Originally Posted by: LeedoggI kinda think it's becoming cool again to actually know how to play your guitar. I just hope this trend towards musical complexity continues in more mainstream music.

Wouldn't you agree that you can play guitar without having to solo? And I mean play guitar well...Look at all the rhythm players throughout the years!

I used to subscribe to the mentally that faster was better...than I started playing to people who weren't guitarists and they couldn't care less if you can play "Flight Of The Bumblebee" at 220bpm...(I can't, but you understand my point). The whole speed thing, I've found at least, is very much for other guitarists; and to a certain extend so are solos.

Yngwie's one of the best guitarists around...but his solos don't inspire me to write music, they only kick me up the ass to try and play better...Cobain, by no means a great guitarist, has inspired me to write songs and to play for the music - and before anyone starts, I'm old enough to remember 'Nevermind' being released, having already had 'Bleach' in my possesion.

My basic point is this, (I think!)...being able to play a rip-roaring solo is something we should all strive for, but it doesn't mean every song needs a one...you can do as much with two notes as with three hundred...and for that matter, you can often do more with a riff or pause...

Well, that's my fuel to the fire...interested to see what you guys think...