Good Instrumental Songs

[bwl124]

My 14 year old son has a band and they like the heavy rock tunes...Metallica, Van Halen etc. They currently do not have a singer and have trouble finding one. The boys are too shy and the girls don't want to sing those type of songs.

Anyway, I am tring to think of some popular hard rock instrumental songs that they could play. The songs can't be too difficult, like Cliffs of Dover, etc. Any thoughts?

[Alvaro Martín Gómez A.]

Maybe not that popular, but for an easy instrumental rock song, "Love Theme From Kiss" is the first one that comes to my mind:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cy0zkowoig&fmt=18

[jmattbassplaya]

Although this song does have vocals, may I suggest Axilla by Phish. My current band plays it as an instrumental/jam tune and people go crazy when we do it.

[Richland123]

How about Rock & Roll Part 2 by Gary Glitter?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xd44PWZGzg

[David Lansen]

Originally Posted by Richland123

How about Rock & Roll Part 2 by Gary Glitter?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xd44PWZGzg

14 year-olds and Gary Glitter don't mix.

[dave64o]

Originally Posted by Alvaro Martín Gómez A.

Maybe not that popular, but for an easy instrumental rock song, "Love Theme From Kiss" is the first one that comes to my mind:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cy0zkowoig&fmt=18

Wow, I haven't heard that one in a LONG time and I doubt I would have thought of it, but that's actually a pretty good suggestion.


I don't know if I can think of any off the top of my head, but maybe the boys could take some songs they would have wanted to play, pick sections out of them, and make some medleys out of them. That could turn out to be a pretty fun project.

[Infernal Affair]

I know that they're more into metal and 80s rock, but anything by Link Wray or any surf rock type of stuff. "Rumble" is really easy to learn and still sounds awesome. And all of that is really fun to play.

[Russell foulkes]

if he/they like metallica,you have orion,call of ktulu and to live is to die.
also yyz-rush

[David Lansen]

Originally Posted by Russell foulkes

call of ktulu

Newsted's live version is much more fun to play than the original bassline from the album.

[bwl124]

>>maybe the boys could take some songs they would have wanted to play, pick sections out of them, and make some medleys out of them<<

That might be a good idea, I heard a band play a medley of the opening parts of a bunch of AC/DC songs which went over very well. That's the best part of their songs and they are hard to sing anyway.

I'll run all of the other suggestions by the boys and see what they say.

My son is the drummer in the band. My recollection of YYZ is that the drumming goes a tad past intermediate. I'm worried if he tries to learn it, he'll tell me he needs a drum kit like Neil Pearts.

[Richland123]

My band does lots of instrumental tunes by The Ventures, Dick Dale, The Arrows, Link Wray, The M.G.'s, The Surfaris, and more. But if you want some with more of an edge, check out Gary Hoey's stuff. He is incredible.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ES8ZhkSIMaw

[Deluge Of Sound]

Themes are always fun--I don't think I've ever heard any band break into something like the Star Wars theme or The Simpsons without eliciting a whole lot of good cheer from the audience.

On that note, you could also suggest one of the guitarists playing the melody line of the vocals--that solves the singer problem and widens their horizons at the same time.

Another good idea might be to introduce songs that might have vocals, but aren't necessarily vocal-centric. Something like Neil Young's Down By The River--easy song, as many or as few verses are you like, and an excuse to jam on three chords for hours.

But you really, really can't go wrong with In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed or Jessica.