The Best Guitar Solos Of All Time: Number 4

Slash being on the list of best guitar solos is just inevitable. The question is, which song made the cut? For me, the solo in "Estranged" has always been a highlight of Slash's work. In fact, it is my favorite Guns n' Roses song, period and that is why it is number 4 on the best solos list.

"Estranged" is also the highlight of the Illusions records. I regard it as Axl Rose's masterpiece. The complex interplay between dark and brooding lyrics and soaring guitar work helps cement GnR on another level when it comes to rock bands. There are only a few true stadium bands left these days and GnR is one of them. Slash's larger-than-life persona, skill and effortless cool definitely helped make the band get - and stay - huge.

The layers and dimensions on the guitar work during "Estranged" are hard to replicate. The technical bends and the melodic feeling adds to the uniqueness of the solo and the track as a whole. Other guitar players can mimic the solo but they cannot replicate Slash's signature sound.

The performance of "Estranged" was a personal highlight of the Guns n' Roses "Not In This Lifetime" reunion tour in Las Vegas back in 2016. Watching Slash perform the song live was a dream for me.

Extra credit: best Slash solo not from Guns n' Roses? For me, that's "Fall to Pieces" from Velvet Revolver. A beautiful and painful song made whole by Slash's care and skill on his Les Paul.

The Best Guitar Solos Of All Time: Number 5

"Is this the real life?/ Is this just fantasy?"

You knew this song would be on the list, right? Coming in at number 5 on the best guitar solos of all time is Queen's masterpiece, "Bohemian Rhapsody." Without Brian May's growing and soaring guitar work on "Rhapsody," the track just would not be the same. The song is on the 1975 album A Night At The Opera.

Back in 1983, Brian May did a video tutorial on his famous solo:

The problem, of course, is that most experienced guitar players may well be able to play the correct notes, but they cannot replicate the tone or feel that May produces. After all, there is only one Brian May of Queen.

Guitar World magazine readers recently rated May's work on "Bohemian Rhapsody" as the best guitar solo of all time. May was humbled - but when asked about the solo by a journalist, he said he believes his best solo is in "Killer Queen." To be sure, that is an amazing and complicated riff, too!

The Best Guitar Solos Of All Time: Number 6

What happens when you mix a pop icon with a guitar god? You get "Beat It," of course. The track is on Michael Jackson's 1984 album, Thriller. "Beat It" features a blistering guitar solo by none other than Eddie Van Halen. "Beat It" comes in at number 6 on my list for the best guitar solos of all time.

There's a reason Thriller is the best selling album of all time: it is basically flawless, from beginning to end and there's a little something for everyone. Jackson struck literal gold with "Beat It" - the song is definitely more rock than pop and that is due to Van Halen's masterful guitar work. The solo is short - clocking in at under 30 seconds - and yet it is the pinnacle of the song. This cross-over, melding pop and hard rock, was one of the first of its kind. Amazingly, Van Halen did the solo as a favor, taking no money for his work.

Back in 2012, CNN interviewed Eddie Van Halen about his "Beat It" solo and the short interview is worth a read.

Of course, "Beat It" was a huge commercial hit. It also won the Grammy for "Record of the Year" among other awards. Remember, the video is pretty iconic too, with the street gangs doing a dance-off. Tracii Guns is in the video.

Now you might be thinking, "How could Allyson choose 'Beat It' over 'Eruption?'" Great question! Of course "Eruption" is a great solo - and Eddie Van Halen's trademark. But for all its importance in music, the song did not achieve the same crossover appeal attained by "Beat It." It seems like everyone on the face of the planet knows the wailing guitar solo in "Beat It." That means something.

The isolated solo:

Here's "Beat It" live during the Jackson's Victory Tour - with special guest Eddie Van Halen! Incidentally, the Victory Tour is one of those shows I wish I could go back in time to attend.

News Of The Week Roundup: Week 23, 2021

Ransomware attacks keep hitting American organizations. This is a very interesting angle on how ransomware attacks are crippling hospitals - and putting patient health at risk.

Ron Jackson was scheduled to begin radiation treatments for an aggressive brain tumor when his local hospital was hit with a ransomware attack. He had to drive daily to a hospital two hours away instead. How a cyber gang paralyzed U.S. hospitals. https://t.co/MEAq7Ey6OD

— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) June 10, 2021

This is really interesting, especially if you love American history like I do.

Rebecca Nurse was the oldest woman killed in the Salem witch trials.

Her descendants include Sen. Mitt Romney, “Scrubs” actor Zach Braff and “I Love Lucy” star Lucille Ball. (@hereandnow) https://t.co/4w27ciBmk4

— NPR (@NPR) June 8, 2021

Speaking of important figures in history - here's a story about a true hero:

From the "what fresh hell is this?" file regarding COVID-19, a new variant of the disease so smart it can hide from the freaking human immune system.

The rapid spread of the Alpha coronavirus variant, first identified in Britain, left scientists wondering how it moved through communities so quickly.

A new study suggests one answer: It hides from the human immune system, giving it more time to multiply.https://t.co/vHpd3V4gRE

— The New York Times (@nytimes) June 7, 2021

This is not good: COVID positive passengers on the first North American cruise since the pandemic halted sailings back in March 2020.

Two guests onboard a Royal Caribbean cruise test positive for Covid https://t.co/zNSCMlqXwq

— CNBC (@CNBC) June 10, 2021

From the "no kidding" file of anyone who has bought anything in America recently: stuff is more expensive than it was last year. Of course, this is a bit nuanced. Lockdowns meant prices for things like air travel and hotel stays were available at bargain basement deals. Now that people are vaccinated, most want to get out, travel, go to restaurants and buy things. Shocking that prices are going up, I know.

For the past decade, inflation has averaged under 2 percent a year for the typical American.

But inflation rose 5 percent between May 2020 and May 2021, the Labor Department reported Thursday — the biggest jump since 2008. https://t.co/iM8w8UMmT3

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) June 10, 2021

In addition to making music with Nikki Sixx, Rob Zombie is getting back into the film game and his next movie will be The Munsters. I love that old TV show and I am pumped for the movie.

Rob Zombie Officially Confirms His Next Movie is ‘The Munsters’! https://t.co/Gw3TK5HPv7

— Bloody Disgusting (@BDisgusting) June 7, 2021

And I leave you with this...

The Best Guitar Solos Of All Time: Number 7

Heart released the album Little Queen in 1977. That album includes the track "Barracuda" which features some of Roger Fisher's best guitar work.

"Barracuda" has two nice solos for Fisher to show off his talent. There's some innovative stuff going on here, especially the unique sounds toward the end of the second solo (around the 3:30 mark). Then there's the fact that this riff is probably one of the most recognizable in all of rock. Fisher should really get more praise fo his skill and expertise. He left Heart around 1980 but was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the band in 2013.

Roger Fisher explains how he came up with some of those innovative sounds in an interview from 2018:

I dare you not to rock out while listening to this track:

The Best Guitar Solos Of All Time: Number 8

"Nodbody's Fault" is the brainchild of genius and criminally underrated Aerosmith guitarist Brad Whitford. On this one, Whitford shares a writing credit with singer Steven Tyler. For his part, Tyler has said that he regards "Nobody's Fault" as the highlight of his songwriting career.

Featured on the 1976 album Rocks, "Nobody's Fault" is perhaps Whitford's signature song, along with "Last Child."

I had trouble choosing between the two for best solo, but the complexity of "Nobody's Fault" ended up pushing me in that song's favor.

If you've ever watched a guitar tutorial for "Nobody's Fault" then you get where I am coming from. The guitar parts are just complex and crunchy as hell, too. There is so much going on up and down the fretboard on both the lead and rhythm parts, the song is just a guitar fan's dream. The track was definitely way ahead of its time. So many bands have covered "Nobody's Fault" because it is a favorite among many of the artists we love - but no artist outside of Aerosmith has really ever come close to matching the guitar tone on the Rocks recording. It was one of those snapshot-in-time moments, akin to Slash's guitar tone on Appetite for Destruction. Magic in a heavy metal bottle I guess.

Here's a solo tutorial:

Brad Whitford joined Lzzy Hale and the East Side Gamblers on stage in Nashville a few years ago. You can see Brad's playing up close here:

The Best Guitar Solos Of All Time: Number 9

What song do I listen to when I want to hear some awesome guitar work? That would be "Headed for a Heartbreak" by Winger. The song is my choice for the 9th best guitar solo of all time. From the 1988 self-titled debut, the track helped solidify Winger's new-found stardom.

Guitarist Reb Beach has some amazing moments on this track - the first solo is around the 2 minute mark, but the ending is what makes the song for me. The song was written by Kip Winger and was a first nod to all of us that he would eventually become a big time composer for orchestras.

I interviewed Kip Winger years ago and asked him something about Beach. I don't remember my question but I've always remembered his answer. Kip said "Reb's ending on 'Headed for a Heartbreak' speaks for itself." A great tribute to a wonderful piece of music - perhaps one of the finest pieces of the glam metal era.

Here's Reb doing the outro solo live: