# Greatest guitar solos **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 24, 2008, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-guitar-solos/457622 "2008-07-24T15:54:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-guitar-solos/457622/1 "2008-07-24T15:54:57Z")
I can’t believe we haven’t done this before… but I searched, and if there was a “best solos” thread, I missed it. Anyway, what are your favorite solos? Mine: 1. The one that lasts about three minutes in the middle of Fleetwood Mac’s _The Chain_. British Dopers will know it as the old (BBC) theme music for Formula 1 broadcasts. 2. Slash’s solo at the end of G n’ R’s _November Rain_ - the second solo, after the actual “song” is more or less over, not the conventional one. 3. Iron Maiden - _Afraid to Shoot Strangers_. Pretty much the last 5 or 6 minutes of the song is a solo. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-guitar-solos/457622/2 "2008-07-24T16:05:17Z")
Mike Stern on Mile’s Davis’ KIX. Hands down. It’s seven minutes of guitary numiness. ---
**Author:** ![SaharaTea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SaharaTea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaharaTea)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-guitar-solos/457622/3 "2008-07-24T16:11:09Z")
Jimmy Page has a lot of great solos, but my favorite is “Since I’ve Been Loving You.” And of course David Gilmour’s in “Comfortably Numb.” Stevie Ray Vaughan in “Texas Flood.” ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-guitar-solos/457622/4 "2008-07-24T17:30:28Z")
[QUOTE=Really Not All That Bright] The one that lasts about three minutes in the middle of Fleetwood Mac’s _The Chain_. British Dopers will know it as the old (BBC) theme music for Formula 1 broadcasts. [/QUOTE] You must, seriously, must find the [surround sound mix of Rumors](http://www.highfidelityreview.com/reviews/review.asp?reviewnumber=561800). There are guitar parts in “The Chain” that you never even knew were there from the stereo mix. The DVD-Audio mix will play in surround on a regular home theater surround system. My best guitar solo is Kazumi Watanabe on “Thousand Knives” on Ryuchi Sakamoto’s album of the same name. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-guitar-solos/457622/5 "2008-07-24T17:38:36Z")
[QUOTE=gaffa] You must, seriously, must find the [surround sound mix of Rumors](http://www.highfidelityreview.com/reviews/review.asp?reviewnumber=561800). There are guitar parts in “The Chain” that you never even knew were there from the stereo mix. The DVD-Audio mix will play in surround on a regular home theater surround system. [/QUOTE] I might have to do that. What’s funny is that I don’t like the rest of _The Chain_ at all. Honestly, I don’t really like Fleetwood Mac at all. Just that one sublime segment of one song. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-guitar-solos/457622/6 "2008-07-24T17:42:41Z")
**Steve Vai** ’s solo in **Steve Perry** ’s _Oh, Sherrie_. :: d&r :: ---
**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:** [July 24, 2008, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-guitar-solos/457622/7 "2008-07-24T17:46:50Z")
Steve Vai’s _For The Love Of God_ Jimmy Page’s solo on _Stairway to Heaven_ (seriously, as tired as the song may be, it’s a _perfect_ and arm-hair-raising solo for the song). Yngwie’s _Far Beyond The Sun_ (althought the whole cut is kinda a long solo anyhow). Jimi Hendrix’s _Are You Experienced?_ and _Red House_ David Gilmour’s _Another Brick In The Wall_ (or just about anything Dave does…great improv guitarist) ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-guitar-solos/457622/8 "2008-07-24T17:52:14Z")
One that rarely gets mention is Neal Schon’s solo closing out Journey’s “Stone in Love”. Now, for some of the usual suspects: Eddie Van Halen on “Eruption” and “Ain’t Talkin’ 'Bout Love” Randy Rhoads on Ozzy Osbourne’s “Mr. Crowley” Eric Clapton on “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” Joe Walsh on the James Gang’s “Walk Away” Much of Dick Dale’s catalog, the most prominent being “Misirlou”. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-guitar-solos/457622/9 "2008-07-24T17:58:02Z")
[QUOTE=SaharaTea] And of course David Gilmour’s in “Comfortably Numb.” [/QUOTE] Nearly every song on The Wall has a solo that’s better than nearly every other rock bands _entire collection of soloes_, even the throwaway ones like the one in _One of my Turns_. And of course CN and ABitW2 are miles ahead of anyone else’s best tries. I was going to mention my favorite non-Floyd soloes, but the more I think about them the more they just don’t even come close to the same level as most of the stuff on The Wall. Yes, even the Big Ones like certain songs by Zep and the Eagles. Although _Coheed and Cambria_ did do a decent homage to Wall-y soloes on _The Final Cut_ (doing nearly as good a job as the soloes on the album of that name by the Floyd themselves!) ---
**Author:** ![Frustrated\_Wonderer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a4c791/32.png) [@Frustrated\_Wonderer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frustrated_Wonderer)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-guitar-solos/457622/10 "2008-07-24T19:26:33Z")
Probably “Shine On You Crazy Diamond (pts.1-5)” by Pink Floyd. Gilmour is other worldly in this song, its just amazing. Never heard anything like it before, and never will hear anything like it after. Yeah, it is that damn good. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-guitar-solos/457622/11 "2008-07-24T19:30:00Z")
[QUOTE=TheFury] Probably “Shine On You Crazy Diamond (pts.1-5)” by Pink Floyd. Gilmour is other worldly in this song, its just amazing. Never heard anything like it before, and never will hear anything like it after. Yeah, it is that damn good. [/QUOTE] That has some really great musicianship for me, too, but my favorite part of that song was when they pounded their wankishness at making a 30+minute long song into your face, when one movement ground down to a stop, the hi-hat was hit slowly several times, then you think they will proceed with a verse, but NO! It’s another musical movement (and one of the best soloes on that album, too.) Pure genius. ---
**Author:** ![Flander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-guitar-solos/457622/12 "2008-07-24T19:31:56Z")
EVH on the solo for Beat IT by Michael Jackson! Short, but sick! ---
**Author:** ![Frustrated\_Wonderer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a4c791/32.png) [@Frustrated\_Wonderer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frustrated_Wonderer)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-guitar-solos/457622/13 "2008-07-24T19:36:25Z")
[QUOTE=Ludovic] That has some really great musicianship for me, too, but my favorite part of that song was when they pounded their wankishness at making a 30+minute long song into your face, when one movement ground down to a stop, the hi-hat was hit slowly several times, then you think they will proceed with a verse, but NO! It’s another musical movement (and one of the best soloes on that album, too.) Pure genius. [/QUOTE] Yeah, it’s a slow building up, but when it does, DAMN. Some like it slow, others like it faster. But the sound produced by Gilmour’s solo in that song is unique. But, fine, don’t like it, your loss. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-guitar-solos/457622/14 "2008-07-24T19:38:28Z")
I’m not saying I don’t like it. I’m just saying it’s self-indulgent and slow to build up. I think the part where one thinks that the singing will start and then doesn’t is humorous. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-guitar-solos/457622/15 "2008-07-24T19:43:27Z")
[QUOTE=FoieGrasIsEvil] Steve Vai’s _For The Love Of God_ [/QUOTE] Way back in 1979, I was taking a summer course at Berklee. I overheard a small band rehearsing. They were fargin’ HAWT. They soon became the talk of the school. Everyone knew who they were. They were a fusion band called Battle Axe. Apparently they were some teacher’s special project. He wrote the music and they played it. We got very excited when we found out that they were going to give a free concert. Of course we went. When they were done, the teacher’s project band from the previous year played. I think they were called Winter. They blew Battle Axe out of the water. The guitarist was amazing. I’d never heard anyone play like that before or since. (With the exception of the afore mentioned Mike Stern, who I saw in a tiny club a year later.) Who was that guitar god? Some unknown named Steve Vai. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-guitar-solos/457622/16 "2008-07-24T19:45:38Z")
I’m going to go with Steve Hackett’s solo in “Firth of Fifth”, from Genesis’ live “Seconds Out” album. Gives me goosebumps just about every time I hear it. ---
**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:** [July 24, 2008, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-guitar-solos/457622/17 "2008-07-24T20:05:35Z")
Duane Allman on **Statesboro Blues** or **Whipping Post**. ---
**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:** [July 24, 2008, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-guitar-solos/457622/18 "2008-07-24T20:18:26Z")
[QUOTE=tdn] Way back in 1979, I was taking a summer course at Berklee. I overheard a small band rehearsing. They were fargin’ HAWT. They soon became the talk of the school. Everyone knew who they were. They were a fusion band called Battle Axe. Apparently they were some teacher’s special project. He wrote the music and they played it. We got very excited when we found out that they were going to give a free concert. Of course we went. When they were done, the teacher’s project band from the previous year played. I think they were called Winter. They blew Battle Axe out of the water. The guitarist was amazing. I’d never heard anyone play like that before or since. (With the exception of the afore mentioned Mike Stern, who I saw in a tiny club a year later.) Who was that guitar god? Some unknown named Steve Vai. [/QUOTE] That would have been very cool to see that, Mr Vai at such a young age. I knew there was a reason Zappa took him under his wing! ---
**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:** [July 24, 2008, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-guitar-solos/457622/19 "2008-07-24T21:17:56Z")
Neil Young’s **Cinnamon Girl**. Seriously, it takes talent and huge balls to rock a single note like that. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-guitar-solos/457622/20 "2008-07-24T21:42:49Z")
[QUOTE=An Arky] **Steve Vai** ’s solo in **Steve Perry** ’s _Oh, Sherrie_. :: d&r :: [/QUOTE] Shame on you \*\*An Arky \*\* - everyone knows that’s **Waddy Wachtel** , famed session guitarist and sometime member of Keith Richard’s X-Pensive Winos and another band called Ronin… [Linky to a list of credits for Street Talk, Steve Perry’s album in question](http://www.legacyrecordings.com/Steve-Perry/Street-Talk.aspx) ::straightens geek hat assertively:: 😃😃😃 I just found this thread and gotta run but may find time to dive in tomorrow… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-guitar-solos/457622.md?page=2)