Geek U.S.A.
The Smashing Pumpkins, 1993, from Siamese Dream. Solo by Billy Corgan.
The fastest and most overtly shred-influenced moment on Siamese Dream, with Corgan's leads cutting through dense overdubs.
Geek U.S.A. is the fastest, most aggressive moment on Siamese Dream, and Billy Corgan's solo reflects that. He fires off rapid, shred-influenced runs that cut through dense layers of fuzz guitar and pounding drums. It is one of the few places where Corgan openly shows his debt to 1980s metal players, yet the solo still fits the band's alternative rock sound. The tone is thick and saturated, with a sharp edge that keeps the fast passages clear. The solo shows that Corgan had real technical chops alongside his gift for texture. Listen for how the solo tears loose from the arrangement, with Jimmy Chamberlin's drums pushing every run a little harder.
Geek U.S.A. by The Smashing Pumpkins is ranked #177 in our consensus of 79 guitar-solo lists. The solo is played by Billy Corgan and the song was released in 1993. It appears on 3 lists, placing as high as #54 (Bombay Lives (Substack)).
In our lists
- The Modern Canon: Best Since 1990 — #47
- The 25 Greatest Alternative Rock Guitar Solos — #17
- Whammy, Fuzz & Feedback — #15
- The Best The Smashing Pumpkins Guitar Solos — #2
Sources
- Bombay Lives (Substack): 100 Greatest Guitar Solos — #54
- Topito (now 10h26.com): Top 100 des plus grands solos de guitare de l'histoire (Benoit Floyd) — #54
- Guitar Tricks: 200 Best Guitar Solos of All Time — #140
Who played the guitar solo on Geek U.S.A.?
Billy Corgan played the solo on The Smashing Pumpkins's Geek U.S.A. (1993).
Where does Geek U.S.A. rank among the greatest guitar solos?
#177 in the GreatestSolos consensus of 79 published lists; it appears on 3 of them.