Kickstart My Heart

Mötley Crüe, 1989, from Dr. Feelgood. Solo by Mick Mars.

Mars mixes a talkbox break with a fast, blues-rooted solo over one of glam metal's quickest tempos.

Kickstart My Heart runs at one of glam metal's quickest tempos, and Mick Mars has to find a way to be heard over all that speed. His answer is a two-part break: first a talk-box section that makes the guitar sound like it is gargling the song's energy back at you, then a fast, blues-rooted solo with a raw, heavy tone. Mars was always more of a blues-rock player than a shredder, and you can hear it in the loose, swaggering bends even at this pace. The talk box adds a cartoonish grin without stalling the momentum. Listen for the handoff from the talk-box vowels into straight-ahead blues licks, where the solo suddenly sounds like a guitar again and the song lifts another gear.

Kickstart My Heart by Mötley Crüe is featured in our Glam (#7) list. The solo is played by Mick Mars and the song was released in 1989.

In our lists

• The 25 Greatest Glam Guitar Solos — #7
• Wah & Talk Box Solos — #20
• The Best Mötley Crüe Guitar Solos — #1

Sources