Nobody seems to have mentioned Ritchie Blackmore! The first album I ever bought was Made In Japan and I love all those solos. Thinking a little more deeply, how about Alvin Lee and Ten Years After? I have a live album with a stonking version of Help Me Babe which is so gutsy. Then there's Pat Metheney, OK his tracks are not so much solos as songs, but that guy has great taste. I certainly agree with the gent who suggested Vai and Love of God, a mesmerising piece, especially if you watched the Guitar Heroes concert from Seville some years ago, which I have on video. Overall I think I prefer Satriani to Vai though, he has a little more "edge" to his playing. As a final thought, a track called Five Miles Above by a band called Be S#harp. They're a three piece professional outfit who play small venues around here (Hampshire, Kent etc). Jerry Stevenson, the guitarist is pretty amazing. A band well worth checking out and you can talk to them afterwards.