What is a good guitarist?

[Insane3]

I was talking with a friend of mine about great guitar solos and she's not a big guitar solos fan. She loves music and she knows a lot about technical things I don't know, but she doesn't really enjoys guitar solos.

Anyway, I was telling her that the best rock guitarist was probably (well maybe) Jimi Hendrix, but then she asked me why lol. And I couldn't really answer. He's not THAT fast and anyway, Dragonforce is fast and it's bad. He wasn't THAT technical too. His compositions are not really complex, I know much more complex music that's not popular. I love his sound but that's not a real answer.

What's a good guitarist? What makes Hendrix, Clapton, Allman, Iommy, Gilmour, Vai, ect. so special?

[OldFogey]

I was talking with a friend of mine about great guitar solos and she's not a big guitar solos fan. She loves music and she knows a lot about technical things I don't know, but she doesn't really enjoys guitar solos.

Anyway, I was telling her that the best rock guitarist was probably (well maybe) Jimi Hendrix, but then she asked me why lol. And I couldn't really answer. He's not THAT fast and anyway, Dragonforce is fast and it's bad. He wasn't THAT technical too. His compositions are not really complex, I know much more complex music that's not popular. I love his sound but that's not a real answer.

What's a good guitarist? What makes Hendrix, Clapton, Allman, Iommy, Gilmour, Vai, ect. so special?

Actually Jimi's music is pretty complex at points. Have you listened to Drifting off the Cry of Love album? Pretty wild modulations there.
<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/POcNy07L1zs&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/POcNy07L1zs&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>

And if you don't think Jimi could play fast, try his cover of Good Times. Check the little licks at 0:20. Then the licks in the solo, esp. at about 1:20 and 1:30.
<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Rb7IEuwyToc&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Rb7IEuwyToc&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>

I'll address what I think makes a guitarist great in a separate post.

[drizzt9922]

Jimi was an innovator. I respect him for the great contribution he made to rock music as a whole, but I don't believe him to be the most skilled guitar musician ever.


I think Buckethead is absolutely the greatest guitarist ever, but thats up to debate.

[harper83087]

to me a good guitar solo is about the feeling behind it, how well it meshes with the rest of the song...Comfortably Numb by pink floyd is a great example of a guitar solo with all feeling...if you are more into the heavier music one of my favorite guitarists is Michael Ammott of Arch Enemy/Carcass, Listen to "Burning Angel" off Arch Enemy's Wages of Sin album. the beginning of that solo just draws you in and keeps you there. other greats in my mind are John Petrucci, Mikael Åkerfeldt from Opeth, Alex Lifeson of Rush is all about feeling in his playing, very little does he use straight up training and follows the lines.

[AnarchyintheUK]

For me what makes a good guitarist isn't how long or complex their solo is. It's how much feeling and enthusiasm they put ito their live performances, I'd rather see Pete Townsend jumping all over the stage during a Who concert and windmilling everything in sight, then I would like to see Dragonforce just standing there playing really fast "complex" rhythms

[OldFogey]

I've broken this down into some things I look for. Then I cite some examples of players I think excel at this particular feature. I'm not dissing any players if I didn't put 'em on the list some place. I didn't include slide guitarists -- most factors apply, but there are some differences.

Tone -- Good tone can be clean, have a blues burn or a heavy metal distortion. But it's full and round. And it doesn't get in the way of hearing the actual music (get too muddy, for example). Ability to produce more than one kind of tone well is an added bonus. Models: Eric Johnson, Mark Knopfler, Mick Taylor, Gary Moore
Music Knowledge -- different chord forms and voicings. Which scales and modes to use over which chords in the progression. Knowledge of jazz scales and chords a plus. Models: Larry Carlton, Robben Ford, Frank Zappa
Picking/Plucking technique: If you pick, cross-picking, string-skipping, combining the picking and plucking. Model: Eric Johnson. If you pluck, independent thumb and finger action. Model: Chet Atkins, Leo Kottke
Fingering technique: Knowledge of different positions. Ability to play smoothly through position shifts. Models: Eric Johnson, Vai
Creativity: not getting stuck in small variations off a few (typically pentatonic) cliches. Model: SRV, Robben Ford
Effects: different harmonics. Dive bombs. Tapping, one and two-handed. Models: Satriani, Vai, EVH
Speed: a full round tone. Avoid miss-hits. Remember not all speed is equal -- harder to cross-pick or use a full pick attack as opposed to a sweep, for example. Models: EVH, Vai, Eric Johnson (different kind of speed)
Musicality: The acid test is creating a singable solo. Models: David Gilmour, Mick Taylor, Jimi Hendrix, Larry Carlton and Robben Ford
Feel: Ability to adapt to the feel of the music -- the straights eights and sixteenths of metal and the swing of blues or jazz. Models: Larry Carlton, Robben Ford
Improvisational Ability: Being able to improvise over changes, the faster and the more complex, the better. Creating the feel of a composed solo improvised on the spot. Avoidance of cliches. Avoidance of repetition. No "pregnant pauses" waiting for the next idea. Avoiding noodling. Models: Jerry Garcia, SRV, Mick Taylor, Robben Ford, Larry Carlton

[Insane3]

I've broken this down into some things I look for. Then I cite some examples of players I think excel at this particular feature. I'm not dissing any players if I didn't put 'em on the list some place. I didn't include slide guitarists -- most factors apply, but there are some differences.

Tone -- Good tone can be clean, have a blues burn or a heavy metal distortion. But it's full and round. And it doesn't get in the way of hearing the actual music (get too muddy, for example). Ability to produce more than one kind of tone well is an added bonus. Models: Eric Johnson, Mark Knopfler, Mick Taylor, Gary Moore
Music Knowledge -- different chord forms and voicings. Which scales and modes to use over which chords in the progression. Knowledge of jazz scales and chords a plus. Models: Larry Carlton, Robben Ford, Frank Zappa
Picking/Plucking technique: If you pick, cross-picking, string-skipping, combining the picking and plucking. Model: Eric Johnson. If you pluck, independent thumb and finger action. Model: Chet Atkins, Leo Kottke
Fingering technique: Knowledge of different positions. Ability to play smoothly through position shifts. Models: Eric Johnson, Vai
Creativity: not getting stuck in small variations off a few (typically pentatonic) cliches. Model: SRV, Robben Ford
Effects: different harmonics. Dive bombs. Tapping, one and two-handed. Models: Satriani, Vai, EVH
Speed: a full round tone. Avoid mi****s. Remember not all speed is equal -- harder to cross-pick or use a full pick attack as opposed to a sweep, for example. Models: EVH, Vai, Eric Johnson (different kind of speed)
Musicality: The acid test is creating a singable solo. Models: David Gilmour, Mick Taylor, Jimi Hendrix, Larry Carlton and Robben Ford
Feel: Ability to adapt to the feel of the music -- the straights eights and sixteenths of metal and the swing of blues or jazz. Models: Larry Carlton, Robben Ford
Improvisational Ability: Being able to improvise over changes, the faster and the more complex, the better. Creating the feel of a composed solo improvised on the spot. Avoidance of cliches. Avoidance of repetition. No "pregnant pauses" waiting for the next idea. Avoiding noodling. Models: Jerry Garcia, SRV, Mick Taylor, Robben Ford, Larry Carlton

Lol, I knew the answer I wanted would come from you Fogey. Well that pretty much answers the question.

Now I've got another one though. Maybe I should start a new thread but I'll ask anyway. This one is more of a philosophy question:
Why do we like music?

I think there's a part of it about memory flashbacks, a song makes you remember a part of life, even if you don't notice it.
I also believe that the voice itself, not the words, creates emotions. A scream can make you angry, a slow and low song can make you melancholic.

But what I don't understand is, for exemple, why does Em sounds so sad and D, so happy? How come some notes united in one chord makes you feel different feelings than different notes united?

[Maelphaedor]

But what I don't understand is, for exemple, why does Em sounds so sad and D, so happy? How come some notes united in one chord makes you feel different feelings than different notes united?

That's actually one of the things that fuels my love of cover songs, I love to see what a different set of musicians bring to a song I already know and/or like.

But all the technical ablilty in the world with an instrument doesn't make you a musician in my book, you have to be able to do something much harder, send your emotions down and out thru your hands. It's like any other form of art, I may not be able to articulate exactly what it is, but I'll know it when I hear it. And something that I really, REALLY dig may just get a ho-hum or even a negative response from someone else.

[clostor]

zappa <JJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJ>

[Seven_Strings]

I'm not exactly sure how to respond to this, but I will say this. I think that the greatest guitarist is Joe Satriani. I like his music because he is able to evoke an emotion, whatever it may be. He can cause you to feel exactly how he felt when he wrote the song. Love thing and Always with Me, Always with You are perfect examples of love. Cryin' is a very sad song. Summer Song and Surfing with the Alien create an awesome adrenaline rush whenever I listen to them. I think that the ability to that seperates the great from the rest. Other than that, it is simply a matter of whether or not the music sounds good to you. Stevie Ray Vaughan, Boston, Metallica, The Ramones. If it sounds good, it is good.

[broganreynik]

My favorite guitarist all-time is Slash, but best rock guitarist I would say is Jimmy Page. Both Slash and Page play with such feeling and soul, and you can hear it in their playing, and both have incredible tone. Many people say that they're sloppy players, but that's what I love so much about them, they may miss a note here or there, but you know you're getting the real them. As far as technical ability goes, not many compare to John Petrucci. That cat can wail.

[Cosma]

Like most have said it's mostly about emotion. However There are two other factors in my opinion.

1. Are they up there because they want be there or because it's paycheck

2. Are they repetitive. By this I mean if you go see them live is a song gonna sound identical to the album and the last 3 times you went to see them?

I'm a BIG SRV fan (so sue me) I have most of his albums, and 3 DVDs (live at Austin City Limits, Live at the El Macombo, and Live at Montruex)

These 3 DVDs cover pretty much his entire career and you will not hear a song played the same way twice. You watch him on stage and you get the feeling that 's where he belongs. He's into it and nothing else matters. When an artist (any kind guitarist, drummer, sculpture, whatever) can get lost in a piece they've done hundreds of times before, THAT makes them not just good, but great

[Quinarvy]

I think the ability to sound good and have emotion and energy in their playing makes a guitarist great.

Thats why Hendrix was amazing, he could make the guitar speak on its own.

[BrynCamaro]

If we're talking about guitar solos, I believe that a guitar player's ability to add value to a song, no matter how they do it, makes them a good guitarist. I also think that Keith Richard's solo in "Sympathy for the Devil" is the worst thing ever recorded. (ducks and runs for cover...)

[Colonel_Kirby]

A true guitarist is someone who can sway a persons emotion with just the pluck of a string.

[aggro7891]

A true guitarist is someone who can sway a persons emotion with just the pluck of a string.

I agree on this point. I also think a good guitarist can convay feeling, energy, threw the guitar. The best guitarists can pull a reaction out of you. THis is Jack White is definitly not the most tech guitarist but people say he is wonderful live. Why Jimmy Hendrix Star Spangled banner at Woodstock was astounding, he used his guitar to create the sounds of war. When I first heard Jonny Greenwood kick in halfway through High and Dry I nearly cried, because his guitar moved me far more than the lead singers voice.

Just listen at 3:05
http://youtube.com/watch?v=W6uaTYjCWvY

[Insane3]

Yeah, I think one thing we all agree on is that a good guitarist makes you feel the emotion he wants you to feel. And most people feel that emotion. But my other question was: Why do we feel those emotions?

[OldFogey]

Yeah, I think one thing we all agree on is that a good guitarist makes you feel the emotion he wants you to feel. And most people feel that emotion. But my other question was: Why do we feel those emotions?

If you can answer that question, Insane3, then you'd be up for tenure in a university psychology or maybe musicology department automatically. :D

Personally, I think a lot of instrument playing is about trying to mimic the human voice. So I like, for example, guitar playing that is legato, the opposite of choppy. That's also where a really good vibrato comes into play, which is one reason Clapton was so popular and amazing when he hit the scene in the 60's -- to this day his is still the model for a great guitar vibrato. I think one reason we like distorted guitars is because they have a kind of singing quality -- closer to a violin. And I also think that has something to do with why so many "slowhand" soloists produce such memorable, emotional solos -- because that's what works best for the human voice, too.

That's not the whole story, I'm sure, but I do think it's a pretty big part of it.

[BhindBluEyes430]

If we're talking about guitar solos, I believe that a guitar player's ability to add value to a song, no matter how they do it, makes them a good guitarist. I also think that Keith Richard's solo in "Sympathy for the Devil" is the worst thing ever recorded. (ducks and runs for cover...)

Just because its short an simple dose not mean it sucks. That solo is awsome because it is the perfect climax for the song

For me a Great guitarist is someone who plays with so much soul that you can get the emotion of the song from the first chord. the solos don't have to be long or complex they just have to make sense. A guitarist whos solos fit so perfectly into the music.

Alot of the most famous guitarists make their solos stand out from the music (Aka Jimmy Page ,Slash and Angus young) and try and evlevate themselves above the band

Others like Pete townshend, keith richards and jimi hendrix encorperate their solos into the music so well that you don't even realise the song has changed to a solo.

[Jhail83]

Personally I love guitarists that add Texture and atmosphere to their music. Like Robert Fripp, or Alex Lifeson.

Also Great Tone...like David Gilmour or EVH.

But above all...Creativity.

[Insane3]

If you can answer that question, Insane3, then you'd be up for tenure in a university psychology or maybe musicology department automatically. :D

Personally, I think a lot of instrument playing is about trying to mimic the human voice. So I like, for example, guitar playing that is legato, the opposite of choppy. That's also where a really good vibrato comes into play, which is one reason Clapton was so popular and amazing when he hit the scene in the 60's -- to this day his is still the model for a great guitar vibrato. I think one reason we like distorted guitars is because they have a kind of singing quality -- closer to a violin. And I also think that has something to do with why so many "slowhand" soloists produce such memorable, emotional solos -- because that's what works best for the human voice, too.

That's not the whole story, I'm sure, but I do think it's a pretty big part of it.

Yeah, I think you're right about that. I think I'd add conditioning to a music genre and the emotive moments that some sounds bring back to your memory.

[tehredherring]

Yeah, I think one thing we all agree on is that a good guitarist makes you feel the emotion he wants you to feel.

Yup. in my opinion, the best guitarists feel something, and it just comes out of them through their guitar. just watch jimi or david gilmore. their faces during the solos just gets twisted, they really feel what they're playing.

[Parodygm]

Personally, I think a lot of instrument playing is about trying to mimic the human voice. So I like, for example, guitar playing that is legato, the opposite of choppy.

Interesting, I like the singing style of guitar playing. But I think I'm personally more attracted to waves and pulsing, droning, buzzing, ringing and jangly rhythms.

Some of my favorite guitar parts are dense, textured and layered - shoegazer is one of my favorite genres (eg. My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive).

I love Bob Mould of H&#252;sker D&#252;/Sugar (all those open E strings, sus4 and add9 type chords).

I'm also a sucker for jangly New Zealand bands (like The Bats, The Chills, Straitjacket Fits, Split Enz, Crowded House), The Cure, early R.E.M., Talking Heads etc.

Funnily enough, the majority of stuff I listen to doesn't have readily discernable solo (ie. lead) guitar work at all.

[OldFogey]

Interesting, I like the singing style of guitar playing. But I think I'm personally more attracted to waves and pulsing, droning, buzzing, ringing and jangly rhythms.

Some of my favorite guitar parts are dense, textured and layered - shoegazer is one of my favorite genres (eg. My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive).

I love Bob Mould of Hüsker Dü/Sugar (all those open E strings, sus4 and add9 type chords).

I'm also a sucker for jangly New Zealand bands (like The Bats, The Chills, Straitjacket Fits, Split Enz, Crowded House), The Cure, early R.E.M., Talking Heads etc.

Funnily enough, the majority of stuff I listen to doesn't have readily discernable solo (ie. lead) guitar work at all.

I like this stuff, too --- BTW huge Enz, Finn, House, and so forth fan. I also listen to a lot of stuff that doesn't prominently feature soloing.

Your answer made something clearer in my mind -- I thought the original question was really more about soloing in particular than guitar playing in general. That's where I directed my remarks. There are some solos that have the characteristics you're talking about -- Hendrix did it some, Andy Summers did it a fair amount. Maybe I was wrong to do that, but looking back at the OP, I think that was what he had in mind.

On a related note -- have you ever seen Neil Finn's Seven Worlds concert? Ed O'Brien plays on that, and the sounds he adds to Neil's songs are a perfect example of what you're talking about -- or so it seems to me. I really enjoy what he does in that concert.

[TakeABow]

If you like textured guitar, and like The Cure, be sure to Check out Radiohead (if you haven't already). Start with either OK Computer or The Bends.

[OldFogey]

If you like textured guitar, and like The Cure, be sure to Check out Radiohead (if you haven't already). Start with either OK Computer or The Bends.

Yep -- Ed O'Brien is the list that starts this thread.

Edge should be in that discussion, too -- altho' any mention of U2 seems to provoke a really negative response from some posters...

[Runesmith]

Yep -- Ed O'Brien is the list that starts this thread.

Edge should be in that discussion, too -- altho' any mention of U2 seems to provoke a really negative response from some posters...

I've noticed a lot of unnecessary U2 hate here, too. I think most of the hate stems from their dislike of Bono (he does have a bit of an ego problem, but is that really a 'good' reason to hate U2's music?) or their dislike of U2's contemporary work - "Vertigo" and "Beautiful Day" were seriously overplayed at the time of their releases. People are so quick to forget how great their work was on Boy, The Unforgettable Fire, and The Joshua Tree.

The Edge has great tone, in my opinion. Not very many musicians are able to use that echo as effectively as he does. Plus, it seems like virtually every single alternative band since the 90s have borrowed his riffs or his style.
"Bullet the Blue Sky" is a great example of his technique (Of course, ignoring the Bourne Identity film playing in the background):
<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/TZavMmc1YV4&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/TZavMmc1YV4&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>

[SnipeYurFartbox]

[QUOTE=Insane3;487778]I was talking with a friend of mine about great guitar solos and she's not a big guitar solos fan. She loves music and she knows a lot about technical things I don't know, but she doesn't really enjoys guitar solos.

Anyway, I was telling her that the best rock guitarist was probably (well maybe) Jimi Hendrix, but then she asked me why lol. And I couldn't really answer. He's not THAT fast and anyway, Dragonforce is fast and it's bad. He wasn't THAT technical too. His compositions are not really complex, I know much more complex music that's not popular. I love his sound but that's not a real answer.

I think the answer you were looking for was emotion. and yes he was complex and fast aswell. No guitarist I know played with more emotion then jimmi. if you want to hear complex Jimmi Hendrix just listen to his blues solos they're amazing. The only time I ever hear about Jimmi is his Rock n Roll His blues was a hell of a lot better. Jimmi put his heart ans soul into his music be it Rock, Blues or otherwise.

[Insane3]

[QUOTE=Insane3;487778]I was talking with a friend of mine about great guitar solos and she's not a big guitar solos fan. She loves music and she knows a lot about technical things I don't know, but she doesn't really enjoys guitar solos.

Anyway, I was telling her that the best rock guitarist was probably (well maybe) Jimi Hendrix, but then she asked me why lol. And I couldn't really answer. He's not THAT fast and anyway, Dragonforce is fast and it's bad. He wasn't THAT technical too. His compositions are not really complex, I know much more complex music that's not popular. I love his sound but that's not a real answer.

I think the answer you were looking for was emotion. and yes he was complex and fast aswell. No guitarist I know played with more emotion then jimmi. if you want to hear complex Jimmi Hendrix just listen to his blues solos they're amazing. The only time I ever hear about Jimmi is his Rock n Roll His blues was a hell of a lot better. Jimmi put his heart ans soul into his music be it Rock, Blues or otherwise.

I'm not trying to say he didnt create amazing solos, but if I compare to Ingwie mamsteem (or whatever spelling lol), he's not THAT fast and when I compare his songs to yes's, he's not so very complex too. That doesnt mean he's not good or even the best.

[R33DH4M]

I was talking with a friend of mine about great guitar solos and she's not a big guitar solos fan. She loves music and she knows a lot about technical things I don't know, but she doesn't really enjoys guitar solos.

Anyway, I was telling her that the best rock guitarist was probably (well maybe) Jimi Hendrix, but then she asked me why lol. And I couldn't really answer. He's not THAT fast and anyway, Dragonforce is fast and it's bad. He wasn't THAT technical too. His compositions are not really complex, I know much more complex music that's not popular. I love his sound but that's not a real answer.

What's a good guitarist? What makes Hendrix, Clapton, Allman, Iommy, Gilmour, Vai, ect. so special?

Creativity, originality and skill.

[OldFogey]

I'd like to hear what Axl and Shredder have to say about this topic

[Shredder87]

.....Dodger's lost 1-0. Underachievers if you ask me

I don't know what to say really on this subject. My three favorite guitarist lose themselves to the music(that, and being really high/drunk). They're eyes are closed, wailing at the notes they're fretting, sweating. You watch in awe as you're listening to them. Then you realize it's just one man playing. That right there, is what makes a great guitarist. They tell you stories of their lives through their music. It's right there, where you relate to what they're telling you. That's where people hold said guitarist to a higher regard than the guy next to him (I guess this answers that other question the OP asked.)

[AxlVanHagar]

What makes a good guitarist? Well I think just about everyone will have a different opinion on that. For me it doesn't boil down to any one or two things. It's a combination of things really.

Fogey touched on all the things that should make up a good guitarist, well done on that btw sir! Certainly tone, technique , knowlege, ability etc will all play into it. But not necasarrily all of it for any one guitarist. For example when I first started to play my 3 biggest influences were Steve Vai, Jimmy Page and Keith Richards. Three, I think , very different players. I don't like them for all the same reasons.

I love Vai's technique and knowlege of his craft. His sense of humor in his playing. I think his tone sucks and he's not much of a songwriter.

I love Jimmy's feel. I like the harshness in his tone. I love how God damn sloppy he is.

And Keith? Well I've always felt he should change his name to Keith Riffchards.

So all very different reasons for me liking those three but they all share one thing in common. The intangible "it factor". They all that "it" , that one thing you can't put your finger on that makes them great. Charisma, look, ability, I dunno. All stars have "it" and I thinki that "it" is different for everyone. No matter how great anyone is there is someone that wont like them and wont understand what is so great. Case in point Randy Rhodes. I think he's a groundbreaking brilliant guitarist cut down well before his prime. Shredder doesn't dig him. Fair enough, different tatses for everyone.

All I know is I always know when I hear a great guitarist. And each one I love and think is great I'll probably give different reasons for their greatness. Your mileage will most likely vary.

[Shredder87]

I agree with you Axl. I balked when thinking about answering this cuz not everybody digs said great guitarist, and I honestly don't know why something makes a guitarist great, they just are. Like you said, they have that IT factor. Why do people dig Jesse Jackson from the Yankees? His numbers sucked(Yeah he hit 500 HRs, that doesn't mean anything.), yet he's a legend. He had IT.

[Parodygm]

On a related note -- have you ever seen Neil Finn's Seven Worlds concert? Ed O'Brien plays on that, and the sounds he adds to Neil's songs are a perfect example of what you're talking about -- or so it seems to me. I really enjoy what he does in that concert.

I haven't seen that one. I'll check it out.


If you like textured guitar, and like The Cure, be sure to Check out Radiohead (if you haven't already). Start with either OK Computer or The Bends.

Oh, for sure. I've had both those albums for a long while. :D I think I'd have to say I prefer The Bends, but OK Computer is going to be a timeless concept album and probably more critically acclaimed.

As for U2, I like their stuff up until about The Joshua Tree after which they started to decline a little for me. They've done some good stuff since, but it's fewer and farther between in my opinion.

[OldFogey]

As for U2, I like their stuff up until about The Joshua Tree after which they started to decline a little for me. They've done some good stuff since, but it's fewer and farther between in my opinion.

I can understand your view up to a point -- and that point is Achtung Baby. To me that is their most consistently strong album. Maybe the best tracks on Joshua Tree are better but there are some weaker tracks on that album.

Here's a pretty good example of Neil and Ed (plus Phil Selway):
<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Oo-KQJc9A0I&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Oo-KQJc9A0I&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>

Ed really gets into the bridge. And yes that is Johnny Marr on lead.