Hero of the Stupid

 Every now and then someone comes along and says something so incredibly stupid that you have to wonder if they're just joking.

Today's candidate is Ryan Tedder, who has written songs for everyone up to Paul McCartney, and performs in the band OneRepublic*

Mr. Tedder says "Classic songs are strangling new music" 

by which he states that new songs are up against classic rock, like Queen, Fleetwood Mac, Elton John, ABBA, and Oasis, and don't have a shot (uploading to streaming).

1. has he tuned around broadcast radio in the last 20 years? Some areas are lucky to hear rock, but have no trouble hearing HOT HITS 20! 
2. The actual complaint is that the new songs are crowding out classic songs. It's been that way since I started listening to music
3. there's also the issue of quality. A great quantity of current music is purely product, put out to sound like every other hit. Maybe some songs aren't catching on because they're garbage....
4. People want to know where the great new music is. These include classic rock fans as well as younger listeners. Give them a Led Zeppelin cd and they're blown away. Where is our new Led Zeppelin? If you put it out, we'll buy it  [minor side note: Greta Van Fleet]
5. to whatever degree, the good stuff will float to the top. Put out some good stuff.

"No one has any control over what's going to catch fire."

• Should we remove classic rock? Just stop it from streaming because new artists don't have as much of a chance? This sounds as good as racial and gender mandates for jobs.

Mr. Tedder did not really sound like he was joking - it came out as more frustrated than anything.

John Petrucci is coming out with an 8 string Music Man.

I dunno... Jeff Beck uses 6 and they're enough for him.

But seriously, knock yourself out..

Remember Music Man amps?

A solid state front end and tube power section.

Not a particularly good idea, imo, based upon playing them.

Although my buddy had one that paired well with his Marshall when distorted.

A lot has been written about Jimi Hendrix.

A lot.

A lot has also been written on Jimi's equipment, from curly cords to alleged switches on the back of a Strat.

After viewing Monterey, I realized nothing at all had been written about his gum. Jimi chewed like a madman, throughout his set, even when setting his Strat alight.

To me this is an incredible feat. Jimi could play several parts at the same time. I can't imagine, for the life of me, how he could chew anything. The man was a god.

If you think about it, Jimi had a pretty static chain: Strat, Univibe, wah, Fuzz Face, Octavia, Marhsalls. He made all those noises live with only these. I don't think it was in the equipment.... Ever play a Fuzz Face? They're difficult to get a decent tone from, unless you're looking strictly for bad late 60s fuzz or part of Eric Johnson's lead tone.  *Yes, he was always trying something out and this does not reflect his chain in the studio.

I have a Strat, a Fuzz Face, and a Univibe equivalent, going into a Marshall. Do I sound like Jimi?

Please.

Some may cite my lack of curly cord, Marshall that's not late 60s and not turned up loud enough, and rear pickup slanted the correct way for a lefty. 

Please.

I don't sound like Jimi because I can't play like Jimi. I believe that if I could play note-for-note, and got a reasonably close tone, people would say I sound like him.

Apropos of nothing, I repaired a plexi Marshall and put it up against mine. I couldn't turn them up loud, but the only significant difference was that my head was more gainy in the preamp. 

*I have not heard their songs, so I can't comment