Famous Garage Rock Guitarists/Guitar Players

Garage rock is a raw form of rock and roll that was first popular in the United States and Canada from about 1963 to 1967. During the 1960s, it was not recognized as a separate music genre and had no specific name. In the early 1970s, some rock critics retroactively labelled it as punk rock. However, the music style was later referred to as garage rock or '60s Punk to avoid confusion with the music of late-1970s punk rock bands such as the The Ramones, Sex Pistols and The Clash.

The style had been evolving from regional scenes as far back as 1958. "Dirty Robber" by The Wailers and "Louie Louie" by The Kingsmen are mainstream examples of the genre in its formative stages.

By 1963, garage band singles were creeping into the national charts in greater numbers, including Paul Revere and the Raiders (Boise), the Trashmen (Minneapolis) and the Rivieras (South Bend, Indiana). Other influential garage bands, such as the Sonics (Tacoma, Wa.), never reached the Billboard 100.

In this early period, there was a cross-pollination between garage rock and frat rock. Frat rock (another heavy influence and precursor to punk rock) was also a loosely defined genre of rock and roll which featured raw, energetic, usually party-themed anthems. It is sometimes viewed as merely a sub-genre of garage rock.

Stylistic Origins:
Rock and roll
Rockabilly
Beat
Rhythm and blues
Soul
Blues
Surf rock
Frat rock
Instrumental rock

Guitarist(s):
Andy McCoy
Billie Joe Armstrong
Courtney Taylor-Taylor
Jack White
Jason White
Nicke Andresson
Robert Dahlqvist
Wayne Kramer

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