all time favorite guitar riff
 

You can only choose one, though you can name a runner up or two, I guess... just don't name a bunch!!

My all time favorite is probably the main riff in "Electricity" by Captain Beefheart... but close behind is the Fall's "Wings" riff...

"La Fievre" by Overhang Party, probably.

Edit: Stooges' "Down On The Street" is pretty high up there too.

This is a tough one. One of my top 5 would be the riff from "Transmission" by Joy Division. It's quite simple, but that's part of the appeal.

The solo in Born Under Punches by The Talking Heads.

seeing as he said bye bye last week, i dont think one can do much better than TV Eye by The Stooges

The Birthday Party - "Hamlet (Pow! Pow! Pow!)"

'Green River' by Creedence Clearwater Revival

OR

'History Lesson, Part II' by Minutemen

Loop - Breathe Into Me

Tough one, 'cause I was going to go for 'I Don't Wanna Be This Way' by Action Swingers, then I remembered that the real star of that song is the solo. A close contender would also be 'Some Sara' by Boss Hog. Loop beat them all.

Tough indeed.

Action Swingers - 'Nacho' or Pussy Galore - 'Punch Out'.

^Sarram. Yeah, the riff on 'I Don't Wanna Be This Way' is pretty minor in terms of the overall brilliance of that song.

There's a version of The Velvet Underground's 'Black Angel's Death Song' on an Exploding Plastic Inevitable show bootleg where John Cale's viola is replaced by Lou Reed's riff. That is another great one.

Action Swingers' 'Hot Rock Action'

Action Swingers' 'Miserable Life' has also got a timeless riff.

Sweet Leaf/Sweat Loaf must surely qualify

I wanted to nominate a couple of Loop tunes, but the best riffage ("Straight To Your Heart," for instance) often comes from the bass, while the guitars buzz away on the drone.

Is that on the Toe Rag CD? It's the one thing of theirs I don't have.

It's from 'Quit While You're Ahead'. I think I've upped that for you before.

TNT by Tortoise

I think you're probably right but that i must've missed it or something.

I think i have everything except 'Quit' and the 'ToeRag Sessions'

My bad.

what exactly qualifies as a riff? it has to be chords doesn't it?

because if it doesn't have to be chords the chorus to vlatko stefanovski's gypsy song is the catchiest thing ever doo doo duh doo

RIFF in Back in Black.

It varies day by day.

Today it would be "London Dungeon" by the Misfits.

when I think of the term guitar riff
my mind immediately goes to the heavy part of "Bring it on Home" by Led Zeppelin

probably not my favorite
but it instantly pops into my head

It's on Faust IV - you know the one... it goes on forever like the theme tune to an 80s car show. That one.

The verse from Jimi Thing, by Dave Matthews.

I'd like to pick something cooler, but I'd be lying.

david bowie. rebel rebel

i love playing it too

The Scientist's Solid Gold Hell

"52 Girls" by the B-52s.

Probably "Brother James" by Sonic Youth. But maybe "After Forever" by Sabbath. "European Son" by the Velvet Underground comes immediately to mind too. "I Wanna Be Your Dog" is right up there too.

Led Zeppelin - Good Time Bad Time

captain beefheart - big eyed beans from venus

constantly evolving... i like!

I may get ran out for this one, but another two of my favorites would be "The Everlasting Gaze" and "Pissant" if only for the sound of it.

Which riff exactly? There's like 20 really thought-out and intricate riffs in that song. I wish someone would tab that...

Hey now, this ain't "all time favorite guitar TONE"!!! Hah.

I don't know if I have an "all-time" favorite riff. Right now, I'd say it's We Are Time by The Pop Group.

Wingwalker - SHELLAC
The Lee part on Skip Tracer

i get really hooked on Furniture by Fugazi

Cities on Flame w/ R'n'R
The Red and the Black

it's more the two constantly evolving riffs in your left and right speakers. but the two riffs combined at 0:25 are stellar.

part of the tab: click

Yourself in the World by Proudliot
or
Arnold Lane by Pink Floyd

Obvious, perhaps, but "Gloria" and "All Day And All Of The Night" are pretty hard to fuck with.