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FIGJAM (F**k I'm good, just ask me) is usually a term reserved for premiership footballers and cocky English cricketers but we couldn't resist applying it on the ego driven world of the guitar god. Our top 10 list might be a little controversial but it should at least give you a laugh or two.


Yngwie Malmsteen

Yngwie has got to be the ultimate FIGJAM guitarist. Supremely talented at shredding the harmonic minor scale the guy rocks but get him into a conversion and the main topic of conversation is “how much I rock”. Classic!


Ritchie Blackmore

The Deep Purple and Rainbow guitarist is revered the world over for his inspired rock guitar playing. He left Deep Purple in 1993 due to a growing rift between Blackmore and other members in spite of renewed commercial success. However his current band, the Renaissance influenced Blackmore's Night. has become parodied due to its slightly dodgy folk rock image. When he's quoted saying things like “I feel like I own the stage” and “I don't use the twang bar anymore. It's become too popular” you get the feeling that he's had his fair share of FIGJAm moments.


Prince

Well we couldn't really have a FIGJAM list without including the vertically challenged super ego. If not for anything else he had to go on for changing his name to the symbol. Still Prince can play guitar with the best of them, just check out the guitar playing on 1984's Purple Rain for some true classic rock moments.


Ted Nugent

Probably my least favourite guitar player in the world and one of the worst celebrity ambassadors I can think of (just check out any of the guy's hunting videos to see what I mean). This guy has an ego that even outstrips his massive collection of guns and guitars.


Steve Vai

I'll probably get some stick for this but despite being one of the most gifted guitar players on the planet and certainly one of the most creative, Steve Vai definitely has an air of supremacy about him. Despite his incredible talent I still think Joe Satriani has more to offer both musically and technically.


Eddie Van Halen

There's probably a reason why lead singers such David Lee Roth, Sammy Hagar and Gary Cherone left Van Halen. There's just not enough room for two massive ego's. Sure he may have pioneered fretboard tapping and has a portfolio of awesome guitar solos under his belt but believing your own hype is always going to cause problems.


Vinnie Vincent

It's no wonder this guy got fired from Kiss. Another guitarist that believed his own hype only unlike Eddie Van Halen he was seriously untalented (just listen to any of the guitar solos on the Vinnie Vincent's Invasion albums).


The Edge

Ego's Ahoy! U2 have more than most and anyone with a name like 'The Edge' has to have a massive ego! 'The Joshua Tree' rocks though, I have to give him that.


Jimmy Page

An absolute pioneer of classic rock guitar method but the guy would be really difficult to play in a band with. Just listen to Phil Collins talk about playing drums with Led Zeppelin during the Live Aid performance to see what I mean. Maybe that's why Robert Plant is so reluctant to reform Led Zeppelin.


Nuno Bettencourt

The guitarist from the eighties rock band Extreme is sadly more famous for the sappy ballad “More Than Words” however he is also responsible for laying down some of the most awesome riffs and blazing guitar solos ever heard. Pornograffitti is one of the best eighties rock albums period.


Keith Richards

Well say what you like about his playing ability, Keith Richards still one of the most respected blues rock guitarists around. And in true stones fashion if anyone knows it Keith does.

So there we have it, our personal list of FIGJAM guitarists. Of course if you disagree then we would love to know why. Just leave a comment below if you think another guitarist should be on the list or you someone should be removed.

Labels: FIGJAM, guitarists