A Venn diagram showing the similarities between heavy metal legends Iron Maiden and alternative rock icons Radiohead won’t show much overlap. That’s why news of the collaboration between Dylan Gers, son of Iron Maiden guitarist Janick Gers, and Noah Yorke, son of Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke, made headlines in 2022.
The track in question, Red Skies, was notable for its hypnotic acoustic rhythms, icy synths and Celtic melodies – culminating in an intriguing three-and-a-half minutes of deep reflection that left listeners wanting more.
The good news is it wasn’t a one-off. Gers Jr returns this year with his Melancholic Madman EP, which features his friend Noah on drums, and it’s a more electric affair than the song they first released. After its John Frusciante meets Jimi Hendrix intro, opening track Feel My Heart soars into a symphony of harmonized guitars flanked by a fiery solo.
Then there’s Talisman, which explores a darker shade of alternative rock and features some impressive vocal work from the singer/songwriter. Moonlight Lies is a somber ballad intensified by generous amounts of phaser and reverb. Young Boy is the simplest in terms of structure – showing just how impactful you can be with one acoustic and a handful of cowboy chords.
“I started playing guitar when I was 16,” says Gers. “But even before, I’ve always had music in my head, especially having grown up around Iron Maiden. I’ve been surrounded by guitars for as long as I can remember; then one day I decided to pick one up, and fell in love.
“I’m fascinated by certain guitar heroes. It feels like they aren’t as big a deal these days, compared to when you had people like Tony Iommi or my dad, Dave Murray and Adrian Smith. It’s disappearing a bit. That’s why, on this EP, I decided to make my guitar moments more impactful, like on the riff section of Moonlight Lies.”
It’s interesting how this EP leans more on alternative rock influences than metal.
“The influences are coming from all over the place. I wrote Moonlight Lies thinking about The Doors and ended up crooning like Jim Morrison. Talisman is a proper riff-induced song, partly inspired by Black Night by Deep Purple, in terms of how the guitar riff hits you in the face.
“Noah Yorke drummed on all the tracks. I don’t have many modern influences, but Noah is a big inspiration. Some of the tracks feel a little Celtic-driven. You can imagine people playing flutes a couple of hundred years ago and dancing around a fire to them!”
You’re holding an HSS Strat on the EP cover. What does that guitar mean to you?
“My main guitar is called Jasmine. She’s never far away from me, and she was the first guitar I paid for. I found her on Facebook Marketplace, went round some random geezer’s house, and I could tell this was the one. I had a beaten old acoustic, and I’d occasionally borrow guitars my dad left around, but this was my first proper guitar.”
It appears as if you’ve changed a few of the parts.
“Yeah, I’ve changed loads of stuff. The scratchplate used to be white and it’s now pearl, to emulate Dave Murray, who uses a shiny one. I put a DiMarzio Super Distortion in the bridge. Kurt Cobain used that pickup, as does Dave. The nut because was plastic, which was typical for Mexican Strats made in 2015. It now has an ivory nut.
“A lot of the song ideas for the EP were written on Jasmine. I have an Ovation acoustic, which also got used a bit.”
What kind of amps and pedals were you using for the sessions? There’s some sparkly modulation added to Moonlight Lies.
“That was just a MXR Phase 90 with reverb, running into an Engl amp. Sometimes we’d put the phaser on zero, just to thicken the guitars with some extra movement and soul. It changes your tone, helping it all breathe. I think it’s a trick Eddie Van Halen used.”
How did you and Noah get to know each other?
“We met at university – I only found out who his dad was later on. It was kinda bizarre! We lived together for a few years, making crazy noise. Red Skies came from a jam in the living room. Noah plays in a great band called Hex Girlfriend. I never listened to Radiohead before I met him, then I learned how incredible they are. A Moon Shaped Pool is seriously good.”
You sound like you’ve taken influence from all three guitarists in Maiden, rather than just the one you’re related to.
Dad didn’t teach me much in terms of technique, but I learned a lot by watching him play
“I’m a big fan of my dad – he’s my favorite, of course. But the three of them are like the greatest players for different reasons. They all bring something dramatically different to the table. Dave has this lucidity and fluid motion. My dad brings this magnificent chaos coming out of pure passion. Adrian has this mind-blowing melodic blues feel.
“On this EP I’m trying to pay homage to all the greats. The title is a nod to Diary of a Madman by Ozzy Osbourne, which had some incredible playing from Randy Rhoads – he was unbelievable.”
Who else has shaped your sound?
“I’m really into Marillion; Steve Rothery is a magical player. I adore Script For A Jester’s Tear and Clutching At Straws. I looked up to Dave Mustaine as a kid. I saw him at Download Festival once and he walked right past me. I went up to him, saying, ‘Nice to meet you!’ and he was probably wondering who the hell I was!”
What was it like growing up with a guitar god as a dad?
“He never pushed me into it, which I found admirable. His attitude was, ‘If Dylan doesn’t want to do it, fair play!’ I didn’t start until later and even then he was hesitant to teach me until I showed him how serious I was.
“One thing he told me was to focus on the picking hand. The fretting hand will always come naturally, but the right hand is what brings it all together, whether you’re playing fast or slow. He didn’t teach me much in terms of technique, but I learned a lot by watching him play.”
What did he show you when you finally sat down together?
“I remember him making me learn House Of The Rising Sun for the picking rhythms, as well as Long Train Running by The Doobie Brothers for more of an intense strum.
“He’s a master to watch. The way he’s able to move about and play those leads and rhythms in time is insane. Every time I see him I’m like, ‘Oh my god – this guy is really great!’”
- Melancholic Madman is out now via sly-tone Records. You can follow Dylan Gers on Instagram.
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