{ Lick That Riff! }

Hello everyone and welcome to another post in the series of Guitar Duel, where I pit two of the worlds best guitarists against each other and you guys have to vote who is best. Firstly lets look at the last Guitar Duel, two weeks ago, between two of Ireland’s finest guitarists; Rory Gallagher and The Edge. Well, you guys did get voting well didn’t you, at first The Edge was in front but then Rory Gallagher stormed away with it, having 71 votes to The Edge’s 16. Anyway now lets get onto this weeks amazing Duel between two of rocks heavier guitarists. Today we go back mainly to the 70′s and we have some of guitars most icon riffs tied in with this weeks guitarists. One pioneered Heavy Metal due to an unfortunate accident with his hand and the other produced the most instantly recognisable riff of all time. Of course they are Black Sabbath’s, Tony Iommi and Deep Purple’s, Ritchie Blackmore.

So here we have it, two of Hard Rocks best guitarists. Pioneers in their field and masterful technicians. Tony Iommi was in the bands, Jethro Tull and Earth but he made his name in the heavy rock band Black Sabbath. At the age of 17 this left handed guitarist had an accident at his job in a sheet metal factory. He lost the tips of his middle and ring finger on his right hand. But he came through this, fashioning some plastic cased thimbles which he attached with leather. His accident might have been a blessing in disguise as it added to the deeper Black Sabbath sound because he tuned his guitar down to help with the tension on his fingers. Ritchie Blackmore formed Deep Purple in 1968 and had continued success until their split in 1975. During this time he managed to pen one of the greatest rock riffs ever, Smoke On The Water. After Deep Purple he also had success in another band he formed called Rainbow, with their song Since You’ve Been Gone. These guitarists are both great guitarists and before you decide let me tell you a little bit more about them:

Tony Iommi – Bio

Born: Feb 19, 1948

Started Playing: Teenager

Influences: Shadows, Eric Clapton

Early Work: The Rockin’ Chevrolets, The Rest, Mythology, Polka Tulk Blues Company, Earth, Jethro Tull

Band That Made Him: Black Sabbath

Other Projects: Solo, Heaven and Hell

Guitar: Tony Iommi Signature SG Model

Best Know For: Pioneering Heavy Metal, tuning a guitar down, Paranoid

Guitar Accolades: Placed at 86 in Rolling Stones 100 greatest Guitarists Of All Time, Placed 1st in Guitar Worlds 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists, sold over 50 Million albums with Black Sabbath.

Ritchie Blackmore – Bio

Born: Apr 14, 1945

Started Playing: 11 Years old

Influences: Hank Marvin, Gene Vincent, Chet Atkins

Early Work: The Outlaws

Band That Made Him: Deep Purple

Other Projects: Rainbow, Ritchie Blackmores Night, Green Bullfrog

Guitar: Ritchie Blackmore Signature Stratocaster, Gibson ES-335

Best Know For: Smoke On The Water, one of the worlds most recognisable riffs

Guitar Accolades: Placed at 55 in Rolling Stones 100 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time, Smoke On The Water placed at 12th in Q Magazines 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks, sold over 100 Million albums worldwide with Deep Purple.

So, there it is, two of Rocks greatest guitarists. But now comes the hard part of choosing who the better guitarist is. Cast your votes

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So thats it for another Guitar Duel. Thanks for voting and I hope the rightful winner wins.

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