Reg: OK. It’s now 9.44. There’s a few more minutes before we need to get off. And before we do, we need to understand the psychological make-up of your typical lead guitarist.

Ignaz: So, what is that, then?

Reg: Well … there’s a spectrum. From extreme introvert to extreme extrovert. We’re all somewhere along that. Some of us may be somewhere near the middle, neither particularly one nor the other. But most of us can be placed towards one end - whichever it may be - of that spectrum.

Glenn: I think ‘continuum’ is a better word.

Reg: I think you’re right - but I’m not sure how to spell it.

Stan: Well, have a go.

Reg: All right then … ‘continuum’.

Glenn: That’ll do.

Reg: Anyway … as I was saying. Most of us are one or the other. Introvert or extrovert.

Lynn: So … what are lead guitarists, do you reckon?

Reg: I’m glad you asked. They are … introverts.

Tony: What? All of them? Every single one?

Reg: No. Not every one. There will be exceptions here and there. But maybe not that many. And, of course, the vast majority who are introverts may be in some cases be quite moderate examples.

Ian: So what do you mean by ‘introvert’? You’re saying they’re all shy, nervous types? I don’t think so!

Reg: No. Not necessarily shy or nervous at all. Some may be very self-confident. And by the way - I’m talking about what they are in reality, not what (some of) their on-stage performances may be like.

Les: Define ‘introvert’ then. And ‘extrovert’, for that matter.

Reg: OK. Think of it this way. Imagine you’ve had a hard, stressful day ...

Alan: (muttering) That doesn’t take much imagining.

Reg: … how do you recuperate? How do you re-charge those batteries?

Robin: Keep going …

Reg: Well, if you want to go out, surround yourself with people and noise, etc … you’re an extrovert.

Laurie: Interesting.

Reg: But if you prefer to spend a bit of time alone, most likely indoors - or maybe a walk by yourself - in silence, maybe with a book, - or perhaps with some music playing not too loud … you’re definitely in introvert territory.

Pieter becomes excited.

Pieter: Reg, Reg! I’ve just been looking on my iPad. I found the interview with Alvin from 1988, when he was on the ‘Night Of The Guitars’ tour. Listen to this everybody.

Pieter holds up the iPad, and turns the volume to maximum. Everybody looks around.

Alvin: ‘When you get bands working together, the guitarist is always the quiet guy, sitting in the corner …’

Reg: (excited) Thanks Pete. Yes, I’ve seen that, too!

Pieter: I thought you might …

Reg: That’s it exactly. The guitarist. The quiet guy. Sitting in the corner. Maybe not saying much. But not missing much, either. And thinking. Always thinking.

Toni: This is fascinating, Reg. Keep going.

Reg: Usually highly intelligent. Thinks before he speaks. And then tends to speak softly. And politely. Listen to any of them being interviewed. You’ll see - and hear - what I mean.

Robin is so impressed by Reg.

Robin: Ohhhh … keep telling me more.

Reg: He’s often the perfectionist. Wants to keep going until it’s right. Knows exactly what he should be playing … and wants to do it well. Trouble is though … he knows exactly what every other band member should be playing as well. And how loudly they should be playing it. And that’s where problems can set in … especially when he tells them …

Don: Yeah. I know from experience. The other guys don’t tend to like that. Doesn’t go down well.

Reg: It doesn’t. So there’s the problem. The others get fed up with the lead guitarist. Or he gets fed up with them. He wants things to be … better. He irritates the others.

Les: You mean … he’s like the grain of sand in the oyster?

Reg: Pardon?

Les: The irritant. But if he wasn’t there, there would never be a pearl created.

Reg: Er, yes. I suppose you could put it that way.

Tony: He just did.

Reg: So … he leaves. He may be thrown out. Or he may flounce out But he’s nearly always the first one out. He’s just a little too serious for the others. A bit too … intense. And can be rather … moody. The odd one out in the band. Doesn’t quite fit in. The awkward guy.

BS: I’m thinking … say like George Harrison.

Reg: Perfect example! The epitome of the lead guitarist as the serious, intense, quiet guy in the corner.

Borje: How do you pronounce that word?

Reg: Epitome.

Borje: Thanks.

Alan: Hang on … George didn’t leave The Beatles.

Reg: True. But he threatened to. About the time of the ‘Let It Be’ sessions. But come on guys … let’s have more examples. One at a time. Ian?

Ian: Er … Brian Jones. Kicked out of The Stones.

Reg: Spot on.

Victor: Mick Taylor. Left The Stones.

Reg: Good one! And left John Mayall before that. And fell out with Jack Bruce after The Stones …

Les: Didn’t last too long with Alvin … whoever thought that would work …?

Toni: (interrupting) Ahhh …. Any more examples?

The driver is seen to hold his fist to his mouth, and give a short cough.

Tony: Mike Nesmith in The Monkees!

Everybody laughs. But the laughter dwindles away as they realise this is another perfect example.

Reg: That’s another one. Fed up with The Monkees. In the last few recordings of the TV series it was like … ‘Where’s Mike guys?’ ‘Oh, he’s not feeling too well, so he’s having a lie down’. And you wouldn’t see him in the programme.

Stan: And when The Monkees reformed, over and over again in the years to come … there was only the three of them. No Mike! The intense, ‘serious about his music’ one.

Reg: And we want more.

Dave: This is fascinating. Seems to me we can trace this right from the beginnings of rock and roll …

Reg: Yes. When Cliff Gallup recorded the first album with Gene Vincent and The Blue Caps …

Dennis: … His Blue Caps.

Reg: Sorry. Yes, Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps … then left because he refused to go on tour with them.

Dave: I was just going to say that. And we can see it in modern day rock, too …

Alan: Aye … with Noel Gallagher leaving Oasis!

Dave: I was going to say that, as well.

Pieter: I really like Oasis.

Reg: Oh yes? What’s your favourite album, Pieter?

Pieter: The first one. ‘Definitely Maby’.

Reg: Er … let’s have that title again …

Pieter: ‘Definitely Maby’.

Reg tears off his blazer and throws it on top of the empty seat, under which resides the now decaying tumbleweed. (See much earlier chapter.)

Reg: Right- that’s it!

He makes to go down to the back of the bus. Les quickly jumps up to restrain him.

Les: Reg! Reg mate! It’s not worth it! You’re better than this!

Reg is looking over Les’ right shoulder. And straining.

Les: Reg! It’s only spelling. And he owns a gun shop! Everybody … think of more examples. Quick!

Toni: Bernie Leadon leaving the original line-up of The Eagles.

Laurie: Nuno Bettencourt … and Extreme.

Robin: Mark Farner … and GFR.

Lynn: Robbie Robertson … refused to join the The Band when they reformed.

Reg has regained his composure. But not his jacket.

Reg: Let’s have some British examples.

Les: (now seated) Clapton. Flounced out of The Yardbirds. Then The Bluesbreakers. Couldn’t stand all the arguments between Bruce and Baker in Cream, and wanted out. Only with Delaney and Bonnie briefly.

Reg: Yes. You’ll find with a lot of these guys that they’re never really happy until they’re running their own show. And that’s often how it ends up. Especially if they can sing.

That observation gets a few of the passengers thinking. (Cough.)

Graeme: Peter Green … first out of the original Fleetwood Mac.

Tony: Steve Marriott. Unhappy with The Small Faces. So left to form Humble Pie …

Alan: … whose original lead guitarist was Peter Frampton …

Les: … who could sing a bit, and left to have a solo career!

Pieter: Jan Akkerman … Focus.

BS: Mick Abrahams … Jethro Tull.

Borje: Syd Barrett … the Pink Floyd.

Ignaz: Ollie Halsall … Patto.

Sue: Wilko Johnson … Doctor Feelgood.

Eric: Eddie Clarke … Motorhead.

Jane: Bernard Butler … Suede.

Graeme: Gary Moore didn’t settle anywhere long, did he? Not in Thin Lizzy. Not in Baker, Bruce and Moore.

Alan: Johnny Marr … and The Smiths.

Lynn: Who? Anyway, what about Steve Van Zandt … and The E Street Band?

Pieter: Mick Jones … and The Clash.

Reg: Yes. The list goes on and on.

Tony: We’d noticed that.

Reg: And then there’s the cases of where other band members leave … because of the lead guitarist. They’re fed up with his constant criticisms and his attempts to gain control.

Les: Yes. Like what happened in Dire Straits. Knopfler.

Laurie: And CCR. Fogerty.

Ian: And Deep Purple. Glover and Gillan left the classic line-up because of Blackmore. And when they reformed in the ‘80s, who didn’t join in …?

Robin: … Blackmore!

Lynn: Hey! Isn’t this a bit like TYA and A … ?

Toni: … er, thanks Lynn. Ahhh … any more examples, Reg? (Cough.)

Reg: Well … there’s Reg himself … and Goldrush.

Ian: Tell us more.

Reg: Another time. Mab … er, maybe.

Toni: So Reg … are you a bit of an introvert, then?

Reg: Er … yes. Actually. A moderate one.

Tony: And all very interesting, I’m sure. But what has this all got to do with ‘the name thing’? And why we’re here?

Reg: Well now Tone … that’s will soon become clear. But first - wouldn’t it be interesting if when people reply to this posting, they indicate where they themselves can be found on the ‘introvert-extrovert spectrum?

And, do you know what? They all agreed that it would.

Very interesting. I have a problem being labelled as introvert or extrovert, because some days I'm on the intro side of the scale, other days I'm on the extro side, but mostly I just exist. I swing all ways, so to speak.

Er.. yeah, ok - I hope that came out right..

Great ! Really very interesting, Reg.

I'm a defo introvert. I do remember Alvin saying that he was rarely nervous prior to a gig, except before going on stage at The Rainbow for the IN FLIGHT gig. That right, Reg?

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Extravert in Life :)
Introvert in Music life

Introextravert in all.

I'm an introspective, temperamental extrovert. :-) I'm not a "lead" guitarist. Just a guitarist, to accompany my singing. (I rarely play rock, unless it's folk-rock, but I do finger-pick, and rarely strum, oh horror of horrors.) I love good company and find people interesting in general, but as an artiste (writer-musician-dancer) and scholar, I need a certain amount of time to myself to recharge my batteries and create. So... even though I'm good at reaching out to people and striking up conversations and keeping them going and being cheerful most of the time and entertaining people no end with my native wit and charm :-) (OK, no comments from the rogues' gallery!), I may not do ANY of that if I'm not in the mood. Heh heh. Though if a situation urgently called for it, I'd try to rise to the occasion and do any or all of the above whether I were in the mood or not. I'm a rescuer at heart, and I can't bear to stand by and see something or someone suffer or go bust if I can possibly help it. If I were at a party, and it was boring or stilted, for example, I'd automatically kick into high gear to help salvage it. Evil grin. Well, that's me in a nutshell! And nutty I frequently am, I freely admit. As I'm always saying: life's too short for the alternative. Girls just wanna have fun! :-)

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Robin - Reg's memory is not what it used to be, so he has no recollection of ever 'pegging' you at all. But, if the opportunity ever arises, he would certainly attempt to do it 'perfectly'.

Mr. Sapworthy, I am speechless.

Sounds quite likely, Tony. But remember what Reg said in chapter 21: 'introvert' doesn't necessarily mean 'nervous'. Not at all.

Oh dear. Reg hopes he hasn't shocked you.

Uh-oh, here we go again, groan... ;-) quote=Reginald Sapworthy]Robin - Reg's memory is not what it used to be, so he has no recollection of ever 'pegging' you at all. But, if the opportunity ever arises, he would certainly attempt to do it 'perfectly'.[/quote]

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I love personality profiles like Myers/Briggs and the Anneagram. They don't really pigeon hole, but give indicators as to personality trends. Another way to think about "introvert" and "extrovert" is that introverts tend to process in their minds. They tend to give you "the bottom" line of their thoughts because they've done a lot of processing on their own already through reflection, maybe through writing/art. Extroverts tend to process out loud and with others-- like there's a direct connect between the mind and verbalizing what their thinking. These types of processing don't mean being shy or loud or whatever.

I'm a strong introvert on all tests. I love writing, thinking, reflecting. Love the arts/dance. I love people too, but definitely have to have my time to recharge on my own and center

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Hey Laurie, it will come as no suprise to you that I think Reg is perfectly delightful.

Quote: Laurie

Uh-oh, here we go again, groan... quote=Reginald Sapworthy]Robin - Reg's memory is not what it used to be, so he has no recollection of ever 'pegging' you at all. But, if the opportunity ever arises, he would certainly attempt to do it 'perfectly'.

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Well, I'm not. But I refuse to repeat myself in front of this innercent and highly susceptible crowd. :-)

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No, Robin, it comes as no surprise. I'm rather fond of the sometimes mildly infuriating but otherwise endearingly shy and intermittently retiring lad, myself! But don't let on, puhLEEZE! It would never do to ruin my bra-burning ice queen image, you know. :-)

Quote: Robin

Hey Laurie, it will come as no suprise to you that I think Reg is perfectly delightful.

Quote: Laurie

Uh-oh, here we go again, groan... quote=Reginald Sapworthy]Robin - Reg's memory is not what it used to be, so he has no recollection of ever 'pegging' you at all. But, if the opportunity ever arises, he would certainly attempt to do it 'perfectly'.

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ROTFLMAO!! Tee hee hee times three thousand and three!! Give me a flippin' break!! Er, well, yes, actually the thought HAD occurred to me. :-)

Quote: Robin

Hey Laurie, I was just wondering something --

Has it ever crossed your mind that Reg was teasing you to get your attention? Like the old dipping the schoolgirl's pigtails in the inkwell trick?

I suspect Reg is using me to get to you.

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Hey, Lynn! :-) I was thinking about some of those personality test type issues before posting awhile ago about myself as an "introspective, temperamental extrovert". It occurred to me that "introvert" and "extrovert" aren't necessarily synonymous with "shy" or "bold". My dad, for example, was a talky New Yorker who could be fabulously and entertainingly extroverted, yet he was reportedly painfully shy about working up the nerve to ask my mom out for the first time. However, once he'd decided to climb right over a few rows of seats (he was a leggy track star) in her art history class in college (a class in which he himself was not enrolled, but the professor had yet to arrive that day, it seems), apparently dear old Dad did just fine, or I wouldn't be here writing this post! :-) Anyway, I process alot in my mind when alone AND off the top of my head while in company. I'm always thinking, but not often linearly, and rarely in words. Some of my best ideas and insights arrive in a flash fully formed out of the blue. They're out of my mouth in conversation before I even know what they are! At other times, thoughts, ideas, song lyrics, etc., simmer to the surface more slowly. In a way, I don't like to apply either "introvert" or "extrovert" to myself. I'm pretty complicated and very mercurial. I hate labels. I yam what I yam, to quote Popeye! ;-)

Quote: Lynn

I love personality profiles like Myers/Briggs and the Anneagram. They don't really pigeon hole, but give indicators as to personality trends. Another way to think about "introvert" and "extrovert" is that introverts tend to process in their minds. They tend to give you "the bottom" line of their thoughts because they've done a lot of processing on their own already through reflection, maybe through writing/art. Extroverts tend to process out loud and with others-- like there's a direct connect between the mind and verbalizing what their thinking. These types of processing don't mean being shy or loud or whatever.

I'm a strong introvert on all tests. I love writing, thinking, reflecting. Love the arts/dance. I love people too, but definitely have to have my time to recharge on my own and center

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Sorry Reg, I believe my learned friend is leading the witnesses - introvert BTW until I've had a couple of beers

It all fell apart when you mentioned John Mayall, who has lost several lead guitarists, a few drummers, a number of bass guitarists, at least one trumpeter and one saxophonist - not because of psychological profiles but purely because they/he wanted to do something different. Quite normal behaviour in the big wide world.

No disrespect, since I think this venture of yours is brilliant, but you are now trying to channel us into the World of Reg way of looking at this. Really don't believe you can put all lead guitarists nor, indeed, introverts into the same envelope. Far too simplistic, which is not how I normally think of you.

Where's my beer?

Well ... you can always take Alvin's word for it, if you don't trust Reg's. See his quote in the 'chapter'. He should know.

And Reg knows that various musicians came and went from Mayall - but Clapton and Taylor were mentioned, in particular - who have undeniable track records of coming and going from here, there and everywhere. As were itemised.

If you are aware of the personalities of, say, Harrison, Jones, Green, etc. etc. - as I'm sure you are - Reg would find it difficult to believe that you do not recognise them as being essentially introverts. And all the examples of disgruntled lead guitarists leaving the bands first ... True, no?

Way down inside of me.......there's an extrovert screaming for air!

Not worth falling out over Reg. It's not the examples I have a problem with, it's the conclusions drawn. I suspect there are many reasons why guitarists leave bands.

Anyway, it's your Hystery Tour and I look forward to discovering where you're taking us.

I agree with Les that there are likely many reasons guitarists leave bands. Artistic, creative types in general tend to be mercurial and full of themselves (who, me?! ;-)...), and if they were not, they/we would not have so much to draw on from which to create. Change and sometimes conflict are in the nature of things, whether introverted, etc., or not. Take Yngwie Malmsteen's career, for example, heh. Spectacular talents of any personality feel entitled to do whatever, whenever and with whomever (or not) they must, to manifest their talents and find artistic fulfillment and success as they define it. I'd be curious to see more of your rationale, Reg. We're both from academic circles...no need for anyone to have a falling out over extended discussion, par for the course in said circles, without which in fact they would not exist. But hey, yes, it's your tour... ;-)

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Giggle! Alan, once again you have brightened my day with your delightfully irreverent wit! I really think my dad and I must have gotten ours from our Scottish side! ;-)

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BTW, Robin, I "hasten" to add that even though your below suggestion from yesterday had crossed my mind-- some men going to rather extraordinary lengths to conceal their true feelings and motives, as it often later turns out-- doesn't mean I give it any credence! I mean, the mere idea is absurd. If Reg thinks of me at all, it's no doubt as someone to debate, in his worst nightmare, or perhaps to encounter by accident at the ladies' undergarment counter at Harrods, stocking up for my next wild-eyed feminist bra-incinerating demonstration, or at Stonehenge waving my broomstick around on Hallowe'en. I think it's YOU Reg has a soft spot for... but only time will tell. Or will it?? ;-)

Quote: Laurie

ROTFLMAO!! Tee hee hee times three thousand and three!! Give me a flippin' break!! Er, well, yes, actually the thought HAD occurred to me. :-)

Quote: Robin

Hey Laurie, I was just wondering something --

Has it ever crossed your mind that Reg was teasing you to get your attention? Like the old dipping the schoolgirl's pigtails in the inkwell trick?

I suspect Reg is using me to get to you.

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Aw, Laurie, You are a sweetheart. Although you and I have completely different personalities, I can easily see how any man could have a soft spot for both of us and for all the lovely ladies here on the board.

I have a soft spot for any man who has a soft spot for me. I am just built that way.

But, I must admit, I am an avid collector of men. I am fickle and a player and not to be trusted.

Of course I am referring to my cyberspace persona . The real me is holding out for true love.

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