SickthingsUK

I'm a cross between Wagner and Strauss. Two different era styles, one is hot! But in all seriousness, Nita is an great guitarist.

evil syd wrote:I'm a cross between Wagner and Strauss. Two different era styles, one is hot! But in all seriousness, Nita is an great guitarist.

No disrespect but that's a rather vague question. Best player? Best performer? Most important?

Wagner and Strauss are completely different players. It's not a fair comparison.

In terms of on stage performance Nita is hard to beat, but Wagner added so much more then just playing. He wrote some amazing music for Alice, arguably only beaten by the original band. Nita hasn`t had that opportunity yet (if ever).

Most important guitarist would have to be Michael Bruce. We wouldn`t be here without him and his songs. Glen would have to follow close afterwards as being the founder member of the band along with Alice and Dennis. Without these two there would probably be no Alice Cooper to talk about.

Technically speaking Nita has to be up there, but Roxie is very under-rated. He may not seem flash but he can play anything put in front of him, as could Damon Johnson. Jason Hook is also an immense guitarist technically speaking, in the same mould as Nita, And Orianthi was no slouch! They all play differently but are at the top of their game.

Dick Wagner and Steve Hunter were from a different era. They played very differently from the young guns but were unquestionably masters at their craft. Could they play 100 notes a second? probably not, but then they didn`t want to nor need to.

Dick Wagner
Dick Wagner
Dick Wagner

Agree with Si. Nita is a great performer, very good guitarist, and seems to be a wonderful person in all of my meetings with her. However, as far as being instrumental to any part of Alice's legacy she has played a very small part to date.

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John Tatum

Michael and Glen set the tone for the whole Alice template and sound for the Alice group but let's not forget steve hunters input! He added solos to quite a few songs from the ACG. Dick Wagner's solo on 'pass the gun around' is perfect. So many great guitarists....but please let's try and forget Kane Roberts!!!

Si wrote:Most important guitarist would have to be Michael Bruce. We wouldn`t be here without him and his songs. Glen would have to follow close afterwards as being the founder member of the band along with Alice and Dennis. Without these two there would probably be no Alice Cooper to talk about.

I completely agree.

Ted

dadascot wrote:Michael and Glen set the tone for the whole Alice template and sound for the Alice group but let's not forget steve hunters input! He added solos to quite a few songs from the ACG. Dick Wagner's solo on 'pass the gun around' is perfect. So many great guitarists....but please let's try and forget Kane Roberts!!!

That solo on “Pass the Gun Around” is one of my all time favorites. I love Glenn’s fuzztone on Luney tune” and his jazzy stuff on “Blue Turk” and the way him and Micheal worked as a team. Steve Hunter’s Generation Landslide sole is a classic. I’m not as big fan of the later 70’s Alice as quite a few others here are but I love the black out years, however nothing guitarwise really sticks out for me till Dada. It all gets a bit too metallic after that for my taste.

Si, it is vague, I guess in terms of technique

Babysquid wrote:

dadascot wrote:Michael and Glen set the tone for the whole Alice template and sound for the Alice group but let's not forget steve hunters input! He added solos to quite a few songs from the ACG. Dick Wagner's solo on 'pass the gun around' is perfect. So many great guitarists....but please let's try and forget Kane Roberts!!!

That solo on “Pass the Gun Around” is one of my all time favorites. I love Glenn’s fuzztone on Luney tune” and his jazzy stuff on “Blue Turk” and the way him and Micheal worked as a team. Steve Hunter’s Generation Landslide sole is a classic. I’m not as big fan of the later 70’s Alice as quite a few others here are but I love the black out years, however nothing guitarwise really sticks out for me till Dada. It all gets a bit too metallic after that for my taste.

Nice!I met Wagner and told him that the solo in PTGA was one of the best.

Si wrote:

evil syd wrote:I'm a cross between Wagner and Strauss. Two different era styles, one is hot! But in all seriousness, Nita is an great guitarist.

No disrespect but that's a rather vague question. Best player? Best performer? Most important?

Wagner and Strauss are completely different players. It's not a fair comparison.

In terms of on stage performance Nita is hard to beat, but Wagner added so much more then just playing. He wrote some amazing music for Alice, arguably only beaten by the original band. Nita hasn`t had that opportunity yet (if ever).

Most important guitarist would have to be Michael Bruce. We wouldn`t be here without him and his songs. Glen would have to follow close afterwards as being the founder member of the band along with Alice and Dennis. Without these two there would probably be no Alice Cooper to talk about.

Technically speaking Nita has to be up there, but Roxie is very under-rated. He may not seem flash but he can play anything put in front of him, as could Damon Johnson. Jason Hook is also an immense guitarist technically speaking, in the same mould as Nita, And Orianthi was no slouch! They all play differently but are at the top of their game.

Dick Wagner and Steve Hunter were from a different era. They played very differently from the young guns but were unquestionably masters at their craft. Could they play 100 notes a second? probably not, but then they didn`t want to nor need to.

Very true, Si, on all points. For me, Mike and Glen were certainly the most important, but there have other "Guns" who were certainly left their mark like Hunter, Wagner and Ori.
After the two B's, my favorites would be Ryan Roxie-always good, Dick Wagner and Davey Johnstone.

evil syd wrote:I'm a cross between Wagner and Strauss. Two different era styles, one is hot! But in all seriousness, Nita is an great guitarist.

All Alice's guitarists have different styles and strengths, but Nita is really good, and a great addition to the band right now, and she's perfection made woman.

Creativity and originality carry more weight in my perspective than technical ability. There are 10 year olds on YouTube who can play a lot a great rocks song lick per lick. But they are just parroting the creation of someone who came before them. Nina would fall into this category.

Glenn certainly was not as technically skilled as Wagner or Steve Hunter but never the less he came up with Alice Cooper’s most iconic riff, the intro to Schools Out. He unique sounds real set the tone and mood to make Life it to Death a classic. What Glenn’s playing lacked in complexity was made up in giving a certain dark manical ambience to AC music that was completely lost in AC’s solo career.

That said, the guitar on the BDB Album and the songs Cold Ethyl and My Stars that we’re done by Wagner & Hunter are just not AC’s greatest but some of the greatest in Rock period.

I don't think that can be answered, but I do know the best Bro Song ever is "Thrill My Gorilla."

Not talking technical skill or shredding ability... only referring to best contribution to the songs played on?

Michael Bruce.

Ryan Roxie.

He's spent the most time overall with Alice.

He's a fine guitar player, song writer with great style and technique.

He also has great stage presence...always a crowd favourite.

A true rock and roller.

This is a hard question because it sort of gets into personal preference on your favorite era(s) of Alice. For me, I love the Constrictor and Raise Your Fist and Yell albums (especially RYFAY) so I am a big fan of Kane Roberts and I think he is a very underrated guitarist but once again it comes down to perception.

As far as best guitarist, in my opinion, Nita Strauss may be the best guitarist Alice has ever had. She adds so much to the current live show and I give her and Alice's current band a lot of credit for making the shows still so much fun (as well as Alice of course). But in fairness on the other hand, you have Ryan Roxie who can play the 70's stuff to near perfection but also can play the modern stuff.

As far as pure ability, I am going to say Strauss or I would agree with another poster and say Hunter had the best technical ability. As far as stage presence/energy, I go with Strauss.

My personal favorites:


GB and MB are a given. Some other favorites: Wagner/Hunter. Jefferson Kewley. Mick Mashbir.

Bassists: DD, Prakash John and Dee Murray.

Drums: NS, Whitey and Dennis Conway.

Keys: Jozef Chirowski.

I'm with Padre. We're splitting hairs here about the best.
The Core of ACG was as unique as The Beatles.
It took them all to make a Group, including Ezrin & Martin. All were pieces to a sonic puzzle. After that the parts were exchanged. The Stones & AC/DC are bands that maybe have been able to replace players & continue. But, at the core was the spark that ignited the members to excellence! Everyone that has contributed to the continued career of Alice & his counterparts are valuable in their own right.

padre_sliprat wrote:
Keys: Jozef Chirowski.

The two Bobs (Ezrin and Dolin) are disappointed in you Padre