Re: [MLUG - DISCUSSION] 100 Greatest Guitar Solos

[Mike Miller <EMAIL:PROTECTED>]

On Sat, 6 Jan 2007, Jonathan King wrote:

> OK, so having fought about the tax system, CEO salaries and what to do 
> with my Subaru, let's do something really contentious: all-time greatest 
> (rock) guitar solos.  Specifically, one can pick apart this especially 
> inane list:
>
> http://guitar.about.com/library/bl100greatest.htm
>
> So there are some really good ones on here, some of the omissions 
> are...stunning. For example: no Santana at all. No Frank Zappa at all. 
> Unless I missed something, Steve Howe was shut out. Brian May does 
> appear on the list, but for a solot that I don't actually think was one 
> of his top five. Eric Clapton appears, including one of his Beatles' 
> solos, but that solo isn't the one he did for "Something", which was the 
> finest Eric Clapton song the Beatles ever wrote.
>
> I could go on, but I'll let Mike Miller and Vern rant about this for 
> awhile. :-)


My pleasure.  First, why do you think Clapton played the solo on 
"Something?"  I think it was played by Harrison.  I think it sounds like 
Harrison and that it doesn't sound like Clapton and I haven't found any 
evidence that Clapton played it (but I think he did play a solo on 
"Something" for a recording in 2002):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Something

I had no idea about the James Taylor connection -- I always assumed the 
James Taylor song came later -- but Taylor was on the Apple label in 1968 
and "Something In The Way She Moves" came out before "Something."  By the 
way, Harrison wrote "Something" for Pattie Boyd.  Clapton wrote "Layla" 
and "Wonderful Tonight" for Pattie Boyd.  She was very inspiring!  Here is 
the "Something" music video:

B&W:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBe85UKa1GQ
Color (but incomplete):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uO_9VkNXpFA

Pattie Boyd is the cute, young blonde.  Things didn't end up going all 
that well for her in the end:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pattie_Boyd

Clapton's great solo for the Beatles was on "While My Guitar Gently 
Weeps."  By the way, one of our locals guys (Prince) played a passable 
solo over that tune a few years ago for an awards banquet:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ND7wSZj-L0

It starts at 3:30.  I think that solo impressed a few people.  He would 
have done even better if he'd cut back on the stage antics.

Regarding the Top 100 list:  These lists are always annoying.  How do you 
rank things that are highly multidimensional?  For guitar solos, should 
you focus on influence?  composition?  difficulty?  tone/effects?  What do 
we mean by "great?"  This is one of the core problems.  A second big 
problem comes from trying to be fair to readers of different ages and 
musical orientations.  In my view, nothing ever played by any "punk" 
guitarist should make the list - they just aren't serious -- but punk fans 
will disagree, so should we put something by Johnny Ramone on the list? 
Do we put it ahead of something by Joe Satriani?  If I think everything by 
Hendrix is better than anything by, say, Joe Walsh or George Harrison, do 
the latter to not make the list because I can always add another Hendrix 
solo?  There is no way to satisfy everyone with any such list.

Still, some lists just suck.  Here is a list that I saw a few days ago 
that kinda pissed me off:

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5937559/the_100_greatest_guitarists_of_all_time

For one example:  Joe Satriani didn't make the list.  Now, how far down do 
you have to go on that list before you laugh at the idea that the guy 
listed there is better than Joe Satriani?  He hasn't had big hit records 
but he has had a major influence among guitarists.  I would definitely put 
him ahead of Cobain or Ramone.  I think Van Halen was moved way too far 
down on the list.  His influence is even more massive.  Say what you will 
about Eruption, but it was extremely influential and his style changed the 
way people play the guitar.  I would put Van Halen in the top 10 because 
of that.

Here's another list:

http://www.digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/best_newguitar.html

The attitude here is totally different.  The focus is on more recent 
players and on *skill* more than on influence, but both are clearly 
counted.  I like this list better than the Rolling Stone Magazine list, 
but I would reorder some people, of course, because everyone has his own 
idea of how this should be done.

Mike

_______________________________________________
discussion mailing list
EMAIL:PROTECTED
http://mlug.missouri.edu/mailman/listinfo/discussion