Originally Posted by: PonyOne... most of my "off" periods of time were when i felt like giving up because i felt stupid; as i got older i just kind of rolled with it, and i learned a lot more than i did before.

... but then they realize that though they can play a mean purple haze or they can surf with the alien, they just can't make their own stuff that doesn't sound like Vai playing a Hendrix solo. so they just kind of go "screw it" at some point and go on to college in something that has nothing to do with music. just my theory...

[font=trebuchet ms]YESSS!!!

Since 1968, there have been a lot of times I felt, uh, insufficient? because I couldn't casually tear off a note-perfect copy of Vai, Satriani, or even Hammet. But there have also been a lot of times when some whiz-kid has been invited to add stuff to some tracks I've laid down and they've been unable to replicate my chops. Not 'cause they're particularly intricate or technical, it's just that my style has a unique sort of twist to the timing and dynamics.

And it's original, while still paying respect to my mentors and influences.[/font] :D