What is the worst guitar solo in classic rock?
If rock ‘n’ roll is the music of revolution, the guitar is the sword that said revolutionaries wield. Whether you’re talking about Jimi Hendrix, Slash or Van Halen, every artist represents a different segment of rock music, and each of these segments came together to make a style of music that simply could not be matched.
The use of the guitar in rock music was gradual; however, each lead guitarist from The Yardbirds was a big part of bringing it into the spotlight. Starting with Eric Clapton, he was responsible for merging styles of music that hadn’t been merged before. Guitar music was the blues and R&B, but Clapton injected elements from those styles and planted them firmly in rock music. Many consider him the most important guitarist to ever pick up a six-string, as without his blending of styles, the foundation of rock music would never have been laid flat to be built upon.
Equally, Jeff Beck was also very important. Not only did he run with this style of music, but he added an element of stage presence that brought the guitar player out of the shadows. Before him, guitarists were left in the background, providing the music for the singer to lead on, but Beck made it so the guitarist could be their own star.
Then Jimmy Page took both of these elements and injected them into Led Zeppelin. Paired with the talent of John Bonham, Robert Plant, and John Paul Jones, the guitar player’s potential was truly recognised, and they were seen as one of the most important aspects of rock music. With that, there became an unwritten challenge to become the best in the world, which meant catchy riffs and elongated solos that defied any level of understanding.
First, what is the best guitar solo?
The questions about the best and worst guitar solos are completely subjective, so there is no definitive answer. That being said, some solos are so exciting and impossible that people recognise them as among the best ever committed to the airwaves.
One of the most recognised guitar solos is Jimmy Page’s face melter in ‘Stairway To Heaven’. The solo is technically fantastic, but it’s only elevated by the fact that it comes after a slow, drawn-out acoustic introduction. Equally, Van Halen’s ‘Eruption’ is also considered one of the greats. It’s technically fantastic, but the fact it was played as a solo performance is truly outstanding. It acts as a real statement of intent as Eddie confirms he’s one of the best to pick up a guitar.
So, what’s the worst guitar solo of all time?
In the same way that the best is subjective, so too is the worst. It all comes down to what people consider a lousy guitar solo; however, one of the worst out there and despised by rock fans is CC Deville’s offering on Poison’s ‘Unskinny Bop’. It’s not that Deville’s a bad guitarist; he’s done some excellent work for Poison, but this solo sounds baseless imitating as opposed to anything worthy of being called a guitar solo.
He adopts a similar technique used by Eddie Van Halen, tapping his way up and down the fret in an eccentric manner. He doesn’t seem to be thinking about where he’s actually playing; instead, he dedicates his time to tapping and hoping it formulates something listenable. This can be considered one of the worst as a good guitar solo, at the very least, should be original, and Deville’s attempt on ‘Unskinny Bop’ is anything but. Of all the solos out there, this one isn’t worth your time.
