I think this whole subject needs to be looked at from various angles.Nothing is like it was in the timeframe of the guitar god. The world has changed radically. We are learning that industries are tied to NWO pushes and bands that want any traction are going to line up and push/follow/agree with the agenda said powers want pushed. Look at all the album covers, videos, etc by the bands now. All have symbolism and so forth that aligns with the shit being shoved down our throats by the government, media and so forth. Look at all these tranny bands or bands with people looking like whack jobs. It is all part of the push. The guitar virtuoso days were masculine. It was about rebellion and freedom and chasing pussy and living it up. It was reckless and wild and liberating. Again, none of that is what the powers that be want us to have now. They want to be able to shove you into an electric car and force your engine to not start and freeze your bank account and or fine you if you say something they dislike on social media.
Forums are dead because social media took over and split up everybody. As fucked up as facebook is, and most people know it is, many still can't seem to walk away from it. They have captured virtually everything in one location. Why log into a forum when you are already on facebook sharing a picture of your sandwich and can then go to your "group" and post your new purchase? It is convenient and people love convenience. Additionally, what is wrong with posting things you acquire? It gives people something to talk about and to learn from, etc which is helpful to forums IMO.
There are some great players out there today but with the way everything has splintered off it may be harder to find them. Anything of excellence is now frowned upon, it doesn't matter what it is. This is all planned, and again, part of the push. Everybody gets a ribbon right? Everybody needs to be equal. Truth is no longer truth, it is repetition. Success is equated to followers in most people eyes..so on and so forth. What we are seeing now has been in motion for a long time.
Record Labels have always been a joke, most simply didn't know it. There are new ways to go about things in the music business (good or bad) and like everything else, things have changed. In some cases for the better but a lot for the worse.
Record stores are virtually non existent and so are the plethora of great music stores. Brick and Mortar buildings are not always the best business model or the most cost effective when so much is done online now.
I see all kinds of sides to this topic and find it fun, yet difficult to just pinpoint and blame one area as all areas are effected by other areas of life, society, business, agendas, so on and so forth. I think most forums are just hangouts for familiar friends/acquaintances with a common bond or two so as to not feel so alone and isolated. The forum here is a guitar forum yet from my vantage point politics and what is happening in the world is far more involved here than gear and music is. Nothing wrong with it, I love this place and I love every one of you knuckleheads who call this home.
I am reminded of knowing what it was like to have to play outside and or invent games and entertain myself or play with friends AND also what the times were like when Atari was first introduced, etc. Rabbit ears on the tv before there were 98767890987654 channels in the basic tv package. Telephone on the wall long before a cell phone. No computers in the house, no microwave, etc. Many of the folks today have never had a part of the "old world" and the way we once operated, much less the normality of it. I like the old way much better but am learning I have to change with it or I will get run over and or find a creative way to operate and function around it. There is always a way.
on the intro on Running With The Devil I've wanted to smack him with a copy of his Beato Book - if it was in print - as that just came across so poseurish - and his followers don't even have a clue how wrong he is and would probably argue "well Rick Beato said it so it has got to be true!") and saying that stupid boomer bends comment and all the callbacks on it I've seen since across the forums and net just really make me dislike the choad.
