Top 10 Amazing Guitarists in Bands People Love to Hate

#10: Ted Nugent

The Amboy Dukes & Ted Nugent Band

The Nuge’s irascible and abrasive personality has certainly made him a divisive figure over the years, but there’s no denying the man’s six-string talents. Nugent first made waves as a member of The Amboy Dukes, a pioneering psych rock act. Ted’s career roads would eventually lead him to heavier country, however, with the band that bore his name packing arenas across North America. Heck, that opening riff to “Stranglehold” alone makes Ted Nugent Hall of Fame material in our books, while other hits like “Cat Scratch Fever” made The Motor City Madman a household name for rock ‘n roll.

#9: Dave Matthews

Dave Matthews Band

It’s almost a cliche at this point, discussing how excellent Dave Matthews and his band are at playing their instruments. You’d be hard pressed to find any critics to the contrary, even amongst the most ardent haters of the Dave Matthews Band. Of course, mileage for this kind of music also depends upon one’s tolerance for long, freeform extended jamming. This sort of post-Grateful Dead, hippie commune jam band scene features tons of room for Matthews to show off his guitar skills, sure, but it can also grate on the nerves. Maybe we’re not bleary-eyed enough to appreciate what’s going on here, but The Dave Matthews Band have certainly found their niche.

#8: Zoltan Bathory

Five Finger Death Punch

Popularity can often be a double edged sword, with just as many die hard undergrounders deriding the commercialized metal of Five Finger Death Punch as there are equally devoted fans. The musical skills of band founder Zoltan Bathory never really came into question, however, since even those who can’t stand FFDP can begrudgingly admit that their guitar work usually sounds fairly involved. Bathory’s approach is aggressive and overdriven, but with moments of restraint that lend the otherwise broad-sounding Five Finger Death Punch a certain emotional resonance that’s connected with their fans.

#7: Jonny Buckland

Coldplay

It can occasionally be a risk whenever one particular member serves as a commercial focal point for certain, popular bands. It’s as if many forget that there even ARE any other members of Coldplay aside from Chris Martin, so integral is the piano-playing frontman to his band’s success. This is kind of a shame, because Jonny Buckland’s guitar playing has often proved itself to be tasteful and melodic, particularly when juxtaposed against Martin’s higher vocal register. Sure, the influences from The Edge and U2 are more than obvious within Buckland’s playing, but his note choices and phrasing always felt to us as something of a secret weapon within an admittedly over-exposed band.

#6: Slash

Velvet Revolver

Scott Weiland’s post-Vedder crooning typically stymied critics of the Stone Temple Pilots. This was partially why the singer was such a strange choice to front Velvet Revolver, Slash’s head-scratching follow-up to Guns N’ Roses’ royal rock pedigree. On one hand, we sort of understand why Slash might want to modernize his sound by bringing Weiland into the fold. That said, Slash’s incendiary guitar playing never truly felt at home within Velvet Revolver, a band that felt as if it was resisting the axeman’s ‘80s rock legacy, rather than embracing it. Velvet Revolver tried to have their cake and eat it, too, but the end results felt like a weird nexus point between post-grunge sleaze and hard rock excess. It never really worked, though, despite Slash’s best attempts to make the riffs click.

#5: Mike Mushok

Staind

The nu-metal movement of the late nineties into the millennium saw a lot of different bands tossing ideas at the wall to see what would stick. Staind had a couple of heavy tunes, to be sure, but gained their biggest chart success primarily on the strengths of their ballads. This shifted the spotlight and focus primarily on singer Aaron Lewis, leaving the guitar riffing of Mike Mushok to flounder by the wayside. Granted, Mushok’s talents were also highlighted in his post-Staind outfit, Saint Asonia, but his work with Staind definitely didn’t receive that much critical attention during its heyday.

#4: Ace Frehley

KISS

It’s sort of a misconception that the members of KISS weren’t proficient at their instruments. The band simply believed that less was more, and usually concentrated more on songwriting and hooks than extended, impressive instrumentation. Yet, it’s also Ace Frehley that undeniably influenced generations of guitar players to pick up the instrument. His work on KISS songs like “Detroit Rock City,” “Strutter,” and “Black Diamond” were juxtaposed against his own solo hits like “New York Groove.” Then again, KISS has always had to fight against haters and detractors, with many claiming that their “style over substance” schtick signified a band out more for merchandising than music.

#3: Keith Nelson

Buckcherry

The unrepentant dirt and grime behind Buckcherry’s alt-glam sound wasn’t for everybody, particularly those that didn’t year for some Sunset Strip styled misogyny. Hit singles like “Crazy Bitch” pretty much told everybody what Buckcherry was all about, a vibe that almost entirely focused upon frontman Josh Todd. This essentially meant that guitarist Keith Nelson could go virtually incognito, despite working hard to write riffs that felt of two worlds. It’s certainly arguable whether or not Buckcherry’s attempts at bringing back the ‘80s were successful, but Keith Nelson’s guitar skills seemed to never be in question.

#2: Mark Tremonti

Creed/Alter Bridge

Just when you thought it was safe to peek out from the woodwork, look out! There it is! Post-grunge nostalgia. Call it “divorced dad rock,” or simply “nostalgia for whatever was popular during your teen years,” but Creed is BACK, ya’ll. Yet, even those that couldn’t stand Creed back in the day, be it due to Scott Stapp’s vocals or stage presence, could still agree about Mark Tremonti. The man could play the guitar then, and he still can, thank you very much. Tremonti’s success with his post-Creed act Alter Bridge proved that beyond a shadow of a doubt. Still, we don’t think we have glasses rose-coloured enough to legitimately bust out a Creed CD in the modern day.

#1: Wes Borland

Limp Bizkit

The man loved a disguise. Maybe Wes Borland was trying to keep himself entertained while performing with his meal ticket, Limp Bizkit, or maybe he was just trolling. Nobody ever rained on Borland’s parade when it came to the man’s fearsome guitar skills, however. Even reviews critical at the time of Limp’s creative output made mention of Borland’s unique approach and progressive, experimental influences. This was a musician who probably couldn’t have written or released music as commercial as Limp Bizkit on his own, but it was Wes Borland’s presence on stage that helped his band become the megastars of their nu-metal scene.

Is there an unsung musician you’d like to shout out? Let us know in the comments!