![]() ![]() When Klaus Dinger and Michael Rother bailed from Kraftwerk to form Neu! in the early 1970s, they were the visionaries of movement glibly called “krautrock” ��” droning, spacey post-psychedelia, whose rhythmic precision, as on the hypnotic “Hallo Gallo,” was a marvel of German engineering. Guitarist John McLaughlin is joined by drummer Billy Cobham and keyboardist Jan Hammer for a mind-blowing jazz-rock fusion blast-off on 1971’s The Inner Mounting Flame, unleashing prog touchstone “You Know, You Know,” which was later sampled by Massive Attack, Mos Def, and countless others. Mahavishnu Orchestra, “You Know, You Know” (1971) How’d he do it? According to legend, bandleader George Clinton told Hazel prior to recording to play as if he had just been informed that his mother had died ��” but then learned that it wasn’t true. On the 10-minute opener of this motor-booty crew’s album of the same name, Eddie Hazel delivers one of the most emotionally devastating guitar solos of all time. But it ascends to another level when Davis enters at 1:19, and with one triumphant, singular horn splat, he delivers one of the first (and best) fusions of rock and jazz. The lead track from the legendary jazz trumpeter’s classic album, A Tribute to Jack Johnson, sounds like a one-off garage rock jam at first, as guitarist John McLaughlin, bassist Michael Henderson, and drummer Billy Cobham fart around while the tape rolls. With its hypnotic interplay of vamping horns, Hammond B3 organ, drums, guitar, and classic Godfather grunts and quips (“Kush, you oughta be ashamed of yourself, leave that little horn alone”), “Ain’t It Funky Now” presaged the ’70s disco epoch. On this standout track ��” from the mostly instrumental, post-Mothers of Invention album Hot Rats, Zappa delivers a melodic, innovative exercise in avant-jazz and fusion ��”, inspiring young prog rockers, college-radio DJs, and arty stoners alike. The British axe-man takes Ravel’s “Bolero” as the inspiration for a three-minute psych blast, recorded in the late-’60s with Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, Keith Moon, and piano ace Nicky Hopkins. The ur-psychedelic instrumental, from the Floyd’s only album with Barrett ( The Piper at the Gates of Dawn), clocks in at just under ten minutes. The British art rockers’ semi-improvisational track melted brains, including that of original leader Syd Barrett. Pink Floyd, “Interstellar Overdrive” (1967) It also became the first single by a U.K. This yearning space-age swirl and swoosh of distorted sound effects and Clavioline keyboard was the signature work of eccentric genius producer Joe Meek. Jones’ driving Hammond organ punctuated by guitarist Steve Cropper’s Memphis-greasy Telecaster. But the MG’s hit was their indelible signature, tossing off a blissful three minutes of Booker T. They served as the airtight house band for Stax Records, backing artists from Otis Redding to Wilson Pickett. While recording this track, Dale blew out so many amps built by Fender and JBL that he earned the tag “the father of heavy metal.”īooker T. It was also the only instrumental single ever banned from radio, due to its ominous tone and the title’s use as a slang term for “gang fight.”Ī remake of jazz guitarist Johnny Smith’s 1955 original, the Ventures’ rendition became the Rosetta Stone of surf rock. Wray’s distorted guitar on his breakthrough foregrounded power chords ��” and feedback, paving the way for the Who, punk, and the White Stripes. The resulting twangy echo heralded the birth of rock guitar as a lead instrument. While recording this single, producer Lee Hazlewood set up Eddy’s amp inside a giant empty water tank. It also provides the soundtrack for the scene in Blue Velvet where Dennis Hopper exclaims the immortal hipster credo: “Heineken? Fuck that shit! Pabst Blue Ribbon!”ĭuane Eddy, “Moovin’ ‘N’ Groovin'” (1957) Led by Billy Butler’s atmospheric strolling guitar, this double-sided smash by organist Doggett’s band became an R&B and rock’n’roll standard. Written By Charles Aaron, Jason Cohen, Catherine Davis, and Kevin O’Donnellīill Doggett, “Honky Tonk, Part 1 and 2” (1956) Have your own favorites? Post them in the comments! Plus, stream a selection of the picks in our player. Below, a brief history of the best instrumental songs, and what made them memorable. Since the 1950s, pop, rock, jazz, metal, and no-wave have produced tons of classic tracks sans frontperson. But they’re hardly the first to rock with their traps shut. In the April 2011 issue of SPIN, we caught up with Explosions in the Sky, the Texas-based band who’ve taken wordless music to unexpected heights. ![]()
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