If there was ever a song that was “not rock” this has to be it. I can’t help but listen to it while I’m hating it though.
I done forgot about Jeff, esp in the 70s period. He was a major name making his records under the category “instrumental,” and maybe the biggest one of those.
So is this post the first to say “Freeway Jam”?
Certainly the greatest instrumental title ever: “Losfer Words” by Iron Maiden.
If we’re gonna push the end-point of the Classic Rock era into the '80s and '90s…
Stevie Ray Vaughan’s expansion of Jimi’s Little Wing
SRV again; Riviera Paradise
For completeness, someone should add The Grateful Dead’s “Drums” and “Space” right?
Call me a drummer disser or a percussion putdowner, but “Drums” was when I would go out to pee. (And I wasn’t the only one)
Country Joe and The Fish - Section 43
I’ll have to second or third Santana’s Europa - specifically, the version on Moonflower. Amazing guitar work. Plus, I like instrumentals that start out slow and build to a powerful conclusion. Freudian, maybe?
I was always partial to Black Pit by Steppenwolf.
^^^^ technically I guess “In the Lap of the Gods” isn’t an instrumental (it has that choral stuff at the end)
Thirding or fourthing that. One of my favorites since high school, dunno how I didn’t mention it. And yes, the Moonflower version.
I’ll drop in a little Tangerine Dream, “Lana’s Theme”. Might be pushing the ‘rock’ definition, but it has good energy to it.
Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow did a nice instrumental version of the old Yardbirds tune “Still I’m Sad.”
Stevie Ray Vaughan - Lenny
“Amazing Grace” by The Mighty Groundhogs.