
Clay Marshall
When he isn’t working his day job at a music merchandise company or riding rollercoasters with his son, Clay likes trying to convince people to let him write about rock ’n’ roll. He’s interviewed Gene and Paul for Billboard, Lars and Kirk for Metal Hammer and Slash for the L.A. Times, and for a Classic Rock feature in 2016, he even spent four days in a band with Tracii Guns. His first GW clip was a retrospective on Criss Oliva of Savatage, a band whose earMUSIC catalog reissues feature liner notes he authored. He considers himself a Les Paul guy.
Latest articles by Clay Marshall

When Joe Satriani volunteered to help Dethklok mastermind Brendon Small with his home recording
By Clay Marshall published
Small's appearance in the new SatchVai music video isn't his first collaboration with the two virtuosos. They cropped up on his cult animated TV series, Metalocalypse, and have since become mentors

Alex Skolnick on Criss Oliva's favorite guitar, “the Gargoyle” – the ESP Superstrat he likens to Billy Gibbons’ Pearly Gates Les Paul Standard
By Clay Marshall published
Skolnick got up close and personal with this one-of-one Mirage when he stepped up to replace the late Oliva in Savatage. Like the ZZ Top man's Burst, it has a tone that's all its own

When Alex Skolnick quit Testament and was recruited to replace the late Criss Oliva in Tampa metallers Savatage
By Clay Marshall published
In 1994, following the death of the brilliant Criss Oliva, reeling Tampa metallers Savatage enlisted then-ex-Testament man Alex Skolnick. The experience left a lasting impression on both

“The emotion of Clapton, the feel of Joe Perry, and the dexterity of Eddie Van Halen”: Criss Oliva was one of heavy music’s most electrifying guitar players – and then a drunk driver took his life
By Clay Marshall published
We look at the career, technique and melodic approach of one of electric guitar’s largely forgotten masters: Savatage's Criss Oliva
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