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Top 5 Musical Geniuses of All Time


rushgoober

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Ok, try and keep a list limited to 5 of the individuals (not groups, though they can be members of a group) you consider to be the greatest musical geniuses of all time.

 

They can be from any genre, have performed solo or in a group, were around for a short time or a long time, be members of Rush even, etc. They don't have to be your favorite solo artists or from your favorite groups of all time, just the people you think were the biggest geniuses, had the most talent, gave the most to the world, etc. - whatever your criteria is...

 

 

My top five (in alpha order):

 

Syd Barrett

Bob Dylan

Florian Fricke (Popol Vuh)

Jerry Garcia

Jimi Hendrix

 

 

Ok, that list might change, but it's pretty close.

 

 

 

P.S. - If it's someone you think people wouldn't have heard of, mention what band they're from or who they are.

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Honorable Mentions:

 

Djin Aquarian (Ya Ho Wa 13)

Captain Beefheart (aka Don Van Vilet)

David Bowie

John Coltrane

Donovan

Nick Drake

Elisabeth Fraser (Cocteau Twins)

Robert Fripp

Janis Joplin

John Lennon

Paul McCartney

Joni Mitchell

Jimmy Page

Neil Peart

Paul Smon

Cat Stevens

Sun Ra

Richard Wright

Neil Young

Frank Zappa

 

 

There are so many groups I love (like Yes and The Moody Blues, for example), where I think they made so much genius music, but there wasn't one individual who somehow really stood out individually as a supreme genius.

 

I'm sure I'll think of others, and I'm sure other people will mention some great ones I couldn't think of.

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QUOTE (rushgoober @ Jun 7 2009, 11:34 AM)
QUOTE (Presto-digitation @ Jun 7 2009, 08:54 AM)
Any rock-related list that DOESN'T include Steven Wilson is a woeful and sorry list.

I had to google him to see who he was... unsure.gif

Impressive pedigree. Amazing talent. Top 5 all time musical geniuses? Seems a bit young to garner that title.

 

 

P-D, care to give us some of your insight into this guy & why he ranks up there? It's always nice to read your stuff.

 

 

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QUOTE (ReRushed @ Jun 7 2009, 10:02 AM)
With regards to rock and jazz music there seems to be a billion geniuses out there! It's so subjective. The meaning of the word gets a bit watered down, doesn't it?

well of course it's subjective! who are your subjective faves?

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QUOTE (rushgoober @ Jun 7 2009, 01:11 PM)
QUOTE (ReRushed @ Jun 7 2009, 10:02 AM)
With regards to rock and jazz music there seems to be a billion geniuses out there!  It's so subjective.  The meaning of the word gets a bit watered down, doesn't it?

well of course it's subjective! who are your subjective faves?

Okay, here it goes:

 

Brian Eno

Miles Davis

Bob Dylan

John Lennon

Prince

 

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QUOTE (goose @ Jun 7 2009, 11:42 AM)
QUOTE (rushgoober @ Jun 7 2009, 11:34 AM)
QUOTE (Presto-digitation @ Jun 7 2009, 08:54 AM)
Any rock-related list that DOESN'T include Steven Wilson is a woeful and sorry list.

I had to google him to see who he was... unsure.gif

Impressive pedigree. Amazing talent. Top 5 all time musical geniuses? Seems a bit young to garner that title.

 

 

I would guess that musical geniuses are hailed as such due to their work when still young. If you are not a genius when young, its seems unlikely you will become one as you get older.

 

Your #1 pick is Mozart, didn't he become famous while still young?

 

Anyways I will try to pick out 5 modern artists that I consider geniuses.

 

Steven Wilson- makes great music,is very prolific and a sought after producer.

 

Steve Vai- to me he took guitar playing to the next level.

 

Buckethead- most versatile and incorporates more styles of music than anyother guitarist I know.

 

Neal Morse- His work with Spocks Beard is as good or better than Yes or Genesis IMO. He just has the touch for writing great progressive music. Love his voice and lyrics too.

 

Victor Wooten- bass player best known for his work with Bela Fleck and the Flecktones.

 

 

 

 

 

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This would be really hard...

 

Top 5 for me:

 

Edward Elgar (wrote Pomp and Circumstance, Enigma Variations...)

Buckethead

Steven Wilson

Sergei Rachmaninoff

Steve Hackett

 

Honorable mentions:

Ian Anderson

Roger Waters

Frederic Chopin

J.S. Bach

Pyotr Tchaikovsky

Mike Patton

Antonin Dvorak

Mozart

Brahms

G.F. Handel

Joseph Haydn

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QUOTE (ReRushed @ Jun 7 2009, 09:33 AM)
QUOTE (rushgoober @ Jun 7 2009, 01:11 PM)
QUOTE (ReRushed @ Jun 7 2009, 10:02 AM)
With regards to rock and jazz music there seems to be a billion geniuses out there!  It's so subjective.  The meaning of the word gets a bit watered down, doesn't it?

well of course it's subjective! who are your subjective faves?

Brian Eno

Good one! Completely forgot about him. I also just recently started getting into Prince's music (specifically his 80's work). Great stuff.

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QUOTE (RUSHHEAD666 @ Jun 7 2009, 01:44 PM)
Beethoven
Pete Townshend
David Gilmour
Steven Wilson
Jimi Hendrix

Oh, stop now, silly boy. If we were to go outside of Rock, then I'd most definitely have to cite a number of Jazzmen. Miles, Coltrane, Corea, Coleman, Monk, Shorter, Silver, at a minimum.

 

 

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QUOTE (naturalsciences101 @ Jun 7 2009, 11:50 AM)
QUOTE (RUSHHEAD666 @ Jun 7 2009, 01:44 PM)
Beethoven
Pete Townshend
David Gilmour
Steven Wilson
Jimi Hendrix

Oh, stop now, silly boy. If we were to go outside of Rock, then I'd most definitely have to cite a number of Jazzmen. Miles, Coltrane, Corea, Coleman, Monk, Shorter, Silver, at a minimum.

Yeah Miles is pure genius.

 

I would have to put Big Al Di Meola on my list then.

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QUOTE (ReRushed @ Jun 7 2009, 12:02 PM)
With regards to rock and jazz music there seems to be a billion geniuses out there!  It's so subjective.  The meaning of the word gets a bit watered down, doesn't it?

yes.gif

 

So many musical geniuses, as you say. For my choices, I'll define "greatness" as sphere of influence and legacy.

 

Edit:

 

With that said, I'll add...

 

 

#3 John Coltrane.

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QUOTE (ReRushed @ Jun 7 2009, 10:02 AM)
With regards to rock and jazz music there seems to be a billion geniuses out there! It's so subjective. The meaning of the word gets a bit watered down, doesn't it?

I would love to drink some of that water.

 

 

 

spit6ph.gif

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QUOTE (rushgoober @ Jun 7 2009, 08:49 AM)
Ok, try and keep a list limited to 5 of the individuals (not groups, though they can be members of a group) you consider to be the greatest musical geniuses of all time.

They can be from any genre,

Did you mean within the scope of modern popular music?

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