The Eric Gales we know today is undoubtedly a product of his environment growing up. In this case, as fate would have it, we’re talking about an incredibly musical family. Older brothers Manuel and Eugene guided his journey on guitar from the age of four, giving him the kind of blues education that can’t be bought.
By the time he was 10, he was already being labeled a prodigy, landing a major record deal in his mid-teens before eventually becoming one of the modern era’s greatest blues guitarists.
“My brother was a powerhouse blues player,” says Gales, who – as we can see, because we’re on Zoom with him – has a framed poster of his Grammy-nominated 2022 album, Crown, on the wall behind him.
“Manuel was a big part of the recipe that made me who I am. I want the world to discover his music and learn things they may not have known. I’ve been thinking about doing this for quite some time. This is a homage to a badass left-handed, upside-down player who did his own thing."
Manuel got you started on guitar. What did you learn from him?
“He was all about power. He took that from Albert King, who was a strong player. There was a rigor and intensity to what Albert chose to play. It was always very intentional. Every push and bend meant something and had some pain or emotion behind it. That’s something I learned from both of them.
“It’s prominent in certain riffs and licks I do, with touches that are very purposeful. When I go in, I go all in. There’s no second-guessing with a six-note bend. Once you commit to something like that, you commit. You are going in raw with all that power. He wasn’t one to delve into a lot of effects. He would turn his amp up, maybe there was a bit of [Dunlop] Cry Baby, and that was it.”
You’re similar in that sense.
“I have a couple of devices here and there, but they aren’t a necessity. I look at effects as a comfort zone. They’re on the pedalboard, but whether I use them depends on how I’m feeling. My brother was a raw guitar-and-amp dude. In situations where your pedalboard doesn’t make the plane and all you’ve got is your guitar and amp, the show needs to go on. You should be able to plug in and go for it.”
People knew about Little Jimmy King. He was a touring machine who did it the hard way through grind. If he wasn’t on the road, he was at B.B. King’s Blues Club
He made a pretty big name for himself as Little Jimmy King.
“He even had Double Trouble on a couple of his records. He had a relationship with Stevie Ray Vaughan, too. People knew about Little Jimmy King. He was a touring machine who did it the hard way through grind. If he wasn’t on the road, he was at B.B. King’s Blues Club on Beale Street every single weekend playing in the house band.
“But it didn’t come easy to him. It kinda came easy to me, with the record deal at 15, tour bus and all that stuff. It came a little harder for him, and I saw that struggle. It gave me a glimpse of the real grind it takes to make a name for yourself to beat the pavement like that. He’d be in places that were far from pristine, but every night he’d play his heart out. That stuck with me.”
Given the connection between Buddy Guy and your brother, it’s great to hear Buddy guesting on Somebody.
“It was important for him to be part of this record because of that. Buddy may be a big blues legend, but he was all in when it came to paying tribute. The same goes for Kingfish, who has often said my brother was a big inspiration to him. I was quite methodical in who I chose to involve with this record.
“We got MonoNeon to play bass. Of course, Joe Bonamassa knows about my brother. Josh Smith is a big fan too; we’d talk about Manuel all the time, referencing songs like Soldier for the Blues, Baby, Baby and Shouldn’t Have Left Me. Those conversations actually influenced the songs I picked.”
Hearing you, Joe and Josh go head-to-head on It Takes a Whole Lot of Money feels like one of the big guitar moments on this release.
“We all sat back and played our asses off. We did it for the culture and the whole blues world. That was really fun. People have been wondering if there’s another I Want My Crown [his 2021 single] on the way with more epic battles between me and Joe.
“As long as we are both playing, there’s always a chance for it, but I think we gave it a nod on that track. There’s another track with Joe called Don’t Wanna Go Home. It has a rock feel. Joe takes the middle solo and I do the outro solo. We did a tag-team one-two punch, nothing too competitive or outrageous. It came out great.”
What did you use for the sessions?
“I had my signature Magneto guitars. For a solo or two, I used the same Les Paul that Joe left in the room. I forget what year it was, but it was old as shit. It was an old-ass Goldtop, maybe a 1954 or something like that. We used my DV Mark amps and blended a little bit of Dumble in there.
“As for my pedalboard, nothing has been added or taken away for a while – it’s the same Custom Audio Electronics wah, Mojo Hand Colossus Fuzz, the MXR Raw Dawg overdrive, a Tech 21 Boost DLA and a DigiTech Whammy. I used a PRS parlor acoustic on Somebody.
“I really like how they sound because they give me that old Robert Johnson small-Gibson acoustic vibe. I really like those PRS acoustics; even though they’re small guitars, they sound nice, full and thick.”
Does a Les Paul change how you play?
“Sometimes. It puts me in more of a rock zone. There’s a guitar that was gifted to me by Nik Killa from Killa Guitars that’s a brown replica of a Gibson Explorer. He made it and brought it to a show. I’ve been playing that thing a lot and like the hell out of it. I would actually say I’ve been playing it more than my Magneto recently.
“I also have an SG that I occasionally pull out. It’s not like I said I wouldn’t play humbuckers, I’m just more prone to the spanky single-coil tones. At home, I’ll play whatever. I’ve got PRS guitars and all kinds of things I’m not seen with that often.”
You’ve also been playing guitars made by Eric Gale at Freestyle Custom Guitars.
“He’s an amazing luthier, and it’s pretty crazy we’ve almost got the same name. He made me a couple of guitars; one is called Crown and the other is Model Two. He’s a badass builder using amazing materials. I take those guitars out with me along with the Magnetos.”
You recently worked with Maricela “MJ” Juarez on launching your own set of Seymour Duncan pickups. What kind of sound were you going for?
“The sound I’ve always liked, something fat and spanky. MJ did the rest. We put my name on them and there we go. I told her what I was looking for and she totally got it. I wasn’t thinking of vintage tones or anything. I might have mentioned Texas Specials or Jason Lollars – things in that vein.”
Do you have any other signature gear coming out in the near future?
“I’m not allowed to unveil anything yet. I think it’s going to raise some eyebrows, though. I probably should keep this one to myself, but it’s a good thing. It’s a company everyone knows. I can tell you it’s not Fender and it’s not Gibson. People are going to be shocked.” [Editor's note: since Gales spoke to GW, he has signed up as a Kiesel artist.]
I’m proud of my involvement with the Sinners soundtrack. I’d like to get more involved in things like that, even orchestral stuff that’s beyond just making records and touring
How do you keep improving, and what would you like to get better at?
“I’m proud of my involvement with the Sinners soundtrack. I’d like to get more involved in things like that, even orchestral stuff that’s beyond just making records and touring. It’s a different side of the industry, and the same goes for producing. I have colleagues on much bigger playing fields than me, selling out huge places.
“I’d be lying if I didn’t say I want that as well. I don’t know what separates them from me. I don’t think it’s skill. I’m not really doing anything too different. I just want to continue doing what I’m doing but on a much bigger scale. Fill more seats, bring more people out and let them know this is what I was born to do. When the world catches on, I’m ready.”
- A Tribute to LJK is out now via Provogue
- This article first appeared in Guitar World. Subscribe and save.
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