Stevie Ray Vaughn. Just listen to his version of Little Wing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=An4uDegHB8s
Clapton once said that SRV didn't play guitar -- he channeled music.
I think Clapton was right.
There is a version of him doing Voodoo Chile on Austin City Limits which is absolutely insane. Will look for it later, although someone will probably beat me to it.
Dude could play guitar behind his back better than most can normally. A true innovator.
I heard something similar, but it was a long time ago so take my memory with a grain of salt. Clapton said something like sometimes he would get to a point playing on stage where he'd have to think about where he was going next. He said SRV never had to do that, the music just flowed through him.
On the right side of my link, there's a 15-minute live version of Little Wing and another song. Gave me chills. Sometimes I just love the internet.
SRV was taken from us way too early.
Really? You think Keith Moon and John Entwistle are almost as good of instrumentalist as Ringo and Paul?
IMO, Keith Moon was the GOAT rock drummer and The Who's rhythm section was the GOAT in rock history.
Ringo was the perfect drummer for The Beatles. However, put Ringo in The Who or Led Zeppelin and those great bands would have been destroyed.
You should come out to play more often. Paul played the drums on "Dear Prudence".
Band on the Run may have been the best post-Beatles release (or Plastic Ono Band) by a former Beatle. Paul did almost all of the drum and lead guitar work, in addition to bass, for Band on the Run.
Or Ringo would have raised his game. Just saying it was a possibility. Different bands play different kinds of music, and stress different approaches to their songs (that's why most of the strident comparisons being made on this thread are kinda silly). Different bands have different leaders. John & Paul were clearly the alpha dogs on the Beatles. Poor George could barely get a song in edgewise.
I imagine Ringo did what he was told. Worked out pretty good for him. All of them, really.
Edit: Put Keith Moon or John Bonham on the Beatles. Talk about destruction. Did I just blow your mind?
Neil and Geddy may have something to say about rhythm section instrumental chops, but all three mentioned combos have insane talent. Victor Wooten and Future Man want in, too!
To say Ringo would have upped his game is like saying Tim Wakefield could have thrown 100 if he'd only been asked. Accepting that they have limitations doesn't mean they couldn't be effective (though I do think the Beatles could have been even better with another drummer).
Yep, it's about as weak as saying putting Keith Moon in The Beatles would have destroyed the band. Moon would have destroyed the band's hotel rooms, cars, drum sets, etc., but not the band. IMO, the White Album would have been much better with Moon. IMO, the last three albums would have been better with Moon.
I saw The Who's 50th anniversary tour, and Townshend told a story about how Moon superglued hotel furniture to the ceiling in his room! Hey, the ceiling is the roof!
As an aside, I've never been to another concert where the lead singer was so clearly not the leader of the band. Townshend did almost all of the talking, besides having written most all of the songs.
Paul McCartney is one of the greatest musicians in rock history. He is ranked among the top five on bass, and is proficient on piano, drums, and even lead guitar, which he played on many Beatles' songs.
John Lennon was a great singer, but I don't see him ranked over Paul. Paul had a "choir boy" (Here There And Everywhere, I Will ) voice that could turn rough in a heart beat (She's A Woman, I'm Down, Long Tall Sally).
And all these other players like Moon and Entwistle were great, and I won't deny them their place at the individual instruments lists top.
That being said, the Beatles were the most innovative band of all time, and, the top record sellers too.