WHO AM I, REALLY?

I am typing this on Thanksgiving night. I must have written, re-written, and threw out this blog a few times this week, looking for the right words to print. Today felt like the right day to do it.

So why is there a picture of Prince at the top? Read on…

Last night I got to hear a remastered version of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” from the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame show. You know, the one with Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, Dhani Harrison and the like, all to be overshadowed and upstaged by one of Prince’s best solos ever. He stealthily came in, dropped jaws, threw his guitar in the air (where did it go?) and left without a word.

Legend!

I’ve been a Prince fan since the mid-80s. I was your typical snot-nosed metalhead who hated anything that wasn’t a power chord or had gobs of distortion. But after hearing Prince rip it up on “Let’s Go Crazy” and then some live footage on MTV from a 1984 concert, I borrowed my aunt’s copy of PURPLE RAIN and hadn’t looked back.

And I got to see Prince live in 2004 at the now-defunct Arena (thanks, Gov. Christie!) and while I felt the show was lackluster, Prince killed on guitar. But not just electric. He did an acoustic solo set and I couldn’t keep my eyes in their sockets.

So what’s the point of this blog?

Prince was simply an amazing, kick-ass guitarist. Period. He wasn’t innovative like Hendrix, wasn’t super-flashy like EVH or Vai, but when he played, OH IT SOUNDED AMAZING!! When you can get Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton to sing your praises, and George Benson and Steve Vai to give you guitars…you are definitely hot shit.

And that leads to…me.

You read that right.

I’m simply a kick-ass guitarist. That’s it. I was never original, unique, innovative. I plug in, find the right sounds, get the job done, and go home. Am I amazing? Depends on the time of day and who you talk to. I wanted to be original and all that but let’s be honest: it was never in me. I write good songs, play damn good guitar, and have the balls to play stupid shit on stage while sharing a bill with metal bands. When I help cover bands out, I bring my A-game, and if I feel like I’m losing steam, I muster up whatever energy is left and leave it on the stage.

I always wanted people to walk away thinking “WTF did I just see?” No, I don’t jump around and make O-faces like Eddie. I don’t have the cool moves of Vai or Satriani. So who am I, really?

I’m Steve f-n’ Bello.

You like how I play? Great.

You hate it? Great.

I like how I play.

My cats do too.