You stole my thunder. All of the guys who pioneered this style of guitar are AARP age. It was cutting-edge back in the days of Shrapnel Records. However, the Shrapnel artists that are still involved in music have matured and diversified.
Here is Richie Kotzen during the Shrapnel Days:
Here is Richie Kotzen a few years ago:
Which Richie Kotzen would you rather listen to? The reality is that all of the first generation of shredders grew up with a different musical foundation. They created a musical genre that did not exist, but as the years went on they fused their childhood/teenage musical influences with shred and formed more sophisticated styles of music. In the case of Richie, he grew up outside of Philadelphia, so it was natural for him to blend shred and classic rock with blue-eyed soul.
Greg Howe is another Shrapnel shredder who has had an interesting career. He has been all over the map musically since the Shrapnel days. The moral of the story is that great guitarists mature into great musicians. They do not confuse being technical with being musical.
By the way, attacking the messenger instead of the message is a sign that a person has already lost the argument.
