Producer Steve Lillywhite recently compared two guitarists and explained why he thinks one is better. In an interview with Produce Like A Pro, the producer revealed why he thinks Brian May will always be a better guitar player than Eric Clapton in his eyes.
While discussing XTC and their albums ‘Drums And Wires’ and ‘Black Sea,’ the producer praised the band and their guitarists for avoiding power chords. He also expressed his dislike for blindly following musical patterns, especially those as common as power chords.
Lillywhite also noted that a musician’s primary qualifications are being a great player and a ‘sonic sculptor,’ and it seems that he considers Brian May a good musician but not Eric Clapton. He said in the interview:
“For me, probably the truly great players have both. For me, Clapton’s great but one-dimensional because he was just a player… Brian May, he can do everything. He’s got all that, but he was a sonic sculptor.”
Lillywhite not only praised May but also compared Queen to The Beatles. He made it clear that he wasn’t comparing the two in terms of greatness but for their ability to transcend stadiums, which, according to him, isn’t something The Beatles’ songs can do.
See the interview below.
