So, this local cover band asks me to do a few gigs with them. Usually this is not my thing, but the bass player is an old friend of mine and asked for my help so I said ok.

Now, on a song like "Jump" by Van Halen or "Crazy Train" by Ozzy, I'll usually play the solo fairly close to note for note because the solos in those songs are so famous.

But, for instance, "Rainbow In The Dark" by Dio. Great solo and I love Viv Campbell, but the solo is not THAT famous, so I'm gonna improv it and do my own thing.

In these situations, do you guys follow a "less is more approach?" I find when I improv a 30 second rock guitar solo that I start doing my Holdsworth and McLaughlin stuff and sometimes it may seem like I'm exploring too much...? I don't know. Makes sense to me but might not make sense to the audience.

Usually over an A minor vamp like that, I like to explore the tonality.

Should I play it safe?

Thoughts? Opinions?

It depends on how much booze ya got in ya, I guess!!??? LOL!!!

Seriously, though, as we sit in our bedrooms and noodle,,,things come so easily,,,but up on stage, lights blaring, people staring, things get a bit more tense (thus the booze,,,or heroin, or crack, or a quickie before the show from some gutter slut---whatever the kiddies are doing, nowadays), SO, I would play it safe: Less in more! Feel your way around the Vamp, at first, and pick your spots...then FLOOR IT.

See? One thing about Ursin, he can accelerate like a Ferrari!


(Whammy tricks & other effects work good in this situation, too)

Haha yeah! It's that whole "putting it together thing." Sometimes, I put it together and it makes sense to me, but I think, "Nobody is gonna get this."

Ursin, if "they" don't get it, then it's "their" loss!

Hell yeah! Bro, there is this "Chicago style" hot dog stand down the street. The dude is a blues guitar player from Chicago. Calls himself "Chicago Al" and he has his own friggin hot dog stand doing Chicago style hot dogs...relish, pickles, pepper, tomatoes, the whole 9.

I did it CHICAGO STYLE for lunch today!

The MOST important thing: NO KETCHUP!