Guitar Solos

[5stringJeff]

What, in your opinion, is the greatest guitar solo of all time?

My vote is Eddie Van Halen's "Eruption." Un-freakin-believable.

 

[MtnBiker]

Well Eruption is of course one of the all time greats, in fact I heard it live last week from the man himself but I actually like solos contained within songs a little better.

One of my favorites solo from Eddie Van Halen is in Hear About it Later off of the Fair Waring album.

The multiple guitarists from Thin Lizzy have some great solos, John Sykes in the Sun Goes Down is awesome, very soulfull and powerfull.

 

[Dan]

White Stripes "Ball and Biscuit" :funnyface

 

[musicman]

Oh, well - might as well rejoice in my old-fartness....

"Sultans of Swing", Dire Straits, and "Reelin' in the Years", Steely Dan - both featuring the incomparable Mark Knopfler.

Old friends - "Stairway", Jimmy Page, "Blue Sky" (Allmans), Duane Allman& Dickey Betts, the all-too-brief solo in Chicago's "Make me Smile".

Off the wall - "Hold on, I'm Comin"(Herbie Mann), Larry Coryell, "Good Time Boogie" (John Mayall), Freddie Robinson, "Theme from Perry Mason", Scotty Anderson.

I gotta rest after all that. Damn lumbago's kicking in...

 

[5stringJeff]

White Stripes?

 

[DKSuddeth]

Eric claptons solo for Richie Sambora's 'Mr. Bluesman'. The whole album rocks better than any bon jovi album put out.

 

[Dan]

White Stripes?

Hehe, just for you, Jeff!

No, seriously, it's not a good solo from a technical standpoint, but Jack White accomplishes a lot with very little. He makes up for his lack of chops with a great sense of rhythm and framing. I guess I'm just blowing hot wind here, since we've had the White Stripes argument many times, but it was just a joke anyway. I'm rambling now.

I'm not much of a fan of solos, actually. I went through a big 80's metal phase where the solo was key, but now I'm in a more folk/acoustic space, which is like Kryptonite to a soloist.

Musicman, it's funny you should mention the "Stairway" solo, I read a while ago that Page actually improvised that solo. I always loved Page's guitar work, he's like Tom Morello in that he's not that technically advanced, but he just creates his own style that totally reinvents the instrument.

 

[dilloduck]

Have to go with Clapton too "While my guitar gently weeps" but I have a secret nostalgic love for Alvin Lees' "I'm going home"

 

[5stringJeff]

I do enjoy good solos on their own merit, but I especially enjoy when a lead guitarist can work a solo into the music so well that it doesn't come across as a 'solo, it's just there as part of the music.

 

[DKSuddeth]

thats why I like Mr. Bluesman. I'll try to see if I can post a stream of it sometime.

 

[musicman]

Dan:

That's weird, isn't it - that a solo done more or less off the cuff has become one of the best loved and most instantly recognizable pieces of music ever recorded?

That's it - no more rehearsing for me, ever again!

 

[Dan]

Dan:

That's weird, isn't it - that a solo done more or less off the cuff has become one of the best loved and most instantly recognizable pieces of music ever recorded?

That's it - no more rehearsing for me, ever again!

You know, the thing about that, and actually a lot of JP's stuff, is that it's really simple, but instantly noticable and impressive. No offense to the guy, he's an amazing player, but the "Stairway" solo is really little more than a penatonic scale in A, and yet you play that at a party, and they'll think you're a guitar god!

Angus Young's stuff is a lot like that, too.

 

[Moi]

Probably someone nobody's every heard of- Joe Satriani. But I cannot remember the name of the song.

Also, and don't laugh, Charo...the cootchie coo strumpet of the 70's was one great guitarist.

 

[Dan]

Joe Satriani is a great soloist. I've only heard a few of his songs, I'm sure Sir Evil will have a lot to say about him, I remember him being a fan of his.

 

[Said1]

Wow, I don't even know where to start.

Jimmy Hendrix - Little Wing (acoustic & unplugged)
Buddy Guy - Red House, 5 long years (with Junior Wells)
Cream (Eric Clapton) - Strange Brew
Alman Brothers - Statsboro Blues (who was playing musicman?)
Memo To Turner - Ry Cooder
Leadbelly - Midnight Special

Just some of my favs.

 

[musicman]

Probably someone nobody's every heard of- Joe Satriani. But I cannot remember the name of the song.

Also, and don't laugh, Charo...the cootchie coo strumpet of the 70's was one great guitarist.

Cootchie coo strumpet....LMFAO!

You're quite right, though - Charo is a flamenco guitarist of the first order.

Lucky me - I was able to wangle admission to a clinic given by Satriani a few months back. God, what a player! I'm pretty weak on his song titles - wish I could help.

 

[musicman]

Wow, I don't even know where to start.

Jimmy Hendrix - Little Wing (acoustic & unplugged)
Buddy Guy - Red House, 5 long years (with Junior Wells)
Cream (Eric Clapton) - Strange Brew
Alman Brothers - Statsboro Blues (who was playing musicman?)
Memo To Turner - Ry Cooder
Leadbelly - Midnight Special

Just some of my favs.

Great, great choices. You've got a nasty blues streak goin' on, don't you?


A lot of the Allman's guitar solo work was split between Duane Allman and Dickey Betts. But, any time you hear that wicked-ass slide, you're hearing Duane!

Reading your sig reminded me of another great - albeit short - guitar ride: Frank Zappa, "My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama".

 

[Said1]

Great, great choices. You've got a nasty blues streak goin' on, don't you?


A lot of the Allman's guitar solo work was split between Duane Allman and Dickey Betts. But, any time you hear that wicked-ass slide, you're hearing Duane!

Reading your sig reminded me of another great - albeit short - guitar ride: Frank Zappa, "My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama".

I'm fairly open minded, but no one can come close touching the old farts.

One of my all time wishes was to see Buddy Guy play....well anything live. Lucky for me, he replaced John Lee Hooker at Blues Fest a few years back - awesome! Sticking it out through the rain was more than worth it, because the turn out wound up being very small from the cold, wet weather. My friend and I were able to get so close to the stage, I could have handed him my bra (had I offered it of course). Also, one of his band members was at the bar I was at the night before. He played guitar for a few songs with the band, and totally wowed everyone. I nearly shit when I saw him walk on stage the next day - had I known who he was, I would have followed him back to his hotel

My sig is sort of an inside joke, but I won't go there.........given the title of the song and all

 

[musicman]

:dev1: :teeth:

 

[Said1]

I think Ted Nugent deserves an honorable mention for his ability to play, not sing, play.

Another list

Monkey Man - Keith Richards
Buddy Guy - Crawling King Snake
John Lee Hooker & Robert Cray - One bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer
Greatful Dead - Trucken'
Big Sugar - Ground Hog Day (Gordie Johson)
Colin James - Bad Habits

Last two are Canadians BTW.