Do u guys think a solo career is stupid? RESPOND PLZ

Guys im 15 years old and am allready in search for a career in guitar, I have been a good faithful guitarist for almost 3 years now and I like to explore all differnt kinds of guitar music, Like maybe one day ill be like "Oh ya this Eric Clapton song rocks (Cocaine or layla or somthing) then the next day ill be like "Oh man this heavy metal is f*kin sweet! So u see the slide from Clapton>metallica/heavy metal and its so ahrd to find someone that plays bass/drums, and besides that, ahve them like the same music as you do, but I have jsut come to the conclusion, be a solo artist, but...u dont see too many one man artists out there that are famous..

I don't see any problem with being a solo artist, in the sense that you would write all the music and that it would be your name on the CD, but if you ever plan to play a concert it would help to have a band.

Guys like Satriani and Vai are basically solo artists, but they have bands. SRV had Double Trouble. So in that repect, I don't understand what you mean by being a solo artist. By a solo artist do you just mean one guy playing guitar and singing by himself?

If so, then you're right . . . I don't see too many of those guys out there.

I know exactly where you are coming form, being in a similar situation (or at least I think I do).
I play in band situations, but I always find the music is not satisfying me, that people don't have the same ideas/influences, etc, and what I play and sing isn't what I wanted. Now, on the other hand, they probably all think the same about me, but it can be frustrating. Whe you are with a band, how can you remain faithful to the music in your soul? I'm sure that in a lot of cases, it is the different ideas that stimulate a band, an a songwriter, so that they work to one sound, with different ideas.
However, I often think that solo is the way to go, to form your band, but make it certain that you are in control, like Vai, or Dylan, or people like that.
Also, sometimes I think that is too arrogant, and I should simply go completely solo, but then I keep writing four part arrangements, etc.
I have a feeling that it is better to be part of a band, in which you don't necessarily go your own way, but go the way of the band as a whole. Sure there are compromises, but it might mean you get stimulated as a songwriter, or that together you can create a blend of sounds.
However, when I become famous (lol) as either a solo artist, an artist with a band, or part of a band, I will know where it is good to go (note irony).

You know, after viewing whats considered acceptable in the mainstream today, we can't help having doubts when it comes to our own abilities, in reference to the guitar. But you have to come to the realization somewhgere down the line as to whats most important to you, satisfying yourself creatively or satisfying the fickle impulses of others. Do whats in your heart man, as long as you're not struggling for food, stick to your guns when it comes to music (be true to yourself), and it just might pay off in the end.

-Joseph

Solo stupid?
I don't think so. But I think going with a band can be very good too. You get influenced by the other band members as well as from your guitar "heros". You may not always play exactly what you want that way, but you will get some other ideas that you probably would not have come up with on your own or by just listening to the radio/cds, etc.
Do you think John Lennon or Paul McCartney would have become as good as they are/were had they not gotten together?
Another example is Randy Rhoads. His sound with Quiet Riot was very different than it was with Ozzy.

We are sometimes forced to take certain opportunities, (just to be given enough freedom to pursue what we feel is the perfect direction.) We don't always start out as solo musicians, only if you're lucky you make it big on your own, without the additional help of others, but still every now and then there are those rare cases where you hit the big time on your own. What it all comes down to is whether or not you have enough good ideas that will appeal to the masses, but still fame and fortune aren't the most important aspects of being a musician, its very important to respect the position that you're in. If you're willing to take things slow and easy, and maintain your integrity along the way, then a solo career is a great idea. But if you let money and greed outweigh your overall philosophy, then it just doesn't get much easier to gain back your intergity as the years progress.

So, its best to take every opportunity to comes your way, but still always keep your original intentions close to your heart. No matter which way you look at it, its always going to be a long and winding road, but whats most important is whether or not you're happy. And for a musician, money isn't always the answer.

-Joseph

I don't really like the idea of a solo guitarist..
i mean i still think that a whole band, with a singer, another guitarist or any other players should be better than just a one guitar player, even if he's covered with drumms and bass... i quite like steve vai, but i can't see myself recording a song where i play all the instruments...
yeah it's a reall problem when you are in band, and not all your ideas are accepted, but you can always get another band where u'll be the leading man..
like blackmore, who quit deep purple to be a leader of rainbow...

Originally posted by Zeppelin
, but i can't see myself recording a song where i play all the instruments...
rainbow...

\

Personally, I would love to be given the opportnity to do something like that, just to see where all of the knowledge Ive recieved over the past several years would take me. You have to admit, its a beautiful feeling where you don't have to answer to anyone, where you can just naturally allow your personality to reach its highest level of completeness, and to perhaps someday get payed big $$$$ for it, :D

-Joseph

ok i dont really mean to brag or anything but im a really good guitar player, my friends still stare at me when i play or glance away likjeas in "Oh my god he's in a guitar trance again" ya know and i think its stupid because people come up to me asking if they wannna play bands that i really dont like, cause our bass player jsut wants to play friggin chili peppers and its all funk crap that i hate and my other guitarist wants to play stuff that i pretty much like and the drum doesnt care and its basicly just the bass palyer, i mean, its like I wanna start up a band and how can he expect that to happen from once a week practice for basicly an hour a week and basicly not even practicing , tell me how far thats gonna take us in the music industry

sorry i got a little upset its just that i see a band play on stage and they look like there having so much fun and it jsut makes me sad that I cant have that

Take it easy man!!!
it's hard to make a good band, but i just like the whole idea of a band... you can be a guitar hero but jamming with other people or rehearsing with a band can make you much better... i think i became twice better than i was since i'm in band, altough i have the same problem with my band like you... they want to take it to places that i dont want...

hi im new here. i love playing guitar so i guessed i should sign up. anyway, i think if u really wanna have a solo carrer, u should keep trying and it will happen. there aint anything wrong with it ! good luck! Y2Damien
(p.s. any1 wanna add me 2 there msn list, my email is Y2Damien@hotmail.com im 17 m ireland)

Originally posted by Zeppelin
Take it easy man!!!
it's hard to make a good band, but i just like the whole idea of a band... you can be a guitar hero but jamming with other people or rehearsing with a band can make you much better... i think i became twice better than i was since i'm in band, altough i have the same problem with my band like you... they want to take it to places that i dont want...

Sometimes going places you don't wanna go can be beneficial if you go in with the right attitude (whatever that is :)).

I spent years just jamming with friends playing Black Sabbath, Rush, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Allman Brothers, Blue Oyster Cult, Led Zeppelin etc. There was no real band but we often played at little parties (10-30+ ppl). Different band members almost each time. There were basically 2 groups of ppl that I played with. One was Heavy Metal/Hard Rock. The other was Southern Rock/Hard Rock/Folk and bits of classical pieces.
The one day, my roommate brought over this mexican guy (he was really from mexico so this is not a racial generalization). His name was Tony. Tony said he was a drummer in a band and they were looking for a new guitar player. He asked me if I wanted to try out for the band. I didn't ask what kind of music they played, but I figured sure, why not give it a shot. When I showed up for the try out, I found out that the music they played was called "Cumbias" (50's style rock) and "Rancheros" (sort of a Tex-Mex country style and general "old" style country).
When I found that out, I thought, "What the hell did I get myself into?". Well, I tried out, passed thier muster and they asked me to join. We jammed for several hours in that tryout and I had alot of fun doing that. So I took them up on thier offer. I ended up playing with them for almost 3 years.

So whats my point in this babbling?
Being in that band had a tremedous influence on my playing.
Most of the cover tunes we played I had never heard before.
And most of the solos in these tunes were done by some wind instrument. There were no tabs, or sheet music around for any of them (that we could find anyway). I had to learn all the solos by ear, something I was never that great at before then. I generally had no problem learning guitar solos when the original one was done on a guitar, but not a horn. Learning how to do solos originally done in another instrument greatly improved my ear for learning other solos done on guitar. This made my style that much more unique.
This also improved my own style by being able to pick up on the style of others much more easily.

I would suggest playing with a few bands before you go out on your own with your own band that you control fully.