# kinda kool...



## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

Our top 10 Canadian guitar solos and/or riffs
of all time:
1. Like A Hurricane, Neil Young: A natural disaster, in guitar form.
2. American Woman, The Guess Who: Irresistible, paranoid swipe at our southern cousins.
*3. Could Have Been A Lady, April Wine: Scrumptious, tooth-rotting 'guitar sugar.'*
4. (Make Me Do) Anything You Want, A Foot In Coldwater: Gorgeous, diffident, pure Canadiana.
5. Takin' Care Of Business, BTO: Do we really need to say anything?
6. Cinnamon Girl, Neil Young: Sweet, sexual yearning set to power chords.
7. It's Only Love, Bryan Adams: A world-class come-on. Resistance is futile.
8. Blueberry Hill, Bruce Cockburn: Bruce the voluptuary.
9. It Falls Apart, Odds: British power pop with a Cancon twist.
10. Up On Cripple Creek, The Band: Deep South meets southwestern Ontario.
© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen


Read more: Our solos, ourselves


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

I was always partial to the solos on Martha and the Muffins' "Women Around the World at Work" and the solo in Matthew Good Band's "Hello Time Bomb". I'm partial to those concise explosive solos that feel barely held together. One of the reasons why I love some of Neil Young's best (like "Hurricane"), and always loved what I felt were Jeff Beck's 2 best solos with the Yardbirds (Shapes of Things, Happenings 10 Years Time Ago).

I don't know which of the various guitar players in the band's history played it, but the solo on Crowbar's "Oh What a Feeling" was also kind of pleasingly sloppy and frantic.

Finally, we may not think of it as "Canadian", but c'mon, Amos Garrett's solo on "Midnight at the Oasis" is one of the most beautiful in all of pop music. Liked a greased lover that eludes your grasp but feels so nice when they do.


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

…i’ve been giggling all morning, although i am more than a little embarrassed that they rated me ahead of a foot in cold water.

by the way, i was struggling with my guitar parts for coulda been a lady leading up to the april wine show, so i went online and stumbled upon a 7-minute youtube video where some guy explains in exquisite detail how to play my solo.

*chuckle*


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

David...I'm usually chronically indifferent to lists but I actually agree with several of the choices here. Great solo man, and you're in some pretty amazing company. Congratulations. 

But wait...no Rush?

Peace, Mooh.


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## Starbuck (Jun 15, 2007)

That's not kida kool David, That's VERY cool! Congratulations!


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

david henman said:


> …i’ve been giggling all morning, although i am more than a little embarrassed that they rated me ahead of a foot in cold water.
> 
> by the way, i was struggling with my guitar parts for coulda been a lady leading up to the april wine show, so i went online and stumbled upon a 7-minute youtube video where some guy explains in exquisite detail how to play my solo.
> 
> *chuckle*


hahaha, that's awesome! 

And, btw, that song kicks! That's why my band covers it! I love that driving riff during the choruses. Depending on how you play it, it's pure classic rock, or country, or bluesy. You can really reinterpret the song in a lot of different ways if you choose to.

As for the list, of course people will have objections and here's mine. If you have to pick a Bryan Adams song, that's the one the Ottawa Citizen went with?!?! And no Hip songs??? Treason!


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

hollowbody said:


> Depending on how you play it, it's pure classic rock, or country, or bluesy. You can really reinterpret the song in a lot of different ways if you choose to.



...when i perform acoustically, we do a faux bluegrass version, and i "sing" the guitar solo.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

CONGRATULATIONS David !! 

Thanks for the comment about the youtube video....it made my morning...LOL

As Mooh said....."you're in some prety amazing company"

Cheers

Dave


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

...i think the guy at the ottawa citizen is just having a little fun (and so am i!). there are just too many glaring omissions.


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

hey man, good for you! that's really cool, and i hope you enjoy it to the max. 
put that one in your scrapbook. you do have one, don't you?


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

...what i SHOULD have done a long time ago is started a journal, especially given my poor memory.

i don't have a scrap book, but i do have lots of stuff to put in one.

maybe one winter evening...


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

aside from just the enjoyment factor, it's something that would have historical value, in a documetary/chronology sort of way


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## puckhead (Sep 8, 2008)

congrats david, that is indeed a kick-ass song!
so in addition to the congrats..... thank you


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## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

awesome dh! 
a solid tune to begin with, but your guitar part takes it to a place reserved for only a select handful of tunes.
the radio at work plays it pretty much every day.
i dont know if you ever mentioned it or not, but what were you playing, and playing through on this?


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## Jim DaddyO (Mar 20, 2009)

I must have seen April Wine about 20 times. They were great every time. Last time was at Grand Bend Motorplex a couple of years ago and they still rock. One of my fave bands...brings back memories of the Sudbury Arena.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

david henman said:


> …i’ve been giggling all morning, although i am more than a little embarrassed that they rated me ahead of a foot in cold water.
> 
> by the way, i was struggling with my guitar parts for coulda been a lady leading up to the april wine show, so i went online and stumbled upon a 7-minute youtube video where some guy explains in exquisite detail how to play my solo.
> 
> *chuckle*


I thought "Bad Side of the Moon" could have been in there too. Being from New Brunswick and being 56, I grew up with you guys. I saw you a couple times in concert; once in Fredericton and somewhere else that I can no longer remember. Then later in life I moved to Lower Sackville, just down the road from your hometown. It brings back some good memories of the, must I say it, younger years. Regards, Flip.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Cool indeed.

Congrats on that.

That song must have been one of my guitar teacher's favorite songs way back when.
I know I learned the riff to it many years ago, thanks to him.

It seems to have disappeared from my mind, but I'm sure I could get it back.

As for the solo?
Well, I've never tried it.


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## Alex Csank (Jul 22, 2010)

I grew up in Montreal in the '60s and '70s and was lucky enough to have seen Canadian bands like April Wine, Mashmakhan, Mahogany Rush, The Wackers, The Ville Emard Blues Band, Harmonium and many others performing in small venues (even my high school's auditorium) several times. April Wine was always one of my favorite bands regardless of the changes in band members over the years. 

David, I believe I saw you play while you and Ritchie were still involved back when I was just really getting into music at the age of about 13, though I can't remember where it was that you were playing...maybe Theatre St. Denis or the old theater at Loyola Campus of Concordia? In any event, please know that I am sure I speak for lots of others when I say that you were one of the big influences which has left me with a lifelong love of guitars, guitar-playing and great music. Thanks!

You definitely deserve to be on that list!


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## bluesmostly (Feb 10, 2006)

Is that you in this vid Dave? 

[video=youtube;hoSVPiuNqHM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoSVPiuNqHM[/video]


Love the early April Wine stuff, classic stuff. Congrats!


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## Jim DaddyO (Mar 20, 2009)

I think that vid is Goodwyn, Moffatt, Mercer, and Clench....I may be wrong, but Daves not here man!


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## Jim DaddyO (Mar 20, 2009)

BTW...on the cover art of Electric Jewels, what is the guitar that is represented there? It was one of the first I'd seen that gave me GAS.


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## ronmac (Sep 22, 2006)

David, that solo definitely deserves to be on the list. Congratulations on the listing, and thanks for providing some of the musical memories of my youth.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Jim DaddyO said:


> I think that vid is Goodwyn, Moffatt, Mercer, and Clench....I may be wrong, but Daves not here man!


Well, that's definitely Goodwyn and Clench, but it doesn't look like Moffat & Mercer to me.
I did a Google image search just to check on my memory for those two, but didn't need to seacrh for Goodwyn or Clench.


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

Congrats on making the list. Must be a great feeling to have your playing recognized.

Gotta feel for Garth Hudson (#10) though - having his amazing clavinet playing ascribed to Robbie Robertson's guitar.


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