Comments on: Pro's and Cons - Kickass Guitar Solos.

Pro's and Cons - Kickass Guitar Solos.

Lord_Pall — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 23:43:23 -0800

Like em or Hate em, Something Awful asks and answers the question: Do guitar solos make non-guitar solo songs better? A-HA, Beach Boys, Britney, Backstreet Boys. Rest of the thread.

By: sourwookie

sourwookie — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 23:51:45 -0800

Generally take the Kurt Cobain approach: IF you MUST have a guitar solo, it will only be a reprisal of the vocal melody.

By: sourwookie

sourwookie — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 23:55:11 -0800

That Beach Boys example cracked me up. So C.C. De ville.

By: Sangermaine

Sangermaine — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 23:57:53 -0800

You know, I was finally about to go to bed. Damn you.

By: ph00dz

ph00dz — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 00:32:36 -0800

That's some pretty funny stuff.

By: aubilenon

aubilenon — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 00:40:53 -0800

Like em or Hate em Wait wait, are you saying there are people who don't believe that the Something Awful Forum is ultimately the source of everything good on the internet? (goes and watches AYB again)

By: dirigibleman

dirigibleman — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 00:43:17 -0800

MeedleemeedleeMEEDLEEMEEDLEEMEEDLEEEMEEDLEEMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeyoooo I have now rendered this tread awesome.

By: sourwookie

sourwookie — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 00:48:28 -0800

DONTREADONME! Awesome!

By: andihazelwood

andihazelwood — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 01:01:05 -0800

There are some amazingly good tracks in that thread. I've never ventured into SA but that was definitely worthwhile. The Garth Brooks and Tom Petty tracks are vast improvements too (in my opinion).

By: Lord_Pall

Lord_Pall — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 01:04:15 -0800

Tom Petty and Garth Brooks links. Garth one takes a bit to get going.

By: sergeant sandwich

sergeant sandwich — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 01:27:34 -0800

man, dancing queen wins hands down. coldplay a close second.

By: CKZ

CKZ — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 01:49:11 -0800

This is brilliant.

By: Mach3avelli

Mach3avelli — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 01:51:02 -0800

Do guitar solos make non-guitar solo songs better? Depends on the solo.

By: PeterMcDermott

PeterMcDermott — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 02:09:47 -0800

Do guitar solos make non-guitar solo songs better? Not only do they not make non-guitar solo songs better, guitar solos are the reason why guitar solo songs suck.

By: boubelium

boubelium — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 02:16:16 -0800

By: chuckdarwin

chuckdarwin — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 03:07:54 -0800

The worst offender in my mind is that Weezer album from a few years back where it seemed as if every song had a melody repeating solo. I think you might have missed the ironic intention, there.

By: chuckdarwin

chuckdarwin — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 03:12:27 -0800

Yeah, Hair Metal killed guitar solos for just about everyone (me, included). I still see some of the older acts doing the whole Rock God thing with gusto but it looks a little sad, somehow (Iron Maiden on Live From Abbey Road). I think the biggest loser in this category is Yngwie Malmsteen.

By: MtDewd

MtDewd — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 03:15:44 -0800

Depends on the solo. -ain't it the truth. I never would have gone past the first page they were so bad. But Lord_Pall's selections were good, and I liked dancing queen- thanks for the filter. Now- do guitar solos make for better football replays? Whenever I watch NFL Primetime or something like that, it seems like all the replays have shredders setting the mood.

By: twine42

twine42 — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 03:45:53 -0800

Status Quo did a version of FunFunFun? And then someone mangled it further...?

By: danb

danb — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 05:15:36 -0800

The Coldplay one is some of the funniest shit I've ever heard.

By: jonmc

jonmc — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 06:01:59 -0800

chuckdarwin: Iron Maiden is not hair metal.

By: grouse

grouse — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 06:08:51 -0800

First thoughts: Something Awful? Really? Second thoughts: Hi-larious! Third thoughts: ugh, I can't listen to this anymore.

By: Wolfdog

Wolfdog — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 06:15:47 -0800

chuckdarwin, stuff that sucks, but does it ironically, still sucks.

By: quonsar

quonsar — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 07:20:49 -0800

Generally take the Kurt Cobain approach: IF you MUST have a guitar solo, it will only be a reprisal of the vocal melody. i thought the cobain approach was to bash indiscriminately on the strings, preferably without regard to key or intonation, using the harshest ugly distortion available? oh wait - that *would* have been a reprisal of the vocal melody. never mind...

By: Tuwa

Tuwa — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 07:27:15 -0800

Great start to the day. Gold stars all around.

By: cortex

cortex — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 07:31:48 -0800

Man, they jumped the gun on that A-Ha take. You've got that gigantic stretch of instrumental break waiting for you, and you start wanking over the prior chorus? Bad form, internet guitar soloist guy. Bad goddam form. I've got nothing but hearty approval for the Beach Boys rework, though.

By: chunking express

chunking express — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 07:41:15 -0800

Fuck yeah.

By: cortex

cortex — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 07:50:02 -0800

And Lord_Pall, you are just dang remiss for omitting the superb take on It's All Coming Back To Me. Which song I may regret impulsively revealing as the least annoying Celine Dion song ever. It's some pretty solid epic ballad pop, really. Always needed a guitar solo, though.

By: sourwookie

sourwookie — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 07:54:55 -0800

i thought the cobain approach was to bash indiscriminately on the strings, preferably without regard to key or intonation, using the harshest ugly distortion available? oh wait - that *would* have been a reprisal of the vocal melody. never mind... I guess in addition to turning down, Kurt should also get off your lawn too.

By: photoslob

photoslob — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 08:02:24 -0800

Is it me or does at least one user get banned from every SA thread? I bounced around from thread to thread and the number of banned users was astounding.

By: TheOnlyCoolTim

TheOnlyCoolTim — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 08:16:13 -0800

Is it me or does at least one user get banned from every SA thread? I bounced around from thread to thread and the number of banned users was astounding. I understand (not a member) that because the forums membership charge is a $9.95 one-time fee they make up for it by charging weird fees for various features (I think search and reading old threads, among others.) and by banning people often so they have to buy another membership.

By: heresiarch

heresiarch — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 08:28:03 -0800

Last I checked, banning on SA is an intentionally temporary thing. Forum accounts (like Metafilter) cost money and banned users are usually welcome to just cough up the fee again and they get their account turned back on. I think there's also a mechanism for people to ban each other if enough people pay money for the cause. It's ingenious. I might have the process wrong, though. I've never been a goon, but have friends who are.

By: grouse

grouse — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 08:32:32 -0800

There are some MeFi users that I would totally pay money to ban.

By: absalom

absalom — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 08:35:42 -0800

TheOnlyCoolTim: "among others" includes paying to change other people's user names, no? This is pretty damn cool. Can I download them?

By: cortex

cortex — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 08:36:25 -0800

I've got a good friend who is a goon and with whom I argue constantly about the differing ban philosophies of SA and Mefi. It's an interesting culture clash. I don't think the way SA handles these things is wrong in any reasonable sense, but it's definitely not a compatible approach. It's also a comparatively huge site—what are the member rolls like over there?—so the difference in philosophy re: user behavior tolerance thresholds isn't shocking.

By: TwoWordReview

TwoWordReview — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 08:50:59 -0800

Good Lord no! The solo has to serve the song (or at least the arrangement) I did enjoy the backstreet boys and Garth Brooks ones though...wait did I say that out loud!

By: Kosh

Kosh — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 08:52:03 -0800

I think the percentage of obnoxious people on SA is a good deal higher (especially in the General Bullshit forum), so the mods are a lot harsher. I agree that that's in part due to how large the user base is. Plus, it's not really in the spirit of a place that was built on endless mockery of everything in sight to be nice to those who transgress. Sometimes I'm actually surprised it's not harsher than it is. And yeah, it goes like: bans are permanent unless you pay $10 to re-register; perma-bans are exactly what they sound like; probations (which prevent you from posting, but I think you can still read) expire after a set amount of time and don't require ponying up any additional money. You can't pay to have another user banned, though you can pay $10 to have their avatar anonymously changed to something of your choice. I have an account, and while I don't post a lot (I don't really feel like I fit in to the culture there, myself), it's a fantastic resource for creative and funny things like this. There's always something interesting to read there.

By: Wolfdog

Wolfdog — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 08:52:57 -0800

grouse, feel free to contact me by email. I know I'm a ceaseless, annoying chatterbox, but I could be persuaded to piss off for a while for very, very reasonable rates. I would use the extra time to practice my guitar solos, too.

By: cortex

cortex — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 08:58:51 -0800

I would use the extra time to practice my guitar solos, too. Oh, is that what that was? I—wow. Look, just, um, when the guy from the ASPCA shows up? Tell him it was my mistake.

By: Wolfdog

Wolfdog — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 09:13:00 -0800

My solos are all finger-lickin' Whammy dives and frenetic fast pickin' But it seems that a rat's claimed I'm strangling cats... Though his own talent's choking the chicken.

By: cortex

cortex — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 09:26:42 -0800

Invited by Wolfdog to jam, I gathered the gig was a scam. When fingers hit string It settled the thing: He played like he'd hands made of ham.

By: Sailormom

Sailormom — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 09:43:55 -0800

This kind of reminds me of Redd Kross bassist Steven Shane McDonald who created an online only art project, titled Redd Blood Cells, in which he added a bass track to all the songs on White Blood Cells by the White Stripes.

By: Wolfdog

Wolfdog — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 09:59:48 -0800

Our 3rd mod has certainly tried hard To earn the "most popular guy" card Mumbling other folks' rhymes Over trite old bass lines... Tell me, please, how that shit ends up sidebarred?

By: Wolfdog

Wolfdog — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 10:04:53 -0800

Oh, hey, Bodom's Oops! I did it again is on YouTube. Speaking of soloing and cat-strangling, it all starts at about 1:50.

By: cortex

cortex — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 10:09:34 -0800

Though lesser men'd be close to heaven To have stood out at two of eleven, Wolfdog had stam'na To holler 'bout mana: "Hey Yahweh, you can't stop to leaven?!"

By: quonsar

quonsar — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 10:11:18 -0800

I guess in addition to turning down, Kurt should also get off your lawn too. kurt is *fertilizing* my lawn, dude.

By: Wolfdog

Wolfdog — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 10:18:29 -0800

Bitter, much? It's not hard to detect But your analogy's somewhat suspect For your playing, you oaf, Is less "heavenly loaf" And more "week-old thrift store reject."

By: Burhanistan

Burhanistan — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 10:21:57 -0800

Eno's "Baby's on Fire" with Robert Fripp features the only guitar solo that is worth hearing more than once. An apex of wankery, if you will.

By: dontoine

dontoine — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 10:55:28 -0800

The A-HA one rules.

By: cortex

cortex — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 10:57:07 -0800

When given, to scan, some Wolfdoggerel, An Aussie (e.g.) might cry "bugger all!" All talk of his verse is just "bad" vs. "worse": "Is this poem missing one cog, or all?"

By: Wolfdog

Wolfdog — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 11:15:53 -0800

Your poem's all bitch, whine & moan Did it come from some rhythm-free zone? Don't be too quick to cry 'bout the mote in my eye; There's a big fucking beam in your own

By: cortex

cortex — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 11:20:41 -0800

Are you truly so raw as you seem, Re-engaging, red eyes all a-gleam? It's easy to see Whither outbursts at me: You half-mentioned your sole friend Jim Beam.

By: eperker

eperker — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 12:12:18 -0800

funny concept. terrible execution.

By: Burhanistan

Burhanistan — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 12:13:00 -0800

Why did the MC battle stop?

By: Wolfdog

Wolfdog — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 12:19:34 -0800

It was all more or less predecided From the moment when cortex first chided Though there was quite a bit Of sublimely sharp wit, A true "battle" is something two-sided.

By: grouse

grouse — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 12:23:33 -0800

Don't be so hard on yourself, Wolfdog, I think you held your own.

By: Wolfdog

Wolfdog — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 12:39:54 -0800

"Held my own," says the rhyme-impaired whiz Who just failed the "Dead Obvious" quiz Of course I did, fool; While my own clearly rule, I would not be caught dead holding his.

By: dammitjim

dammitjim — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 12:59:52 -0800

Oh, snap! Wait, what was this thread about again?

By: grouse

grouse — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 13:12:20 -0800

Don't worry, Wolfdog is just trying to goad me into paying him to leave the site.

By: Ty Webb

Ty Webb — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 14:41:12 -0800

J Mascis single-handedly saved the big rock guitar solo with Dinosaur's cover of "Just Like Heaven.

By: MaryDellamorte

MaryDellamorte — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 15:59:58 -0800

Guitar solos are nothing but musical masturbation.

By: Ty Webb

Ty Webb — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 16:16:28 -0800

Only if they're done right.

By: Civil_Disobedient

Civil_Disobedient — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 16:58:20 -0800

Do guitar solos make non-guitar solo songs better? Unequivocally yes, because that one solo actually made me like Garth Fucking Brooks. I feel dirty having written that. Also, the comment about the Ah-Ha solo was spot-on. The arpeggios during the singing were wonderful, I just wish he could have saved them for the actual solo part instead of walking all over the guy's nice voice. Shit, it's not like there's anything interesting during that quiet part, either! And all he does is waste it with some long holds. Dumbass with talent, but dumbass nonetheless.

By: Civil_Disobedient

Civil_Disobedient — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 17:08:37 -0800

As for the two with no lives, no brains, and likely no wives... You're making me sick! A good limerick, is made up of sevens and fives!

By: Civil_Disobedient

Civil_Disobedient — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 17:11:02 -0800

And sometimes eights.

By: Wolfdog

Wolfdog — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 17:20:07 -0800

Sevens and fives? Do you mean haiku? Do you not know how to count? Or are you just wrong?

By: cortex

cortex — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 17:30:49 -0800

I had band practice And watched Terminator 3 One of those was good

By: Civil_Disobedient

Civil_Disobedient — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 17:41:31 -0800

Fall back on haiku? What's the matter, poor Wolfdog? Out of limericks?

By: cortex

cortex — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 17:49:13 -0800

Quadrameter has charms as well, like "Civil D can go to hell".

By: sparkletone

sparkletone — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 18:13:57 -0800

I think the worst solos are the melodic reprisals because, well, what's the point? The worst offender in my mind is that Weezer album from a few years back where it seemed as if every song had a melody repeating solo. Talk about filler! If it helps any, Rivers got really bored playing those solos after less than a year of playing them live and went back and made up real guitar solos. Island In The Sun's revamped solo is probably my favorite of the couple I heard and can remember from the time.

By: Wolfdog

Wolfdog — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 18:52:06 -0800

I've got rhymes by the pound or the kilo But it's time to be hitting the pillow And besides, I abstain Because - how to explain? - Ah, yes, you can hear it from Willow.

By: Slap*Happy

Slap*Happy — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 19:56:04 -0800

Is this some sad tribute From a closeted comics fan? Because the lot of you Sound like the Demon Etrigan. You know your schemes and rhymes and such But sometimes even a little is just too much. You made your points, and you made them well Now the lot of you can go to... ...THROW THEM OUT THE WINDOW! THE WINDOW! The second story window!

By: cortex

cortex — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 21:10:35 -0800

...heeeeeelllO OPERATOR, PUT ME ON THE LINE...

By: Civil_Disobedient

Civil_Disobedient — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 21:18:31 -0800

The two old fools had fought with Irish swords, until it seemed they had run out of fight. Then stirred from sleep by bitter critics' words, redoubled efforts, rhyming through the night.

By: sourwookie

sourwookie — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 21:24:04 -0800

J Mascis single-handedly saved the big rock guitar solo with Dinosaur's cover of "Just Like Heaven. Spinning on that dizzy edge, kissed her face, kissed her hheeaave!

By: Alterscape

Alterscape — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 00:48:31 -0800

Even though I already love the original, that version of Free Fallin' rocks quite thoroughly. Massive props to the Garth Brooks version too, even though it doesn't work quite so well.. And Cotex, Wolfdog, I expect to see this on music like, yesterday. :p