Before there was ever a G3 tour, I was lucky enough to get an invite to asn Ibanez Guitar party back in 1987 in Chicago. Satriani was on stage with Vai and an almost unknown Paul Gilbert (Can't believe he's missing from this contest). Rick Nielsen played and Steve Stevens jammed and a couple others who escape me right now. It was a mind blowing experience. Satriani was a technical wizard.

Ahhhhh but these competitions are based on most of us not playing, but having a love for the guitar. Layla is that rare song with a great riff, an awesome piano interlude and two of the greatest to ever pick up the guitar. When you listen to the guitar parts is like Allman and Clapton were fused at the hips. Absolutely incredible.

The Professor (Satriani) is a hometown boy from Long Island that I'd never heard of when I lived there. Oriental Melody is different than a lot of his other songs, no crazy flashes of HSS, but it's more of an emotional tie to the song. It's lush without 1000 instruments. Tough choice here.

Oriental Melody, but just barely.

Well, it's my nomination, so I'll vote for Layla. I go more for what the guiter does to the entire song as opposed to a solo, and Layla is just one of those guitar grooves that I can just listen to over and over.

Hate to go up against Satriani here though, both songs could do very well in this contest.

Full disclosure: I can't stand anything about Eric Clapton and Layla is one of my most hated songs of all time.

That said I tried to listen to both with just a focus on the guitar work and be fair about the whole thing, and I am pleased to say that Satriani wins on all counts.

Joe Satriani

Certainly, I can understand and respect the validity of the above statement.

But then there's this...
...and I know those goose pimples all too well.

That said...

Layla -- Duane Allman/Eric Clapton, please!

ORIENTAL MELODY - Joe Satriani

lensnart speaks wisdom. Satriani to advance.

I will vote for Satriani.

Casting my vote for Satriani. Wintremute's argument swayed me.

Do not take my diplomatic skills lightly. I once brokered peace in the Middle East, and then at the last hour Lord Doom told me to cancel those plans.

Satriani. One of many old faves of mine, and he's as good as ever. You want seamless integration of guitar in a song? A Joe instrumental is a definition of the answer to the question, 999 out of a 1000 times.

Layla is a classic, but damn that beautiful piano guitar at the end never did seem to fit in with that boring voice of Clapton's.

This match will close tomorrow - Satriani leads Clapton/Allman 13-8

Thank you for giving the heads-up on this. After I saw that the first match was closed, I was going to ask you to give the 24 hour notice. You beat me to the punch. BUT I'LL KICK YOU FIRST!