Cult of Personality
Living Colour, 1988, from Vivid. Solo by Vernon Reid.
Cult of Personality made Vernon Reid's wild, adventurous soloing known to a mass audience. Over a heavy, funky riff, his solo explodes into fast, chromatic runs, whammy-bar squeals and outside notes that draw on jazz and avant-garde playing as much as hard rock. It is deliberately chaotic, but it also has a clear shape, building to a frantic peak before snapping back to the riff. Reid's tone is bright and aggressive, cutting through the dense band sound. The solo broke with the conventions of late-1980s hard rock and opened the door for more experimental playing. Listen for the moments where he hits dissonant notes on purpose, creating tension that the riff then resolves.
Cult of Personality by Living Colour is ranked #229 in our consensus of 79 guitar-solo lists. The solo is played by Vernon Reid and the song was released in 1988. It appears on 3 lists, placing as high as #53 (Guitar Tricks).
In our lists
- One and Only — #42
- The Road Trip 50 — #46
- The 25 Greatest Funk and Soul Guitar Solos — #15
- The Best Living Colour Guitar Solos — #1
- The Best Vernon Reid Guitar Solos — #1
Sources
- Guitar Tricks: 200 Best Guitar Solos of All Time — #53
- Guitar Solo Legends: The 100 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time — Ranked (2026) — #93
- Digital Dream Door: 250 Greatest Rock Guitar Solos — #156
Who played the guitar solo on Cult of Personality?
Vernon Reid played the solo on Living Colour's Cult of Personality (1988).
What guitar was used on the Cult of Personality solo?
An esp, according to widely reported accounts.
Where does Cult of Personality rank among the greatest guitar solos?
#229 in the GreatestSolos consensus of 79 published lists; it appears on 3 of them.