Red Hot Chili Peppers – Californication

For many players, this iconic solo is the perfect gateway to tearing it up as a lead guitar player. John Frusciante’s playing is by no means technically complex, but it oozes with soul and every note is right where it should be. 

Californication has a gorgeous solo in F# minor pentatonic, which really elevates the song from the gloomy A minor mood of the verses. The sound is quite clean, with a hint of compression, and a little overdrive will help you avoid the solo’s potential for squeakiness, especially with the many bends it contains.