Best German Guitarist

seconded, and michael schenker

Thanks, I was trying to think of his name!!  I always enjoyed his work on "Wolf City."

My vote went to Helmut Koellen, as he's the only one of the bunch I saw live, and I thought he was excellent on both bass guitar and 6 string guitar.  Much like Greg Lake, he was amazingly talented on instruments and voice, and was a fine frontman. 

Now, my personal favorite would be Michael Shenker, but I don't consider him a prog guitarist.  I play a fair amount of UFO, it is fun & easy to play!  His technique is scary, he frets with his index and middle fingers only, much like the jazz legend Django Reinhardt.  

 

More than one! But Ax G. is probably the best of them all, and the one that should have stuck around and done more. His solo albums are an excursion to insanity and fun! Which might explain some of the fun stuff in Guru Guru better in those early days.

 

But missing John Weinzierl from Amon Duul 2 in this poll is ridiculous and insane. Michael Karoli would be the 2nd one in my list, but John is by far the best of them all!

 

But if I had to choose friends between Manuel, Michael and John, I would say all three or none!

 

End of story!

 

If we want to discuss music theory and the work within the composition, I would say that Karoli would likely get the most votes, since he is a part of the big German music machine at the Berlin Conservatory as were the other members of Can. However, for pure ROCK music, within the context of rock music, west coast inspired, I would say that John Weinzierl is my choice. I can't help listening to James Gurley in "Ball and Chain" with Janis Joplin, and right there not hear John, and then listen to Yeti, and not hear James Gurley ... and John did not stop there ... he kept going and he continued it until "Hijack" ... though I think that the sadness and frustration had already bit AD2 too much by then ... but that album is magnificent.

 

Manuel, fits into a different category ... and I'm not sure that many folks would consider him as valuable and important as the other two, but I think that in the end, the work he did with Ash Ra Tempel and Ashra and by himself, and then with Klaus Schulze, is something that most guitarists do not have the guts to do and try! In the Cakewalk board I mentioned him and someone said that he was too mechanical and just chord oriented, but I did not feel that in "In Blue" with Klaus at all ... but maybe I don't know music as much ... I just love listening to it!

 

But for sheer beauty in transitions ... Michael Karoli would be the best ... check out the transitions in "Bel Air" and then the 2 long cuts in "Soon Over Babbalooma", that went together on the LP. You can not "compose" the little touches and details ... that's just a "feel" ... during the play ... and that is a massive credit to their ability to improvise ... and above all ... the hardest thing to teach in improviation ... listen to those around you and reply with them and work with them, and in music this is hardest ... and most musicians FAIL the course at that moment!