L.O.V.E. Machine is a great example of a solo that has no flashy stuff, but is very memorable, fits the song and sounds cool. Chris also has the ability to create different moods over simple chord progressions. Wild Child and Inside The Electric Circus prove that point. Chris himself is most proud of his work on The Headless Children album. Thunderhead and Mean Man have some great stuff in them. Below are some licks you can add to your arsenal that will help you to play similar to Chris. Use these to learn how to achieve new sounds and add more tricks to your arsenal but aim to create your own style. Chris was influenced by Billy Gibbons and Eddie Van Halen (among others) but he used them to create his own style and sound.
The first example is from 'Inside The Electric Circus'. It showcases a very typical Holmes melody line that combines blues style phrasing with a strong heavy metal minor feel. You often hear Chris use a full octave within a short introduction lick which helps to create a haunting mood right from the start. The legato part that follows is based on a signature 1-2-4 fingering pattern that Chris uses almost exlusively for descending fast passages. Chris is not schooled in music theory so the logic behind his scales is based more on these patterns than actual note intervals. The cool thing is that this adds a couple of odd notes but not as normal chromatic passing notes. Result is a scale that transforms from minor to major and back for a bluesy feel but also adds the sharp 6th which creates a Dorian mood. This wild sound doesn't try to be resolved to any obvious note and is a perfect match to the "mad man on the loose" stage presense that Chris has.
Notice also how in the last bar the note grouping for each fingering is five. This is very typical for Chris. Normally he plays them as fluent fives but sometimes the last three notes create a fast triplet for a more rushed feel. Executing long runs like these requires a lot of strength and stamina from the fingers but you can make things easier on your guitar by using low action and a high gain pickup.
The next example is from 'Shoot From The Hip' and demonstrates a more rock and roll based lick, but again followed by a fast legato run. What I find really interesting is that on both licks the ending note is not on the 1st beat of the following bar but instead on the 3rd. This makes for a more melodical vocal style phrasing and is something we hear a lot in old blues. Another Holmes signature lies within the rhytmic placement of the legato run. He changes positions so that each group of two positions starts where the last one ended - basically playing each position twice apart from the first and last. This again breaks free from a structured style soloing and makes things more exciting for the ears.
Now we are moving on to a true signature that Holmes has repeated countless times to end a solo. One could say this was used so many times it's actually a part of W.A.S.P. arranging. The example here is from 'Inside The Electric Circus'. The first thing is the unison bends that create a screaming sound that really stands out. To play these you pick two notes full step apart on two different strings and bend the lower note up so that both reach the same pitch. Adding vibrato or going slightly flat or sharp with the bend will give you really wild sounds. These are used all over most Holmes solos. The licks in bars 2 and 4 add the feeling of suspension and combined with dynamic palm muting and varied picking preassure they really build things up for the last chorus of a song. The note pattern here is a simple minor 3rd, major 2nd and the root and repeated an octave higher to give the feeling that things are moving forward for a climax. You hear this note pattern in many Holmes solos often also played in triplets. The palm muting is what makes it sound more special.
Now that I've mentioned palm muted triplets it's fitting to introduce one of the classics. This is from 'I Wanna Be Somebody' and shows an ascending passage of palm muted triplets. Here each note is picked three times but the same overall effect can be achieved with small variations also like in 'L.O.V.E. Machine'. The song 'Thunderhead' has many similar licks as well.
Here we have a much easier lick which again is heavily based on old blues and often heard in ZZ Top songs. It's a cool way to end a section. This example is from 'I'm Alive'. What makes it bluesy is the use of the chromatic flat fifth aka the blue note. Whenever Chris uses this idea he accentuates it with some heavy palm muting and pinch harmonic squels. Check out the solo in 'Mean Man' for fine examples.
The next example is again from 'Shoot From The Hip' and is probably influenced by Eddie Van Halen. This technique is called tremolo picking, and you basically try to alternate pick a single note as fast as possible and then you shift to other notes with your left hand while the picking hand continues without interruptions. Live version of Animal often included this trick. It's a nice way to end a solo and is used regularly by metal bands.
Chris often takes this trick a bit further by doing a trill but with his pick instead of fingers. Basically you tap the string with your pick against the fretboard really fast. Below is an example from the outro of 'Sleeping (In The Fire)'.
Here is a summary of techniques to learn:
- Unison bends
- Blues pentatonic box improvising in minor keys
- Legato with 1-2-4 fingering in note groups of five
- Palm muted triplet runs
- Trill tapping with a pick
- Pinch harmonics
That should get you started on learning more Chris Holmes solos. Remember that these are just building blocks and you have to use them with taste. Chris plays with a lot of fire and improvises so you're not going to sound like him if you get stuck just copying licks. Listen to his soloing on 'Lake Of Fools' to hear what he is capable of when given more freedom to jam. I leave you with one last lick that is simple but effective. It's from 'Animal (Fuck Like A Beast)' and something you will hear in different forms on many of Chris' solos.
Check out my YouTube videos to see how I play many W.A.S.P. solos.
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