andrew lee

It’s list season, the only season that matters. That said, let’s talk about a list from nine years ago. Specifically, SPIN’s 100 Greatest Guitarists list, which highlighted a lot of names that don’t usually get brought up, including Arto Lindsay and Sonny Sharrock. It also didn’t take half-measures going left-field, like putting Jam Master Jay in the top 10. It was as notable for who it didn’t include: the whole point was that the usual suspects like Eddie Van Halen and Yngwie Malmsteen weren’t on there. In fact, playing fast in the traditional metal sense was a guarantee for exclusion. That’s not to say shred wasn’t represented, but it was more unorthodox speed demons like Ben Weinman, Trey Azagthoth and Mick Barr that made the cut. The list was bold, to say the least, and it was a much-n...