3 Grunge Guitar Solos From the 1990s That Still Shred

When grunge broke in 1991, the new iteration of rock had eschewed many of the genre’s cliches. The anthemic choruses and pop hooks were still present, along with heavy guitar riffs. But instead of upbeat or sugary sentiments, the songs feature dark, introspective lyrics. Rather than using music as an escape from misery, the Seattle bands placed hopelessness front and center, in a kind of lonesome solidarity with the audience.

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Though the spirit of punk became central to many grunge bands, a trademark of classic rock and heavy metal remained: the shredding guitar solo.

“Them Bones” by Alice In Chains

There’s no way Jerry Cantrell would avoid shredding over the climbing, doom riff that opens Alice In Chains’ Dirt. Layne Staley sings here about how lonely he feels, resigned to humans’ fate, and puts it in visceral terms by acknowledging his future form as a fossil. Then, Cantrell burns a multi-part solo that begins with dark blues. The overdubbed phrases collide and envelop the other before the guitarist closes with an avalanche of notes, like the stark reality besetting the song’s narrator. Waves of despair via the Pacific Northwest.

“Spoonman” by Soundgarden

Soundgarden perfected the art of making odd time signatures feel natural. Most rock songs are written in 4/4 or 3/4, which means a measure (or bar) of music containing either four or three beats. However, “Spoonman”, like “Outshined”, is written in 7/4. Guitarist Kim Thayil rips a solo over the main riff of “Spoonman”, with his guitar hard panned to the right speaker, making the persistent groove feel slightly off-kilter. The playing is chaotic and bluesy, as Soundgarden had established their signature style by blending heavy metal precision with noisy punk.

“Alive” by Pearl Jam

For most listeners, “Alive” was the first Pearl Jam song they heard. Stone Gossard’s woozy riff recalled the classic blues-rock of the 1970s. But the mix also felt psychedelic with layers of hazy guitars, reverb, and Jeff Ament’s sliding bass line. As the track builds in intensity, the band eventually breaks into an epic jam as if to reiterate their name. Guitarist Mike McCready then plays a Fender Stratocaster through a wah-wah pedal, as if he’s trying to beckon the ghost of Jimi Hendrix at Monterey. This six-minute jam is not your typical debut single for a major label act. But Pearl Jam made it clear from the get-go they’d do things their way.

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