Best Iron Maiden guitar solos

Cornfed Hick

Cornfed Hick

Ancient Mariner
Guitar World magazine recently published a list of the 100 greatest guitar solos of all time.  No Iron Maiden song made the list.  (The top 10 were: 1. Stairway to Heaven, 2. Eruption (Van Halen), 3. Free Bird, 4. Comfortably Numb, 5. All Along the Watchtower (Hendrix version, obviously), 6. November Rain (G'n'R), 7. One (Metallica), 8. Hotel California, 9. Crazy Train, 10. Crossroads (Cream version).  Here is a link to the entire list: http://guitar.about.com/library/bl100greatest.htm) 

This list inspired the question: what is your favorite Iron Maiden solo?  Duets and trios probably count, given that the "solos" in Free Bird and Hotel California, both in Guitar World's top 10, are really duets.  I'm not posting this as a poll, as I am unable to come up with an obvious top 5 or 6 that should comprise the list. 
 
Bah!  That list is baloney.  I have nothing against those songs.  In fact, I like most of them, especially 'One', 'Stairway to Heaven' and 'Comfortably Numb' BUT the list is nothing more than a regurgitation of most popular (i.e. overplayed) radio songs.  I earnestly doubt the list is representative of the rock listeners at large and it is too clichéd to take seriously.

I love many solos.  The songs 'Hallowed Be Thy Name', 'For the Greater Good of God' and 'Afraid to Shoot Strangers' immediately come to mind.  I have no current favourite.
 
I haven't looked at the rest of the list, but that top 10 at least is certainly not baloney. That is indeed a list of all-time classic guitar solos - solos which have been so popular and influential that many guitarists have spent much time learning them note-for-note.

Recall the source: Guitar World. This is a magazine for guitarists (and a damn fine one), not music fans in general. That top 10 does indeed reflect the opinions of many guitarists I've known.

Just from that top 10, I've spent time learning sections of Stairway, Eruption, Free Bird, Hotel California and Crazy Train. That's half of the top 10 ... and I'm not even a guitarist, I'm a bassist.

Edit: I almost forgot, I'm supposed to name some good Maiden solos.
Murders In The Rue Morgue
Children Of The Damned
Hallowed Be Thy Name
The Trooper
Stranger In A Strange Land
Fear Of The Dark
The Wicker Man
 
I am showing my bias.  I could not hold a guitar, let alone play a solo.  However, if we were to ask rock fans in general would they still vote for these songs?  I know how many guitar fans love Eddie's solo on 'Eruption' and his tapping technique.  I used to love it too.  But, I happen to find it cliche today. 

EDIT: I am aware that the magazine's readers are guitar players and do not represent rock music listeners in general.
 
I have to admit (and I've said this before), solos do nothing, or very little, for me. But on occasions, you stumble across a masterpiece in guitar work that you just have to sit back and say "wow".

Number 4 in this list is one such track: Comfortably Numb - Pink Floyd. Superb band, astonishing album (The Wall) - what more is needed?
 
Agree about Comfortably Numb -- that would be my #1.  Hotel California probably #2.  (And I otherwise loathe the Eagles.) 

Iron Maiden's solos tend not to be nearly as memorable, though the theme duet at 5:34 and 6:06 in The Longest Day, on which Murray then expands at 6:21, is my favorite moment of the new album.   
 
My favourite Maiden guitar solos are Murray's in 'The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg', 'Run to the Hills' and 'The Trooper'. Also not to mention Smith's solos in 'Can I Play With Madness', 'Different World', 'Wasted Years' and 'The Number of the Beast'.
 
Cosmiceddie said:
I thought that was Janick...
Click to expand...

It's Dave.

Janick plays 4 solos on AMOLAD:

Brighter Than A Thousand Suns (2nd solo)
The Pilgrim
For The Greater Good Of God (1st solo)
The Legacy
 
Albie said:
I have to admit (and I've said this before), solos do nothing, or very little, for me. But on occasions, you stumble across a masterpiece in guitar work that you just have to sit back and say "wow".
Click to expand...

I'm a bit torn in two in this matter. On the one hand, I love a good guitar solo, on the other hand I'm often irritated by the "obligatory rock guitar solo"; the superfluous piece of guitar noise included only because a rock song should have a solo. However, this is usually a minor annoyance, so I just sit through them and hope someone enjoys it. It's all worth it for the times my ears are graced with pieces like David Gilmour's solo in Time, Frank Zappa's solo in Inca Roads or the solos in Phantom of the Opera and Powerslave.
 
Comfortably Numb (the Pulse version) has, for me, the best guitar solo ever conceived of. Beautifully executed, 5 minutes long, and placed in one of the most moving songs I have ever heard. 6 stars, hands down.
 
I remain ambivalent regarding guitar solos.  When they are good (cf. The Trooper, Seventh Son, Stairway to Heaven, Time), they are fantastic expositions of emotion, skill, and beautiful, seamless interweaving of musical ideas.  When done badly, they are absolute wankfests (cf. a lot of Slayer (although The Antichrist has a brilliant solo from Jeff Hanneman), Dragonforce and a lot of Maiden).

As for the About guitar page, this is what they ranked 23rd.  Skip to about 2:35 and see the 'solo'.  Imitating a turntable by abusing whammy bar effects does not rank as a good solo in my books.  Even ignoring the fact that I hate Rage Against The Machine.
 
Raven said:
I remain ambivalent regarding guitar solos.  When they are good (cf. The Trooper, Seventh Son, Stairway to Heaven, Time), they are fantastic expositions of emotion, skill, and beautiful, seamless interweaving of musical ideas.  When done badly, they are absolute wankfests (cf. a lot of Slayer (although The Antichrist has a brilliant solo from Jeff Hanneman), Dragonforce and a lot of Maiden).

As for the About guitar page, this is what they ranked 23rd.  Skip to about 2:35 and see the 'solo'.  Imitating a turntable by abusing whammy bar effects does not rank as a good solo in my books.  Even ignoring the fact that I hate Rage Against The Machine.
Click to expand...

#23???  :lol:  I listen to 'Rage Against the Machine' even though I know they cannot do a solo and that their message of communism is complete bullshit.  I listen to the main riffs.  Having them ranked at all on any remarkable solo list calls the whole list into question  -_-.
 
these lists are for laugh !!
go to see the Rolling stones' 100 guitarists of all time where Curt Combaine (!!!) is ranked some 30 places over Blackmore

fav maiden solo : Die with your boots on, No prayer for the dying
 
____no5 said:
these lists are for laugh !!
go to see the Rolling stones' 100 guitarists of all time where Curt Combaine (!!!) is ranked some 30 places over Blackmore

fav maiden solo : Die with your boots on, No prayer for the dying
Click to expand...

Curt Combaine?  I haven't heard of him?  :)
 
Top 20 'Greatest Guitar Solos Ever': Videos Available - Jan. 24, 2007 

Video links to the top 20 of the Guitar World magazine "100 Greatest Guitar Solos Ever" have been posted online at CityRag.

http://cityrag.blogs.com/main/2007/01/1 ... st_gu.html

Listen and watch the musical genius and mastery that made these classics famous!

Top 20 "Greatest Guitar Solos Ever":

01. Stairway To Heaven - Jimmy Page
02. Eruption - Edward Van Halen (Option 2)
03. Freebird - Collins/Rossington
04. Comfortably Numb - David Gilmour (Option 2)
05. All Along The Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix
06. November Rain - Slash
07. One - Kirk Hammet
08. Hotel California - Don Felder/Joe Walsh
09. Crazy Train - Randy Rhoads (Option 2)
10. Crossroads - Eric Clapton
11. Voodo Chile - Jimi Hendrix
12. Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry
13. Texas Flood - Stevie Ray Vaughan
14. Layla - Clapton/Allman
15. Floods - Dimebag Darrell
16. Heartbreaker - Jimmy Page
17. Cliffs Of Dover - Eric Johnson
18. Little Wing - Jimi Hendrix
19. Highway Star - Ritchie Blackmore
20. Bohemian Rhapsody - Brian May
 
Some from H...

Prodigal Son
22 Acacia Avenue
The Duellists
Heaven Can Wait
Stranger in a Strange Land
Alexander the Great

Some from Dave...

Prodigal Son
To Tame a Land
Deja Vu
Holy Smoke
Chains of Misery
Judas Be My Guide

A few from Jan...

Mother Russia
Sign of the Cross
Como Estais Amigos
Brighter Than a Thousand Suns

One from Dennis...

Remember Tomorrow
 
I think the ultimate Maiden solo is - Alexander The Great. Don't ask me why, but if you turn the volume on the steroe to Max and turn of the lights thier is nothing finer in music. My number 2  - Led Zep 'All Of My Love' for much the same reasons.
 
Some Maiden Solos that make me headbang:

The trisolo of: No More Lies, For The Greater Good Of God, The Nomad
Powerslave of course!
Sign Of The Cross - SWEEEEEEEET!!!!
Revelations!
The amazing Rime Of The Ancient Mariner!
Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son!
Killer's crazy solo!
Brave New World :P
Blood Brothers - Real heartwarming.

New Add: Innocent Exile, extremely fast paced and awesome!
 
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