speed of dark

Today's trip is a continuation of last week's Time Travel on the subject of the cover article of the latest issue of Rolling Stone, 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time compiled by writers David Fricke, Brian Hiatt, Evan Serpick, and Douglas Wolk.

No, we're not going to go for all 100 songs! Some of the songs on the list are just not my style even if I agree that the guitarists are excellent. Eddie Van Halen is a good example of that.

Researching and listening to songs for these Time Travels has been a real treat for me. Today's installment contains some of the songs on the Rolling Stone list that I agree with.

#16 is Neil Young's "Cowgirl In the Sand" from Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere. Young, in my opinion, is one of rock's most influential artists, and this might be his best album. Hard to say because he has had such a long career and created so many wonderful songs. You name it, he's done it, and he was often the first. Simply a master craftsman.


#18 belongs to Johnny Ramone and "Blitzkrieg Bop." Influenced themselves by classic surf-rockers the Beach Boys and Dick Dale as well as the New York Dolls, the Ramones in turn passed their influence to millions of garage-rockers. You can't beat this with a baseball bat.

The Ramones: Blitzkrieg Bop from their first album, The Ramones (1976)



#23 goes to Jeff Beck's sitar-like riff that twines around Keith Relf's nasal whine on the Yardbirds' "Over Under Sideways Down"
Beck also appears on the list for his solo work on "Freeway Jam" (1975) and "I Ain't Superstitious" (1968) with Rod Stewart on vocals and Ron Wood on bass. I just can't stand Rod Stewart's voice.


Jeff Beck: Over Under Sideways Down from Over Under Sideways Down (1966)


"How much noise can one guitar make?" Good question when the guitar belongs to Jack White. The list gives #21 to The White Stripes' "Seven Nation Army" from Elephant (2003) where White somehow plays a whole band's worth of guitar parts in one song.

As much as I like that song, my favorite of the Stripe's albums is still their self-titled debut that came blasting out of nowhere onto the music scene in 1999. White is doing pretty much the same thing on this Robert Johnson cover as on Rolling Stone's choice. The guy is just frickin' amazing.
The White Stripes: Stop Breakin' Down from The White Stripes (1999)



Larry Carlton is an accomplished Los Angeles session guitarist who has recorded with Edgar Winter, Bryan Adams, the Doobie Brothers, and Joanie Mitchell, to name only a few. In 1976 he leant his talent to Steely Dan, contributing to one of the best albums of their career. His nickname, Mr. 335, is due to Gibson's producing a signature guitar based on Carlton's own Gibson.

Rolling Stone places "Kid Charlemagne" at #80 on their list, but there are several on that album that are up to the same standard, like "Pretzel Logic" and "The Fez." Note Michael McDonald in the layers of vocal harmony here. Is there gas in the car? Yes, there's gas in the car!
Steely Dan: Kid Charlemagne from The Royal Scam (1976)


I'd be pitching a major fit if Johnny Marr and #90 "How Soon Is Now?" weren't somewhere on the list. That Doppleresque wail set against the agitated bass line is so distinctive. I never, ever get tired of this song. Even so, this might not be my very favorite Johnny Marr example.

The Smiths: How Soon Is Now? from Hatful of Hollow (1984)




Another song whose attraction never fades is #97, "No One Knows," by Queens of the Stone Age. Josh Homme hammers out a delicious riff that underscores the ominous tone of the track. I still think that Songs For the Deaf is their best effort. Other great tracks are "First It Giveth" and "Go With the Flow." Among the notable guest artists who played on the album is Dave Grohl on drums.

Photo by Matt Field

Queens of the Stone Age: No One Knows from Songs For the Deaf (2002)

Next Tuesday (and maybe another Tuesday too, who knows), I'll continue on this theme, possibly with more undoubtable guitar gems from the list, but at some point I'll start arguing my case for songs and guitarists who aren't on the Rolling Stone list.