Triple J’s Mel Bampton, with the help of 1000 enthusiasts and the wonders of SMS technology, has helped to update classic guitar riffs and prove they are anything but extinct in the modern era.
While many people associate all time great riffs with the ’60s and ’70s, the youth network’s morning presenter invited listeners to nominate their favourite riffs of the past five years, in response to a survey in Total Guitar magazine, which omitted any recent riffs in its official top 100.
Bampton thought that, surely, there must have be some great new guitar riffs from the past 20 years.
The Triple J poll has Guns N’ Roses’ ‘Sweet Child of Mine’ in first place, followed by Nirvana’s ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’, but Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Van Halen and Black Sabbath still manage to dominated the list.
In the past five years, Muse’s ‘Stockholm Syndrome’ has topped the list, then Tool with ‘Schism’, ahead of Muse again with ‘Plug In Baby’. The White Stripes are at #4 with ‘7 Nation Army’ and Queens of the Stone Age take #5 with ‘No One Knows’. Aussie bands fared well, with Butterfly Effect’s ‘Always’ at #12 and You Am I’s ‘Who Put The Devil In You’ at #13.
Bampton has counted down the top 20 on her morning show, then played the top five.
The conclusion is that riffs are not dying in the new millennium, but are harder to define with so many musical types around.
And at this time of year at triple j, some of the presenters are taking holidays. While they are away a range of music guests are replacing them:
Thursday night roots music program Roots ‘n’ All presenter Jordie Kilby will take a well earned holiday and will be replaced by a couple of the guys from The Cat Empire. At 11pm this Thursday, the station will let Harry and Jumps loose in the studio, playing the tracks that have influenced them over the years.
This Friday night Jay and Lindsey from FRENZAL RHOMB will be sitting in the Super Request presenter chair. The guys plan to take requests and generally bad-mouth the general public for three hours.
This Monday on the triple j Hip Hop Show, Native Tongue legends, the JUNGLE BROTHERS, take over the studio, playing their
favourite tunes and more while regular Hip Hop Show presenter Maya Jupiter fills in for Rosie Beaton on Super Request.