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The greatest guitar riff ever


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From http://www.thisdayinmusic.com

 

May 2nd, 2004, Total Guitar magazine's readers voted Guns N' Roses' anthem ‘Sweet Child O' Mine’ as the greatest guitar riff ever ahead of Nirvana's grunge anthem ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’. Led Zeppelin's ‘Whole Lotta Love’ came third, followed by Deep Purple's ‘Smoke On The Water’.

 

Total Guitar editor Scott Rowley said: "To a new generation of guitarists, Guns N' Roses are more thrilling than the Sex Pistols."

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Any magazine with a poll that places Nirvana ahead of Zep and Purple doesn't get more than one look form me.

 

+2

 

There's a couple hundred songs in their catalogs, and thousands in classic rock as a whole that should be on that list first.

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Which he stole from Boston's More Than a Feeling..... although Zep was never opposed to lifting a riff now and then.

Smells Like Teens Spirits reminds me of Blue Oyster Cults Godzilla. Heartbreaker or Black Dog should have been top riffs. Played by JIMMY PAGE, THE GREATEST ROCK GUITARIST OF ALL TIME!!!!!!!!!

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'Sweet Child O Mine' and 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' in the top 2? Geez.

 

What about 'Johnny B. Goode' or ANYTHING by AC/DC, or '21st Century Schizoid Man', or 'Iron Man' or 'Reign In Blood' 'Purple Haze' or...?

 

There are just too many awesome riffs for there to be one Highlander of Riffs. I'm with 'em on Led Zeppelin though. Jimmy was a riff factory.

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Any magazine with a poll that places Nirvana ahead of Zep and Purple doesn't get more than one look form me.

!! My thoughts exactly.

 

I always liked the intro to Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love by Van Halen.

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Aw man....

 

Page has more stuff up his sleeve than most people realize.

 

There's at least a dozen killer songs that I've NEVER heard on the radio, but make me stop in my tracks when I hear 'em.

 

Cell phone ring tones, guys at work playing Led Zep at their desk, etc.

 

Lotsa good stuff there.

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'Sweet Child O Mine' and 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' in the top 2? Geez.

 

It just goes to show which reader's did the voting. I love Pagey's riffs, but there are many; Thin Lizzy - Chinatown & Ballad of a Hard Man, Ted Nugent - Great White Buffalo, Stranglehold, Cat Scratch Fever, Van Halen - Take Your Whiskey Home & Mean Street, Aerosmith - Walk This Way & Back In The Saddle, and the list goes on.....

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Zappa's every note.

Gatton's every note

Allman's every note

Atkins' every note

or

My two string leads to, "Time Won't Let Me" or D finger postioned, "Gloria"...... smokin!

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There's so many great guitar "riffs," that anyone's designation as "the greatest" is just THEIR opinion,

and just another long "tail chase,"...IMHO. I find it hard to stomach ANY of the "guitar" magazines, anymore,

except maybe "Vintage Guitar," or Acoustic Guitar. All the others are of no use to me, whatsoever. I'm in the

wrong demographic. LOL! And, they're all "Advertising," anyway...80-90%, in some cases. ;>b

 

CB

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It is a reader's poll, take it for what it is. That shows you who is reading that particular magazine.

 

If someone does not agree with you on Led Zeppelin riffs why get bothered? maybe another guitar magazine would have Led Zeppelin as number 1, you just have to pic that magazine instead of the other.

 

I am myself more a Sabbath fan than a Zeppelin fan.

 

I love classic rock but as anything else in life there are no absolutes.

 

If I was going to vote for one of the best riffs ever, I would vote for AC/DC's "Giving th Dog a Bone"

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