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72

JohnFrusciante

Peter Pakvis/Redferns
TheRedHotChiliPeppersalwaysknewhowtorockaparty;ittookJohnFrusciantetoturnthemintoan
arenapackingbandwithasoundtheycouldcalltheirown.Fruscianteisaremarkablyelasticstylistanda
giftedsculpturalarrangerwhopushedtheChilistoexplorenewworldswithoutgettinginthewayoftheir
funkpumpedenergy;hebeefeduptheirsoundwithbothwellplacedfire(thevolcanic,Hendrixstyle
soloon"DaniCalifornia")andremarkableelegance(theindelibleopeningchordsof"UndertheBridge").
KeyTracks:"DaniCalifornia,""UndertheBridge"

73

KurtCobain

Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
Hewasnovirtuoso,andthat'sthewholepoint:Bysnatchingelectricguitarfromnoteshredding
techniciansandgivingitbacktoartists,freaksandpoets,KurtCobainbecameoneofthemostimportant
playersever.Cobaindidn'tinventaltrock.ButwithhisloveofCheapTrick,theMelvinsandKiss,he
gaveitthemetallicpowernecessarytoconquertheworld.Hisplayingwasn'talluntutoredsquall,either:
Seetheunconventionalchordprogressionandmasteryofquietloudquietdynamicson"Lithium"and
prettymucheveryotherNirvanasong.
KeyTracks:"SmellsLikeTeenSpirit,""ScentlessApprentice"

74

DickDale

Peter Pakvis/Redferns
"IwantedmyguitartosoundlikeGeneKrupa'sdrums,"DickDalesaid,andthehyperpercussivestylehe
inventedforhisjukeboxwondersincludingajuiceduparrangementoftheoldGreektune"Misirlou"
pioneeredthesoundofsurfrock.Daleplayedasfastaspossible,atmaxvolume;LeoFenderonce
attemptedtodesignanampthatwouldn'tbedestroyedbyDale'ssheerloudness."Hisarrangementswere
reallycomplex,reallyunruly,"saidRush'sAlexLifeson."Itwasallstaccatostrummingreverb,butwitha
reverbthatjustsoundedsocool."
KeyTracks:"Misirlou,""ThePeterGunnTheme"

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