This is John Frusciante. He is a guitar hero. I got to see him play last Friday night with his band, the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Back in the day, I was a rabid RHCP fan and between the ages of 17 and 21 couldn't listen to Uplift Mofo Party Plan nearly enough to suit me.

My boisterous fandom has faded over the years, I will love them forever, but they are no longer my messiah. I still get a burst of sunshine in my torso every time I listen to Uplift Mofo, Freaky Styley and even Mother's Milk, but I've realized that no other human can be the knight-in-shining-armor that I can make myself, for myself. That's, at the same time, the saddest and the happiest discovery I have ever made in my life.

Then again, every time I see John play and hear him sing, I believe it's possible to be saved by a guitar shredding stranger.