Gracey brings up a bunch of good points, for sure (intent being a tough thing to gauge, and all that), but nevertheless I was reminded of a great Jimi Hendrix story. Of course, this is from Bill Graham's autobiography, so apply the grain-of-salt liberally, rinse, and repeat. Apparently, Jimi was playing a two-set show at Graham's Fillmore West (though it might have been the East). Anyway, during the first set Jimi gives the crowd the full-on, behind-the-head, behind-the-back, playing-with-his-teeth, "Wild Man from Borneo" routine, and, naturally, the crowd eats it up. Jimi comes backstage and Graham asks Jimi why he has to do all that showboating bullshit, and why can't he just play his music instead of clowning for the crowd. Jimi gets in Graham's face about it, but then--so Graham's story goes--Jimi walks back out for the second set, stands behind the mic stand, and doesn't move for the entire set. Graham said it was the best exhibition of guitar playing he'd ever heard, and not too much came close. That being said, TV is, indeed, another ballgame, Bob Wills was right, I'd love to have every damn one of GE's guitars, and the Super Bowl sucked. To quote a phrase, "What's so great about the barrier reef?" Lance . . .
