FORBIDDEN RIFFS: THE 9 MOST BANNED SONGS IN GUITAR STORES
The concept of the forbidden riff originated as an inside joke among staff at music stores on London’s Denmark Street in the early 1970s.Here are 9 songs so iconic that they became "forbidden".
The full song is nearly eight minutes in length, which prompted The Guitar Store in Seattle, Washington to offer 15% off to anybody able to play it in its entirety, without any mistakes.
Deep Purple was in Montreux recording tracks using a sound truck they had rented from the Rolling Stones.It's one of the easiest and most recognizable, making it an obvious candidate.
Ozzy Osbourne heard Tony Iommi playing the riff in rehearsal and said it sounded like “a big iron bloke walking about.”The central riff, composed of power chords - was destined to make this list.
Jack White is a brilliant musician, but his songs are not known for their complicated instrumentals.It sounds like a bass line, but Jack achieved that sound using a pitch shifter.
We're definitely more inclined to think of “Play Freebird!” shouted by a bored audience member than the, “No Freebird!” shouted by a hypothetical Guitar Center employee.
The four chords that make up the bulk of the song are universally recognizable.The plan was for their single "Come As You Are" to be the mega-hit, but “Smells Like Teen Spirit” took it.
The fact that “Wonderwall” has its own joke, akin to “No Stairway” tells you everything you need to know about the forbidden nature of the 1995 Oasis hit.
Wonderwall features prominently in countless setlists.It has a well-deserved place on this list, even if it is most recognizable for its vocal line over a relatively simple chord progression.
The iconic lead at the start of “Sweet Child O’ Mine” is one of the most played and worst-played riffs and guitar store employees have heard enough of it.