Best Guitar Solo In A Rock Song

[Thelonious Funk]

I'm a sucker for a guitar solo of any kind but I thought I would limit this thread to the rock genre because it's hard to compare them to a blues solo, or a jazz solo.

Maybe later.

Anyway, for the moment (because it is sure to change) my vote goes to Neil Young on Cortez The Killer.

Or maybe Gilmour on Comfortably Numb.

Or Jimi Hendrix on the San Diego concert in 1970 when he played Red House... No wait that's blues. Another day for that one.

How about Eric Johnson on Cliffs of Dover? Or is that too esoteric?

What's your vote?

[wkhanna]

If you are going to specify rock only................
Hendrix!
Which song???????
Take your pick.

[Thelonious Funk]

ah but that's not fair.... How will I know which cd to dig out so I can hear what your opinion really is?

[wkhanna]

The previously unreleased studio tapes that came out a while back.
I dont have the CD, but I heard parts of it.
Regardless, genius is genius, pick a song!

[David Meek]

Robin Trower - several songs from Bridge Of Sighs:

Bridge Of Sighs
Too Rolling Stoned
The Fool And Me

The whole album is a monster.

[sokoban]

The previously unreleased studio tapes that came out a while back.
I dont have the CD, but I heard parts of it.
Regardless, genius is genius, pick a song!

Which ones? I have about 7 hours of DAT dubs from 1st and second gen master tapes. And the Sotheby Tapes. And the Out in the Sun tapes.

[crackyflipside]

As much as most people dislike the band...

Lynyrd Skynyrd - Freebird

To me, the song starts when Ronnie stops singing and the guitars start going crazy. As cliche as it is to say that song, it really is a great solo and is a dangerous song to listen to while driving down Highway 41 in the middle of the night .

[Thelonious Funk]

As much as most people dislike the band...

Lynyrd Skynyrd - Freebird

To me, the song starts when Ronnie stops singing and the guitars start going crazy. As cliche as it is to say that song, it really is a great solo and is a dangerous song to listen to while driving down Highway 41 in the middle of the night .

Which part of 41?

And I dunno... does that count as it is really two guitar solos at the same time, making it a guitar duo?


.....
........
............

Hell yeah. It rocks and therefore counts. FREEBIRD!!!!

[miner]

Stevie 'Rave On' - "Riviera Paradise"

He proclaimed he was at his best with this song right after cleaning up in rehab. His 'habit' during performances included dropping a gram of coke into his glass of Jack.

[PewterTA]

I gotta say...

Stevie Ray's version of "Little Wing"

[earwit]

When I think of amazing guitar solo , I think of :

Led Zeppelin Presence, last song ,Tea for One..
If you listen to this 9 minute plus song, it goes into this
solo that is simply off the chart..

Or perhaps the Zep song The Wanton song (Physical Graffitti) has a
rock groove as good as it gets..All-time greatest rock record..


Also the solo in Bell Bottom Blues Derek and the Dominos
ain't bad either...

Bob

[Nick M]

Hendrix with some of his improvisational solos. I also find dual solos to be even more amazing... when two solos are separate, yet together.

One thing I can't stand are dry technique solos that you hear a lot from metal bands. They might be fast and furious, but often lack any emotion whatsoever. Even Jimi could get dry with his solos sometimes. This is one area that I think you see true masters like Howlin' Wolf or Muddy Waters excel in. Not that Hendrix wasn't a master... just that I think some of the older guys were even better... such as Ray Charles on Piano (I know not a guitar, but still...). Now thats a guy who sang/played with enough emotion for twelve people.

Of course for epic solos I would have to throw a vote in for some of the Live 7min Skynyrd solos with Freebird which were definetly more technical than emotional, but fun to listen to noetheless! :T

[Jesse111]

Impossible question to answer. But a few of mine off the top of my head are;

This World We Live in, from the Blues Magnet album by Pat Travers (hard rockin blues but not blues).

Of course Too Rolling Stoned by Robin Trower.

Tales of the Unexpected and Ditch Queen by Frank Marino.

And a multitude by Jimmy Page, Manny Charlton from Nazareth as well as Saxon, Soundgarden and Pink Floyd. And there are so many more.

Wow. This could be a week long round table discussion.

[jim777]

Steve Vai - For the love of God (especially the live G3 version)

[r100gs]

Robin Trower - several songs from Bridge Of Sighs:

Bridge Of Sighs
Too Rolling Stoned
The Fool And Me

The whole album is a monster.

You have my vote on that one. ;x(

[RobP]

Hmmmm... Right now two that come to mind are Stevie Rays VooDoo Chile from the Austin City limits concert and for the rock/metal solo would have to be Randy Rhoades " Revelation Mother Earth" from the Blizzard of Oz album.

[NMyTree]

Glen Tipton/K.K Downing solos in "Beyond The Relms Of The Death" (Judas Priest's "Stained Class" album).

Michael Schenker's solo in " Rock Bottom" from the UFO album "Strangers In The Night".

The whole UFO- Phenomenon album has some of the sweetest and most melodic solos by Michael Schenker. He was only 17 years old on that album and anyone who hears it is amazed at his age.

One more from the Michael Schenker Group (MSG) "One Night At Budakon". This album has some fantastic, rocking songs and Schenker is simply amazing throught out. Plenty of killer guitar solos. Check out " Courvoisier Concerto/Lost Horizons/Doctor Doctor" ...whew, Mikey is smokin'!

http://www.amazon.com/Night-Budokan-Michael-Schenker-Group/dp/B0000011OR/sr=1-4/qid=1169773297/ref=sr_1_4/002-5669696-8902429?ie=UTF8&s=music

"The Sails Of Charon " off of the Scorpions- "Taken By Force " album ( Ulrich Roth plays lead guitar).

I know some of you will find my suggestions to be a bit obscure, but the guys in these bands and on these albums are awesome guitarists.

[Alaric]

A couple off the top of my head : Ten Years After-(live) I'd love To Change The World
Led Zeppelin IV-Stairway To Heaven

I know,I know: Stairway To Heaven has been played so many times it's old . Doesn't make the riff bad.

[sokoban]

Here's some of my favorite recent guitar work. It's by Buckethead. "Big Sur Moon" off his album "Colma" and "Jordan" which has only been recorded for use in the Guitar Hero II video game.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTpDvhN-JXs

This is live from when he was still with Guns n Roses. Big Sur Moon is the song about halfway through with all the delay effects.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHOI5I6ASk4

The intro and outro are all done with a killswitch. He plays this song live a lot, but I've never seen him do the crazy middle solo part, though I've seen him do similar stuff before.

[Chris D]

Wow, sokoban, I wasn't a big fan of that first one, but I really enjoyed that 2nd song! I had never heard of Buckethead. Perhaps I should take a listen to some more of his stuff.

[bigburner]

Slow Blues In 'C' - Alvin Lee (live, in Vienna I think)

Goodbye Pork Pie Hat - Jeff Beck (studio)

Five Long Years - Eric Clapton (from the Live in Hyde Park DVD)

Hocus Pocus - Focus (studio)

The Torture Never Stops - Frank Zappa (studio)

Hide Away - Freddie King

I'm Going Home - Ten Years After (live at Woodstock)

Since I've Been Loving You - Led Zeppelin

Heroin - Lou Reed

Voodoo Child (Slight Return) - Jimi Hendrix

Welcome To The Club - Joe Walsh

New York, New York - Johnny Winter

It's Too Late - Robin Trower

A Million Miles Away - Rory Gallagher (live from the Irish tour)

Samba Pa Ti - Santana

Tin Pan Alley - Stevie Ray Vaughan

Tush - ZZ Top

Are You Losing Your Mind? - Buddy Guy


What do I know? These are just songs I like.

[sokoban]

Wow, sokoban, I wasn't a big fan of that first one, but I really enjoyed that 2nd song! I had never heard of Buckethead. Perhaps I should take a listen to some more of his stuff.

Yeah, Buckethead is kind of a strange guy. He does all different sorts of music as a solo artist and with various bands. He was in Praxis with Bill Laswell and others, Guns n Roses for a while during their chinese democracy tour a couple years back, and Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains with Les Claypool, Bernie Worrell, and Brains. He also allows taping of his concerts (video and audio) so if you want to check out more of his stuff, go to http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=buckethead . There you can find a lot of his solo live performances. The song you liked, "Jordan", is only live or on the Guitar Hero II soundtrack.

[Lex]

Allmon Brothers, Filmore East I swear, been so long I can't recall if that was Duan or Dicky Betts on guitar at Filmore. I think it was Duan. right?

Also a reminder we in fact do have a music section, called "In Tune". Funk apparently had not seen it...

[Dean100]

Got to second that vote for the Allman Brothers. Song: Tied to the whipping post.

My favorite guitar player of late is Mark Knopfler

[Gump]

How about Jethro Tull "Locomotive Breath"? Oh wait a minute, never mind.... that's best rock "flute" solo. :lol:

I agree with a lot of songs that have already been mentioned, but here's a couple more of my favorites--

Foghat--I Just Want to Make Love to You (I gotta play air guitar when they duel back and forth at the start of that song)

Zep--Whole Lotta Love (about 3/4 thru the song when the drums kick in and Jimmie cranks it)

Eric Clapton Live at Hyde Park DVD. "Have You Ever Loved a Woman", (This is more of a bluesy song but I never new guitar strings could bend that far.)

Stevie Ray--Little Sister. (short but sweet)

Montrose--whole 1st album ( I know, now I'm going way back)

Keeping in mind this topic is ROCK guitar, I feel I would be remiss in not mentioning Mr. Angus Young here as I did give him a gentle slap on his sweaty back about 30 years ago as he was up on the shoulders of a huge bouncer walking around the crowd in the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago just cranking the daylights out of "Whole Lotta`Rosie". ;x(

[stantheman2]

What's with you people? Eric Clapton, Layla. Opening and closing riff.

As David Mamet wrote in The Untouchables, "Thus endeth the lesson".

[DelRay]

Here's another Zeppelin one. The solo in "Heartbreaker" Short but sweet.

[gross30]

Angus Young, 'Live at Donnington", playing "High Voltage" and "Let there be rock". Excellant performance. The crowd is just into it and Angus runs around like a kid who just guzzled down 4 bottles of Jolt cola. And of coarse "Stevie Ray playing "Tin Pan Alley" live at Montreux. Just seen it for the first time about a month ago, and I have watched it over and over. Amazing.

[bandit788]

I have played for many years myself, and all of the aforementioned solos do make me smile...but one under appreciated African American guitarist of our time would have to be Vernon Reid (founder of Living Colour; one of the early all black rock bands). Just listen to him freakin shred the guitar in the song "Cult of Personality", I smile everytime I hear that solo.

PS I also like any solo by Zakk Wylde (especially in the Ozzy era)

[NMyTree]

Since you mentioned Ozzy Osbourne.........


The "Blizzard Of Oz" and "Dairy Of A Madman" albums, featuring.....


Randy Rhodes !!!!! Randy was simply amazing!!! Genius!

[Thelonious Funk]

Here's some of my favorite recent guitar work. It's by Buckethead. "Big Sur Moon" off his album "Colma" and "Jordan" which has only been recorded for use in the Guitar Hero II video game.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTpDvhN-JXs

This is live from when he was still with Guns n Roses. Big Sur Moon is the song about halfway through with all the delay effects.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHOI5I6ASk4

The intro and outro are all done with a killswitch. He plays this song live a lot, but I've never seen him do the crazy middle solo part, though I've seen him do similar stuff before.

Saw Buckethead at Langerado last year and it was awesome. I highly suggest that anyone with the means to make it this year to go... It's great music of all kinds and everyone is there for the same thing.


But... I think that anyone who has heard the track would agree with me that Zappa on Hot Rats... playing Gumbo Variations... That's a freakin' solo and a half.

[Avairen]

Steve Vai - For the love of God (especially the live G3 version)

I hardly ever post on this forum but when I saw this thread and this mans comment I had to post.

Steve Vai's - For the Love of God is by far one of the best songs/solos I've ever heard in my life. So much passion, emotion, feeling in this song. The solo is just unreal, so technical and the thought that went into it is amazing. I'm a guitar player and maybe I just like solo artists like this a lot better than bands but this song just has always been my favorite solo of all time.

SRV's - Texas Flood probably comes 2nd. Vaughan was known for the emotion he had with his music and I think it really shows in this song.

Just my thoughts. Continue.

[PewterTA]

Dream Theater - Erotomania (off the Awake album).

Something a good portion of people have not heard, but one of the hardest solos to play (seeing it done live makes it all that more impressive), and is just a perfect song. No lyrics to destroy the beauty of the music or the solo...

Also for Stevie Ray, I can't remember which version of it, but there's a live version of "the sky is crying." One of the best solos (well all throughout the song) that I've ever heard!

[mrohde]

OK, I’m revealing my age here. The Album is the Allman Brothers; Eat a Peach the track is "Les Brers in A Minor". Lots very nice drum and bongo work as well as awesome guitar riffs. Hope you try it and enjoy!

You can get this track off of Napster.

[bigburner]

I found this list with YouTube links that may be of interest:

1. Stairway To Heaven - Jimmy Page - http://youtube.com/watch?v=nt0tyGWIKKw

2. Eruption - Edward Van Halen (Option 2) - http://youtube.com/watch?v=IvoqODsulkk

3. Freebird - Collins/Rossington - http://youtube.com/watch?v=lZN4fBC2s00

4. Comfortably Numb - David Gilmour (Option 2) - http://youtube.com/watch?v=hFKm3AEdG4w

5. All Along The Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix - http://youtube.com/watch?v=dOz0WTdIB0w

6. November Rain - Slash - http://youtube.com/watch?v=4ZSTFRKIjbs

7. One - Kirk Hammet/Metallica - http://youtube.com/watch?v=GxdqD8zAXps

8. Hotel California - Don Felder/Joe Walsh - http://youtube.com/watch?v=el3DE_LqcQI

9. Crazy Train - Randy Rhoads (Option 2) - http://youtube.com/watch?v=KTQ-pah64y0

10. Crossroads - Eric Clapton - http://youtube.com/watch?v=BXTrmwQuSZQ

11. Voodo Chile - Jimi Hendrix - http://youtube.com/watch?v=TGz_s-l5zEs

12. Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry - http://youtube.com/watch?v=LsHPBDa8ts0

13. Texas Flood - Stevie Ray Vaughan - http://youtube.com/watch?v=YDBIbJKjAZQ

14. Layla - Clapton/Allman - http://youtube.com/watch?v=yMhUG2B5qOs

15. Floods - Dimebag Darrel - http://youtube.com/watch?v=w_Tol4nP6Os

16. Heartbreaker - Jimmy Page - http://youtube.com/watch?v=jOdPGxji30c

17. Cliffs Of Dover - Eric Johnson - http://youtube.com/watch?v=M0Sm-14F7cI

18. Little Wing - Jimi Hendrix - http://youtube.com/watch?v=NT86jjGz60k

19. Highway Star - Ritchie Blackmore - http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?ei...Highway%2BStar

20. Bohemian Rhapsody - Brian May - http://youtube.com/watch?v=veTm1sZz2eo

[RobP]

Since you mentioned Ozzy Osbourne.........


The "Blizzard Of Oz" and "Dairy Of A Madman" albums, featuring.....


Randy Rhodes !!!!! Randy was simply amazing!!! Genius!

:agree: :dudes:

I love how Diary of a Madman starts out, nice blend of classical guitar and metal. Love it..

[sikoniko]

not a single mention of two of my favorite bands...

aerosmith - tough to choose just one, but love in an elevator for starters. how about "i aint got you" from Live! bootleg. draw the line...

red hot chili peppers - i saw them last week in orlando. a guitar lovers dream come true. they closed the night with a 15 minute guitar solo! which song to choose... wow! the whole album of stadium arcadium? well, my favorite is actually i could have lied from blood sugar sex magik.


ok, i'll move on...

led zeppelin - heart breaker. how many songs actually break for a guitar solo?

cream - sunshine of your love.

ac/dc - ok, maybe this is one of the greatest guitar riffs in my opinion for a song all together...

pink floyd - shine on you crazy diamond... love david gilmour solos! basically the whole song is a solo.

janes addiction - 3 days

jimi hendrix - sand castle made of sand - love the backwards guitar solo's!

santana - black magic woman

john lee hooker - boom boom

van halen - hot for a teacher

david lee roth - yankee rose

primus - winonas big brown beaver

beatles - within you, without you ( or is that a sitar?, can't remember off the top of my head).

thats off the top of my head... im sure i have missed a lot.

[Alaric]

Just for the hell of it...

Being guilty in a previous post.....isn't a solo just that...? I think everything else is a "riff". Having said that ,I intend to ignore it.

p.s. I think Live At The Filmore East was Duane Allman. Anything prior to 1971 (Eat A Peach) would be Duane on the slide guitar. If you're a fan of Duane you may like Derek Trucks. I saw him at the Junkyard , north of Orlando , and at the age of 13 he picked up Statesboro Blues and made it do what he wanted. The band left the stage for 20 minutes while "the kid" proceeded to whale the snot out of a slide guitar. One of the best live performances I've ever seen-and I've seen Floyd,Clapton,Sabbath(Dio & Ozzy),Nugent(12 times),AC/DC,ZZ Topp,David Gilmour,The Guess Who,BTO,Steppenwolf,Heart,Motorhead,Foghat,Blue Oyster Cult,Pat Travers,Robin Trower,B.B. King,Robert Cray,Scorpions,and a few others. Derek Trucks is the real deal. Not crazy about his recorded stuff,but live?He's great.
So I'll throw out Gilmour's There's No Way Out Of Here-Guitar is subtle , like Robbie Robertson and Paul Simon, but very good.

[2Below]

Now these are more blues themed solos so here we go:

Luther Allison - Cherry Red Wine
Walter Trout - If You Just Try
Mighty Sam McClain - Tired of These Blues

[adamt]

Frank Zappa-Muffin Man
Jake Cinninger-Higgins-Chicago Theater 3/10/06

[FrancoB]

How could you guys miss "I believe in you" by Y&T.

Dave Meniketti is just awesome. And the guy can sing too!!