Originally Posted by: KaffirlimeThink back to the ill-matched 1996 G3 tour when Eric Johnson and Steve Vai toured with Satriani. I recall one particular song where Eric opened with some beautiful soulful blues licks which Vai and Satriani mimicked proving they knew the 'technical' side of blues but they used three dozen notes for Eric's handful - to my mind demonstrating that they just didn't 'Get' blues (On the other hand Johnson is technically as good if not better than either - Steve Vai is reputedly in awe of him). What this tells me is that people who are grounded in the Blues first (Johnson lists his earliest influence as the Clapton in his bluesbrerakers and Cream days) will find it far easirer to progress to shred if they choose to rather than the other way around.

Well, I'm in awe of Eric Johnson myself, haha. However, Satriani's big influences include Jimmy Page, Jimi Hendrix, and SRV. Perhaps not the oldest blues guys, but certainly a common vein with Eric Johnson. I do understand what you mean, though. I enjoy their high energy blues playing (wow, THAT's an oxymoron!) but also appreciate the works of people like Albert King. I just think both are a thing to be appreciated as music, and don't like to see technical proficiency being reduced to something other than music.