Jump to content

Best Live Heartbreaker Solo


Balthazor

Recommended Posts

HI all, sorry if this has already been posted as a topic. I tried searching, but didn't find much. So the question is: what's your opinion on the best live Heartbreaker solo? I know I've heard some from 71 and 72 that were awesome, but I can't really pick one that I think is the best. I'd love to find one really spectacular example so that whenever someone makes the claim that Page was crappy or sloppy live, I can say oh yeah well listen to this!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Believe it or not, my current favorite is from Rotterdam 1980. Go YouTube it, Jimmy does not just smoke on this, he BLAZES. Everyone in the band is on and Robert gives his best vocals since 72' on this version.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, IpMan said:

Believe it or not, my current favorite is from Rotterdam 1980. Go YouTube it, Jimmy does not just smoke on this, he BLAZES. Everyone in the band is on and Robert gives his best vocals since 72' on this version.

The guitar on that version sounds very different from the rest of the tour. Possibly the Tone-bender made a rare appearance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ugh that's a tough one, but for some reason I have never cared too much for Jimmy's Heartbreaker solos besides the studio version is perfect and a wicked solo!! While I absolutely LOVE Jimmy's solos in Thank You (greatest guitar solos ever performed by anyone at specific shows, mainly post 1970 but the '70 solos are my favorites too but I personally love when the band would slow down for a minute then speed back up such as Southampton ~ January 22, 1973 which is nearly a 5 minute solo), Stairway To Heaven, and Since I've Been Loving You. I never cared for his solos on Heartbreaker and Over The Hills And Far Away much, but they're still very enjoyable and much better than 99% of other guitarist solos IMHO.

That being said, his solo on Heartbreaker (Vancouver ~ March 21, 1970) is pretty damn great, and I love the performance that was constantly requested at the LA Forum ~ June 21, 1977.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi , first post . I've been reading a lot of this forum the last few months. Thanks for all the great posts and good people here.

So many great HB solo's from 70-73 . But I have to give Rotterdam 80 the nod as well. First time I heard it I had to make sure it wasn't an "add on" from an earlier time. It is that good. I tried to find fault with it but still remain awestruck.

It's straight forward. No BS meandering interludes. Just blazing !

In Frankfurt , Robert had mentioned something about even surprising themselves sometimes after a particularly inspired Kashmir.  I think this counts as one of those times. 

  In '80 Jimmy was in rough shape, worse than ever.  I couldn't bear to listen to him fumbling with songs he had once gave virtuoso performances of. I don't know where HB Rotterdam '80  came from! It may be the heaviest thing ever captured on tape from the boys .

 Having said that, lot of my sets from 77 and 80 have been packed and wrapped. Not Rotterdam.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...

About six years ago I made myself a Best of 1980 compilation because the tour isn't good enough (IMHO) to listen to entire single shows. Just checked Heartbreaker and sure enough, Rotterdam!

For me, though, my all-time favorite live Heartbreakers, including the solo, are 1970 versions. I prefer the earlier ones where he hasn't yet turned the solo into an extended break and it's still more a part of the flow of the overall track. The Royal Albert Hall version cuts off about 60% of the way into the song, but Page's solo is there in its entirety and I think it's great. So too is the 3-7-70 Montreux performance - a real barn-burner including the solo.

Also, I think it might change one's view depending on whether or not one counts just the solo guitar break itself, or also the instrumental workout that comes after the break too - Page does a lot of varied and amazing work during that too, and so I view it as a kind of continuation of the solo even though technically it isn't.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'll also give a shout-out to mudslide which is great, not saying it's the very best though. My favorite Heartbreakers (are blonde) have extended parts like the one here from 2:38 - 3:25 that really get the foot tapping. Earl's court 5-25 also has a great section like this. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...