Eh, what the heck is a guitar riff? I've been playing classical guitar for 38 years more or less. The greatest Western fretted instrumentalist was quite possibly Lutenist John Dowland.
Playing his Forlorn Hope Fancy, is well, just a fancy of forlorn hope for most of us. L ---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, <s3raphita@...> wrote : BBC Radio has just run a poll of a panel of music industry experts, music critics and record producers to select the best riff. It's the kind of lightweight, amusing contest that has obvious appeal: 1) we all regard ourselves as experts even if (like me) you've never picked up a guitar 2) You can indulge in some gratifying sneering at the lack of taste displayed by others' choices 3) You can tear your hair out at the priceless songs the unwashed masses have overlooked. My choices would for sure have included Peter Gunn – Duane Eddy (makes No 58); Don’t Fear The Reaper – Blue Oyster Cult (No 34); Day Tripper – The Beatles (No 28); Paranoid – Black Sabbath (No 26); and You Really Got Me – The Kinks (No 9). But if someone had challenged me to pick the greatest ever riff off the top of my head I would have gone for Whole Lotta Love – Led Zeppelin - and that is indeed the song chosen. Was it a shoo-in? The full list is copied below (in reverse order). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQmmM_qwG4k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQmmM_qwG4k The 100 Greatest Riffs Of All-Time: 100.Get Lucky – Daft Punk 99. Unbelievable – EMF 98. Loser – Beck 97. Are You Gonna Be My Girl – Jet 96. Rocks – Primal Scream 95. Bohemian Like You – The Dandy Warhols 94. Jack & Diane – John Mellencamp 93. Lonely Boy – The Black Keys 92. September – Earth, Wind & Fire 91. The One I Love – R.E.M. 90. Wheels – Foo Fighters 89. C’mon Everybody – Eddie Cochran 88. Ma-Ma-Ma Belle – Electric Light Orchestra 87. Eye Of The Tiger – Survivor 86. That Lady – The Isley Brothers 85. Mr Tambourine Man – The Byrds 84. Words of Love – Buddy Holly 83. Bo Diddley – Bo Diddley 82. Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll – Rainbow 81. Boom Boom – John Lee Hooker 80. I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll – Joan Jett & The Blackhearts 79. Born To Be Wild – Steppenwolf 78. Cannonball – The Breeders 77. Runnin’ Down A Dream – Tom Petty 76. A Girl Like You – Edwyn Collins 75. My Sharona – The Knack 74. Block Buster! – Sweet 73. Rumble – Link Wray 72. Every Breath You Take – The Police 71. Oh, Pretty Woman – Roy Orbison 70. Boys Don’t Cry – The Cure 69. There She Goes – The La’s 68. Theme From Shaft – Isaac Hayes 67. Shakin’ All Over – Johnny Kidd & The Pirates 66. Pride (In The Name Of Love) – U2 65. Need You Tonight – INXS 64. Are You Gonna Go My Way – Lenny Kravitz 63. Marquee Moon – Television 62. Song 2 – Blur 61. Misirlou – Dick Dale 60. Take Me Out – Franz Ferdinand 59. Good Times – Chic 58. Peter Gunn – Duane Eddy 57. Mannish Boy – Muddy Waters 56. Sharp Dressed Man – ZZ Top 55. Walk This Way – Aerosmith / Aerosmith & RUN-D.M.C. 54. Don’t Believe A Word – Thin Lizzy 53. Beat It – Michael Jackson 52. Killing in The Name – Rage Against The Machine 51. Should I Stay Or Should I Go – The Clash 50. Spoonman – Soundgarden 49. Milk & Alcohol – Dr. Feelgood 48. Life In The Fast Lane – Eagles 47. Atomic – Blondie 46. Stay With Me – Faces 45. Run To You – Bryan Adams 44. Apache – The Shadows 43. Fools Gold – The Stone Roses 42. Born To Run – Bruce Springsteen 41. Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love – Van Halen 40. Under The Bridge – Red Hot Chili Peppers 39. I Can’t Explain – The Who 38. No One Knows – Queens of The Stone Age 37. Cigarettes & Alcohol – Oasis 36. Hocus Pocus – Focus 35. No Surprises – Radiohead 34. Don’t Fear The Reaper – Blue Oyster Cult 33. Pretty Vacant – Sex Pistols 32. She Sells Sanctuary – The Cult 31. One Vision – Queen 30. Alive – Pearl Jam 29. The Riverboat Song – Ocean Colour Scene 28. Day Tripper – The Beatles 27. I Can’t Get No (Satisfaction) – The Rolling Stones 26. Paranoid – Black Sabbath 25. Seven Nation Army – The White Stripes 24. Sunshine Of Your Love – Cream 23. Sweet Home Alabama – Lynyrd Skynyrd 22. Oh Well – Fleetwood Mac 21. All Right Now – Free 20. Smells Like Teen Spirit – Nirvana 19. Livin’ On A Prayer – Bon Jovi 18. The Spirit Of Radio – Rush 17. Johnny B. Goode – Chuck Berry 16. Enter Sandman – Metallica 15. Do I Wanna Know? – Arctic Monkeys 14. 20th Century Boy – T. Rex 13. Motorcycle Emptiness – Manic Street Preachers 12. Purple Haze – The Jimi Hendrix Experience 11. Ziggy Stardust – David Bowie 10. Money – Pink Floyd 9. You Really Got Me – The Kinks 8. Money For Nothing – Dire Straits 7. Down Down – Status Quo 6. How Soon Is Now? – The Smiths 5. Layla – Derek And The Dominoes 4. Smoke On The Water – Deep Purple 3. Back In Black – AC/DC 2. Sweet Child O’ Mine – Guns ‘N’ Roses 1. Whole Lotta Love – Led Zeppelin