Rock’s Guitar Gods – Avatars of the Sixties

Abstract

Sharing in the romantic ideology of the 1960s, the “guitar god” (the virtuoso lead rock guitarist), epitomized by Clapton, Townshend, and Hendrix, emerged as a result of technology-the electrification of the guitar and high-powered amplification-which made the instrument a competitor to the singer and made possible the creation of a mystique of musical prowess fused with effects of emotional authenticity and masculinism. As a romantic hero, the guitar god presents a case that contests egalitarianism and promotes an ideal of power based on personal distinction and exceptionalism in skill and dramatic performance, sustained by a complex commercial support system. The guitar virtuosi of the sixties provided a model for future generations of lead guitarists in rock bands and an inspiration to fans who buy their guitar brands and accompany their heroes on air guitar and Guitar HeroTM. The guitar god both challenges and flaunts the sixties youth culture.

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