Elliot Easton: "My Best Friend's Girl" solo tutorial

[@lynxone7039]

Elliot Easton is a national treasure. His solos were always the perfect complement to the song, not too much, not too little, but just right.

[@lynxone7039]

I also appreciate his explanation of the theory behind his solos, explaining why they sound so unique and interesting.

[@timnewman1172]

His solos are mini compositions in their own right, he is a master!

[@Rockr69747]

Touch and Go is his absolute best!

[@deebop4904]

So isnt originality. Congratulations on using the most overused sentence on youtube. Call him underrated now. 🖕🖕🖕

[@gregsolomon]

Elliot's Solos Did Way More Than Just Compliment The Songs Of The Cars...They Literally Defined The Sound Of The Cars.

[@snoop5389]

I love how he introduces himself. Like we don't know who the hell he is. Legend Status and so damn humble.

[@HeatherCapehart]

Dont be a dick

[@white6delta]

I love it 😂

[@louiesalinas4720]

hah hah love this kat

[@syfman6]

One of my fav players...💚🎸

[@nrlohan4738]

I thought the exact same thing. The humility is what the true legends have above us all - being THAT good, yet being THAT nice about it. Just between the solos of Just What What I Needed and My Best Friend's Girlfriend, there is a masterclass of what a guitar solo should be. What I'd give to have that kind of musical mind. As someone said above, a treasure to the world of music. I live in Malaysia, so there's a slim chance I'll get to tell him this, but Mr Easton, you are one of my top references of how a guitar solo should be in a song - every single note has its place and meaning. Just stunningly musical. I hope you know what you've given and mean to us. Thank you so very much for making the world a better place with your guitar!!!!

[@scopasbrune1009]

Elliot Easton and Andy summers are the two most underrated great guitar players ever in the modern era

[@wartimemodels]

Hard to disagree. Elliot Smith is overlooked as a guitarist at all, much less a brilliant one , so I’d throw him in there too.

[@Jesse615]

💯 My idea of what constitutes a great player has changed so much as my playing has advanced (I've been playing since the mid/late 70s). Back then, it was the very flashy players (lots of notes for sure, but really, just pentatonic minor boxes). But as I became more skilled and knowledgable; learned theory, learned the scales; it's players like Andy Summers and Elliot Easton who I want to emulate. They play TO the song and never play more notes than needed.

[@gregsolomon]

Elliot Easton Is Recognized By Guitar Players As One Of The Best Guitarists Ever...Any Guitar Player Knows That...So I Certainly Wouldn't Say Elliot Is "Underrated"...Not Even Close.

[@aquamarine99911]

@@gregsolomon Of course we do. But "underrated" is the appropriate term if the general public, even the band's fan base, doesn't really know his name. Obviously people know Keith Richards. But Sting was the face of the Police, with Stewart Copeland forcefully grabbing second spot. So yes, Summers was underrated. Morrissey was the face of the Smiths. Johnny Marr is "known" in Britain, but not at all in the US. So I would list Marr as third in this all-time underrated guitarist category. Peter Buck as the fourth? I was never a huge REM fan, so I would go with Johnny Greenwood from Radiohead. John Squire from Stone Roses would be another one.

[@rickmontgomery3037]

Exactly...

[@fivelblunker]

His guitar sounds and solos helped make The Cars so much bigger than just a new wave band

[@Bacteriod]

One of if not the most underrated guitarists of all time IMO

[@seth6string]

I've always liked his playing a lot. He wrote some of the most unique solos. And he seems like a humble guy, without downplaying his own contributions.

[@williamb2845]

This guy is a legit guitar hero. And seems like he’d be cool to hang out with.

[@ThePhotomusicguy]

Absolutely 👍👍

[@Zulumann25]

What a cool humble guy, one of best guitarists ever.

[@ericmeyers5438]

He always had great taste with his guitar work with the cars, and was no doubt their secret weapon. Very underrated guitarist.

[@tim46387]

Always has been one of my favorite players. Every solo compliments the song perfectly.

[@WilliamSilva-dq6zj]

I want to learn how to play TO a song like he does. He's a master. So good you don't realize it.

[@billpholde4816]

Elliot Easton created some of the tightest, and most creative and melodic solos of the 80s and 90s. I love the way he dispenses and dispatches whomever it was who interrupted him at 5:19.

[@ftworthtexan9082]

Very rockstarish

[@gregsolomon]

LOL...Wifey Interrupted Him With Some Mundane Horseshit About A Phone Call...And With A Wave Of His Hand And A Look...He Let Her Know It Could Wait For A Few Minutes.

[@written12]

I agree with you about his solos. The person he ‘dispatches’ might just be his wife. Not so cool, though hardly an awful thing.

[@billpholde4816]

I thought it was hilarious the way he reacted when he was interrupted. Like waving away a fly.@@written12

[@baselinesweb]

@@written12 He probably paid for that later.

[@monsterzero1965]

Genuine wonderful person and BRILLIANT musician

[@TimmyTantrum]

I never realized how country blues this song is. Hidden under a rock drumbeat and pop vocals. Genius.

[@sandie302]

Amazing guitarist...Everyone should know this guy and his work! Thanks Elliot

[@MarkGuadiana-ju4ui]

That's not only ''hard to do on an acoustic" - it's ESPECIALLY hard to do to do on a Martin acoustic. You're great and take a backseat to NO ONE!👍🏼👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[@spaceghost8995]

Why harder on Martin?

[@nazmoking3171]

Elliott’s solos back in the day were very creative and melodic!

[@brianwilson5060]

His style added so much character and texture to the Cars sound. Still enjoy playing along to them!

[@johnmcaleese8459]

Wow ! That quick little solo was all over the neck. Has a country feel to it.

[@tillitsdone]

It's definitely country influenced. All those years I never knew.

[@danriley5848]

What an amazing musician and a humble human being, Elliott Easton is a legend.

[@koufax59]

He is a legend. His creative talent is much more than just standard. Elliot influenced me so much. So glad he was part of my time and generation.

[@josephliptak]

Great lesson Elliot. I've always wanted to play this solo the right way.

[@MissJensk1]

I love listening to Elliot, he's always interesting & so modest.

[@peacepalestinesyria424]

what a great guitarist and person.

[@KordTaylor]

This is so amazing! I loved so much how he added all these great country licks. I read once that he played in some country band at a vacation resort one summer. Thanks again as this is a wonderful video by a wonderful player. ❤

[@drtoup]

To listen to this live, and then see how it is played just shows how creative and talented of a guitarist this man is!

[@montysonful]

Great of sure. One of the best especially at the time.

[@hotsonfornowhere76]

Elliot Easton is a master musician. He is just as entertaining in this medium as was his earlier days in The Cars. Hope he knows how much we appreciate him doing these videos.

[@kipponi]

Love The Cars and as a guitarist these are gold. Elliot just a nice man.

[@stevengrinold3203]

He certainly is! Love his personality and his fabulous playing!

[@NewEnglandReptile]

Your solos and their phrasing are just awesome!!!!!!

[@davidwiser3883]

This man is a genius. I like most genres of music, heavy metal being my favorite but I've always loved the Cars and especially Elliotts guitar playing.

[@sorencin11]

Great musician.

[@rexxengineering8333]

This guy discovered his passion when he was three years old! He saw Elvis on TV and never wavered from his dream of playing guitar. He's still doing it an amazing way and he'll turn 70 this year. The first solo I ever learned was Just What I Needed and I still love playing his stuff. Not that I can do it that well, but I'm inspired to work at it. He's a living guitar legend and one of the all time greats.

[@billydog1512]

Cars were awesome. Thank you for posting the video brings back. Good memories.

[@oblivianation9759]

You are the best Elliot. One of my favorites. Thanks

[@blueflowerchildrensyoga4987]

wow, you're amazing how you mix different styles of music so easily and I'd say that your guitar playing made the cars what it is thank you

[@todddennehy804]

I was amazed at your playing when I was a teen. As I got older, I thought I could hear sort of country style licks in there. When you pointed out the "chicken pickin'" I was cheering!

[@matthewronsson]

Elliot is always as he is, the rea deal master guitarist that is always so non assuming all of the times I've seem him in interviews or 'shorts; like these. The same can be said of the late, great Benjamin Orr - in fact the entire ensemble. None of the ego prevalent in lots of lead singers and guitar player, they were very much in tune with each other and it truly was all about the music for all of them, no more and no less.

[@kevins.3825]

That's some Country lickin pickin fun. I remember playing a lot of rock songs in a cover band and we decided to cover Just What I Needed and I thought no problem. I normally have always been able to figure things out by ear, but when I sat down to lean I noticed it wasn't the standard typical rock guitar solos I was used to playing, and mind you we covered Van Halen, RATT, Scorpions, and Journey. What I became a fan of was not just being a Cars fan, but I learned how great Elliott Easton was as a guitar player. Just What I Needed has some similar patterns as this tune.

[@davearmuth5655]

Uh... what? You’re a master sir. You always flew under the radar. You’re actually one of the top lead guitarists in Rock, period!

[@spencerlehnertz]

This guy is amazing. He should be required material for all guitarists.

[@Sammywhat]

Being a lefty myself, I can honestly say that Elliot is a true hero of mine!! Some of the tastiest guitar parts in music history!! Thanks for the upload, Donna!!

[@davidrice3337]

me too - and I'm rt handed ! what's up with that !?!

[@brianshaffneraclc]

And I am left handed, but play right handed. Instruments = so much easier to find. Speaking as mostly a bassist, I can also say Elliot Easton is how you *hope* your lead guitarist will play, but so few ever do.

[@Domn879]

@@brianshaffneraclcSame, had to borrow too many guitars as a kid to be a proper lefty.

[@SustenanceNCovering]

OMG? How can this kind of a human actually exist? I mean this in a good way. Elliot is incredible.

[@PalindromeDesign]

LOL.... I was about to write almost the exact same thing, then I scrolled down.....

[@gregdonald9506]

Dude could solo like the wind. Melodic and technical and smooth

[@inchdeepmilewide]

Just found this ! It confirms for me what an absolutely fantastic and underrated guitar player Elliot is. Hard to find anyone more musical or tasteful in his solos.

[@darrellskinner5263]

Crazy stuff! I’ve been a fan of The Cars for decades, and over the past few years I’ve become a huge fan of the pedal steel. It’s awesome to hear Elliot talk about how he blended elements of the pedal steel sound into his playing.

[@westbethkid]

This is awesome---I love Elliots playing. And he could have edited the video, to where he plays perfectly but he doesn't. His forthright demeanor makes him even cooler.

[@sawboss216]

He's amazing! What a cool guy. Always been a favorite of mine. The most tasty guitar fills ever. Such a pleasure listening to him talk shop!

[@pandarooyou]

my favorite guitar player, he is in my Top 5 Players List, along with May, Vai, EVH, Sambora, but Elliot has a much different approach, and he is a very complex detailed player. and his solos aren't so easy to mimic... i really respect his skill, and thank him for pleasing my ears and soul for so long. whenever I've tried to work-out his solos, they are always far more complex than my ear was initially hearing....., so unless your a guitar player with a well trained ear, so much of Elliot's Magic would only bef felt by the soul and not heard by the ears.

[@tkimagesmedia3960]

I really like Elliot Eason's style - his guitar playing and his humble delivery on these videos.

[@rusgib3648]

Man, I've always thought you were way underrated and underappreciated by the larger musical community. Everything you did perfectly suited the songs.

[@moderneightiesartist]

Elliot Easton is such an incredible musician. Always a complete joy to hear him talk about music.

[@patrickbolinger7952]

Pure genius. One of the best rock bands ever ❤️. Saw them many times. Amazing

[@gregberke6772]

Elliot seems a cool guy to know. Every interview I've seen he presents himself as genuine and a bit humble with a easy non abrasive sense of humor. Great guitar player who lives and embraces it.

[@papajon62]

Underrated for way too long. His playing is so clever, and the formal music education that he received comes though. Thanks, EE, for all the toe tapping genius that you have provided for us all these years…

[@ladystrange7791]

Love this, he seems like such a humble gentleman….explaining who he is, his band & the song was ❤️

[@dat219]

When interviewed he always seems like a genuine very nice person.

[@Miguel...160]

I'm 65 and loved the Cars and especially the solos ... brilliant video from such a humble guy..thankyou Elliot ...

[@DogDaze66]

Incredible guitar player! Sooooo Good!!!!!

[@notsure64]

Elliot Easton's solo is so amazing!!

[@RGMofED]

One of the greatest guitars in America… Songs and Solos are so tasty!

[@StevenBird-wf6ey]

Wow your an awesome player takes me back to my teen years. You busted that lead lick out nicely. Your good. Thanks

[@doblegcanusee9311]

When Elliot came on the scene he literally renewed/refreshed the face of rock guitar solos. Everything (guitar solos) was so much the same song after song at that time.

[@marksacher3866]

Rest assured Elliot, if someone hasn't heard this song they have been living under a rock since 1978. Keep on Rockin', you're amazing.

[@ApostleofLoveMedjugorie]

One of the very few songs over the decades where I stop everything and listen to that solo in my best friend's girlfriend...strikes pure joy in my soul...sheer genius...thanks for the good feelings...

[@paso193]

This guy is down to earth with no pretensions. You can tell because he's playing this solo, which he usually rips through on an electric guitar, on a more solo difficult, plodding acoustic guitar. No egos here folks! Sign of a true balanced human musician. Love it!

[@kevinmusso2397]

Great player. Even better a humble and gracious person.

[@SnuSlavin]

Always loved The Cars! From waaaay back. Thank You...

[@eggman1978]

What an amazing inventive guitarist. That solo just compliments the song sooo well. One of my favourite songs

[@kloner]

I saw Elliot on Evening Magazine with The Cars when I was 11 years old. I bought a guitar at a yard sale and I've been playing ever since. Thank you, sir.

[@nickcampbell5740]

Amazing how humble is such a talent

[@anthonyvigliotti6560]

What an awesome, tasteful guitar player and gentleman. One of my favorite solos by Elliot is in "Touch and Go" (and my favorite Cars song). Elliot's solo song, "Shayla", is a power pop GEM, too.

[@rickeguitar9086]

Elliot, what stood out to me from your playing was your band was on the threshold of a new sound called, "New Wave" with all the synthesized keyboards taking the front stage. In walks you and these really crafty licks and solos that just fit so right in the songs. To me, one of the best Cars songs is "Touch and God" because the band flips between 5/4 & 4/4 time. What that does is challenges me where you drop those "delayed pairs of notes" in the verse as well as the opened up melodic solos when the tune switches back to 4/4. I found myself humming the guitar solos more than the melody because it was in that 4/4 time that made it familiar again. That song was the first time I was introduced to 5/4. And by having both time signatures in that song allowed me to hear a new sound right along side a familiar sound. Genius!! Kudos to the New Wave band and their pushing the pop music envelope with this song and their music in general! Cheers Elliot!! Thanks for all you contributed to my young ears in those days! Hope you get to read this post.

[@a68rebel]

Elliot with Ben Orr singing is the BEST times of my life by far!

[@mouseandryforever6848]

Gosh I love him and his guitar work is incredible

[@bastidface]

Elliot Easton could craft a guitar solo like nobody's business.

[@FrankC-is3ju]

I learned more from this video than I have from most of what I've been watching so far...You're awesome Elliot! Thank You!

[@Emlizardo]

Elliot is just the coolest. The way he was injecting country and rockabilly-inflected ideas into the Cars' music reminds me of the way Steve Howe did the same thing with Yes - they brought this kind of Memphis swagger into modern rock, and it sounded cool as hell!

[@islesanctum833]

You can tell he has such a sweet gentle heart

[@gregdennis5107]

Thus is one of the best solos to come out during the 80's guitar craze. This guy didn't make a bad solo, but more than a few were done to perfection like this one here. Not only does this solo fit the song being played on top of the chords, it has an attitude to it that fits the song better than just playing on top of chord changes. This solo makes you feel the same quirky vibe the lyrics bring to the song. It's a masterpiece!! I'll put it in the top 20 guitar solos of all time.

[@jackgilchrist]

Not the '80s, my friend, but 1978. It's off their first masterpiece of an album, which my friend and me absolutely wore out back then.

[@SCOTT-ki3ve]

One of the coolest guys in rock. Such an original guitar voice. 1st album is a guitar tutorial. Criminally under mentioned, but hopefully probably made bank and anybody who knows agrees how great he is

[@minsterhill]

Let's all chip in and get Elliott a decent video cam ;). Need more Easton music!!!

[@StevenBird-wf6ey]

Your right I just wail over top.of a song but I've started adding style like yoursaying. Thanks

[@bruceh2639]

awesome Elliot....u still got it

[@in2livinit]

Elliot is a masterfully original & melodic player. Nobody like him. Thank you Sir 👍🎸

[@rodbrittner6524]

Super fun and so humble. A relatively unknown master, with great, melodic chops. You’re right, Elliot - fortunate enough to have a great acoustic at my house.

[@jmm1817]

Great person, great guitarist and a great band. Thank you Elliott! Your music and The Cars made my childhood and memories much better❤

[@AlmostReady504]

Elliot Easton is so talented and beloved. God bless him

[@gill.5116]

Are you 60-year-old plus guitar players like myself watching this, that wore out their albums in 78 as young 17-year-old teens trying to learn any solos, imagine if we had KZbin back then we’re nowadays you can just find the actual artist teaching you how to play it, great job Elliot also I’m glad to see that you’re human and find it difficult to play on an acoustic as I tried it as well. God bless.

[@gill.5116]

This was awesome to see so it’s not just me that struggles on an acoustic guitar even the great Elliott struggles with it what a treasure and thanks for making me feel human

[@larryb3946]

Man, thank you Elliott!! I graduated HS in 1980, so the Cars 1st album that came out the summer of 78 was a huge staple for me and my friends in the Seattle area. Just What i Needed i dedicated to my HS Sweetheart back in the day lol. Grateful that I saw this.

[@olafvidar9315]

Love you Elliot...

[@jimmyjennings4089]

What it is it's just down right cool, that solo caught my ear and has never let go Elliot.

[@JWD1992]

Such an underrated guitarist. His solos always seemed to fit each song so perfectly. I often thought I was the only one who noticed, but I am glad to see the comments section is full of other fans.

[@nicholaswoolfenden5254]

Great stuff. Thank you Elliot. Kudos for doing this on an acoustic. Hard.

[@RemediosRontas]

Yes one of my idol guitar hero

[@phillipward8776]

Always enjoy your playing. Love your musical imagination.

[@chrishedlund3196]

Such an inventive, energetic, rock guitar guy.

[@greyguy69]

I seen ccr revisited twice. If you have never listened to them, you will hear the most amazing guitar playing ever.

[@klausrain111]

Very interesting. Also, he's such a humble, sweet person.

[@george5120]

Elliot Easton is one of my favorite guitarists. He is also an interesting person and is musically educated at the prestigious Berklee College of Music.