This year’s top ten list is a bit late. I will confess that I have been busy setting up a new business venture that is finally starting to provide its own sustainability. It involves people and things I am not allowed to elaborate on. While it is something I love to do, it is not music related directly. Therefore I feel this is an incorrect forum for this and subsequently no need to go into the details.
If you remember last year’s Top Ten, we certainly stirred up some controversy regarding the omission of a certain electronic guitarist due to a scheduling snafu. For those of you who don’t remember, and due to the fact that their scheduling snafu affected shows that were due to happen this year, that same omission is applicable again this year. That and the fact that a certain omitted electronic guitarist was asked by a member of the Montreal Gazette about the incident that occurred right here on my blog early last year.
So read on, get angry, write me nasty letters and tell me I do drugs and I should be sued for libel.
Been there, done that…
Last year, I omitted Adrian Belew from the best guitarist category (among others) because his management company scheduled Belew’s power trio to do some shows on dates that King Crimson leader Robert Fripp wanted him to leave open for some possible Crimson shows. Well not only did those Crimson shows NOT happen in April, the shows scheduled for August did not materialize because in Fripp’s own words, “some of the other members’ commitment to the group was not as strong as his” (paraphrased for ease of understanding).
Well not only did Belew accuse me of ingesting mind altering powdered drink mixes, but several Belew fans were outside my house hanging me in effigy (which was interesting as I only recently put my picture in the blog for the first time). Even Robert Fripp weighed in on the subject. That made all the accusations, all the slander against me, the threats, all worth it. For me to get Robert Fripp’s attention with some words? Not an easy accomplishment. I attempted to get Robert Fripp to allow me to reprint his viewpoint.
Fripp, as usual, declined. My proudest journalistic moment.
Nevertheless, here I am, back again, asking for more broken windows, scratches on my car finish, death threats and horse-heads in my bed, to bring you the Top Ten Musicians Lists for 2009!
Guitar
1 Robert Fripp (permanent and perpetual)
2 Todd Rundgren – live
3 Jesse Gress – Tony Levin Band / Todd Rundgren
4 Bob Mothersbaugh – Devo
5 Robin Finck – NIN
6 Kasim Sulton – Todd Rundgren
7 Mac Aladin – Tori Amos Abnormally Attracted To Sin
8 Josh Homme – Them Crooked Vultures
9Troy Van Leeuwan – Sweethead
10 Spot vacated by the disqualification of Adrian Belew for unethical management practices
Keyboard
1 Vince Welnick (Posthumous and in perpetuity) – Tubes / Todd Rundgren
2 Roger Powell – solo Blue Note Ridge / Todd Rundgren
3 Mark Mothersbaugh – Devo
4 Bob Mothersbaugh – Devo
5 Tori Amos – Abnormally Attracted To Sin
6 Greg Hawkes – New Cars / Todd Rundgren
7 David Medd – Tubes
8 Trent Renzor – Nine Inch Nails
9 Alan Parsons – Alan Parsons Project
10 John Paul Jones – Them Crooked Vultures
Bass
1 Paul Raven (Posthumous and in perpetuity) – Killing Joke / Ministry
2 John Entwhisle (Posthumous and in perpetuity) – The Who / solo
3 Kasim Sulton – Todd Rundgren / Meatloaf
4 Tony Levin – King Crimson
5 Jerry Casale – Devo
6 Jon Evans – Tori Amos
7 Julie Slick – Adrian Belew Power Trio, e
8 Rick Anderson – Tubes
9 Sting (Gordon Sumner) – Police / Certifiable
10 John Paul Jones – Them Crooked Vultures
Drums
1 Bill Bruford (For perpetuity) – King Crimson / Yes / Earthworks
2 Prairie Prince – Tubes / Todd Rundgren
3 Josh Freese – Devo / Nine Inch Nails / solo
4 Matt Chamberlain – Tori Amos
5 Stewart Copeland – Police / Certifiable
6 Eric Slick – Adrian Belew Power Trio, e
7 Dave Grohl – Them Crooked Vultures
8 Joey Castillo – Eagles Of Death Metal / live
9 Big Paul Ferguson – Killing Joke
10 Pat Mastellotto – Mastica
Vocal Performance
1 Todd Rundgren – A Wizard A True Star (live performance) /Notopia (Utopia without W. Wilcox)
2 Tori Amos – Abnormally Attracted To Sin / live
3 Josh Homme – Them Crooked Vultures
4 Kasim Sulton – Notopia (Utopia without W. Wilcox) / Todd Rundgren
5 Fee Waybill – Tubes
6 Sting (Gordon Sumner) – Police / Certifiable
7 John Wetton – King Crimson / Asia / solo
8 Roger Steen – Tubes
9 Roger Powell – Notopia (Utopia without W. Wilcox) / Todd Rundgren
10 Randy Newman – Reissue Good Old Boys
