Hot Stuff
Donna Summer, 1979. Solo by Jeff "Skunk" Baxter.
Baxter's biting rock lead drives a disco chart-topper, one of the earliest heavy guitar breaks on a dance-floor hit.
Hot Stuff was a disco single with a heavy rock guitar at its heart, and Jeff 'Skunk' Baxter's lead is a big part of its punch. His tone is biting and driven, cutting through the steady four-on-the-floor beat with aggressive bends and sharp phrases. It was an early example of a dance-floor hit borrowing the energy of hard rock, pointing toward the crossover sounds of the 1980s. Baxter plays with precision and attitude, using the guitar to make the track feel dangerous. Listen for how the solo sits right on top of the rhythm, the lead phrases matching the song's urgent momentum, and how the distorted tone contrasts with the smooth disco strings and backing vocals.
Hot Stuff by Donna Summer is featured in our Pop (#14) list. The solo is played by Jeff "Skunk" Baxter and the song was released in 1979.
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Who played the guitar solo on Hot Stuff?
Jeff "Skunk" Baxter played the solo on Donna Summer's Hot Stuff (1979).