Greatest Allround Musician

[moof]

Good post, rev.

[Paul]

Think you're mixing composition with musicianship there Gra. No doubt Mozart was a genius. However, he didn't play myriad instruments to a world class level like the winner, Prince.

[cloggypop]

To be fair, most of what Prince could play hadn't been invented then.

[Mook]

Mozart pisses all over Prince on the lute.

[G Richards]

Mozart was ace on the electric guitar. Little known fact!

 

PS - Prince was ace, so I've not arguments about his ability. Could write songs, lots of them, and obviously play multiple instruments. It will be interesting to see if people are talking about him in 200 years. 

[manwiththestick]

Mozart was ace on the electric guitar. Little known fact!

 

PS - Prince was ace, so I've not arguments about his ability. Could write songs, lots of them, and obviously play multiple instruments. It will be interesting to see if people are talking about him in 200 years.

Can't wait, I have my neg/rep waiting..

[Shitty Arse]

Haven't bothered reading the thread but it's Prince surely?

[Jairzinho]

It'll be some kid in China forced to play 23 hours a day.

[Alan Sex]

George Formby.

 

He'd be all round yer ma.

[Stickman]

Pete Townshend, not only brilliant songwriter but his demos for the Who are amazing, ok he doesn't play Bass like John Entwistle or Drums like Keith Moon but even Glyn Johns the Who's producer on Who's Next used to say "how the fuck do I compete with these".

Also was arguably the first person to use a synthesizer as an actual instrument rather than just a background drone which in 1971 was an incredibly difficult thing to not only do but also master.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yh4wkMZXONc

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5voNyRmvXs

[setreal]

This guy:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMizBvNPJN8

[Pidge]

Brian Wilson and Miles Davis deserve honourable mentions, at the very least.

 

Coltrane as well, even if he wasn't such a multi-instrumentalist. Ridiculously clever man.

[VERBAL DIARRHEA]

My top 3 are all dead

 

Prince

Les Dawson

Roy Castle

[setreal]

Mozart was ace on the electric guitar. Little known fact!

 

Steampunk Mozzie

[Mook]

Brian Wilson and Miles Davis deserve honourable mentions, at the very least.

 

Coltrane as well, even if he wasn't such a multi-instrumentalist. Ridiculously clever man.

 

Coltrane could play piano & drums, there are pictures of him playing them if you Google it, unfortunately this forum won't let me post any of them. When you add in his alto & soprano sax playing (arguably the greatest of all time) then I definitely think he belongs in this conversation.

[Pidge]

No doubt the guy was an outright genius.

 

Anyway, couple more honourable mentions, since half the species seem a little underepresented.

 

Nina Simone and Bjork.  Two women whose output is consistently incredible, both with talents well beyond what is immediately apparent.

[Mook]

McCartney is one of the best songwriters there's ever been, and I'm a massive fan, but let's not kid ourselves - he wouldn't get in a half decent pub band as a guitarist, drummer or pianist.

[Stickman]

And still better than Ringo...

 

To be fair Ringo was a great drummer for the Beatles and they way they played .

 

Incidentally I think his son is much much better .

[Bjornebye]

And still better than Ringo...

 

To be fair Ringo was a great drummer for the Beatles and they way they played .

 

Incidentally I think his son is much much better .

 

 

as is proved here, listen from 3:17 if you don't like Oasis

 

[TheHowieLama]

Abe Laboriel's son is better than either.

[stringvest]

Abe Laboriel's son is better than either.

 

 

but not as good as Frankie Rich's lad.

[Mook]

but not as good as Frankie Rich's lad.

Robert & Bess Rich didn't do too bad either.

 

[Boss]

Ringo's son is not better than Ringo in my opinion. He might technically be better, he might play more complex patterns but no-one was better than Ringo for playing in a way that served the song. His playing was simplicity itself and that's a severely underrated skill in music when so many egos are involved and everyone wants to be the centre of attention.  

[TheHowieLama]

Ringo played good drum parts.

[Bjornebye]

Ringo's son is not better than Ringo in my opinion. He might technically be better, he might play more complex patterns but no-one was better than Ringo for playing in a way that served the song. His playing was simplicity itself and that's a severely underrated skill in music when so many egos are involved and everyone wants to be the centre of attention.

Which is why Tony McCaroll was sound for definately maybe but had to be replaced by a far superior drummer in Alan White