Animal Nitrate
Suede, 1993, from Suede. Solo by Bernard Butler.
Bernard Butler's guitar is the engine of this song, full of glam-rock swagger and sharp, chiming hooks. His lead lines slither around Brett Anderson's vocal, bending and sliding with a flair that recalls Mick Ronson and Johnny Marr at once. The solo is short but vivid, built on bright, stinging phrases that feel perfectly suited to the song's decadent mood. Butler's playing helped give early Suede a sound that stood apart from the shoegaze and grunge of the time. Listen for how his fills keep answering the vocal throughout, so the guitar feels like a second singer, sly and a little dangerous, rather than a backing part.
Animal Nitrate by Suede is ranked #158 in our consensus of 79 guitar-solo lists. The solo is played by Bernard Butler and the song was released in 1993. It appears on 3 lists, placing as high as #48 (NME).
In our lists
- The Modern Canon: Best Since 1990 — #41
- The 25 Greatest Britpop Guitar Solos — #3
- Short & Perfect — #14
- The Best Suede Guitar Solos — #3
Sources
- NME: 50 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time — #48
- Classic Rock (Louder): The 100 greatest guitar solos in rock — #94
- Guitar Tricks: 200 Best Guitar Solos of All Time — #194
Who played the guitar solo on Animal Nitrate?
Bernard Butler played the solo on Suede's Animal Nitrate (1993).
What guitar was used on the Animal Nitrate solo?
A gibson es-355, according to widely reported accounts.
Where does Animal Nitrate rank among the greatest guitar solos?
#158 in the GreatestSolos consensus of 79 published lists; it appears on 3 of them.