MOST RIDICULOUS VIDEO EVER OF THE DAY: MICHAEL ANGELO BATIO’S TRIBUTE TO METALLICA ON FOUR GUITARS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8-ZH9r9Ohk

I love Michael Angelo Batio, and I do so without a shred (ha!) of irony. The former Nitro axeman has made a career out of playing completely ridiculous guitars in completely ridiculous manners; he’s like the Harlem Globetrotters of metal, a never-ending “web gems” reel of guitar acrobatics.

There’s nothing about this clip of Batio’s “tribute to Metallica” that requires four guitars to be played ambidextrously. Everything he plays could be executed fairly easily on just one guitar, the way, ya know, Metallica does it (with some looping pedal action, perhaps, which he uses anyway). Also not at all needed: switching guitar necks for show. But that’s what makes Batio, and this clip, so great: everything about them are completely, entirely unnecessary, including the very existence of this “tribute” itself. So why not have some fun with it and push things completely over the top? Metal needs more clowns like Batio who don’t take themselves too seriously.

I <3 Michael!

-VN