Seriously, why is Jimi Hendrix considered the GGOAT?

He died young. Much like JFK and Pre, this artificially inflates the GOAT rating.

Jimi thought Terry Kath was the greatest.

"That cat's better than me"

Guitar antihero wrote:

Sure, he was handsome, sexy, hung, wild and certainly pioneered many aspects of the electric guitar but is he the greatest of all time?

For me, he's a contender on electric but he never really seems to have done much on the acoustic or with other cousin instruments of the guitar e.g. mandolin or banjo.

This lack of versatility surely rules him out from being the GOAT.

Thoughts, opinions?

In rock, Hendrix might have been the greatest of all time (MAYBE) but there are players in other genres who were better.

Go and listen to Machine Gun....end of story.

Falmouth Clipper wrote:

Go and listen to Machine Gun....end of story.

To be honest I find it hard to listen to.

Guitar antihero wrote:

certainly pioneered many aspects of the electric guitar but is he the greatest of all time?

What "aspect" of electric guitar did he pioneer?

Hendrix was a rock star. He did not have chops better than anyone else. Today there are 500 high schoolers who are better guitarists than Hendrix was.

Every single serious guitar player I know who has watched video of Hendrix playing say they cannot fathom how he did it and are in total awe of his technical guitar skills. If the guys who actually play seriously think he may be one of the greatest technical virtuosos ever I am willing to accept their opinions.

Like another poster noted, he died young. Also, he was black, and the brainwashed can't wait to fall all over themselves to show how not racist they are by stating Hendrix is the GOAT.

Hendrix was very good, but a lot of other guys have come along who were and are much better - by a large margin. Just the way it is. It's actually worse than comparing runners from different eras.

don't focus on technique and current players who can exceed it. Focus on influence. Just google "[insert guitarist] on Hendrix," and insert Clapton, Santana, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Eddie Van Halen, Steve Vai, Jeff Beck, etc. They will answer your question. His records may sound common now, but no one played like that before. Hendrix changed the way guitar and rock music was played.

It is the same with GOAT runners of the past. Don't focus on their times compared to runners today. Focus on who they beat, what they won.

I beg to differ wrote:

Every single serious guitar player I know who has watched video of Hendrix playing say they cannot fathom how he did it and are in total awe of his technical guitar skills. If the guys who actually play seriously think he may be one of the greatest technical virtuosos ever I am willing to accept their opinions.

You don't know any serious guitar players.

enuf said wrote:

I beg to differ wrote:

Every single serious guitar player I know who has watched video of Hendrix playing say they cannot fathom how he did it and are in total awe of his technical guitar skills. If the guys who actually play seriously think he may be one of the greatest technical virtuosos ever I am willing to accept their opinions.

You don't know any serious guitar players.

Jeff Beck

CWII by Thomas Chittum wrote:

Like another poster noted, he died young. Also, he was black, and the brainwashed can't wait to fall all over themselves to show how not racist they are by stating Hendrix is the GOAT.

Hendrix was very good, but a lot of other guys have come along who were and are much better - by a large margin. Just the way it is. It's actually worse than comparing runners from different eras.

that you, moran?

and let's see those 'much better' guitarists try to replicate Hendrix's SOUND with period-apprropriate equipment. Let's also hear 'em play electric rhythm guitar, which was the crucible of Jimi's musical training.

ask John McLaughlin, who's among the living, or Miles Davis or Prince, who are both dead, about Hendrix when you have a moment.

pv runner wrote:

Hendrix changed the way guitar and rock music was played.

Correct. He was was wayyyyyyy ahead of the curve and influenced every guitarist alive today.

pv runner wrote:

don't focus on technique and current players who can exceed it. Focus on influence. Just google "[insert guitarist] on Hendrix," and insert Clapton, Santana, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Eddie Van Halen, Steve Vai, Jeff Beck, etc. They will answer your question. His records may sound common now, but no one played like that before. Hendrix changed the way guitar and rock music was played.

It is the same with GOAT runners of the past. Don't focus on their times compared to runners today. Focus on who they beat, what they won.

Please don't use that comparison in public EVER. The best runner is the fastest runner-that's it unless you bring technology into it. Hendrix's influence would be better compared to coaches or training methods but not greatness as a runner.

enuf said wrote:

Today there are 500 high schoolers who are better guitarists than Hendrix was.

Today there are high schoolers who can run a 4 minute mile but you wouldn't consider them greater than Roger Bannister or even Jim Ryun.

Because he was a big influential star during the hippie era, then died and achieved cult martyrdom. Notoriety is a major bias in who's-the-best debates. Within a couple decades he became the incumbent best, considered GOAT on the strength of his GOAT reputation alone. The hippies also outnumber Gen X so there's nothing anyone can do until they finally die.

Everything Hendrix recorded sounds a bit sloppy to me, and also badly produced. The tone is dull and a lot of the notes are barely audible. I never understood how anyone is blown away by it, but they didn't have metal yet in those days.

Peter Green

Yngwie Malmsteen would easily outshred Jimi, not even a contest. I doubt Hendrix could even do triple hammer ons or tremolo picking. Playing a bluesy rythm guitar upside down with a headband may have been impressive to pot smoking boomers in the 60s but the landscape has changed.

Bad Wigins wrote:

Because he was a big influential star during the hippie era, then died and achieved cult martyrdom. Notoriety is a major bias in who's-the-best debates. Within a couple decades he became the incumbent best, considered GOAT on the strength of his GOAT reputation alone. The hippies also outnumber Gen X so there's nothing anyone can do until they finally die.

Everything Hendrix recorded sounds a bit sloppy to me, and also badly produced. The tone is dull and a lot of the notes are barely audible. I never understood how anyone is blown away by it, but they didn't have metal yet in those days.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

retard who obviously doesn't know Link Wray (or Pat Hare, for that matter). i wouldn't expect one of the most racist sites on the interet to understand but once in a while smart posters here surprise:

compare to Earl Hooker & Freddie King, not competition but continuum: