Top 20 Rock Riffs Of All Time
East Valley Tribune, AZ
November 24, 2005
....In honor of Keith Richards (or “Keef Riffhard,” as he is often referred to) playing the Valley this week, we at Get Out have assembled our list of the Top 20 rock riffs of all time.
We know we may have missed a few, and there will be disagreements (as there were in the cozy confines of Get Out's offices), so let the debate begin.
1. “Satisfaction,” by The Rolling Stones (1965): A great riff should be simple, and nothing is as simple as this reverbed three-note (B-C#-D for those playing along at home) barrage that put The Stones on the map as they tried to distinguish themselves from The Beatles in the mid-'60s. This riff is still instantly recognizable 40 years later, and it is historically the most important riff, not to mention the catchiest, riff of all time.
2. “Smoke on the Water,” by Deep Purple (1972): Ritchie Blackmore is one of the greatest guitarists of the hard-rock era, but he will be forever associated with a riff that a novice guitarist often learns in the first lesson. A variation on “Satisfaction,” this riff is simple, heavy and catchy, and even people who can't name another Deep Purple song can name this one, and that's what makes a riff great.
3. “Johnny B. Goode,” by Chuck Berry (1958): Michael J. Fox aped on it in “Back to the Future.” It is the sound of '50s rock 'n' roll, and it is Chuck Berry's best-known riff, a ripping two-string barrage that kicks off what is Chuck Berry's best-known tune from a plethora of great songs and riffs. Berry's influence is immeasurable, and many great guitarists credit the St. Louis six-string slinger as their inspiration to pick up a guitar.
4. “Day Tripper,” by The Beatles (1966): The Beatles only recorded for eight years, went through several stages (from moptops to psychedelia to bearded hippies) and came up with several great riffs (“Come Together,” “Birthday,” “Rain”), but the catchy riff that runs throughout “Day Tripper” remains their finest, a groovy hook that signaled a shift in the band's musical direction.
5.“Walk This Way,” by Aerosmith (1975): This classic Joe Perry riff has lived several lives. Initially issued on Aerosmith's 1975 “Toys in the Attic” album, it finally charted as a Top 10 single for the band in 1977, then charted again when rappers Run-D.M.C. covered it in 1986 and it hit No. 4 on the charts. Aerosmith is built on great riffs, and this is one of the greatest riffs of all time.....
November 24, 2005
....In honor of Keith Richards (or “Keef Riffhard,” as he is often referred to) playing the Valley this week, we at Get Out have assembled our list of the Top 20 rock riffs of all time.
We know we may have missed a few, and there will be disagreements (as there were in the cozy confines of Get Out's offices), so let the debate begin.
1. “Satisfaction,” by The Rolling Stones (1965): A great riff should be simple, and nothing is as simple as this reverbed three-note (B-C#-D for those playing along at home) barrage that put The Stones on the map as they tried to distinguish themselves from The Beatles in the mid-'60s. This riff is still instantly recognizable 40 years later, and it is historically the most important riff, not to mention the catchiest, riff of all time.
2. “Smoke on the Water,” by Deep Purple (1972): Ritchie Blackmore is one of the greatest guitarists of the hard-rock era, but he will be forever associated with a riff that a novice guitarist often learns in the first lesson. A variation on “Satisfaction,” this riff is simple, heavy and catchy, and even people who can't name another Deep Purple song can name this one, and that's what makes a riff great.
3. “Johnny B. Goode,” by Chuck Berry (1958): Michael J. Fox aped on it in “Back to the Future.” It is the sound of '50s rock 'n' roll, and it is Chuck Berry's best-known riff, a ripping two-string barrage that kicks off what is Chuck Berry's best-known tune from a plethora of great songs and riffs. Berry's influence is immeasurable, and many great guitarists credit the St. Louis six-string slinger as their inspiration to pick up a guitar.
4. “Day Tripper,” by The Beatles (1966): The Beatles only recorded for eight years, went through several stages (from moptops to psychedelia to bearded hippies) and came up with several great riffs (“Come Together,” “Birthday,” “Rain”), but the catchy riff that runs throughout “Day Tripper” remains their finest, a groovy hook that signaled a shift in the band's musical direction.
5.“Walk This Way,” by Aerosmith (1975): This classic Joe Perry riff has lived several lives. Initially issued on Aerosmith's 1975 “Toys in the Attic” album, it finally charted as a Top 10 single for the band in 1977, then charted again when rappers Run-D.M.C. covered it in 1986 and it hit No. 4 on the charts. Aerosmith is built on great riffs, and this is one of the greatest riffs of all time.....
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