If there was ever a song where the solo had a life of it's own and really helped in propelling the song to it's now classic status, I think this qualifies.
It's such a simple lead, but so perfect for the song. Every note right where it should be.
The thread's too long for me to see if someone already mentioned the solo in Gerry Rafferty's "Baker Street". Not necessarily the great technical guitar skills of some of the others that have been mentioned -- but it sure has a lot of feeling to it.
Also, Al Di Meola's solos in Return To Forever's "Duel of the Jester and the Tyrant" (both parts 1 & 2).
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Gilmours solos are really geared towards the average listener which is an art in itself. Many guys can display their prowess with fancy licks and speed riffs, but you really need some resemblance of a melody for a Guitar solo to become as famous as a vocal hook line.
Money is my favorite from him.
I have so many I love from guys like Eric Johnson, Hendrix, Van Halen, etc.
BUt one old unfamous solos was Steve Howes Intro solos on Yours Is no Disgrace, and all through the song his guitar parts, well at least when I was without pubic hair, was really a new style and sound. Definately affected me, and the bands songs were so different compared to every other group out back then...
There is one more recently that never gets much air play but was the Guitar Solo in a CHuck Mangione song I can't remember the name of, but that guy put a lifes worth of knowledge into 32 bars of perfection. His name was Grant Geissman, thats a name I wont forget. I think the song was Feels So Good, but there were no vocals, probably why I remember it as the guitar solo from Mangiones Band.
here's the man himself doing it . . . starts at 1:40
I'm not a big EVH fan (I've only listened to one VH album all the way through and never tried to learn "Eruption") but the first time I heard "Right Now", I very literally fell off my chair. Beautiful playing from start to finish, and a coherent structure that pulls everything together and makes the solo a little masterpiece all of it's own.
Add to that Larry Carlton's solo on Kid Charlemagne, Steve Lukather's solo on "Jake to the bone", and SRV's "Tightrope" solo and I'm done.
I have a new favourite every week or month. Right now it's Mark Knopfler's "Speedway at Nazareth." His 58 Les Paul has to be my favourite of any burst I've heard. It's a main feature of this number. I'm not a burst nut either. I much prefer Stratocasters, but this is just a beautiful, vocal tone with a unique melody.
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Here is another guitarist that I haven't seen mentioned here yet....Bob Mould (Husker Du, Sugar, etc). While I love and have emulated so many of the artists mentioned on this thread, I grew up in the same city as Bob Mould, and was part of the blossoming Minneapolis scene as it exploded. As a young guitarist in the 80's, my radio influences were what you would expect; Styx, Boston, etc. But as I became more aware of and even more excited about the local scene, Bob Mould's guitar playing was not like anything I had ever heard before, and it affected the way I look at the instrument. Even as I became "more refined" and studied jazz and classical guitar, Bob Mould was (and still is) always a huge influence. Enjoy these 2 tracks. Try to get past the sonic quality, this was the 80's and they were always very raw.
The last one is their furious and beautiful cover of the Byrds "Eight Miles High", which I was lucky to chance on being 1 of 5 people present at a Minneapolis club when they performed it live for the first time. I still get goose-bumps when I hear this.
I concur, I have seen Bob live a number of times and his guitar work is mind blowingly awesome...His solo stuff on "Workbook" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQqKmF5mVP4
is brilliant. Bob and Husker Du are way under appreciated IMHO, Dave Grohl has been quoted saying that the Foo Fighters are him trying to sound like "Zen Arcade" BTW Grant Hart (the drummer for HD) also has some great non-Husker work, notably his "Nova Mob" stuff https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCBd7e0wCBQ , no real solos though...
"Lines in the sand" is one of the best solos I have ever heard. When Petrucci just starts playing from the heart he gets to another quantum level that no one else could hope to reach.
As for EVH, I think his best solo that is just pure magic comes from "One I Want" off of the VH III album. In that song EVH gets into an intense zone that is nearly impossible for 99.99% of all guitarists to enter.
Digging deeper, I think everyone has all but forgotten Vito Bratta from White Lion, but the guy had the most lyrical solos. Remember "Wait"? Almost all his solos were incredible.
Another masterpiece is Tony MacAlpine's "Tears of Sahara" in which he and George Lynch really nail it.
It's a shame that the guitar solo has all but gone extinct.
and one that I didnt found mentioned (I second all of the mentioned in all postings above, though) in any posting: Mick Ronson.
and Teddy Oberg of Livin Blues.
both, Oberg and Ronson define for me what a Les Paul has to sound like.
and Robert Fripp. "21st century schizoid man" by King Crimson, "baby's on fire" by Brian Eno, "hammond song" by Roches, "heroes" by Bowie - to name 4 unbelievable solos.
If there was ever a song where the solo had a life of it's own and really helped in propelling the song to it's now classic status, I think this qualifies.
It's such a simple lead, but so perfect for the song. Every note right where it should be.
Any of Carlos Santana's solo's from the ABRAXAS album.
Gilmour's "Time" is the best guitar solo of all... well... time. There is not one single note in that solo that shouldn't be there (as with most of his solos). He is the Mozart of guitarists.
Another less known, very Gilmour-ish, amazingly soulful guitarist is Steve Rothery from Marillion. Listen particularly to the solos on Sugar Mice, Kayleigh and the extended version of Lavender. While you're at it, listen to the earlier albums, especially Misplaced Childhood and Clutching at Straws. Magical.
There was so many! But the second thing that came to my mind was solo from In Bloom. Sounds like bunch of random notes, yet is expressive, interesting and planned!
Other solos id say from Voodoo Chile', Time, mentioned in post above, Child in Time too... damn. Solo from It is kind of magic is awesome too. Solo from Light my Fire is lovely. Planty of beautiful music.
"Heartbreak Hotel" (ELVIS). It´s rather a guitar - piano solo, and I do not know who played it and once loved the guitar solos in "PO-Jama People" and there is a nice post-released track with solo only (one can not say for sure it was all performed by Hendrix, I doubt it, some enhancements were made in the studio) called "Pali Gap".
There are lots of things people do not like about today´s music, but I do not miss the decades of endless guitar solos ala
Mahavishnu Orchestra or The Cream (also remember listening to many of my fahther´s records in my youth..., but that was then..., and today I mostly hate Autotune and "Music" produced in a daw haha can´t believe I have joined a thread about guitar solos ??? haha (just kidding ;-)
Anything by Michael Schenker - just an amazing, melodic lead player. Can shred, but never at the cost of the song. A live example with an extended solo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pc329GImgl4
Reminds me of a few others from that school, no need to mention any specific solo, pick at random :
Pete Haycock
Mick Dyche
Les Davidson
Geoff Whitehorn (e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sdXwfPBLy4 , how his guitar is the perfect extension of Rodgers' vocals)
... and probably the most unique and diverse player in today's roots music, country and blues scene, the incredible David Grissom : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MC9sWWbCSD8
equally at home at small tents or clubs, superstar stadium gigs and on hundreds of records
... do teams qualify ?
doesn't get much better than Haynes, Betts & Woody in the ABB for me, before Dickey went erratic, telepathic interplay ! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GxKMUzENoo
chosen for its jam factor, but anything from that era is magic
so many great suggestions already,
have fun,
Rhino
Mama Let Him Play by Jerry Doucette. It's all riff and solo and probably one of the best rock songs on the planet. Every bar band in Canada has to have this in their repetoire.
Gary Moore - Midnight Blues
Jason Becker - Perpetual Burn
Steve Vai - Blue Powder (1st Half)
John Sykes - Still of the Night
Ritchie Sambora - Let It Rock
Uli Roth - Sails of Charon
EVH - Hot For Teacher
Randy Rhoads - Suicide Solution Solo (Live)
George Lynch - Dream Warriors
Yngwie Malmsteen - Hold On
If i had to pick just one killer solo, it would probably be:
Joe Satriani - The Forgotten PtII
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