Lazer/Wulf-The Beast of Left and Right

Groovy and poignant, Lazer/Wulf are not a band to be messed with, in fact, they will mess with you first, smoke your weed and smash in your face. These guys are a pretty much entirely instrumental trio, but they have been known to on occasion bring in a few interesting vocal lines to spice things up. So where does this leave us? Simply with a band who seem set to take over the world with chunky grooves and incredible skill. These guys bring everything together on The Beast of Left and Right with a wonderful 'jam band' type feel, true ascension for all you rock and rollers.

One of the most interesting aspects of The Beast of Left and Right is that it is written palindromically, which means that, for example, the first track on the record uses the same progressions and rhythms as on the last, but they are in different keys. This helps to make something really interesting and exciting, it feels very much like a whole. As if you are finding some sort of glorious heavy metal redemption in the vaguely jazzy, strangely thrashy approach of a band who seem dedicated to busting every possible genre barrier. These guys craft very weird and intricate soundscapes that are surprisingly addictive. Once you spin this record you're going to want to listen again and again.

Lazer/Wulf are exciting and intricate, possibly the most exciting and intricate band to come up in years. These guys don't follow rules, in fact, they seem to be taking rules apart, and then piecing them back together however they see fit. These guys are insanely talented musicians and their skill is almost unmatched by anyone else on the scene today. So open up your heart and let Lazer/Wulf open up your skull, this is instrumental metal madness that could appeal to the masses, driving people insane with walls of sound and earth shattering wails.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/lazerwulves

Interview with Guthrie Govan of The Aristocrats!

So last night I had the tremendous honor of interviewing one of my favorite guitarists of all time, Guthrie Govan. In our twenty minute interview we talked about his life, his band, music and more. If you're not already familiar with the magic of Govan and The Aristocrats be sure to find them on Facebook!

Guthrie Govan's Facebook

The Aristocrats Facebook!

Enjoy the interview, I'd love to read your comments!

So how has the tour been going so far?

It's been going really well. It's been tiring, perhaps particularly for me. I spent most of December in Indonesia and then flew back to the UK for a few days and then flew to the US and did the first leg of this Aristocrat tour over there and then flew back to Europe. I'm still trying to figure out what time zone I'm in. In every other respect it's been going great. The turn out has been really encouraging.

What kind of beer have you been drinking?

Whatever they've been giving me. I had a scare a couple of nights ago when I saw Bud in the fridge and I thought they were going to try to make me drink that. I refuse on principle to drink Budweiser, or Michelob, or Miller, or Coors, or anything that ends with the word 'Light'. But I've generally found something acceptable.

So what's the best tour beer?

It depends where you are. I think the trick is to go with whatever is local. Certainly in Germany you don't ask any questions. You just say, 'What do you brew here? Give me that' and it works. In the US you ask for an IPA I think that's the thing they do well.

So what does the setlist look like for tonight?

Quite a lot of the new album and some old favorites from the first album. We've pretty much eliminated the need use stuff from our individual back catalogs. There might be one at the end of the set if everyone shouts loud enough. It feels like progress that we have enough Aristocratic material that we have to choose what to play.

Now that you've been together for a couple of years, how do you think you're developing as a live act?

Natural and organically I guess. We knew from the first time we played together and were flung together in a very hectic jam like situation. We all knew that we had something, an unusual chemistry and communicated very naturally. We knew we wanted to be a band because we had experienced something onstage that normally you would need to rehearse a lot more than we did. Fine tuning that... we know we have this chemistry, but what can we do with it. We're seeing more what we can do as writers. For the second album I certainly had a more specific idea of what kind of musicians I was writing for and what kind of music they would enjoy playing. What kind of scenarios would allow them to have fun and do their thing.

So The Aristocrats as a band are getting a more distinct sound?

I think so, we're just feeding each other. The helpful thing is that as a starting point we're all pretty much the same age and grew up listening to the same stuff. It's sort of like we went to school together.

There's a lot of elements on Culture Clash that come across very differently from the first record. What kind of new influences did you have?

There was nothing intentional in terms of influences. We all wanted to keep things varied and make sure we didn't repeat ourselves. The biggest changes would be, in Marco's case deciding he would have fewer crazy time signatures and less of the brain punishing stuff. He was more concerned with just finding a good solid groove and finding something that felt right. It's almost simpler and more focused on the nuances of groove. We also suspended our rule from the first album that their should be no overdubs. There are a few tracks on there where if we thought it needed some spicing up we would do it. The only thing we had to check was 'Does this sound complete as a trio'. Whatever we do it has to translate well live and so we make sure the arrangement is solid as a trio, and make it prettier if need be. The bass solo section in I Don't Know is the most expensive part of the album, there are a lot of overdubs in that part.

Since the bands inception in 2011, you've put out some sort of major release every year, will there be another major release this year and will that trend continue?

We want to keep as close to that as possible. We're all pretty busy doing a lot of other things. We have to make allowances for what our calendars will allow. We definitely have a determination to keep this going. From the start we knew this was not going to be one of those fusion projects where you have a bunch of surnames and you do one album and that's it. This has to be a band, we want it to grow, we want it to have an identity. We want to have a band name (Laughs). All these little things make us feel like our strange little version of Zeppelin or something. Hopefully people can see this thing grow.

You played on the new Steven Wilson record, did the ideas on that album and Culture Clash intertwine ever?

I would say no. Certainly from my part they are completely opposite aspects of me as a musician. In this band I can play anything I want fairly safe in the knowledge that it's not going to offend the other guys in the band because we're so very much on the same page. We're all playing for exactly the same reasons. In Steven's band there's a boss, there's this genius who writes music and has a specific idea of what he wants to hear. Though I have some freedom in that band to an extent I have to keep the session player hat on. It's not all about me blinding people with guitar pyrotechnics. It's about listening to Steven's vision and seeing if I could do that. It's nice to make someone happy. If someone can hear something in their head by can't do it themselves it's nice to make that a reality, that's rewarding. It's great to be a part of the Raven album because I would have bought it even if I hadn't played on it.

It almost feels like after years of obscurity, you're starting to get a very real recognition. How does it feel to be a rising star halfway through your career?

It's nice that more people are listening. I don't want to pinpoint certain events that helped me to reach more people. Probably the biggest thing would be Youtube. I think people cared more about that than they did about me playing with Asia and Asia is a band that sold 12 million albums! But I think touring the world and playing those songs didn't really have any impact on the guitar community for me personally. Then I made my solo album and it was this kind of best kept secret that a lot of people knew about it but the guitar community at large didn't really talk about. Then Youtube happened and it was probably those JamTrack type solos, maybe because it was free or maybe because people like to watch stuff as well as listen to it. Something weird happened there and suddenly there was footage of me playing blues too fast over a MIDI backing track and it would get 2 million hits, I don't know why, I'm not questioning it, whatever works!

I have this kind of love hate relationship with Youtube. I respect it as a marketing tool and know it can do ridiculously effective things. On the other hand it makes me uneasy when I'm trying to play something live and all I see in the front row is a sea of camera phones. What I want to say to those guys is “If you stop filming and just enjoy the moment the music will change. It will sound better because the people on stage won't be uptight and can relax more and do what feels right in the moment”.

A lot of people see a contradiction there. “Why do you hate bootleggers so much when Youtube helped to propel your career”. It's because I respect Youtube so much that I want the best stuff on there.

Talking about your solo record, I've heard rumors that there will be a sequel, so are those rumors true, and if so can we get an update?

The rumors are true, but any rumor you hear that has a specific date is a pack of lies. When it's ready it will come out. I'm not rushing it. I don't feel the pressure to release a solo album ever x number of years. When I have time to invest making music in the same spirit as the first one I will. But it has to better and it has to be different in some way and when I'm happy with it I'll unleash it and hope that other people are happy with it. Right now with the stuff I'm doing with Steven Wilson and with this band there is just no time in the year. This is coupled with the fact that I love being a guy in a band it's nice to be in this trio. Everyone brings their own following, it's not just guitar players with binoculars in the front row. I like the idea that everyone in this band is an equal member and has something to say. Sometimes that feels more like the reason music was invented rather than being on a big podium and saying “Hey, check me out, by the way here's the little band behind me.” I'm more comfortable being a team player.

I remember on the first record there were 9 tracks with each member writing three, was it the same deal with this one?

Yes. Everything is completely democratic in this band.

How many hours a day were you practicing in high school?

I never counted them. I never called it practice. I was a stubborn kind of youngster, if you told me what I was doing was practicing, that makes it sound like work and that would have made me not want to do it. I just played all the time. I never really had a routine with a metronome. I would just put on records and jam along or just try and play whatever I heard in my head. I really don't remember when I started. They tell me I was three. To me it's like speaking English. I hope that doesn't sound smug it's not meant to. It's just that's what happened with my life. I still don't know the rules of football and I can't ride a bike, but I've always found it natural to pick up a guitar and kind of speak with it. When you have that relationship with the instrument it just feels good to spend time with the thing. In high school I certainly fell asleep with the guitar and woke up and went “Woah, I'm still playing”

What do you think would define your guitar playing?

I wouldn't know what to say. I'm probably the wrong person to ask. I've had this in Japanese interviews and really I believe that there are two kinds of music. Good music and bad music. I believe that when a player writes or improvises is a product of everything they've ever heard. You are what you eat musically. I've always listened to a lot of different music from different decades and different genres and instruments because I like all of it. Whatever I do now is some weird blend of all that and I don't feel any pressure to give it a name and say this is 'neo-something'. It's just stuff I want to hear. All I'm really trying to do is reach out to people who want to hear the same things and if we can connect on that level I'll hopefully never have to find a name for it.

If I can just add some of my favorite guitar players have elements of that as well. People like Eric Johnson obviously didn't spend their whole lives working on one thing. With Eric Johnson you hear so many interviews from Clapton to Mlcaughlin to Hendrix. It's all in their and he still sounds like Eric. Even Stevie Ray Vaughn who made a huge impact and shocked a lot of people, you can still hear his musical ancestry. You've got Albert King and Jimi Hendrix but you've also got Kenny Burrel, so he would play Hammond organ licks and stuff like that. So I guess he never really cared about what style it was he would just steal whatever heliked and reform it and deliver it with his personal tone.

What would be your advice to young musicians?

Ask yourself why you're doing this and what you expect to get in return for all the time you spend in music. I think if you know that all the other questions will disappear. I can't tell people how many hours to practice because everyone has different goals. Some people enjoy the computer game aspect of 'I've learned this scale, let's see how fast I can play it' as a kind of hobby or sport and there's nothing wrong with that. There's some people who just wanted to learn a Clapton or Slash lick and be able to play iti in their amp on the weekend in their bedroom and if it sounds a bit like the record they're happy. Then there are people who completely driven. Of the completely driven people you have guys who want to be session players and guys where all they've ever done is write their own music and play that. Guys like Mathias Ecklundh. As far as I know his whole relationship with music has always been; write a song then learn how to play it. There is no correct road to enlightenment.

Finish this sentence for me “I've never told this story before and probably shouldn't but...”

A man and his family walk into a talent agency, and now I should stop.

What do you love so much about music?

I've never questioned it, the same stuff that I love about reading or breathing air. Once you've tasted the experience you can't live without it. I can't imagine ever having a life without music.

Final words of wisdom?

If you seek wisdom you have come to the wrong place. (Laughs) To borrow a Socrates quote from the Bill and Ted film, the only true knowledge is that you know nothing. 

Levi Clay's Easy Blues Fusion Guitar

I'll admit, it's been a while since I seriously watched an instructional DVD. I have dark and nebulous melodies as a beginner guitarist, trying to figured out how to play, and becoming frustrated by, 'Easy guitar' DVD's. Four years and thousands of practice hours later, I have to say I think Levi Clay's new DVD Easy Blues Fusion Guitar has won me back to the world of guitar DVD's. From the stellar company that is Lick Library (Producers of iGuitar magazine and countless instructional videos) Clay is coming at you with a DVD that could very well revolutionize your blues playing.

One of the things that makes this DVD especially appealing for me is the easy going way in which Clay presents the material. It is clear that he is an experienced guitar teacher. As he goes through each example he provides a lot of good ideas on how to handle the material and suggests different fingerings. I especially like how every lick is played at at least two different speeds, sometimes more depending on the difficulty of the phrase in question. The overall presentation of each lick is also rather uniform, making it easy to watch and master just one lick.

A key aspect of this whole video is the little gems of theoretical knowledge that will definitely help a beginner blues guitarist. In the introduction of the video Clay does an especially good job of explaining how to mix the Mixolydian mode, arpeggio, and minor pentatonic scale to maximum effect. Furthermore, he does a great job of explaining how guide tones work and how to target them. In fact, there is an especially large focus on reaching the third in licks, and for good reason. This kind of well explained and wonderfully placed theoretical tidbit helps to make this DVD even more useful than it already is.

So how do you best use Easy Blues Fusion Guitar anyway? Well, frankly there are months worth of ideas to practice in here. Not only are some of the licks very tricky, but many present ideas that could easily be fused into new licks. While the main focus is on jazz/blues fusion, blues is also fused here with country and occasionally rock. This gives you ideas that are applicable in a variety of genres, making for even more work. A detailed study of this DVD would entail not just multiple viewings of each lick, but a careful annotation of the (very well presented) tab book. I get the sense, it would be very, very rewarding.

If you want a DVD that will give you all sorts of new ideas for you blues playing and help you bring your understanding of theory to a new level, this may very well be perfect for you. Designed with practicality in mind, there is not a wasted minute. Clay knows how to teach and has created something that is easy to understand and very practical. From the excellent and clear tab booklet found on the disc to the thorough and easy to understand explanations I have no real complaints. If you want to revolutionize, or merely advance your approach to blues music, then get this DVD as soon as you can!

Buy it here: https://www.licklibrary.com/store/levi-clay/54945/easy-blues-fusion-guitar-dvd

Static Method

Static Method is a very unique metal band from France. Their combination of Fusion, Nu Metal and Alternative rock is strange, powerful and somehow very natural seeming. The ebbs and flows of their music are a lot of fun to listen to and showcase the might of the band. Their music is anything but typical and features twists and turns that you might not otherwise here in heavy music. The thing is, this band is rarely every 'heavy' instead they just revel in having the occasional blast of distortion through the facade of fusion tinged alt rock. The end result of this is actually really cool and strangely addictive. The music feels primal in a way, like it is an extension upon the players souls, this is perhaps most apparent in their track Trumble with its interesting use of dynamics and generally atypical songwriting. In short, these guys are definitely different and seem like the kind of thing which would be a bit mind boggling live, which is why I'm thrilled to be able to check them out next Saturday night!

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Static-Method/279998312041321?id=279998312041321&sk=app_2405167945

Vendetta V

A mysterious shred act from 'a creep' who lives in 'The Factory' in Armenia Vendetta V is a wonderful guitar centric shred act who could be described as a fusion of Joe Satriani with Pink Floyd for an end result that is dreamy and magical, something that seems to defy normal human comprehension. With tons of wah pedal licks and strangely vibrant compositions Vendetta V will drown you in waves of reverb soaked guitar sound, a sound that is majestic and could become huge among the virtuoso guitarist community. I particularly like the production on this record, it is definitely a cut above most one man projects and lots of interesting effects are used to give the music more flavor. Shockingly profilic, Vendetta V only started making albums last year and he has already put out four, the most recent one Returning and Siamese Twins came out a mere 5 days ago! In short, if you're looking for some excellent work from a virtuoso fusion guitarist then Vendetta V is the musician for you!

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/Vcreep

Wild Lettuce

Wild Lettuce are a fresh and innovative world fusion duo who understand how to make interesting and jazzy compositions that appeal to the common man. The sheer skill and innovative nature of this band is perhaps best seen in their excellent cover of The Rolling Stones Paint It Black which simply takes the song to a whole new world of acoustic jazz fusion. They have a vaguelh hypnotic wah inspired soudn at times that really gives the band a strange and ethereal quality. It makes them unique to say the least, and definitely unique in a good way. I also love the dreamy jazzy solos found on many of their songs. It gives the music an otherworldly quality and allows the listener to get absorbed into their layers of sound. Clearly talented musicians, Wild Lettuce are a lot of fun to listen too and they have a very accessible sound that suggests they could become huge in the near future.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/Wildlettucemusic

Joan Torres

Joan Torres is a powerful jazz fusion artist whose music can best be described as beautifully dynamic yet ambient jazz that will appeal to both the prog fans and the jazz guys. The melodies are beautiful and there are tons of great solos. His new record All is Fused is a fusion epic showing off 4 stellar musicians flashing their best abilities. The songwriting is wonderful and features a generally prog feel to it. I've always enjoyed this genre of more dynamic and flashy jazz. Metalheads could view this band as an acoustic version of T.R.A.M or something to listen to after having heard Mestis's debut record too many times. Their is just a lot of solid musicianship going on here that grooves nicely and will appeal to most fans of jazz, fusion and prog. With beautiful interwoven harmonies, striking rhythms and fabulous song structures Joan Torres' music will appeal to many and I could easily see these guys getting big within a few years!

https://www.facebook.com/joantorresmusic

Interview with Bryan Beller of the Aristocrats!

So I recently had the HUGE honor of Bryan Beller answering some questions for me. Some of you might remember his band the Aristocrats from the Review I wrote back in February. Aside from that, you might now Bryan as the bassist in Dethklok.

In this interview Bryan talks about the band and more. In particular he talks about some pretty cool upcoming stuff and we find out a lot about him. So check it out!

Can you introduce the Aristocrats?

The Aristocrats are a rock/fusion power trio consisting of Guthrie Govan on guitar, Marco Minnemann and drums, and myself on bass. We're all songwriters and we all contribute equally to the material we play. We do play a lot of notes but we really appreciatesongs, and we have a lot of fun playing together, especially live.

Who are the big influences on the Aristocrats, and also on your personally?
We all have so many different influences it's hard to summarize them. I love everything from John Scofield to Pink Floyd to Rage Against The Machine. Marco digs The Police, Frank Zappa, and a lot of '80s pop, actually. Guthrie has studied a lot of amazing guitarists, but also has some really obscure influences I'm not sure I even know. We all dig Frank Zappa a lot, which helps the humor aspect of what we do, as well as the improvisational aspect as well.

How do you feel about your first tour?
Our first tour was actually in Japan and Korea, last summer. We discovered right away that we travel easily together as well as play easily together. That matters a lot when you travel as much as we do! We're fortunate that we have the right chemistry for these things.

How do you feel about the upcoming one?
We're all really looking forward to playing as a group for the first time in a variety of European countries. We are a multinational band, with Guthrie from the UK, Marco from Germany, and me from the USA, and we've all traveled a lot, so it's a great experience for us to go to these new places together.

Looking back how do you feel about the debut album?
It's kind of a miracle, really. We're all very proud of it, of course, and the reaction was great and we're grateful for that, bt when we were doing it we didn't know what to expect, especially from each other! We just wrote these songs and exchanged demos via e-mail, and then the next thing you know we're in the studio in Chicago making an album. It was the first time we'd been together since our very first gig, at NAMM in 2011. It could have all gone horribly wrong! I'm glad it didn't. :-)

Can we expect new Aristocrats material in the future? My friends at Petrucci Forum thought that a live album would be awesome!
We are indeed working on a live CD/DVD right now! The shows are already taped and I think they sound and look great. We hope to have it out this December. Meanwhile we are all writing material for a second Aristocrats studio album for 2013. Marco is a songwriting machine and has 3 songs written already. I have one that I just finished.

How do you feel about the future of the band?
Good! We're all much closer friends now than we were when this started, and we've been through a lot together in just 18 months. I think we'll make a lot more good music together in the future.

What is it that made you want to be in a band like the Aristocrats?
Honestly, it wasn't something I'd thought about until after the very first gig we played, which went incredibly well considering we had only one rehearsal. The response from the crowd was so overwhelming that I knew we had to do something. It wasn't like I was thinking about starting an instrumental power trio or anything. So this is just one of life's pleasant surprises. :-)

What do you love so much about music?
I like how it can move people in lots of different ways, depending on the particular listener. If you write a great piece of music, lots of people will see something in it they like, even if it's not the same thing. There is a great Walter Pater quote that says "All art constantly aspires towards the condition of music." I think that's both accurate and profound. 

Monks of Mellonwah

 

Monks of Mellonwah is a nifty alt rock band with a major funk influence. Their playing is very psychedelic and really interesting to listen too. They are a band that has a lot of layers to their sound. There are things that are always ready to be uncovered. I The guitar work on this album is multilayered and features both exotic arpeggios and heavier punk rock riffs. This is an interesting combination that really draws me deeper in to the music. Overall the compositions are very interesting from a guitar perspective. They show off some very mature songwriting for such a young band. The bass playing on this record is also rather interesting. It is especially heavy for a band that is overall very light. It adds a weird element in, that almost reminds me of the fusion group Trioscapes at times. It also helps on some very interesting build ups that are found in this bands music. The drumming is technically rather simple, but the overall implementation is very good. It is just a tribute to the excellent songwriting that these guys have. The singing on this record is really good. It has the classic pop rock feel to it and it really fits with a lot of the music. However there is also a classical layer in here, obviously the singer has had quite a bit of technical training. Meanwhile, the lyrics are also pretty fascinating. In conclusion Monks of Mellonwah is a really interesting band with a lot to say. I can't wait to hear what they come out with next!

https://www.facebook.com/monksofmellonwah

Elmo Karjalainen

Elmo Karjalainen is a killer prog guitarist from Finland. His playing is at once Petruccie-esque but also its own thing. He has a masterful control over his instrument and his playing is truly something to hear. He is a true virtuoso and will blow your mind to shreds. Needless to say the guitar playing on his work is simply stellar. Its a joy to listen too and very technical. The bass work is pretty heavy and the rhythms remind me quite a bit of those found in some heavier Dream Theater tracks. However it should be noted that the solos take a bit more of a fusion aspect. The drum work is pretty excellent too with some fun rhythms that keep the music going. While I would like to hear some more varied drum parts there is definitely some good stuff to be had here. Some of the older stuff that he plats shows better drum work and is very interesting to listen too. In conclusion, the instrumental guitar wizardry of Elmo Karjalainen is inspiring and his playing is something that you will not soon forget!

http://elmojk.com/listen

Interview With Chris Brooks

So recently I had the huge honor of having Chris Brooks answer a few questions for me on his new record The Axis of all Things. For those of you not familiar with his work, Chris is a killer rock/fusion guitarist who really shows a dominance of the guitar. Be sure to check out his facebook page which is located HERE.

Enjoy!

Chris, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your work?

I'm a guitarist based in Sydney Australia, and I work as an instrumental artist, working guitarist, and teacher. My solo stuff is a hybrid of rock instrumental rock and outside influences like funk, rock/fusion, acoustic, metal... depending on the vibe of the song.

Who are your big influences?

I grew up on a diet of melodic rock like Europe, Toto, and John Farnham and guitar heroes like Vinnie Moore, Brett Garsed, Kee Marcello, Frank Gambale, Allan Holdsworth, Richie Kotzen, George Benson, Paul Gilbert. They've all made their little mark along the way, some more so than others as my style evolves.

Who is your favorite guitarist, and why?

At the moment it's George Benson, but I've always got time for Garsed and Gambale. I like their unique voices and melodic choices.

How did you become so good at guitar? What motivated you to keep pushing?

Thank you. Constant dissatisfaction is probably the main reason! I mean, I enjoy each new plateau, but there's always a niggling sense of wanting to be better or overcome a new obstacle.

How many hours a day did you practice in high school?

Not so much in high school. I actually left school a month after I turned 16 to focus more on playing and at that time, things started to take off in terms of development.

What is your greatest advice to young shredders?

Not to feel like you need to play like someone else before you play like you. You don't need to master all that has come before you to do something refreshing musically. There's certainly a benefit to studying other players, but I just think it's better to listen to your own musical voice along the way. And sometimes, you gotta let go of the rat-race mentality of keeping up with others, and often that release will provide a new freedom in your playing.

Can you tell us a bit about the new record, The Axis of All Things?

It's really a diary of what I've become as a musician since my first solo album came out a decade ago. I've really come a long way in my phrasing, finger tone, song writing and I think it shows. The songs are real songs with lots of structure, but a sense of freedom that suits improvised solos and a jam quality that will hopefully come across well on stage. There are some funky moments, some real soulful solos, even some acoustic. I hope it's an album that people consider a "shred for grown-ups" sort of album. I didn't play a single note without purpose and the reviews I've had seem to really take note of that, which I'm very glad about.

Can we go through the new record track by track so you can give us a bit of a “behind the scenes” information on the influences and songwriting process that went into each song?

The Prelude?

A reworking of Charpentier's Prelude from Te Deum, a favorite melody of mine for many years. It sounds like a cool bombastic rock thing here though! People tell me it makes them want to salute something!

The eponymous Axis of All Things?

F# Mixolydian rocker. It's up tempo and has some fiery licks but it basically a happy tune I think!

Open Doors?

The open string fest. This is totally Joey Tafolla's bag with open string riffs and licks in practically every section of the song.

Not the Day, Nor the Hour?

Probably the proggiest thing on the album. I took an arpeggio idea from Scott Henderson and moved it around. The middle section has quite a few alternating time sigs from bar to bar.

Wisdom Road?

An acoustic piece I wrote as a kid, and I embellished it with some ambient electric melodies just below the surface.

Hammers Heart?

Kee Marcello's "show piece" when he was with Europe. I played with the structure and added my own vibe to it, and the response to my version has been amazing!

Feeding the Myth?

That drop D riffing has been floating around my head for years. I called it my "sound check" riff, but I finally completed the song and was lucky enough to have my mate Rick Graham tastefully trade off in the solos.

In and Out of Dreams (Axis Pt II) why is it subtitled Axis Pt II anyway?

For years I kept looking at this file name I'd saved of a song idea and it was called "6-4 melodic". When I wrote this album I went through my old ideas and found this, so I completed it and it has a long solo section with the amazing Brett Garsed. It's called Axis Pt II because the outro solo (by Lord Tim) is over a 7/4 version of the Chorus from the album's title track. There were more similarities in the beginning but I widdled away a few ideas until what was left is what you hear.

Velvet Claws

The title refers to something that seems innocuous at first but has a dark side. I wrote it about a couple of musos I know actually. Musically the song is fun though, lots of happy stuff going on, and a few musical nods too.

What is your favorite song off this record?

It changes, but I think Transfiguration, Feeding The Myth, and Open Doors are usually in my top 5.

Favorite song you've ever done?

Playing wise, it would be my cover of the Kee Marcello track "Hammer's Heart". I squeezed my heart like a sponge into that one.

How do you feel you've advanced in your career as a guitarist?

Well, it's hard to be retrospective because I'm always working on some new plan and I'm rarely satisfied, but to recount the last decade, I've been fortunate enough to build a small but very keen fanbase, work with some killer musicians and friends like Mark Boals (Yngwie), LORD (Australian metal band), Rick Graham, Brett Garsed. I just feel blessed to have reached people in countries I'll probably never visit physically, with my music. It's a blessing to make music that people want to pay for basically!

How do you feel about the music scene today?

It's tough, really tough. Every few months I debate whether or not to dedicate myself to something a little more... sustainable is maybe the work I'm looking for. I love what I do, but for every moral boost I get from making music, there's the harsh reality that people spend less time and money on seeing live bands or buying music than I'd like, and it makes each new project harder to get off the ground. There are a lot of plans in my head that will likely not see the light of day just based on the economic restraints of a fairly low profile artist like myself. It’s just a part of the current climate I’m afraid, but with time I still hope there will be a turnaround.

How did the PetrucciForum impact your life and guitar playing?

I think music forums are a really important grass roots-level platform to find out what your potential audience thinks about this or that. I know that I've had a lot of support in the past from that one, as have had my peers in the instrumental rock game.

What is it that you love so much about music?

I love that it is such an amazing form of expression. I don't think there's anything that comes close to it for me. I pity the fool who doesn’t listen to at least a few albums every week!

Axis of all Things, Chris Brooks

So today I'm reviewing Chris Brooks, a virtuoso guitarist from Australia. Known for previous albums like Master Plan he has slowly built up his name in the virtuoso guitar community. His new album The Axis of all Things is one of the greatest fusion releases of the year. He has a fusion style reminiscent of guys like Holdsworth and Govan. His combination of styles leads to a great sound that is incredibly fun to listen to. In addition to his killer guitar work, his back up band shows some nice bass and drum chops. Yet the heart and soul of this album is truly found within the guitar work. The fusion of classical music, jazz, rock, and even a little metal allows for a unique sound and leads to a great album!

The guitar work on this album is phenomenal. Listening to this record can be enjoyable for fans of many different types of music. The prelude features some really cool classical stylings with a nice toccata-like bit. Then there are a lot of rock stylings, in particular the song Transfiguration features a heavy blues-rock type riff. The blues has a large role in this music and some of the long bends are reminiscent of BB King. In some songs like Open Doors, we even have a Yngwie type shred vibe to the music. Then we have the jazz, oh the jazz. With jazz elements coming into play in all songs it is one of the more important elements. Yet Brooks does an excellent job of giving his jazz a sense of rock so that the solos don't become dull and wanky, but instead stay lively and fun. Not the Day provides an excellent example of a jazzy song that stays lively with a rock feel. The rhythm playing is also excellent, best described as hard rock with crazy changes Brooks does not fail to impress. I particularly like the rhythm bit on Wisdom Road which makes the song feel beautiful and powerful. In brief, the guitar playing on this record will blow your mind to bits.

The back-up band is quite excellent and adapts well to all the playing styles on the album. The bassist, Nate Apparati manages to be powerful and emotional. He changes nicely to the style of music presented. On the more rock based songs he is aggressive and fiery and on the more laid back tracks he layers in a driving force to the music. The drum work is equally good with skillful playing in songs like Feeding the Myth drummer Gordon Rytmeister proves that he is a true master. The other drummer, Peter Mcdonaugh, is also excellent, he can handle the rock playing just as well as the jazz and fits in very well with some of the more acoustic pieces. In other words, the back up band for Chris Brooks is most excellent and nearly as good as the man himself.

In conclusion, Axis of All Things is one of the greatest things you will hear all year. The guitar work is brilliant, and nearly as good as that of Govan himself. Brooks has a power to create moving songs that show off an excellent level of theoretical knowledge. His back up band is also excellent and really helps to make the album shine. So go check this album out if you're a fan of godly musicians and awesome music!

The Aristocrats-Live

 Yes indeed, Wednesday night I went to the concert of a lifetime! The Aristocrats Featuring Guthrie Govan came to Paris. Here is my photo essay/review,

Picture the scene, two teenage guys wait for 3 hours outside the venue. We have absurd fantasies of meeting Guthrie. Bryan Beller comes out at one point and we get to say hi but not much else. Later on Guthrie comes out. I whisper "Guthrie", he doesn't turn around, instead he kind of runs off. Yet after 3 hours of waiting outside, we are finally let into the venue. We are touching the stage, a little off to the left. Fists are bumped.

The opener was a jazz guitarist named Cyril Auchard. He was fairly good, but nothing compared to the show to come. He played 5 nice jazzy pieces featuring some nice rock n' roll and blues influences. He seemed kind of shy and did not want to hog the spotlight. His half hour setlist was decent and showed off some nice chops. It might have been cool if his performance had been a bit heavier, but otherwise it was fine.

And then the Aristocrats came on.

I screamed "Guthrie Govan is God", and scored a laugh from the master. Bryan Beller came and picked up his bass, literally touching me and my friend.Together we screamed "MURDERFACE ,MURDERFACE, MURDERFACE, MURDERFACE!" And won a laugh.

So the gig began.

 The setlist was high powered and flashy. Govan proved himself as the king of all with his solo on Sweaty Knockers. The band seemed to be having fun and was really grooving. Everybody in the audience was smiling. Guthrie seemed to be having the time of his life going into all sorts of crazy poses for bends.

The guitar playing in this concert was the best I have ever heard. Guthrie is just so on top of what he's doing and he has such a command of the instrument that he can not be beat. It's amazing the amount of stuff I learned just by watching him play. His solos blew my mind and his funky chords were great. The sheer musicianship radiating from his golden hands stopped everything. A few well placed bows in his direction made him laugh once more. In short, Guthrie Govan is indeed the god of the guitar and no one will ever be replace him in my mind. Especially not after that night.

 Now we move onto the bass of Bryan Beller, who looks suspiciously like John Petrucci. He's played with Dethklok and Steve Vai, and is universally recognized as a bass genius. His solos were all spot on and he traded some fantastic licks with Guthrie. The extended bass solo on Boing... I'm In the Back was great, my face was practically in the bass! All of the bass parts were killer, and I don't think I have ever gotten that much joy out of the bassist at a concert in my life! Bryan Beller killed that night, and later on we got a gift from him (more on that later).

 Marco Minneman, the German drummer. His drum work was sick that evening, in particular the 15 minute drum solo impressed me most.His crazy thrashing style combined with furious technicality lead to an amazing performance! The run from Blues Fuckers to the drum solo was seamless. And best of all the solo really seemed to get the crowd off, everybody was clapping by the end and begging for more!

 Here's what the others did during the drum solo....

So the pedalboard pic gives me a chance to talk about the mix. I found it to be quite good, if a bit bass heavy. (But then again, consider where I was standing). I still found the mix to be quite dynamic and it allowed the concertgoers to hear every nuance of Guthrie's soloing while simultaneously getting a full dose of bass and drums. Overall the mixing was very good and the band really got to shine brighter because of it. It kept the music heavy and blaring and made the concert feel like it could go on forever!

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 In conclusion, The Aristocrats put on the gig of a lifetime, the sheer virtuosity of the performers was brilliant and I didn't want the night to end. Govan never ceased rocking and his solos took my mind apart and then put it back together. Bryan Beller's bass work was sick and showed me the instrument at it's extreme limit. Also he brought us the supreme prize of the night. He signed the setlist for me! (Pic further down). Minneman's drumming was spot on all night and kept the band pushing on and his solo spot was beautiful. The mixing was great too, it really helped to cap off the night! So, in conclusion, BEST GIG EVER, go see them!

The Ultimate Prize of the Night, A setlist signed by Bryan Beller himself!