Nice list.

Get a hold of some old Jimi Hendrix albums and check out HIS solos. He was pretty good. He he.

Just ask Stevie Ray or Richie Blackmore or anybody who ever picked up a guitar.

I'm showing my age, but check out Hendrix. I'm sure you have.

What's up with solos not being cool anymore? I know they can get out of hand, kind of like musical masturbation, but if done tastefully, they're nice to listen too.

Nice list anyway.

the lack of guitar solos is just a phase, just like the popularity of rap-rock (the Limp Bizkit kinda thing).

it's too bad tho...because some of the more modern pop/rock bands are fun...but the songs end up sounding to me like the chorus played over and over and over.....because there's no solo to liven things up.

Guitar solos have been "Uncool" in Britain ever since about 1976, at least according to the Stalinist clique of music journalists that dictates fashion. They only seem to approve of solos by mediocre players like Paul Weller or (cough) Noel Gallaher.

"Indie", which has dominated the 'rock' scene in Britain for the past 20 years seldom has any decent solos.

What's happened to guitar solos? The downside to Rush's latest Vapor Trails is not hearing Alex cut loose. When will a band have a solo just to buck the trend and be "new alt"?

I don't know what prompted Rush to make Vapor Trails a solo-free zone. Hopefully the next Rush album will see them return.

Nice nice list ...

As a longtime fan of Randy Rhoads I appreciated the nod to his work in Crowley... Simply amazing stuff.

I recently came across a decent quality MPEG of his performance of Mr. Crowley during a 1981 "After Hours" New York television spot. Its amazing to watch. One of the things that is so cool about his style is how some of his long phrasing involves a single pick of the string, the rest is his fret hand working up and down the neck.

Another nice track, if you can find it, is the tape recording of a Guitar Seminar he gave just a month or two before his tragic death.

Again great list, and here's another vote for bringing back the guitar solo.

(This would have the added effect of calling to the carpet the "poser" bands in which the members can't really play their instruments!!!)

One more comment on Randy Rhoads:

Avoid the 2002 Reissue of the "Blizzard of Oz" CD on which the Crowley tune can be found.

Ozzy and co have a dispute with the drummer and bass player who played on the album, and in an unprecidented move, have RERECORDED the drum and bass tracks with new artists and remixed the twenty year old album.

The travesty is that Randy Rhoads' guitar mix from the original album has been trashed. Randy "double tracked" all of his solos. That is, he played the same solo -nearly exactly the same each time -- and used one for the left and one for the right channel. Its an amazing effect, and headphones are certainly recommended, but is muddied up by the new remix.

Being a long-time Uriah Heep fan I should have mentioned that. I think the Amazon link ASIN I've included points to the original album with the superb rhythm section of Lee Kerslake and Bob Daisley and not the adulterated 'remaster'.

Yeah i am a fan of Randy Rhoads, and mr crowley is quite possibly his best solo. But there is one thing i have to point out about the facts about him on your list, he had more than three released cd's, or vinyls back then but he had about 6 including the three mentioned on your list, so there are three others. The seminar he did, a solo album, and another guitar lesson cd. i know theres more but i cant find them. and i have the mpegs, decent quality, of suicide solution, crazy train, mr crowley, i dont know, a quiet riot mpeg, a crazy train solo from the new york palladium(not the best quality but he plays it really fast) i have an mpeg were he one the 1981 best new talent award, with a small interview with randy, the music video for crazy train and thats it. I will soon have my page up, its about rhoads and ozzy. If you would like any of these videos please contact me.

Interesting list. I agree with some, however, there has been either an oversight on your part or you just don't like Eddie Van Halen. The man redefined the guitar. Only one other person had that affect and Jimi passed on WAY to early. Eddie effected nearly every guitar and guitar player since Van Halen's first album. Walk into any Guitar store and you can see his influence everywhere. Back in the late 70's, I had no idea what rock was. That was until a much wiser neighborhood kid turned me on to Van Halen. When I heard "Eruption" for the first time, I was floored and hooked. Tapping notes were bouncing off the walls, sonic harmonic fills here and there, and that insane agressive picking was just what I needed and Rock needed it too. I like your list, I really do. Just thought I would threw out Eddie's name.

PS if you ever get a change...listen to Van Halen's 4th Album - Fair Warning

Does the name Trey Anastasio ring a bell? I know not everyone is into his music, but that's what music is all about, everyone's own choice in art. However, you just can't deny the amazing technical and musical aspects of Trey's playing. Do yourself a favor and listen to some phish if you get a chance, or maybe oysterhead (trey's collaboration with Stewart Copland of the police and Les Claypool of Primus) or his solo work. You won't be dissapointed, even if his art isn't for you.

I would have to agree that Stargazer is one of Richies best choons,but from a guitar solo perspective- and only a year later-he came up with the Gates Of Babylon. Both solos have their merits and a reliance on the Harmonic minor and Spanish Phrygian scale. In the Stargazer solo theres a clever use of the open top e string utilizing fast pull offs until he hits the 5th then flated 5th at the 19th and 18th fret- i love that bit!!!! But the Gates Of Babylon just takes me there- when he executes that sweep arpeggio towards the end of the second solo- u ever get that chill on the back of your neck!!! like a musical orgasm?!?!
By the way dude- u 4got Highway star!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GR8 choices though

Tim, I somehow missed this when you first published it - great list though a little more proggy-hard rock than I would come up with. I particularly love your UFO and Neil Young choices. Of Lifeson's, I still love "Working Man" best, but not a fart in the bunch. Thanks!

Can't forget your classic "Hotel California." They had completely different and highly memorable guitar solos on each end of the record. Indeed, that opening statement is almost a whole separate song statement before the vocal melody even starts.

Al, you didn't nominate the Freebird solo? I'm shocked! lol

As far as Rush goes, I liked the Limelight solo. Some great whammy bar bends/effects in there.

Eruption is a solid VH choice.

I'd probably give Randy the nod for his live suicide solution solo, but Mr. Crowley as far as studio stuff is solid. He sounded pretty intense on You Can't Kill Rock n Roll, Diary of A Madman, and Over the Mountain as well.

All Along the Watchtower or Star Spangled Banner for Hendrix.

Vivian Campbell has some intense solos on Dio's The Last In Line.

Metallica has a number pretty good solos (One, Fade to Black, Sanitarium).

Blackfoot cranks it with Highway Song.

Just like the top 100 guitarist list, there are too many good solos out there. I'm with you schmozlo and Mark, I hope the solos return. Metallica totally overlooked solos in its latest offering as well.

TDavid, I was trying to avoid the obvious Skynyrd in this case. Now that I think of it, where the hell is any Allmans here? "Whipping Post" live, perhaps?

While I'm at it, though, there has GOT to be some Richard Thompson. Perhaps we could start by considering the classic title track "Shoot Out the Lights."

This would have been a cliched choice in the 80's when I was playing in crappy cover bands, but now, I'm not s sure it's remembered. Nevertheless, Martk Knopfler's solo on "Sultans of Swing" is a model of economy and fancy fretwork. And "Reelin in the Years" which loses points for being kind of s dumb song, but that guitar playin' -- Bucky Baxter? -- is real cool. Also "Green Earring" and numerous other Steely Dan tunes. Guess I'm a pop-loving dork when it comes to guitar solos.

Also Zappa's "watermelon in Easter Hay" is one long great guitar solo.

Depends on your criteria. "Sultans of Swing" is definitely an excellent choice.

Prince has to come into play in this list as well. For big flashy solo, obviously the introduction to "When Doves Cry" would spring to mind. Don't forget "Bambi."

Consider, however, the more subtle and economical guitar parts running all under the title song "Sign O the Times." Try listening to the song and ignoring the vocal melody, just listening to the guitar.

So many groovy flavors to choose from.

"Sultans of Swing" gets extra points in my book for just showing up at that particular point in musical history. the first time i heard it my ears went "what the hell is that??!!"

aside from Prince's obvious ability to splatter notes all over the place (in ways far more intestings than, say, Joe Satriani) he's also one of the funkiest guitar players alive. al's point about "Sign O the Times" is spot on.

Here's another one I haven't thought about in years: he may look like some weird little gypsy pud lost on the stage with the E Street Band, but Nils Lofgren used to be a smoking stud. Grin was his band before he went solo and "Moon Tears" has one of the most amazing solos I've ever heard. He plays with his fingers, but achieves the punch of a pick (unlike, say, Lindsey Buckingham) with the octopus agility of multiple working digits. check it out.

yep, he took a couple of amazing solos during the Springsteen show i went to last year.

tangled fingers, man.

...and he reminds me of the flying monkey things from the wizard of oz

in a good way

Yo, all VH songs have great solos. Here's a few I think are pretty good:

VH - Eruption - How can you not like this song? Really. Seriously. So awesome. Absolutely crazy technique. The tapping thing is crazy good and if you ever see Eddie do this solo live he makes tons of it up.

Yngwie - Black Star - Even if you don't like Yngwie's style and repetetive scales this song's pretty good. It's not "hey I'm gonna run around in a harmonic minor for a really ridiculously long time," but there's really melody in it. Who would've guessed it from Yngwie?

Steve Vai - Speed Metal Symphony - This guy doesn't normally go for this kind of sound, but the song's exactly what it sounds like. Nine minutes of totally sweet electric guitar. I like all of this guy's stuff, but whatever.

Jimi - All Along The Watchtower - Yeah, this is good stuff. It's Hendrix, understand?

As I said at the start but really didn't talk about, all (or very nearly all) VH songs have crazy good solos. Hot for Teacher, Ice Cream Man, even Jump...man what an awesome player.

Shirley, you jest when you say that "Buck is one of the great underrated lead guitarists of rock." When Tyranny and Mutation came out, he was being called "the best rock guitarist America's got." That there is what I would call an OVERrating, not under. There were guys playing sock hops at my high school who could smoke Buck Dharma's doors off.

Good call with Montrose, however. He knew how an electric guitar oughta sound. "Voyager" from Gamma is a nice track, as well.

Thanks for leaving Lynyrd Skynyrd off your list. Most anything by the Allmans or ZZ Top will do just fine when it comes to your southern rockers.

"This is another triumph of feel over technique." Oh boy. It's this kind of thinking that got guitar solos practically banned from modern music. Did you ever consider the possibility that "technique" is not divorced from "feel"?

I dont know that these are neccessarily
THE BEST technically executed and well
played guitar solos ever but, to my ears
they're the most ear splitting and mind
melting fretboard frenzies that come to
mind at the moment:
1.The Velvets-"I Heard Her Call My Name"
Reed just goes ape shit here.Feedback as
a fine art.Lou had this remixed in the
studio before "White Light, White Heat"
was released so that almost all you can
hear is his guitar screaming and crying.
"...and then my mind split open"

2.Rolling Stones-"Sympathy For The Devil
I LOVE the way this solo just comes out
of nowhere and takes you by surprise.You
don't hear any guitar at all(just drums,
congas,bass,piano)on the studio version
of this song until the solo kicks in
about halfway through.It jumps out and
burns your ears. Sparse,stinging and no
wasted notes at all.Definitely Keith's
best solo ever.

3.Bo Diddley - Who Do You Love?
The solo on this classic tune is played by unsung guitar whiz Jody Williams not Bo.It has a proto-psychedelic sound with
it's minor note blues runs and decidedly
eastern melodies.Those elements mixed in
with the patented sound of Bo Diddley's
raw assed jungle funk and you've got a
solo that still sounds absolutely modern
and fresh some 45 years later.

4.Iggy & The Stooges - Death Trip
James Williamson must have burned up his
Marshall stack on this one.This song is
the perfect background music for kicking
down the gates of hell.A methamphetamine
fueled,150 MPH trip straight to hell by
way of Detroit.(come to think of it not
a lot of difference is there?)This makes
all of the speed/black metal & punk rock
to follow sound real tame by comparison.

5.Hound Dog Taylor & The Houserockers -
Phillip's Theme
Guitarist Brewer Phillips (H.D.T.s right
hand man)lets loose with a sonic barrage
of blues guitar noise here that is just
unf***ing believeable.About 6 minutes of
electric Delta raunch.I'd be surprised
if the mixing board didn't go into total
meltdown recording this.Phillips lets
both barrels go and throws in just about
every raunchy blues riff known to man on
this track.I've converted many people to
electric Chicago Blues via this band in
general & with this song in particular.







amphetamine psychosis
as

If your talking guitar solos, Brian May surely must be on the list somewhere. He doesn't always play 1000 notes in a second, but concentrates more on the mood of the song, and if you ask me, he did a bloody good job in most of the Queen songs.

I have heard many of the songs mentioned here.But why is Sultans of Swing not a favourite.That is truly a divine piece,in my opinion.

Oh man, another top 1000 would be a more accurate list.

So I'm gonna go off record (not available on disc).

Lenford Richards of the Burning Spear band during mid to late 80s. OK, I managed their tours. About April 1985 at the Kilamonjaro in Washington DC he did a hell of a solo during the song 'Door Peep'. Then in 1987 in Boulder CO he did a blazing solo in the song 'Old Marcus'

I mean, I'm a white rocker out of Seattle (well, the business is my scene, but I know my guitar! My instrument away from the office). I mean I come out of a world where guitar is the master!

So, Lenford has blown my mind. So here we got the i-rie reggae beat going and Lenford shredding like no one else! The guy is blowing trees over! Yet tastefully making it work with the music!

HHHMMM...Check out Burning Spear 'Resistance' (Heartbeat 1985). That will just give you a taste, although not shredding. 'the song "Queen of the Mountain" might give you an idea of where the guy can go. OOOHHHH!!!!! OK, about '89-'90 the LIVE IN PARIS CD on Warner Bros./Slash. They have a live video also. He gives an idea what he can do on the above mentioned songs that are on the CD and video. I mean, he does kick on this live CD.

But these two particular live performances I talked about were amazing guitar work. Give the guy credit. He is an unknown that rates with the best.

anyone remember Spear from that time era?

Irie mon

HHHMMM...in comment to the uncoolness of the guitar solo. Here is how I see it.

In the world of guitar is the master, the guitar solo usually pushes its way into the instrumental melody verse of song structure. In the world of rocknroll it sure is the bombastic, mastebatory spooj that you usually have to spend the rest of the song toweling up. It has become like the obligatory blow job in a porn movie.

However, it is a thing that really shows the level of songwriting ability and musicianship in a band or individual. Because sometimes it is sssssooooo fine. That instrumental verse does not always need a guitar solo.

For example in the ssssooooo fine department, as I've talked about the pre-grunge scene from the Northwest USA neck of the woods, X-15 and Napalm Beach were two bands that were masters of the guitar solo.

OK, I'm into the lesser known (see comment #28) who rate on a world class level.

Thanx man

Tim is certainly entitled to have favorites. This, unlike the Greatest Guitarists of All Time kinda list, is almost entirely subjective. Sometimes a guitarist who lacks a highly developed arsenal of chops can pull off a beautiful and sonorous solo. This kind of list will also vary widely from person to person, since it depends on the particulars of the lister's musical exposure. And it tends to bring in more obscure players, since consistency is not an issue. For example, my favorite solo of all time (that I can remember) is by one of the guys in Thin Lizzy ("Warriors"). I wouldn't try to force this down anyone's throat, however. I couldn't argue that this solo is "better" than Billy Gibbons' "La Grange," for example. I just like it more.

Sometimes, just a single pair of notes can make a solo, or a bend at the right time and place, or coaxing out a harmonic, or the unexpected note, or a coloring of the note according to the harmonic backdrop (see Alan Holdsworth), or a long sustain against a chord change.

Anyway, I think that's why this topic is getting less attention -- there's nothing to argue about.

So many solo's my mind is seizing up. OK, how about the guitar work from the song 'Willie the Pimp' from the Mothers Of Invention Live at the Fillmore East. On vinyl the song goes from side one to side two. Just as you turn the album over it gets really intense. I had a CD of it and certain passages were edited out. I was bummed.

Also, how about Duane Allman, 'One Way Out' from the Eat A Peach album. Really tasty work that cooks.

Anyway, I get off on those. Worth a vote I figure....

Oh yeah, correct me if I get the titles wrong, but off Lou Reed's 'Sally Can't Dance' there is a tune called 'Animal Language' (or something like that). Has a tasty. blistering solo.

Well, I got a few out of the way. Probably 995 more I can think of.

Irie

Hey i love randy rhoads music, i have tons of mpegs of him, as im sure most of his fans do, hes the biggest inspiration to my playing. I hate that there are fewer guitar solo's i play lead guitar for my band and we are definitly having at least one solo to every song sometimes two. A song is not a song without a solo. I think steve vai should be mentioned here the song tender surrender has a bad a** solo to it. Steve Vai is possibly the greatest player in the world right now in terms of creativity and technical ability.

i can't help noticing that a couple of songs have been ignored.
Achilles Last Stand, Kashmir (Live), White Summer, Dazed and Confused, Nobodys Fault But Mine, In The Evening, Houses of the Holy, Heartbreaker, Whole Lotta Love, Since I've Been Loving You, Trampled Underfoot, Immigrant Song (Live),

Louis, you sound like a Led Zeppelin fan :)

what happened to Carlos Santana

and the best guitarist ever:

Yngvie Malmsteen ..?????????????

If you want a more current album with ripping guitar solos, may I recommend Weezer's "Maladroit?" It doesn't really hold a candle to their earlier work but Rivers Cuomo really cuts loose on nearly every song with some straight-up rock/power-pop/metal riffing! Beware of hot licks!

How appropriate, I just returned home after seeing Steve Vai play for more than 3 hours. What an Incredible show, in a the Tampa Theater, probably less than 2OOO seats, but just about sold out. Not only was Steve there in all his glory, but Tony MacAlpine was on guitar and keyboards, Billy Sheehan was on bass (the badddest Bass player in rock!), rounded out by Jeremy Fuller (sp?) on drums and percussion, and Dave Wiener on rhythm guitar, acoustic, and electric sitar. I couldn't tell but I think he plays a 7 string electric guitar as well.

Awesome show, a mujst see for all fans of shred. Steve was not just up there showcasing himself, but passing off to each member for spotlight parts and solos, and hearing Tony M double parts ratherethan just using chorus was very cool. The whole band was awesome! Bily Sheehan was tearing up the bottom end of course, just indescribably fantastic, see 'em if you can.

looking for richie blackmores song called 16th centuary green sleaves and man on the silver mountain lyric music would be great.

as aguitar player, there are thousands of good guitar players outthere, if i have to pick the top 5 that achived a masterpiece solos it would be

- dave gilmoure
-michael schenker
-brian may
-adrian vanderberg
-randy rhoads
definately not zaack wylde 'cause even he is a good shredder, he does not have one solo that can even touch the worst solos of those legends mentioned above.
a guitar solo does not involve only techniques, it is the combination of feelings,thoughts, and personality,all put together into notes period.

Thank you for mentioning Steve Hackett's "The Lamia" ... tingles, man, tingles.

Another vote for the Spear... Yes, his Burning Band could and still does cook; I see them nearly every year, and OMG... Among my collection, I have Resistance and must agree wholeheartedly with "Queen of the Mountain." Most tasty.

Fine list. I would have to add Slash's solo on GnR's "Sweet Child o' Mine," Dan Fogelberg's work on the live version of "The Power of Gold" (Greetings from the West, Sony, 1991), Neil Young's solo on "Southern Man," Terry Kath on Chicago's "25 or 6 to 4," Ritchie Blackmore on Deep Purple's "Highway Star," and almost everything by Jimmy Page and Buckethead. Oh, and I can't let Clapton's work on "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" go unmentioned. EC is a tool, IMO, but eons ago, he was awesome.

Short list, natch; I could go on praising guitar solos all day.

Nice list. It covers a broad spectrum of musicality. I would like to add:
1, I'm Going Home (Ten Years After)
2. Johnny B. Goode (Chuck Berry)
3. Tell Momma (Savoy Brown)
4. I'm Good (Johnny Winters)
5, Crossroads (Cream)
6. The Lemon Song (Led Zepplin)
7 Mississippi Queen (Mountain)
8. Ride Captain Ride (Blues Image)

I could go on indefinately.....
Peace!

what about metallica. old school metallica albums were full of guitar solos, nobody ever considers kirk hammet for any top ten guitar solo stuff, but i gotta admit...the solo in the song "one" totally blew me away and i totally think it deserves a top ten spot, someone correct me if im wrong, sure hendrix is a guitar god, and jimmy paige and clapton and santana and all those guys but give some credit to kirk, just because alot of people dont like his guitar style done mean he's not as good as any of them

oh yea....as for metallica, what about bass guitar...anyone ever heard anestesia? cliff burton is also a bass guitar god, dunno if that belongs on this post but just givin a shoutout to my dead idol cliff, rest in peace man

Ozzy in your words a washed up achaholic is a load of shit.

Hey Natalie (post #41), thanks for mentioning Dan Fogelberg, though there are FAR better leads in his unheralded electric guitar work than the live Power of Gold. To all of you, I urge you to check out Fogelberg's recent Live CD (2000) - Something Old, Something New, Some Borrowed and Some Blues - His guitar work on the Muddy Waters blues number 'Blow Wind Blow' is flat out fantastic! Classic blues leads done fast and with feeling! (In fact the whole album is amazing!) #2 in the Fogelberg lexicon is his startling cover of the Hollies classic, 'Tell Me To My Face', found on Twin Sons Of Different Mothers from 1978. Another jaw-dropping lead from this supposed balladeer! Enjoy! -- Hunt

i know how to play it exactly the way he did on mr. crowley

i watched the aftter hours video a couple times, its actually not that hard to learn unless you dont obsessivley play like do. unfortuantley i dont have a life.

but seriously, all the guys you mentioned solos are not so hard to learn, they make it look easy and it is, you just gotta be more determined to play. basicaly i started playing 2 years ago, (dont take lessons they slow u down) and never stoped practicing and its amazing what you can learn if you never quit at it, patience and constant freakin diligence.

sorry fer dropin in late

Kirk Hammett - Ride the Lightning

I honeslty do not think there is a better guitar solo than this?

prove me wrong.

The greatest Solos of Difficulty and Sounding good are...

10. Mr. Crowley (Randy Rhoades)
9. Sweet Child O' Mine (Slash)
8. All Along the Watchtower (Jimi Hendrix)
7. Heartbreaker (Jimmy Paige)
6. Mean Street (Eddie Van Halen)
5. Crazy Train (Randy Rhoades)
4. November Rain (Slash)
3. Comfortabley Numb (David Gilmour)
2. Eruption (Eddie Van Halen)
1. Stairway to Heaven (Jimmy Paige)

Please... two out of ten is just not good enough.
Reaper and Comfortably Numb I have to say 'okay', but the rest? I am not criticising the skill of the guitarists in question, just the quality of the songwriting to which they apply their respective skills. It really doesn't matter how good the guitar playing is if the base material is shite.

Personal taste aside (I never rated Rush for example), if there is complexity involved rather than hacking at a few riffs to beef up a weak premise then fine. This isn't the case with many of the 'greats' on offer.

Maybe you are just too easy to please. Listen to Sofa Nº1 (Zappa composition) played by Michael Hedges. Listen to just about anything by Steve Vai and then look again at your top ten.

"Kirk Hammett - Ride the Lightning
I honestly do not think there is a better guitar solo than this?
prove me wrong."

Durnty, durnty, durnty, wheedle, wheedle, wheedle, reverb and so on. There was a ten year old kid on tv a few years ago who could play all the metal riffs, but bugger-all else. Hammett was/is nothing but a thrash metal hamm (with two Ms). Repetitive and unintentional dischord (for want of a more insulting description).
His finger-work, however, is very, very clean, I have to give him that much.

/
||= Durnty, durnty, durnty
0||0
Your an asshole and don't know anything about music!!!
Kirk Hammett is an extreme guitar player who was the best, fastest guitar player to come out since Jimmy Paige!!!

I think kirk hammet is amazing, listen to one, master of puppets, and enter sandman, and i know dragonforce is new but, herman li is amazing, listen to throught the fire and flames..truly amazing.

Funny.

There are players who your eighties guitar gods could never dream of touching if they could play constantly for thousand years. Someone plays a thirty second modal LICK and you rate him so high? Sad.

Shawn Lane and Allan Holdsworth are both gods. Can't BELIEVE nobody's mentioned Steve Morse. John McLaughlin blows away most new shredders even on an acoustic guitar, and he's got creativity out the ass. Les Paul may even be on my list. Kirk Hammett is really great.

Jimmy Page and Jimi Hendrix (and the majority of players from the 60s-80's) are overrated. Please, learn some new songs and have some original thoughts.

jimmy page
jimi hendrix
eric clapton
ritchie blakmore / brian may
toni iommi
angus young
stanley jordan
john mc laughlin
robert johnson
steve ray vaughan / eddie van halen

Okay what about Metallica??
I mean COME ON(!) people. Now let's talk about some good music...

First of all Metallica is AMAZING, just putting that out there.
Second, listen to the solos on the Shortest Straw and the Unforgiven then we'll talk about the best solos. Kirk Hammett is so talented.

Third listen to Nothing Else Matters James Heftield (the rhythm guitarist and vocalist) does the solo on this song and it's great.

so okay, now that your informed on whats great, go listen to it!!

umm.. .what about Eruption or stairway to heaven...

don't put any dragonforce coz all their stuff is fake.

every single A7x song should be in that list...

and DREAM THEATRE? they got the best guitarist in the world!

Kimi hendrix is awesoem to

I can't believe I'm commenting on a six-year-old article. For all I know, Tim Hall might be no longer with us.

Solos apparently still aren't cool - Weezer's new "Red Album" has none. It needs 'em...

Larry Carlton's work on Steely Dan's "Kid Charlemagne" remains some of the most lyrical playing I've ever heard. You literally can sing along with it. "Third World Man" from Gaucho is just as good. Also, he still rocks as evidenced by 2005's "Fire Wire". Classy guy and great guitarist.