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Vivian Bannatyne's Top 30 albums

Allman Brothers – Live at Fillmore East
Led Zeppelin – 1
Santana – Abraxas
Black Sabbath – Volume 4
Billy Cobham – Spectrum
Wishbone Ash – Pilgrimage
Jimi Hendrix – Electric Ladyland
Al di Meola – Elegant Gypsy
Roy Buchanan – Livestock
Van Halen – 1
Johnny Winter – Second Winter
Rory Gallagher – Photo Finish
Ten Years After – Undead
Frank Zappa – Hot Rats
Rush – Rush
Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here
Taste – Live at the Isle of Wight
Rush – Hemispheres
Lynyrd Skynrd – One More From The Road
Stanley Clarke – Schooldays
Larry Coryell – At the Village Gate
Joe Satriani – Surfing with the Alien
Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush – Live
Blue Oyster Cult – Tyranny & Mutation
Mahavishnu Orchestra – Inner Mounting Flame
Deep Purple – Machine Head
Bad Company – Bad Company
Patto – Hold Your Fire
Golden Earring – Eight Miles High
Jeff Beck – Blow By Blow

BUMP 20075 The Scorching-est Guitar Playing/Solos of all Time (Dance Remix)

David Sancious – "Sky Church Hymn" from album David Sancious & Tone Transformation – The Speed of Love (1976)
Larry Coryell - "Beyond these Chilling Winds" from album Larry Coryell at the Village Gate (1971)
Tommy Bolin - "Quadrant 4", "Stratus" & "Red Baron" from the album Billy Cobham – Spectrum (1973)
Roy Buchanan - "Roy's Bluz" & "I'm Evil" from Livestock (1974)
Scott Henderson – "The Creeping Terror" from the album Players (1987)
Ollie Halsall - "Air Raid Shelter" & "Hold Your Fire" from Patto album – Hold Your Fire (1971)
Johnny Winter - "Be Careful with a Fool" from the album Johnny Winter (1969)
Frank Zappa - "Black Napkins" from album Zoot Allures (1976)
Allan Holdsworth - "Hazard Profile" from Soft Machine album - Bundles (1975)
Al di Meola - "Race with Devil on Spanish Highway" from album Elegant Gypsy (1977)
Eddie Van Halen - "Eruption" from Van Halen – 1 (1978)
Frank Marino - "Johnny Be Goode" from album – Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush Live (1987)
Alex Lifeson - "La Villa Strangiatta" from Rush album – Hemispheres ((1978)
Joe Satriani - "Satch Boogie" from album – Surfing with the Alien (1987)
Steve Vai - "Tobacco Road" from David Lee Roth album – Eat 'em & Smile (1986)
John Goodsall - "The Flamekeeper" from The Fire Merchants, album called – Landlords of Atlantis (1994)
Paul Gilbert - Almost every track burns white hot – from album – Paul Gilbert – Tribute to Jimi Hendrix (1991)
John Etheridge - "Market Overture" "The Ache" "Saturation Point" & "The Game of X' from Darryl Way's Wolf album – Saturation Point (1973)
Allen Collins/Gary Rossington/Steve Gaines - "Freebird" from Lynyrd Skynyrd album – One More From The Road (1976)
Gary Moore - "White Knuckles" from album – Live in Japan (1986)

100 Top Guitarists

1) Larry Coryell (Along with John McLaughlin, he is the pioneer of Jazz/Rock. Started out as a Wes Montgomery influenced player, but kicked arse in the early 70's as a jazzier version of Hendrix, with distortion & wah wah. Now plays straight jazz, but occasionally ventures into fusion)
2) Jeff Beck
3) Tommy Bolin (Zephyr, Billy Cobham, James Gang, Deep Purple)
4) Ollie Halsall (Patto,Tempest, Boxer)
5) Scott Henderson (Jean Luc Ponty, Chick Corea, Joe Zawinul – Jazz sophistication with blues/rock power)
6) Johnny Winter (Look folks, before SRV, there was Johnny Winter. The original Texan Guitarslinger)
7) Frank Zappa
8) Roy Buchanan (The Master of the Telecaster)
9) Carlos Santana
10) John Etheridge (Darryl Way's Wolf, Soft Machine, Second Vision, Stephane Grapelli)
11) Jimmy Herring (Aquarium Rescue Unit, Jazz Is Dead)
12) Al di Meola
13) Eddie Van Halen (At the end of the 70's, in the midst of punk & disco, he kick-started testosterone fueled rock again, and spawned a legion of shredders in his wake – Malmsteen, Satriani, Vai, Gilbert, etc.)
14) Paul Gilbert (Mr. Big – Insane technique)
15) Joe Satriani
16) Gary Moore (Colosseum 2, Thin Lizzy)
17) Rory Gallagher (Taste)
18) John Goodsall (Brand X, The Fire Merchants)
19) Alex Lifeson (Rush)
20) Ronnie Montrose (Montrose,Van Morrison, Herbie Hancock)
21) David Sancious (Known more as a keyboard player with Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Stanley Clarke, Jack Bruce, Sting, Peter Gabriel and Seal, but is also an awesome guitarist. IMHO, he is the most under-rated guitarist and one of the best all-round musicians on the planet. Imagine a combination of Hendrix & Al di Meola)
22) Janne Schaffer (Session player on ABBA records, but don't let this fool you)
23) Stevie Ray Vaughan (The successor to Johnny Winter, but with more of a swagger)
24) Terje Rypdal (Unique guitarist on ECM)
25) Jimmy Page (Who was he with?)
26) Joe Walsh (Barnstorm, James Gang, The Eagles)
27) Frank Marino (Mahogany Rush)
28) Eric Johnson (The Electromagnets, Mariani, Christopher Cross)
29) Michael Schenker (UFO, The Scorpions)
30) Alvin Lee (Ten Years After)
31) Gary Hoey (Solo)
32) Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple, Rainbow)
33) Warren Haynes (Dickie Betts Band, Govt Mule, Allman Brothers)
34) Tony Iommi (Jethro Tull – very brief, Black Sabbath)
35) Pat Travers
36) Steve Hillage (Gong)
37) Ronnie Earl (Masterful blues as opposed to blues/rock)
38) Jan Akkerman (Brainbox, Focus)
39) Ray Gomez (Another under-rated fusion guitarist – Stanley Clarke, Roy Buchanan)
40) Steve Vai (Frank Zappa, Whitesnake)
41) Rik Emmet (Triumph)
42) John Petrucci (Dream Theater)
43) Duane Allman
44) Jukka Tolonen (Tasavallen Presidenti)
45) Derek Trucks (Allman Brothers)
46) Frank Solari (Brazilian guitarist)
47) Mick Taylor (Rolling Stones, Pierre Moerlin's Gong)
48) Neil Zaza (Solo)
49) Birelli Lagrene (Started out as the reincarnation of Django Reinhardt, explored fusion, but now plays straight jazz)
50) Mikkel Nordso (Excelent Danish fusion guitarist – Santana/Terje Rypdal thrown into a blender)
51) Jimi Hendrix
52) Clarence White (The Byrds)
53) Joe Bonamassa (Blues Rock)
54) Steve Morse (Dixie Dregs, Kansas, Deep Purple)
55) Jack Wilkins (Jazz Guitarist)
56) Shawn Lane (Fusion)
57) Carl Bowry (The Muffin Men)
58) Ed Wynne (The Ozric Tentacles)
59) John McLaughlin (Mahavishnu Orchestra)
60) Jorge Strunz (Strunz & Farah)
61) Christian Escoude (Jazz/Gipsy Swing)
62) Alex Machacek (Fusion)
63) Caleb Quaye (Hookfoot/Elton John Band)
64) Terry Kath (Chicago)
65) Volker Kriegel (70’s German Fusion Guitarist)
66) Trevor Rabin (Yes)
67) Andy Powell (Wishbone Ash)
68) Robin Trower (Procol Harum & Solo)
69) Pete Cosey (Miles Davis)
70) Blues Saraceno
71) Dickie Betts (Allman Brothers)
72) Leslie West (Mountain)
73) James Sherlock (Australian Jazz Guitarist)
74) Alex Gunia (Matalex)
75) Bill Connors (Return to Forever)
76) Paco de Lucia (Flamenco)
77) Steve Stevens (Billy Idol)
78) Joe Pass (Jazz)
79) Pat Metheny (Jazz/Fusion)
80) Gary Lucas (Captain Beefheart)
81) Mike Keneally (Frank Zappa)
82) Danny Gatton (Blues/Country/Jazz)
83) Buddy Guy (Blues)
84) Jean-Marie Ecay (French Fusion/Blues Guitarist)
85) Tal Farlow (Jazz)
86) Django Reinhardt (Gipsy Swing/Jazz Legend)
87) Georg Wadenius (Made In Sweden/Blood, Sweat & Tears)
88) Pat Martino (Jazz)
89) Angus Young (ACDC)
90) Mick Ralphs (Bad Company)
91) Paul Kossoff (Free)
92) Andy Latimer (Camel)
93) Kazumi Watanabe (Japanese Fusion Guitarist)
94) Wes Montgomery (Jazz)
95) Jorma Kaukonen (Jefferson Airplane/Hot Tuna)
96) Steve Bartek (Strawberry Alarm Clock/Oingo Boingo)
97) Melvin Taylor (Blues)
98) George Benson (Jazz – forget about his crooning sell-out era. Listen to his earlier recordings)
99) Peter Green (Fleetwood Mac)
100) James Muller (Australian Fusion Guitarist – Plays with Chad Wackerman)

Vocalists

1) Eric Burdon
2) Chris Farlowe (Colosseum)
3) Mike Patto (Patto/Boxer)
4) Davey Pattison (Robin Trower/Gamma)
5) Roger Daltrey (The Who)
6) Gregg Allman (Allman Brothers)
7) Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin)
8) Kevin Coyne
9) Phil Lynott (Thin Lizzy)
10) Phil Mogg (UFO)
11) Ronnie James Dio (Elf/Rainbow)
12) Chris Thompson (Manfred Mann's Earth Band)
13) Ronnie van Zant (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
14) Steve Tyler (Aerosmith)
15) Paul Rogers (Free/Bad Company)

Drummers

1) Vinnie Colaiuta (Zappa, Sting)
2) Billy Cobham (Mahavishnu Orchestra)
3) Carl Palmer (Emerson Lake & Palmer)
4) Neil Peart (Rush)
5) Michael Shrieve (Santana)
6) Cozy Powell (Jeff Beck, Rainbow)
7) Keith Moon (The Who)
8) Lenny White (Return to Forever)
9) Richard Bailey (Jeff Beck)
10) Buddy Rich
11) Dennis Chambers
12) Tony Williams (Miles Davis/Tony Williams Lifetime)
13) Tommy Alldridge (Black Oak Arkansas/Pat Travers)
14) Elvin Jones (John Coltrane)
15) Alphonse Mouzon (Weather Report/Larry Coryell & Eleventh House)

Honourable Mention

5 x South African Drummers

1) Kendall Kaye (now living in USA)
2) Ian Herman (now living in USA)
3) Anton Fig (now living in USA)
4) Kevin Gibson
5) Neil Etteridge

Bass Players

1) Jaco Pastorius (Weather Report)
2) Stanley Clarke (Return to Forever)
1) John Entwhistle (The Who)
3) Alain Caron (Uzeb/Tania Marie)
4) Chris Bekker (The Passengers/Little River Band – ex.South African living in Australia)
5) Victor Wooten (Bela Fleck & The Flecktones/ Vital Tech Tones)
6) Jack Bruce (Cream/West Bruce & Laing)
7) Geddy Lee (Rush)
8) Berry Oakley (Allman Brothers)
9) Alphonso Johnson (Woody Herman/Weather Report/Santana/Jazz is Dead)
10) Chris Squire (Yes)
11) Billy Sheehan (Talas/David Lee Roth/Mr.Big/Niacin)
12) Randy Jackson (Jean Luc Ponty/Journey)
13) Carlo Mombelli (South African – has played with Enrico Rava, Lee Konitz & Mick Goodrick)
14) John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin)
15) Carles Benavent (Chick Corea & Paco de Lucia)

Keyboards

1) Brian Auger (Brian Auger's Oblivion Express)
2) Keith Emerson (Emerson Lake & Palmer)
3) Jan Hammer (Mahavishnu Orchestra, Jeff Beck)
4) David Sancious (Bruce Springsteen, Stanley Clarke, Jack Bruce, Sting, Peter Gabriel, Seal)
5) Gregg Allman (Allman Brothers)
6) Herbie Hancock (Miles Davis)
7) Chick Corea (Return to Forever)
8) Manfred Mann
9) John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin)
10) Klaus Schulze (Tangerine Dream)
11) Edgar Winter
12) Max Middleton (Hummingbird/Jeff Beck)
13) Joe Zawinul (Weather Report)
14) Dave Stewart (Egg/National Health)
15) Vincent Crane (Crazy World of Arthur Brown/Atomic Rooster)

Miscellaneous Instruments

1) Ed Mann (Vibes/Mallets from Frank Zappa's Band)
2) Jean- Luc Ponty (Violin)
3) Dick Heckstall-Smith (Sax - Colosseum)
4) Ian Anderson (Flute – Jethro Tull)
5) James Cotton (Harmonica)
6) L. Shankar (Violin)
7) Trilok Gurtu (Tablas)
8) Zakir Hussein (Tablas)
9) Deepak Ram (Bansuri/Flute – South African)
10) Magic Dick (Harmonica – J. Geils Band)
11) L. Subramaniam (Violin)
12) Jerry Goodman (Violin – Mahavishnu Orchestra)
13) Bela Fleck (Banjo)
14) Jan Garbarek (Sax)
15) Jeremy Steig (Flute)

Favourite Boy Bands

1) The MC5
2) Iggy Pop & The Stooges
3) Ted Nugent

Vivian Bannatyne

I grew up on a farm in the Louis Trichardt area of Limpopo, and went to school at Capricorn High in Pietersburg.

I had no interest in music until it was ignited by hearing "Whole Lotta Love" by Led Zeppelin.

The first album I ever bought was Golden Earring – Eight Miles High.

I discovered a lot of more obscure music from a guy called Digby Gwillim. He introduced me to Robin Trower, Blue Oyster Cult, Roy Buchanan, Black Oak Arkansas, White Witch, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, amongst others, and I was on my way.

I also picked up a lot of new music through a late show on Swazi Music Radio.

When I had completed my compulsory military training, I ventured into sound engineering. Until the early 90's I traveled around the country, mixing sound at music festivals for numerous artists such as Lucky Dube, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Brenda Fassie, Stimela, Sankomota, etc.

Two bands that I particularly enjoyed working with were Sankomota and Stimela.

One event that I will always remember with nostalgia, was the first "Concert In The Park" at Ellis Park, in January, 1985. 120,000 people attended what I call South Africa's "Woodstock".

It was an incredible atmosphere.

In the early 90's I moved into the audio-visual staging industry, which involves the supply of audio-visual, sound and lighting equipment for corporate events such product launches and conferences.

I have been a partner in AV Systems since inception in March, 1993.

e-mail - vivian@avsystems.co.za

website – www.avsystems.co.za

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