Jimi Hendrix’s Voodoo Child named as “Greatest Guitar Riff”
Posted on November 27th, 2009 by Austin
[HMG] – Despite being almost old enough to qualify for membership of the AARP, the indelible solo from Jimi Hendrix’ 1968 classic, Voodoo Child has just been voted ‘The Greatest Guitar Riff of all Time!’
Guns N’ Roses’ glorious, ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine,’ came second, while other classic examples of tuneful dexterity such as Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love” or the iconic strains of ‘Smoke On The Water,’ created by British hard-rock band Deep Purple in late ‘72 secured well-deserved spots int the new chart’s top five.
But only two songs from the last ten years even made an appearance; Muse’s ‘Plug In Baby’ scored a place at 11, and The White Stripes’ grungy ‘Seven Nation Army’ scraped in at 15.
“That’s no surprise, given both Bellamy and White have Hendrix’s unique blend of experimental instinct and pure showmanship,” Music Radar’s editor, Mike Goldsmith told the BBC. “Above all, our poll proves one thing – in 2009, classic rock still rules.”
AC/DC’s brain-bending classic, ‘Back In Black’ from mid-1980 scored number six, just in front of Metallica’s ‘Enter Sandman’ and The Beatles’ ‘Day Tripper,’ which appears in eighth place.
At nine you’ll find Nirvana’s four-chord indulgence, ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit,’ while the Rolling Stones iconic 1965 chant, ‘[I Can't Get No] Satisfaction’ – which most true music fans call ‘a must-have’ – barely makes an appearance, staking its claim as the chart’s number 10.
As for the winner, Voodoo Child debuted as the last track on the third and last album released by Jimi Hendrix in 1968. It was then re-released in 1970 as a tribute when Jimi died of an overdose, aged just 27. But even today, his reputation among guitarists is still without peer; Mike Goldsmith calls the soft-spoken guitar god from Seattle, “the undisputed heavyweight champion of rock guitar.”
Music Radars‘ full list of laudables looks something like this…
1. The Jimi Hendrix Experience – ‘Voodoo Child’
2. Guns N’ Roses – ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’
3. Led Zeppelin – ‘Whole Lotta Love’
4. Deep Purple – ‘Smoke On The Water’
5. Derek and the Dominos – ‘Layla’
6. AC/DC – ‘Back In Black’
7. Metallica – ‘Enter Sandman’
8. The Beatles – ‘Day Tripper’
9. Nirvana – ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’
10. The Rolling Stones – ‘(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’
11. Black Sabbath – ‘Paranoid’
12. Muse – ‘Plug In Baby’
13. Eddie Van Halen – ‘Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love’
14. The Kinks – ‘You Really Got Me’
15. The White Stripes – ‘Seven Nation
16. AC/DC – ‘Highway to Hell’
17. Led Zeppelin – ‘Heartbreaker’
18. Black Sabbath – ‘Iron Man’
19. Led Zeppelin – ‘Black Dog’
20. Michael Jackson – ‘Beat It’
No comments yet.