Features

Reader Reviews: Van Halen's 'A Different Kind of Truth'

Guitar World Staff — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:00:42 +0000

After much fanfare, two surprise shows, a Times Square billboard -- and a ton of website posts by us -- Van Halen's new album, A Different Kind of Truth, is now available.

After hearing us talk about it for the last month, we thought it'd be nice to give you all a chance to voice your opinions and tell us what you, the readers, think of the band's first album with David Lee Roth in 28 years.

Does Roth still have it or should they call Sammy Haggar? Is Eddie's guitar tone better than ever or should he get the Frankenstrat and Plexis out of storage? How does Wolfgang compare to Michael Anthony as a bassist? Where does this album rank all-time against the other Van Halen records?

Let us know in the comments!

And in case you haven't heard the album yet, ESPN.com is hosting a special Van Halen takeover featuring six new tracks, and you can listen here.

A Different Kind of Truth is also now available on Spotify.

The Eddie Van Halen Guitar World Box Set is a limited-edition package that includes all four Guitar World February 2009 issues, each of which has a unique cover photo featuring Eddie Van Halen with a different version of his new EVH Wolfgang guitar. It's available now at the Guitar World Online Store.

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Interview: Testament's Alex Skolnick on Practicing, Gear and Taking Lessons from Joe Satriani

Dave Reffett — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:40:53 +0000

Here's part two of my recent interview with guitarist Alex Skolnick of Testament and the Alex Skolnick Trio.

To check out part one, which focused more on Skolnick's unique journey as a jazz fan and guitarist, head here.

When we left off, Skolnick was about to answer questions from readers on a variety of topics -- including taking guitar lessons from Joe Satriani.

GUITAR WORLD: An anonymous reader wants to know what it was like being taught by Joe Satriani.

It was a wake-up call (laughs). I had already had several guitar teachers at that point, and I always went into these lessons sort of like a lamb where I looked up to all my teachers. I thought, “They’re teachers so they must be the highest level of player,” and I did have a couple of good teachers. But Satriani was the one teacher who showed me everything a teacher should be.

I was so young when I studied with him, I actually think I wasn't ready for a lot of stuff. I was a bit slow with music theory or mechanical elements of playing. I was definitely more of an "ear" player, but I saved the notes from the notebook he gave me, and later, after I had played guitar for two years, I was really ready for that stuff and it really started to take shape. I think he was surprised I turned into the player I was because when I studied with him, I was just a little bit overwhelmed.

I did good, I did my best, I practiced hard. But you the really advanced stuff took a few years to take shape. But yes, studying with him and being able to eventually teach myself, that's the best kind of teacher -- one you can study with who enables you and gives you the tools you need to self-teach.

Steve in Massachusetts wants to know about your practice routine with Testament. What was it like when you were on the way up, and how does it differ now?

When Testament was up and coming, that was when we were doing local gigs, clubs in Berkeley and San Francisco. That was the first incentive I had to practice hard and get it together. There is nothing like knowing you're going to be in front of an audience. I remember we used to tape some of the gigs on little cassette recorders that sounded terrible, but you got an idea of how you sounded.

That was also a wake-up call that I really needed to focus. I can’t imagine what it would be like today because now everybody tapes shows with their cell phones and posts them on the Internet for everybody to see. So at least some of those early gigs, they're just memories now. As for my practice routine, I was studying the basic scales. I think one thing that hasn't changed is I always warm up a lot before I have a show. Whatever I need work on, that's what I warm up on. Back then, it was memorizing scales and patterns; now it's more transcribing solos by my favorite artists. I'm always working on lines by Henderson, Chick Corea or John Scofield. So I learned all the scales from that. But then I had to forget them and learn licks and learn how to trust myself.

Did it seem your success with Testament was overnight or more of a grueling process?

It felt like forever, but then again my first big gig with Testament was when I had just turned 16. From that time till the time we did the first record at age 18, it that felt like forever. That's a big chunk of your life. But, you know, now that same amount of time feels like nothing.

Which Testament record are you the most proud of?

I think it's a tie between the second one The New Order and the third one, Practice What You Preach. I like Practice What You Preach because I felt like it had a real identity you can really tap into that a lot of the other bands weren't doing. But as far as staying power, the album that has the most resonance with fans would be The New Order. Those are the songs that, more than ever, feel current and timeless.

How did you get hooked up with Heritage guitars, and what effects do you use?

I started playing Heritage when I first got into jazz boxes. I realized that to do the chord melodies and all the Wes Montgomery-inspired stuff I was doing I really needed to change gear. I wanted the same gear the pro-jazz players have and I played mostly that stuff for a few years. It was all made by Heritage, so when the reunited Testament started happening, I had a couple of vintage Les Pauls I was playing. I just felt like I had outgrown the Ibanez guitars from the old days. They were great for back then, but they just didn't feel right. I think I was so used to jazz boxes.

The Les Paul is the one guitar that feels very close to a jazz box. It's got the thickness, and I was just very comfortable with them. I never had a professional relationship with Heritage before, but I guess someone made them aware of me and they got a hold of me and said that they’d like to send me out one of their solid-bodies -- just like a Les Paul but it's handcrafted like the classic Les Pauls and built in the same factory where all these great Les Pauls were built. So I said sure. And yeah, it worked out great. So then they sent me a couple more. Soon I was playing only the Heritages. Then, in the last couple of years, we developed a signature model.

So it's kind of like having a signature Les Paul. Different headstock and it's to my specs -- and it's really great. I think Heritage is one of the only new guitar companies that makes guitars that are as exciting as the ones you find in vintage stores. Like Gruhn Guitars in Nashville or Mandolin Bros. in Staten Island, New York. But I like that, I love shopping. Everybody loves shopping and checking out vintage guitars, but it's very rare that a new guitar has that same excitement, and I just believe in that kind of quality. I think that enhances my playing.

You endorse Seymour Duncan. Which Seymour Duncan pickups do you use?

All my signature Heritages have Seymour Duncans in them. I have the '59 and the JB. It's what I've always used in a Les Paul, even in the early days. My first professional guitar was a Les Paul. I eventually got those pickups, and they just felt right. It's just one of those rare pieces of gear that just seems to work, and it's pretty timeless no matter what other changes my gear goes through. I can even throw Ibanez a bone here. They have a Tube Screamer foot pedal, and it’s the same thing: It's a piece of gear I added in the rehearsal studio in my very first reversals with my band warming up for my first gigs. I read an interview with George Lynch where he said he used one, and here it is all these years later. I still use that as a component to my sound.

I'm often surprised by how many metal players are influenced by jazz. Has metal changed the way you, in particular, play jazz?

Absolutely. I think because I came from metal already, I stood out. Once I got my jazz playing together, there's just a sense of melody and conviction I was able to bring to the table that helped me play. Also the technical ability. At first, that made it more challenging because to play jazz is a much more relaxed intensity than when you play metal. And finding that balance of intensity and total relaxation and concentration is one of the hardest things about doing jazz. But the reverse is true, like having played jazz for so long, it's changed how I approach metal.

It’s not only given me more harmonic possibilities and more melodic ideas, but the zone I get into with jazz is absolutely incredible. And the zone I get into employing metal, it's a completely different rig, it's a completely different tone, it's really like being part of a machine. Whereas when playing in a improvisational group, you don't know what is going to happen, and it requires everybody to have this very sensitive listening. Which is not the case when playing metal. It's not about that. It's about everybody's got to be on the same page and everybody's got to be sort of gelling as a band. And you pretty much know how the song sounds. In jazz you don't know how it's supposed to sound. But I find these very surprising commonalities between jazz and metal.

Also, one of the most important things I have learned playing jazz was from a piano player named Paul Gilford who taught me that in jazz the striking of the note is only half of the equation. He helps all of his students create this awareness of not just the striking of the note but the back half. How does the note end? The note, chord, whatever. You don't just hit it; you also have to end, and that's part of the rhythm. It doesn't matter if you're playing a really simple or repetitive part or if you're playing very advanced, fast melodic lines or notes. There still has to be balance and everything has to stay with the rhythm.

So if you listen to a great Miles Davis horn line, for example, the way he comes off of the note is as concentrated and in the groove as the way he starts. And with great heavy metal, that's the case too. If you listen to a great rhythm guitar player like Malcolm Young or James Hetfield, you'll find that the way they come off the notes is just as strong as the way they start the notes.

I often point to “Back In Black” as a perfect example. It's not just the hitting of the note; it's coming off of the note. These are things that are often cool for looks, but both jazz players and metal players and even though the two genres have different types of rhythms, they have that in common. It's been a really interesting thing to notice about both genres.

Additional Content

Interview: Punch Brothers Guitarist Chris Eldridge Discusses the Band's New Album, 'Who’s Feeling Young Now?'

Ethan Varian — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:16:50 +0000

Punch Brothers are not a bluegrass band.

While you might be fooled into thinking otherwise by their traditional instrumentation and blinding picking chops, a quick listen will prove they are a highly evolved mutation of Bill Monroe and His Bluegrass Boys.

Led by mandolin virtuoso Chris Thile, the group takes influences ranging from Radiohead to Bach to Earl Scruggs and combines them into a strikingly unique brand of acoustic music.

I had a chance to speak with Punch Brothers guitarist Chris Eldridge about his background in bluegrass, the evolution of the band and their new album, Who’s Feeling Young Now?, which set for release February 13.

GUITAR WORLD: Your dad played in the seminal newgrass group Seldom Scene. What was it like growing up in a musical environment, and how has that influenced you as a player?

Both of my parents are banjo players, so I always lived with the five-string banjo. My mom, being a very musical lady, had wide-ranging musical interests. When I was young my mom and I would take road trips and we would listen to anything. Bluegrass was only a very small part of what I was reared on musically. I was really lucky in that I heard as much Glenn Gould playing Bach as I heard Flatt and Scruggs. Growing up backstage at Seldom Scene shows was also a really important experience for me, just to be around musicians in the flesh with that kind of integrity. It made it seem very natural to be involved with making music.

It seems as though that open approach to different musical genres reflects what you do with Punch Brothers.

Yeah. The thing about Punch Brothers is we all grew up within the bluegrass tradition, except for our bass player Paul, who grew up very much in the classical tradition. But for the rest of us, my hero was Tony Rice; Bela Fleck was Noam (Pikelny’s) hero and Stuart Duncan was Gabe (Witcher’s) fiddle hero. We all studied that music a lot and it was a real commonality that we all shared which was important when we were starting the band. We also all shared a similar outlook on where we wanted the band to go. We all love Radiohead just as much as we love the bluegrass heroes of our youth.

One of my favorite things about bluegrass guitar playing is the rich bell-like tone players are able to achieve on an acoustic instrument. Can you describe how you go about cultivating your tone?

I’m a big believer that tone start in somebody’s mind and then moves to their hand and then to their instrument. It’s important just to listen the music a bunch. My acoustic guitar hero, like I said was Tony Rice, and he had this beautiful, rich, powerful and extremely rhythmic sound. So once I started trying to play within the bluegrass style, I had a really clear sound in my head that I wanted to emulate. As far as technically, we all use pretty stiff picks. You won’t find any bluegrass guitar player that uses anything less than a heavy gauge pick. That’s a really important thing. If someone’s looking to dabble in bluegrass and plays electric, they might have a Fender medium lying around, but it simply can’t create that powerful, robust sound. You need a good stout pick. And also a setup that allows the guitar to really ring and resonate without any fret noise.

Do you have any recommendations for a guitarist looking to get into bluegrass playing?

Well, it all has to start with listening; it all has to start with music. Any serious guitar player can find a lot to love in admire in the playing of Tony Rice. There’s a record called Church Street Blues, which is just a solo record. Listening to that record and hearing the elegance and power that’s possible can be inspiring. There’s another Tony Rice record called Manzanita that’s an essential listening record. The interesting thing about Tony is that learning his note choices is actually pretty easy. He plays in a lot of positions that are familiar and there’s a lot of home turf that he’s operating on in a really beautiful rounded way. The notes aren’t the hard thing about learning his music. Any semi-accomplished guitarist can do that. The thing to work on and dive into is the sound he makes and his sense of timing and sense of rhythm. Studying the soul behind the notes will get you a lot closer to the essence of what can be cool about acoustic music.

Listening to Who’s Feeling Young Now?, I noticed the band seems to be moving further away from its bluegrass roots, not just in terms songwriting but also in breaking with the tradition of how each instrument is excepted to sound. Can you talk about the band’s progression from more of a bluegrass sound to where it is now?

I think of our first record as How to Grow A Women from the Ground, which was released under Chris Thile’s name. That record was about getting to know each other as a band and the immediate thing we all shared was a background in bluegrass. We started there in this comfortable place, and the next step was Thile’s crazy 42-minute through-composed beast of a work (Punch) that was very grounded in a lot of bluegrassy, fiddle tuney themes. Even though there was a really rigor to the composition and execution of that music it still gave the illusion to the listener of still being grounded in that bluegrassy thing. With Antifogmatic, that’s when things really opened up.

As a band we were exploring what else these instruments could do and what kind of textures we could create. I think the difference between that and the new record is that we have a lot more time under our belt and a lot more tricks up our sleeve. We’ve spent a lot of time learning some of our favorite band’s music and appropriating their styles onto our instruments but still trying to be true to, for example, why a Radiohead song sounded good in the first place. That was a really important thing for us to do. We’ve done it now with a lot of contemporary bands, rock bands a lot of them, and have gotten a lot more comfortable playing together outside the paradigm of the bluegrass tradition.

I noticed there is some production on this record, reverbs, filters and over-driven sounds, which I haven’t heard on any of your previous albums.

Yeah. Jacquire King, who engineered it and mixed it, that was his domain. We got him on as a creative partner about six weeks before we went into the studio, so he was really inside the songs. A lot of those treatments were his own ideas. He was re-amping a lot of the mic signals, taking the signal from my guitar mic and running it to an amplifier in another room and recording it. He did that for everybody. We heard that in our headphones when we were recording and were able to play to that a little bit. There are a couple songs with a tiny bit of light distortion and other effects, especially on the bass tone. We weren’t afraid to get into the atmospherics on this record.

On Antifogmatic, our goal was to emulate all these sounds we had been studying from all these other bands and present them in a completely pure and stripped down way. The sound of that record is each of us sitting in front of a Telefunken 251 mic and playing live. There were no overdubs and no mixing on that record and we were strictly puritanical in our approach. On this record we felt more liberated and wanted to make the most interesting music we could make. We felt like it was time to open up our sonic pallet and explore.

What is it like to be in a band with a player like Chris Thile, as well as other such talented and forward-looking musicians?

It’s incredible. Being in this band really is my childhood dream come true, to be in a band of people my own age, who are like mind and totally brilliant. Thile is obviously an enormous talent and is as good as anyone out there. He may be our merry crazy leader, but all the guys in the band I completely look up to. They’re all among my favorite musicians in the world. To get to play in a band with four guys like that is utterly inspiring. There’s not a night that goes by where Noam doesn’t play something that drops everybody’s jaw on the floor. The sense of surprise and amazement never goes away and I’m very grateful to get to be in the middle of that all the time.

Look out for Who’s Feeling Young Now?, which is out February 13 on Nonesuch Records. Check out the band's official Facebook page.

Additional Content

New In Deep DVD: How to Play Chicken Pickin’

Guitar World Staff — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:25:26 +0000

There's a new In Deep DVD at the Guitar World Online Store: In Deep with Andy Aledort Presents How to Play Chicken Pickin’.

In the DVD, Guitar World editor and instructor Andy Aledort shows you how to play all the techniques associated with the lighting-fast style of country shredding known as “chicken pickin’.”

Plus, you’ll get in-depth lesson on using two-note double-stops.

This DVD is available only at the Guitar World online store. Get your copy today for just $9.99.

Exclusive Video: Acoustic Version of "Casual Sex" by My Darkest Days

Damian Fanelli — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:37:08 +0000

Here's the exclusive premiere of a new video by Toronto's My Darkest Days: the acoustic version of their new song, "Casual Sex," featuring Matt Walst and Reid Henry.

"We wanted to do a acoustic version of 'Casual Sex,'" Walst said. "Reid and I are at Mountain View Studios working on the record. It's getting close. Love to all My Darkest Days fans! See you soon!"

The song -- well, the electric version of the song -- is the first single from the band's upcoming album, Sick and Twisted Affair, which is due out in spring via Mercury Records. The single is available now on iTunes.

The new album was produced by Joey Moi.

One more note about the electric version of "Casual Sex": It features some killer guitar work by John 5. This follows a trend the band started in 2010, when their single, "Porn Star Dancing," featured fretwork by Zakk Wylde.

My Darkest Days will hit the road for Nickelback's Here and Now Tour, which also stars Bush and Seether. The 39-city North American tour opens April 10 in Moline, Illinois, and wraps up June 26 in Vancouver, Canada. Check out the full tour schedule below the videos.

My Darkest Days is Matt Walst (vocals, rhythm guitars), Reid Henry (keyboards, backing vocals), Brendan McMillan (bass, backing vocals), Doug Oliver (drums, backing vocals) and Sal Costa (lead guitar, backing vocals). For more about the band, check out their official website.

And here's the brand-new lyrics video of "Casual Sex":

The studio version of "Casual Sex" is available now on iTunes.

HERE AND NOW TOUR 2012: Nickelback, My Darkest Days, Bush and Seether

April
10 Moline, IL i wireless Center
12 Grand Rapids, MI Van Andel Arena
14 Detroit, MI Joe Louis Arena
15 Columbus, OH Schottenstein Center
19 New York, NY Madison Square Garden
21 Montreal, Que. Bell Centre
22 Toronto, Ont. Air Canada Centre
24 Philadelphia, PA Wells Fargo Center
25 Pittsburgh, PA Consol Energy Center
27 Hartford, CT XL Center
28 Worcester, MA D CU Center
30 Washington, DC Verizon Center

May
2 Atlanta, GA Philips Arena
4 Orlando, FL Amway Center
5 Ft. Lauderdale, FL Bank Atlantic Center
15 Edmonton, Alb. Rexall Place
16 Calgary, Alb. Scotiabank Saddledome
18 Saskatoon, Sas. Credit Union Centre
20 Fargo, ND Fargodome
22 Omaha, NE Century Link Center
23 Minneapolis, MN Target Center
25 Milwaukee, WI Bradley Center
26 Louisville, KY KFC Yum! Center
29 St. Louis, MO Scottrade Center
30 Chicago, IL Allstate Arena

June
1 Dallas, TX American Airlines Center
2 Houston, TX Toyota Center
5 Kansas City, MO Sprint Center
7 Tulsa, OK BOK Center
8 Wichita, KS Intrust Bank Arena
10 Denver, CO Pepsi Center
12 Salt Lake City, UT Energy Solutions Arena
15 Los Angeles, CA Staples Center
18 San Jose, CA HP Pavilion
20 Nampa, ID Idaho Center
21 Portland, OR Rose Garden
23 Tacoma, WA Tacoma Dome
24 Spokane, WA Spokane Arena
26 Vancouver, B.C. Rogers Arena

Additional Content

Interview: Barb Wire Dolls Guitarist Pyn Doll on the Return of Punk

Alison Richter — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:19:13 +0000

It’s often said that the music industry works in cycles, that everything old becomes new again, and that (fill in your favorite cliche here).

In fact, 2012 is lining up to be the year classic becomes contemporary, as legendary bands release blistering new albums, artists from previous decades tour to capacity crowds, and punk rock — 30 years old and sometimes thought of as a thing of the past — rears its furious, distorted head again like a shot heard around the world.

Barb Wire Dolls is a four-piece, true-to-the-genre punk band that features vocalist Isis Queen, guitarist Pyn Doll, bassist Voodoo Doll and drummer Krash Doll. The group came together in 2008 while living in the Ikarus Artist Commune in Avdou, Crete. Their debut EP, Punk the Fussies!, was released in 2010.

Headlining club dates and playing music festivals in Greece got the word out, and within a year’s time, the band sold everything they owned and relocated to Los Angeles. Legendary manager and A&R mogul Tom Zutaut — the man behind Guns N’ Roses, Motley Crue, Metallica and many others — saw them perform at the Viper Room and signed them to a management contract. The Dolls began touring the U.S., released two more albums and are back on the road for more dates, with plans to track again for a fall release.

Pyn Doll recently offered his perspective about the original punk movement and why Barb Wire Dolls are connecting with audiences worldwide.

GUITAR WORLD: Had you been in many bands prior to Barb Wire Dolls, and if so, how were they similar or different in sound and direction?

I played in lots of bands, from hardcore punk to you name it. They all were guitar-driven bands, though. Everything led up to Barb Wire Dolls, and this band is so full of an electric energy live that I feel like the room is going to explode at every show. It's like my whole life explodes into action, with all my past, present and future happening all at once when we are onstage.

Most people don’t think of Greece when they think of rock and roll. Was it difficult to find musicians who shared your vision about forming a punk band?

There are punks everywhere, even on the little island of Crete, but sometimes the mainstream wants to keep you down. Way down. So after finding the right musicians to play live with, the next hurdle appeared: no club would book us because they didn't want anything to do with punk rock. We had to go to the big capital city of Greece — Athens — to get the opportunity to play live.

The punk movement took place more than 30 years ago. Which elements of that sound do you bring to your music? Do you feel that you stay true to the original form or do you incorporate more contemporary touches to your songwriting and recordings?

I was there for the punk movement when it first started. I started my first band in 1977, and though I loved Led Zeppelin and AC/DC, as soon as I heard the Sex Pistols, it was all over. I was a li’l skate-surf punk full-on raging to punk music and I never looked back. I was blown away by the first wave of punk, like the Stooges, Ramones, Pistols, Clash and Germs. I feel what I write is out of a necessity to get my pain out. Every time I see a video of the Pistols, I am in awe thinking of what they did back then. They have inspired me more than any band could ever get close to. There never will be a band to come close to what the Sex Pistols did. Having Steve Jones [Sex Pistols guitarist], my "guitar hero," stop by a show of ours in L.A. was a highlight of my life, and opening for Iggy Pop of the Stooges was another.

Your first concert here was sold out. Did you have any idea that punk music would be in such demand again?

We didn't know how much people had missed punk music until we started playing and the press caught on. Everyone seemed to be into the softer "indie" scene with all their wimpy keyboards, nonexistent distortion, and boring, boring, boring, lame shows, but things can change fast when you turn up the volume loud enough. There is nothing like a good, loud, chaotic, energizing punk show to get your blood pumping with a passion for living on the edge. It's time to destroy all the shoegazing bands and bring back rock and roll to the people.

What do you think has been missing in contemporary rock and roll that enabled a band like Barb Wire Dolls to break through in such a big way, not only in the U.S. but also worldwide?

The business suits that run the major record labels today have tried to force-feed crap to the public and they also forgot one thing: people are not stupid. They might be fooled for a while, but everywhere you look, people are waking up, from Occupy to riots in the streets. The music of a current culture has to reflect that, and punk music was made for that. I don't want to be told nonstop by some fat cat in a suit that the new Jay Z record is "da bomb!" I want to make my own mind up, and so do others, so there need to be options for people to make choices of their own. Music is life, and if you are living it, you will find the music to reflect how you feel. We are angry with the political and social state of this world and we want to scream about it. Maybe a few will wake up out of zombiehood and come to their senses. We are one of the many bands ready to start a riot anywhere, anytime.

When did you first begin playing guitar?

I was a classically trained pianist as a pre-teen and even got the honor of playing on Chopin's piano in Poland back then. I picked up the guitar as soon as I heard Led Zeppelin. There was no turning back. My guitar is my body.

Are you self-taught?

I had two lessons and both teachers told me I was playing totally wrong. I still can't play anything technical, but to me, it's all about the rhythm and feeling. I am blown away by Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page and Angus Young, but I have no talent for that. I like Steve Jones, Johnny Thunders [New York Dolls], Pat Smear [The Germs], Mick Jones and Joe Strummer [The Clash] and Johnny Ramone. Those guys are true heroes to me because they made music that matters without being given a magical technical talent, and they all destroyed the misconceptions that punk is not worthy of "legend" status and respect.

Did your approach to the instrument change much when you started this band?

No. I always play the same. Three chords, no solos, no pedals, and always downstroking. Always loud and always distortion. I couldn't play a real solo to save my life and I love it that way!

As the band’s principal songwriter, do you arrange all of the parts? How does the process work? Do you also write the melodies?

“I write the songs,” like Barry Manilow once sang ... . It's my honor to do that and my pleasure. Everyone does their own part after that.

What is the guitarist’s role in Barb Wire Dolls?

To blow out the eardrums of those that get too close to our singer.

Have you always played in single-guitar bands? Is that a preference for you?

I always loved single-guitar bands except for The Clash. Mick and Joe had a real magic together there. I like the dynamics of a four-piece with one guitar and a singer who can run around free and not be constrained by an instrument. Keep it simple, keep it raw, and keep it easy to play is how I prefer it.

Pyn Doll’s Gear Rundown:

Guitars: (1) '70s Gibson Les Paul Standard Gold Top

Pickups: “No idea, whatever it came with back then.”

Amps and cabs: (1) Marshall JCM 900 and (2) slant 4x4 cabs

Pedals and effects: “Never had 'em, never will.”

— Alison Richter

Alison Richter interviews artists, producers, engineers and other music industry professionals for print and online publications. Read more of her interviews right here.

Your Lucky Number: Seven Kickass 7-String Guitar Songs

Peter Hodgson — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:43:31 +0000

Look around you.

There seems to be a seven-string renaissance happening at the moment.

Actually, eight-string guitars seem to be going pretty strong, too. But there's something particularly satisfying about plugging in a seven and riffing out in between the traditional ranges of the guitar and bass.

Don't get me wrong; eight strings are great for getting right down into low-end territory and really shaking the walls. But if one thing really stood out to me at this year's Winter NAMM show, it was the sheer number of companies delving into sevens for the first time, or really embracing them in a big way.

First-time models from Parker, Buddy Blaze and even some one-off Charvel Custom Shop sevens join new models by established seven-string purveyors, such as LTD's new Whitechapel, Suicide Silence and Unearth sigs, some pretty hot Schecters and DBZs, and, of course, new models by the company that started the seven-string rock guitar trend, Ibanez.

A lot of great music has been made on seven-string guitars over the past 22 years or so since Ibanez released the Universe at Steve Vai's behest. During the first era of the seven-string, Vai was pretty much the only guy exploring the instrument's potential.

It fell out of favor until the mid- to late '90s, when a bunch of guys picked up secondhand Universes and built their sound around the lowest string. Then detuning a regular six became all the rage and everyone forgot about the seven for a while. And now it's back.

There's a lot of history behind the seven-string now, and here are a few of my personal favorites. Please feel free to share some of your own in the comments or on Facebook.

Steve Vai, "I Would Love To"

There are other Steve Vai songs that make use of the seven-string, sometimes quite obviously ("The Audience Is Listening," "The Riddle," "Ya Yo Gakk") and sometimes quite subtly ("For The Love Of God"; listen really closely to see if you can spot where Vai lands on the low B).

But "I Would Love To" was the most radio-friendly, MTV-visible track from his breakthrough solo album Passion And Warfare, and the song makes a great case for the seven-string's use as a wide range guitar, rather than just an excuse to play really, really low notes.

Dream Theater, "A Change Of Seasons"

Much like "I Would Love To," John Petrucci's work on "A Change Of Seasons" is a great example of how to use the seven-string guitar to play things you couldn't play on either a regular six-string guitar in standard tuning or on a baritone.

He zips all around the neck, making full use of the seven-string's range in clean and distorted settings, on supportive rhythms, blindingly intricate passages, wailing solos and crushing riffs. Yet at no point does the choice of instrument distract from the song itself.

Strapping Young Lad, "Skeksis"

Oh, so standard seven-string tuning's not low enough for you? How about Devin Townsend's GCGCGCE tuning? You can hear this used to great and guttural effect on "Skeksis" from Strapping Young Lad's Alien album.

Progressive, exhilarating, intense and ridiculously heavy, the sheer technicality of this song foreshadowed the djent movement. I'm sure I can hear this song's influence when I listen to Periphery's Misha Mansoor.

Fear Factory, "Descent"

Fear Factory's Dino Cazares was an early pioneer of applying low tunings to thrash-influenced metal, but by the late '90s he was going the other way, using seven-string guitars to increase his range upwards rather than downwards.

A perfect example is "Descent" from Obsolete, where Dino combines a low bassline with higher arpeggios.

The riff itself isn't too tricky from a technical perspective, but it served as a timely reminder to guitarists of the era that there was much more to be done with a seven than just low riffage.

Joe Satriani, "Hands In The Air"

Satch isn't the first guy who comes to mind when you think of seven-string guitars, but he gets a pass on this list, thanks to the riff in "Hands In The Air," one of the most fun riffs you'll ever play for an hour straight. Or maybe that's just me.

Joe has had other seven-string songs over the years, including one called -- get this -- "Seven String."

Korn, "Freak On A Leash"

Korn kickstarted the second wave of seven-string use in the '90s, and they inspired a lot of less-creative copycats who just ran with the low-end aspect of what the band were known for, but the interplay between guitarists Head and Munky on "Freak On A Leash" offers a great lesson in a more atmospheric use of the seven-string.

Creepy high melodies and muddled low chords build tension, then the chorus riff shifts and snakes in a really unique way before the creep sets in again.

Jeff Loomis, "Jato Unit"

Loomis' seven-string skills are put to great use on this monster.

Big octave melody lines, low palm-muted riffage, wide arpeggios, whammy bar dives, syncopated rhythms -- this one is a great song to sharpen your skills, and, if you're a proficient six-string player making the transition to seven for the first time, it's a great one to cut your teeth on.

Make it to the end and you can truly call yourself a seven-string guitarist.

John Petrucci photo: Marty Temme, johnpetrucci.com

Peter Hodgson is a journalist, an award-winning shredder, an instructional columnist, a guitar teacher, a guitar repair guy, a dad and an extremely amateur barista. In his spare time he runs a blog, I Heart Guitar, which allows him to publicly geek out over his obsessions. Peter is from Melbourne, Australia, where he writes for various magazines as well as for Gibson.com.

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Interview: Matthias Jabs Discusses Scorpions' Farewell Tour and New Album, 'Comeblack'

Alex Rice — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:34:05 +0000

Having sold more than 100 million records over the course of their 47-year career, German rock gods Scorpions will certainly be missed once the final note rings out on the last date of their two-and-a-half-year-long farewell tour later this year.

But, as longtime guitarist Matthias Jabs explained in a recent interview with GuitarWorld.com, the band doesn’t want to fall victim to an avoidable element that has tainted the legacies of so many groups before them: time.

“We would like to be remembered as Scorpions in top form. I’ve seen too many bands that missed their point. All of a sudden, they don’t play arenas anymore, and then it’s the theaters and then the clubs,” said Jabs, who joined the band in 1978 and played on all of their biggest hits, including “Rock You Like a Hurricane” and “Wind of Change.” “We don’t want to see ourselves aging onstage.”

There’s still some sting left in the rockers’ tails, though. Last week, they released Comeblack, which combines updated versions of their greatest hits and covers of the songs they swear by, including The Beatles’ “Across the Universe” and The Rolling Stones’ “Ruby Tuesday.”

“We narrowed it down to the songs that were all written in the ‘60s,” Jabs said. “The music of that decade had the biggest influence on us.”

GUITAR WORLD: How did you guys figure out which songs to cover for Comeblack?

We had plenty of ideas, but we narrowed it down to the songs that were all written in the ‘60s. The music of that decade had the biggest influence on us, even though ‘70s music like Led Zeppelin did, too, of course. We tried some Zeppelin but decided we shouldn’t touch it. Same with Hendrix. I wish we could’ve done a Hendrix cover, but we were focusing on the vocals, so we were only going to do the song if we could sing it well.

What does it feel like to be nearing the end of your farewell tour?

The farewell started in spring 2010 and we’ve been to a lot of places since then. I think everybody’s trying to postpone the future. Now 2012 will be the final tour and the last time we play in these various cities. You cannot say goodbye to your fans every night. It’s a sad thing, and you get depressed after awhile. When we finally play our last show together, it will probably be a very spectacular but very sad moment at the same time.

Has the band thought about what the last song at the final show will be?

Nobody knows when or where the last show is going to be, so I don’t know. Even though we’ll have played the final show, nobody can forbid us from making music. We can still play together, so the very last song might be much later. This doesn’t mean that we’ll stop making music.

Do you guys feel any regrets about retiring from the road?

No, we never regretted it because it makes sense. After listening to (2010's) Sting in the Tail, which turned out great, we wanted to finish on a high note. We would like to be remembered as Scorpions in top-form. B.B. King, he’s in a wheelchair and playing up there at age 85, but as a rock band, we don’t want to see ourselves aging onstage.

You now famously play a Gibson Explorer, but what was your first guitar?

My first guitar was an acoustic guitar, a Klria. I think it’s an old German brand. I got it from my parents for my 13th birthday. Soon after, I got my first electric guitar, which was a 1963 Fender Stratocaster, which wasn’t considered vintage yet because that was only 1969. It was a great guitar.

What's the most memorable concert experience you've had as a member of Scorpions?

I remember the first time in Bangkok in 1982 we played two shows. It was an adventure! People were trying to thank us by throwing live scorpions onto the stage. It was meant to be a nice gesture. I also remember sitting in a traffic jam on the way to a show in Bangkok and I had the tinted windows rolled down so I could actually see something, and here’s this guy riding on an elephant who waves to me and goes, “Hi Matthias.” That was cool.

Scorpions' latest album, Comeblack, was released January 24 via Sony Legacy. Be sure to visit the band's official Facebook page.

Matthias Jabs photo: Uwe Weger

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Interview: Jason Brewer of The Explorers Club Discusses Their New Album, 'Grand Hotel'

Amelia Waters — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:55:33 +0000

The Explorers Club, a six-man band from Charleston, South Carolina, have a sound that's unique in the 21st century -- mainly because it is heavily influenced by the vocal harmony styles and production qualities of The Beach Boys and other mid-'60s pop bands.

The band -- Jason Brewer (guitar, keyboards, vocals), Dave Ellis (guitar, mandolin, accordion, percussion, vocals), Dave Rellington III (bass, vocals), Justin James (guitar, steel guitar, vocals), Paul Runyon (keyboards, vocals) and Kyle Polk (drums) -- employ vintage gear and retro-inspired album art to set -- and get -- the tone, as seen and heard on their latest album, Grand Hotel, which will be released February 14 via Rock Ridge Music.

Guitar World recently spoke to Brewer about his love and respect for '50s and '60s music, something that started when he was a child.

GUITAR WORLD: What is it about The Beach Boys' sound that has so clearly inspired The Explorers Club?

I think what really inspired us to do that more old-school sound was I heard a lot of those records growing up from my neighbors, parents, friends of ours that are from that generation. I just heard it and really kind of resonated with me and I said, “Well, that’s what I want to do.” I was about 7 when I heard The Beatles and the early surfin’ Beach Boys records. I said, “I want to play music like those guys.” It just all really stuck with me. There’s kind of a timelessness of that music, and it’s just incredible, the musicality of it, the melodies, even the guitar lines. All that stuff was just right up my ally.

So you first heard these bands when you were young; is that also when you picked up the guitar for the first time?

I really picked up the guitar when I was about 10, a few years later. When you’re that young, it’s really hard to concentrate because you had so many other things going on when you’re 7. By the time I was 10 or 11, I really got serious about it. I started learning Beatles songs on guitar, Chuck Berry. My goal when I first started playing when I was 10 was to learn ‘Johnny B. Goode.’

My first guitar was a Fender Stratocastor made in Korea. It was perfect for what I wanted to do. It was a pretty versatile guitar and really nailed that early sound. I guess it just kept snowballing from there that I wanted to play that kind of music because the guitar itself played that surf sound so well.

What gear do you use today to get that older sound?

To get that early '60s sound, all the gear we use guitar-wise is either from that era or a lot of it sticks to the design of those old instruments. I play a 1950s reissued Telecaster made by Fender. One of the other guys plays a 12-string Epi Rivera. We also use an old electric Fender bass. So everything we use is pretty close to what was used then. Even in the studio we use old Silvertone amps, old Fender amps; just everything really authentic with the guitar sound.

We have a keyboard player and there’s a lot of electric piano and organ, and our guitar player plays an old 1950s double-neck steel guitar. He’s been touching the baritone guitar and a mandolin. I really have wide range. Anything we can get our hands on.

I know you write some of the music, but do you also produce?

Yes, I do all that stuff. I feel like I’m a guitar player but truthfully I’m much more of a studio producer, arranger kind of guy. That’s where I really find myself, more so than in the performance end of things. I also play the piano, and everybody in the band is pretty multi-tasking with a lot of different instruments. We’re really able to expand and use our different abilities.

As far your fan base, do you feel you've reached some original Beach Boys fans?

I think people who listen to us are really all over the map. We have fans in their 20s and 30s to college kids, and people who are our parents' and grandparents' age. I feel like we have the edge with the younger people because we are younger, and then we have that edge with the older people as well.

Your music has been featured in several TV shows, including Bored to Death and How I Met Your Mother. How has that experience helped you?

It has really helped us get a broader audience. It was exciting to hear our music on TV -- and having people hear our music, whether they knew it's us or not.

What can you tell me about your new album, Grand Hotel, which comes out February 14?

It’s a very different record then from our first. It’s very California-sounding, but it’s all over the map musically. It’s got salsa, jazz, rock and roll, '50s rock, instrumentals -- it’s just a big musical vacation. All kinds of instruments everywhere, lots of guitar, classical guitar ... I guess just to sum it up, it's kind of a soundtrack for a vacation getaway. Throughout the record, you kind of hear stylistic changes as if you’re going into different rooms of the hotel.

The Explorers Club are on tour through early March:

Feb. 10: Vinyl, Atlanta, GA
Feb. 11: The Casbah Durham, Durham, NC
Feb. 12: Johnny Brendas, Philedelphia, PA
Feb. 13: Maxwell’s, Hoboken, NJ
Feb. 14: The Lizard Lounge, Boston, MA
Feb. 15: Rockwood Music Hall, New York, NY
Feb. 16: Spike Hill, Brooklyn, NY
Feb. 17: The Saint, Asbury Park, NJ
Feb. 18: The Dunes, Washington DC
March 3: The Pour House, Charleston, SC

Group photo: Matthew Carter

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Song Facts: The Beatles — "Nowhere Man"

Damian Fanelli — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:34:13 +0000

John Lennon wrote this gentle folk-rock ballad in the autumn of 1965 at his home in Kenwood, St. George’s Hill Estate, Weybridge, Surrey.

Just as "Yesterday" mysteriously came to Paul McCartney, "Nowhere Man" simply came to Lennon at dawn after he'd stayed up all night, struggling to come up with a new song for Rubber Soul. He happened upon a phrase, "nowhere man," which, he felt, described his own fears about himself. "I thought of myself sitting there, doing nothing and getting nowhere," he later said.

The song, a quasi-biographical composition in the vein of "I'm A Loser" and "Help!," was recorded on October 22, 1965, after several failed attempts the day before. Apart from its beautiful, ethereal vocal harmonies, the song is also striking for the parts played by McCartney and George Harrison.

Besides gracing the track with his most melodic bass part to date, McCartney was instrumental in wringing an ultra-trebly sound out of Harrison's and Lennon's newly acquired Sonic Blue Fender Stratocasters, especially for Harrison's joyous, verse-based guitar solo.

"We wanted very trebly guitars, which [Stratocasters] are. They're among the most trebly guitars I've ever heard on record," McCartney said. "The engineer said, 'All right' … and we said 'That's not enough,' and he said … 'I've only got one pot and that's it!' We replied, 'Well, put that through another lot of faders and put the treble up on that."

It can be argued that the high-E harmonic note that ends Harrison's guitar solo also sounds the death knell for The Beatles' reliance on their once-ubiquitous Beatlemania-era instruments, namely their Gretsches and Rickenbackers (excluding McCartney's 4001S, which he'd use well into the late Wings era).

Damian Fanelli is the online managing editor at Guitar World.

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March 2012 Guitar World Out Now: Lamb of God, Mastodon, The Doors and Readers Poll Results

Guitar World Staff — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:55:08 +0000

In the new March 2012 issue of Guitar World, Lamb of God’s Mark Morton and Willie Adler tell how the most important contemporary metal group in the world has blazed a new trail for itself with Resolution, their diverse new album.

And this just in -- the latest Readers Poll Results for 2011.

See who was voted Best Band, Best Guitarist and more! There’s only one way to find out who the winners are, so order your copy today!

Other features in this issue:

• Mastodon: Guitar World spends a hard day’s night with Mastodon’s Brent Hinds and Bill Kelliher as they tour in support of their surprisingly upbeat new album, The Hunter.

• Joe Satriani: With a new concert DVD, upcoming tours with G2 and Chickenfoot, and a new album in the works, the guitar virtuoso is busier than ever.

• Gary Clark Jr.: His eclectic multi-genre playing styles and fiery technique have made him the fastest-rising star in Austin’s blues guitar firmament.

• Soundcheck: Jackson X Series King V KVXMG and Rhoads RRXT guitars, Zoom G3 guitar effects and amp simulator, Ampeg GVT52-112 1x12 combo, Acoustic G120 DSP combo amp, Super-Vee Mag-Log tremolo, Orange DIVO Tube Sync and OV4 with Bias Runner software, and more!

For more info or to order, visit the Guitar World Online Store now.

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Interview: Sleeping With Sirens Guitarists Jesse Lawson and Jack Fowler Discuss Warped Tour, New Acoustic EP

Stephanie Castor — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:01:08 +0000

Next month, Michigan-based post-hardcore rockers Sleeping With Sirens will set off on their first-ever headlining tour in support of 2011's Let’s Cheers to This (Rise Records).

In the meantime, the band is knee-deep in a winter tour in support of label mates Attack Attack!, and they're putting the finishing touches on their forthcoming, still-untitled acoustic EP.

Guitar World talked with guitarists Jesse Lawson and Jack Fowler (formerly of Broadway) about their tours -- including Warped Tour in June -- the EP and the overall growth of the band.

GUITAR WORLD: You guys were one of the first bands to be announced for Warped Tour 2012. Will this be your first time on the tour?

JESSE LAWSON: Yes. This will be our first time on Warped Tour, and we’re stoked about it. It’s something we’ve all talked about. Warped Tour is something that, as a local band, you always look forward to doing and hope that one day you can. Now we’re finally doing it, and I think we’re really excited about it. It’s gonna be awesome.

JACK FOWLER: I am more than excited about it. I think it’s gonna be a great time. The stage is awesome and it’ll just be great to see how much the band has grown in a year and a half.

You guys were scheduled to record an acoustic EP in Los Angeles. What was the inspiration behind that since the release of Let’s Cheers to This last May?

LAWSON: Kellin and I always just start writing a record with just the two of us doing acoustic stuff. When we started posting those acoustic videos on YouTube, they were blowing up. Kids always responded well, and when we first started touring, we were even doing acoustic sets after the show, and it was nuts because literally, the same amount of kids that would come to the show would hang around after and just watch the acoustic set. So we knew that it was cool, and we knew that if we had done an acoustic EP it would go over really well.

FOWLER: So far, there is going to be one old song that we do acoustically, and the rest are just going to be new songs. The way we write acoustic songs is very different from everything else. The kids have just been dying for an acoustic EP out of us anyway, so we decided to give them a few new songs to listen to that will hold them over until the new album is done.

Sleeping With Sirens went through a ton of changes between the first full-length, With Ears to See and Eyes to Hear, and Let’s Cheers to This, your second release. Most bands graduate to a more refined sound after a few years of playing. What's your take on the whole process and what led you guys to play this style of music so soon in the game while keeping certain signatures from your earlier record?

LAWSON: I think the member changes played a huge part in that. I actually didn’t write on the first record, and then when I joined, I brought kind of a different feel to it. Jack did as well. We just didn’t want to play as many breakdowns and be stuck in that “box.” I think that as we go forward, we’ll probably go even more outside the box. We just like to mature, and I think that’s our goal with every record: to mature more and just be straight rock and roll rather than a “scene” band, because that’s not really fun for us. It helps that Kellin and I have been together since we were 15 or 16. When I joined the band, he and I already had that connection and history with music, so it made it really smooth rather than an awkward transition.

FOWLER: It’s very different. Like Jesse said, there were two different guitarists on the second album, so it’s more of a growth in a sense that Jess and I come from just a straight-up rock and roll background. That’s how the album came about. We just wrote what we felt at the time and we knew it was gonna be a big change in sound from the band, but it worked out in our favor.

Jesse, how has having Jack Fowler in the band affected your writing process?

LAWSON: With Jack writing with us, it’s always a great thing. He’s one of those people who will just kind of listen to a melody or structure that we came up with and will just write catchy riffs to go with it, and they always work.

What it was like to be integrated into SWS?

LAWSON: I thought it was really cool. I wasn’t really doing much, and when they asked me to jump on, I was stoked. I’ve been touring for a while, so it was just one of those things where I went for it and it worked out!

FOWLER: My old band, Broadway, and Sleeping With Sirens toured together and that’s how I met everyone. We all got along really well and about a year or so later they called me and were like, “Hey, we have a spot open. Are you willing to take it?” I immediately said yes. I knew they were on the uprising and my band was starting to fall of, so I took the opportunity and it worked out to be awesome for me.

Describe your live guitar setup.

LAWSON: I run an Orange TH30 and I play an American Fender Telecaster. I keep it pretty basic because I do mostly rhythm stuff, so I just run a Boss delay pedal and a tuner.

FOWLER: I run an Orange TH30 head with an Orange cab. I play Fender Telecasters, and I only use Seymour Duncan pickups. When it comes to pedals, it’s really kind of endless. I probably have about 15 pedals that I run. I’m way into it. I have a Line 6 DL4, a Boss DD3 for simple delay, a noise gate, a suppressor — I have way too many things on that board. I’ve been playing with the same DD3 for three years. I know everything about it. That’s my one solid pedal.

Are you anticipating any new gear soon? Endorsements?

LAWSON: We are working with Orange. As far as guitars, we don’t really have much, but we’d like to do something with Taylor. Their electric guitars are really good. Or Fender. I would love Fender. I think Telecasters are the best guitars out there.

FOWLER: Maybe Fender if I get lucky. We all use Fender and Orange across the whole stage.

A lot of new pop punk bands have been signing to Rise Records since you guys released Let’s Cheers to This. Do you think the genre bending of metalcore and dubstep, rock and R&B, pop and metal, etc. is here to stay or do you believe it's a dying trend? What do you envision as the next step for the music scene?

FOWLER: I think this whole music scene is awesome, but the way we’re looking at it is if you look at any bands that have longevity, it’s just rock and roll. So we’re gonna take rock and roll and put it to an edge. The music has changed so much in the past year alone. Everyone was using synthesizers one year, and then all that stopped. I think solid music and choruses are coming back into play. I think the next big thing will be very catchy bands with awesome choruses. Kids like simple music that they can sing along to, so you have to give it to them.

Describe the moment it hit you that you’re in a touring band. Is it a residual feeling or was it a one-time thing?

FOWLER: I’m still kind of in shock that I’m actually doing it. Every time I come home from a tour, I see my friends and they’re kind of doing the same thing. Everyone always tells me how lucky I am. I embrace it every day. I think it’s the best job in the entire world.

Do you have any tips for aspiring musicians?

LAWSON: Never stop. You get told “no” a lot, and there’s obviously a very small chance you really do make it as a musician. Just keep trying different kinds of music and don’t give up. It’s not easy and it’s not quick. There’s a lot of trial and error, and you just have to keep going. Hopefully something will turn out for you.

FOWLER: You’re gonna go through everything. Van breakdowns, fighting with your best friends, the worst possible situations — you just can’t ever give up.

Catch up with Sleeping With Sirens via their official Facebook page.

Video: Max Raptor "The King Is Dead" & "The Alarm"

Guitar World Staff — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:24:12 +0000

ALBUM Portraits (Naim Edge Records)
SOUND Four-piece punk act Max Raptor hail from Midlands, U.K., and deliver plenty of frantic riffage, alt-rock hooks and fist-pumping choruses on their second mini-LP, Portraits. The song’s unchecked attitude and energy—led by singer Wil Ray’s sneering vocals and guitarist J.B. Willcox’s propulsive rhythmic work—results in the kind of racket that could incite a dance party…or a fistfight.
KEY TRACK “The King Is Dead”

Watch "The King Is Dead":

Watch "The Alarm":

Interview: Bret Michaels Band Guitarist and Producer Pete Evick Talks About “Get Your Ride On”

Richard Bienstock — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:12:08 +0000

In his work as a solo artist, Bret Michaels’ right-hand man is guitarist Pete Evick, a multitalented musician who, in addition to playing guitar in the Bret Michaels Band, has also served as a co-songwriter, producer, mixer and musical director for the group. On the rare occasion he finds himself with some free time, the guitarist also pursues his own projects, which include studio work for a variety of artists as well as recording and performing with his long running band, Evick.

Recently, Evick took a few minutes from his always busy schedule to chat with Guitar World about the newest Bret Michaels Band song, “Get Your Ride On,” which is currently being used as the opening song to the new season of Monster Energy AMA Supercross on SPEED TV, and features guest guitar spots from Def Leppard’s Phil Collen and My Darkest Days’ Sal Costa. Evick also discussed how he came to play with Michaels, and what he and the band have on tap for the future.

You’ve been playing with Bret for eight years. How did you get the gig with him?

PETE EVICK: That’s a bit of a long story. I’m from Manassas, Virginia, and Bret’s also from the east coast, only two hours from where I grew up. So when I was a kid I knew who he was and would occasionally see Paris [the original lineup of Poison] play the bars. Back in 1992, when C.C. [DeVille] left Poison, I did everything I could to get in that band. Needless to say, Ritchie Kotzen got the gig, though I like to believe it’s because I was only 17 and on the east coast, not because the guy was amazing and blew me away! When I finally heard the Native Tongue album I remember going, “Hmmmm, maybe I couldn’t have done that!” But I always found ways to keep in touch with the Poison camp.

Then around 2003 Bret went out on a solo tour for his Songs of Life album, and he was kind enough to let my band, Evick, open on a lot of the tour. We also opened for him again on his next tour. Eventually an opportunity came up to play guitar in his band, and his musical director Steve Frangadakis got me the gig. But what happened was, a last minute show came up and Bret decided that rather than fly me to L.A. to break me in with his band, it made more sense to have me and my band back him. So we learned the songs and headed out to what Bret called a “little radio gig.” Well, his idea and my idea of a “little gig” must be different, because suddenly I found myself in front of 10,000 people! After the gig I was really down on myself about how I played—I learned that day why Bret was a star and I wasn’t yet. I figured I’d ruined my rep and that was the end of it, but Bret called me and said, “I’ve seen your band, and I know what you can do. Let’s try it again—we’re playing a sold-out Memorial Day weekend gig with Lynyrd Skynyrd for 30,000 people.” No pressure, huh? But we killed it. Bret walked up to me after the show and said, “That’s the Petie I’m lookin’ for!” And here we are going on a decade. And I have to say, that guy has a sense of loyalty like no other. He may be the best frontman in rock and roll, and he could also teach you a bit about being human.

Bret keeps the band on a pretty busy schedule. How many shows would you say you do each year?

We do 180 to 220 gigs a year. Then he does Poison as well. The guy doesn’t stop. We were on the road just weeks after his brain hemorrhage, even after everyone told him not to do it.

How did the opportunity to do “Get Your Ride On” for AMA Supercross come about?

Bret is an avid motocross fan—he has a motocross track in his backyard, and even as far back as Poison’s “I Won’t Forget You” video you can see him riding his motorcycle. Last year he initiated the Rock Hard, Ride Hard award for Supercross, and with anything Bret does he gets involved 200 percent, so it was a natural progression to do more this year. The guys from Supercross heard the track and thought it was a no-brainer for the theme song. And I gotta tell you, it sounds good being played in those big arenas during their events!

How did Phil Collen and Sal Costa become involved in the song?

With Sal, we were touring in Canada last Halloween and My Darkest Days were on the bill with us. We were all blown away by them. I remember sitting in the dressing room with Bret and he said, “Wow, who are those guys?” Next thing you know, their song “Porn Star Dancing” takes off and they’re the hot rock band on the scene. We kept in touch with the guys and Sal came out on the Poison tour and jammed with them a few times. So when we were doing this song I called him up and said, “Hey, check out this track and throw some guitar on it if you want. A few hours later he sent me back some killer fills and lead stuff, I flew it in to the mix and that was that. He played a few licks that I couldn’t imagine the song not having now. Then with Phil, he and Bret have been buddies a long time. I’m not sure how it happened but Bret said to me, “Call Phil—he’s waiting on you to send him the tracks.” Next thing you know I’m mixing Phil Collen’s guitar, the guy who played on Pyromania and Hysteria, two of the most well-produced albums in rock history.

Who plays the solo on the song?

On the version that’s out there it’s Phil doing the lead. I believe when we put the whole album out, we’ll have a bonus track with my original solo.

What gear did you use on the track?

Guitar wise, I used my Dean Soltero and Bret used his Dean Z—Bret is actually playing throughout the song, basically everything but the lead and what I call texture parts. And that’s him killing it at the beginning. I don’t know what guitars the other guys used, though I know Phil’s tracks were recorded with GTR from Waves. Otherwise, I’m a big tech guy, so I use emulators and plug-ins, and I also used AmpliTube 3—the Orange amp model. We recorded the song at the studio on Bret’s ranch, and also flew in some vocals that were done at my house on the east coast, which is also where I mixed it. Sal and Phil did their parts in their home studios.

In addition to playing with Bret, you lead your own band, Evick. What’s on the horizon for you guys?

We recently released our third EP, Reflections, and on rare off time from the BMB [Bret Michaels Band] we’ll tour in support of it. We’re also releasing a new single this week called “Big Rock Guitars.” It’s a song I wrote almost ten years ago, the day I heard that Sammy Hagar rejoined Van Halen, because I’m a huge VH fan and was so excited about that. In celebration of the return of Van Halen once again, I’ve decided to finally officially release it. As far as the future of Evick, it’s just a wave I ride when I can. It’s my baby, and I’m very passionate about the music I write, but the Bret Michaels thing is my world now. It’s a full time gig and then some to keep up with him.

You’ve also established yourself as a producer in your own right. What artists have you worked with in a production capacity?

Bret keeps me real busy, but in recent years I’ve received a gold award for my work with Paramore and a Platinum award for Shinedown. Most of that was editing work. But I’ve been at it for many years. When the grunge scene hit [Bret Michaels Band and Evick drummer] Chuck Fanslau and I opened a studio in the D.C. area. I’ve worked with everyone from Raven to Godhead, and early on I got to work with Steve Whiteman of Kix. I did some mixes for my good buddy Steve Brown on the new Trixter record, and worked with a killer up-and-coming band out of New Jersey called Toxin. Through Bret I also got to work with Miley Cyrus, sit beside the legendary Don Was, and have made a record with the co-founder of Sire Records, Richard Gottehrer.

What’s coming up for the Bret Michaels Band?

Currently we have a new record called Get Your Rock On coming out, and we’re also working on an acoustic Americana album. And we start the tour back up again in two weeks. We just keep going. Bret has many business ventures coming this year and you will see a lot of amazing things from us. But for right now it’s all about “Get Your Ride On,” which I think is a killer track. So check it out!

Excerpt: Lamb of God's Mark Morton and Willie Adler Discuss the Band's New Album, 'Resolution'

Brad Angle, Photo by Travis Shinn — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:56:17 +0000

The following is an excerpt from our March 2012 cover story. For the full feature, pick up the March 2012 issue of Guitar World on newsstands now, or in our online store.

Lamb of God’s first blatant attempt at expanding their sound—and the receptiveness of their audience—was heard on 2009’s Wrath. On that record, they moved away from the multitracked guitars and modern production of the massively popular Sacrament and returned to a purer live guitar sound. They also wrote a few tracks that hinted at their ability to diversify: “The Passing” was a melodic, midpaced and moody opening track, while “Reclamation” and “Grace” featured acoustic and clean intro passages, respectively. Lamb of God were rewarded for their efforts when Wrath reached the Number Two spot on the Billboard Top 200 upon its release. But their intention to push sonic boundaries has never manifested itself more clearly and prominently than on Resolution.

“At this point, we’re not inhibited that something might be received as un-metal,” Morton says. “We are a bit governed by the fact that Randy [Blythe] is not a particularly melodic singer, so there’s always going to be gruff, aggressive singing over 99 percent of the stuff. With that said, there are a couple of cleaner vocal parts on the new record. But it’s really what we all decide we can get away with, like the song ‘To the End.’ We originally called it ‘ZZ Top,’ because the riff sounds like ‘Just Got Paid.’ It’s one of the most rock and roll songs we’ve ever done.”

Resolution exudes the pure thrash attitude and technical prowess that fans have come to expect from Lamb of God, but the 14-song disc unfolds like no other LoG release. The tracks are sequenced as if the album is divided into two separate sides, like a vinyl record, a quality that gives it the arc and diversity of a classic epic metal album along the lines of Metallica’s Ride the Lightning or Pantera’s Vulgar Display of Power. The disc unselfconsciously moves from sludgy doom (“Straight for the Sun”), archetypal thrash (“Desolation” and “Ghost Walking”) and instrumental interludes (“Barbarossa”) to punk (“Cheated”), clean/dirty vocals (“Insurrection”) and orchestral, operatic metal (“King Me”).

At a stage in their career when some bands might be tempted to ease up a bit and hit cruise control, Lamb of God are firing on all cylinders as they confidently blaze into this uncharted territory. Morton’s meticulous rhythm playing and his hybrid lead style—a mix of acrobatic shred runs, ballsy bends and bluesy melodies—have evolved into distinctive calling cards. Adler’s unconventional songwriting style and visceral riff work shine throughout Resolution and act as the perfect counterpoint to Morton’s analytical, schooled approach to composition. Vocalist Randy Blythe has harnessed the raw power of his rich, ragged growls, and his vicious, call-to-action vocals have grown surprisingly articulate. Holding all this together is the precision rhythm machine of John Campbell and Chris Adler. Campbell locks into the groove and never lets it stray, while Chris Adler simultaneously propels and colors the rhythms, and plays the drums as a kind of third lead instrument in the mix.

For the rest of the story, pick up the March 2012 issue of Guitar World now!