not to bash, but thats your take on music - showing off not as important as melody or whatever, but i believe everyone experiences melody differently, i would much prefer to listen to a rusty cooley song than say... gary moore - okay, different styles, but the speed comparison is valid i think!
i think people must hear the melodies and speeds differently, i for one think cooley is incredible, some killer melodic ideas, but im well into shred! i agree vai can make things speak, but he is too weird at times - i find the whole whammy bar think is great for a song or 2, but he really uses it to death!
you could argue that cooley overuses the sweeping, but you are allowed to, its your opinion, there is no point trying to persuade someone how good or how someone sucks, if they believe he is good, let them think so - no point trying to make them think like you, imigine how <edited>unpleasant the world would be if everyone thought like you! any feeble attempts at non-conforming would be being done! so different opinions are welcome! remember - "opinions are like an <edited>rude orifice on an elbow"
no boundaries is a fav of mine - i REALLY wanna get a nitro CD!!
Mike