10 Greatest Guitar Solos Of The '70s

When talking about the founders of heavy metal, Deep Purple tend to get put on the side more often than not. Even though countless guitarists have picked up the instrument thanks to "Smoke on the Water," Purple don't get brought up in talks of the all-time greats as much as bands like Sabbath or Zeppelin. The band may have been heavy, but "Highway Star" proved that hard rock was only one aspect of their work.

Along with being one of the greatest car songs of all time, "Highway Star" is another tune that feels like an event, with Jon Lord and Ritchie Blackmore trading solos back and forth. Lord's solo on the piano may have been heavy for its time, but Blackmore brought something to the table that was sorely lacking in the metal field. As opposed to the bluesy licks of Jimmy Page or Tony Iommi, this song took every guitarist to classical school, with Blackmore pulling out everything from complex harmonies to Mozart style arpeggios.

Given his background in more baroque styles, Blackmore's playing ended up influencing a whole new legion of guitarists, from Randy Rhoads to Yngwie Malmsteen. It's one thing to be able to shred, but it's more fun to see if you can give Beethoven a run for his money on occasion.