3 Guitar Solos From the 1980s That Made You Want To Play Guitar

There are many reasons why you might want to play guitar. The right band at the right time. Or a record that feels like it was written to describe exactly what you’re going through at school, in a breakup, or perhaps when your parents are telling you to clean your room. Again!

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But occasionally it’s as simple as a guitar solo. The instrumental burst in the middle of the song. Between choruses. While many solos exist to showcase finger gymnastics, this is not that kind of list. Instead, I chose guitar breaks with a sense of the guttural, primal. The type of racket that made you want to play the guitar. It worked on me.

“Rockin’ In The Free World” by Neil Young (1989)

Neil Young said “Heart Of Gold” put him in the middle of the road, so, becoming bored with the mainstream, he opted for the ditch. For most of the 80s, Young experimented with genres, fought with his record label, and alienated fans. However, Freedom, his 19^th studio album, was a hit and is best known for “Rockin’ In The Free World”. The protest anthem features one of Young’s most blistering and unhinged guitar solos. It’s nearly impossible to recreate, yet it feels entirely reachable for any kid who hears it and understands the calling.

“Kid” by Pretenders (1980)

Though Chrissie Hynde had shifted from punk to pop, you can hear both sides of her songwriting on “Kid”. Guitarist James Honeyman-Scott borrows from classic rock and roll, updating The Byrds’ jangle pop with a post-punk attitude. His playing foreshadowed where Johnny Marr would go with The Smiths. Breaking from the blues-based style of Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton, Honeyman-Scott supports the song with tasteful melodies. He also employs something many guitarists struggle with: restraint.    

“Just Like Heaven” by Dinosaur Jr. (1987)

Two of my favorite guitarists are Robert Smith and J Mascis, so when I first heard Dinosaur Jr.’s cover of “Just Like Heaven”, I thought I might explode from excitement. I was young then, but I still get excited when I hear Mascis transform Smith’s gothic love song into a psychedelic fuzz masterpiece. When Dinosaur Jr. emerged in the 80s, the trio stood apart with Mascis’s open embrace of classic guitar solos. Many of his solos from the era inspired would-be guitarists. It also made them want to play a Jazzmaster through a Big Muff distortion pedal.

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