Focusing back on riffing to play better leads

[Heritage Softail]

My excellent guitar instructor, won Guitar Center "Guitarmageddon" three consectuive years, is getting me to focus a bit more on chording and riffing to lead improvise with a larger vocabulary. GREAT idea (also posted here by others).

I have been working a tune - "Lately" by Day of Fire. Worth a listen, it has a crazy high energy party band set closer feel. I am getting a new love for great riffs. I think Hetfield is the pillar in Metallica, not Hammet, Joe Perry is a great riffer, that is what took Aerosmith far, Scholtz in Boston plays those great riff/lead harmony leads... I am getting it that leads are a part, not the whole or even majority. I listened to Ice Cream Man from the old dusty VH stack, again a great riff by a *pretty good lead player*.

Anybody have any excellent riffage songs to share? A cool lick is cool, no matter what music style or time frame.

 

[stephen sawall]

I did not play any leads live for almost 3 years live at one time ..... they really are not needed. I really feel most leads more than 2/3 of a minute are indulgent, boring and really do nothing for song. 17 seconds is more than enough in most cases. All the great bands have a great rhythm player. Most guitar players are into lead ...... I lost that more than 20 years ago. Riffs and hooks is what everyone wants to hear when you play live. It really has been that way all along.

I feel it is pretty obvious that the guitar has head down the same road as the saxophone and dinosaur. A dead language on a few people still speak.

 

[Elpelotero]

Thin Lizzy's whiskey in the jar cover by metallica has some cool riff/lead integrations.

 

[Riff Blister]

I play in a two guitar band. I do most of the rhythm work and love it.
We like to throw in a couple of Blue Oyster Cult numbers in our sets that date way back.
"Stairway to the Stars" and "Career of Evil" from there first and third albums.
Both songs have really cool riffs going. We think so any way.
Every time we play them people give us a good response even though I don't think they have a clue where they came from. :lol:
A testament to the power of a good riff.