I agree with blacktrix, ruffstuff you should at least say why you hate solos. You first said you hate solos then you mentioned John Petrucci cover of The Prince's purple rain awesome (not whoresome!@!). You like listening to solos but don't enjoy playing them ?

Solos are very important for any kind of music, be it jazz, bluez, rock, classical and etc. Even in church, sometimes we musicians will solo a part of a song to allow the singers have a breather for a minute or two. You can't just go on singing, you'll run out of air.

It also allows other musicians to get ready, like pianist to change the page of the books, drummers changing from sticks to brushes, other guitarist/bassist to adjust their amps/pedals for the next song and etc.

So its not all about showing off.

Yea, wrong notes are not "wrong" but they just don't fit into a riff or a melody. If I do hit a "wrong" note, i'll do like what Pix said, bend it or slide it so it sounds back to the "right" note. And in the process of bending and sliding to the "right" note, you might create small little riff of your own, something like adding pepper and salt to a nice mushroom soup .... they may be small. but it surely taste (or sound) good

"If you made a mistake, make it with style"

Can we like get back to topic ?