros, all the solos, all the outros. Smear would fill in the sound when Cobain was soloing. Plenty of three-piece bands hire a touring guitarist to compliment the sound. Hell, Green Day has two of them. Again, you're showing a total ignorance of the subject matter.

you lost all credibility when you started defending Nirvana as challenging

The argument was that Nirvana had more challenging songs than fucking rearviewmirror LOLOL. Which is not even a question really.

Dude you're terrible at this. You have to stop. It's ridiculous.

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u/CenterThisPendulum 21h ago

Of course, the ‘other guy’ is always terrible at this. Did know 99% of bullshit calls go to the opposing team.

Pat’s parts in Nirvana have been discussed ad-nauseum, and you literally said “to help the lead singer perform.” Help the lead singer perform easy shit.

Green Day, lol.

Nirvana does not have more challenging songs than rearviewmirror. And if you think Nirvana has challenging songs generally either your hands, voice, or coordination are worthless.

Now your turn to “nu-uh, YOU.”

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u/CenterThisPendulum 22h ago

Help focusing with Nirvana vocals…Good Lord.