Top 10 Guitar Solos

Crazy Train --- Mr. Randy Rhoads!

Flying High Again --- Mr. Randy Rhoads!

Tonight --- Mr. Randy Rhoads!

No Bone Movies --- Mr. Randy Rhoads!

Steal Away (The Night) --- Mr. Randy Rhoads!

I Dont' Know --- Mr. Randy Rhoads!

Dee --- Mr. Randy Rhoads!

Suicide Solution --- Mr.Randy Rhoads!

Diary of a Madman --- Mr. Randy Rhoads!

S.A.T.O. --- Mr. Randy Rhoads!
 
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Yes and yes. One of my top favourite Zappa solos is on the outro of the Zoot Allures title track, although it's always pained me that that's about the only Zappa track ever to involve a fade out during a solo, grrrr. (If anyone has a bootleg of the entire studio out-takes from Zoot Allures please get in touch). Frank's playing on Watermelon in Easter Hay is monstrous as well.

I have heard Frank smoke the fretboard on alot of songs and in concert (I saw the 200 Motels Tour back in the day, lol). But my favorite guitar song he ever did was "Sexual Harrassment in the Workplace". Not so much from technical complexity or speed, but just pure pleasure to the ears.
 
One of my fave Uncle Frank solos was in I Promise Not to Come (etc - lol) from Live In New York. A beautiful solo and I think it would be more lauded if it wasn't overshadowed by Eddie Jobson's sublime synth solo - my fave synth solo of all time. Frank played a pearler in the title track of The Grand Wazoo too.

BTW, we could probably make a top 30 by simply listing Jimi's catalogue.
 
I can't come up with a whole 10 at the drop of a hat, but I can't wait to post either. so...

1) Robert Fripp in Eno's "Baby's on Fire": a huge, long, loud, full of reverb, fuzz and EBow effing orgy of a solo.

2) Robert Fripp again in Eno's "St. Elmo's Fire": Nuff said...

3) Andy Partridge on XTC's "Love at First Sight": he starts playing this distorted chord on the quarter notes, and then keeps playing the same chord but picking up the tempo until he's wildly strumming, and that's it!

4) The two country-tinged back-to-back solos at the end on CAKE's "Walk on By". (There's like 6 guitarists on that album, so I'm not sure who takes the solos.) The first 8 bars are on guitar and the second 8 on the slide steel. One (two) of the most amazing, beautiful solos in the history of the guitar!!!!!

I'm sure I have a few thousand others I think are brilliant, but my brain doesn't do random-access mode very well. Probably I think of more tomorrow or next week or driving to work or taking a cr*p or something. That's usually when I remember things....
 
Highway star - Deep Purple, played 10 times in a row.

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I have been expecting more drummers to pick this song than any other. The blinding triplets that Blackmore rips off near the end of that solo (and he was picking every note - not "sweeping" as so many lead guitarists do today) have such perfect timing to them. Even back in the day, I was not that great of a Deep Purple fan, but as a drummer, whenever I heard that guitar solo, I just dropped my jaw in disbelief. Even today, the only lead guitarist I have heard that comes close to Blackmore in speed and complexity is Yngwie Malmsteen.
 
Some of my faves:

Because We've Ended As Lovers - Jeff Beck (From Blow By Blow). This is my fave - daylight second, tho Goodbye Pork Pie Hat from Wired is amazing too)

Since I've Been Loving You - Jimmy Page (Zep) ... also Stairway

Killer Queen - Brian May (Queen)

Another Brick in the Wall - David Gilmour (Floyd - I could easily include half a dozen of his solos)

The Thrill Is Gone - BB King

Show Biz Kids - Rick Derringer (Steely Dan)

Sister Morphine - Ry Cooder (The Stones)

Smoke on the Water - Ritche (Purple)

All Along the Watchtower - Jimi

Intro / Sweet Jane - Steve Hunter (Lou Reed's Rock'n'Roll Animal)

Batuka - Uncle Carlos (from Santana 3)

Son of Orange County - Uncle Frank (from Roxy and Elsewhere)

Om Nama Shivaya - Steve Hillage (from the album "L")

Couldn't Stand the Weather - Stevie Ray

White Room - EC is God

Ok, it's more than ten ... but there's been a lot of good uns! I didn't include the other 1000 or so gems to be found on various Steely Dan (how about Larry Carlton on Kid Charlemaine?), Beck, Queen, Purple, Zep, Floyd and BB King albums.

I love your list Polyanna; in fact your entire post. A guitar solo that I love is Grant Geissman on Chuck Mangione's " Feels so Good." I know the song isn't everyones cup of tea, but even if it's not, what a guitar solo.
 
1. comfortably Numb - Pink Fyold
2. Rock Bottom - U.F.O
3. Intro to Crazy on you - Heart
4.Starship Trooper - Yes
5.For the love of god - Steve Vai
6.Cliffs of Dover - Eric Johnson
7.Where were you - Jeff Beck
8.Starway to heaven - Led Zepplin
9.Euruption - Van Halen
10.Breathe - Pink Floyd
 
I love your list Polyanna; in fact your entire post. A guitar solo that I love is Grant Geissman on Chuck Mangione's " Feels so Good." I know the song isn't everyones cup of tea, but even if it's not, what a guitar solo.

Cheers Derek. Which version? There are a few versions on YouTube.

As a child of the 60s and 70s I've always been a sucker for a good guitar solo. Sadly, they're pretty dated these days. I realsed this when I tried playing my nephew some songs with great guitar solos and he looked at me as though I was offering him a cat's dropping in a bun (with sauce).

Then he'd play me some psychedelic techno thing, that started off really well but repeated itself out of interestingness after about 16 bars.

A fair bit of David Gilmour on this page. He's a pretty simple lead player when compared with most of the other guys listed but he's so tasty. He always seems to find the note you're hoping he will play next.

Crisp E, I was maybe neglectful in omoitting Bob Fripp's work but I've always liked the role he plays in songs more than the solos in themselves. The Baby On Fire one is a scorcher, though.
 
I don't think i can get my top 10 quick enough, but I think the greatest guitar solo of all time is "Time" by Pink Floyd.
 
god theres way too many, ill say anything by dime bag darrell from pantera just easier that way lol \m/ \m/
 
Im not sure about 2-10 but i know my favorite guitar solo is in dont fear the reaper. Buck Dharma just blows it to a whole new dimension and for some reason, it really seems to speak to me
 
Crisp E, I was maybe neglectful in omoitting Bob Fripp's work but I've always liked the role he plays in songs more than the solos in themselves. The Baby On Fire one is a scorcher, though.

Ok, Polly. I'll buy that. But are you familiar with the "St. Elmo's Fire" solo? You gotta love that one, too!
 
Cheers Derek. Which version? There are a few versions on YouTube.



Hey Pollyanna,
I haven't heard the different versions of the song on YouTube. The solo on Chucks original recording in the late 70s is the one to which I was refering.
 
Criz, I'm sure I've heard St Elmo's Fire but can't remember it off the top of my head. I'll revisit tonight if I remember.

Derek, do you know what the guy looks like? :) That will help me wor out who's who.
 
Criz, I'm sure I've heard St Elmo's Fire but can't remember it off the top of my head. I'll revisit tonight if I remember.

Derek, do you know what the guy looks like? :) That will help me wor out who's who.

Sorry Polly, I wish I could help you. If I've ever seen as much as a picture of the man I cannot recall it; I have no idea what he looks like. I'm sure you'd enjoy a listen to the recording though.
 
Sorry Polly, I wish I could help you. If I've ever seen as much as a picture of the man I cannot recall it; I have no idea what he looks like. I'm sure you'd enjoy a listen to the recording though.

No doubt I would, Eric. I saw a couple of pretty classy YouTube solos by different guitarists.

One player who's not often mentioned in these things who can really carve it is Adrian Belew. I love his solo in Crimson's LTIA Pt 427

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVlI6OP0kJ8

If you don't fancy wading through Frippy's convoluted weirdo-metal before Adrian's solo, turn the sound up at 7:20 :)
 
Ah! They've discovered sustainer pickups I see...!

Actually, this is really bloody brilliant Polly.
 
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