Hey, I'm back!
Anyway, my thoughts are:
1), when I hear Creed, I hear alot of STP and Pearl Jam, (too much Pearl Jam for comfort on "with arms wide open"... but I'll leave that alone right now). Speaking of great live bands, Blues Traveler rips live, they're all a bunch of monsters. So the point is that rock has maintained a presance through the 90's even if it's been labeled as Grunge or whatever by the masses and the record compaines. If you don't beleive me, then check out STP's Tiny Music... Songs From the Vatican Gift Shop, this has to be my favorite album (certainly amongst the top few).

2), Change is good- if you really want the classics to remain special, we need to do other things musicly. That doesn't mean that we can't (and shouldn't) reach back and bring in the classic influences, but if we try and replicate that forever it will make the music stale and tired. Now what kind of tribute is that? Also think, for every Led Zepplin, there were how many bands that are completely forgotten now?

3), Skim what's popular, wade through the underground. So many great bands are out there that get almost no public attention. You really need to investigate and keep an open mind. If I went purely by my past intrests, I wouldn't listen to most of the music I love so dearly today. How does one jump from listening to his folk's Eagles tapes to STP, Morphine, Primus, Fishbone, Alice in Chains, Ben Harper, the Refreshments, the Urge, (and I can keep going)?
Basicly, I've learned that if I listen for honesty and originality, I can find great music everywhere.

Finally, if you want to check out some great slide work, I would get SRV's "The Sky is Crying" and give a listen to "Boot Hill." Easily the rudest song I've heard in my life. Also, check out Ben Harper's stuff, amongst all of the acts I've seen live (including Primus 4 times and Oysterhead (I was at the Burlington, VT show they first jammed at)) Ben Harper put on the best show of them all.

So this is my humble (if longwinded) opinion on the subject. If I've confused you, take comfort: I confused me too.
-Rask