Worst Guitar Riffs or Solos

[Captain Bacardi]

It's not often that I look forward to reading Guitar World, but in December they will list the worst guitar riffs and solos of all time. Here's a preview of the story:

Guitar World Names 100 Worst Riffs, Solos

NEW YORK - He may be known for his over-the-top antics but Poison guitarist C.C. DeVille has another claim to fame: his "Guitar Solo" has been named the worst of all time by Guitar World magazine.

The magazine selected the "100 Worst Riffs, Licks & Solos of All Time," identifying ones that are "lazy," "boring," "just plain stoopid," or "involve C.C. Deville."

The list includes songs by David Bowie, Def Leppard, Metallica, Green Day, B.B. King, The Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, Aerosmith and The Strokes, among others. Many are guitar legends who simply had a bad night or bum note.

Guitar World describes DeVille's nine-minute solo "completely devoid of taste, structure or steady tempo" and recommends every budding guitarist listen to it because "surely, they can't do any worse."

DeVille was also cited for his "Cherry Pie" solo when he played with Warrant and Poison's "Every Rose Has Its Thorn."

The magazine recommends DeVille "take solace in the fact that he's in some rather good company."

Rounding out the top 10: "Summertime Blues," Blue Cheer; "The Game of Love," Carlos Santana; Falstaff beer 1967 radio spot, Cream; "All You Need is Love," The Beatles; "Thirsty and Miserable," Black Flag; "Wango Tango," Ted Nugent; "Ain't Too Proud to Beg," Rolling Stones; "Sting of the Bumblebee," Manowar; and "American Woman," Lenny Kravitz.

The list appears in the magazine's December issue.



I'm sure we could list a few as well, eh?


Capt. Bacardi

 

[jfiedler17]

Rounding out the top 10: "Summertime Blues," Blue Cheer; "The Game of Love," Carlos Santana; Falstaff beer 1967 radio spot, Cream; "All You Need is Love," The Beatles; "Thirsty and Miserable," Black Flag; "Wango Tango," Ted Nugent; "Ain't Too Proud to Beg," Rolling Stones; "Sting of the Bumblebee," Manowar; and "American Woman," Lenny Kravitz.

Like #$@%, Carlos Santana's solo in "The Game of Love" is one of the worst guitar solos ever. First of all, "The Game of Love" is a completely flawless single, IMO. I wouldn't have changed one single thing about it. Secondly, I can't think of any guitar solo on a Santana song that comes anywhere as close to sticking in my head the way the solo on "The Game of Love" does, and I think the greatest guitar solos are the ones that are as every bit as hummable as the rest of the songs they're from and not mere self-indulgent meandering on the guitarist's part. [That's why I've never been much of a jam-band buff.] But that's just me ...

Jeff F.

 

[Harry]

Add me to the list of "The Game Of Love" supporters. That record grabs me EVERY tmie I hear it. Jeff is right - it's flawless and will be played and remembered for a very long time. There's nothing wrong with the guitar solo that I can hear, but then again I'm not a critic trying to piss people off.

Harry

 

[Captaindave]

Now I don't know a hoot about guitars, but what I tend to think I hear a lot of is what sounds like variations on finger exercises from a book on guitar technique.

I'm not sure what musical expression there is - lots of it just seems to be how fast and wild the arpeggios are. Reminds me of riding a roller coaster. Thrilling ride, but not much scenery to see on the way down...

 

[Rudy]

These "worst" lists are usually just thrown together to stir up controversy and sell magazines. I will say that there are some real "stinker" guitar solos out there...heck, as much as I like Steely Dan, I just don't care to hear Walter Becker's fumblings on the guitar some of the time. Santana? I once heard a joke that Carlos Santana played the same guitar for 20 years; someone replied that he's played the same guitar solo for 20 years! Don't know if I totally agree, but in some of his weaker moments, they do tend to ramble on somewhat.

Ted Nugent's "Wango Tango"? Hardly "worst". In fact, his guitar solo in "Stranglehold" was listed as one of the best guitar solos. I know Ted has mentioned that he couldn't stand Jerry Garcia's drug-induced fumbling around on the guitar...can't say I've ever heard a Grateful Dead record in my life to see if that's true or not.

 

[Mike Blakesley]

Obviously the compiler of that list has only heard the latest Santana album. If they went back to some of his more freeform albums like WELCOME, CARAVANSERAI or BORBOLETTA, or some of his solo records liks ILLUMINATIONS, they would surely find some long boring solos. Although I am a huge Santana fan, his version of "Promise of a Fisherman" (from the BORBOLETTA album) is one of his worst songs ever, IMHO.

I agree with you guys, "The Game of Love" is a flawless single.

 

[Dave]

Well, if the list is going to include the guitar solo on The Beatles' "All You Need is Love", then I'd like to add the guitar solo on "Let It Be" to the list, too...! After hearing Billy Preston doing a guest shot on Organ, that's all the solo-ing you need to hear...!!

Carlos Santana did switch from his Latin Roots to a lot of EZ Listening, and Yeah...! Smooooth Jazz trappings to his later albums in the mid-to-late-70's, before courting the Pop Singer Market in the early-'80's, but I thought he returned to his Latin-Rocker stylings in the '90's; the magic of his first three albums returned with "The Game Of Love".

I thought José Feliciano did a fairly good Santana sound-alike with his "Salsa Negra" from his movie soundtrack for the Gordon Parks cinema-epic, Aaron Loves Angela; lots of guitar and percussion and Jose singing almost the entire song in Español...


Dave

 

[Mike Blakesley]

the magic of his first three albums returned with "The Game Of Love".

Ehhhh, I can't agree with that one. TGOL is a great single, but NOTHING can compare to those first three Santana albums.

 

[Dave]

NOTHING can compare to those first three Santana albums.

My store's "muzak" system plays Rob Thomas's "Smooth", I believe influenced by my favorite track from Santana's third album, "Guajira", as it has good guitar soloing from Carlos Santana's, guest appearance, there...

-- Dave

 

[Harry]

My store's "muzak" system plays Rob Thomas's "Smooth", I believe influenced by my favorite track from Santana's third album, "Guajira", as it has good guitar soloing from Carlos Santana's, guest appearance, there...

-- Dave

"Smooth" is a Santana recording with Rob Thomas as the guest vocalist. I still remember when I was working in radio and the Grammy's were coming up, and coworkers were actually still interested in them at that point, and they were discussing who would win. Everyone thought Santana had a lock with the song "Smooth", but up until that point, I had never heard the song. I didn't listen to much current-pop radio then.

Anyway, one of the PDs gave me a promotional CD single of "Smooth" to listen to, and at first I didn't care for it. After a couple of plays though, it grabbed me.

But I still favor "The Game Of Love" with Michelle Branch's guest vocals.

Harry

 

[Rudy]

Ehhhh, I can't agree with that one. TGOL is a great single, but NOTHING can compare to those first three Santana albums.

Caravanserai is the highlight for me, and I have Abraxas on SACD...but that's the extent of what I listen to. And even there I have to take it in small doses. Bonus points for covering songs by Jobim and Puente.

 

[bob knack]

Anybody ever hear Sonny Sherrock's solo on Herbie Mann's Memphis Underground?

 

[Dave]

Heck, as much as I like Steely Dan, I just don't care to hear Walter Becker's fumblings on the guitar some of the time.

Well, why else would Steely Dan mostly use studio guitarists, (& those already overburdened & overbooked w/ busy recording schedules) such as Dean Parks, Larry Carlton, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, & Elliot Randall (from his solos on "Reelin' In The years", onward)? And don't forget their run on wax climaxing w/ Hugh McCracken on "Hey Nineteen"...

If there is at least ONE 'Dan song, where Becker's fumbling on the strings are excusable, it would certainly be "Josie"--my fav' there & maybe a lot of others', too, if only because it's a "jam that really rocks"...!

-- Dave