The “Often Overlooked” And “The Underrated”
Alex Lifeson was one of the most underrated guitarists ever, especially during his prime. You’ll hear most people say that Alex was just an average while Neil and Geddy were the real talents of the band. But if you really look closely about what he managed to do for Rush, the 40 plus years he was with them, Alex matched his bandmates skills. He provided both rhythm and lead guitar for Rush, and in such a way that they could perform the songs live without them ought to look for an additional member.
David Gilmour, on the other hand, was often overlooked because he was not a good speaker or communicator. He even sometimes struggles with words and uses his guitar instead as a way to communicate and share his feelings.
Both are great in their own ways. They managed to influence tons of guitarists along the way and had an outstanding career, but if we’re gonna choose who did the best guitar riffs among them, then Alex would just humbly say, David Gilmour.
“David Gilmour is so well respected, and while he’s often overlooked among guitarists, I think people who appreciate rock guitarists regard him as one of the best. He’s a brilliant player and has such passion and feel. You can sense he’s a smart man: you can hear how he puts it all together and how it fits, which is a real testament to his songwriting. He’s such a bluesy player, to boot. My eyes water whenever I hear this song. Pink Floyd have such incredible arrangements; their songs are rich and complex but not particularly complicated. They can take as long as they want to tell you a story, but it’s always interesting.”
–Alex Lifeson comment on Comfortably Numb
Alex Lifeson’s riffs over their songs had the same feel though faster and quite unique than Gilmour’s, but I think that David Gilmour was one of his inspiration in creating such incredible riffs.
But guys, I’ll leave it all to you — who do you think made better riffs?