Snakebyte email

In 1998, Paul Gilbert had been out of Racer X for a decade and achieved great success in Mr. Big. Prepared to embark on a solo career, Paul Gilbert received an email from Australian Racer X fan who was disgruntled over the poppier direction of Gilbert's music career. The email inspired the 1999 reunion of Racer X and the title of the song "Snakebite".

Original text
The original text was included in the description of King of Clubs on Paul's old website:

KING OF CLUBS

My first official solo CD!!! Bruce Bouillet came out to my studio in Las Vegas and put up with my completely insane work schedule, futile attempts at drumming, and incomprehensable {sic} studio wiring. After realizing that my drumming was not really "world-class", I had Jeff Martin and Pat Torpey come out to finish the tracks. I did keep my drum tracks for "I'm Just In Love". I'm really proud of this record. It's my first serious attempt at lead vocals and pop songwriting, and I thought it came out pretty good. Of course this was a change from my typical metal-influenced style...

Most listeners were very supportive, but there were a few exceptions! My favorite by far was an e-mail from an Australian guy who calls himself "Snakebyte". His letter helped inspire the reunion of Racer X and the song "Snakebite" on the Racer X CD "Technical Difficulties". Here is an excerpt from his letter. Enjoy!

Dude,

What the fuck R U thinking? I can't believe this shit came from the same guy that was responsible for Racer X and played the kick ass solo on Joey Tafolla's "Out of the Sun".

I read where you said "Mike Varney told me to play fast". What is that about? Yeah like you never liked that stuff. The shred guitar world has been totally screwed over by no-talent heroin users and your fucking contributing to it!! You R capable of a monster neo-classical instrumental album, that's what your real fans want to hear. The ones that have been with you from the start and have suffered every corny blues lick with that shit twangy ass reaming tone. Neo-classical with the distortion tone of Second Heat. Racer X rocks, you're not going to be big in the USA. You're clinging to a dream that's never gonna happen. Your fans are in Japan, the same fans that like Impelliteri, Malmsteen, etc.

Your last effort is appealing to no-one. If you have to get it out of your system fair enough, but for every piece of shit album like this you're morally directed to release a shred album.

I read your column in Guitar Player, while you where in Mr. Big. What was the main topic? Shred. What genre? Neo-Classical. What like Metal was cool so I'll do that, ooh grunge is big, I'll do that. Fuck!! Have some balls, be true to yourself. Fuck everyone and play what you want. Don't try to tell me it's this shit!! We both know that you love Racer X, you're just obsessed with Popularity and money.

Your a musical prostitute. You suck,

Snakebyte

P.S.(from Paul) I ended up talking to Snakebyte on the phone a few months later, and he was really polite!