Joker and the Thief
Wolfmother, 2005, from Wolfmother. Solo by Andrew Stockdale.
Stockdale's solo borrows the swagger of 1970s heavy rock for a song later heard in countless trailers and games.
Joker and the Thief is a gleeful throwback, and Andrew Stockdale's guitar leans fully into the 1970s. The galloping riff and crunchy tone recall the heavy rock bands Wolfmother adored, and the solo continues in that spirit, full of bluesy bends and swaggering pentatonic runs. It is loose and energetic rather than technical, meant to feel like a band cutting loose in a rehearsal room. The song's driving momentum made it a favourite for sports and trailer soundtracks, where its rush of energy works instantly. Listen for how the solo stays close to the riff's rhythmic feel, and notice the classic-rock tricks such as repeated bends and quick hammer-ons that give it that retro flavour.
Joker and the Thief by Wolfmother is ranked #352 in our consensus of 79 guitar-solo lists. The solo is played by Andrew Stockdale and the song was released in 2005.
In our lists
Sources
Who played the guitar solo on Joker and the Thief?
Andrew Stockdale played the solo on Wolfmother's Joker and the Thief (2005).
Where does Joker and the Thief rank among the greatest guitar solos?
#352 in the GreatestSolos consensus of 79 published lists; it appears on 1 of them.