The Three Guitar Riffs Tom Morello Wishes He Wrote

Tom Morello is a guitar legend, but there are still some riffs he wishes he wrote.

Speaking with Guitar Interactive Magazine at Download Festival earlier this month, Morello was able to name three iconic riffs he wishes he wrote immediately off the top of his head.

“Let’s go with ‘The Ocean’ by Led Zeppelin, let’s go with ‘Sabbath Bloody Sabbath’ by Black Sabbath and let’s go with ‘Stormbringer’ by Deep Purple,” the guitarist chose.

Another riff Morello is a fan of, which he discussed in the interview, was written by his 13-year-old son, Roman Morello. The duo turned the riff into a song called “Solider in the Army of Love,” and it just came out today. It’s the first from Morello’s upcoming new solo album.

“That’s a shredding guitar solo on there, I wish I could say it was me,” Morello enthused, noting that his son spent a lot of time practicing the instrument during the COVID-19 lockdown.

“One day I was walking by his bedroom, and he was playing these awesome drop-D, heavy riffs. I’m like, ‘What is that?’ And he’s like, ‘I just came up with it,'” he continued. “He wrote the riffs, I produced it and kind of play on it, but the guitar solo is him as well.”

Morello declared “Soldier in the Army of Love” the “heaviest song he’s released in a long time,” so you can check it out for yourself below.

The guitarist will be on tour with his band in Europe until mid-July, then has a couple of festival appearances in the U.S. this fall. See all of the dates on his website.