Top 20 Guitar Solos - now up: ReaperKK (starting page 5)

[Zydar]

I don't know if you're going strictly with metal, but I'd love to see some Mark Knopfler, David Gilmour, Steve Hackett and other prog/rock guitarists on your list

[sneakyblueberry]

I don't know if you're going strictly with metal, but I'd love to see some Mark Knopfler, David Gilmour, Steve Hackett and other prog/rock guitarists on your list

Oooh Firth of Fifth yeah

[Zydar]

I don't know if you're going strictly with metal, but I'd love to see some Mark Knopfler, David Gilmour, Steve Hackett and other prog/rock guitarists on your list

Oooh Firth of Fifth yeah

One of the best solos ever 

[Scorpion]

17. Iron Maiden - Alexander the Great [Adrian Smith/Dave Murray]

Iron Maiden have a ton of great guitar solos, but, in my opinion this one stands high above the others. For both Adrian and Dave, this features some of their most memorable lead playing and really shows how good they were at constructing solos and fast playing around memorable melodies. I also really enjoy the stop-and-go mechanic of this solo with the two short bass breaks interspersed in the first part of the solo. This guitar solo, for me, is the guitar team of Dave Murray and Adrian Smith at their absolute peak.

16. Pink Floyd - Mother [David Gilmour]

David Gilmour was another one where it was incredibly hard for me to choose one solo to represent his work by, as pretty much every solo that he has ever played ranges from very good to amazing. This is definitely in the latter category - duh - but it's not the only one there and were I to make the list again tomorrow, another one might sit in its place. That shouldn't detract from the awesomeness of this solo, though, because it's really something else. Probably the most simple solo on this list, but it's just executed to perfection and complements the rest of the song perfectly. I'm not a big fan of The Wall, but this song has always been one of my favourites, and the sublime guitar solo is a large reason as to why.

15. Solution .45 - Lethean Tears [Tom Gardiner/Jani Stefanovic]

Again, these are two solos, and again I have trouble separating them in quality, so I'll just knock it into one. This is another ballad-ish track, but on the solos Tom and Jani really let rip and show what excellent guitarists they are that can play not only with speed, but select the perfect note choices to complement the song and to construct two not overly long, but perfectly phrased and executed solos. The link goes to the first solo, but make sure to listen to the end because the outro solo is the first solo's equal in every way.

[sneakyblueberry]

17. Iron Maiden - Alexander the Great [Adrian Smith/Dave Murray]

Iron Maiden have a ton of great guitar solos, but, in my opinion this one stands high above the others. For both Adrian and Dave, this features some of their most memorable lead playing and really shows how good they were at constructing solos and fast playing around memorable melodies. I also really enjoy the stop-and-go mechanic of this solo with the two short bass breaks interspersed in the first part of the solo. This guitar solo, for me, is the guitar team of Dave Murray and Adrian Smith at their absolute peak.

Shit yes! Great choice for Smith/Murray solos, definitely one of my favourite sections in a Maiden song.

I don't know if you're going strictly with metal, but I'd love to see some Mark Knopfler, David Gilmour, Steve Hackett and other prog/rock guitarists on your list

Oooh Firth of Fifth yeah

One of the best solos ever 

Most definitely!

[Riitasointi]

Alexander the Great f*ck yeah!! In terms of solos, I think Somewhere In Time as an album features Smith and Murray at their absolute best. So many great ones! Caught Somewhere In Time, Alex, Stranger In A Strange Land... all of them really.

[?]

Following! I've got to listen to all those solos when I have time - the only one I've heard is Mother (and it's great!).

[Zydar]

Ah yes, there is Gilmour And a mighty fine solo you chose too.

[Podaar]

I don't know about you folks but I spent part of my evening combing through teeth-gritting, eye-watering guitar solos...thanks to this thread!   

That "Alexander the Great" solo section is breath-taking. I swear, as great as those two are, Adrian and Dave have never eclipsed that moment or that album, as far as I'm concerned.

Scorp, I respect that you could make a choice at all about Gilmour.   

[Zyzzyva17]

I'm guessing this won't be on the list, but my all-time favorite guitar solo is the one in 25 or 6 to 4 by Chicago. But if it is on the list, I'll take credit for predicting it.

[Elite]

Let's see if you have my favourite one on your list

[hefdaddy42]

There are a lot more technical, emotional, or involved solos out there, but one of my favorites has always been Zakk Wylde's from No More Tears.  And I don't even like the song all that much.

[bosk1]

There are a lot more technical, emotional, or involved solos out there, but one of my favorites has always been Zakk Wylde's from No More Tears.  And I don't even like the song all that much.

Yes, that solo is amazing.  Definitely in my top 20.

[KevShmev]

Following this, Hollow Years Live at Budokan by Petrucci anyone?

That wouldn't even be in my top 50 solos by JP.

[wolfking]

Alexander the Great has some nice different things going on for Dave and Adrian, good pick.  While I prefer other solos on that album, it is a good indication of what they were capable of.

I was never a huge PF fan, but Gilmour is just amazing.

I am more of a fan of the outro solo of Lethean Tears.  The middle solo is good, but the outro shows much more style and emotion IMO.  That whole album incredible too.

[bl5150]

No More Tears is a goodun'  - none of the rest mentioned so far float my boat a great deal.  Early days though 

[sneakyblueberry]

I really love Gilmour's solo work on Time and Marooned, not really familiar with The Wall, should probably remedy that.

[Scorpion]

14. Portishead - Glory Box [Adrian Utley]

Taken across their catalogue, there are few bands that I listen to that have as few guitar solos as Portishead, with this being the only one of their solos that I am aware (I don't have the self-titled though), but oh man, is it ever awesome. It just fits the mysterious and sultry vibe of the song perfectly and Adrian Utley, while no shredder by any stretch manages to build a short and memorable solo upon the trip-hop goodness that is "Glory Box" and elevates the song to a whole 'nother level in the process. This is my favourite trip-hop song, and the solos is a large reason as to why.

Because German YouTube doesn't allow access to album versions of this song, I went with a live version. The solo is pretty identical on both, though, even if I slightly prefer the studio version as an overall song.

13. Agalloch - Not Unlike the Waves [Don Anderson]

Agalloch are another band that aren't exactly famed for their lead playing, which is a shame, because they're awesome at it. Again, they don't often write songs featuring anything classifiable as shred, but it wouldn't fit with the music anyway. Instead, their solos are very much focused on melody and this one is not an exception. What makes this my favourite Agalloch solo are the note choices that are not always what you'd expect, and that one glorious sweep that is so uncommon in their music and yet so damn fitting that it could have never been anything else.

12. Marillion - Sugar Mice [Steve Rothery]

Marillion's Clutching at Straws is one of the few pure progressive rock albums that I enjoy, but even among the brilliance of that album, "Sugar Mice" has, from day one, been my personal highlight, especially due to the amazing solo. Like the previous two entries, this isn't shreddy but the sheer emotion that is poured into this solo really makes it something else, and it works fabulously as the climax of the song after the second chorus. Again, it's the note choices and the sense of melody that matter here, and Rothery's sense for both is nothing short of brilliant.

[Podaar]

The Sugar Mice solo is very nice!    It has always felt like a lifted and extend version of the Gilmour solo you listed earlier ITT.

I blinked and missed the other two solos in this post. 

[bosk1]

12. Marillion - Sugar Mice [Steve Rothery]

Isn't that the one where they ripped off Surrounded?

[masterthes]

I like the Glory Box solo as well. And damn is that a sexy song

[wolfking]

Can't say I dig much in this update at all.  The Marillion was nice and I can hear Pendragon take a lot of influences from Marillion.  The Agalloch was fine, maybe if I listened to the whole song I'd dig it a bit more.

I gotta say though man, but sorry, that Portishead solo was absolute rubbish IMO.

[Podaar]

12. Marillion - Sugar Mice [Steve Rothery]

Isn't that the one where they ripped off Surrounded?

This is what I'm on about! Good call out bosk1.






 

[hefdaddy42]

I doubt anyone else here even listens to John Hiatt, but his song "Lipstick Sunset" features a slide solo by Ry Cooder which is just heart-wrenching in its haunting beauty, very evocative of the sense of loss given in the lyrics, but gorgeous at the same time.  Great song, too, one of my favorites.

[bosk1]

Ry Cooder

There's a name I haven't heard in a long time.  Isn't that the guy that saw Ralph Macchio playing guitar in Crossroads and asked Ralph to teach him how to play?

[lonestar]

Sugarmice 

[Zydar]

"Daddy took a rain check!"

[Scorpion]

Can't say I dig much in this update at all.  The Marillion was nice and I can hear Pendragon take a lot of influences from Marillion.  The Agalloch was fine, maybe if I listened to the whole song I'd dig it a bit more.

I gotta say though man, but sorry, that Portishead solo was absolute rubbish IMO.

Looking at my list, I'm pretty sure that that is pretty much the only update where I suspect there won't be anything you like. I was aware that this one was something of a dark horse, but oh well. Like I said in Top 50, if it gets even one person to check out something new and like it, I'll consider this list a success.

[Lowdz]

Sugar Mice, like all Rothery solos, is beautiful and moving. The other two didn't do it for me. The Portishead one was awful, though I guess in the context of their music it may be fitting, but I could have played that.

[hefdaddy42]

Ry Cooder

There's a name I haven't heard in a long time.  Isn't that the guy that saw Ralph Macchio playing guitar in Crossroads and asked Ralph to teach him how to play?

Close, but not exactly.  He's the guy that actually played all of parts that Ralph Macchio acted like he was playing in that film.

[Mladen]

Some great solos in here. 

[Lowdz]

Ry Cooder

There's a name I haven't heard in a long time.  Isn't that the guy that saw Ralph Macchio playing guitar in Crossroads and asked Ralph to teach him how to play?

Close, but not exactly.  He's the guy that actually played all of parts that Ralph Macchio acted like he was playing in that film.

Arlen Roth taught Ralph how to fake guitar playing for the film. It is pretty convincing until it comes to bending notes. I've seen worse miming from guitar players!
Ry cooder will have a place in my top 20 I'm thinking.

[?]

I literally listened to Sugar Mice right before opening this thread! It's been a while since I listened to Glory Box, so I don't remember exactly what the solo sounds like. I've been getting into Agalloch recently, but I haven't heard NUTW yet - that shall be fixed!

[wolfking]

Can't say I dig much in this update at all.  The Marillion was nice and I can hear Pendragon take a lot of influences from Marillion.  The Agalloch was fine, maybe if I listened to the whole song I'd dig it a bit more.

I gotta say though man, but sorry, that Portishead solo was absolute rubbish IMO.

Looking at my list, I'm pretty sure that that is pretty much the only update where I suspect there won't be anything you like. I was aware that this one was something of a dark horse, but oh well. Like I said in Top 50, if it gets even one person to check out something new and like it, I'll consider this list a success.

That's cool man, it's your list and I respect it.  Still ooking forward to the rest.

[Big Hath]

something from Paul Gilbert perhaps?