[CarolinaGuitarman]

"I started with heavy rock (led zep, slade, uriah heep...) "

I started out with bands like Van Halen, Zep, Ozzy, Rush. Then as I got a little older I was introduced to old blues and some older country. One of the things that attracted me to it was the more mature lyrics (especially in the country) as compared to some of the heavy metal I had been into to. I'm 34 now and it's hard to see myself exclusively listening to or singing the metal stuff. I do still like a bit of it, but some of the lyrics are cringe-worthy. I never liked 99% of the *hair-bands* of the mid to late 80's for that reason (the music stunk too).

I would love to learn jazz too, but it's a very foreign style for me. It would be nice to be able to at least throw in some jazz licks a la Willie Nelson to enliven things a little. And, after 26 years of playing, I still haven't learned to read music. I really need to push myself to do that.

[b_sharp]

I'm a tad bit older than you. I'm 50 so the bands I cut my pick on were not really 'metal' like some of the hair-bands and current crop. I was more into it for the sound than the lyrics. Even today I listen to the music first, lyrics second. The only purpose for lyrics, in my mind, is to allow me to keep my place in the song.

Learning to read music is one of those promises to yourself that just never seems to be kept. I took lessons when I was 10 so I have 'some' knowledge of music, but I prefer to use other methods, I read music soooo poorly.