Boredom
Buzzcocks, 1977. Solo by Pete Shelley.
Shelley repeats two notes for the whole solo, parodying guitar-hero excess and becoming famous for it.
Boredom's solo is famous precisely because it barely moves. Pete Shelley plays two notes over and over, parodying guitar-hero excess and turning the idea of a solo into a punk joke. The repetition is deliberate, matching the song's theme of tedium while making a statement about rock's self-importance. It became one of punk's most talked-about solos, proving that attitude could be as important as technique. Listen for the relentless back-and-forth between the two notes and how it creates an almost hypnotic effect, and for the way the rest of the band keeps driving forward, making the solo sound both humorous and oddly powerful.
Boredom by Buzzcocks is ranked #242 in our consensus of 79 guitar-solo lists. The solo is played by Pete Shelley and the song was released in 1977. It appears on 2 lists, placing as high as #64 (Classic Rock (Louder)).
In our lists
Sources
- Classic Rock (Louder): The 100 greatest guitar solos in rock — #64
- Guitar Tricks: 200 Best Guitar Solos of All Time — #197
Who played the guitar solo on Boredom?
Pete Shelley played the solo on Buzzcocks's Boredom (1977).
Where does Boredom rank among the greatest guitar solos?
#242 in the GreatestSolos consensus of 79 published lists; it appears on 2 of them.