Fashion
David Bowie, 1980, from Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps). Solo by Robert Fripp.
Fripp's taut, jagged lines give Bowie's cool funk-rock single its nervous edge.
Fashion, from Scary Monsters, gets much of its nervous energy from Robert Fripp's taut, jagged guitar. His lines are angular and clipped, full of sustained, slightly strangled notes and odd intervals that sit uneasily against the cool funk-rock groove. Rather than taking a traditional solo spot, Fripp threads his playing through the song, adding tension wherever it appears. The contrast between the danceable rhythm and his abrasive tone gives the track its edge. Listen for the high, sustained notes that seem to buzz and twist over the beat, and notice how they make the song feel restless even while the rhythm section stays perfectly steady and composed underneath.
Fashion by David Bowie is ranked #278 in our consensus of 79 guitar-solo lists. The solo is played by Robert Fripp and the song was released in 1980. It appears on 1 lists, placing as high as #16 (guitarguitar).
In our lists
Sources
Who played the guitar solo on Fashion?
Robert Fripp played the solo on David Bowie's Fashion (1980).
Where does Fashion rank among the greatest guitar solos?
#278 in the GreatestSolos consensus of 79 published lists; it appears on 1 of them.