Draw a rakish comedy moustache on Michelangelo’s David, pour Agent Orange over Van Gogh’s sunflowers and roll a Faberge Egg to destruction down a grassy precipice next Easter.
All these efforts are overshadowed, out-gunned and just plain beaten to a snotty, mewling pulp by man’s greatest artistic endeavour, The Guitar Solo.
I hold this fact to be self-evident, and here are a few shining, spanking or soaring examples of the genre.
Let me know if you think different…
Anything by Angus Young of AC/DC
This one’s an early rendition of ‘Rocker’, but anything by Angus will do very wonderfully, thank you very much. Plain, no-nonsense rock ‘n roll, and he makes you smile every time.
Some Fantastic Place by Squeeze
Guitarist Glen Tilbrook’s favourite Squeeze song. The solo’s musical, moving and clever, and fits the song perfectly.
Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd
During the Wall Show, while the rest of the band were hidden behind a muckle great pile of bricks, Dave Gilmour got to stand spotlighted on top of the wall and play this. Guitar heaven.
Hello by whoever played guitar on Lionel Richie’s hit
Yes, the song’s sentimental and Stinking-Bishop cheesy, but the solo cleanses the palate very, very well.
Goodbye to Love by The Carpenters
No apologies for this one. Great song, superb solo.
Living proof that self-indulgent guitar solos are fine, as long as the ‘self’ involved is worth indulging.
Some find Rush a bit sterile. I don’t, and here’s an Alex Lifeson solo with real soul.
Canyons of Your Mind by the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band
I’m not kidding – I love this solo. Or should I say ‘anti-solo’?
Summer Breeze by the Isley Brothers
Warm…fuzzy…nice!
While others play solos, BB sings them.
