Vinnie Moore has been associated with awesome guitar solos his whole career. One listen to his work on UFO’s latest, Seven Deadly [Steamhammer], will only further cement that reputation. Here are some solos played by others that get Moore excited.

“I’m the One”
Eddie Van Halen

“Eddie absolutely kicks some serious ass on this song,” says Moore. “There is a lick at 0:06 is just deadly. I spent hours lifting up the needle on the turntable and putting it back down to learn that one. The main solo at 2:32 is easily one of the best ever recorded. There is so much fire and raw energy. He plays some licks over the song’s last chord that really blaze. If this one doesn’t make you play air guitar, then you’re probably dead.”

“Definitely Maybe”
Jeff Beck

“This is one of the most emotional things ever recorded. The slide playing is so expressive that it sounds like the soul crying. The main solo is gut wrenching. I learned a lot from not just the notes, but also the fact that he is whispering some of them and shouting others. At 3:21, he plays a line under the main melody that is absolutely gorgeous. The vibrato in this whole track is brilliant. Jeff is probably the guitarist God listens to.”

“Texas Flood” (Live at the El Mocambo)
Stevie Ray Vaughan

“Stevie’s playing here is simply insane. He puts every ounce of his being into every single note. SRV has an amazing tone, a killer sense of rhythm and swing, and one of my all-time favorite vibratos. Whenever I’m tired before a show, I think of this performance, and use it as inspiration to pick myself up. I get chills and goosebumps whenever I hear this.”

“Train Kept a Rollin’”
Aerosmith (with Steve Hunter)

“There are lots of solos, but I’m referring to the first three. Each one has such a great flow. I remember listening to them when I was a kid, and thinking about how amazing it would be to be able to play like that. The phrasing is perfect, and I love how the solos build to a climax. The tone is great, and it’s cool that you can hear the pick click against the strings at times.”

“Don’t Give It Up”
Larry Carlton

“Larry has the best phrasing on the planet, the coolest tone, and the most expressive and melodic solos. At 2:17, he plays an absolutely remarkable series of notes over the turnaround that makes my head spin. He has a great way of playing triads when soloing. I stole this, and, to this day, it’s a big part of the way I move around and connect phrases on the fretboard. I learned so much from this guy. One of my biggest influences ever.”