Slash, the guitarist for Guns N’ Roses, has gained a tremendous reputation for his spectacular solos that have been leaving crowds in awe for many years. Slash is aware that merely having technical proficiency is insufficient to ensure the success of a solo. Rather, the solo needs to establish an emotional bond with the audience.
Slash is a highly qualified individual to assess the quality of a solo. His contribution to Guns N’ Roses was essential to the band’s success. He played a crucial role in songs like “November Rain,” “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” and “Paradise City.” Without this essential component, Guns N’ Roses wouldn’t have their distinct sound. His solos are what give the band their identity.
Although Slash’s amazing solo repertoire isn’t the only reason for Guns N’ Rose’s success, they have undoubtedly contributed. His top three solos showcase the integration of diverse influences, notably from the 1970s, into his sound.
The French magazine L’Obs asked the Guns N’ Roses guitarist in 2019 to rank his favorite solos. Since Slash could not complete the task, he instead listed the three songs that had the biggest influence on him.
He said, “You know what I mean, this is a tough question because there isn’t one solo that stands out to me as the essential guitar solo of all time. There are many really significant ones, but Manfred Mann’s solo on the song “Blinded By The Light” was one that truly moved me. Additionally, that song has a solo that is really kind of epic in terms of how it was arranged and how it entered the song, among other things. That’s probably the one that not many people would anticipate.
Slash chose “Baker Street” by Gerry Rafferty as his second choice, saying, “This is another very ’70s epic solo as part of the big song arrangement.” I have no idea who the guitar players were for those two solos.
Nevertheless, Slash knows full well that Jimmy Page wrote the brilliant solo on the Led Zeppelin hit “Whole Lotta Love.” He included it in his final selection. “One of the great things about Jimmy Page’s playing is he played within the context of the song,” Slash explained. “It really complemented the guitar, as opposed to just being a guitar solo.”
Slash said earlier this year that the song “Whole Lotta Love,” which he first heard as a child, was the inspiration behind his decision to become a guitarist. “I was seven years old when I heard ‘Whole Lotta Love’ from ‘Led Zeppelin II,'” he recalled telling Total Guitar.
Slash proceeded, “I connected that sound—what I thought was the greatest record I had heard—to the Les Paul.” I recognized the guitar tones as coming from a Les Paul because I had seen images of Jimmy Page holding one. Therefore, I connected the Les Paul to that particular sound.”
Listen to a playlist of Slash’s favourite solos below.
Slash’s favourite guitar solos:
- Manfred Mann’s Earth Band – ‘Blinded by the Light’
- Gerry Rafferty – ‘Baker Street’
- Led Zeppelin – ‘Whole Lotta Love’
