“Maybe I’m playing into the hate I get from how cold the hyper-modern stuff can be – but I will do a 180 at some point and make people cry”: Guitar heroes are hailing him as shred’s next big thing – but Spiro is already planning a blues left-turn
Touted as the guitar world's next big disruptor by Tim Henson, Misha Mansoor and Tosin Abasi, Spiro Dussias reveals his next project and why he hopes to record a blues album before he turns 30
Spiro Dussias may be touted as shred guitar's next big thing – and tipped to be one of the guitar world's biggest disruptors by heavyweights such as Tim Henson and Tosin Abasi.
However, Dussias admits that he's secretly – or not so secretly – a “classic-guitar nerd,” and even has his heart set on releasing a blues album.
“I jam to Joe Bonamassa, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and John Mayer all day long, going into a Plexi-style thing,” he discloses in the latest issue of Guitar World.
“It sounds like I’m joking, but there’s definitely a blues album in me, and it’ll come out before I turn 30. I might be doing hyper-modern stuff – maybe I’m playing into the hate I get from how cold it can be – but I will do a 180 at some point and make people cry with a version of Stormy Monday.”
Dussias is quick to note the division between more traditional guitar players and those committed to challenging the very boundaries of the instrument.
“There’s this whole narrative where you are either real-as-fuck and old-school or hyper-produced,” he observes. “I’m trying to push the envelope in both respects.”
As for what we can expect next, the virtuoso reveals that he's well into the process of launching his own “project” – and is knee-deep in studio sessions for what we assume to be a brand-new band.
All the latest guitar news, interviews, lessons, reviews, deals and more, direct to your inbox!
“Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to be in my own band. I’ve also been in the studio with Polyphia, working on their next record, but my dream is to tour my own music and get this band off the ground.”
At Guitar Summit last month, Misha Mansoor joined Henson and Abasi in showering praise on Dussias, even going as far as to call his playing “alien stuff.”
For more from Spiro, plus new interviews with Henson and Jim Root, pick up issue 598 of Guitar World from Magazines Direct.
Janelle is a staff writer at GuitarWorld.com. After a long stint in classical music, Janelle discovered the joys of playing guitar in dingy venues at the age of 13 and has never looked back. Janelle has written extensively about the intersection of music and technology, and how this is shaping the future of the music industry. She also had the pleasure of interviewing Dream Wife, K.Flay, Yīn Yīn, and Black Honey, among others. When she's not writing, you'll find her creating layers of delicious audio lasagna with her art-rock/psych-punk band ĠENN.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

