2. Guthrie Govan
The underdog-master-sensei-Oxford-graduate with a refined sense of humour you only get from relentless exposure to the music industry; Guthrie Govan is one hell of a character both on and off guitar. As with the likes of Bonamassa, the true godlike level of playing he exudes can only really be fully taken in by watching him perform (or Youtube for now). Govan has only really managed to become something of a recognised name thanks to the internet and its ability to shine an ever-widening spotlight on even the smallest of figures. Thankfully by the time said spotlight reached the refined oak-panelled elegant mindspace of Govan, he was more than ready to show everyone what hes capable of. With finger-mangling chord formations and lead passages the musical equivalent of explaining the Higgs Boson to your grandmother, his level of technicality is a rulebook-reinventing exercise in convincing yourself youre playing the same instrument as the man in the video. Oh, and his 2006 solo album is called Erotic Cakes. Whats not to love?