I’ve been out in the garage these last few days listening to some classic rock station - AC DCs 10+ versions of their One Song, wincing everytime over Geddy Lee’s prog rock castrato castigating - WTF- Didacts and Narpets?, and mostly wondering why Clapton is considered such a God when nobody I know really ever whistles, or has ringtones of, any of his hooks - mainly because he doesn’t really have that many, much like Rush. Or the Black Crowes.
1. David Gilmore - Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd
2. Brian May - Killer Queen by Queen
3. Jimmy Page - Stairway To Heaven by Led Zeppelin
3. Jimi Hendrix - Purple Haze by Jimi Hendrix Experience
4. John Squire - Love Spreads by The Stone Roses
5. Eddie Van Halen - Beat It by Michael Jackson
6. Slash - Sweet Child O’ Mine by Guns N’ Roses
7. Eric Clapton - While My Guitar Gently Weeps by The Beatles
8. Elliot Randall - Reelin’ In The Years by Steely Dan
9. Matt Bellamy - Knights Of Cydonia by Muse
10. Lindsay Buckingham - Go Your Own Way by Fleetwood MAC
I dunno, I like Lindsay’s “Eyes of the World” much better, heck even pop licks on Concrete Blonde’s “Joey” or Mike Oldfields “duo solo” on “Moonlight Shadow” are more original than some of this crap. Like Eddie Van Halen’s farting in the tub. Oh wait, those are scales he’s playing.
Just off the top of my head I can add a few personal favourites.
Jack White - Ball and Biscuit by the White Stripes
Richard Thompson - Tear Stained Letter
Robby Krieger - Light My Fire by the Doors (the album version with back to back keyboard/guitar solos)
Pete Townshend - Won’t Get Fooled Again by the Who
The Edge - The Fly by U2 (just to piss you off, Biafra)
I will give credit where credit is due, Lindsey Buckinham is the most underrated guitar player that I’ve ever heard. When he left Fleetwood Mac, they hired two guitarists to replace him.
But I have problems with a list of greatest guitar solos that doesn’t have one of them from “Live At the Filmore East” by The Allman Bros. Band. There could be 5 solos from that album alone on that list. I’m not joking. Also, a list of greatest guitar solos that doesn’t include Carlos Santana or Stevie Ray Vaughn is pretty much a shit list. And Gary Moore. Jeez…
By the way, in 2003 Rolling Stone compiled a list of the ten greatest guitarists of all time that I don’t have much problem with, at least the top 5 (I would have omitted Clapton) :
5. Robert Johnson
4. Eric Clapton
3. B.B. King
2. Duane Allman
1. Jimi Hendrix
Bear in mind that Duane Allman died before his 25th birthday. Imagine being mentioned in the same breath as those other greats at that age. He was truly gifted. I’ve long believed that the greatest musicians of the 20th Century, in no particular order are: John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Jimi Hendrix and Duane Allman. And I could imagine Duane playing note for note with all three of the others.
I find Stevie Ray to be over-rated. Technically he’s brilliant, but I find him repetitive and lifeless. (although I did like his version of Superstition). I’d rather listen to someone like Jack White or Kurt Cobain who play light they frickin mean it, or someone like Lindsay Buckingham or George Harrison who play with controlled restraint and very little showiness.
Another underappreciated great is Richard Thompson.
Crichton, I’ve never really heard much Allman Brothers, but I keep hearing their name come up. If I wanted to get something they did, where should I start?
I will give credit where credit is due, Lindsey Buckinham is the most underrated guitar player that I’ve ever heard.
“Fireflies” is another Mac song that has just enough notes.
By the way, in 2003 Rolling Stone compiled a list of the ten greatest guitarists of all time that I don’t have much problem with, at least the top 5 (I would have omitted Clapton):
5. Robert Johnson
4. Eric Clapton
3. B.B. King
2. Duane Allman
1. Jimi Hendrix
Danny Gatton seems to be widely ignored in most lists…
“Sultans of Swing” was mentioned at the Q website; Knopfler had his moments too…
I find Stevie Ray to be over-rated. Technically he’s brilliant, but I find him repetitive and lifeless. (although I did like his version of Superstition).
Still no reason for David Bowie to air guitar him in the “Lets Dance” videos. With gloves on, no less.
I’d rather listen to someone like Jack White or Kurt Cobain who play light they frickin mean it.
Kurt often just repeated the songs’ chorus and it sounded just fine too.
I find Stevie Ray to be over-rated. Technically he’s brilliant, but I find him repetitive and lifeless. (although I did like his version of Superstition).
Still no reason for David Bowie to air guitar him in the “Lets Dance” videos. With gloves on, no less.
I’d rather listen to someone like Jack White or Kurt Cobain who play light they frickin mean it.
Kurt often just repeated the songs’ chorus and it sounded just fine too.
I often preferred Stevie Ray guesting on other people’s albums, like Let’s Dance. I mean he is technically amazing, but I always thought he needed someone around to say “this is my album, I just want you to play this and this”, whereas left to his own devices he kind of lost me. His playing on China Girl is stunning.
r.j., if you like Richard Thompson, check out Bruce Cockburn. His fingerstyle playing is amazing and he puts on a great, great show.
As far as the Allman Bros. go, the obvious place to start is the original version of “At Filmore East”, recorded in 1971. It’s considered by many to be the greatest live recording of all time, regardless of genre (which it’s basically it’s own genre, being the origin of “jam band” music--but oh, so much more). It has many of the songs on their first two albums (The Allman Brothers, Idlewild South) but in a live setting, where the ABB soared. It is flawless and absolutely essential for anyone that loves guitar, the blues, southern rock and even jazz. Not only is Duane Allman one of the greatest guitarists of all time (he’s the one playing slide guitar), Dickie Betts was also in his prime and a force to be reckoned with at this time. From the opening of “Statesboro Blues” to the last note of “Whippin’ Post”, there’s not a bad note on the album. If you love guitar, Duane will have you hooked when he opens the album with his slide work on “Statesboro Blues”.
Then, if you find that you have to have more, I’d get the first two albums and “Eat A Peach”, the album that was unfinished when Duane died. “Little Martha”, “Blue Sky”, “Melissa” and the 33 minute version of “Mountain Jam” (from the Filmore concerts) are all essential for Duane Allman fans.
I just finished the book “Skydog-The Duane Allman Story” by Randy Poe, for the second time. Poe describes the impact of Allman’s playing in the following passage. He’s telling the true tale of a nine year old boy and his thirteen year old sister while vacationing at Daytona Beach, Florida:
“As they stood there, looking out at the vast ocean, the boy and his sister suddenly heard loud, blistering rock & roll coming from the big building halfway down the pier. Their father was a minister-their mother a high school English teacher. In their sheltered Northern Alabama/Southern Baptist upbringing, one of the things the siblings never encountered prior to that warm Florida evening was genuine, live rock and roll. Slowly, hesitantly, they walked down the pier toward the music. Afraid to venture too near a room filled with such unquestionable iniquity, they got as close to the building as they dared.
Suddenly, the lead guitar began to wail-playing slow, bluesy licks that mesmerized them both. Ungodly was much too weak a word to describe the music they were hearing. The girl giggled. The boy listened intently, hanging on every note. For him, it was a life-changing experience that he would still remember with total clarity some four decades later.
The girl was my sister. I was the boy. The guitar player was Duane Allman.
Though not as exhaustive, of course, as Poe’s book, the Wikipedia entry is very good:
I consider the deaths of Duane Allman and subsequently bassist and best friend Berry Oakley, to be possibly the most tragic deaths in rock and roll history. If nothing else, the symmetry is absolutely fearful.
Danny Gatton, yes, he is way too overlooked. I’ll also add that though Phil Lynott had kind of a revolving door for guitarists of sorts, Thin Lizzy was responsible for some excellent guitar work, too (even the stuff without Gary Moore).
I have to disagree about SRV, the guy was a master, IMO. He has some incredible live stuff out there, the PBS hour-long live concert comes to mind. My dearly departed Gram and I were watching that one night, and we were both mesmerized (she hadn’t seen or heard him before). Then, our PBS station showed another concert of his that was equally as profound, ending with a gentle, jazz-tinged instrumental. Afterwards I recounted to my Gram how SRV had left the planet at such a young age (she didn’t know he had passed while we were watching the concerts). Upon hearing of his untimely death, my Gram--a former teacher and pianist, cried as she realized he would make no more music.
Another great picker, though I wouldn’t have him on a greatest solo list, is Brian Setzer. I’ve seen him live and he absolutely smokes.
Thanks, Crichton, I’ll check out that live record. Don’t know about a 33 minute song though (I take it that was left off the record and put somewhere else, right?) Anyway, I’ve been listening to the Doors a lot recently, and really enjoying the sound of a tight band who like doing long, tangential jams. So I might be in the right mood for the Allman Brothers.
Playing live is pretty much where the truth comes out about a player. Page tampered with the MSG “Stairway” solo and thats against the rules, I think. It sounds better, but still....
well, well clapton, page, eddie van halen are great
but there are some new artist who should not be forgotten, especially some live performances
links only work for a short time
It seems that the duel guitar leads of Wishbone Ash had some Allman Bros Band influence.
r.j., the story behind the cover of “Eat A Peach” goes something like this:
Before his death, Duane Allman gave an interview giving his views on Vietnam, politics, etc. when the reporter asked “But what are you doing for the revolution?” Duane replied “There’s no revolution, only evolution. I’m hittin’ a lick for peace, and every time I’m in Georgia I eat a peach for peace.” What Brother Duane didn’t explain to the interviewer was that he was referring to a “Georgia Peach”, a regional euphamism for a beautiful woman from Georgia.
It seems that Capricorn Records wanted the ABB to call the album “The Kind We Grow In Dixie”. Drummer Butch Trucks, speaking for the band, told Capricorn president Phil Walden “Call this thing “Eat a Peach for Peace”, and it was whittled down to “Eat a Peach”.
r.j. I wonder if for some reason The Allman Brothers were never that big in NZ?
I’d never even heard of them until Blues started talking about how amazing they were/are a couple of years ago.
Whereas everyone else mentioned in this thread I know well, or least a little.
Ossi, love that guitar in Pearl Jam’s ‘Immortality’ (tribute to Cobain). Great call.
And yeah Supergrass have some great guitar songs, especially on “In It For The Money”. According to Wikipedia, the chord progression as featured in the song “Richard III” was banned by the Catholic church in the 16th century for being “satanic”.
r.j. I wonder if for some reason The Allman Brothers were never that big in NZ?
I’d never even heard of them until Blues started talking about how amazing they were/are a couple of years ago.
Whereas everyone else mentioned in this thread I know well, or least a little.
Yeah, I was at the mall today and I couldn’t find the Allman Brothers anywhere.
Ossi, love that guitar in Pearl Jam’s ‘Immortality’ (tribute to Cobain). Great call.
And yeah Supergrass have some great guitar songs, especially on “In It For The Money”. According to Wikipedia, the chord progression as featured in the song “Richard III” was banned by the Catholic church in the 16th century for being “satanic”.
Mike McCready is great. Very inventive and interesting. Another one I’ve always liked is J Mascis from Dinosaur Jr.
r.j. I wonder if for some reason The Allman Brothers were never that big in NZ?
I’d never even heard of them until Blues started talking about how amazing they were/are a couple of years ago.
Whereas everyone else mentioned in this thread I know well, or least a little.
Yeah, I was at the mall today and I couldn’t find the Allman Brothers anywhere.
When talking about “greatest solos” shouldn’t the solo of and by itself be the most memorable part of the song - i.e. be the song, per se? Kinda like the “Smoke on the Water” riff that lets you wholly ignore its rather idiotic lyrics? How many solos does “Heard It In A Love Song” have - they beat the rube-ish singing hands down.
And I certainly don’t care for “Beat It” but I’ll always stick around for the solo. Same with “Stairway” - all the talk about hobstweedle and “its about doing dope, man” are irrelevant to me. I like the crescendo Page builds leading up the solo and then letting it soar.
“Go Your Own Way” kinda non-verbally continues the discussion in the song. Theres resolve in it , some anguish…
“Paranoid” offers a fitting solo. It sounds claustrophic and, well, high-strung.
I don’t know about the list in the original post, I wonder what their criteria was.
It looks to me like they were rating songs with great solos rather than the solos on their individual merits.
While John Squires is indeed a great guitarist I’m not sure that love spreads would be the tune I’d pick to remember him by. As great solos go it isn’t in my top 50 I don’t think. As a guitarist he would be in there tho.
As for Slash, I’ll take the last 3 minutes of Paradise City over Sweet Child O Mine any day. For the last part of the song he layers blistering fast solo upon solo underneat Axl’s singing, it almost seems effortless. The best bit is, it isn’t really a guitar solo in the traditional sense because the rest of the band are going full pelt at the same time, but if you try and simply listen to Slash you will be blown away by what he is doing.
On a list of great guitarists, Steve Vai would need to be in the top 10 somewhere along with Satriani. Their albums are technically amazing but musically good tho.
My favourite player around just now has to be John Frusciante from the Chili Peppers. Mad as a hatter tho.
Lastly, Blues mentioned the ABB a couple of years back and on a whim I stopped into a record store on my lunch in the hope of buying “eat a peach” They didn’t have it but they had a best of, hits from 69 to 79. I was blown away.
And for any Brits, or folks that have spe
