Starship Trooper
Yes, 1971, from The Yes Album. Solo by Steve Howe.
The 'Würm' finale builds and builds.
Steve Howe's playing across this suite shifts constantly, from bright, country-tinged picking to jazzy chord work, but the closing 'Würm' section is where the guitar takes over. Built on a simple descending chord sequence repeated again and again, it lets Howe layer increasingly intense lead lines on top, the tone thickening as the band swells behind him. It's less a showy solo than a slow crescendo, and its patience stood apart from the flashier prog guitar of the day. His hollow-body Gibson gives the lines a rounder, woodier voice than you might expect from a rock climax. Listen for the moment the lead guitar steps forward from the rhythm, then keeps climbing all the way to the fade.
Starship Trooper by Yes is ranked #110 in our consensus of 79 guitar-solo lists. The solo is played by Steve Howe and the song was released in 1971. It appears on 6 lists, placing as high as #29 (Top 40 Weekly).
In our lists
- See Them Live — #36
- The 25 Greatest Prog Guitar Solos — #12
- The Best Steve Howe Guitar Solos — #1
- The Best Yes Guitar Solos — #2
Sources
- Top 40 Weekly: Best 70s Guitar Solos: Top 40 Greatest of the Decade — #29
- Music in Minnesota: 38 Best Guitar Solos Of All Time — #36
- Bombay Lives (Substack): 100 Greatest Guitar Solos — #68
- Topito (now 10h26.com): Top 100 des plus grands solos de guitare de l'histoire (Benoit Floyd) — #68
- Rolling Stone: The 100 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time — #79
- Guitar Tricks: 200 Best Guitar Solos of All Time — #128
- Digital Dream Door: 250 Greatest Rock Guitar Solos — #157
Who played the guitar solo on Starship Trooper?
Steve Howe played the solo on Yes's Starship Trooper (1971).
What guitar was used on the Starship Trooper solo?
A gibson es-175, according to widely reported accounts.
Where does Starship Trooper rank among the greatest guitar solos?
#110 in the GreatestSolos consensus of 79 published lists; it appears on 6 of them.