Gone are the days of guitar solo-centric rock radio, yet some bands have managed to produce riff-heavy music without using one instrument at all.
Botanist is widely classified as black metal music despite not using guitars; their distinctive music includes blast beat drum patterns, strange vocals and off-kilter song structures reminiscent of heavy music.
1. The Beatles
Rock music history cannot rival The Beatles as one of its most iconic and influential bands. Even after splitting over half a century ago, they remain the biggest selling act worldwide and continue to inspire films, reissues, books, and tribute bands worldwide.
Their music spans all genres of rock music, from the bold punk of She’s A Rainbow to Eleanor Rigby and everything in between. At their height of success, they were one of the most innovative and experimental acts around; being among the first acts to use tape loops during recordings as well as multi-track production pioneers and experiment with different sonic textures in their studio and create some of the first progressive rock albums ever released.
While most of their songs feature guitars, there are a few that do not. On ‘Eleanor Rigby,’ for instance, an instrumental backing track recorded by a string quartet provided the foundation on which the band performed their vocals on top. A similar situation existed on several other tracks including Revolution #9 and several others from their discography.
AC/DC are best known for their iconic guitar solos performed by Angus Young on a Gibson SG guitar, yet they can be equally as stunning when leaving them out altogether – for instance in 1991’s Badmotorfinger album where tricky time signatures and Chris Cornell’s incomprehensible lyrics left no room for guitar solos at all!
Morphine were an intriguing guitarless band who relied on an unconventional combination of baritone/tenor sax, percussion and two string slide bass to produce music. While Morphine may not have set heavy rock standards with their unique sound, they certainly set a trend for what rock could sound like without guitars.
2. The Stones
While The Rolling Stones eventually disbanded, their initial lineup remains one of rock’s defining units. From their combined rough-hewn sound with their public persona – not unlike Guns N’ Roses or Oasis today – to creating rock’s ultimate band archetype in frontman Keith Richards and his gruff yet snarling sidekick Ronnie Wood, their initial lineup defined rock music.
A Stones performance could feature anything from an electrifying Chuck Berry cover to an introspective blues standard – but it wouldn’t be complete without Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts on bass and drums respectively. Wyman was an unlikely choice as bassist; previously working as a bookkeeper before joining rock ‘n’ roll music himself and serving for several years in the Royal Air Force prior to discovering rock ‘n’ roll; yet his unique improvisational skills on his instrument added an eclectic sound to their performances.
Drummer Watts was an adept, improvised drummer who helped establish the group’s rhythmic foundation. Singer Mick Jagger was known for creating catchy melodies and memorably emotive lyrics – both essential components to its success.
The Stones made their first hit single with their cover of Bobby Womack’s “It’s All Over Now,” recorded at Chess Studios and released as their debut single in Britain at #1, propelling their meteoric rise. Following that song’s success, manager Andrew Oldham advised them to start writing their own music – beginning with blues but soon transitioning towards melodic rock that relied more heavily on melody over improvisation – adding non-blues songs like the memorable 1972 ballad “Changes.”
3. The White Stripes
Many people believe that rock music cannot exist without guitars. When searching on question-and-answer websites for songs to search for, helpful readers often offer examples such as slow piano ballads without rock ‘n’ roll elements and Billy Joel tunes in which an audible Les Paul through Marshall is heard but is not the main focus.
The White Stripes first emerged as a musical force in Detroit during the early ’90s with their low-fidelity approach to recording and their blend of garage rock and blues influences. Jack and Meg White became known for their distinctive lyrics featuring obscure themes related to red hues and numbers three.
Even without having a guitarist in their lineup, this duo’s sound is instantly recognisable to fans of garage rock and blues music. That they were able to reach such widespread popularity despite not possessing one is testament to both their talent and creativity as well as relying on other instruments in conveying their message.
Botanist is an experimental one-man black metal project with its signature sound created through vocals, drums and hammered dulcimer instead of guitars; Menace Ruine are post-black metal/avant garde rock duo who play music composed from bass drum and synthesizer. Gleb Kanasevich plays clarinet for his metal band while covering bands like Meshuggah and Suffocation without ever picking up one guitar!
In the 1980s, instrumental music became immensely popular. Swedish virtuoso Yngwie Malmsteen made waves with his album Rising Force that reached number 60 on Billboard charts and Joe Satriani’s Surfing With the Alien showcased an innovative combination of rock, jazz and classical tonality and was considered an astounding technical breakthrough.
4. Morphine
Morphine of Cambridge, MA was an intriguing subterranean band despite not fitting neatly into nostalgia or mainstream charts; one of its members, Mark Sandman on bass plucked melodic grooves off one or two string slide basses while singing baritone vocals to craft melodies that combined jazz rhythms with rock ‘n’ roll intensity to produce songs like “Buena” or “Super Sex”.
Jerome Deupree and Dana Colley’s syncopation was truly astounding; their precision required an expert knowledge of how rhythm instruments interlock. Sandman provided narrative weight to their performances that could range from unnerving (“Super Sex”), sensual (“You Look Like Rain”) or plain sexual (“Thursday”).
Music of this sort wasn’t simply novelty either: It challenged notions of melody and rhythm by drawing upon tuneful elements from rockabilly, improvisational jazz and punk music genres. On records like Good (1992) and Cure for Pain the following year, the trio made full use of their limited instrumentation.
Good is an effective introduction to the group’s sound, but their second album truly captures their creative peak. Released just weeks before Billy Conway departed to form The Velvet Underground, this record boasts tracks as impressive as their live shows.
Sounds of Confidence is the result of a band confident in their abilities, exploring genre boundaries without compromising song integrity. Produced by Paul Q. Kolderie for added layered and atmospheric tones; bonus tracks give listeners an inside view into recording process of this trio. Reissue includes bonus tracks which give listeners insight into recording process of this trio.
5. Author and Punisher
Shone, better known by his artist name Author and Punisher, employs his engineering education and fascination with mechanical devices to design massive custom drone and dub machines weighing over 300 pounds, operated via levers, chains, slides and cranks to generate analog electronic music that has an analog feel. While his machines were originally inspired by metal bands like Melvins, Sepultura, Godflesh and Neurosis; his current style incorporates synthesized music blended with synthesized vocals that recall Melvins-era Melvins-influenced bands along with synthesized music made up by himself; as an international touring lineup this year; Kruller stands as one of Shone’s greatest achievements as an absolute listen!
Shone employs both an improvisational and disciplined approach in his live performances, meticulously crafting sounds and textures tailored to each song’s melody and tempo. With his keen sense of timing and his respect for his audience, he knows when it is best to shift rhythm or tone for maximum effect.
Shone has avoided being classified as industrial or drone music due to the stigma that these genres carry; rather he prefers describing his music simply as live, bass-heavy and rhythmic – these descriptions being more accessible for an audience that might otherwise avoid his music. He has even managed to play his music at venues as varied as sweaty rock clubs and art galleries, proving its usefulness across a range of settings.