GUITAR WORLD's 'Worst Riffs, Licks & Solos of All Time': Top 10 Revealed

October 9, 2004

The Associated Press is reporting that Guitar World magazine has selected the "100 Worst Riffs, Licks & Solos of All Time," identifying ones that are "lazy," "boring," "just plain stoopid," or "involve C.C. DeVille."

The list includes songs by DAVID BOWIE, DEF LEPPARD, METALLICA, GREEN DAY, B.B. KING, THE GRATEFUL DEAD, JIMI HENDRIX, AEROSMITH and THE STROKES, among others. Many are guitar legends who simply had a bad night or bum note.

Guitar World describes the No. 1 selection, POISON guitarist C.C. DeVille's nine-minute solo — entitled, appropriately enough, "Guitar Solo" (off POISON's "Swallow This Live") — "completely devoid of taste, structure or steady tempo" and recommends every budding guitarist listen to it because "surely, they can't do any worse."

DeVille was also cited for his "Cherry Pie" solo when he made a guest appearance with WARRANT and POISON's "Every Rose Has Its Thorn".

The magazine recommends DeVille "take solace in the fact that he's in some rather good company."

Top 10 "Worst Riffs, Licks & Solos of All Time" as selected by Guitar World magazine:

01. POISON – "Guitar Solo"
02. BLUE CHEER - "Summertime Blues"
03. CARLOS SANTANA - "The Game of Love"
04. CREAM - Falstaff beer 1967 radio spot
05. THE BEATLES - "All You Need is Love"
06. BLACK FLAG – "Thirsty and Miserable"
07. TED NUGENT - "Wango Tango"
08. ROLLING STONES - "Ain't Too Proud to Beg"
09. MANOWAR - "Sting of the Bumblebee"
10. LENNY KRAVITZ - "American Woman"

Find more on
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • reddit
  • email

Comments Disclaimer And Information

BLABBERMOUTH.NET uses the Facebook Comments plugin to let people comment on content on the site using their Facebook account. The comments reside on Facebook servers and are not stored on BLABBERMOUTH.NET. To comment on a BLABBERMOUTH.NET story or review, you must be logged in to an active personal account on Facebook. Once you're logged in, you will be able to comment. User comments or postings do not reflect the viewpoint of BLABBERMOUTH.NET and BLABBERMOUTH.NET does not endorse, or guarantee the accuracy of, any user comment. To report spam or any abusive, obscene, defamatory, racist, homophobic or threatening comments, or anything that may violate any applicable laws, use the "Report to Facebook" and "Mark as spam" links that appear next to the comments themselves. To do so, click the downward arrow on the top-right corner of the Facebook comment (the arrow is invisible until you roll over it) and select the appropriate action. You can also send an e-mail to blabbermouthinbox(@)gmail.com with pertinent details. BLABBERMOUTH.NET reserves the right to "hide" comments that may be considered offensive, illegal or inappropriate and to "ban" users that violate the site's Terms Of Service. Hidden comments will still appear to the user and to the user's Facebook friends. If a new comment is published from a "banned" user or contains a blacklisted word, this comment will automatically have limited visibility (the "banned" user's comments will only be visible to the user and the user's Facebook friends).