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We’ve given you the best drum solos, frontmen, lead vocalists, songwriters and lyricists, but oddly enough we’re just now getting around to the best solo guitarists in rock music history. We’re not apologizing or anything, but we did leave these wonderful solos here below to remind you what good music is.
Jimmy Page
No point in ranking the unmatched. Page probably is the best living soloist on this rock, but ironically nobody gets to see him play.
Pete Townshend
You cannot find the windmill in many places in this world, especially outside of a Who show, and even more especially not at your electric carnival.
John Frusciante
He might not have been an original member, but John Frusciante essentially put the red hot in the Chili Peppers.
Keith Richards
Keith stood for much more than the music. He is rock, living and breathing it.
Warren Haynes
Unfortunately for Dave Matthews, the best part of most DMB shows was when he brought on special guests. One of the most noteworthy was Warren Haynes of Gov’t Mule playing “Cortez the Killer” with Dave.
Eddie Van Halen
We’ll never admit to loving Van Halen now that our previous Editor in Chief is gone. But we will stand by the fact that Eddie was the reason Van Halen was ever likable.
David Gilmour
David Gilmour and Roger Waters are living gods are far as we’re concerned, and this clip will show you exactly why.
Slash
Whether or not you were a Guns N’ Roses fan is a moo point when it comes to deciding if Slash is or is not a guitar personified. He is.
Eric Clapton
Between Cream, The Yardbirds, playing with The Beatles or going solo, Eric Clapton remains one of the most classically underrated guitarists out there today, not to mention songwriter and snappy dresser.
Jack White
You thought the last one was going to be U2’s The Edge. You were wrong. We couldn’t have a list like this without the brilliance of Jack White. If anything else, we would’ve gone for John Mellencamp or something before we put U2 up for anything positive after 1987.