Introduction
GUITARS AND AMPS EXPO 2014: Between 1992 and 1997, guitar-wielding giants trod the land. The last major-label-backed UK-centric musical movement, Britpop, made megastars of the likes of Oasis and Blur, while Pulp, Suede and Elastica also enjoyed huge chart success. Here we take a look at the iconic riffs, solos and chord progressions in a scene that stripped rock to it's bones and shoved the six-string to the fore.
Song: Animal Nitrate
1993's self-titled Suede marked Britpop's true arrival and Animal Nitrate was the London band's big gun, single-wise. Bernard Butler's hammer-on-heavy runs swirl throughout, coming to an appropriately dizzy peak during the solo.
Song: Stutter
Representing Britpop's spikier side, Elastica's Stutter is the kind of tune that makes people form bands. Two minutes and four chords of fury, succinctly detailing the issues arising (or, err, not) when men drink before bedtime.
Song: Staying Out For The Summer
Combining two Britpop staples - arpeggiated guitar chords and 'borrowed' riffs - Dodgy's 1994 hit and it's notable guitar line is somewhat reminiscent of Blue Oyster Cult's Don't Fear The Reaper, if the reaper in question is the one from Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey...
Song: Disco 2000
Sickeningly simple, it takes just three seconds to identify Pulp's second biggest hit from its guitar intro. It took them nearly 20 years, but with 1995's A Different Class, Pulp were ingrained in teenage brains everywhere.
Song: Alright
Alright was an ode to the discoveries of early teen years and its guitar solo was perfectly reflective of the lyrical content, combining rock 'n' roll fretboard wrangling and smooth slide guitar into happy-go-lucky perfection.
Song: The Riverboat Song
It may have been a tightening up and, err, re-imagining of Led Zep's 1971 tune Four Sticks, but that didn't stop The Riverboat Song (AKA The TFI Friday intro) and it's colossal opener/bridge riff becoming a 90s classic.
