Hey Dude

Kula Shaker, 1996. Solo by Crispian Mills.

Mills plays a wah-heavy solo drawing on Hendrix and the late 1960s, unusually showy for the scene.

Hey Dude shows Kula Shaker at their most unapologetically retro, and Crispian Mills plays a solo that is unusually showy for mid-1990s Britain. His wah-heavy lead draws on Jimi Hendrix and late-1960s rock, with swirling, bluesy lines and plenty of attitude. Where many Britpop guitarists kept things simple and song-focused, Mills revelled in the older guitar-hero tradition. That contrast made the song stand out on radio next to its more restrained peers. Listen for the way the wah pedal sweeps through each phrase, giving the solo a vocal, almost talking quality that reaches straight back to Hendrix.

Hey Dude by Kula Shaker is featured in our Britpop (#21) list. The solo is played by Crispian Mills and the song was released in 1996.

In our lists

• The 25 Greatest Britpop Guitar Solos — #21
• Wah & Talk Box Solos — #16

Sources