Whitefang Posted August 20, 2021 Share Posted August 20, 2021 WARNED ya! No need to let us in on ALL your favorite solos. Just a few will do. And maybe a few words about what you like about them(also no need to be over-academic). Personally, I do understand the difficulty in paring down so many great solos I really like to just a few "significant" ones, But I usually go with..... 1. MAYBELLENE (Chuck Berry): Dig that first half of the solo. A lively groove on what's essentially one note bent and bounced to the ear's delight. And proving a great solo doesn't need 500 notes a minute played at 11. 2.SOMETHING( The Beatles): George's solo sounds like a combo of soulful slide and finger to string picking with a haunting effect. 3.CROSSROADS( Cream): From the live "Wheels of fire" recording. Many put this one on a "favorites" list. And why not? An excellent marriage of Blues emoting and rock sizzle. 4. UP FROM THE SKIES(Jimi Hendrix): From the "Axis: Bold As Love" LP. I lean towards the second "outro" solo. A clever dance dressed in some of the best early Wha work. 5.HUSTLED DOWN IN TEXAS(Johnny Winter) Sounds like to me, Johnny's "scatting" with his axe rather than playing a standard solo. 6. SULTANS OF SWING(Dire Straits): That solo by Knopfler that takes us out of there is about the best finger picking on an electric guitar in a rock tune I can think of. Chet Atkins truly an influence on Mark. Whitefang 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted August 20, 2021 Share Posted August 20, 2021 (edited) Nice thread fang I can fire a few off the top of my head Hiway Star - Deep Purple (Blackmore) Really! What's not to love! Burn - Deep Purple (Blackmore) RB just burns (pun intended) thru the entire solo, then he starts the arpeggios, and ..mind blown.. Limelight - Rush (Lifeson) Nothing more to say there, just masterful The Garden - Rush (Lifeson) This is off the last album, a hidden gem it seems, incredible expression and feel All Along the Watchtower (Jimi) IMHO one of his best. Stairway (exactly..) Whipping Post Allman Bros (Fillmore East Album) Those guys were on the top of their game that night, incredible stuff. Blue Skies (Betts) Melodic perfection. Edited August 20, 2021 by kidblast 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zigzag Posted August 20, 2021 Share Posted August 20, 2021 The first ones to pop into my head: Ocean Breeze- Pablo Cruise I've Got a Mind to Give Up Living- Peter Green Green Grass and High Tides- Outlaws Midnight Blue- Kenny Burrell (the whole album) Most any of Joe Satriani's melodic playing; most anything from Jimmy Herring, Larry Carlton, or Pat Metheny 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mihcmac Posted August 20, 2021 Share Posted August 20, 2021 Heres a few that haunt me some times.... Mississippi Queen Leslie West Led Boots Jeff Beck Rocky Mountain Way Joe Walsh Hocus Pocus Focus While My Guitar Gently Weeps Eric Clapton Bridge Of Sighs Robin Trower Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted August 20, 2021 Share Posted August 20, 2021 Everything on this record: rct 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted August 20, 2021 Share Posted August 20, 2021 (edited) Just a few which immediately come to mind - Hendrix - 'Stone Free' and the original short 'Red House' (I am a STAN for Jimi) Clapton - 'Crossroads' is iconic now but 'Have You Ever Loved A Woman' off "E.C. Was Here" should vibrate your vertebrae Peter Green - "Bottoms Up" off "The End Of The Game" - just a jam but what flow! Jeff Beck - "Too Much To Lose" off "There And Back" - more spinal chills Kossoff - "Songs Of Yesterday" off 2nd Free LP. Tommy Bolin - "Stratus" or ""Quadrant 4" off Billy Cobham's "Spectrum" Larry Coryell - "Treats Style", "Gypsy Queen", 1st track on "Fairyland" Johnny Winter (good call) - "I Love Everybody" Wes Montgomery - "Impressions" (live at the Half Note) Jerry Reed - "Alabama Jubilee"; I still have no idea how he came up with this. And that's part of the mystery - how did they know to do that? Edited August 20, 2021 by jdgm 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparquelito Posted August 20, 2021 Share Posted August 20, 2021 (edited) I could point to this entire album, since the guitar work was all Ddick Wagner and Steve Hunter (of Lou Reed's band). And under Bob Ezrin's production, things are wickedly good. (And it goes without saying that any record with Tony Levin playing bass is going to be top-notch.) Drumming is unbelievable. But this song here kind of does it for me. Every riff throughout is sublime, but things really heat up after the 3:00 minute mark. 🙂 Edited August 20, 2021 by sparquelito Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brucebubs Posted August 21, 2021 Share Posted August 21, 2021 This one 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Scales Posted August 21, 2021 Share Posted August 21, 2021 Mick Taylor - Sway (outro solo) - the phrasing. the phrasing. Dave Gilmour - Comfortably Numb (second solo - live at Pompeii is best ever) - nod slowly, shed a tear and punch the air all at one. Paul Kossoff - Heartbreaker - a sad and touching parting gift. Jimmy Page - Since I've Been Loving You - immense and evocative ... spring instantly to mind... not bad for starters though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saturn Posted August 21, 2021 Share Posted August 21, 2021 There's the big, epic solos that always appear on "the greatest" lists. I agree with most of those. I'll list some of the solos I personally like, even if they aren't the most technical or intense etc. One Of These Nights- The Eagles. Can't think of a more "perfect" solo. Starts on one note, follows chord progression, and climaxes on a single note which leads right back into lyrics. Games People Play -Allen Parsons Project. Great phrasing and awesome Tele tone. Ricky Don't Lose That Number - Steely Dan. I could make my whole list just Steely Dan solos, but this Skunk Baxter solo is just single coil bliss. Heart Breaker (Doo Doo Doo) - Rolling Stones. Depressing song, and the solo really isn't very much. But I've always loved it for it's simplicity and feeling. Sign Of The Gypsy Queen - April Wine. I just love the tone and the drama and how it finishes back into the final verse. There's so many more I could list. these were just some ones that came to my head and I figured no one else would pick 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitefang Posted August 21, 2021 Author Share Posted August 21, 2021 (edited) Lotta good ones up there. But remember.... This is about guitar solos, not necessarily a "favorite songs" listing. JDGM: "I Love Everybody"? Yep. For me that one is always in a coin toss with "Hustled Down In Texas" come solo rating. I could also add; RANDY CALIFORNIA's solo in "Mr. Gramophone Man". Pretty good skills for a 17 year old. And too, the one in "Girl In Your Eye." A "great" solo for me isn't always about rapid fire notes and other "pyrotechnics". Many times(as B.B. King always proved) It's about what it SAYS. Not how fast it's said. Whitefang Edited August 21, 2021 by Whitefang Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanHenry Posted August 21, 2021 Share Posted August 21, 2021 One of my favourites is the intro, to Miranda by the band Hustler, played by Micky Llewellyn on a Flying V. Hustler only released two albums and I think their biggest claim to fame was supporting Queen on their 1974 tour, I also know that Queen were big fans of the band. I really doubt anyone on this forum has ever heard of Hustler, but the track is well worth a listen: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RBSinTo Posted August 21, 2021 Share Posted August 21, 2021 Any of Nancy Wilson's intros to Heart songs at their concerts. She is an incredibly talented musician. RBSinTo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitefang Posted August 22, 2021 Author Share Posted August 22, 2021 There is some difficulty to this. We all realize(I hope) that not all "solos" are played exclusively as mid-song "interludes", which brings up the matter of an artist like JOE PERRY of Aerosmith. Some of his best "solo" work is done as "outros" of tunes like; WALK THIS WAY and---- SWEET EMOTION Add those to my list as well. Along with... Neil Schon's quick appearance in Santana's "Everybody's Everything". Whitefang Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted August 22, 2021 Share Posted August 22, 2021 Ry Cooders The Dream is a favourite. It’s very natural flowing playing style with beautiful note crafting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mihcmac Posted August 22, 2021 Share Posted August 22, 2021 (edited) Best guitar not always in the solo section like Whitefang said sometimes memorable things happen as a tag line like Aqualung or Talk Talk by the Music Machine or Sgt Pepper or The Immigrant Song or Purple Haze Edited August 22, 2021 by mihcmac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitefang Posted August 23, 2021 Author Share Posted August 23, 2021 Yeah, it wasn't really necessary to post clips, but I'll join y'all I think MATTHEW ANDES' slide work in this is a good example of what slide can be outside of the blues world. Whitefang Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Natural Posted August 23, 2021 Share Posted August 23, 2021 On 8/20/2021 at 10:48 AM, Whitefang said: ... 3.CROSSROADS( Cream): From the live "Wheels of fire" recording. Many put this one on a "favorites" list. And why not? An excellent marriage of Blues emoting and rock sizzle. ... 6. SULTANS OF SWING(Dire Straits): That solo by Knopfler that takes us out of there is about the best finger picking on an electric guitar in a rock tune I can think of. Chet Atkins truly an influence on Mark. Whitefang Two of my favorites as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CNJ Posted August 23, 2021 Share Posted August 23, 2021 So a few I haven't see yet: John Mayer "Axis: Bold as Love" (saw him do this in concert, he tore it up) Robben Ford "Badge" Los Lobos "Don't Worry Baby" (don't know if David Hidalgo or Ceasar Rosas did it, but suspect they traded off) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitefang Posted August 24, 2021 Author Share Posted August 24, 2021 I've never been a Ted Nugent fan on his own. But His solo on "Journey To The Center Of Your Mind" when he was with The Amboy Dukes was, back in "the day" , a favorite solo. And for some of the kiddies here who are unfamiliar....... NOTE: the '68 footage in this clip is from some TV show on which they "sync'd" and pantomimed the song to the studio track. And for the record, at the time the band was only known as The Amboy Dukes. NOT "Ted Nugent and The Amboy Dukes". And dig the outfits! Whitefang Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle fester Posted August 25, 2021 Share Posted August 25, 2021 (edited) SRV - Mary Had a Little Lamb. + pretty much everything listed above. Edited August 25, 2021 by uncle fester 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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