Category: Guitar World Interviews

1980's, Guitar World Interviews, Interview, Music

Sign In, Please: Guitarist Steve Lynch Discusses the Return Of Autograph

SteveLynch1It’s been nearly 25 years since the members of Autograph completed their three-album deal with RCA records and mutually decided to go their own separate ways.

For guitarist Steve Lynch, that departure also meant the opportunity to get more involved in writing, teaching and hosting guitar clinics. Eventually, Lynch made his way back to his native Seattle and opened the Federal Way School of Music, where he continues to demonstrate, among other things, his legendary two-handed technique.

After a long hiatus, Lynch and bassist Randy Rand have reunited Autograph in 2014. Together with new singer Simon Daniels, the band plans to tour extensively — with shows that already include the Monsters of Rock Cruise, M3 and Firefest — before returning to the studio to record new material.

I spoke with Lynch about the reunion, his music and Autograph’s unique first gig in 1984.

GUITAR WORLD: It’s been 25 years since we last saw Autograph. What sparked this reunion?

In 2011, I saw Randy down at the NAMM show, and the two of us started kicking around the idea of doing a reunion. We saw a lot of bands out doing a “weekend warrior” sort of thing, and since I run a music studio and teach during the week, I thought it would be a great way to do it. We got our original drummer Keni Richards involved in early rehearsals, but he had to back out due to health issues.

Steve Lynch

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Read the rest of my Guitar World Interview with Steve Lynch by Clicking Here

Guitar World Interviews, Interview, Music

The Commander-In-Chief Discusses Zigeunerweisen Guitar Duel and Gear

CommanderMany guitar fans know about the Commander-In-Chief from the amazing guitar duel she recorded with Thomas Valeur.

The video, which was featured earlier this month on GuitarWorld.com, has since gone viral in guitar circles. It came in at No. 4 on our list of the Top 10 Viral Guitar Videos of 2013.

The duo met last summer at a music festival and decided to collaborate on Sarasate’s Zigeunerweisen Op. 20, an extremely challenging piece of music, particularly because it was written for violin and orchestra.

The Commander-In-Chief is also a classically trained opera singer and has harnessed her guitar skills in master classes with Steve Smyth (Testament, Nevermore). She also worked with producer Sterling Winfield (Pantera, Hellyeah, Damageplan) on her debut EP, Evolution.

I recently spoke with her about the physical and mental preparation it took to create the guitar duel. We also discussed her gear, influences and more.

GUITAR WORLD: How did you and Thomas Valeur connect, and what inspired you to take on such a challenging piece of music?

We met at the Bergen International Festival in Norway, where we shared the stage. Thomas first thought we would cover something more mainstream, but I wanted to play something classical and step into a different world for a change. I grew up listening to Itzhak Perlman’s violin recordings and the “Zigeunerweisen” was always a favorite. I normally don’t play other people’s music, but it was very motivating to work on something this challenging.

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You can read the rest of my Guitar World interview with
The Commander-in-Chief by Clicking Here

Guitar World Interviews, Interview, Music

Guitar World: John Petrucci Talks New Dream Theater Tour, Grammy Nomination

John Petrucci 2Earlier this week, guitarist John Petrucci and Dream Theater announced a new series of North American dates, the “Along For The Ride” tour.

Following a set of European shows that begin early in January, a coast-to-coast run picks up on March 20 in Toronto and continues on through the end of April before wrapping up in Guadalajara, Mexico. The tour can also be labeled “An Evening with Dream Theater” because there will be no opening acts.

Petrucci and the band also have more reason to celebrate. The band recently earned their second Grammy nomination, this time for Best Metal Performance for the single “The Enemy Inside” from their self-titled 2013 album, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hard Rock Albums chart.

Dream Theater

The album also came in at No. 2 in
Guitar World’s guide to the 30 best albums of 2013.

Petrucci recently gave me the lowdown on the new tour as well, Dream Theater’s Grammy nomination on his current setup.

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You can read the rest of my interview with Dream Theater’s John Petrucci
By Clicking Here

Guitar World Interviews, Interview, Music

Guitarist Dee J Nelson Discusses New Dope Album, ‘Blood Money,’ and the Phrygian Mode

Dee J NelsonIt’s been a busy year for south-paw guitarist Dee J Nelson.

In addition to creating his popular guitar lessons for Metal Method and offering private instruction, Nelson has contributed music to the upcoming Dope album, Blood Money, that’s set for release in 2014.

I spoke with Nelson and got an update on his collaboration with Edsel Dope as well as his new guitar program based on the Phrygian mode. He also explains why developing an understanding of modal theory can be an important tool for guitarists at any level.

GUITAR WORLD: How did you hook up with Edsel Dope?

I met him through my good friends at Wornstar Clothing, Stephen and Sylvia Jense

What can you tell us about the new Dope album? Release date? Sound?

The new album is called Blood Money and will likely be out in the summer of 2014. I’m excited that it will have at least four tracks that I co-wrote with Edsel. One of which is the first track, which already has a video in the can. It looks badass! Dope fans will be very pleased with the visuals and sound!

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Read the rest of my Guitar World interview with Dee J Nelson by Clicking Here!

Guitar World Interviews, Interview, Music

Coney Hatch: Carl Dixon and Steve Shelski Discuss New Album, “Four”

Coney Hatch“It wasn’t like we were at war,” Coney Hatch singer/guitarist Carl Dixon says when asked why there hasn’t been a reunion or new album in almost 30 years.

“We all had just gone off in other directions and were committed to the new projects we had taken on.”

Dixon was the singer for the Guess Who in 2008 when he was involved in a devastating car crash that left him physically unable to perform. It was then that Dixon’s loyal friend (and Coney Hatch bassist) Andy Curran organized a fundraising event in Toronto to help Dixon’s family through that tough time.

Joined by guitarist Steve Shelski and original drummer Dave Ketchum, it would be the first time the four original members of Coney Hatch were in the same room together in years. Although the band didn’t play together that night, the event gave them a new-found sense of purpose.

Over the next few years, the reunited Coney Hatch would perform several shows, including one at Firefest in 2011.

The band’s first trip to the UK would become a career-defining moment and also give them the opportunity to record a new collection of songs. The resulting album, Four, is a good representation of the tough, punchy, rock and roll sound Coney Hatch is known for, combined with an off-the-cuff, more relaxed, natural feel.

I spoke with Dixon (now fully recovered) and Shelski about the new Coney Hatch album as well as their gear and first big-time tour.

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Read the rest of my Guitar World interview with Dixon and Shelski by Clicking Here!

Guitar World Interviews, Interview, Music

Guitarist Lindsay Ell Discusses New Single, Opening For Buddy Guy
Lindsay Ell (Photo: Jessica Wardwell)
Lindsay Ell (Photo: Jessica Wardwell)

Twenty-four-year-old Lindsay Ell is a true triple threat. Not only is she an accomplished guitarist who can go toe to toe with the big boys, but she’s also a unique vocalist and gifted songwriter.

Growing up, Ell honed her craft in bluegrass camps until she was discovered at age 13 by BTO/Guess Who guitarist Randy Bachman. Ell soon found herself becoming immersed in the power of the blues and sharing the stage with the likes of Buddy Guy and Keith Urban.

Ell is traveling the globe as the opening act for the Band Perry’s We Are Pioneers World Tour. Her hook-laden single, “Trippin’ On Us,” impacts country radio on December 16 [It’s available on iTunes now]. Her debut album is expected early next year.

I spoke with Ell after a recent European show about her music and gear. She also offers good advice for any guitarist, male or female.

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Read the rest of my Guitar World interview with Lindsay and watch her performance with Buddy Guy by Clicking Here

Guitar World Interviews, Music

Guitarists Joel Hoekstra and Tommy Kessler Discuss Their Roles in ‘Rock of Ages’ Musical

RockofAgesFor Joel Hoekstra and Tommy Kessler, it might be like being inside of a time warp.

Not only do the guitarists for Broadway’s Rock of Ages musical get to perform in the fictional Eighties band Arsenal night after night, but separately, they play music from that same era, even when not performing on the Broadway stage.

Kessler’s other “day job” includes working alongside Debbie Harry in Blondie, while Hoekstra continues to record and tour with Night Ranger and is about to start his fourth winter tour with Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

I spoke to Hoekstra and Kessler about Rock of Ages and some of their other projects.

GUITAR WORLD: What are some of the differences between performing as part of Night Ranger and Blondie, as compared to Rock of Ages?

JOEL HOEKSTRA: With Night Ranger, it’s all about playing the classic songs/solos and entertaining the audience with an energetic performance. With Rock of Ages, people are there for a humorous, entertainment experience, not a serious rock show. My approach to that is campier because it’s more in the spirit of the show. People are just there to have a good time. In Night Ranger, I use EVH iii amps. With RoA, I play through a Fractal Axe-FX Ultra.

TOMMY KESSLER: The main difference performing-wise is that when Blondie plays a show, it’s six of us doing a rock show and it’s song after song. We’re all featured at any given moment. With Rock of Ages, there’s a story going on in front of the band. We are on stage the entire time because Arsenal is the house band of the Bourbon Room, but the story goes in and out of the Bourbon Room so there is a lot of time we are in the dark and not playing music.

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Read the rest of my Guitar World interview with
Joel Hoekstra and Tommy Kessler by Clicking Here

Guitar World Interviews, Interview, Music

Ronnie Radke and Falling In Reverse Launch Bury the Hatchet Tour with Escape The Fate: “It Was Time”

FIREver since Ronnie Radke’s not-so-amicable departure from Escape The Fate, his subsequent incarceration and the formation of his new band, Falling In Reverse, both bands — and to an extent, their fans — have waged a semi-constant battle in the press.

Now, however, Radke has buried the hatchet with his former band.

To prove it, Falling In Reverse and Escape The Fate have joined forces to launch a major-market tour — the Bury the Hatchet Tour — which will make its way across the US beginning January 15, 2014.

Falling In Reverse’s sophomore album,Fashionably Late, which was released in June, introduces hip-hop and electronic elements to the band’s current combination of metal core and radio-friendly choruses, creating its own unique sound. The new album is also the first to feature bassist Ron Ficarro and drummer Ryan Seaman.

We recently caught up with Radke and discussed the album, the tour — and the end of his long, often bitter feud with Escape The Fate.

Read the rest of my Revolver Mag interview with Ronnie Radke
and see Tour Date information by Clicking Here!

Guitar World Interviews, Interview, Music

Guitar World: Bangle’s Susanna Hoffs Discusses 80’s Album with Matthew Sweet

UnderThe CoversFor “Sid ‘n Susie Under the Covers, Vol. 3: The ’80s, Susanna Hoffs’ third album of cover songs with power popper Matthew Sweet, the Bangles vocalist/guitarist stuck to a decade that was very kind to her — the 1980s.

Unlike the duo’s two previous albums, which focused on material from the ’60s and ’70s, Under the Covers, Vol. 3 relies less on mainstream hits and focuses more on deeper album tracks.

Along the way, Hoffs and Sweet paint a broad spectrum of sonic art — complete with totally gnarly renditions of tunes by artists including Roxy Music, the Smiths, XTC, Lindsey Buckingham and R.E.M.

I recently spoke to Hoffs about the new album, which will be available November 12. We also discussed a few of her favorite memories from the ’80s.

As an added bonus, here’s my favorite Bangles song from the 80’s.

GUITAR WORLD: How did you and Matthew Sweet decide which songs to cover for this album?

Because we’re both fans of the music, it was so easy to pick songs. The hard part was actually trying to stop [laughs]. Musically it was a challenge, but it was a lot of fun finding ways to reinvent the songs and put our own stamp on them. We also got to think outside of the box because we approached things as a duet. It gave us a chance to really get into the emotion of the songs.

You can  the rest of my Guitar World interview with Susanna Hoffs by Clicking Here!

Album Reviews, Guitar World Interviews, Interview, Music

Starship’s Mickey Thomas Talks “Loveless Fascination” and Remembers Guitarist Mark Abrahamian

LovelessFascinationAlthough it’s been more than 20 years since Starship’s last album of all-new material [1989’s Love Among the Cannibals], the band’s latest release, Loveless Fascination, was certainly worth the wait.

Not only has vocalist Mickey Thomas been able to maintain his unique sound and range over the decades, but he’s added more of a thickness and growl to his vocals, allowing him to scream better than ever.

Produced by Jeff Pilson [Foreigner, T&N, Dokken], Loveless Fascination stays true to the band’s signature classic-rock sound, providing a much harder edge while taking Starship into the 21st century. I recently spoke with Thomas about working with Pilson on Loveless Fascination and a lot more.

Starship

GUITAR WORLD: It’s been nearly 25 years since your last studio album, Love Among the Cannibals, was released. Why the long wait?

I’ve started several projects during that time period, but for various reasons they never came to fruition. In order to make a really great record, you need to have a great team, and that means great songs, production, management and label. All of those elements never seemed to come together at the same time for us, but when this album came along everything just fell into place. I teamed up with Jeff Pilson, who’s not only a great producer, but also a great musician and songwriter. We instantly had this great chemistry and I realized this was the kind of Starship album we needed to make.

You can read the rest of my Guitar World interview with Mickey Thomas
by Clicking Here!