Underrated musicians in metal.....

[Bryant]

Who do you think were looked over as bad-ass musicians ?

1) Wolf Hoffmann - Accept - Believe me... someone else on this forum may put him up high on this list as well. Wolf was/is a God on guitar.

2) Phil Rudd - AC/DC - If any drummers out here think Rudd era AC/DC is an easy "starter" then you are wrong. He is an "in the pocket" drummer, but sometimes his "simplicity" fools you. He is doing magic behind that set. If you listen close enough, you will hear stuff you never heard before.

3) Francis Bucholz - Scorpions - The Scorps are known for the twin guitar attack and the vocals of Klaus, but Francis was a monster bassist who knew when to play in the pocket and back up the guitars and when to unload a riff or two.

4) Tony Martin - Black Sabbath - When you have to follow Ozzie and Ronnie James, it is tough to get respect, but Tony Martin is as good of a vocalist as there has ever been in metal music.


Honorable mention........ Jorn Viggo Lofstat - Pagans Mind - I mentioned "oldschool" guys on this post, but I can never make a post that involves a guitarist without mentioning Mr. Lofstat. He may quietly be the best guitarist I have ever seen in my life.


Bryant

[No-Mercy]

hell yes to tony martin. he was an awesome vocalist for them. trumped ozzy imo.

[SickBoy]

Hell yeah Bryant, I agree on all your counts!
I'd like to add Mark Reale of Riot (one of the best hard'n'heavy guitarists I've ever heard) and especially Van Williams of Nevermore.

Wolf Hoffmans playing and tone -

[Trans-Siberian Outcast]

The first person that comes to mind for me is Matthias Jabs of the Scorps. He is rarely mentioned in great guitar player lists (and if he is, it's almost always near the bottom). He had big shoes to fill with Micheal Schenker and Uli Jon Roth as predecessors, but I think he did well in that category. His solos are just as melodic and emotional as Schenkers, but he gets no credit for it (possibly because he came along for their more commercial, less groundbreaking albums).

[Wyvern]

Agree on Tony Martin and Mark Reale

Phil Campbell - Almost 25 years with Motorhead and people still think more about Fast Eddie Clarke, he is a good guitar player and had contributed a lot to the band all thse years

Jimmy Bain - Played a mean bass for both Rainbow and Dio but he's seldom mentioned

Brian Downey - one of the most accomplished drummers I've ever listen to, but it seems that nobody shone in the shadow Phil Lynott cast upon Thin Lizzy as his frontman.

Scott Gorham & Brian Robertson - see above, very underrated guitar players. Just check 'Emerald' and you'll see what the world has missed.

Ian Hill - Over 30 years playing bass for Judas Priest, he may be not technical or astounding, he never composed for the band, but silently he had driven through 6 drummers the rhythm section of the almighty (minus "Nostradamus") Priest

more will come as I recall them

[Priest of Evil]

The Wolf - fast as a shark!

I'd say Chris Holmes but everyone already knows he's bad-ass

Can't think of anyone else right now...

[poundingmetal74]

Originally Posted by Bryant

1) Wolf Hoffmann - Accept
2) Phil Rudd - AC/DC
3) Francis Bucholz - Scorpions
4) Tony Martin - Black Sabbath

Couldn't agree more, especially with Rudd. The guy was a human metronome, and I know so many good local drummers who have a hell of a time playing his stuff.
Martin, technically speaking, was the best singer Sabbath ever had.

Here are a few others:
Tony Mills - Shy/Siam/TNT - England's answer to Geoff Tate. A great voice and songwriter.

Joey Vera - Fates Warning/Armored Saint - Simply a great bassist (very tasteful) and songwriter.

Michael Sweet - Stryper/Boston - A good guitarist and jaw-dropping singer. He's rarely mentioned when it comes to metal's greatest singers, but he was certainly up there.

Carl Albert - Vicious Rumours / Ruffians - Such a shame he passed away at such a young age and never made it big. The song Lady Took a Chance is a great example of his range, power and tenacity as a singer.

Jim Matheos - Fates Warning - Incredibly tasteful yet intricate guitar work. The only way I can describe a lot of his brilliant songwriting and guitar work is "complexity within simplicity".

Honorable mentions: Tom Calandra (Z-Lot-Z), Rich Ward - (Fozzy / Stuck Mojo), Ken Orth (Wycked Synn).

I could add another 10 to the list, but that'll do.

[Trans-Siberian Outcast]

Originally Posted by Wyvern

Ian Hill - Over 30 years playing bass for Judas Priest, he may be not technical or astounding, he never composed for the band, but silently he had driven through 6 drummers the rhythm section of the almighty (minus "Nostradamus") Priest

Huh? That guy is a joke. He's never wrote a riff or melody in his life, he just follows along with the guitars. I'll give him credit for stamina, longevity and reliability, but he's barely a musician, let alone and underrated one. His playing bores me to death.

I'll agree with you on all the Thin Lizzy mentions though!

[mdmatt4ever]

maybe not metal but everyone in TESLA is underrated as hell. buy the new dvd they just released and you'll see what i mean

[Wyvern]

Originally Posted by Trans-Siberian Outcast

Huh? That guy is a joke. He's never wrote a riff or melody in his life, he just follows along with the guitars.

Actually he follows the bass drum, but if you read carefully I was commending his silent (pun intended) but constant work with the band throughout all the changes, highs and lows. Most bands probaly would have kicked him out long ago.

Lil Frank - vocalist of Push Come II Shove, extremely hight pitched wailer, but incredible distinctive

Tony Franklin - astounding bass player who had being with everyone from The Firm to Blue Murder, from Tony MacAlpine to Lana Lane, seldom mentioned IMO

Nick Menza - the best drummer Megadeth ever had and an unstoppable machine, I believe he never got the deserved recognition

Pete Willis - IMO the best guitar Def Leppard had, sadly kicked out of the band, maybe if he had stay (specially sober) things would have been different.