Monday’s Jumping Darkness Parade post in which Eyal shared his gripes about the 2010 NAMM show was spot on; I’ve done NAMM several times (though not this year) and the level of wankery and hang-on-ery is indeed at an insanely intolerable level. But my favorite part of NAMM is always watching Michael Angelo Batio shred it up at the Dean Guitars booth. I’d use Michael Angelo Batio as an example to challenge Eyal’s assertion that “if you’re a guitar shredder, and that’s all you do, you better prioritize finding yourself a badass songwriter, or you are doomed. Accept reality now and suffer less later.” Because while Mr. Batio certainly isn’t a huge rock star he seems to have made a fine career  for himself out of his completely ridiculous guitar tomfoolery. Dudes like this LIVE for NAMM.

I luuurrrvvv Michael Angel Batio in a completely un-ironic way and I think Axl does too, albeit perhaps to a lesser degree. The double-neck guitar bit gets me every single time. Suckalo Hammer_Smashed_Hurtt surely wouldn’t approve, but I love Batio unconditionally. Dude can rip! Here’s his 2010 NAMM performance.

Oh, and that wig? Priceless. Total A+ material.

-VN