Pink Floyd "Dogs" off Animals
Your Favorite, Most Outstanding Guitar Solo
Of all the musical performances I own on recorded format, whether they be LP or CD, there are certain guitar solos that are the most engaging and memorable. You know, the ones that when they're over, you just sit there speechless, wondering "How the hell did they just do that"?
As with anything, there are certain performances when everything was "just right". When the musician had that "perfect connection" between themselves and the instrument. This is not limited to acoustic or electric, live or studio, or any specific discipline of music. It also does not necessarily have to be your favorite guitarist. Very simply, your favorite guitar solo.
I would like to hear your opinions. This would be a great thread for providing exposure to other listeners, to material that they may be unaware of. If possible, also name the album that the solo is from.
My two favorites would have to be:
Jeff Beck / "The Golden Road" off of "There And Back".
John Mc Laughlin / "Every Tear From Every Eye" off of "Electric Guitarist"
Thanks for your responses.
As with anything, there are certain performances when everything was "just right". When the musician had that "perfect connection" between themselves and the instrument. This is not limited to acoustic or electric, live or studio, or any specific discipline of music. It also does not necessarily have to be your favorite guitarist. Very simply, your favorite guitar solo.
I would like to hear your opinions. This would be a great thread for providing exposure to other listeners, to material that they may be unaware of. If possible, also name the album that the solo is from.
My two favorites would have to be:
Jeff Beck / "The Golden Road" off of "There And Back".
John Mc Laughlin / "Every Tear From Every Eye" off of "Electric Guitarist"
Thanks for your responses.
182 responses Add your response
Easy, Eric Johnson Cliffs of Dover, one of the most inovative guitar solos ever, Danny Gatton entire CD Crusin' Deuces he was the best guitarist period, it is not even up for discussion pleaze, Duane Allman side geetar Layla and Statesboro Blues, Steely Dan Reelin' in the Years solo by Elliot Randall, the guy who did the solo on Chuck Mangione Feels so good, the guy who did the solo on Midnight at the Oasis, the guy from the Cars, he was the best solo guitarist I heard who could play a different solo in a 3-5 minute song, Roy Buchanan fine guitar solos like Sweet Dreams, the man could play oh mamma and also the solo on the Messiah will come again, he made the geetar literally speak, Stevie Ray anything he played, Yngwie Malmsteen for heavy metal solos, can't remember the song(s), Jeff Beck, AL Di Meola, just listen to Mediterranean Sundance but keep a fire extinguisher handy, really smokin' on acustic geetar, Steve Howe from Yes go listen to The Clap, another acustic guitar solo, Yan Ackerman from Focus, he was way before Yngwie, gotta have Jimi, he's still talkin' to us everyday even more than ever! I think that covers it for now, I am done. Gotta pick up the '59 Burst and do a little playin' now. This got my motor going! Happy Listening. |
Brian May from Queen's "We Will Rock You". Brian May from Queen's "Crazy little thing called love". Both fit the songs perfectly, both played well. To my mind Brian May is one of the most underrated guitarists in fusing technical ability with a great musical ear, songwriting talent, and an ability to play almost any style from metal to jazz. |
I've seen these guys live and was in awe: Frank & Dweezil Zappa covering "Whipping Post" on the live release "Does Humour Belong in Music"?. Unreal. Still my favourite of all time. Frank was recognized more as a writer/composer than a guitarist, but believe you me (I saw him 8 times) he could play. I marvel at his genius. Stevie Ray Vaughn covering VooDoo Child... to hell with it.... SRV playing anything! You don't just play the blues, you FEEL the blues! Saw him many times, most memorable was when he opened for the The Police's "Synchronicity" tour. Eddie Van Halen: playing, doesn't matter what. The most natural guitar player ever. He was born to play guitar and has spent pretty well every waking hour re-inventing his skill and style. He really ought to play the blues IMHO. Martin Barre from Jethro Tull: intense, and yet subtle chord changes that flow naturally. An artist with an artist's disposition. Mark Knopfler: Yeah I know you see him as a rythym guitarist, he can wail in his own way. Day in and day out my favorite guitarist to listen to. |
Alvin Lee, Ten Years After, Cricklewood Green "Love Like a Man" Buck Dharma, Blue Oyster Cult, Secret Treaties, "Dominance and Submission" Jeff Beck, Jeff Beck Group "Goin' Down", "Highways", "Definitely Maybe" Skunk Baxter, Steely Dan, Countdown to Ecstacy "My Old School" David Sancious, Transformation, the Speed of Love "Piktor's Metamorphosis", "Sky Church Hymn #9" Martin Barr, Jethro Tull, Aqualung "Aqualung" Just a few off the top of my head. |
Any solo performed by native New Orleans guitarist Robby Longley. A great blend of modern guitar with Flamenco, and New Orleans gumbo. I also like Jeff Beck's performances on There And Back, but my favorite is "The Final Peace". I'll go along with Dekay on "Green Onions". When I first saw Amercian Grafitti back in the early seventies in a damp deserted movie theater somewhere on Oahu, "Green Onions" seemed so incongruous with the rest of that fantastic soundtrack, but it also was so "right " for the final drag race at the end of the movie. A really nice piece. Ritchie Blackmore's solo on "Space Truckin'" from Made in Japan. Neil Schon's solo at the end of "Stone in Love" from the Journey album Escape. Dave Gilmore's solo at the end of "Comfortably Numb" on The Wall album. Eric Clapton's solo on "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" from The Beatles White Album. Tim Heintz' guitar solo on "Dear Jacqui" from his no longer available debut album. James Taylor's solo on "Fire and Rain" is pretty damn moving, especially if you see it context of the film "Running on Empty". Steve Denny has some guitar solo with great pathos on his own album "Oscuro" and in his collaboration with Tom Maxwell on "Magic Box". And my first ever favorite guitar solo is by Chet Atkins from the In Hollywood album, the fourth song entitled "Theme From A Dream". Chet made two versions of this album, so make sure you get the older, less orchestrated one. So simple, so sad, so good. Lots of good stuff and damn near impossible for me to choose just one. |
Marco, You da man! What a sweet call on the Tim Reynolds/Dave Matthews "Luther College" There is some great pickin' and grinnin' from TR on that one. If I can add another one: Jerry Garcia's solos in the Dark Star>Playing In The Band>Uncle John's Band from 1990's NJ Meadowlands show, released on Arista as "Nightfall of Diamonds" |
Twl sez: "Skunk Baxter, Steely Dan, Countdown to Ecstacy "My Old School"" Tom, if you liked that solo (and who wouldn't?), you should have heard the current lead man the Dan had with them in concert this year, John Herrington, who is also featured on the new EMG LP take his turn. They played MOS as an encore and he totally ripped the joint asunder. The Skunk, himself, would have been impressed. BTW, the EMG LP is fantastic - check out "Lunch With Gina". Here is a link to a Fagen/Becker discussion of EMG. Typical Fagen. And check out the references to the Lp having been done in analog. Becker sez they went FORWARD to analog, not back, and Fagen sez analog is the thing of the future. I'll take their word for it! :-) http://mixonline.com/ar/audio_steely_dan_everything/ |
Zowie! This is where music is the thing rather than all that equipment which gets you there. First off Bloomfield’s solo on “East West” How about early on when it was new like Jeff Beck on “Mr. you’re a better man than I” solo on early Yardbirds, My Fave Roy Buchanan live on “Hey Joe” and “Dual Soliloquy” his last recording both from his Anthology, or Zappa, “Pink Stucco” from Shut up and Play Your Guitar. Let’s get real for us who were there… the first time you heard Eric Brann’s lead in In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida! abinitio adenenum, Carl: Milwaukee |
Leslie West " Theme From an Imaginary Western" When you think of Mountain and West: the solo the lyrics and the melody...atypical and haunting. Nice to know folks are still listening to this stuff. great on a near dusk road trip after all that other keep you awake music, sunset, dinner, and near pillows time to think. Groovy Man! |
Buscis2 Ooops, I missed a few more also. I own 30 geetars, 6 LPs a few Strats and Teles from the '60s and a nice '61 335 Dot Neck tobaco sunburst. Still cannot get over that Gatton and Stevie are not with us any longer, oh yeah the guitarist who did Hot Rod Lincoln forget his name but he is really good and fun to go see play. Happy Playin' Peter |
Two that stick in my mind are "Cause we parted as lovers", from Blow by Blow album by Jeff Beck , talk about feeling! and for sheer jaw dropping dexterity check out a young Allan Holdsworth on Tony Williams (1975 )Believe it' album, second cut on first side "Fred". Also I have been listening to the new Dream Theater album, last song " In the name of God" John Petrucci tears that neck up! |
Lot of great music / musicians listed here, but how about some of those "talentless hacks" that don't know what "technique" is yet somehow manage to make you want to tear the house down playing air guitar ? Some great "get in / get out" type guitar work on a tune called 12XU by Wire. Some others that are great to listen to but don't fall into the Jeff Beck school of guitar finesse are Cheetah Chrome ( rocked good enough that a band from Italy named themselves after him ) from The Dead Boys , Johnny Thunders of the NY Dolls and solo efforts, Robert Quine ( the originator of "bad" disjointed guitar solos* ) who played with quite a few NY based bands, Richie Stotts of the Plasmatics ( THEE original "crossover" punk-metal guitarist ), etc... One guy that i haven't seen mentioned here that most of you have probably heard is Tom Scholz. Who can forget the tone and singing sustain that gave the band "Boston" their signature sound ? Not only could he play guitar, he designed several different guitar effects that were quite successfully marketed ( Rockman & Power Soak ) and recorded and mixed most of the band's music in his basement studio. Truly a talented guy, but supposedly very demanding and hard to work with due to being a perfectionist. Sean > * I could be wrong here as some would say that Neil Young was being "robbed" by me on this one. Close call either way : ) |
OK finally SOMEBODY finally remembered Jimmy Page! Another one from Zeppelin that rocks is "In My Time of Dying" from Physical Graffiti. How about "Machine Gun" from the Band of Gypsys(Jimi Hendrix), live New Year's Eve at the Filmore East Phish (Trey Anastasio) has some good guitar work on Lawnboy. Also John Mclaughlin and Carlos Santana on Love, Devotion, Surrender, the one that sticks out the most is "House of the Lord"(something like that).George Benson cover of "World is a Ghetto." |
Right now my fav solos are on side two of The Allman Bros, Live at the Fillmore East. "You Don`t Love Me". My next door neighbors probably know it as well as me, because you just can`t play it quietly! I don`t know enough technically to comment on the guitar technique, but the energy and exuberance kick major ***! Those loooong, bent-string blue notes are the ones that touch me. Also Carlos Santana`s solo playing on albums like "Abraxas", or "The Swing of Delight". |
Froggerz40 the Live at the Filmore was the actual record that I learned most of my early geetar licks from. Both Duane and Betts really had the right "tone" as it is called. Betts still has some of the nicest guitar tone today. Jrd351 if you include one not solos that there is one also with the Police forget the song. I forget again to mention Alvin Lee I'm Goning Home on the Woodstock CD and also I'd love to change the world. The live Woodstock solo is still one of the most energizing guitar solos today along with Eric Johnsons Cliffs of Dover. Home alone today with nothing to do but play music, Happy Listening. |
