How Does The Lead Guitarist Lead?

The lead guitarist is the man. He's put in the hard work. He's paid his dues. He knows his scales, he's learned the riffs of great guitar players of the last fifty years. He knows how many new solos he can make using the note values of "Hey Joe" and the rhythm of "Everybody's Talkin' ". He knows his modes. He can tell with a quick glance at the audience which girls have their own pad and an ugly friend for the bass player.
All this is material the lead guitarist has absorbed from outside himself, from his musical environment.
But what about your own contribution? If you want to be a lead guitarist, you need to think outside the box. Have you tried making up your own scales, and using them as the basis for guitar solos?
Do you make full use of the arsenal of lead guitar "tricks" like hammer-ons, pull-offs, power chords and harmonics? Taking a fresh look at yourself and the tools available to you should be part of the lead guitarist's routine to stop him from getting stale.
Lead Guitar Secrets