# Rock instrumentals
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-instrumentals/277509
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [December 1, 2004, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-instrumentals/277509 "2004-12-01T16:23:44Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2004, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-instrumentals/277509/21 "2004-12-02T22:18:58Z")
_The Return of the Hellecasters_ by the Hellecasters
_88 Elmira Street_ by Danny Gatton
---
### Author:  [@buns3000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buns3000)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2004, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-instrumentals/277509/22 "2004-12-02T22:27:08Z")
> [@astorian](#):
>
> The early 80’s reincarnation of King Crimson had some great instrumentals, too… though I haven’t liked anything Fripp’s done in almost 20 years.
>
> Check out “The Sheltering Sky” and “Discipline,” from the “Discipline” album, and “Satori in Tangiers,” from the “Beat” album.
>
> And if you like their older stuff, you might like “A Sailor’s Tale,” from the “Islands” album.
Yep, I like “Discipline” and you are prompting me to dust off “3 of a Perfect Pair” now, but I don’t have “Beat”… or do I? Maybe its in there somewhere.
Concur re Fripp’s last 20 years, sadly.
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### Author:  [@Stan\_Doubt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Doubt)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2004, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-instrumentals/277509/23 "2004-12-02T22:48:03Z")
I doubt instrumentals will be as popular again as they were in the mid-late nineties anytime soon. Two principal factors in the resurgence were the punk explosion of 1993 and the inclusion of some surf tracks on the soundtrack to Pulp Fiction. While there are otherwise a decent number surf revival bands, the major label punk revival helped fuel huge explosion of a lot of sub-genres, such as ska, surf and drag, and even batchelor pad music. While there is a lot of tremendously good stuff from that era (many good bands mentioned already), there is also some serious crap.
I’d suggest an Emusic subscription for your son. For the cost of one CD your son can get 65 tracks of legal MP3s. Since they don’t offer major label doo-doo, the prices are kept somewhat low. You even get 50 free downloads to try it out. Here’s just a sample of what Junior could get in his first month:
The Looney Tunes _Cool Surfin_, The Euro Boys _Jet Age_, A Los Straightjackets record (they have 5 to choose from, including the Xmas record), The Phantom Surfers _The Exiting Sounds of Model Car Racing_.
That Looney Tunes record gets my vote for best surf album of that era, proving yet again that the best American Rock 'n Roll is made in Scandinavia!
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### Author:  [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2004, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-instrumentals/277509/24 "2004-12-02T23:18:33Z")
> [@AskNott](#):
>
> _The Return of the Hellecasters_ by the Hellecasters
>
> _88 Elmira Street_ by Danny Gatton
Yes! I have those. Probably heard about them here, but it must have been a few years back.
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### Author:  [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2004, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-instrumentals/277509/25 "2004-12-02T23:20:01Z")
> [@Stan Doubt](#):
>
> I’d suggest an Emusic subscription for your son.
Heck, I’ll get one for **me.** Thanks. 🙂
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### Author:  [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2004, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-instrumentals/277509/26 "2004-12-03T03:22:44Z")
Check out [Guitar 9](http://www.guitar9.com/). Many of the acts mentioned above can be found there. And with audio clips.
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### Author:  [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2004, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-instrumentals/277509/27 "2004-12-03T07:36:12Z")
Of the Allman’s instrumentals, I prefer **Jessica**.
\*\*Kansas[b/] used to do some pretty good instrumental songs
**YYZ** by Rush is one of my favorite rock instrumentals.
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### Author:  [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2004, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-instrumentals/277509/28 "2004-12-03T07:56:13Z")
**Rush** has a number of fine instrumentals:
_Leave that thing alone
Where’s my thing?
La Villa Strangiato
YYZ_
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### Author:  [@Freejooky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freejooky)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2004, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-instrumentals/277509/29 "2004-12-03T09:31:00Z")
There’s a whole instrumental genre/movement in modern music that’s usually called **post rock** that’s been around for a little over a decade now. The actual bands that get lumped in with the movement vary in style - from the jazz/experimental electronic angles of **Tortoise** and **Fridge** to the epic sludge rock of **Mogwai** and **Explosions in the Sky** to the droning orchestral pretensions of **Godspeed! You Black Emperor** and **Rachel’s.**
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### Author:  [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2004, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-instrumentals/277509/30 "2004-12-03T14:15:48Z")
Steve Morse is the greatest guitar player on the planet. I will not listen to any arguments. Now he is paying the mortgage by playing with Deep Purple but he used to put out tons of instrumental music. I recommend anything by _The Dixie Dregs_ or \*The Dregs \* as they were later called. I guess officially it would be called fusion because it is a cross between rock, jazz and country. I like his solo stuff even better. He had a tight trio called the _Steve Morse Band_ which was still instrumental fusion but with more emphasis on rock. My favorite is the first record _The Introduction_. I’m not sure if he has any recent instrumental recordings.
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### Author:  [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2004, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-instrumentals/277509/31 "2004-12-03T14:34:30Z")
For a more complete look at Steve Morse’s career and recordings here is his [website.](http://www.stevemorse.com/)
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### Author:  [@scotandrsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotandrsn)
#### Post date: [December 3, 2004, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-instrumentals/277509/32 "2004-12-03T15:31:43Z")
> [@Sam Stone](#):
>
> Of the Allman’s instrumentals, I prefer **Jessica**.
Yet another rare but welcome thing we agree upon, **Sam Stone**!
The finest driving song ever.
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### Author:  [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2004, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-instrumentals/277509/33 "2004-12-04T02:34:51Z")
There’s a MIDI of ‘Jessica’ floating around on the internet that’s the best damned MIDI file I’ve ever heard. Sometimes I prefer listening to it over the original, heretically enough.
Search for “Jessica MIDI” and you’ll probably find it.
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### Author:  [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2004, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-instrumentals/277509/34 "2004-12-04T05:58:13Z")
Jeff Beck’s _Jeff Beck’s Guitar Shop_ is nearly all instrumental, and it kicks ass.
Aaaand, since it’s December, have you heard **A Merry Axemas?** About a dozen guitars sorcerers, doing wacked out Christmas music.
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### Author:  [@sleestak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleestak)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2004, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-instrumentals/277509/35 "2004-12-04T10:09:01Z")
As **Loach** said, Steve Morse is the greatest guitar player on the planet(#1). Not only that, he is a really nice guy.(#2)
He has a bunch of CD’s out with The Dregs and the Steve Morse Band(SMB). His latest SMB CD is Major Impacts 2. Major Impacts 1 & 2 is Steve writing in the style of musicians that influenced him. He writes pieces inspired by Zepplin, Genisis, and others. Not a bad CD. My favorite SM disc is ‘High Tension Wires’.
Another great player is Vinnie Moore. He has a new disc out. It’s pretty good. His early stuff had a heavy classical influence. His latest is a little more diverse. Good CD.
Liquid Tension Experiment is pretty damned good. Some really talented guys recorded the CD in a very short amount of time(like a week IIRC). Great CD.
Slee
#1. Steve Morse won the Guitar Player magazine “Best Guitarist of the Year” award. The award is decided by readers. He won it year in and year out. In fact at one point Steve retired from recording/touring and became an airline pilot. He _STILL_ won the award. The magazine finally retired Steve from being eligable for the award because he won it so many times.
#2. I’ve met him a couple of times. He is just a nice, sweet guy who goes out of his way to talk to fans and give advice.
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### Author:  [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2004, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-instrumentals/277509/36 "2004-12-04T10:27:58Z")
> [@Loach](#):
>
> Now he is paying the mortgage by playing with Deep Purple but he used to put out tons of instrumental music. .
Let’s not diss his work with Deep Purple. Steve has cut three albums with those guys (2 studio, 1 live) and they are all really good. In fact, _Purpendicular_ might be Deep Purple’s best.
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### Author:  [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2004, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-instrumentals/277509/37 "2004-12-04T14:28:58Z")
> [@spooje](#):
>
> Let’s not diss his work with Deep Purple. Steve has cut three albums with those guys (2 studio, 1 live) and they are all really good. In fact, _Purpendicular_ might be Deep Purple’s best.
To be honest I have been going through a point in my life where I did not listen to music much. Since I have been working out like a demon lately I have been listening to music again including a lot of Steve Morse. I have not heard much of the new Deep Purple. I will give it a try. I didn’t know about the live album, sounds interesting. I was able to see the Steve Morse Band at the Stone Pony years ago. I was about 5 feet away from Steve Morse. He is unbelievable live.
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### Author:  [@NicePete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicePete)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2004, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-instrumentals/277509/38 "2004-12-04T16:49:48Z")
Two of my favorite Zappa albums are almost exclusively instrumental: _Hot Rats_ and _Burnt Weeny Sandwich_. _Sleep Dirt_ is another good instrumental album. Of course, there are great insturmental pieces on every Zappa album.
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### Author:  [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2004, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-instrumentals/277509/39 "2004-12-04T18:54:35Z")
> [@WordMan](#):
>
> On purely hard-rock basis - there of course is **Joe Satriani’s Surfing with the Alien**
Along this line, check out Eric Johnson’s _Ah Via Musicom_ (not all instrumental, but many tracks are) and _G3: Live in Concert_ (Satriani, Johnson, and Steve Vai).
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### Author:  [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2004, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-instrumentals/277509/40 "2004-12-05T02:30:08Z")
> [@Loach](#):
>
> To be honest I have been going through a point in my life where I did not listen to music much. Since I have been working out like a demon lately I have been listening to music again including a lot of Steve Morse. I have not heard much of the new Deep Purple. I will give it a try. I didn’t know about the live album, sounds interesting. I was able to see the Steve Morse Band at the Stone Pony years ago. I was about 5 feet away from Steve Morse. He is unbelievable live.
Steve w/ Deep Purple
[http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000001Y9I/qid=1102213517/sr=1-25/ref=sr\_1\_25/102-0666271-1791332?v=glance&s=music](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000001Y9I/qid=1102213517/sr=1-25/ref=sr_1_25/102-0666271-1791332?v=glance&s=music)
[http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000007N8O/ref=pd\_bxgy\_text\_1/102-0666271-1791332?v=glance&s=music&st=\*](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000007N8O/ref=pd_bxgy_text_1/102-0666271-1791332?v=glance&s=music&st=*)
[http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005GD5C/qid=1102213817/sr=1-147/ref=sr\_1\_147/102-0666271-1791332?v=glance&s=music](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005GD5C/qid=1102213817/sr=1-147/ref=sr_1_147/102-0666271-1791332?v=glance&s=music)
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