# Best Rock And Roll Electric Guitar/Instrumental Album? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 7, 2011, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-and-roll-electric-guitar-instrumental-album/581102 "2011-05-07T23:20:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2011, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-and-roll-electric-guitar-instrumental-album/581102/1 "2011-05-07T23:20:06Z")
I have to vote Vai’s _Passion And Warfare_ for best electric rock instrumental album. Yngwie’s “Rising Force” was a candidate, as was Satriani’s “Surfing With The Alien” but ultimately, I have to go with Vai’s recording. I like fast electric guitar, but that’s all Yngwie does. I like a more rock and roll appeal too, and that’s what Satriani is best at. But Vai has weird Zappa influences on his music, and I like that even more. I tend to think of Vai as a modern day Hendrix. I can’t see how anyone would disagree with that, given that both of them pushed the technological envelope almost as far is it could go for their time. Which continues today in the case of Vai. I often wonder what Hendrix would be playing today if he were alive and had the access to the processing technology that Steve Vai does. I wonder if Hendrix would listen to some of Vai’s recordings and imagine himself playing like that, or with that ability to generate new sounds and techniques. I have to give examples to support my OP in the sense that I believe that Steve Vai is the closest thing my generation has to Jimi Hendrix. I think he is, but his impact on non-geek guitarists is likely minimal compared to Hendrix because what Jimi did then was more surprising than what Steve does now. Anyway: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/QkF-WZVEBBk/hqdefault.jpg "Steve Vai Blue Powder") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkF-WZVEBBk) [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/SeVPI95NmK4/hqdefault.jpg "Sisters Steve Vai") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeVPI95NmK4) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/mDZuNM3HmU4/hqdefault.jpg "Steve Vai - "For The Love Of God" - G3 1996") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDZuNM3HmU4) Demonstration: [Steve Vai Demonstration - YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnTLZ59eUMY) ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2011, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-and-roll-electric-guitar-instrumental-album/581102/2 "2011-05-07T23:34:43Z")
On the third link, scroll over to the 9 minute mark and be amazed. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2011, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-and-roll-electric-guitar-instrumental-album/581102/3 "2011-05-07T23:43:25Z")
All that said, there’s got to be a reward for Stevie Ray Vaughn (speaking of Hendrix) even though he wasn’t the natural instrumentalist. Jesus, that guy shouldn’t have died when he did. Talk about talented. Fuck. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GU3lKAA2qI) ---
**Author:** ![TheBoltEater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@TheBoltEater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBoltEater)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-and-roll-electric-guitar-instrumental-album/581102/4 "2011-05-08T02:51:51Z")
Ever heard the Liquid Tension Experiment? It’s basically just Dream Theater with a different bassist, but it’s pretty awesome. Check out [Acid Rain](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sA079BM0MuM), my choice for best rock instrumental of all time (from the 2nd and last L.T.E. album) ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-and-roll-electric-guitar-instrumental-album/581102/5 "2011-05-08T03:37:55Z")
Frank Zappa’s _Shut Up And Play Yer Guitar_ is my pick. Since it was issued on CD, it also includes the subsequent LP releases _Shut Up And Play Yer Guitar Some More_ and _Return of the Son of Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar_, and as a package, I just don’t think it can be beat. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-and-roll-electric-guitar-instrumental-album/581102/6 "2011-05-08T11:06:58Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Frank Zappa’s _Shut Up And Play Yer Guitar_ is my pick. Since it was issued on CD, it also includes the subsequent LP releases _Shut Up And Play Yer Guitar Some More_ and _Return of the Son of Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar_, and as a package, I just don’t think it can be beat. I forgot _all about_ that release. Its been a long time since I listened to it. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-and-roll-electric-guitar-instrumental-album/581102/7 "2011-05-08T11:08:47Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > On the third link, scroll over to the 9 minute mark and be amazed. Should be “5 minute mark”…durka durka… ---
**Author:** ![Uncle\_Brother\_Walker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f08c70/32.png) [@Uncle\_Brother\_Walker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncle_Brother_Walker)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-and-roll-electric-guitar-instrumental-album/581102/8 "2011-05-09T01:45:24Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > All that said, there’s got to be a reward for Stevie Ray Vaughn (speaking of Hendrix) even though he wasn’t the natural instrumentalist. > > Jesus, that guy shouldn’t have died when he did. Talk about talented. Fuck. > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GU3lKAA2qI](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GU3lKAA2qI) Dude, if you’re going to answer your own questions, why do I read? 😛 When I first read your post, I started this whole argument for SRV in my head. Started to make some good arguments and all that. Then I started watching the vids. I’ve never … appreciated… Zappa, but I can respect his contribution. …and then you went and proved me right about Stevie Ray. ::Walker out:: ---
**Author:** ![groovie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d6d6ee/32.png) [@groovie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groovie)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-and-roll-electric-guitar-instrumental-album/581102/9 "2011-05-09T09:19:13Z")
Hello I’d like to nominate Jeff Beck for both Blow By Blow and Guitar Shop. Great player, both fast and slow, and some cracking tunes too. If you are of the modern school of guitar(Van Halen onward), you might prefer Guitar Shop. Regards Groovie ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-and-roll-electric-guitar-instrumental-album/581102/10 "2011-05-09T12:47:22Z")
> [@groovie](#): > > Hello > > I’d like to nominate Jeff Beck for both Blow By Blow and Guitar Shop. Great player, both fast and slow, and some cracking tunes too. > If you are of the modern school of guitar(Van Halen onward), you might prefer Guitar Shop. > > Regards > Groovie I used to own _Guitar Shop_ and it is indeed a good album. How could I forget about Jeff Beck? Christ. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-and-roll-electric-guitar-instrumental-album/581102/11 "2011-05-09T13:52:37Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > I used to own _Guitar Shop_ and it is indeed a good album. How could I forget about Jeff Beck? Christ. Shame on you. 😉 The biggest issues with Beck is that: a) much of his instrumental stuff is not “rock”; and b) he is a brilliant interpreter - the best; the closest thing to an opera diva we have playing guitar - but sometimes the material isn’t up to his interpretation. There are usually 2 - 3 dog tracks on an instrumental Beck CD. But across his body of work? No one even comes close, imho. Since the OP used the phrase Rock and Roll, I have to nominate **Freddy/Freddie King’s** [Let’s Hide-Away and Dance Away](http://www.amazon.com/Lets-Hide-Away-Dance/dp/B00000179Z). If you don’t dig his licks on legendary tracks like [Hide Away](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbqtnNorgQA), [The Stumble](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcF2zWhNdHA)and [San Ho-Zay](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFx9cyJ0mhE);), well, you’re missing out. One of the great Texas Blues players and hugely influential to all the guitar heroes you can think of. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-and-roll-electric-guitar-instrumental-album/581102/12 "2011-05-09T15:13:07Z")
One of my absolute faves is [Nouveau Calls](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nouveau_Calls) by Wishbone Ash. ---
**Author:** ![mindfishreader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8dc957/32.png) [@mindfishreader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mindfishreader)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-and-roll-electric-guitar-instrumental-album/581102/13 "2013-02-26T09:55:36Z")
The best in my opinion is little-known ‘1990’ by Dave Sharman. Released in 1989 I think and written when he was in his teens or thereabout. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyxKVToYc30](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyxKVToYc30) The guy is on itunes. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-and-roll-electric-guitar-instrumental-album/581102/14 "2013-02-26T12:41:19Z")
Soft Machine **[Third](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ovor_ZWrAm8)** (If we ignore “Moon in June”; if that disqualifies it, then go with Soft Machine **[Fourth](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPgAlWYbY-g)**). ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-and-roll-electric-guitar-instrumental-album/581102/15 "2013-02-28T23:09:32Z")
A little more Vai love-- his tearing it up at the end of Public Image Limited’s [Ease](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cf0K6tZz0Ro). The story is they called him up and asked for a solo, and well, got one. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-and-roll-electric-guitar-instrumental-album/581102/16 "2013-02-28T23:25:11Z")
> [@Darth\_Nader](#): > > A little more Vai love-- his tearing it up at the end of Public Image Limited’s [Ease](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cf0K6tZz0Ro). The story is they called him up and asked for a solo, and well, got one. Hey! That is a good solo. Never heard of it before, thanks for putting that up. Who is that singer on that? It sounds a lot like Johnny Rotten or one of the English punks. Weird song. While I do think the solo is great, I do not think it really fits the vibe of the song very well. In fact, I think that most of Vai’s solos only fit Vai’s songs, with the caveat of perhaps the stuff he did with Zappa, of which I am less familiar, and the songs he did with David Lee Roth, of which I am intimately familiar. In terms of conventional pop rock music, his stuff with Roth is his best, IMO…and as music, really isn’t comparable to his work on his solo albums. If I had to pick a favorite “weird” Vai song/solo, it’s probably “Junkie” or “Call It Sleep” from _Flexable_, his first solo effort (in 1984! Now I officially feel very old!). For a long time I couldn’t find anything from _Flexable_ online, but now it’s up there. “Junkie” (the song is kind a turd but the solo is so bizarre its worth the listen if you’ve not heard it): [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OaLbZh\_vl4](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OaLbZh_vl4) As far as the best Vai instrumental _entire album_, _Passion and Warfare_ is simply it. There are too many great tunes on there, and it’s so well-produced. ---
**Author:** ![Ostrya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/35a633/32.png) [@Ostrya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ostrya)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-and-roll-electric-guitar-instrumental-album/581102/17 "2013-02-28T23:30:40Z")
> [@groovie](#): > > Hello > > I’d like to nominate Jeff Beck for both Blow By Blow and Guitar Shop. Great player, both fast and slow, and some cracking tunes too. > If you are of the modern school of guitar(Van Halen onward), you might prefer Guitar Shop. I came to this this thread to suggest Jeff Beck’s 1980 album [There and Back](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/There_and_Back_%28Jeff_Beck_album%29). ---
**Author:** ![kirk1168](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/45deac/32.png) [@kirk1168](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kirk1168)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2013, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-and-roll-electric-guitar-instrumental-album/581102/18 "2013-03-01T01:19:30Z")
Some great records here! I’ll add _Time Odyssey_ by Vinnie Moore. Still my favorite rendition of Bach’s _Air on the G String_. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2013, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-and-roll-electric-guitar-instrumental-album/581102/19 "2013-03-01T01:21:46Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > Hey! That is a good solo. Never heard of it before, thanks for putting that up. Who is that singer on that? It sounds a lot like Johnny Rotten or one of the English punks. Weird song. While I do think the solo is great, I do not think it really fits the vibe of the song very well. Yep! John Lydon at that point, former Sex Pistols vocalist. And yes,the solo was bolted on just because.[Album](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Image_Ltd#Album_.7C_Compact_Disc_.7C_Cassette_.281986.29). ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2013, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-and-roll-electric-guitar-instrumental-album/581102/20 "2013-03-01T01:28:08Z")
Philosophical question: how good can a solo be, that does not grow from the tune? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-and-roll-electric-guitar-instrumental-album/581102.md?page=2)