OT: Best Guitar Solos

[A10 fan]

People see Funkadelic/Parliament Funkadelic as just some sort of dance music? It's one of the most influential and truly great bands of all-time.

This is true, but a majority of rock fans are really unfamiliar with most of their work, especially the fact that they operated basically as a rock band on the first 9 Funkadelic albums. I remember not a few rock fans asking why a "disco band" got inducted into the Rock Hall Of Fame back in 1997. The commentary under that video is enlightening. It's constantly "How come I never heard this before". "I didn't know they did this type of music". "Is there more stuff like this from them" etc.

 

[lonsharkin51]

 

[WaterDawg]

Check out Prince doing the guitar lead for While My Guitar Gently Weeps during the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame tribute to George Harrison after his death. He absolutely shreds it.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Check out Prince doing the guitar lead for While My Guitar Gently Weeps during the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame tribute to George Harrison after his death. He absolutely shreds it.

It’s amazing. I think Rolling Stone didn’t even mention him in one of their Top 100 Greatest Guitarists list, which is ridiculous.

 

[WaterDawg]

It’s amazing. I think Rolling Stone didn’t even mention him in one of their Top 100 Greatest Guitarists list, which is ridiculous.

Prince is a highly underrated guitarist for sure. The amazing thing is his proficiency in a multitude of other instruments as well.

 

[alphasigko]

It’s amazing. I think Rolling Stone didn’t even mention him in one of their Top 100 Greatest Guitarists list, which is ridiculous.

Actually, Rolling Stone rated him as #33. See:

100 Greatest Guitarists – Rolling Stone

 

[pepband99]

I second Gary Moore. And nominate Story of the Blues. The man was brilliant.

Seriously. The guy was ridiculous.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Very good point.

Its why Ronnie Woods solo on "Maggie May" is one of my all time favorites. It is absolutely just perfect in its simplicity.

Same with Mark Farners little 4 Bar hammered 2nds and 6ths excercise during the "Closer to Home" section of "Im your Captain" . I mean I dont even know if that counts as a solo, its so rhythmic and repetitive, but it makes that coda!

Just perfect choices for the song. Not everything needs to be shred or technical brilliance to be be devatstatingly effective.

George Harrisons solo on "Something" is one of the greatest ever.

Totally agree on Maggie May. It’s perfect. And Closer to Home/I’m your Captain has long been one of my favorite songs and solos.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Dickie Betts: Blue Sky! Almost nothing better!

Not sure your can say it’s just Dickie, it’s him and Duane soloing together that makes this Brilliant. It’s a top ten all time song for me. The way the Allman Brothers layered guitars together is just something special.

Just bought an Eat a Peach T-Shirt two weeks ago, 1973 Tour.

 

[HuskyHawk]

So this has been mostly rock guys, as it should be, but Brad Paisley is damned impressive live, and drops a solo into just about every song. And to August’s point they always fit the song.

Great one about 2 minutes in on this.

 

[August_West]

Not sure your can say it’s just Dickie, it’s him and Duane soloing together that makes this Brilliant. It’s a top ten all time song for me. The way the Allman Brothers layered guitars together is just something special.

Just bought an Eat a Peach T-Shirt two weeks ago, 1973 Tour.

The first 2 minutes are Duane. They come together for a 4 bar harmony line which passes the baton to Dickey for another 2 minutes and then wrap it up with another Harmony tag.

It’s wonderful. Both the players.

 

[HuskyHawk]

The first 2 minutes are Duane. They come together for a 4 bar harmony line which passes the baton to Dickey for another 2 minutes and then wrap it up with another Harmony tag.

It’s wonderful. Both the players.

July 2, 1983, Agora Ballroom W. Hartford. Gregg Allman band and Dickey was the opening act. Toward the end Dickey joined them. No Duane of course, but that was amazing. Still may be the best show I’ve ever seen. Wish I kept the ticket.

 

[alphasigko]

The first 2 minutes are Duane. They come together for a 4 bar harmony line which passes the baton to Dickey for another 2 minutes and then wrap it up with another Harmony tag.

It’s wonderful. Both the players.

Thanks for the clarification!

 

[alphasigko]

Perhaps worthy of consideration is Glenn Campbell playing The William Tell Overture:

 

[GoUconn7961]

I’m not sure if there has been a thread on this yet, and if there has I can take it down, but i’m curious to see what people’s favorites are. I’m a bit biased to Jimi with AATW b/c he’s probably my favorite artist ever, but you obviously have to mention Stairway to Heaven, Freebird, etc. Underrated one for me is Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Little Wing version.

David Gilmour's solo on Comfortably Numb - the Pompei Concert in 2016

 

[Lynx23]

As someone who's been playing in bands for 55 years, this song from the Allman Brothers
"Live at the Fillmore East" continues to amaze me. Duane's solo work is incredible (Dickie's is pretty good too). Tons of riffs to learn for the aspiring guitarist, but Duane's at 13.50 is just killer. Overall, great tone and phrasing. So many great solos listed on this forum. Many worthy choices for "best".



A solo perfect in its simplicity? George Harrison's solo on "Something":

The Beatles - Something

 

[storrsroars]

Not listing this as a "greatest solo" per se, but for some reason last night I stumbled on a 1997 video of Ringo Starr's All-Star Band. The band included Gary Brooker, Jack Bruce and Peter Frampton, along with Mark Rivera and the drummer from Bad Company/Free (and Ringo).

Supposedly Dave Mason was supposed to be on this tour but got all Dave Mason-y and dropped out, leaving Frampton to do ALL the guitar work, whether it was rhythm or lead (or both) for Ringo, Procol Harum, Bad Company/Free, Cream or Mountain songs, plus his own stuff. I watched the whole thing as it was pretty bad ass. Frampton and Bruce just about took over the show and were amazing together.

I'd heard this year will be Frampton's last tour, at "only" 68/69 years old as he has IBM, a progressive degenerative disease. He says he can still play great, but his fingers may lose strength/flexibility soon. It will be sad to see him go as his playing has only gotten better over the years, IMO. He's taking some experimental treatments, so maybe this isn't the end. Hopefully not.

Anyway, if you're at all interested in seeing a great guitarist be about as versatile as one gets in a single concert, it's worth watching for Frampton, although Bruce is astounding and Brooker has his moments. It's Ringo's gig, but this particular show should've ended with "Do You Feel..." as the last couple of Ringo numbers were decidedly anticlimactic.

 

[Madmannsucks]

2 of my favorites. Eric is a friend, Carlos Santana's Godson. Walter is a friend of a friend who used to play lead for John Mayall, Canned Heat, and John Lee Hooker-I saw him live the other night.
The playing starts at around 4:15.

 

[Madmannsucks]

Here is Walter alone in a better sound quality video.

 

[Rocktheworld]

Disappointed, but not shocked, to have not seen Dimebag yet. The greatest combination of soul and melt-your-face-off ever

 

[Chin Diesel]

Always like Carlos' sound. You know when you are hearing a Carlos Santana song. This may not be his best version but I'm partial to shows from Tanglewood.

 

[billybud]

Cliche....but I always have liked Slashes solos on Sweet Child O' Mine, Knocking on Heavens Door, Night Train, Welcome to the Jungle...

 

[uconnphil2016]

For mainstream hits, comfortably numb or stairway to heaven are both absurd

 

[uconnphil2016]

I'm a huge Pink Floyd fan. Some of the live versions of Comfortably Numb are incredible. And the studio version of Dogs was a great call. Just beautiful.

I'm also a huge Zappa fan. Even if you don't like the silliness, his guitar solos are insanely good. Just that little burst in Muffin Man, for instance. But I have some live versions of Advance Romance and The Illinois Enema Bandit (yes that's the name of the song) where the guitar solos are mind-blowing. And I could listen to Hot Rats on repeat.

I bought my friend a Frank Zappa poster once in high school, and then his mom caught us stealing her booze and punished us by tearing up the poster in front of us the next morning. I have no clue why that poster meant so much to us, but we were absolutely outraged

 

[weyuo]

Here's a classic for you guys. Santana at Woodstock