Originally Posted by: mortalkombatmanI have seen many people out there, in these very forums, that commend and soil many names. Most of those names include Satriani, Vai, Petrucci...but if you come to think about, walk up to somone that is NOT a guitar player (yes, drop your ego for a minute) and ask them if they can name a Joe Satriani song, you will find that they simply can't (unless they live with a guitarist). Now, go up to that same person and ask them to name any SOLO Steve Vai song, (not when he was with "Diamond" David Lee Roth) they can't. Granted, I will give John Petrucci some leway, beacause he is in Dream Theater, (my drummer's favorite band...I wonder why :rolleyes: ...).

But when it all comes down to it what are the names and songs of guitarists that peole actually know and love, Eddie Van Halen, he wrote such party-rockin' classics as "Panama", "Runnin' With the Devil", "Jamie's Cryin'", and who doesn't know "Hot for Teacher", but who can forget "Eruption"!!!! If you just read that, and any of those songs didn't come back to you, you need not play guitar ever again. But Eddie is not the only one, what about the greats such as Dimbag, Vinnie Vincent, Dave Mustaine, Angus Young, any random rocker from the late 70's-early 80's, and my personal favorite, Ted Nugent. (Excuse ME :mad: if I left anybody out...)

My point is this, you can't write a good song unless it captures the listener, touches them in the most inner part of their soul, that angst, that attitude. For example, have you ever heard an Joe Satriani song that made you want to just jump up, headbang, and play air guitar on the couch the same way AC/DC's "Back in Black" could, or how about pumping your fist in the air to a course of Metallica's "Seek and Destroy"???

I want you all to sit down, put some Ted Nugent in the CD player and just feel the energy, grab that energy, look at it, that is your *new* inspiration...

Before anybody get terribly pissed at me, think, you know that I am right...
ITS NOT ABOUT THE GUITAR, ITS ABOUT THE MUSIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You are totaly right when u say its about the music BUT it is about the guitar too for the people who like satch, vai and petrucci as well as other guitarists. They have attained a Guitar level us mere mortals prob wont reach but thats why most musicians like them and its ok to like more mainstream artists too, we all like AC/DC and u mentiond Ted Nugent but Vai Satch and Petrucci put the same energy into their music as all of the mentiond Artists or bands.. I get the same buzz from from listening to Joe's Satch Boogie or Dreamtheaters Metropolis part 1 etc.. as I do from listening to AC/DC back in black.. its all a matter of personal taste .. songs by these guitarists have captured thousands of listeners.. yea they may not be mainstream and I for one am glad I dont want to see these Artists or Bands on the mainstream bandwagon.. thats why they play what the play and thats why me and thousands of other people listen to them..