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8 Great Guitarists - 8 Unforgettable Solos |
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Steve Wyzard 
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Joined: March 30 2017 Location: California Status: Offline Points: 2583 |
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 Topic: 8 Great Guitarists - 8 Unforgettable SolosPosted: May 26 2021 at 17:27 |
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Firstly, what do I mean by "unforgettable"? It would be impossible to name any guitarist's one "greatest solo ever!" That would lead to unending lists of "I have a third-generation tape of a friend-of-a-friend's recording of _____ playing live 40 years ago that lays waste to everything they've ever done before or since." Let's stick to studio albums with a performance that truly captures or epitomizes these players at their absolute best. Not the longest, fastest, or loudest solo, but the most distinctive. A solo that no matter how many times you've heard it still brings a smile to your face or a "wow" to your lips.
Secondly, I apologize if your favorite guitarist is not here. I chose 8 that figure prominently on this site. 1. Steve Howe: "Sound Chaser" 2. Steve Hackett: Many will pick "Supper's Ready" for the famous tapping solo, but I will go with "Firth of Fifth". 3. David Gilmour: "Dogs" 4. Jimmy Page: I'm tempted to pick "In the Light" or "The Song Remains the Same", but I will controversially go with "I'm Gonna Crawl" for capturing his blues influences. 5. Alex Lifeson: "Free Will" or "La Villa Strangiato" are the easy choices, but I've always loved what he does on "No One at the Bridge". 6. Ritchie Blackmore: I want to say "Burn", but I will go with "Child in Time". 7. Allan Holdsworth: "In the Dead of Night", and not just because it was my introduction to his playing. 8. Trevor Rabin: As great as the "Owner of a Lonely Heart" solo is, I'll take "Eyes of Love".
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cstack3
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Posted: May 27 2021 at 00:18 |
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Interesting selections, and hard to argue with! Mine would include:
1. S. Howe, "To Be Over" (he goes Telecaster crazy on that one!) 2. S. Hackett, "Firth of Fifth" 3. D. Gilmour, "Comfortably Numb" (one of his most emotional solos) 4. Jimmy Page, "Achilles Last Stand" 5. Alex Lifeson, "La Villa Strangiato" 6. R. Blackmore, "Man on the Silver Mountain" 7. Allan Holdsworth, "Sahara of Snow" 8. Trevor Rabin, "It Can Happen"
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I am not a Robot, I'm a FREE MAN!!
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Mirakaze
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Eclectic, JRF/Canterbury, Avant/Zeuhl Joined: December 17 2019 Location: (redacted) Status: Offline Points: 4061 |
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Posted: May 27 2021 at 00:32 |
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Off the top of my head: - Steve Howe: does "Mood For A Day" count? Otherwise I'm taking the easy route and picking "Starship Trooper" - Steve Hackett: tie between "Every Day" and "Ripples" - David Gilmour: "Comfortably Numb" - Alex Lifeson: "La Villa Strangiato" - Allan Holdsworth: TOO MANY TO COUNT. "Land Of The Bag Snake", "Back To The Beginning" and "Devil Take The Hindmost" spring into my mind immediately as some of the best guitar solos by anyone
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Awesoreno
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Posted: May 27 2021 at 01:49 |
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^Thank you for including one of Holdsworth's actual solo recordings. I rarely see people discussing his stuff as opposed to his work with UK and SM, and occasionally Bruford. I would have to go with his track "Low Levels, High Stakes" for one of his best.
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Manuel
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Posted: May 27 2021 at 05:03 |
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Good list. I would add Martin Barre, on Back Door Angels and Aqualung.
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SteveG
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Posted: May 27 2021 at 05:15 |
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I'd add Mark Knopfler on Dire Straits' "Tunnel Of Love." Not prog but close enough. The most melodic and fastest solo I've ever heard. Edited by SteveG - May 27 2021 at 05:25 |
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Spaciousmind
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Posted: May 27 2021 at 05:24 |
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During those lean 80s Mark Knopfler gave you hope for some good music. Saw him (Dire Straits) live in Rio many years ago. It was a fun concert especially with the noisy Brazilian carnival atmosphere :).
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Manuel
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Posted: May 27 2021 at 06:39 |
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Andy Latimer's Ice is a great choice too.
Edited by Manuel - May 27 2021 at 06:40 |
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BaldJean
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Posted: May 27 2021 at 06:57 |
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I would add the solo of Roman Bunka in the track "Heartbeat" from his first solo album "Dein Kopf ist ein schlafendes Auto" ("Your Head is a Sleeping Car"). he is one of the most underappreciated guitar players on this site; only Friede and I ever mention him. and here the track. there are actually 3 guitar solos in this track; the solo I am referring to is the 3rd one in the "blues section" of it: Edited by BaldJean - May 27 2021 at 07:08 |
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 A shot of me as High Priestess of Gaia during our fall festival. Ceterum censeo principiis obsta |
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essexboyinwales
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Posted: May 27 2021 at 07:50 |
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  Edited by essexboyinwales - May 27 2021 at 07:51 |
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essexboyinwales
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Posted: May 27 2021 at 07:55 |
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Really nice to see this get a mention. "Can't Look Away" is fantastic, and I would choose it ahead of any Yes album....
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Spaciousmind
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Posted: May 27 2021 at 08:52 |
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You don't believe me? Go search and compare 1973, 1983, 1993 and 2003 here in PA.
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essexboyinwales
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Posted: May 27 2021 at 09:15 |
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It was more to do with Mark Knopfler than the 80s!
 I know he's highly regarded by many but I just find his playing and vocals to be deadly dull. Just opinons! |
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Spaciousmind
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Posted: May 27 2021 at 09:29 |
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Ok lol... my bad... thought you were disputing that 80s were not the greatest for what is liked here :) Nick
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Catcher10
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Posted: May 27 2021 at 09:51 |
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Bunch a good ones here......I'll add in Steve Rothery on This Strange Engine.
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Howlett
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Posted: May 27 2021 at 10:04 |
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He's not a staple in most people's prog collections, but I would add Plini Roessler-Holgate (releases music under the name "Plini"). Some of his best work is on a song called Cascade from his album Handmade Cities.
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Grumpyprogfan
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Posted: May 27 2021 at 10:18 |
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Others.... Pat Metheny, Frank Zappa, Steve Morse, John Petrucci, Kerry Livgren, Guthrie Govan. And the criminally neglected guitarists on PA... Mike Keneally and Phil Miller.
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Sacro_Porgo
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Posted: May 27 2021 at 12:37 |
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Here's some I love from some of the guitarists mentioned:
Steve Howe - Starship Trooper (from part III, The Wurm) Steve Hackett - The Musical Box David Gilmore - I agree, Dogs is the one for me Jimmy Page - hard to beat Stairway no? Alex Lifeson - one of my all time favorites has always been from 2112: Soliloquy, just after the line "this cold and empty life" Ritchie Blackmore - I'm not nearly as well versed in his catalogue as the previous guitarists, but to me the solo in Smoke On The Water is one of the most well written and well performed in classic rock cannon Holdsworth - I've only got one album from this guy, it's pretty much solo all the way through, and it's all really good Trevor Rabin - not super well versed here either, but I know 90125 really well. Owner Of A Lonely Heart does it for me. Those mind bending dissonances and that angular phrasing are not easily forgotten. Martin Barre - Aqualung, that song's secret weapon Mark Knopfler - Sultans, you know the part.
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Porg for short. My love of music doesn't end with prog! Feel free to discuss all sorts of music with me. Odds are I'll give it a chance if I haven't already! :)
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yogev
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Posted: May 27 2021 at 13:12 |
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I was going to say that. his best solo ever.
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richardh
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Posted: May 27 2021 at 13:20 |
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Blimey, no mention so far of Stargazer for Ritchie Blackmore!
Hackett - Firth Of Fifth Gilmour - Comfortably Numb Howe - Wurm Greg Lake (yes I'm including him!) - Battlefield Mike Holmes - The Last Human Gateway (Edited version on the Lost Attic) |
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SteveG wrote: