Let's talk guitar solos

[Kurogasa]

As anyone that knows me can tell you, I'm a huge fan of rock/hard rock/heavy metal music. One of the defining elements of these genres is, obviously, the guitar solo. A blazingly fast, complex one. A slower, more relaxed one. It doesn't matter; with few exceptions, a good rock song generally doesn't feel quite complete without one. So I was wondering, do any of my fellow BA music fans out there have any favorite solos?

They can be from any genre, though I expect most will be from rock of some kind, or perhaps jazz or blues. You can list as many or as few as you wish, but I'll start things off with a few of my personal favorites in no particular order accompanied by youtube links. Some are the original song, some are just a cover of the solo by someone who did a good rendition of it, in my opinion XD

Mr. Crowley - Ozzy Osbourne
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-2NQnxDDJE
(This one has two solos. The first one starts at 2:08, and the second one starts at 3:54).

Rime of the Ancient Mariner - Iron Maiden
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgAaRUOSb1c (this is just the original solo by itself...the whole song is 13+ mins long, lmao)

Aqualung - Jethro Tull
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VVZXqB119U

Astronomy - Blue Oyster Cult
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhrGRpFajDE

Deep Purple - Burn
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nd7-PHdbCnE
(Solo at 2:17)

Rainbow in the Dark - Dio
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHkNl758-YM
(Solo at 1:58)

Anyone?

 

[moshimoshi]

It's nice to see Ritchie Blackmore getting some recognition, he doesn't get nearly enough in comparison to his contemporaries as far as I'm concerned. Brain is shutting down now for the night unfortunately so I'm struggling to recall my favourites, should really have left this post until I can brain again, was so shocked at Blackmore being discussed without mention of fairies that I felt compelled to respond.

I always liked the solo from Highway to hell by AC/DC, though that is probably for sentimental reasons as much as musical quality. I miss my guitar now op. :/

 

[Kurogasa]

It's nice to see Ritchie Blackmore getting some recognition, he doesn't get nearly enough in comparison to his contemporaries as far as I'm concerned. Brain is shutting down now for the night unfortunately so I'm struggling to recall my favourites, should really have left this post until I can brain again, was so shocked at Blackmore being discussed without mention of fairies that I felt compelled to respond.

I always liked the solo from Highway to hell by AC/DC, though that is probably for sentimental reasons as much as musical quality. I miss my guitar now op. :/

I know! Blackmore is fantastic, both in DP and Rainbow, and he helped define the heavier genres just as much as any of the others. For example, I think the riff in Highway Star is considered one of the first speed-metal riffs, or something to that effect. He was a pioneer, and for him not to be recognized is criminal.

That's another good one What kind of guitar do you have?

 

[moshimoshi]

I know! Blackmore is fantastic, both in DP and Rainbow, and he helped define the heavier genres just as much as any of the others. For example, I think the riff in Highway Star is considered one of the first speed-metal riffs, or something to that effect. He was a pioneer, and for him not to be recognized is criminal.

That's another good one What kind of guitar do you have?

Yeah, I was lucky that my mum was/is such a huge fan of those kinda bands, I've always thought Blackmore deserved way more credit than he seems to get from the Classic Rock audience, he must be the

Spoiler

Black (K)Night

of the hard rock scene.

Spoiler

That one was bad and I feel bad..

I've heard the same thing you have in regards Highway Star, then of course there's the aforementioned Black Night and that other riff that guitar stores can't seem to get enough of ;P

To get back onto the solo's topic, I feel like I should throw the solo from Stairway to Heaven into the mix; you can easily make the argument that it's overrated and not even Page's best work but it's still very good, a victim of its own success in some ways.

For those who haven't heard it:

Spoiler

[video=youtube_share;7YZb8s7Kxa4]http://youtu.be/7YZb8s7Kxa4[/video]

As for my guitars, I have a Jackson Kelly and some kind of Crafter PRS copy, which despite being pretty cheap is a lovely guitar.

 

[Polgarena]

Slash is my favorite musician and I love how the guy plays. He's amazing. His solos are very good, and one of the best has to be the one from Anastacia ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZNMvztBUwM ).

You mentioned Burn and Highway Star of Deep Purple, and I agree, because most of their songs have very good solos. \m/

I'd like to mention Blackbird (Alter Bridge), I think that Tremonti and Kennedy alternately play the solo.


[Not very related, but the intro riff for Californication from RHCP from their concert at Slane Castle is a good one too.]

 

[igge]

Highway Star is a speed metal riff?!?½?? That is the funniest I've heard all day.

A good guitar solo ( a silly term, as the guitarists rarely play alone... ) is the one that made me pick up my dads guitar and learn to play.

Some Like It Hot by The Power Station. Andy Taylors guitar playing on that album from 1985 (wow, I'm old, ha ha) is great.

 

[Kurogasa]

Highway Star is a speed metal riff?!?½?? That is the funniest I've heard all day.

A good guitar solo ( a silly term, as the guitarists rarely play alone... ) is the one that made me pick up my dads guitar and learn to play.

Some Like It Hot by The Power Station. Andy Taylors guitar playing on that album from 1985 (wow, I'm old, ha ha) is great.

Regarding Highway Star, I'm no music historian by any stretch, but that's what I've read/heard at least ...it was one of the riffs in the song that was considered a proto-speed metal riff, if you will.

That's also true that guitar solo sections aren't truly solo (they have accompaniment by the percussion, the rhythm guitar, etc.), but "list your favorite lead guitar instrumental sections meant to display the virtuosity of the musician" is kind of a mouthful, so I'm using the term 'guitar solo' for simplicity.

Great ones, everyone. Keep 'em comin.

 

[Snickers]

Joe Satriani's Made of Tears is perhaps the best song I have ever heard. Period.
Santana's Europa is a very,very close second.

 

[Polgarena]

I like the solo of Queen's "I want it all". I don't know if it's one of the best, but I enjoy it.

 

[LeaT]

Insomnium tends to have very simple but yet so powerful and effective solos in terms of structure.

Insomnium - Last Statement
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdHpRAad_-g

Daylight Dies - I Wait
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SH9EPSXqXkE

Naglfar - Enslave the Astral Fortress
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzfL4LKv9LM

For me it's not so much about complexity but their ability to evoke emotionality. To really pick out a favorite solo seems almost criminal though. For me, music is experienced as a totality and everything matters as they make up a coherent whole. Take one piece away and it falls apart. The solo has its place there, yes, but as a whole I am not sure if the solo really is what is pivotal to me when it comes to my overall music experience. What matters is the entire presentation of the composition and how everything just fits together. It doesn't matter if you got very strong individual parts but they do not tie into each other. The overall impression will be as a whole, a mess, and chances are that I won't like it anyway.

With that said, I tend to be drawn to music with a simple basic structure but shows an advanced composition within this structure. The chord range may for example be very narrow (and I'm quite averse towards blue tones and chords) but what matters is what you can do and produce within that range. How is it able to touch me musically? Enslave the Astral Fortress has a ridiculously simplistic solo in terms of structure and technique but it works and helps to enhance the song. It plays a role within the composition that if you take it away, the song would be something less. That's why I think it stands out to me as a good solo. Not because it's advanced or complex but what role it fulfills within the composition.