The first Speed Kills DVD begins with Michael Angelo Batio playing a lightening fast but interesting electric guitar solo. After just a few minutes of watching I started to laugh out loud. You know, the kind of involuntary, puzzled laugh that bursts forth when a magician does something truly unexpected and unbelievable.
I have never seen a guitar played that fast. It almost looked fake. Perhaps what is more amazing, however, is that Michael can actually teach these seemingly impossible techniques to us mere mortal guitarists.
Not so long ago you dreamt of learning to play the electric guitar. You even took some lessons. Playing the electric guitar was the coolest thing anybody could do. Maybe you pictured yourself with a red Strat, the intro to “Crossroads” streaming out of it without any effort on your part. People would be in awe of your musical gifts and accord you the respect you know you deserve. Yes the electric guitar dream was intoxicating, the guitar you eventually bought was a little out of your price bracket and the time and effort required by the electric guitar lessons were more than you were willing to pay.
So now the guitar lies under the bed, waiting. Because the need to be an electric guitar player is stirring anew, like the rumblings of last night’s Bengal Curry. Again your imagination goes to work, this time with a dash of much needed reality in the mix. Now you can clearly imagine yourself striding purposefully home after your day’s work or study, going directly to that quiet place where you begin releasing the guitar demon that dwells behind your plastic pen pocket. This time things are going to be different.