Who Killed the SOLO?

Why did the 10 minute solo become a 5 minute one?
Followed by the even more annoying 50 second one?
And now since the 5 seconder i stopped listening to em'

Is it just me or are the solos dying?

Most musicians, and i mean those aged 30 and above who actually experienced the golden years of music if not lived through them, feel that there aren't any good guitar players out there, let alone solos.. Ever since the arrival of RnB, HipHop, Rap, and Michael Jackson, the mainstream success of bands/guitarists has diminished. Now, even that wouldn't be too bad... but the skill/talent is also diminishing..... or isit??

Worse up. Many bands are giving too much importance to vocalists and not enough to drummers, bassists, and guitarists. It's considered corny these days to solo or to incorporate solos into your songs, and even if you think you must, the crowd/producers/who ever's involved cuts you down to within a minute....

Artists who were known for long solos, be it complicated or simple bends.. :

Jimi Hendrix

Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin

David Gilmour, PinkFloyd

Eric Clapton

B.B. King

Steve Vai, White Snake, G3

Joe Satriani, G3

Frank Zappa, and The Mothers

Ritchie Blackmore, Deep Purple, Rainbow, Blackmore's Night

Stevie Ray Vaughn

Duane Allman, The Allman Brothers Band

Jerry Garcia, The Grateful Dead

Slash, Guns 'N' Roses, Slash's Snakepit, Velvet Revolver


And god Damn the list is endless... but the point i'm trying to prove is that, no guitarist, has shined or soloed like those mentioned above.. within the last 5 - 10 years. Every legendry guitarist's time of recognition was before the late 1990s.. not one has emerged after..

My theory on why the solo and guitar talent is fading.

• DRUM MACHINES.. killed the acousticity.. destroyed motivation

• Rise of RnB, Hip Hop and Rap genres of music albeit a different one but one which is killing rock music in general.. though i do appreciate some of the older rap, the one these days is from the bottom of the music pit.. yes you people listening to H***.fm are listening to S**T, may you die in agony... pah.
  
• Worse up, there is no encouragement for people to pick up a guitar for a living, every parent is urging their son/daughter to run into the corporate jungle where lions and tigers have suits these days, and where you climb a ladder for a living.. i mean what kind of life is that?!

Whatever happened to Sex. Drugs. and Rock n Roll.... well i intend to live that life, after i reach the top of the corporate ladder... or i might just start living that life right now....

So to all you people out there, i beg you to start playing an instrument, be it a fender or a piano.. just whatever.. even pearls.. just pick up and play.. who knows.. the next legend could be from our generation..

ah.. who am i kidding, 99% of us are nothing but brainwashed freaks who
think braces with shiny diamonds are cool..

On a lighter note, it was raining today, so i some how got a few Decent if not good pictures for your viewing pleasure.

And lastly as ever i leave you with todays song.. comfortably numb.. song is about 6 minutes with the solo being 2 - 3 minutes.. it comes inbetween and towards the end.. god damn this was the best solo ever in the history of music, yes its not fast but the technique is mind blowing and hence puts gilmour's solo on top of the top.

Come back solo... please ?

,\m/