# Who plays lead guitar on 'Gimme Shelter'? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 12, 2016, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-plays-lead-guitar-on-gimme-shelter/745982 "2016-02-12T23:25:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2016, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-plays-lead-guitar-on-gimme-shelter/745982/1 "2016-02-12T23:25:30Z")
I know that the recordings on _Let It Bleed_ came from a hodgepodge of sessions, some still with Brian Jones, some already with Mick Taylor and some without both of them, with some Ry Cooder in the mix (that’s him on slide on _Let It Bleed_, isn’t it?), so I really don’t know who plays which on that album, especially who plays lead on _Gimme Shelter_. The rhythm guitar is unmistakably Keith, and I have a hunch that it’s also him on lead, but I just don’t know. Do you? ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2016, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-plays-lead-guitar-on-gimme-shelter/745982/2 "2016-02-12T23:31:22Z")
If the wiki is [too be believed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimme_Shelter), it was all Richards on that one. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2016, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-plays-lead-guitar-on-gimme-shelter/745982/3 "2016-02-12T23:35:41Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > If the wiki is [too be believed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimme_Shelter), it was all Richards on that one. Well thank you, but I’m a bit embarrassed that I didn’t check wiki myself :smack:. At least my hunch was right. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2016, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-plays-lead-guitar-on-gimme-shelter/745982/4 "2016-02-13T00:32:09Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > I know that the recordings on _Let It Bleed_ came from a hodgepodge of sessions, some still with Brian Jones Note that Brian Jones doesn’t play \*any \*guitar on _Let It Bleed_. He appears on just two tracks, playing percussion on “Midnight Rambler” and autoharp on “You Got the Silver.” ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2016, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-plays-lead-guitar-on-gimme-shelter/745982/5 "2016-02-13T00:46:13Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > Note that Brian Jones doesn’t play \*any \*guitar on _Let It Bleed_. He appears on just two tracks, playing percussion on “Midnight Rambler” and autoharp on “You Got the Silver.” I didn’t know that. But while we’re at it, on which tracks is Mick Taylor? ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2016, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-plays-lead-guitar-on-gimme-shelter/745982/6 "2016-02-13T00:48:36Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > I didn’t know that. But while we’re at it, on which tracks is Mick Taylor? “Country Honk” (playing slide) and “Live With Me.” ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2016, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-plays-lead-guitar-on-gimme-shelter/745982/7 "2016-02-13T00:59:19Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > “Country Honk” (playing slide) and “Live With Me.” Ah, thanks. Next time I listen to the album (after having listened to it tonight in a Stones binge :)), I’ll keep an ear on those tracks. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2016, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-plays-lead-guitar-on-gimme-shelter/745982/8 "2016-02-13T01:31:38Z")
Without a doubt the best Stones track ever. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2016, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-plays-lead-guitar-on-gimme-shelter/745982/9 "2016-02-13T01:39:04Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Without a doubt the best Stones track ever. There are some strong contenders, but yes it is. Arguably the best song that was never a single. ---
**Author:** ![btcg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@btcg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/btcg)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2016, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-plays-lead-guitar-on-gimme-shelter/745982/10 "2016-02-14T14:39:23Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > I know that the recordings on _Let It Bleed_ came from a hodgepodge of sessions, some still with Brian Jones, some already with Mick Taylor and some without both of them, with some Ry Cooder in the mix (that’s him on slide on _Let It Bleed_, isn’t it?), so I really don’t know who plays which on that album, especially who plays lead on _Gimme Shelter_. The rhythm guitar is unmistakably Keith, and I have a hunch that it’s also him on lead, but I just don’t know. Do you? I read an interview of Charlie Watts in Creem many years ago where he discussed this. Watts said that one of the main reasons the Stones lost Mick Taylor and had issues with guitarists not wanting to join the Stones was that Keith insisted on recording all the guitar parts himself. This was many years ago this interview took place, but that was related by Watts to Lisa Robinson (from memory, I’m pretty sure is was to Robinson). FWIW. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2016, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-plays-lead-guitar-on-gimme-shelter/745982/11 "2016-02-14T15:30:23Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > There are some strong contenders, but yes it is. Arguably the best song that was never a single. I would add **Can’t You Hear Me Knockin’** to that list. My two favorites by them. Yeah, it sounds all Keith - he did a lot of the rhythm parts using his distorted reel-to-reel approach, using its input like a preamp, like he did with JJFlash and Street Fighting Man. Such a wonderful track. The studio and Merry Clayton matter so much to that track. The live versions I have heard from the 70’s, like on The Belgian Affair former-bootleg-now-official, which is my favorite live recording by them, it sounds different. Great, but different.