1. Jason and the Scorchers, “Absolutely Sweet Marie”
Who’s on guitar: Warner E. Hodges
Starts at: 1:34
Warner Hodges is one of those guitar players that delights in cramming in little riffs and fills whenever the singer isn't doing anything, but he had a way of doing it that flowed naturally with the song rather than coming across as a showoff. His solo here is just a thing of melodic beauty with a joyous energy that matches the spirit of the song. I never get tired of listening to it.
2. Blag Flag, “Jealous Again”
Who’s on guitar: Greg Ginn
Starts at: 1:02
As much as I liked Blag Flag the first time I heard them, I assumed from Greg Ginn’s solos that he had no idea how to play guitar and furthermore had no interest in learning. Which was fine by me because it sounded great anyway. It wasn’t until I heard him play this song on a few live tracks that it occurred to me he knew exactly what he was doing. I guess his version of “no guitar solos” was “if you must solo, go for atonal anarchy”.
3. Blondie, “Rapture”
Who’s on guitar: Chris Stein
Starts at: 4:55
Chris Stein tends to stay in the background of Blondie’s music, for whatever reason. He provides plenty of hooks and solos when required but he doesn’t really try to stand out, as if to make sure he doesn’t distract from Debbie Harry (as if such a thing were possible, but anyway). Then he cuts loose at the end of “Rapture” from out of nowhere like he’s been saving it up for years, and the result is stunning. My takeaway as an aspiring guitarist: it’s okay to leave some space between the notes. For the full effect, accept only the unedited version, not the shortened single version. Otherwise, yr only shortchanging yrself.
4. Blues Brothers, “Theme from Rawhide”
Who’s on guitar: Steve Cropper
Starts at: 1:50
The original Frankie Laine version has no solo at all. True to his blues/Stax roots, Steve Cropper keeps it simple but gives it a bluesy, melancholy vibe that suits both the loneliness of drover life conveyed in the song and the sound of an R&B tribute band trying to pass itself off as a C&W act out of sheer survival.
5. Bob Mould, “Wishing Well”
Who’s on guitar: Bob Mould
Starts at: 2:15
Bob Mould is easily my biggest guitar influence on this list. Some players can make a guitar cry or sing, but Mould specializes in howling rage. Playing this solo over an acoustic track with backing cellos (something he wasn’t especially known for up to then) makes it sound like you might be electrocuted if you touch the speakers without wearing rubber soles. It’s electric catharsis in 60 seconds. As George Clinton used to say, “cheaper than discount family therapy.”
6. Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band, “Canyons Of Your Mind”
Who’s on guitar: Neil Innes
Starts at: 1:08
Leave it to the Bonzos to write a mock 50s rockabilly ballad with silly lyrics and lounge-lizard vocals, and play it more or less straight until Neil Innes steps in and plays the worst, most inept guitar solo ever recorded – on purpose. Comedy gold. Also, credit to Innes, who could actually play – it takes a kind of genius to intentionally play guitar this badly. Meanwhile, a young Pete Shelley was taking notes (see below).
7. Buzzcocks, “Boredom”
Who’s on guitar: Pete Shelley
Starts at: 1:24
Reportedly inspired by Neil Innes’ deliberately terrible solo on the Bonzo Dog Doodah Band’s “Canyons Of Your Mind” (see Episode 6), Pete Shelley duly came up with perhaps the greatest punk-rock solo ever recorded – maximum minimalism that also happens to fit the subject matter perfectly. This was the song that proved to me guitar solos don’t have to be flashy or widdly to be great – the first priority is to serve the needs of the song. Mission accomplished.
8. Butthole Surfers, “22 Going on 23”
Who’s on guitar: Paul Leary
Starts at: 2:03
I’ve often said that what Paul Leary does with his guitar during any given Butthole Surfers song is not only terrifying, but probably a Class A felony in at least 40 states. But he can also play with a demented kind of nightmarish beauty, as he demonstrates on this song. Frightening the livestock never sounded so soothing.
9. John D Loudermilk, “Sittin’ In The Balcony”
Who’s on guitar: Joe Tanner
Starts at: 0:55
Okay, I admit this one is pure nepotism – Joe Tanner was my dad (that’s him on the far right). Sue me. But it’s also a nifty little rockabilly solo that fits the song so perfectly that – according to legend – when Eddie Cochran covered this song, he left most of the solo intact. There is no higher praise.
10. Les Paul and Mary Ford, “Bye Bye Blues”
Who’s on guitar: Les Paul
Starts at: 0:32
Well sure, it’s Les Paul, who isn't rock’n’roll, but he not only created the guitar for this track but the recording techniques. Innovations aside, what’s always impressed me about his playing isn’t so much the speed as the playfulness – he has a way of making the guitar sound like it’s having as much fun as he is. It’s hard to pick one solo of his, so I’m picking the song that introduced me to him and his work with Mary Ford.
11. Pat Benatar, “Promises In The Dark”
Who’s on guitar: Neil Girardo
Starts at: 2:40
Neil Giraldo is the not-so-secret weapon in Pat Benatar’s arsenal who (for my money) doesn’t get nearly enough credit for the guitar work he did on her albums. The end of “Heartbreaker” is great, low-hanging fruit – check out his blistering solo on “Promises In The Dark”, which is excellently crafted and sounds as angry and heartbroken as Benatar’s vocals.
12. Pixies, “River Euphrates”
Who’s on guitar: Joey Santiago
Starts at: 2:10
To clarify, I’m referring to the heavier single version, not the more stripped-down album version on Surfer Rosa. On this version, the lead solo is simple and lasts for less than five seconds, but Joey Santiago’s explosive riff punctuates the glorious second chorus with a triumphant aural air punch. Everything after that is the lead-guitar equivalent of a victory lap. Pure concentrated excitement.
13. Queen, “Brighton Rock (Live)”
Who’s on guitar: Brian May
Starts at: 1:41
(Yes, I know, FINALLY a proper Guitar Hero, right?) Big Fat Ten Minute Guitar Solos were an admittedly indulgent staple of rock concerts in the 70s, even for guitarists good enough to justify a solo set. But leave it to Brian May to take what was essentially a guitarist fiddling with two modified Echoplex boxes and turn it into art. Equal parts mesmerizing, frightening and rocking. The impact on 15-year-old me was considerable.
14. Rush, “The Big Money”
Who’s on guitar: Alex Lifeson
Starts at: 2:48
Sure, Alex Lifeson makes all the guitar hero lists, and I’m spoiled for choice here. But I’ve always been impressed by his solo on “The Big Money”. Only Lifeson could compose a solo that’s around 53% plucky harmonics and STILL make it one of the most exciting things I’ve ever heard come out of a guitar.
15. Suzanne Vega, “As Girls Go”
Who’s on guitar: Richard Thompson
Starts at: 2:36
I never got into Richard Thompson’s solo work, for whatever reason. But I absolutely love his solo guitar outro tacked on to the end of Suzanne Vega’s “As Girls Go”. It bends and weaves in unexpected directions that only make sense after a few listens, and fades out gracefully, leaving you wanting more.
16. The Carpenters, “Goodbye To Love”
Who’s on guitar: Tony Peluso
Starts at: 2:46
At some point it became fashionable to knock session musicians as being hired hands who could technically play but lacked the authenticity of bands expressing themselves and “keeping it real”. Which never made sense to me when the list of session players includes Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix, The Wrecking Crew, etc and so on. Tony Peluso isn’t a household name, but he knocked it out of the park on The Carpenters’ “Goodbye To Love”. The story goes that Tony Peluso initially played the outro soft and sweet to match the song, but Richard Carpenter told him to turn up the fuzz, start with the melody and just go for the stratosphere. Hey, it works. And I’ve always loved how each section ends with power chords for heavy punctuation. For better or worse, the power ballad was arguably invented here.
17. The Cramps, “Chicken”
Who’s on guitar: Poison Ivy
Starts at: 0:52
In which Poison Ivy makes her guitar cluck like a chicken. That’s it. That’s the post.
18. The Only Ones, “Another Girl, Another Planet”
Who’s on guitar: John Perry
Starts at: 1:44
The Only Ones didn’t last long, but they managed to crank out a few good albums, the first of which includes one of the best (and possibly underrated) guitar solos ever put to tape. John Perry may not be a household name like Clapton or Page or whoever, but his solo on “Another Girl, Another Planet” includes a teaser in the intro, then returns to skip and soar across the galaxy at Warp 10. Respect.
19. They Might Be Giants, “Your Racist Friend”
Who’s on guitar: John Flansburgh
Starts at: 1:13
You know when yr at a party and some guy who’s had a few belts is spouting racist bullshit and you can’t believe no one else is calling him on it because no one wants to get into a fight and so they say he’s actually a nice guy when he’s not drinking, it’s just the alcohol talking and anyway it’s a free country? John Flansburgh’s guitar solo is how I feel at times like that.
20. Warren Zevon, “Disorder In the House”
Who’s on guitar: Bruce Springsteen
Starts at: 1:19, 2:39, 3:32
BONUS TRACK: Jim Carroll, “Guitar Voodoo”
Not a solo, but this was my inspiration for the list title. (If the bookmark doesn’t work, the “Guitar Voodoo” piece starts at 14:10)