Best Rock Solo

[MikeL05]

Since it was somewhat referenced in the other post, I thought I'd bring it up.

I can't narrow it down too much... but:

Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven (probably overrated, but damn if it isn't one of the best combinations of guitar skill and composition I've ever heard)

Led Zeppelin - Heartbreaker (more raw and technically harder than Stairway)

...and nearly anything by Pink Floyd... it's rare to hear something that evokes the sort of imagery that I think you find in one of Gilmour's solos.

[istewart]

Derek and the Dominos - Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad?

Very sick. Just listened to it.

[hoopsie44]

White Room - Cream

[IHateKeithSmart]

I'm partial to the Allman Brothers - Blue Sky.

[Los Feliz Slim]

Phish:

Divided Sky
Run Like An Antelope
Fluffhead

[Macdaddy Warsaw]

Built to Spill - I Would Hurt a Fly

Doug Martsch in general solos off wonderfully.

I'll post more as I think of them.

[ptmusic]

[ QUOTE ]
Since it was somewhat referenced in the other post, I thought I'd bring it up.

I can't narrow it down too much... but:

Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven (probably overrated, but damn if it isn't one of the best combinations of guitar skill and composition I've ever heard)

Led Zeppelin - Heartbreaker (more raw and technically harder than Stairway)

...and nearly anything by Pink Floyd... it's rare to hear something that evokes the sort of imagery that I think you find in one of Gilmour's solos.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree with the composition comment (both song and solo), but as far as "guitar skill" goes, Jimmy Page cannot get the nod for best solo ever.

Just because it's on my mind, I'm going to give best solo ever to the same choice I just gave for best instrumental ever: the incredible harmonica solo in the live version of J Geils Band's "Whammer Jammer".

-ptmusic

[Luv2DriveTT]

ERUPTION - Eddie hasn't had it so good since.

TT /images/graemlins/club.gif

[Benal]

I've always liked the solo in Sweet Child O Mine.

[man]

it doesn't really count as rock I guess, but the one in "foam" by phish is superb. its only flaw is that it seems too planned out, and I like spontaneity in solos.

as for true rock, the version of heartbreaker that jimmy page does in the BBC sessions album is pretty un-f*ck-with-ible. he plays some parts much slower, and it sounds amazing.

[Sephus]

guitar solo in november rain.

[steelcmg]

Mr Crowley - Randy Rhoads
No More Tears - Zakk Wylde
Far Beyond The Sun - Yngwie Malmsteen
Floods - Dimebag Darrel

[Benal]

[ QUOTE ]
No More Tears - Zakk Wylde

[/ QUOTE ]

Good choice.

[ewile]

The second concert I ever went to was the Ronnie Lane ARMS benifit show at MSG. Seeing Page do solo (well, actually with a drummer)Stairway was and still is one of the highlights of my rather extensive concert attending carreer.

He was just every bit the rock-star. Lean, double neck guitar...lighters everywhere, the audience doing the lyrics.
An amazing, amazing moment.

[ChipWrecked]

[ QUOTE ]


Led Zeppelin - Heartbreaker (more raw and technically harder than Stairway)

...and nearly anything by Pink Floyd... it's rare to hear something that evokes the sort of imagery that I think you find in one of Gilmour's solos.

[/ QUOTE ]

Shite. 'Heartbreaker' leapt to mind instantly when I read the post title. 'Eruption' a very close second.

Gilmour played a helluva solo on 'Sorrow' in the middle of a downpour during the "Knebworth '90" concert that MTV broadcast. Very memorable.

[bernie]

There's lots of 'em. I take it you mean somewhat extended jams and not just your typical 8 bar deal. The best ones you can hum and stick in your head later on.

One that just jumped to mind is Rush's: Working Man. I'm not that big of a Rush fan, but that solo kicks ass.

Top o' my head best 'composed', imo, is Crazy Train. What other solo would fit that song?

One foot out the door (Fair warning album) is Eddie at his angriest. It comes through loud and clear that he's not really happy at that point in his career.

Badlands: Pick one off their first album. Jake E Lee rocks.

Foghat: Slow Ride (live version)

Typical 80s: The Hunter: Dokken. Lynch at his melodic best.

Too many others...

b

[zephed]

I believe this thread has been done before.

Pink Floyd-Time
Whole Lotta Love-Zep
Thank You-Zep BBC sessions

[asofel]

[ QUOTE ]
Derek and the Dominos - Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad?

Very sick. Just listened to it.

[/ QUOTE ]

so good, so true, and i hope you appreciate duane allman...

[asofel]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm partial to the Allman Brothers - Blue Sky.

[/ QUOTE ]

great to see someone mentioning the Allman Brothers...they never get the respect they deserve...

[oneeye13]

[ QUOTE ]
guitar solo in november rain.

[/ QUOTE ]

amen

[imported_CaseClosed326]

Anything Jethro Tull.

[IQ89]

Do It Again--Steely Dan (Denny Dias: electric sitar)

Comfortably Numb--Pink Floyd

Ramblin' Man--Allman Brothers

Cliffs of Dover--Eric Johnson

Hotel California--Eagles (double lead, Don Felder & Joe Walsh)

Reelin' In the years--Steely Dan

Rock 'n Roll--Led Zeppelin

[maxsick]

"Maggot Brain"- Funkadelic

[Uston]

[ QUOTE ]
Led Zeppelin - Heartbreaker (more raw and technically harder than Stairway)

[/ QUOTE ]

If astroglide sees that me might literally [censored] his pants.

[quinn]

I'd better go ahead here and plug an amazing band that is not very popular (yet)..playing in Seattle this summer..go see them if you can..

http://www.f5band.com

Oh and yes, they have some outstanding guitar on them.

[shakingspear]

Jane's Addiction - Three Days

[ptmusic]

[ QUOTE ]
I'd better go ahead here and plug an amazing band that is not very popular (yet)..playing in Seattle this summer..go see them if you can..

http://www.f5band.com

Oh and yes, they have some outstanding guitar on them.

[/ QUOTE ]

Quit plugging your band (or even worse, your friend's band). You are probably that band's lame guitar player, all proud that you just learned how to play a pentatonic scale.

This is the Best Rock Solo thread, not Craig's List music classified ads.

-ptmusic

[Macdaddy Warsaw]

Angry much?

[astroglide]

there are too many different types to do this one, it's like having a 'best food' contest. it's close to not my favorite song, band, guitarist, or anything but the first song that came to mind in terms of impact and fun was actually van halen's 'hot for teacher'. i can't really say that it defined an era for other musicians, but it defined that moment as THEIR era for me.

[zephed]

[ QUOTE ]
...Rock 'n Roll--Led Zeppelin

[/ QUOTE ]
I didn't know anyone else liked his signature "rushed flurry" in solos. It's a pretty short one.

In My Time Of Dying-Led Zep, there's another good one.

[astroglide]

[ QUOTE ]
If astroglide sees that me might literally [censored] his pants

[/ QUOTE ]

the amount of zeppelin best solo suggestions in here is basically criminal

[zephed]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
If astroglide sees that me might literally [censored] his pants

[/ QUOTE ]

the amount of zeppelin best solo suggestions in here is basically criminal

[/ QUOTE ]
You don't seem to like Zep too much. Howcome?

[IQ89]

[ QUOTE ]
In My Time Of Dying-Led Zep, there's another good one.

[/ QUOTE ]

Nice choice, love the slide guitar on that song. Just finished listening to another great song from that album, "Ten Years Gone."

http://www.mujweb.cz/www/zeppelin/pictures/video.gif

[DasLeben]

Rush - The Rhythm Method (now "O Baterista"). This is the only drum solo I've ever heard of that has been nominated for a Grammy. Neil Peart is a master.

[NoTalent]

[ QUOTE ]
Floods - Dimebag Darrel

[/ QUOTE ]

Thread over

[Brad22]

From the Heavy Metal World:

Metallica - One, Ride the Lightning, Master of Puppets
Ozzy - No More Tears
Pantera - All of them, but I like "Walk" the best

[PokerBob]

Here's To You by The Silos. It is only about 20 seconds long, but something about it amazes me.

[KungFuSandwich]

No woman No cry~Bob Marley
The Thrill is Gone~BB king
No love for hendrix?
Glad to see that there are some Allman Bros fans on here

[fluxrad]

Thank you for being the first to say it.

It's official OOT. After not mentioning Hendrix or SRV in a "best rock solo" thread, and putting Metallica, Nirvana, and Guns & Roses in the top 4 of a "Greatest American Rock Band" competition...

you all fail it. where it = having any taste in music whatsoever.

[x2ski]

[ QUOTE ]
Phish:

Divided Sky
Run Like An Antelope
Fluffhead

[/ QUOTE ]

"Stash" - A Live One Disc 1

[astroglide]

[ QUOTE ]
You don't seem to like Zep too much. Howcome?

[/ QUOTE ]

i think led zeppelin is probably the best rock band of all time, and i love their music

[Your Mom]

Hendrix - Voodoo Chile

[blaze666]

aerosmith, dude looks like a lady. it blows me away, it is melodicallly pleasing, and it is well structured.

[ptmusic]

[ QUOTE ]
aerosmith, dude looks like a lady. it blows me away, it is melodicallly pleasing, and it is well structured.

[/ QUOTE ]

Candidate for "Most Wrong Post Ever". Joe Perry has had his moments, and so has Aerosmith for sure (I actually worked for them once a while back), but neither belongs in this thread. And "Dude Looks Like a Lady" is in the the bottom half of their catalog.

-ptmusic

[zephed]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
You don't seem to like Zep too much. Howcome?

[/ QUOTE ]

i think led zeppelin is probably the best rock band of all time, and i love their music

[/ QUOTE ]
I agree! I don't care what they say about you astroglide, you're alright in my book. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

You said awhile back that Jimmy Page is sloppy live. I think his How The West Was Won + most of the "new" DVD performances were nearly flawless. Agree/disagree?

[zephed]

[ QUOTE ]
Hendrix - Voodoo Chile

[/ QUOTE ]
Voodoo Chile? or Voodoo Child (Slight Return)?

Voodoo Child has the famous intro, the last song on Electric Ladyland.

[Los Feliz Slim]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Phish:

Divided Sky
Run Like An Antelope
Fluffhead

[/ QUOTE ]

"Stash" - A Live One Disc 1

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, that belongs. Ranking the times Trey goes completely nuts is an exercise in futility, resulting in tons of people (although perhaps not here) saying things like "Dude, Murat Theater, nothing beats it." I was going purely studio albums.

[astroglide]

[ QUOTE ]
You said awhile back that Jimmy Page is sloppy live. I think his How The West Was Won + most of the "new" DVD performances were nearly flawless. Agree/disagree?

[/ QUOTE ]

disagree. there are some really amusing sour notes hit with page hitting open strings during misc riffs. it happens really bad in one song, i can't remember which. but anyway a local rock station reported that page edited many of the solos because he was so upset with them. i'm sure it's out there on google. great cd though.

[turnipmonster]

[ QUOTE ]

You said awhile back that Jimmy Page is sloppy live.

[/ QUOTE ]

page was sloppy in the studio as well, the solo on heartbreaker being a prime example. I think he's a pretty sloppy electric guitarist, but his acoustic guitar stuff is amazing and very clean. I love all his playing btw.

[zephed]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
You said awhile back that Jimmy Page is sloppy live. I think his How The West Was Won + most of the "new" DVD performances were nearly flawless. Agree/disagree?

[/ QUOTE ]

disagree. there are some really amusing sour notes hit with page hitting open strings during misc riffs. it happens really bad in one song, i can't remember which. but anyway a local rock station reported that page edited many of the solos because he was so upset with them. i'm sure it's out there on google. great cd though.

[/ QUOTE ]
hmm, ok, I'll try and listen for those. Open strings don't always sound awful, so maybe I just overlook them.

Do you think his "rushed flurry" in solos are sloppy? Do you know what I'm trying to describe?

[ptmusic]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
You said awhile back that Jimmy Page is sloppy live. I think his How The West Was Won + most of the "new" DVD performances were nearly flawless. Agree/disagree?

[/ QUOTE ]

disagree. there are some really amusing sour notes hit with page hitting open strings during misc riffs. it happens really bad in one song, i can't remember which. but anyway a local rock station reported that page edited many of the solos because he was so upset with them. i'm sure it's out there on google. great cd though.

[/ QUOTE ]
hmm, ok, I'll try and listen for those. Open strings don't always sound awful, so maybe I just overlook them.

Do you think his "rushed flurry" in solos are sloppy? Do you know what I'm trying to describe?

[/ QUOTE ]

Jimmy Page certainly rocks, but he is also certainly sloppy, compared to the best of the best. There are countless guitar players with better technique, but very few (none?) I listen to as often.

-ptmusic

[icepick]

Freebird

[zephed]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
You said awhile back that Jimmy Page is sloppy live. I think his How The West Was Won + most of the "new" DVD performances were nearly flawless. Agree/disagree?

[/ QUOTE ]

disagree. there are some really amusing sour notes hit with page hitting open strings during misc riffs. it happens really bad in one song, i can't remember which. but anyway a local rock station reported that page edited many of the solos because he was so upset with them. i'm sure it's out there on google. great cd though.

[/ QUOTE ]
hmm, ok, I'll try and listen for those. Open strings don't always sound awful, so maybe I just overlook them.

Do you think his "rushed flurry" in solos are sloppy? Do you know what I'm trying to describe?

[/ QUOTE ]

Jimmy Page certainly rocks, but he is also certainly sloppy, compared to the best of the best. There are countless guitar players with better technique, but very few (none?) I listen to as often.

-ptmusic

[/ QUOTE ]
Ok, I agree with you.

I think I'm just hung up on the meaning of "sloppy". To me, sloppy is some shitty punk guitarist who can barely play open chords.

Eddie Van Halen sounds pretty "fluid" and clean, and Jimmy Page has a more raw or unrefined sound.

When I listen to both, I don't notice any mistakes. VH just sounds a little "neater", and LZ a little more raw.

I don't think JP does much by mistake. He knows how he sounds, and what he can create with his ability.

Heartbreaker solo (unaccompanied) is a good example of this, I believe. He has one of his "flurries" that sounds "sloppy" but I don't think there is a single mistake in there. It's just a dissonant bit that alone sounds unpleasant.

There are some times in a live performance where he takes a bit like this too far and runs out of steam.

To astro: hah, I just heard an open string biff on heartbreaker from HTWWW.

[astroglide]

i don't hate it or anything. it's easy to have sentiments about it since it's such a classic band and all. this will sound really negative, but if it weren't a classic band i would have difficulty accepting incompetence for style. like if i'm listening to some random guy in a house or a bar playing something and it's sloppy, i think, "that's sloppy." i don't think that it's a style thing, and even if it were i'm sure that it's not some intentional de-evolution where the guy could play perfect but opts not to because he likes to keep it real or whatever. it's hard to say incompetence without it sounding like such a jab but that's not what i mean. and jimmy page can play circles around me. i just don't see it as "style" but i do enjoy it.

[OrangeCat]

Clapton - While My Guitar Gently Weeps

Hendrix - Voodoo Child (Slight Return) The whole song is one big solo

Clapton - Sunshine of your love

Duane Allman - One Way Out (Fillmore East version)

[ptmusic]

One can pick out Eddie's mistakes too, even on studio stuff. With Jimmy, trust me, there are plenty of mistakes. He didn't intend to flub notes. Sometimes mistakes sound cool, even cooler than what was intended, but they are mistakes nonetheless.

JP should be on a pedestal for his writing (including his guitar work) and for his producing, but not for his mastery of the guitar.

-ptmusic

[Sponger15SB]

I can't believe nobody has mentioned the solo in Sultans of Swing?!?!

[zephed]

[ QUOTE ]
JP should be on a pedestal for his writing (including his guitar work) and for his producing, but not for his mastery of the guitar.

-ptmusic

[/ QUOTE ]
Yes, I agree that the former is more important than the latter.

[zephed]

[ QUOTE ]
I can't believe nobody has mentioned the solo in Sultans of Swing?!?!

[/ QUOTE ]
He makes his guitar cry and sing.

[astroglide]

i'm no scholar on the subject, but when it comes to rip-off accusations 2 artists come to mind: elvis and led zeppelin. i've heard zeppelin accused of adapting or flat-out reusing all sorts of 'common' (to blues fans) songs/riffs quite a bit. i don't know anything about blues but i know it's a somewhat popular sentiment.

[asofel]

[ QUOTE ]
Clapton - While My Guitar Gently Weeps

Hendrix - Voodoo Child (Slight Return) The whole song is one big solo

Clapton - Sunshine of your love

Duane Allman - One Way Out (Fillmore East version)

[/ QUOTE ]

Glad to see Duane on here...little surprised about that choice...my brother, who actually plays, and myself, who just enjoys, came up with others:

on filmore, statesboro and don't keep me wonderin for slide
the solo in liz reed is amazing
and he goes nuts on you don't love me...

have you heard his jam V with clapton from the layla remasters? he hits the highest slide note i think i've ever heard...almost hurts, but damn impressive...

[ptmusic]

[ QUOTE ]
i'm no scholar on the subject, but when it comes to rip-off accusations 2 artists come to mind: elvis and led zeppelin. i've heard zeppelin accused of adapting or flat-out reusing all sorts of 'common' (to blues fans) songs/riffs quite a bit. i don't know anything about blues but i know it's a somewhat popular sentiment.

[/ QUOTE ]

And true - some of the plagiarism is shocking.

Still their versions were incredible; I just wish they'd given credit and money where it was due.

-ptmusic

[zephed]

[ QUOTE ]
i'm no scholar on the subject, but when it comes to rip-off accusations 2 artists come to mind: elvis and led zeppelin. i've heard zeppelin accused of adapting or flat-out reusing all sorts of 'common' (to blues fans) songs/riffs quite a bit. i don't know anything about blues but i know it's a somewhat popular sentiment.

[/ QUOTE ]
I think most of the complaints about Zeppelin and plagiarism are Robert's fault for not changing the lyrics, or coming up with his own.

From what I hear, Plant really didn't write many lyrics (JP helped him) until after the first 2 albums at least (? not sure). SO he probably didn't know what to do with a blues song and so just left it exactly the same.