3 Rock Guitar Solos From the 1990s That Prove Shred Was Not Dead

In the 1990s, strong anti-rock vibes were coming from the world’s biggest bands. A new era of rock stars emerged, doing away with cliches like flashy guitar solos, leather pants, and Girls, Girls, Girls lyrics. Though these bands were reacting against what came before them, they weren’t entirely removed from well-worn guitar moves.

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The rise of alternative rock and the dichotomy between punk and heavy metal made navigating life in the spotlight difficult. But it didn’t keep many guitarists from continuing in the shredding tradition. Here are three guitar solos from the 1990s that prove shred was not dead.

“Know Your Enemy” by Rage Against The Machine

Say you’re a rock band and your most famous hook reads this way: “F*ck you, I won’t do what you tell me.” Now, there isn’t going to be any clearer language than that to illustrate the fierce creative independence of Rage Against The Machine. Tom Morello is known for making his guitar sound like a hip-hop DJ. But he’s also schooled in the licks of Eddie Van Halen and Randy Rhoads. Though he often warps his notes with a Digitech Whammy pedal, Morello can shred. He just happens to do so like a revolutionary.

“Siva” by The Smashing Pumpkins

If alternative rock was over screeching guitar solos, no one told Billy Corgan. Or they did, and he didn’t care. The Smashing Pumpkins’ debut, Gish, borrowed from the same classic rock and blues roots as Jane’s Addiction. But you also hear Joy Division and The Cure, alongside prog rock and heavy metal. The influence of 1960s psychedelia is obvious from the album artwork, but Corgan and Butch Vig’s mix of classic rock, punk, and post-punk felt brand new in 1991. Introducing a generation of kids to Black Sabbath, Jimi Hendrix, and Siouxsie And The Banshees.

“You Could Be Mine” by Guns N’ Roses

Through a certain lens, after Nirvana, mainstream hard rock and heavy metal instantly became archaic. But that’s not accurate. Metallica, Def Leppard, and Guns N’ Roses all released colossal albums. In fact, GN’R released two (a week before Nevermind). Slash wasn’t going to trade in his Gibson Les Paul for a Fender Jaguar. Instead, he continued burning long-form guitar solos. Any number of tracks from the Use Your Illusion twin albums fit this list, but “You Could Be Mine” shows that the alternative rock bands weren’t the only ones mixing punk and heavy metal.  

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