Ghosts
Big Wreck, 2012. Solo by Ian Thornley.
Ghosts shows Ian Thornley's knack for blending heavy riffing with melodic, blues-rooted lead playing. His solo mixes expressive bends, fluid runs and slide-like phrasing, all delivered with a warm, overdriven PRS tone. Thornley draws on 1970s hard rock but gives it a modern sheen. The solo is carefully built, rising in intensity while staying tied to the song's melody. He is one of Canada's most respected rock guitarists, and this song shows his versatility. Listen for how he uses bends to create tension, holding notes just short of the target pitch before releasing them, which gives the solo a sense of drama.
Ghosts by Big Wreck is featured in our Rock (#25) list. The solo is played by Ian Thornley and the song was released in 2012.
In our lists
- The 25 Greatest Rock Guitar Solos — #25
- 2010 to Now — #16
- Best of the 21st Century — #25
Sources
- Guitar World: The 20 best guitar solos of the decade (2010s) — #7
- Guitar World: The greatest guitar solos of the 21st century... so far — #25
Who played the guitar solo on Ghosts?
Ian Thornley played the solo on Big Wreck's Ghosts (2012).
What guitar was used on the Ghosts solo?
A prs, according to widely reported accounts.