3 Forgotten Guitar Solos From the Early 1970s That Still Give Us Chills

When people turn on the classic rock music station, they want one thing. Big, swelling guitar solos. Indeed, the guitar solo has become a staple of the genre—just think of names like Jimi Hendrix and George Harrison. Fans want to hear their six-strings sing. Here below, we wanted to dive into some epic classic rock guitar solos we love. But we wanted to do so by highlighting a few that people tend to forget about. These are three forgotten guitar solos from the 1970s that still give us chills.

“Maggot Brain” by Funkadelic from ‘Maggot Brain’ (1971)

It’s possible some people forget about this song because it’s all guitar solo. Most of the time, we think of lead guitarists popping up about three-quarters of the way into a rock song and laying down their licks. But this solo takes up the entire 10-plus minutes of this lengthy tune by Funkadelic. Famously, the band’s George Clinton told guitarist Eddie Hazel to play as if he had just learned his mother was dead. The result was this epic, emotional, and emotive display that reminds you there are real people making the music we love.

“Moonlight Mile” by The Rolling Stones from ‘Sticky Fingers’ (1971)

The last song on The Rolling Stones’ beloved 1971 LP, Sticky Fingers, this dreamy, acoustic-driven offering seems almost like a hazy dream. The track ends with a guitar solo that almost feels like someone calling out to you from the other side. It’s triumphant, and it’s lonesome. It’s like a song you might hear in church, rattling the stained glass windows. It’s not the kind of solo that rattles the roof. It’s the kind that makes your soul open up a bit more.

“Child In Time” by Deep Purple from ‘Deep Purple In Rock’ (1970)

This nearly 10-minute song from Deep Purple builds and builds until it erupts in musical volcanic magma around the five-minute mark. Viewers can see from the music video above that lead guitarist Ritchie Blackmore seems to go mad (in the best of ways) at that moment on the track. His fingers are flying on the fretboard like ballet dancers. If you want to get lost in a cacophony of music, this is your lush tune.

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