Speaking of: #21 on the Hot 100. The fast parts are pretty chaotic.
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That’s a lot of them. Sometimes with a fast out of tune vibrato. A lot of that started happening in the 80’s. He had a more raw rock and roll sound in the 70’s (a passage to Bangkok a tons more). Every once in a while in the 80’s he would play something not as wild (manhattan project, Dreamline (though still wild vibrato)
Jump - reached #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100
I’ll Wait - reached #13 on the US Billboard Hot 100
I remember i used to ignore this track:
Now it sounds kinda sad
Added: this was on a soundtrack album that topped the charts in 1970
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Let me be clear - I’m an unrepentant Alex Lifeson fanboy.
At the same time, I think the comparison to Jimmy Page ‘sloppy’ is inaccurate. His tone has a lot of flanger.Lots of string noise, sure…but he’s not clamming many (any?) notes.
The bonkers thing is he plays the identical lines live. Rush in Rio being particularly brutal over Geddy’s ridiculous bass tone.
On the studio album, listen to the run at 3:30. This is 1980. Barely two years after EVH set the atmosphere on fire. He may sound out of control, which for a song named Freewill would be appropriate. But his transition into and out of those quick runs are dead on.
Again - card-carrying Rush fanboy. Doesn’t mean I’m wrong. 
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My Sharona by The Knack → #1 hit on multiple charts (Inspired “Beat it”)
More EVH connection
Satch Boogie by Joe Satriani → reached #22 on Billboard rock chart
Added:
Heartbreaker - Led Zeppelin → #1 album on US billboard 200 and UK chart
According to EVH, it provided the inspiration for his two hand tapping technique:
Adding one more:
Magic Man by Heart - > reached #9 on the Billboard hot 100
Not a shreddy or fast technical solo by any means and I guess whether it is even a killer solo or not is up for debate (like I guess anything posted here) but there is something about it that to me is unusual. The song itself has a kind of urgency and alarm to it and then the solo starts and it gets much worse - almost out of place. There’s a touch of horror in it and a sense of sad and bleak realization in first part. I can’t help but feel it and react to it. Anyways…
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Lynyrd Skynyrd - That Smell
Steve Gaines lines on here are great.
Here’s some Southern Rock tunes with great leads/solos
Billy Gibbons get a little shreddier in the 80s during their blues-synth era
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ZZ Top’s Rough Boy is a killer guitar song.
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There’s Rock you like a Hurricane #25
Added:
Ride like the Wind - Christopher Cross → Reached #2 on the charts
Beato does a video about this:
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It doesn’t get any more shred than this for a pop song:
This sounds like it was a hit at one time…
The simple part where he is playing the melody and accompanying himself with chords when the band jumps in sounds too good.
Here is another cover…
Listen to that zip he does at around :51
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Minor Swing definitely deserves a mention I have no idea how someone played that missing a few digits.
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^ That Lionel Rtichie song was posted a little earlier in the thread.
Beato has that song/solo as #1 in an underrated guitar solos video.
Spoonman by Soundgarden mentioned in that video has brief moments of speed - #3 hit - maybe that was posted earlier too … the song Gun by them as well.
This guy with the Gypsy guitar playing La Gitane is not messing around:
Glad to see the Smashing Pumpkins getting a nod here - Corgan’s maybe gone off the deep end a little of late, but I thought he was one of the most interesting and immediately recognizable soloists of the grunge era. His lead in “Cherub Rock” is one of my favorite solos from that era, and I’ve always considered it, and him, a large influence.
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This rush song has a cool solo.
Beato just posted an interview with AIC guitarist Jerry Cantrell.
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Dave Navarro is another one from the alt rock era that can shred when he wants to, imo it’s what really soured him to RHCP fans when Frusciante left in the 90s.
Shame Jane’s Addiction can never stay together long enough to make use of their collective talents. Those first two albums are amongst the best of the era.
Alex’s solos in La Villa, and the fast one towards the end of 2112 are great stuff.
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In that new video I linked to in my previous post, Jerry Cantrell of Alice in Chains mentions that he loved Yngwie and Rising Force and of course EVH and was a big fan of great “shredders” etc. Link to that discussion below.
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I just can’t get around the fact I hate their singer, and that stupid “got caught stealing” song with the dogs. 
and yeah, I say that as a Billy Corgan fan.
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You won’t get an argument from me there hahaha Perry is pretty insufferable. But Dave, Eric, and Stephen are awesome.
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