Why do rock stars look like they are having orgasms while
playing the guitar? Does playing the electric guitar give men erections? I haven’t noticed this with the acoustic, are there some kind of sexy vibrations from the electric guitar that are causing this? This isn’t the face of concetration. I play the guitar and I don’t make faces like that, I also don’t feel any sexual excitement. But it seems to be limited to men only and I am female. Am I missing out on something
great?
The rock stars on stage are thinking they’re getting laid after the show.
Just think of the neck of the electric guitar as being analogous to a penis. They’re wanking!!!
The only difference is that it is not polite to expose one’s genitals in public, so taking it out on a guitar is the next best thing. You still get to wave your appendage about in front of your mates, as if to say, “Check out the size of this one!” You also get to make a big noise about it, and it’s OK to be the centre of attention while you are doing it.
It’s called “guitar face”, a horrible, disfiguring disease with no known cure. It’s not limited to males. I’ve seen Bonnie Raitt and Rory Block afflicted with bouts of guitar face. A friend of mine (and fellow guitar player) has researched this issue extensively, and has come up with a preliminary taxonomy:
http://www.angelfire.com/tx/singlecoil/face.html
Kevin B.
Interestingly, I get that same face when I push the “move thread” link.
Off to MPSIMS.
thanks everyone, I especially enjoyed that Guitar Face link, really hilarious! Keep the replies coming, if you will, this is very insightful.
Sometimes, nailing a great solo on your axe is better than orgasm. I speak from experience.
BTW, the “guitar face” link is pretty funny, but not when you know what Stevie Ray Vaughan went through. He used to play so much and with such heavy-gauge strings (to best harness the tone of his Stratocaster) that the calluses on his fingers would be cut off. The crazy dude glued them back on with super glue. What you might be witnessing in that photo is a genuine expression of pain.
Ok, I used to be a “guitar showman type.” The vibe of the guitar emulating through my appendiges drives me passionately (not like it used too, but it still does). Especially when you’re playing stuff that boggles peoples minds, and you nail it. Like I can play technical gems that go up and down the neck of the guitar, can play backwards, fast slow, in rhythmic synch. I also have my own guitar tricks…but that’s all attention grabbing head turning stuff. I have had orgasmic feelings playing live. And as long as you don’t go off the stage cocky people will flock around you.
Males generally don’t like to see other males showing off, unless they’re really good. Females, on the other hand, generally like to see guitar players showing off, and that’s why so many of them do it. So I’ve always focused on music #1. It’s like if you’re gonna masterbate (show off) in front of everyone, do a really good job.
That’s my twisted look on it.
DV…you’ve got that one right!!
I didn’t think that anything could beat sex…but then again…I guess that rock stars tend to be a little different in the egotism stakes!!
Well, of all the guitarists I’ve known, it’s a pretty funny fact that they like to sound out what they’re playing with their mouth. Like on a really high screetchy solo, my guitarist with scrunch his face up like he screaming “EEEeeeeeee!” and on lower riffs, you can sometimes even hear him going “Dooo doooo doo doo” 
Just kinda funny. Maybe that’s why they look like they’re in perpetual orgasm on-stage. Plus, I wouldn’t find it quite as interesting if a guitarist was faking it, would you?! 
Aw, that explains Rick Nielson’s 5-necked guitar then.