"It doesn't matter which way you walk as long as you get somewhere”

Atlas Cage looks like he should have lived and played lead guitar for a super group in the '70s, with his laid back attitude, corkscrew hair and ever-present shades.

He seems to always have a guitar by his side-in this case, a black electric guitar that looks extremely well cared for with a brilliant shine. He gives off a vibe that shows he has confidence in what he does without a hint of arrogance. He's been in and out of many bands and is now playing as a solo artist in a one-man band he calls Strings of Atlas.

Atlas Cage isn't his given name. He is the 21-year-old son of military parents who was born in Germany. Like many military kids, he hopped from state to state, but has lived in El Paso for most of his life. He works at The Headstand, a record shop in Northeast El Paso and is a sophomore business major at UTEP and EPCC.

Atlas Cage is a persona he wants to develop further, like David Bowie 's flamboyant alter ego Ziggy Stardust. The name, he said, is an indicator of this guitar player's larger-than-life dreams.

"I want to build a reputation around this name," Cage said. "There was a time in my life when there was rough things going on with my friends. I was trying to carry the burden of everyone else and someone told me that what I was doing was like trying to carry the world on my shoulders, like Atlas the Titan. That name stuck in my head."

His first band that made an impression on the El Paso music scene was called Megaton, a heavy-metal group that played gigs around town and even received the attention of Danny's Music Box owner Danny J. McDaniel.

Atlas has put out a record called "Evolution" that is also bundled with a self-produced DVD of his stunts. The songs on the album sound like straight-ahead rock, with gale-force guitar rhythms and riffs and tinges of the blues, along with the psychedelic-era rock and drums with the exact amount of heaviness.

"Play", the first track, contains a very Hendrix-inspired riff with thunderous chords reminiscent of vintage Black Sabbath and drums that seem to be going 100 miles per hour.

He produces, manufactures and distributes his music himself, using a USB recorder to lay tracks and he uses mixing programs, like Cool Edit Pro, to put it together. Atlas makes his own discs and labels and his sole advertising method is through word of mouth.

The writing process for Cage is simple. He usually begins with a riff or a beat or a catchy hook and starts building from there. Sometimes he gets inspiration from watching action films.

Cage offers a sage piece of advice to people who want to keep following and chasing their dreams.

"It doesn't matter which way you walk as long as you get somewhere," Cage said.

For more information on Strings of Atlas, visit http://www.myspace.com/stringsofatlas. "Evolution" is available at The Headstand, 4409 Dyer St., and the Wax Museum, 720 Montana Ave. El Paso, TX