My Guitar Heroes - and Heroines

So, if you listened to 1UP Yours last week you know I bitched about what Activision/Neversoft did to the female characters of Guitar Hero, especially Judy Nails, whom a lot of people loved to play for her brash, tomboyish punk look. Look at them side by side now: Judy Nails 2, totally fierce! Judy Nails 3, totally trashy! Totally slutty! Totally gross!

Ugh. Anyways, I have to admit that while I love playing the Guitar Hero series, I have never really listened to heavy metal or classic rock, so none of those dudes were really my personal guitar heroes. Slash? Carlos fucking Santana? WTF? Who cares? When I was learning guitar back, oh, a decade or so ago, I was inspired by my own heroes - and heroines, because frankly, the whole Guitar Hero series is missing some serious diversity there. Most of the musicians I swooned over as role models are women. And some day when we can import our own music to play along to, these are the musicians whose tracks I will import and play my heart out for. Keep on rocking in the free world!

	Joey Santiago, The Pixies. Oh my god, the ultimate god of guitar. I had such a crush on him in my youth. His playing is really simple and spare, and very tasteful. I loved that he also seems self-taught - not a traditional virtuoso with hammerons and fancy fretwork and whatnot, the wankery of which I generally despise, but he made the guitar sing with such a distinctive voice, and established it as a base for The Pixies' unique style. Joey, I will always *heart* you. Fave songs: Alec Eiffel, Gigantic, Where is My Mind?
	Johnny Marr, The Smiths. Oh Johnny, Johnny. His beautiful, jangly, bright, almost cheery guitar tones, often played on the upbeat, were such a great complement to Morrissey's broody voice. So light, so agile, and especially in production, such great tones and layered effects. I could just close my eyes and listen to him playing guitar for hours and hours, lying helplessly on the floor. Take me now, Johnny Marr! Fave Songs: There is a Light That Never Goes Out, How Soon is Now, Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now, Please Please Please, Let Me Get What I Want (Yes, I am a sentimental sucker).
	Joan Jett, The Runaways and The Blackhearts. I'll admit it, I longed to get an awesome punk mullet (a pullet? Punklet?) because I so so so so wanted to be Joan Jett. Either that or jump on top of her. Yeah, I was confused. I love the way she attacks her guitar, and snarls out her vocals. She's the mistress of the power chord, and her stage presence is just electrifying. Fave Songs: I Love Rock N Roll, Cherry Bomb, Do You Wanna Touch Me, Bad Reputation (the last is sort of a theme song of my early 20s!)
	Corin Tucker, Sleater-Kinney. Doesn't Corin seem like someone you could totally get drunk with in some dim Irish pub with a sticky floor and darts boards? Back in 1996 when my band was just getting things together we heard Call The Doctor and it blew our minds. Corin and Carrie (see below) do things together that no two guitars had ever done before. The sound was so fucking rebel! I was like, fuck yeah, who needs technique? I'm just going to kick ass. That's how I earned my nickname, Guitardo.
	Carrie Brownstein, Sleater-Kinney. I might like Carrie even more than Corin... don't make me choose! But it's really about them together that is special. Carrie's voice mellows out Corin's harsh wail, her guitar lines give shape and structure to the songs in a rough but elegant way that I really admire. God, I so wanted to start my own riot grrrl band! Fave Songs: Dig Me Out, One More Hour (omg this song gives me chills), Words and Guitar.
	Martin Gore, Depeche Mode. I know you don't think "guitar" when you think Depeche Mode but Martin is an excellent guitarist - and songwriter. I love nearly every single thing he's ever worked on. He has such a mastery of melody, pulling out those fat hooky chord progressions... sheer genius, and so distinctive. Fave Songs: Personal Jesus (acoustic version), Stripped, Blasphemous Rumours, Shake the Disease, But Not Tonight. Plus everything off Violator. Martin, I'm pining for you - call me!!
	Joni Mitchell. If Corin and Carrie are about energy over technique, then Joni is pure technique. I could never play like her, but her supremely innovative tuning and her gorgeous, pure, lovely folk playing is just sheer joy to listen to. And her voice just kills me. I could lose myself in that voice. Fave Songs: California, A Case of You (I dare you not to cry when you listen to her guitarwork here) Help Me.
	Ani DiFranco. Speaking of innovation - jesus, this girl has a new tuning for every song, seems like. And she knows how to make the guitar sound as gentle as a lover's whisper or as angry as a storm. Her chops are masterful. And yes, I'll admit that like every alt pseudo-lesbian rocker girl in the 90's I went through a big Ani DiFranco phase. Unfortunately I don't have the tats to prove it. Fave Songs: Both Hands (seeing this live make me fall in love with her), Blood in the Boardroom (so cheeky!) Angry Anymore (bluegrass influence!)

Well, there's my pantheon of guitar gods and goddesses. Listening to all this music makes me want to go play some of my own, now! Let creativity flow...!

Comments

[Paul]

really good post jane

i do agree with your bitch on judy nails. i do think it's total BS. and i hate the fact that the boards on 1up are kinda goning nuts over you having your bitch about it.

as for guitar players who inspired me to play, it would have to be Mark Knopfler, i really do implore you to listen to him jane, truly amazing guitar work.

songs i recommand: Romeo and Juliet, Money For Nothing, Sultans Of Swing, & Telegraph Road

[Robert Dumas]

I can't believe how badly Neversoft fucked up my two favorite characters: Johnny Napalm and Judy Nails. Judy had that great girl-rock look; now, she looks like a transsexual. Johnny had a marvelous punk look; now, his head is shaped like a Tylenol and his spikes look ridiculous. The male singer also has a weirdly wide mouth which makes him look like a Muppet.

What did you do to my favorite characters, Neversoft? WHY SHOULD YOU LIVE?

[fish]

Santiago. Fuck yeah.
if rock band ever releases Vamos as DLC, i will fucking split in half in glee.

infact, i will split in half in glee for every pixies song released on that game.

i didnt know you were back on the 1up show.

[gamasutra podcast]

Good post today!

Yes! The Pixies were the seminal alternative band. Even down to the alt-band obligatory woman bass guitarist. :) And I'm old enough to have had the good fortune to attend The Smiths' last live concert. Funny thing about them -- they were a completely different band live than in the studio. Much less polite and ironic, much more energetic and angry! Johnny Marr's guitar positively sparkled and wailed -- at the same time!

Also had the good fortune to see Sleater-Kinney at dive bars in Union Square in Seattle in their early days (went to DigiPen in Seattle in '98). Got flecked with Corin's sweat regularly. *Swoon* :)

[bass dude]

nicely done, love Johnny Marr, just a fantastic guitarist (Girl Afraid just rocks with chords and arppegios!) And Joni, wow, Blue has to be one of my fav albums, but you gotta ck out Shadows and Light, just unbelievable!, With a lineup of Pastorius, Metheny & Mays, Alias and Brecker, young lions really coming into their own, Joni said that Jaco was her fav bass player, their playing reminds me of Lester young playing with Billy Holiday. One of my fav guitarist/songwriters is the relatively obscure Tommy Keene, check out some of his stuff, very good!

[Capn John]

I only played GH2 in the stores but I have to agree with you about Judy Nails. She looks almost as much like a blow-up sex doll as Pamela Anderson.

I enjoyed that episode of 1Up, I'm about 1 hour into it and loved your comment on the DS's Call of Duty, about needing to empty an entire clip into a soldier to kill him because the DS is not as powerful as the other consoles! Hilarious stuff! :D