I refer ( no pun intended , lol ) to the 80's as " The Stone Age" ( no pun intended , again ) . I kinda stopped playing in like 92 or 93 ( 12 years or so total). My band played aprox 150 gigs a year playing originals / heavy covers. It's been awhile , but I have started playing again. I saw a closed post about " shred" and remembered how I was always waiting for the latest Shrapnel Records release , Racer-X , Tony MacAlpine , whatever. I don't agree with that whole conversation as far as speed being " shred". We used to listen to SRV and say , " Wow , that guy shreds , when he just got finished playing like 4 notes in 12 measures , lol. I feel it's as much note selection and having been played with a higher degree of skill than having been played fast. Someone asked about essential Sheehan , check out " Elephant Gun" DLR Eat Em and Smile , Greg Howe ( self titled ) , and the entire DLR " Skyscraper" album. OWNAGE Also , check out Yngwie Malmsteen( yeah , I know he got big , lol ) " Trilogy Suite Op :5 " on the " Trilogy " album. It is some fast bass , but it " shreds" cause of the notes played. later