# Best Rock Instrumentals **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 12, 2009, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-instrumentals/520956 "2009-12-12T03:38:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mangosteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-instrumentals/520956/1 "2009-12-12T03:38:51Z")
Here’s a few of my favorites. What are yours? In Memory of Elizabeth Reed (Idlewild South) _Allman Brothers_ Jessica (Brothers and Sisters) _Allman Brothers_ Little Martha (Eat a Peach) _Allman Brothers_ Bourée (Stand Up) _Jethro Tull_ Black Mountain Side (Led Zeppelin) _Led Zeppelin_ Moby Dick (Led Zeppelin II and The Song Remains the Same and How the West Was Won) _Led Zeppelin_ Any Colour You Like (The Dark Side of the Moon) _Pink Floyd_ On the Run (The Dark Side of the Moon) _Pink Floyd_ Sirius (Eye in the Sky) _The Alan Parsons Project_ Pipeline (Gold) _Ventures_ Wipeout (Gold) _Ventures_ Walk Don’t Run (Walk Don’t Run) _Ventures_ ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-instrumentals/520956/2 "2009-12-12T03:47:22Z")
“Space Invader” by Pretenders ---
**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:** [December 12, 2009, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-instrumentals/520956/3 "2009-12-12T03:54:21Z")
_Whammer Jammer_ – J. Geils Band _Out-Bloody-Rageous, Facelift,_ and _Slightly All the Time_ – Soft Machine _Cobwebs and Strange, Overture_ (from **Tommy** ) and _Underture_ – The Who _Glad_ – Traffic _Atom Heart Mother_ and _A Saucerful of Secrets_ – Pink Floyd _Jazz (Delicious Hot, Disgusting Cold), Music for the Head Ballet_ and _Doctor Jazz_ by The Bonzo Dog Band ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-instrumentals/520956/4 "2009-12-12T03:57:28Z")
Holy shit, _Roundabout_ by Yes. Good goddamn, it’s just amazing. ---
**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:** [December 12, 2009, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-instrumentals/520956/5 "2009-12-12T03:58:53Z")
[Sparks](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ah66Jji74Tk&feature=related) [Quadrophenia](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enMdm46Hmx4) ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-instrumentals/520956/6 "2009-12-12T04:12:03Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > Holy shit, _Roundabout_ by Yes. Good goddamn, it’s just amazing. Now, I love _Roundabout_…but it does kinda have some vocals. 😉 Some of my favorites: _Fire On High_, Electric Light Orchestra _Cinema_, Yes _Child’s Anthem_, Toto _Telstar_, the Tornados _God Save the Queen_, Queen ---
**Author:** ![bmoak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@bmoak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bmoak)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-instrumentals/520956/7 "2009-12-12T04:17:37Z")
Frankenstein by the Edgar Winter Group. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-instrumentals/520956/8 "2009-12-12T04:21:54Z")
No list would be complete without the majesty that is Edgar Winter’s [_ **Frankenstein.** _](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1mV_5-bRPo) Edit: Dang you, **bmaok**! Dang you to heck! Well, at least I put the YouTube link. 🆒 ---
**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:** [December 12, 2009, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-instrumentals/520956/9 "2009-12-12T04:30:25Z")
[Insert name of Jeff Beck song here] ---
**Author:** ![akira5822](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/53a042/32.png) [@akira5822](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/akira5822)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-instrumentals/520956/10 "2009-12-12T04:32:04Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/7iOmo0ZuyNk/hqdefault.jpg "Metallica - Anestesia Pulling Teeth") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iOmo0ZuyNk) Cliff Burton at his finest (Metallica) ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-instrumentals/520956/11 "2009-12-12T04:33:57Z")
YYZ- Rush ---
**Author:** ![ctywkr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecb155/32.png) [@ctywkr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ctywkr)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-instrumentals/520956/12 "2009-12-12T05:09:36Z")
Rory Gallagher - unmilitary two step ---
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-instrumentals/520956/13 "2009-12-12T05:10:14Z")
Damn people. Did they stop making good rock instrumentals after like 1982? ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-instrumentals/520956/14 "2009-12-12T05:20:44Z")
> [@Cubsfan](#): > > Damn people. Did they stop making good rock instrumentals after like 1982? Yes, I believe so. Best Rock Instrumentals must include the rather short but definative Eruption by Van Halen. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-instrumentals/520956/15 "2009-12-12T05:25:42Z")
> [@Cubsfan](#): > > Damn people. Did they stop making good rock instrumentals after like 1982? Please post post-'82 rock instrumental song titles. Is it that hard to figure out? ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-instrumentals/520956/16 "2009-12-12T05:25:46Z")
The end of “Runnin’ Down a Dream.” (ignore the words before it starts) ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-instrumentals/520956/17 "2009-12-12T05:50:23Z")
“Funk 49” by The James Gang (or Joe Walsh alone) “Glad” by Traffic. Not exactly a rock song, but still… “Blue’s Theme” by The Arrows “Hocus Pocus” by Focus “Walk Don’t Run” by The Ventures btw, “Wipeout” is by The Surfaris, not The Ventures. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-instrumentals/520956/18 "2009-12-12T06:01:12Z")
With regard to the Ventures, while they did have the classic “Walk Don’t Run” and a scattering of other good originals, they are mostly known for having covered virtually every surf rock intrumental ever recorded (as well as an enormous number of pop hits). The credit for “Pipeline” should go to the Chantays (1962), and the Surfaris were the first and best with “Wipeout”. Classic surf rock era instrumental greats include “Mr. Moto” (The Belairs), “Baja” (The Astronauts), “Apache” (Jorgen Ingmann) and possibly the best of all, “Out Of Limits” (by The Marketts), a recording I find almost impossible to listen to without conjuring up images of '60s go-go girls. Modern surf rock has continued to be a gold mine of great instrumentals. To name a few: "San Diego Shutdown (Los Straitjackets), “La Planche” (The Vanduras), “Look! No Head!” (Laika and the Cosmonauts), “Unto The Resplendent” (The Mermen) and “Tube Screamer” (The Atlantics). ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@Johnny\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Q)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-instrumentals/520956/19 "2009-12-12T07:12:01Z")
Maggot Brain-- Funkadelic Miserlou-- Dick Dale ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-instrumentals/520956/20 "2009-12-12T07:26:59Z")
There’s a whole genre of modern instrumental music, known as post-rock, except by the bands themselves, who all hate the name. > **[Post-rock](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-rock)** > > Post-rock is a form of experimental rock characterized by a focus on exploring textures and timbre over traditional rock song structures, chords, or riffs. Post-rock artists are often instrumental, typically combining rock instrumentation with electronics. The genre emerged within the indie and underground music scene of the 1980s and early 1990s. However, due to its abandonment of rock conventions, it often bears little resemblance musically to contemporary indie rock, borro Artists such as Ta... My picks: Mono [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3ZpbwpQTfk](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3ZpbwpQTfk) Mogwai [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwDbJXRjvUg&feature=related](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwDbJXRjvUg&feature=related) Explosions in the Sky [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0o8JCxjjpM](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0o8JCxjjpM) None of them have proper videos, but since YouTube seems to be the chosen medium here, that’s what you get. I love surf instrumentals and much of the the classic rock stuff that’s been mentioned in this thread, but no, instrumental music did not end in 1982, unless your musical taste ended in 1982. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-instrumentals/520956.md?page=2)