Originally posted by Hootayah
I wonder if we'd ever have heard the name Eddie Van Halen if he'd been a fat bald guy. Or AC/DC wearing suits and ties with short hair and glasses.
In this business, if you want to make it HUGE, then 50% of your appeal is your image. Nobody would give Britney Spears a second glance if she looked like my grandmother. And they wouldn't listen to her cause she sounds like my grandmother.
And I'm still willing to bet that the only reason Satriani shaves his head is cause he's got a receeding hair line and doesn't want anybody to know it.

Thats probably true but what also sets satriani apart from the "metal gods" is his humble attitude toward most other musicians.I realize that 80s guitar isnt cool anymore but what is cool is that most of the more talented humble 80s guitar wizards still make music and sell records today without any mtv coverage or videos,
proving its always been talent over image for these guys.Not all are worthy of that statement but a rare few.
And beleive it or not I am glad that its about talent over image for these guys now.
I saw someone posted that guitar tricks are to impress the non musician.Thats total bs because you cant just overnight do some of that stuff.I agree its not what makes up a good song but comeon now that was a low blow for someone to say proly because they cant do it themselves.
Usually the people who complaine about fast guitar playing cant do it so they automatically blast it.
Its all jealousy.I think a lot of metal players go overboard with tricks because they can and its almost like a secret language between metal players or a rite of passage.If you dont like that music then fine but dont say that its non musical.