Mark Morton is grinning at the superabundance of Les Pauls and ES-335s hanging on the four walls around him. It’s his first time visiting London’s Gibson Garage and, perhaps unsurprisingly, he likes what he sees.
Fans were caught off-guard when the founding Lamb Of God member switched from Jackson to Gibson back in 2022, a move which rang the death knell for his Dominion signature line.
More recently he’s been stealing headlines with his growing collection of highly collectible vintage specimens from his new endorser’s golden age. So let’s cut to the chase – what’s his favorite guitar in the building?
“Believe it or not, I was just playing a Cat Stevens acoustic in the back room,” he grins. “Somebody gave it to me saying it was one of their favorite acoustics. I took their word for it and they were right... it’s really nice.”
You could say the man’s choice of instrument is very fitting given the context of our meeting. Though there is a new Lamb Of God album in the works, Morton is on a promotional tour for his second solo album, Without The Pain.
As with its predecessor, the material eschews much of his usual sonic ferocity for breezy blues and countrified ballads that celebrate his most melodic influences. “Oh, this stuff is infinitely different,” he agrees. “It’s a whole other genre.
“Lamb Of God is a very heavy band that’s percussive and rhythmic. It’s all note-dense and groove-oriented. We aren’t the most acrobatic guitar band around, but there are some fireworks going on. There’s not a lot of melody, just a little – some in the vocals, more in the guitars.
“My solo records are a lot more traditional in terms of songwriting. There’s more space in the music and more focus on melody. With me, it’s Southern rock versus thrash metal; but never a blend of the two, because they’re different musical lanes.”
So how does your rig differ? Is it the same kind of guitars and amps with less gain or more like a complete rethink?
“It’s mainly different. I’m still playing Les Pauls because they’ve always been comfortable. For the solo stuff, less gain is better. Most of the rhythm tracks were done with a 2018 Custom Shop R9, which is a great guitar. I’ve had a quite a few good 2018s. They were doing something there – must’ve been a special year.
“I also used a Custom Shop 1963 ES-335 replica. And then for some of the overdubs and solos I used a real ES-335 from 1963... not that the other one isn’t real! There was also a 1957 Les Paul Junior belonging to a friend of mine which came in handy.”
There were country flavors on your solo debut, but this album seems to delve deep on that influence. Which players made the most impact on you?
“It’s hard to say if any of this is straight country, but I did write songs with some country artists like Travis Denning. Cody Jinks sang on the lead single, Brother. He’s a bit of an independent country artist.
“There’s a lot of Southern rock and blues going on with this record, too. It’s a blend of all those things. When I think of my favorite country artists, Waylon Jennings always comes to mind. He was the original outlaw badass. There was a lot of myth and legend around him, but it mainly came down to writing great songs.
Hell & Back has that ZZ Top kind of snake boogie.
“It really does. Billy Gibbons is one of my favorite players of all-time. There’s a Just Got Paid vibe to this song. The groove is undeniable, so I don’t mind referencing Billy one bit.”
Let’s talk about the guest stars. Grace Bowers is a big deal in the guitar world right now…
“Her whole thing is so exciting. We’ve all seen her blow up into this guitar hero. I was going to be in Nashville and I knew she was based there, so I kinda threw it out there, saying, ‘Hey, I’m tracking this thing with Cody and I have some room on this other song – do you want to jump on a solo with me?’ And she said yes.
Heavy metal was invented by Black Sabbath; and if you ask me, they’re just a heavy blues band
Troy Sanders, Jared James Nichols and you make a very interesting partnership on Nocturnal Sun.
“Yeah, I guess you could call that song a bit of a mashup! It’s country, metal and blues. It’s easily the heaviest song on the record. We had a lot of fun making it. Calling Troy was easy; we’ve been friends for a long time.”
Jason Isbell guests on Come December. Like you, he’s a serious vintage guitar collector.
“Yeah, that guy has quite the stable. I don’t know if I needed help exploring the country sound, but it was great to bring people in. This is stuff I listen to – I didn’t go through some crash course on country to learn what it’s all about. Making records like this is like coming home.
“That’s not to take anything away from Lamb Of God, but this kind of music is where my personal tastes have been all along. When I did the debut, I was a bit more rigid and maybe a bit more controlling through the process. This time, I went in open-minded with some ideas, outlines and sketches. I wanted the guests to give me their feedback and insight.”
There are so many amazing Lynyrd Skynyrd songs to cover. What made you choose The Needle And The Spoon?
“It’s been one of my favorite Skynyrd songs since I was a kid. I think it does everything I want a Southern rock song to do. The cornerstone is that great intro riff. All of their performances were incredible. Plus the subject matter is pretty dark.”
You’ve been sober for just over six years. How does the music you’re creating now reflect those lifestyle changes?
“I’m not a spokesperson for sobriety or anything like that. It’s just how I live my life. What I can say from my own experience is that once I got used to living with clarity, I found myself more present and available to ideas.”
You’ve always had a big element of blues to your leads and riffs, which naturally stems from influences like ZZ Top and Pantera. But what’s the secret to a good blues solo?
“I don’t know if I know! I guess blues should make you feel something. Whether it’s a solo or anything else, the secret should be making people feel an emotion. You mentioned Dime; of course, he’s in there. I also have a big Eddie Van Halen influence. The same goes for Eric Clapton. It all channels back to the blues. Heavy metal was invented by Black Sabbath; and if you ask me, they’re just a heavy blues band.”
What would you say is the greatest blues solo of all-time?
“My favorite is the solo from Sometimes Salvation by The Black Crowes. Marc Ford, who plays on it, is an amazing guitarist. I got to work with him when he jammed on my debut.
“If you don’t know the solo, it’s edgy and anxious – you can sense the tension, and he resolves it at the end. It’s a powerful moment, even if it’s not perfectly played and actually feels like it’s all going to fall apart. Every time I hear it I think ‘Wow, a moment got captured!’”
The value of these guitars can be crazy. You almost get scared to play them and can’t knock them around like you want to
There’s been a lot of excitement over a potential new Gibson signature. I quite like the look of that quilt-top Les Paul you shared from Montreal last year...
“Basically, I got a package from Nashville, found that thing inside and thought, ‘I better take this thing on tour!’ Wouldn’t it be cool if a Mark Morton signature was going to come out?”
It definitely sounds like wheels are in motion. If I was Gibson CEO Cesar Gueikian and we were kitting out your new guitar, what kind of pickups would you stick on – the Seymour Duncan '59s from your old signature or something different?
“I was using those Seymours for a long time. I also had some DiMarzios for a bit. My dream guitar would have some kind of hotrod pickup, because I play in Lamb Of God, right? I need a lot of output; there has to be a certain response for tight riffing. It needs to open up quite bright for all my lead work. Gibson have winding some wild pickups over the years…”
We’ve spent a lot of time nerding out on guitars over the years, texting photos of our latest purchases. How is the vintage collection coming along – have there been any additions since our last chat?
“There’s been a lot of geeking out! I’ve actually slowed down a bit. There was a minute where I got the disease, man. I was on Reverb and all the vintage sites, learning about serial numbers and why certain guitars didn’t have specific knobs until whatever year.
“As for latest acquisitions, there’s the 1963 ES-335 that ended up on the record. I’ve got a 1964 SG Junior with one pickup. That neck profile is perfect. The 1963 I have is similar – it’s a slightly wider neck they were making during those years, and for my hands it’s perfect. It’s more comfortable than a ’58 or early ’59, but still quite a handful, especially compared to stuff from the early 60s.
“That Junior gets played all the time. It stays in the kitchen, so I make my coffee in the morning and pick it up.”
Which is the most valuable guitar in the collection?
“I sold the most expensive one – a 1960 three pickup Custom – just a few months ago. It came down to the price tag. The value of these things can be crazy; you almost get scared to play them and can’t knock them around like you might want to. I’m sure I’ll probably buy more dazzling vintage models.
“That 1963 335 is special. I’ve got a 1957 TV Yellow Junior that’s cool. But those big collectible models can get crazy. I think I’m too much of a klutz to have a six-figure guitar lying around. It’s a lot of money and responsibility, and then you have to think about insurance policies. Terrible problems, right?!”
That’s the measure – am I playing this guitar enough? I keep the ones I find myself playing the most
What’s the guitar you’ve been looking for but have never found?
“The Internet has ruined the hunt – there’s not much you can’t find. Clicking around on a screen doesn’t have the same romance as going to shops or yard sales to find some old ’58 Standard that somebody’s grandma put under the bed or whatever. Things like that don’t happen anymore, though you do get some great dealers who bring the story along with the guitar.
“I did recently get a 1969 Custom that I’m playing a lot. That’s the other measure – am I playing this guitar enough? I keep the ones I find myself playing the most.”
But some guitars can be too precious.
“Exactly. That’s why I sold that 1960 Black Beauty, even though it was an awesome guitar. Everybody wants a 59, but I don’t need one. I’ve played a bunch and don’t want to spend that kind of money.
“You can get great guitars at reasonable prices these days. I’m not trying to be a salesperson for Gibson, but my advice is get the instrument that makes sense for you. Try out rare guitars in the vintage shop... and then put them back on the shelf!”
- Without The Pain is on sale now.
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