What If Guitar Forums Had Been Around In The 60's?

Even on internet guitar forums, members crack jokes about players who spend more time talking about music on the forums than actually playing music.  I have to say I used to spend a good deal of time on two guitar related forums, but the overall negativity just started getting to me.  I had to stop looking at them.

I checked out a few other forums besides those two, but the majority of the posts were by bad musicians giving bad advice, or just overall negative comments.  There was one common thread they all seemed to have though.  Kirk Hammett of Metallica was their favorite punching bag.

The funny thing was it always came down to the same complaint.  That being, "Kirk Hammett needs to lay off the fucking wah, man!"  For those of you who are not musicians, they are referring to a wah-wah pedal.  

I have no idea why this tends to bother some musicians so much.  Honestly, I never would have given it any thought.  As players we all use pedals, some more than others.  So what if Kirk likes to lay on his wah wah pedal more than other players?

This got me to thinking... a dangerous thing, I know.  What if they had internet music forums back in the 1960's.  Would players have posted, "You have to check out this new sound," or something like that?  Or would it have been, "Eric Clapton needs to lay off the fucking wah, man!"

For those of you not familiar with Eric Clapton's career he was in many bands, but he made a huge impact musically for the band, "Cream."  You may be familiar with the songs, "Sunshine of Your Love" and "White Room."  They were from the classic masterpiece, "Disraeli Gears."

At the time the wah wah pedal was pretty new, and Eric Clapton pretty much laid on it throughout the entire album.  Here's "Tales of Brave Ulysses."  Listen, and hear how the wah never stops.

In the 1960's there was an actual saying, "Clapton is God!"  Here's a famous photo that shows where someone had spray painted it on the London Underground.

While Eric Clapton is an amazing musician and a "players' player," I can't help but think if they had music forums in the 60's that the majority of posts would be shitting all over his playing.  

Complaining about music and not actually playing it is what they do today.  That's why I gave up the forums.  Except for the trading posts.  Musicians that are unsatisfied with their equipment tend to offer it for a good price.  

So my musician friends, the best advice I can give you is be yourself.  Play what you want.  Lay on the wah if you want.  But limit your time on the forums.  It's not good for your mental health.