In the mid eighties I was taking guitar lessons, practicing a lot and playing in many bands. Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck and Ritchie Blackmore were the guys I was trying to emulate. I wasn't paying attention to the then current guitar heroes. I didn't want to be Steve Vai.
A friend kept insisting I check out Yngwie Malmsteen. Malmsteen was dominating metal and guitar mags and I wanted no part of it. My friend left a copy of Yngwie's "Marching Out" with me. I finally gave it a listen and everything changed very fast. It wasn't long before I tracked down the Steeler album and started learning about Mike Varney and Shrapnel Records. Varney is a renowned guitar talent scout whom discovered world class guitarists such as Yngwie, Becker and Friedman, Paul Gilbert, Macalpine, Vinnie Moore, Tony Fredianelli, Greg Howe, Paul Gilbert, Ritchie Kotzen and many more.
I got a Fender Stratocaster and 4- track recorder and went to work. I absolutely HAD to get signed to Shrapnel Records. I was sixteen and created the "four year plan". The plan was to send Shrapnel Records President, Mike Varney, a demo of music every month until I turned twenty. If I wasn't signed to his label by then, I would put the guitar away. My parents let me live at home and were supportive of this endeavor.
Four years passed and not a letter or phone call from Varney. I turned twenty and it seemed my goal wasn't coming to fruition. I faced reality. It was time to hang up the guitar and maybe start thinking of college and find a more prudent and feasible profession. Damnit.
I actually put my guitars away one day, a symbolic act of surrendering the goal and starting anew. I made peace with it. I remember getting very tired and fell asleep in my room. I was awakened by my phone ringing. Guess who it was?
