Great Guitair Riffs...

[Laice07]

So.... we have all heard the classics... the ultimates.... the defining songs that make you wanna grab a Gibson and sign up for lessons....

But what are greatest guitar riffs? The ones that make you remember the song, and never forget it. Please write in your choice, as well as an honorable mention

For me Kashmir and Black Dog by Led Zeppelin come to mind. Jimmy Page has written so many great riffs it's hard to remember them all off hand. The godfather of the almighty riff has to me Tony Iommi from Black Sabbath, though. Come on, Iron Man has to be the best ever. I think the guy creating the best guitar riffs in recent memory is Tom Morrelo of Rage Against The Machine/Audioslave. Know Your Enemy and Guerilla Radio are instant guitar classics. I also think that Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple joins the rest as the greatest riffs ever. Blackmore is a genius. "Sunshine of your love" by Cream (clapton) also kicks ass.

Edited August 9, 2005 by Laice_

[Guest fultie]

George Harrison and Robby Kreiger - everything they do

[Mick]

Angus Young's gutiar solo during "Whole Lotta Rosie"....

'nuff said.

[Steeb]

War Pigs - Black Sabbath - although that song is as much about the drums as the guitar.

Smoke On The Water - Deep Purple

Knock Me Down - RHCP

Black Dog - Led Zeppelin

Immigrant Song - Led Zeppelin

Ace Of Spades - Motorhead

Davidian - Machine Head

[Guest MDickie]

Back in Black - ACDC

It's simple, yet VERY effective

[triplexpac]

Tom Morello is good, but moreso for his effect making skills. He has awesome delays and reverbs and such, but I haven't heard him go all out and balls to the walls shred.

Guys like Satriani, Malmsteen, Vai and Petrucci are guitar gods. It's almost unfair to rate other, more mainstream guitarists with these guys. Check out any G3 stuff, it'll blow your mind.

All that being said, my favorite guitar solo has to be Pearl Jam - Alive. The original one, not the remake. I love every second of it, it builds up so well.

[mattman1624]

Slash's Opening riff on Sweet Child of Mine.

[VerbalPuke]

Jack Tragic and the Unfortunates - Born Dead

Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers - Baby Talk

Kraut - Don't Believe

Pink Lincolns - I'm So Polite

Unsane - Smells like rain

The Child Molesters - X Amount of Grief

There's a few of many I could name of. Nothing extremely technical, but they all sound bad ass.

[RPS]

Blitzkrieg Bop by the Ramones. Much like ACDC in that it is very simple, but very effective and probably the most well-known Ramones song. A lot of their better songs have good riff.

[Venom]

Some of these have already been said, but yeah.

Guns 'N' Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine

The Pixies - Debaser

Rage Against The Machine - Know Your Enemy

Led Zeppelin - When The Levee Breaks

Led Zeppelin - Kashmir

Jane's Addiction - Mountain Song

Metallica - Ride The Lightning (the one that starts 2:35 into the song)

[ravenjuice]

Iron Maiden - The trooper.

Iron Maiden - Run to the hills

Metallica - Seek and Destroy intro/outro riff

Motorhead - Louie Louie

Megadeth - Holy Wars.

[Enter Blue Guy]

Iron Maiden - Aces High (the intro in particular)

Pantera - Walk

Black Label Society - Suicide Messiah

Metallica - Seek and Destroy

Judas Priest - Breakin The Law

Rage Against The Machine - Bulls On Parade

Just to name a few.

[Ash J. Williams]

Rammstein - LOS

Pixies - Velouria

Pixies - Here Comes Your Man

Fear Factory - Frequency

Metallica - Leper Messiah

Dream Theater - Home

Green Day - Hitchin' A Ride

Jerry Cantrell - Angel Eyes

Jerry Cantrell - Pig Charmer

Boy Hits Car - The Sound of a Breaking Heart

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Six Barrel Shotun

Lollipop Lust Kill - Personal Jesus

Rage Against The Machine - Bulls on Parade

Rage Against The Machine - Born of a Broken Man

Edited August 10, 2005 by Ash J. Williams

[EWFan2004]

Pink Floyd's Comfortably Numb Nuff said.

[Laice07]

Pink Floyd's Comfortably Numb Nuff said.

[Evil Chase K]

Metallica

[Guest Bluesman]

For me Kashmir and Black Dog by Led Zeppelin come to mind. Jimmy Page has stolen so many great riffs it's hard to remember them all off hand.

[Guest Morecello]

Green Day's Brain Stew

Guns 'N' Roses Sweet Child of Mine (actually started out with Slash just playing around.

AC/DC "Highway to Hell" and "Shook Me All Night Long"

[dadivaluver]

I'm a big Slash fan so I think a lot of his stuff, AC/DC, and of course Zepplin, you're always going to find a good riff in almost anything they do.

John Lennon (/Paul McNartney (sp?)) - Helter Skelter - The Beatles

Old, but hey...

[Liam]

I can't believe the topic has gone so long without someone mentioning Pantera - Cemetery Gates. The riff after the melodic intro is badass, and just rules.

Edited August 12, 2005 by rvdwannabe