all time favorite guitar riff
 

You can only choose one, though you can name a runner up or two, I guess... just don't name a bunch!!

My all time favorite is probably the main riff in "Electricity" by Captain Beefheart... but close behind is the Fall's "Wings" riff...

"La Fievre" by Overhang Party, probably.

Edit: Stooges' "Down On The Street" is pretty high up there too.

This is a tough one. One of my top 5 would be the riff from "Transmission" by Joy Division. It's quite simple, but that's part of the appeal.

The solo in Born Under Punches by The Talking Heads.

seeing as he said bye bye last week, i dont think one can do much better than TV Eye by The Stooges

The Birthday Party - "Hamlet (Pow! Pow! Pow!)"

'Green River' by Creedence Clearwater Revival

OR

'History Lesson, Part II' by Minutemen

Loop - Breathe Into Me

Tough one, 'cause I was going to go for 'I Don't Wanna Be This Way' by Action Swingers, then I remembered that the real star of that song is the solo. A close contender would also be 'Some Sara' by Boss Hog. Loop beat them all.

Tough indeed.

Action Swingers - 'Nacho' or Pussy Galore - 'Punch Out'.

^Sarram. Yeah, the riff on 'I Don't Wanna Be This Way' is pretty minor in terms of the overall brilliance of that song.

There's a version of The Velvet Underground's 'Black Angel's Death Song' on an Exploding Plastic Inevitable show bootleg where John Cale's viola is replaced by Lou Reed's riff. That is another great one.

Action Swingers' 'Hot Rock Action'

Action Swingers' 'Miserable Life' has also got a timeless riff.

Sweet Leaf/Sweat Loaf must surely qualify

I wanted to nominate a couple of Loop tunes, but the best riffage ("Straight To Your Heart," for instance) often comes from the bass, while the guitars buzz away on the drone.

Is that on the Toe Rag CD? It's the one thing of theirs I don't have.

It's from 'Quit While You're Ahead'. I think I've upped that for you before.

TNT by Tortoise

I think you're probably right but that i must've missed it or something.

I think i have everything except 'Quit' and the 'ToeRag Sessions'

My bad.

what exactly qualifies as a riff? it has to be chords doesn't it?

because if it doesn't have to be chords the chorus to vlatko stefanovski's gypsy song is the catchiest thing ever doo doo duh doo

RIFF in Back in Black.