And as a bonus:

http://www.freakingnews.com/Space-Guitar-Pictures-69742.asp

Lastly Mick looks a bit girlish wiyhout a nose:

http://www.freakingnews.com/Mick-Jagger-Pictures-69748.asp

For an encore, jacob Zumasings "Bringme my machine heads:

http://www.freakingnews.com/Assault-Guitar-Pictures-69398.asp

Before I hit the sack: Paul Mcartneys Beatle bass:

http://www.freakingnews.com/As-used-by-the-Beetles-Pictures-69430.asp

What the hey, before I goes to bed I'll write a song dedicated to:

http://www.freakingnews.com/WTF-No-Toilet-Paper-Pictures-69452.asp

....called BROWN NAPKINS, sounds familiar though.

found this this morning....



?

I think we all (men and women) enjoy watching guys stomping, writhing, slashing,windmilling whatever. Being warriors, 'displaying' - (whilst playing music we absolutely LOVE.) Its a guy thing that - women just can't pull it off. But this is of course from a woman's point of view. I also find it interesting how popular music - the whole culture, has shaped generations - how - because a guy 'looks like Keith Richards' (perhaps an unfortunate choice haha) - becomes the sexiest thing alive and all the girls go after him - and then you have a whole lot of kiddies running around with Keith Richards gene in them! I love Bonnie Raitt, Sheryl Crow, Tracey Chapman etc but they're not trying to be heavy ...

I see your point lindsmuse, but if you put those stomping, writhing, slashing, windmilling guys in a kick boxing ring I think their displays might be considered a little less than warrior-like.

It's weird how so much "hardcoreness" is attached to the guitar. I mean in all fairness it's not like it takes any physical strength. A ballerina is probably more hardcore than your average rock guitarist.

Honestly, when I want to be agressive I don't grab my gutar, but I don't think it's unrealistic for a woman to pick up a guitar and get mean (it just isn't very convincing most of the time).

Viccy wrote: I see your point lindsmuse, but if you put those stomping, writhing, slashing, windmilling guys in a kick boxing ring I think their displays might be considered a little less than warrior-like.

It's weird how so much "hardcoreness" is attached to the guitar. I mean in all fairness it's not like it takes any physical strength. A ballerina is probably more hardcore than your average rock guitarist.

Honestly, when I want to be agressive I don't grab my gutar, but I don't think it's unrealistic for a woman to pick up a guitar and get mean (it just isn't very convincing most of the time).

I find the sort of macho, head-banging posturing to be a bit ridiculous. I don't see why players shouldn't show their own emotion and excitement when playing, but a lot of what you see seems to me to be more about form and what you're EXPECTED to do rather than anything that comes naturally.

I don't see why players shouldn't show their own emotion and excitement when playing, but a lot of what you see seems to me to be more about form and what you're EXPECTED to do rather than anything that comes naturally.

That's pretty much my point actualy. Another point is that a lot of what "comes naturaly" is often brought about by habit.

We all know that some people put on a bit of a show when they play. Example in men: pulling faces to show how "difficult" it is (In my experiance if what you are playing realy is difficult you don't expending any energy on pulling strange faces other than the not so flattering involuntary pout).
Women: try not to betray any emotion that might make them look soft.

I have my own playing style and that is bringing myself to feel the peice more and more completely each time I play it. A lot of the time this means that I need to discard what comes naturaly (ie. throwing the guitar against the floor) because I need to break past old boundaries. When I eventualy move on it's beautiful and I appreciate the determination. If acting is what gets some people past their boundaries, then I don't hold it against them.

Viccy wrote: That's pretty much my point actualy. Another point is that a lot of what "comes naturaly" is often brought about by habit.

We all know that some people put on a bit of a show when they play. Example in men: pulling faces to show how "difficult" it is (In my experiance if what you are playing realy is difficult you don't expending any energy on pulling strange faces other than the not so flattering involuntary pout).
Women: try not to betray any emotion that might make them look soft.

Um, those faces are involuntary. Any guy who has an involuntary pout is an unlucky dude anyway.

Don's right, those faces really ARE involuntary. My wife has always made fun of me but I can't stop them and I've stopped trying.

Norio wrote: Don's right, those faces really ARE involuntary. My wife has always made fun of me but I can't stop them and I've stopped trying.

I'm not so sure. Go watch a good orchestra playing a complex piece. Do they all have their tongues sticking out and their faces screwed up?

Maybe they beat it out of them when they're learning. ?

Mark Knopfler is also pretty dead-pan when he plays.

X-rated Bob wrote:

Norio wrote: Don's right, those faces really ARE involuntary. My wife has always made fun of me but I can't stop them and I've stopped trying.

I'm not so sure. Go watch a good orchestra playing a complex piece. Do they all have their tongues sticking out and their faces screwed up?

Maybe they beat it out of them when they're learning. ?

well i know for one that I don't try make myself look stupid. it just happens.

bear in mind, people in an orchestra are highly educated musicians so difficult is an open concept.

Joop wrote: Mark Knopfler is also pretty dead-pan when he plays.

So's Paco ... it's extraordinary - I think if he had to show his true emotions he'd be screaming with pain and tearing his hair out. And jumping up and down. It's just he doesn't have time - there's all this music he has to play ?

Norio wrote: Don's right, those faces really ARE involuntary. My wife has always made fun of me but I can't stop them and I've stopped trying.

Involuntary they may be. But that doesn't mean uncontrollable. That's what performers do. They perform. I may not be able to get the look I want on stage, but it's for lack of practise, not because it's impossible.

I agree that it's an acceptable thing for men to look like they're trying to tame a wild mustang when playing a guitar riff. It's part of the vibe of a certain kind of rock music. It is a performance. As Vicky implies, the scowling metal guitarist is very likely a lot less physically dangerous than that guy with the Oakleys laughing with his mates in the pub. But it's part of the performance and part of what the music is trying to put across.

You look at early Clapton performances and the guy is like stone. The expression - and there was plenty of it - came straight out of his fingers. He's selling a different vibe: "This is serious music. Listen and be amazed. Don't be distracted by unnecessary stage antics."

But I don't think women can't pull of an aggressive performance as stage guitarists. I've seen it for a start. A friend of mine, Tarryn van der Byl, can freakin' shred man. And she doesn't hide it in her performance (unfortunately she seems to have given up). It might be easier for men, who grew up acting like this in the playground. But ultimately it's a performance - it's not real, the guitar is not your strangulation victim - and anyone who can perform (act) can do it.

/\/\/\

Those are some very good points you have there about the general message the performer is trying to get across

Don's right, those faces really ARE involuntary. My wife has always made fun of me but I can't stop them and I've stopped trying

It's a neurological fact, due to well known interconnections between the limbic and motor parts of the brain. It can be very pronounced in some people, but we can learn to suppress it. That's why babies spontaneously make dancing movements upon hearing music even before they can properly walk. In guitarists, it may persist as "guitar face".

Go watch a good orchestra playing a complex piece. Do they all have their tongues sticking out and their faces screwed up?

You don't see that, because classical musicians are trained not to do that. Foot tapping and face pulling is stamped out of them early in training. But check out the conductor...he often performs just like a rock guitarist! Equally good (IMO often better) musicians like jazz players on the other hand, clearly express their enjoyment (i.e. pleasant emotions in the lymbic system) via facial expressions.

My wife laughs at me also, because sometimes my lips pout as if I'm about to kiss. Of course she had to come up with some theory about guitar playing and breast feeding.... :-[

singemonkey wrote: Involuntary they may be. But that doesn't mean uncontrollable. That's what performers do. They perform. I may not be able to get the look I want on stage, but it's for lack of practise, not because it's impossible.

ie you don't practice becuae it doesn't and shouldn't matter... I read some people say practice in front of a mirror... (thats form classical musicians...)

Frankly I need to spend more time practicins what I play more than how I look playing it.

Riaan wrote: My wife laughs at me also, because sometimes my lips pout as if I'm about to kiss. Of course she had to come up with some theory about guitar playing and breast feeding.... :-[

Calls for research, that does! ?