Sunday, November 19, 2006

Of Riffs and Melodies

There is one thing I've noticed about today's music; there are no guitar solo's. Back in the 70's and 80's when I was growing up and refining my musical tastes the guitar solo was a staple. Remember guys like Eddie VanHalen, Eric Clapton, David Gilmour, Slash, etc... I do... and I miss them.

Today's music is good, don't get me wrong, it just lacks that cool factor. The memorable moment of the soaring sounds of an amplified extended riff from a master musician that once delighted our ears are now just that, a memory. Catchy, one line riffs, and clever lyrics have replaced the glorious sounds of the memorable solo that was a necessity for the bit lip air guitar moment that accompanied those awesome moments.

In memory of the guitar solo and in hopes that someone will redeem it I am listing my top twenty favorite solo's of all time. They are in no particular order but they are my fave's:
  1. Eruption - Eddie VanHalen (VanHalen)
  2. Hot For Teacher - Eddie VanHalen (VanHalen)
  3. One - Kirk Hammet (Metallica)
  4. Fade To Black - Kirk Hammet (Metallica)
  5. Crazy Train - Randy Rhoades (Ozzy Ozbourne)
  6. La Villa Strangiato - Alex Lifeson (Rush)
  7. Bohemian Rhapsody - Brian May (Queen)
  8. Aqualung - Martin Barre (Jethro Tull)
  9. Pride & Joy - Stevie Ray Vaughn
  10. Voodoo Chile - Jimi Hendrix or Stevie Ray Vaughn
  11. While My Guitar Gently Weeps - Eric Clapton (Beatles)
  12. Crossroads - Eric Clapton (Cream)
  13. Layla - Eric Clapton/Duane Allman (Derek and the Dominoes)
  14. Sweet Child O' Mine - Slash (Guns & Roses)
  15. November Rain - Slash (Guns & Roses)
  16. Cult of Personality - Vernon Reid (Living Colour)
  17. Surfing With The Alien - Joe Satriani
  18. Stairway To Heaven - Jimmy Page (Led Zepplin)
  19. Comfortably Numb - David Gilmour (Pink Floyd)
  20. Streams of Conciousness - John Petrucci (Dream Theater)

A couple of these aren't necessarily big solo's but part of instrumentals that just plain rock. There are so many more to choose from. This list represents ones I could recall off the top of my head. Sorry base players and drummers... it's just not the same. Okay except one exceptional drum solo by Neil Peart on YYZ from Rush's live version on Exit... Stage Left.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Praise the Lord that guitar solos have gone the way of the dodo. Seriously. I guess sometimes they're fun, but for the most part I do not miss them at all.

Brian said...

Matt that is blasphemy! The Lord misses the guitar solo too... I'm sure of it.

Dave Ketah said...

This just demonstrates that Matt has not yet reached the upper heights of spiritual maturity where one is enlightened to the deeper secrets.

Anonymous said...

Ah, yes...deeper secrets. Maybe we should cram a bunch of guitar solos in our worship, since by you the guitar solo by nature is divine and spiritual. Not even just solos...finger solos. Man, I bet that would sound great.

I would let you know if it did after my ears stopped bleeding.

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