Jonathan, tell me about your last studio-project.

I just recently finished working on a few at around the same time. one is my second solo release entitled "einstein too", another was for a female singer recently signed to lava/atlantic named amy fairchild, two others were done at the same time at dizzyland studios in new hampshire for "hank decken" and "sonic joyride", also i've been working on composing for a film called "kamikaze" being shot here in new york later this summer. there are so many things i'm involved with at the moment due to now being available through my web site. not only do i have my regular producers and contacts calling me, but i also have artists from around the world now able to get in touch me directly, unlike before. since i've got my own studio here in the city, if they can't afford to fly me across the world, they can just send me their tapes, leave it to me to put the drums down and send them right back. it saves them money and it's great for me because i never would have been available like that in the past. next up for me is some recording with legendary bassist tm stevens, with possible tour dates later this year.

It's true that you're involved in Rama's, Toshi Iseda Project?

Yes, that is correct. toshi and andy (west) contacted me last year about laying a few drum tracks down for the rama project. it was an interesting process as i explained previously. they sent me the scratch tracks on da88, i then dumped them to 2" at my studio, laid down the 3 tracks during a dinner break while working on another session, then dumped the tracks back to da88 and sent them off. i've yet to hear the finished mixes, but am looking forward to the end results.

You are famous for great performances (on studio and on stage) with the master, Joe Satriani. Your memories on this part of your life?

Hooking up with joe was one of those situations of being in the right place at the right time. i had just finished a few years of work with steve howe and steve hackett in a band called gtr. things were up in the air about what the band was going to do next, leaving me with thoughts of moving on and possibly moving back to the states from london. a trip to the hoshino factory to sign with tama introduced me to joe who was there to do the same with ibanez. we talked about playing, one gig led to another, the next thing i knew we were on the road and i was moving back to the states. it was very exciting and enjoyable time for us back at the beginning. we were just an instrumental fusion trio looking to tear up every gig and blow away as many in the audience as possible. things changed later on though when the gig got more popular and joe tried singing to capture an even larger audience. although i still enjoyed a lot of what we did at the time, that was a turning point for me. joe thought it was time to 'calm down' the chops and concentrate on trying to get a single on the radio and that's not really where i wanted to go in that playing situation. i play on top 40 and top 100 recordings all the time in my session work, so with joe i really wanted to remain a 'players band'. of course, it's his band, his music and his career, so it was his call.

Now, are you friends with Satch, or not?

Not really at the moment.

Any more collaborations with him?

Well, I never expected to work with joe for as long as i did. one of the reasons i did stay that long was that around my touring and recording with him, i was also free to do many other gigs. aretha franklin, alice cooper, frank gambale and others. for me, that was important because i have a tendency to get bored with playing the same music all of the time, unless i'm absolutely in love with the gig. so playing with others allowed me to constantly go back to joe somewhat fresh. but by the time we had finished the 'time machine' record and tour, i was kind of tired with it and really looking to do more sessions. i was missing a lot of work while being out and away with joe. by the time 95 rolled around, i was already well into the network of the new york session scene, as well as just about to finish up my first "einstein" cd when joe called and asked me to do another tour. i listened to his new cd and my first response was no, due to not really liking his new direction as well as all that was going on for me in the city. he was very persistent, so we eventually agreed that if other opportunities arose that i wanted/needed to pursue, i would give him my notice and leave the tour at an opportune moment. i guess he never thought that moment would come around, but it did and i gave my notice to leave after about 10 months of being out. he was pretty upset and i hope one day that it will be water under the bridge, but i would've been such a fool to continually pass on the gigs that were being offered. the first recording i did upon leaving joe was for "fuel" on sony. i don't know how popular they are in italy, but they're one of the biggest alternative bands here and have been certified gold and platinum in various countries. that recording has led to so much more, so no regrets here.

What about your experience with Rudy Roberts?

I met rudy while playing together at the cannes music passion festival back in 95 i believe. we were the headline 'rock' outfit that week, along with john maclaughlin (who i got to play with) and jean michel jarre. anyway, after meeting and playing with rudy, he asked me if i would be interested in recording with him on his next cd. i liked him and his music, so of course i said yes. i flew to france during a short break on satriani's tour and did the tracks. he then came to new york later on and mixed the cd at my studio. he was a lot of fun to work, play and hang with.

You have one solo-album out. Tell me about the music of this album and the artists who performed on it.

As I mentioned earlier, my solo project is entitled 'einstein'. it's basically a showcase for my compositions, as well as a bit of my playing, although it's definitely not a drummers solo record per se. meaning, it's not just all instrumental songs with over the top playing. there is a bit of that, but it's mostly a vocal record in the heavy progressive rock vein. lots of odd time and counter-melodies. where i think the band shines is a combination of the clever melodies, rhythms and polyrhythms played very smoothly. i like to take odd time, make it feel straight and do the opposite with straight time. the first einstein cd is a trio made up of myself and two friends, stan jankowski (ld vox & gtr) and jani mangini (keys). the new einstein entitled "einstein too" has stan featured again as the lead vocalist, but this time around i enlisted the help of a few friends as guest artists for the solos. trey gunn, al pitrelli, jens johannsen, derek sherinian, dc cooper and a few others all lent their talents. it's actually being pressed at the moment and should be available by early august. information on those cd's and a lot more can be found on my web site .

    Anders Johansson      Killer drummer     -By Guido Mercati

When did you start playing drums and what were you listening to at the time?

14 years old . I used to listen to Deep Purple , Billy Cobhan , return To Forever , UK (with Terry Bozzio) , Frank Zappa (with Terry Bozzio) and Rush.

Tell us about your love for jazz and fusion drumming?

My father was a jazz musician so i had always heard jazz at home . That might be why i liked Deep Purple so much . They have a blues jazz feel to many of their songs and in their way of playing . I guess i wanted to proceed as a drummer and the only way was to get into fusion and synphonic rock.

I think you were great with Shawn Lane and Jonas Hellborg at the Disma Music Rimini in Italy (3 years ago), because their music needed a rock groove and you delivered. Have you ever thought of recording something with them in studio?

Thanks! I also think they need more heavy drummer . I wanted to record/tour with them but they wanted to go in a more soft direction . I get the feeling the don't like the heavy fusion style . We (my brother Jens and I) did record an album with Jonas that came out pretty cool , I think , called Jonas Hellborg Group ...

The Yngwie years... Do you like to re-listen to those albums?

No... but it's because I have my albums in a place where it's hard to get to them. We used to have a lot of fun with Yngwie .

Currently, what are your projects?

Little here and there . I'm nowdays also a full member of Swedish Metal Band called HammerFall . we are going to record a third album and do a tour .

Did you compose all of the Benny Jansson's tracks together with him?

No, Benny composed everything himself. I got the tapes with guitar and I just added on the drums . I was alone by myself when i recorded my parts and that might be the reason why the drums play many fills all the time . Normally people tell me to not play so much , just keep time . Benny liked it though.

Are you going to be at the Disma in Italy this year? I hope so...

I wouldn't mind but Jonas wants more mellow/slow drums so i will unfortunately not come . I think Shawn Lane is cool with pretty much everything and would't mind me and my playing . He's easy to deal with . Jonas on the other hand has strange ideas always . He didn't really like my metal fusion style even though he is great with that style himself . he wants to find new challenges and new styles . In a way i think it's good for him to keep trying but it's also a pity since he handles the metal-funk-fusion best of all his styles !!!

Thanks so much...

...All the best, Anders .

    The Great Kat      CyberSpeed For CyberKat      -By Guido Mercati

How did "little Kat" get started playing guitar and violin?

First of all, The Great Kat is a juilliard graduate violin virtuoso turned shred guitar genius, the reincarnation of Beethoven and changing the face of classical music by bringing it on the masses using metal !!! Wake up !!! After listeining to Classical music such as Beethoven , Mozart , Bach and Haydn , since birth , I began playing the piano at the age of 7 and decided to become a violin virtuoso at the age of 9 . I won a scolarship to The Juilliard School Of Music in New York City at the age of 15 on the violin and after 6 years at Juilliard , i graduaded with honors . I won the Artists International Competition and performed my solo violin debut at Carnegie Recital Hall , toured the U.S.S , Mexico and England , was the Concertmaster of the Juilliard Shool Pre-College Orchestra and won numerous other competitions and awards in violin . After graduading from Juiilard and realizing that Classical Music is DEAD , I decided to take Classical into the 21st Century with modern popular music . After hearing all forms of popular music , i came across a Judas Priest video and realized that I have to Metallizze Classical Music , by mixing it with Metal !!! The Great Kat is the only Violin/Guitar Virtuoso in history since Niccolo' Paganini !!!

How do you go about composing your music?

Composition process for CyberSpeeding Classical Music : !-Choose exciting , powerfull classical work , 2-Analyze the entire score , 3-Play it on the violin and guitar , 4-Edit , arrange and reorcheastrete the entire score to combine the actual authentic instrumentation and authentic music with a Metal band , 5-Perform the actual violin parts on both the violin and electric guitar note for note !!!

What are your most recent projects? Any other news?

The new Cd Cyberspeed from The high priestess of Guitar Shred is "Bloody Vivaldi" !!! The Great Kat has now inflicted more pain and abuse upon this inferior , beggar world with the sick , new music video "Torture Chamber" !!!

What guitars and other equipment do you use to get your sound?

Guitars : Guild , Gibson Flying V , Jackson Flying V and Marshall 100 Watt Stack . Violins : Alvarez Electric Guitars , 18th Century Irish Acoustic Violin and 17th Century Italian Acoustic Violin .

Will you be releasing your next shredding instrumental CD with Shrapnel Records?

The Great Kat will be releasing a new Shred/Classical Cyberspeed Cd soon on my own record label TPR Music !!! This will feature a Cyberspeed Version of the powerfull Wagner's "Reinzi" Overture !!! This will be the first Cd ever to combine a Metal band with an actual Symphony Orchestra (Horns , Winds , Tympani , Strings etc...) !!!

I can see a comeback of the neo-classical shred with new CD's by great masters of the past; Yngwie, MacAlpine, Gilbert, Vinnie Moore ... What do you think about these players?

WHO ?????????????!!!!!!!!!!!

Can we hope, that in your orchestral work, the songs will have a longer duration? Are they without vocals?

All Great Kat Cds will be short , fast , brillant an dbe the new classical/shred music of the next Millennium !!! Wake up !!! Everything in the 21st Century will be short and to the point !!! The vocals that are used on the Kat Cds are meant to wake you dead , lethargic losers out of your sleep!!!

What do you think about other music style like jazz-fusion and progressive?

The only music in the world that matters is Classical Cyberspeed Music !!! This is the music that Beethoven would be composing if he were alive in this Internet-Fast-Moving world!!!

Give me some pratical advice to young guitar players around the world...

PRACTICE YOUR BUTT ........... OFF !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Brook Thompson      7th Heaven     -By Matt Cafissi

Brook , how did you get interested in music?

I remember first being interested in music when i was about 8 years old . Music was constantly played in the house . My parents weren't musicians but loved music , especially my father . I used to listen to old Beatles records and at school my friends and i put on concerts for the smaller kids where we would mine to Beatles songs . When i was 15 i started playing guitar for real . My mother bought me a cheap acoustic guitar and that was it , i was hooked ! My parents split up around this time so i think it was a release for me . I remember i broke my left arm a few months after i started guitar , but it didn't stop me playing . I showed my younger sister how to play the chords with her ledt hand and i strummed them with my good right hand , which must have looked strange ! Soon i started listening to Led Zeppelin and Jimmy Page . Man , did i want to be Jimmy Page ! The next guy i really got into was Alex Lifeson from Rush . I listened to Steve Howe from Yes over and over ! So i've very much been on the progressive rock trail and this led onto guys like Allan Holdsworth and Steve Morse who are just amazing . And of course Vai , Satriani and John Petrucci from Dream Theater is cool !

Tell me about your last CD, Warped.

On my Web site there's a whole lot of information about me and the Cd Warped . It's been a very positive move setting up the website . It's led to exposure all over the world , like through GuitarChef . I've also had contact from webzines in the U.S.A. and radio from Eastern Russia ! The guys that played on the Cd are in my live band like David Christensen on Bass , Darren Burtoft on Drums and Tim Vooles on Vocals .

What guitars and other equipment do you use?

I play Ibanez Guitars . I've got 2 stock standard RG 450DXs and a Universe 7 String . I've been playing Ibanez for 5 years . I find that for the sort of music i play they feel the best , they play fast and the quality is really good . I use D'Addario Strings 9-46 . I run my Digitech 2112 into a Stereo Power Amp i had custom made by a guy in my home town , Mick Samson . I used a different setup on the Cd to what i have now . I've always wanted to get unusual sounds , stuff that doesn't really sound like guitar and with this i can call up synth like patches , harmoniesers , whammys , almost anything ! I'll be experimenting more with sound texture on the next Cd .

Tell me your experience with Ibanez Guitars and the collaboration.

I've done some clinics for Ibanez here in Australia . The collaboration came about when i sent them my Cd . at the time , they were running clinics in my home state , so it was perfect timing , I think the fact that i play a lot of 7 string guitar helped me get the gig . Ibanez is pushing the 7 string these days . In the clinics i'd run through some tunes on the 6 string and then demostrate and discuss the 7 string . It was great opportunity for me to play and promote tracks from my Cd .

In your opinion, is the future of music on the internet?

Now , where's my crystal ball ??!! As far as guitar music goes , i think it will always be around and popular in some way . It survived disco in the 70's , it's still big now in the Techno age , look at Metallica . So , i think it will always be with us in some form , whether it be Punk , Metal , grunge or whatever the next popular style will be ! So , i think music on the Internet is liberating and wholly democratic , but how do you stand out in the crowd ? I'm not sure !!??

What are three songs from other artists that you wish you had written?

I only get to choose three ? Well , there are so may ... It can depend on what sort of mood i'm in . But , right now i'd say "Rescu Me Or Bury Me" by Steve Vai , i think this song has my favorite Vai solo . "Three Sheets To The wind" by Allan Holdsworth . This is my all time favorite Holdsworth solo , closely followed by "Devil Take The Hindmost" !!! "Scarred" by Dream Theater . Probably my favorite DT song . I like this starts off really cool and mellow and then builds to a climax vocally and instrumentally !

Some suggestions for young guitarists?

 As a guitarist , listen to your favorite players inside out , get to know they play , why they play things in certain ways . Practice hard , have a practise routine . Listen different styles too . Eventually you will start to develop your own style that might sound like bits from all the guitarists you listened to , but over time it will sound more like the real you . There might be times when things aren't working out that you think it's not worth it , but never forget why you play guitar ... because you love it !!!

    Neal Nagaoka      Speed Sweep     -By Guido Mercati

Tell us about your guitar playing roots, Neal.

My root ? Wow, I guess I started by listening to bands like Led Zeppelin and a lot of metal bands like Iron Maiden and Ozzy . I was a big Van Halen fan as well . I guess what got me started playing guitar was when i was 12 , i got my first guitar . Since then i have gone through about 100 different teachers . My first song i think i ever learned was Starway To Heaven . LOL but i would have to say the 2 songs that really changed my way of thinking as far as guitar playing would have to be Eruption from Van Halen and Black Star from Yngwie Malmsteen .

Your favorite 10 CD's of the all time ...

No particular order : Led Zeppelin "Physical Graffiti" , Ozzy Osbourne "Diary Of A Madman" , Yngwie Malmsteen "Rising Force" , Van Halen "1" , Jason Becker "Perpetual Burn" , Greg Howe "Instrospection" , Al DiMeola "Elegant Gypsy" , Steve Morse "High Tension Wire" , Mark Varney Project "Centrifugal Funk" , Steve Vai "Passion & Warfare" .

Could you describe your guitars and the various arsenal?

Currently . I am using an ESP Horizon . For live i use mainly an old Marshall half stack that i have owned for may years . I run a Marshall JMP-1 Preamp for the distortion tone . My favorite effects would be a little bit of Reverb and Delay .

What do you think about other styles, like Rock/Fusion?

I think it's great . I love it . The musicians that play this kind of style definitly deserves to be more recognized in the music world .

Your personal thoughts regarding these three players: Greg Howe, Brett Garsed and Richie Kotzen.

Greg Howe is probably one of my personal favorites . The guy is a monster . brett Garsed . Could be one of the most underrated guitarist . His legato technique and overal feel is unbelievable . Richie Kotzen i think is a great guitarist . I especially liked Electric Joy .

What is the situation in the U.S. right now regarding 'Shred' and 'Hyper-Technical' music?

Well unfortuanelly , the whole shred guitar scene in the U.S. seems non existant . I hope one day it will come back again . in the LA Area , the 2 main music right now seems to be the whole Rock en Espanol and of course , Hip Hop .

Your detailed discography and your current projects:

Currently I released only one Cd so far entitled The Crossing . I am almost finished the second Cd and hopefully i will release it sometime this year (Out now !!!) . I am also doing a few session work for local artists in the LA Area and at the same time , playing locally with a spanish rock band .

Did you attend G.I.T or Berklee College?

Yes, I attended both. I taught at GIT for about a year as well.

What do you think of the new Dream theater album?

I like it . I like most of the stuff they do and I think John Petrucci is an amazing guitarist!!!

    Thomas Blug      The beauty of Simplicity     -By Emiliano Mammini

Could you tell me more about how you got involved with music and your early influences?

Before I picked up the guitar I was doing electronics as my first hobby . My first musical influences were quite different on the hand it was The Stones and on the other hand Jean Michelle Jarre . I built myself an guitaramp and got my first Strat copy . After learning from a german instructor book i took a few lessons at a Jazz Guitarist . He thought that i was talented abd so he told me some scales , chords , theory etc ... He wanted me to play Jazz . I followed him for a fwe lessons but than we got into a conflict because i loved to play harder (i played him Deep Purple) and hr didn't like this kind of music ... So i stopped taking lessons ! But with his basics i could listen to the records and pick up the licks bit by bit myself .  It was hard work , but also a very good training . So i formed my first band . As we started to play in local clubs and youth  houses some other guitar players asked me to give them lessons . I got more and more students over the time and everybody was into something else . From Beatles to Police . Heavy Rock and Funk , so i listend to all kinds of music , which was very interesting and i had to learn it first before i could show it to my students . Again hard work , good training and lots of fun ! With the band we played a mixture of styles from rock to pop to "fake jazz" funk ... i was listening to Deep Purple , The Stones , the who , pink Floyd , Toto , return To Forever and all of this late 80's pop on the radio .

 I saw you playing in Rimini (Italy) and I was quite surprised from the fact that you are German and you play that incredibly melodic music...full of good taste and perfect sounds. You know, it seems that Germany is very attracted to Metal, Power-Prog music and not in instrumental rock. What do you think about the situation in Europe for musicians like yourself?

You know, German Music has different faces. There is the harder side like Scorpions , Accept , Doro Pesch , Nina Hagen and now Ramstein , on the other side there is this bizarre stuff like Kraftwerk , Tangerine Dream ... but even before i played the guitar i liked melodies from songs of the Beatles and the music i was listening on the radio . I think this was always in my head and whwn i was listening to what i was playing , i always liked the more melodic bits . Later i listened also Santana , Neil schon , Gary Moore and my hero Jeff Beck . To find out what makes the guitar really "speak" . I'm doing studio work for many artists like Hazel O'Connor , Culter Beat ... and many German Artists that are not released outside Germany and i was also touring with some German bands like Tic Tac Toe , Purple Schulz , Rainbirds ... but at the moment the electronic dance music is very strong in Germany , that's why i do an instrumental album once in a while to show that the guitar is a beautiful instrument to express myself that can do more than just riffs and noise ! I think after this cold electronic periode there will be some "warm hearted" music again !!! I think we will listening more of this in the future . Besides my work for other people i will work on my own projects and mayby you'll never know you might hear something from me on the radio or on television ...

You have done lots of co-productions with different bands and have released two solo albums since 1997. What are you doing at the moment and are you planning a new release?

Yeah ! There are two things i'm doing right now . 1-Working on some pop songs this will be only released when it's finished ... But there is no dead line (maybe never ... ah ah ...) and 2-I think i'm going for my third instrumental album . If you want to get the news please check on my website . I planned to do it the next winter .

How did your recent tour-clinic with Hughes & Kettner come up?

Since my first hobby was electronics i'm not only a guitar player i can also talk to a technician in a way that he accepts me . So H&K asked me to be involved in your designs to give them my experience . I know H&K for many years i also work on some productions with them . I'm part of their designers team . For me it is good to play on some trade shows to see what's going on (like Rimini for example)!

I would like to know what you usually use in the studio as well as in a live context.

In the studio i use "everything that sound good" . It depends on the music . I have a collection of guitars : Gibson ES 335 , Tele , Les Paul , A Custom Maple Strat and my main Guitar , my 61 strat . Some classic Amps Vintage Fenders , Marshall Plexi 50/100 watt (without Mastervolume) , a H&K Triamp and many footpedals+wah like Old Vox/George Dennis Switch Wah , Small Stone , H&K Replex Delay ... Live i use my Triamp with EL 34 , a 4*12 Cabinet , an old Quadroverb , my Wha and an all access Midi Switcher . My Guitar is mostly my 61 strat a spare strat , sometimes a Guild Acoustic .

What are the three songs of all-time that you wish you would have written?

Ha ... ha ... "Yesterday" by The Beatles , than i wouldn't have to work anymore ! "Hotel California" by Eagles , "Roxanne" by The police , "Whole Lotta love" by Led Zep .

What is music for you? And what suggestions could you give to our Italian and American guitarists in order to become better musicians?

Music is an international language that everybody can understand . Just express yourself ! Don't imitate to much it's good to learn some musical vocabulary/technique , but i think every person has it's own little story to tell in music . You shouldn't get too confused by all this technique and licks . Be yourself and play it from bottom of your heart !!! Ciao !!!

    Carl Roa      Elf guitar     -By Matt Cafissi

Carl , how did you get interested in music and who were your influences?

When I was very young I started piano lessons and learned the basics of music . Also , must everybody in my family is a musician . So perhaps the music was in my blood ! The guitar came a little later on , when I was 15 or so . Many of my friends played guitar and I decided I also wanted to learn too . I saved up $75 and bought my friends Yamaha Acoustic after he gave it up . I was pretty obsessed with playing from the beginning and progressed quickly . Some of my most early guitar influences were Alex Lifeson , Eddie Van Halen , Randy Rhoads , Jimmy Page , Robert Fripp , Steve Howe and many more ... But definite turning point was getting a chance to see Steve Morse play with the Dixie Dregs . A friend of mine had gotten tickets to the show and we managed to get in even thought we were under age ! I had never heard musician of that caliber before and that night really opened up the world of fusion and jazz music . I had a similar experience a few years later when I saw Pat Metheny play at a Jaco Pastorius benefit concert .

What guitars and other equipment do you favor to get your great sound?

My main guitar is a Brian Moore Custom C-90 PM . It has a peizo saddle and a 13 Pin Midi Out . It's loaded with Seymour Duncan Pick Ups and a Custom switching system that allows for great variants in tones . I use GHS Boomers Strings as i have found that they give me the best durability and tone (gauage 10/46) . I use Mesa Boogie Amps and am always experimenting with different set ups . For effects i like the Rocktron Intellifex and Lexicon Units .

What is your most recently completed project and what are you currently working on?

The Magic Elf has just released a new live EP , all ordering information is available at the Magic Elf WebSite . It was very challenging to try and pull off the tunes from Elf Tales as a  Trio . In the studio version of tunes , I had layered many guitar parts . But playing live , I have faced the challenge of modifying parts to cover the multi-layered parts from the records . I would also say The Live recording as more of an edge to it . I am currently writing new material for a new solo Cd that i hope to have out in the fall . My solo Cd will have a mix of styles on it and will include acoustic pieces as well as some heavy rock fusion tunes .

You are the 'Main Axe' of The Magic elf... well, why the name of The Magic Elf?

Well , many years ago we used to play under the name of The Wayne Foundation . Which was based on Bruce Wayne , the characters from BatMan . After the series of BatMan movies came out it became a bit to cliche' , plus we were worried about legal complication , so we tried to come up with a new name . One day I was driving with Elf drummer Dave Miranda when he slammed on the brakes and yelled , "... give me a name ... right now ... the first name that comes into your head !!!" and for some unknown reason i blurted out "... The Magic Elf !!!" well , we were both laughing and agreed that would be the name . That's how it happened !

What about Shred music with the guitar scene today?

There are many talented players out there and i think we are hearing more about them trough the Internet . It's pretty amazing how many musicians i've heard about and listened to throught the Web . I've always been a fan of good guitar music and think there is a large percentage of the population that appreciates good musicianship ! Hopefully we'll be getting a little more guitar in our Rock 'N roll , as people are ready for a change .

We would like to know what are three songs that you wish that you would have written?

This is an impossible question to answer ! There is so much great music and so many great composers that it is very difficoult to name only three . But since this is a guitar magazine , I will pick three from modern day guitarists , but by no means is this only three . How about : "Are you going with me" by Pat Metheny , "Hereafter" by Steve Morse and "The Things You See" by Allan Holdsworth .

The future of guitar (advertising, buying, selling, etc.) is it on the Internet?

I would say the Internet is the single biggest sourch for fueling the new guitar oriented progressive movement . It allows the indipendent artists to reach people throughtout the world . The Web is an amazing tool and is the main way we sell our Cds now . As i mentioned earlier , there is a definite market for guitar hungry fans and the Web has been the primary resource for rearching them .

    Troy Stetina      Exotic Vision     -By Guido Mercati

How about your 24 Capriccci by Niccolo' Paganini for electric guitar. In the 80's, you played in some lucky auditorium in the U.S...why you not recorded it on CD?

Well , first off , throughout that period i was busy writing a bunch of guitar methods and developing the guitar program at the Winsconsin Conservatory Of Music and i was messing around with original music a bit , too . But that's really just a poor excuse ! I think the main thing is just that i've always had really high standards when it comes to doing that kind of music .  I do have some video of some of those performances and i have a cassette demo of a Beethoven piano sonata that i arranged for electric guitar , bass  and drums . Anyway , i may well end up putting a few classical pieces , maybe including some of the Caprices or even Perpetual Motion , on a future Cd . We'll see ...

How about your gear? Give some details about your amps, 'cause your sound is fucking heavy and ready to shred, man!

Thanks ... yeah !!! Rock is all about tone , for sure . Slam a power chord and if the tone is cool , it's sounds great ! But if the tone is wimpy , it just doesn't work . All the tunz on Exottica were tracked through my Marshall JCM 800 half stack . My main guitar is a Jackson Soloist , which i've taken the knife to and truly destroyed . The pickups are Seymour Duncan . I generally just run it into an older Boss 'roicker distortion' pedal i've got and then right into the amp . That's it !

Your view regarding your previous Stetina project, Set  The World On Fire .

hmmmmm ... there is some good songs on there i think . I'd actually like to remix the stuff ... I think a lot of it would go over much better if the tones were a little different . But i enjoyed the project and i'm glad we did it . Unfortunately one of the best rockin' tunes at the time called "Shoulda Never Let You Go" didn't make it onto the final Cd . So if i listen now , i think there's just too many ballads on there and not enough uptempo hard rocking stuff . In fact , i resisted doing an instrumental Cd for years !

Did you collaborate with any bands in this time?

I spent the summer of '94 with Don Dokken out in California . This was just when he was completing Dysfunctional . If they didn't get back together with George Lynch for their (shortlived) reunion , I was hoping to do the tour with them . But it didn't pan out . Then we moved back to the Milwaukee Area , I started writing material for what eventually became Exottica , we built a house and then a recording studio in it to produce the Cd in . I'm producing Cds for three modern Heavy Rock bands from this area like Bent , Shadowcaster and Fake Healer . That's a lot of fun !

Your 10 favorite guitars CD's of all time:

Ten ? Man , I listen to so much different stuff ... well i'd have to say Van Halen's first and second Cd . Ozzy first two Cds with Randy Rhoads . I like Satriani's "Not Of This Earth" and "Surfing ..." . These days , in the course of writing articles for GuitarOne Magazine I listen to lots of modern stuff like Rage Against The Machine , Korn , Sevendust , Pantera , Machine Head , Tool , Kid Rock etc ... There are lots of good and creative musicians out there i think .

Your CD sounds fresh and cool, but it's nothing than 80's instrumental heavy-rock. Give us your secrets in composing and production?

Well , if it sounds fresh then it certainly can't be just 80s rock ! Okay , i'll agree that there are certainly some 80s elements in there . But the riffs and progressions and grooves really have more in common with 90s and current bands . In fact , i didn't even come up with the solos until the very end , the day I would track them , usually . So I pretty much try to compose my stuff to hold my own interest !

Your favorite players right now and for the near future:

Favorite players ... favorite players ... Like J.S. Bach onesaid when someone commented on his extraordinary keyboard ability "... I just put each finger down at the right place at the right time and the keyboard plays itself !" Oh , i've got one for ya ... an amazing local Milwaukee guitarist named Greg Koch . Great player , blues rock based style . I'm looking forward to hearing his new instrumental Cd !!!

Will you ever record the 24 Capricci ? I think that will be a great seller...really!

I'd like to maybe throw a few classical pieces onto a future cd . Not all of the 24 Caprices translate so well to electric guitar , but several of them do nicely . With Exottica , i specifically steered clear of classical because that is so associated with Malmateen and noe classical players and frankly in the U.S. these days that is pretty much dead now . So i'm trying to stake a claim to a new style ... first .

    Mike Chlasciak      Guitar Resurrection     -By Guido Mercati

First of all, tell me about your collaboration with Rob Halford.

Working, touring and writing music with one of the world's premiere vocalists is nothing short of great! I feel very fortunate to be in a band with Rob and I love every minute of it. We ( Rob, myself and the other guitarist) started writing for the record "Resurrection" September 1999 and the ideas just run quickly. Rob listens extremely well to his musicians and he inspires us a lot. I really love being in HALFORD!

Your playing is very heavy and you believe in true Metal, but in your opinion, what do you think about the lastest trend of guitar/techno music?

Well, I thought that sooner or later this would happen. I don't mind it and there was a point in my career that I have possibly wanted to do a heavy guitar album with techno. I haven't heard Joe Satriani's new CD, but if I did it it would have crushing rhythms, really, really heavy. So, it's cool, But if I don't hear that type of music I don't miss it too much either, so.

There is a great difference between your current CD and your last one.

Well, there has to be a progression, as I see no need to repeat the same album all over. My style is the same though. When I released my "Grind Textural Abstractions" CD in 1996, there still were intense guitar records being released, so I sort of stayed away from solos all the time. I wanted to make a statement that was different. With my new CD "Territory: Guitar Kill!!!", intense lead guitar in today's market is so bland, that I wanted to shake everybody up and just rip, kill and God...isn't there a lot of notes on that album...ha. But, at the same time you still have the brutal rhythms approach from my first CD, so it feels cohesive.

Is the future of music business on the Internet?

Well, it sure does help and it is possible to sell a good number of CD's via the internet, you know? Internet is very important to today's music, especially if you take independent artists, or artists tht are doing something that is not "Hip" or "Popular". I'd also like to encourage all readers to support guitar albums and records in pure Metal tradition. I'll see you in Italy in October/ November of this year!

    Terry Syrek      Shred Fest     -By Matt Cafissi

Terry , we await your debut CD!

Me too! (hehe) Yeah, i've been working on this thing for well over a year now and a few things keep holding me up. Mainly, i'm relying pretty heavily on my friend/drummer/co engineer Greg Kalember to help with the project and his time is very limited. We did basic tracks up at Millbrook studios (where they did the Liquid Tension stuff) but have since been working out of a studio down in NY City, where Greg works as an engineer full time, for the rest of it. Problem is, it's hard to get studio time and it's even harder to get Greg's time. Also, money (specifically the lack thereof) has been hold up. The songs call for a bunch of different instruments and being that i don't play tabla or violin or cello, i have to hire other people. All in all, so far so good. i think it's gonna be pretty cool and i just want to get it done. i'm hoping to finish in the next 6 months. As far as what to expect, it's definitely guitar oriented, has a ton of odd time, and ethnic percussion. Kinda like a Rush meets Meshuggah meets Kings X meets Yngwie meets Shakti.

What do you think about the new trend of Guitar with Techno music ...

Hmm... well from what i've heard, it's kinda cool. i'm really fascinated by technology and am a complete computer geek so it's interesting to see what effect it all has on music. The way i see it, using the modern stuff available to us is kinda like Pink Floyd back in the 70's. Those guys were definitely experimenting with the technology of the time. Most important, though, is not writing music because of the technology. A good song needs to start with a good song and no amount of synth gear and sampling is gonna make it good by it's self. So i think, if that's what you're into, and the song calls for it, then it can be a cool thing. i'd love to hear Yngwie do a rap album (hehe).

Shred or not Shred ? This is the problem for a modern guitarist ?

Ha, the infamous "s" word. i say go for it. A good player is gonna shine through whether he shreds or not. If you truly live for that stuff and believe 100% in playing it, then that enthusiasm is gonna come out in your playing, and that's the important thing. To me, chops are even more effective when there's some kinda contrast, meaning that if some guy comes out and plays as fast as he can with all his best stuff in the first song he has no where else to go, so by song 3 i'm bored. When i hear someone like Holdsworth, now that to me is a good use of chops. He's got amazing tone in his hands, chops up the wazoo, and obviously a sense of harmony and melody that overshadows most anyone that has ever taken up the instrument.

What do you use in studio and live (instruments) ?

I use 1 guitar mainly for most stuff; an 89 Jackson Randy Rhoads with obnoxious purple and green stripes (seemed like a cool color in the 80's-hehe). It's got 2 Duncan distortions in it. i had Jackson make me another, recently, with a, uh,  more subdued paint job. Unfortunately the neck mysteriously cracked and it's back at the factory getting looked at. i'm really bummed because it was cool and was my first 24 fret guitar. Now i can't play with out the extra 2 frets! i also have a strat i use for various stuff. On the acoustic side i have 6 and 12 string Alverez/Yaris. As far as amps, i use a VHT Pittbull Ultra lead for live stuff and for recording heavy rhythm tracks. i have a Marshall JMP1 and power amp that i use for more of the clinic/teaching thing, and i have a little Boogie Studio 22 that i use for playing at home and also some recording (recently used it on a Satriani tribute CD).

Do you have some suggestions for young guitarists?

Yup, 2 things: First, you absolutely MUST love what you do. The things that will come against you in the music industry are truly unimaginable at a young age. Most of us figured all we had to do was practice 12 hours a day and by age 20, we'd be on a world tour with Ozzy hanging out with famous people and living the rest of the time in a castle in Europe. i must pause here to laugh uncontrollably at my own naiveté. i also thought that by spending that much time doing music i truly did love it. But i had no idea. Being a musician is a long and hard road sometimes, but it's also very cool; i love it and it gets deeper every year. If you can imagine yourself doing something else in life, do that instead . And Secondly, learn to schmooze. If you want to do the guitar virtuoso thing, you have to spend ALOT of time playing and practicing and basically giving up alot of your life. However, it all means nothing if you don't play anywhere and with anyone. So, take some time, get out there and meet people. i'll say this, the people i know that are doing big stuff in the industry are all guys that were obviously good on their respective instruments but also had this ability to go out to clubs and bars and hang out and talk to people and were just fun to be around. If all you do is spend 15 hours a day in your room perfecting your 8 finger sweep/tapping technique of devastation, it's gonna sound great but you'll have no social skills and it's gonna be hard to meet the people that will be able to help you. And believe me, success has alot to do with who you know.

    Borislav Mitic      Young Passion     -By Matt Cafissi

Borislav, how old are you?

I have been playing guitar for 18 years but I'm still quite young (I was born on 28th July the same year Jimi Hendrix died)!

Tell me about your last CD, "Fantasy" . Is this is a concept, concert album?

"Fantasy" is my debut album which was published in 1996 only in Yugoslavia (my homeland). That is also the album that I sent to Mike Varney of Shrapnel Records as my presentation while I was still in Yugoslavia and that album lead to my contract with Shrapnel. "Fantasy" is an instrumental guitar album featuring my arrangements of some of my favorite classical pieces by Paganini, Bach, Handel. There are also my own original compositions on that album which are more hard rock/metal oriented and also a few electric and acoustic ballads-which are maybe my strongest musical points. In my opinion I displayed some of my technically most challenging playing on "Fantasy". This 2000 re-release version is remastered and the cover artwork is new. It's available through my WebPage and some online distributors like Guitar 9.

Why is your "Fantasy" CD not distributed through Shrapnel?

The idea to re-release it came to me because a lot of my fans were asking where and how they could find and buy "Fantasy"-because they liked my first Shrapnel album. So it's more like an "in between" album between two Shrapnel albums made available for people who would like to have my previous work. So that's why I did it on my own -at least for now. Perhaps it will appear on Shrapnel later on but I'm not 100% sure about that.

In your opinion, is Mr. Varney ready for a new Neoclassical Invasion or his he a 'trender'?

In my opinion Mike Varney is a guy who is to be regarded as somebody who presented to the world some of the best guitar talents. It all started when he discovered Yngwie Malmsteen and brought him to US to record (Steeler) and made Yngwie's introduction to the music world. That is exactly the thing that ignited the "neoclassical instrumental guitar" fire and opened the doors to many guitar talents that appeared after that. Shrapnel always brought great and also- stylistically different guitar players: Yngwie Malmsteen, Greg Howe, Jason Becker, Michael Lee Firkins, Vinnie Moore, Ron Thal, Paul Gilbert, Marty Friedman, Borislav Mitic,. Shrapnel also has artists like: Frank Gambale, John Norum, Scott Henderson, Michael Schenker, Jerry Goodmann, Steve Smith, Larry Coryell, Glenn Hughes,.and many others recording for them. So Shrapnel were always very diverse. And as far as "following Trends" - one just has to look at the latest guitar magazines to realize that virtuoso -guitar doesn't seem to be "in trend" right now (which is something that I hope will change soon).

For me, Malmsteen is different from the other Neoclassical guitarists in that the others are mega fast but play without feeling and Yngwie's vibrato...to die for!

Personally, Yngwie is one of my favorite players and a big influence but I guess it's all a matter of taste. Every guitar player has something of his own that is unique. So everybody is special in his own way. For me there is usually something new and interesting to discover in almost anybody's style. I personally find that the composition and the way a musician is projecting his emotions through his music to the listener is the most important. Speed in playing doesn't mean much if it's not accompanied by a skillfully and tastefully crafted song. I also like music to have a melodic quality to it. As for vibrato-it's a very personal thing and it shows well how passionate and experienced the player is. But it mainly shows the personality of a player. For example: Yngwie Malmsteen, Santana, Django Reinhardt, Eric Clapton, Mike Oldfield, Angus Young (AC/DC), B.B.King, Eric Johnson, SRV, or Steve Morse-all have very different but great vibratos.

Next projects:

Right now I am working on compositions for my next album for Shrapnel scheduled for 2001. Musically it will cover even more ground and present more of my various influences than even the previous one did (ethno, metal, blues, techno,.) blending it all into something new. I will also try to push the technical side of playing further (but never neglecting the melodic side). It should surpass everything I've done so far and it should also include a few vocal oriented songs. Stay tuned for that one! My best regards to you Matt and all the readers of this interview!!!

    Ashen      Poet's Life     -By Matt Cafissi

First of all, tell me about your new band called 'The Crash Poets' , the next album and the "death" of the name Roy!

OK…hmmm…where to begin. As you know, the new band is called THE CRASH POETS, and it's really always been the ultimate goal of mine to have an amazing band of players with similar tastes in music and energy. This band rocks! I've always liked music that had funky beats and soulful lyrics and there's no better feeling than surrounding yourself with talented, creative musicians. The band's debut CD, "Big Bang theory" will be available in January  on our website www.thecrashpoets.com and people who are interested in the music can come to the website now and listen to some FREE advance tracks from the CD. Many people say they hear hints of Lenny Kravitz, David Bowie, and Prince in the music. All I know is that it sounds like me…and it makes the girls dance, baby! It's being produced by myself and my good friend Michael James. Michael has mixed Cd's for Hole, Janes Addiction, New Radicals, and lot of other bands. He's a great co-producer and we're having a blast recording the music. We've been working at Westlake studios in L.A. where everyone from Bruce Springsteen and Michael Jackson, to Limp Bizkit and NIN have recorded. Very cool. As for the name change…it really no big deal. My friends all call me "ashen" - so I decided to go only by my last name. I like the way it sounds and it feels right to me. I figure I'm in good company…Bono, Sting, Prince….Ashen…ha ha!

When will the Crash Poets be on MTV?

Ahhh…the mighty MTV. I'd love to get on the air with The Crash Poets. We just played to 6,000 people at Universal Studios in LA and had tons of people singing and dancing to the grooves. I think if we keep spreading the word on this band…it's just a matter of time. It would be a lot of fun.

Your first solo album is a great album comprised of beautiful songs...do you have
other solo projects in mind?

Thank you! That's a very nice thing to say. Over the years I've realized that the most important thing about music is the opportunity to share emotions and experiences that people can relate to. I love writing lyrics that can connect with hearts and souls and my first solo CD "A Little Drop of Something Not Quite Blood"  was my chance to begin that process. We actually sold out of the first pressing of the CD and I'm planning to make it available through www.thecrashpoets.com early next year for our new fans. Because I write the songs for The Crash Poets - it really gives me a great amount of room to express myself. But I'm sure there will be another solo album in the future sometime. Maybe a film soundtrack, too. But this band is really my passion and I can't wait for people to hear the new CD. Lots of funky guitar, some cool textures and the songs are some of the best I've written.

I don't see any information on your site about the "A Little
Drop Of Something" album...

We'll be adding the info on ordering the Solo cd very soon! If people come to the site - they can sign our "mailing list" and we'll keep them updated on tours, CD's and more.

Your style has changed in these years...no more Shred and hyper-tapping.

Yes, that's true. For me - my guitar playing is a reflection of my life and my emotions. When I was 18 years old…I really didn't have a lot to say with my lyrics and my songs. So I put all my energy into my guitar playing and had a lot of fun seeing how far I could push myself as a player. But along the way - if you're living your life and falling in love and connecting with the world….you realize that there are LOTS of ways to communicate feelings and emotions. And that's why I started to develop my singing, songwriting, lyrics, etc. Most people go through big changes between the ages of 18 and 26. You start to decide what you want your life to be. And you hopefull can grow as a writer, producer, singer, and guitarist. My big influences were always bands…so this is really the right direction for me. I have friends who always wanted to be like Steve Vai, which is great. But I always wanted to be more like..say, Prince. He's a great player, but more importantly a great singer and songwriter, too.

G.I.T. ... is it an old memory?

I had a lot of fun at the school. So it's a good memory. It was a good way for me to get from Texas to Los Angeles. And I made some good friends and learned that there are many different reasons people become musicians. Some just want to be players…some want to write…some want to just be famous…some just want to be in band to meet girls…ha! But life is about change…and moving forward, right! Being true to yourself and your dreams… So - for anyone reading this, I'll leave you with a quote by Albert Einstein (I have it on the wall of my studio) The definition of Insanity: "Doing the exact same thing over and over again but expecting different results" The definition of Genius: "carrying the sprit of childhood into maturity"

    Pascal Allaigre      Out from the underground     -By Matt Cafissi

Pascal, tell me about your lastest CD "Out Of Nowhere" (the cover/graphic is great!).

Hi, MATT, well "OUT OF NOWHERE" is my 1st instrumental cd ( autoproduction ) available in NEW CALEDONIA. I composed 10 songs, then my friend DAVID CHUVAN did all the programmations ( drums, bass, keyboards )with all the parts I told him, then we recorded them, and I just had to play all the guitar parts( rythm, solos etc...). For a 1st product that we recorded in a bedroom, we think production is Okay, and we'll do better next time ! When I composed "OUT OF NOWHERE", I wanted to explore different styles, that's why you can hear METAL with different influences ( HEAVY, SPEED, Medieval, HARD ROCK,epic oriental songs ),FUSION (Jazz_Rock taste),and a ballad with acoustic on it. I think it's a good vision of the styles I like.

The experience at the GIT Institute ... in your opinion, is a great school or is only a trend for modern guitarists?

When I joined G.I.T, the level I had at that time was perfect to enroll the school.I learned a lot in theory, and in technique too. G.I.T is not a METAL oriented school, as many people could think (it was not when I joined it), but more kind of fusion-jazz-rock approach. Of course there are Rock and Metal classes, but the program gives you more an analysis of styles and the tools to adaptate any situations for improvisation of solos, and getting rythm parts fitting all style songs,which is very good to compose too !!!! my private teacher then was PAUL HANSON and I could concentrate on my technique to improve my playing !!! So G.I.T is a good school in general for the intermediate guitarist.

What do you think about the new Guitar/Techno music from Satch , Buckethead , Jeff Beck, etc?

I didn't listen to those CDs yet, but I can say I'm not so much into electronical sounds. Let's say it can add a good effect in a song if it's well used. But most of all, I can say I love Joe Satriani,for the genius he has brought to the world of guitar,his creativity. A new generations of guitarists was born after he shooked the guitar foundations !!!

What's the guitar scene like in your nation? Is it happining or not?

my island is a small one ( 200 000 inhabitants !!) the music scene is very poor, we don't have a lot of musicians, but we play some lives in the main town of NEW CALEDONIA which is NOUMEA.But today, the passion for the guitar seems to develop, as we see young kids starting playing guitar, taking lessons and work hard to improve their level. It's stiil difficult to make a living with music. The good thing is that AUSTRALIA is very close to us, so we can exchange music, contact etc...

Pascal , tell us some suggestions for young guitarists!

A good thing is to play regularly ( daily basis ). The more you have the instrument in your hands, the better you'll be able to adaptate in different situations ( live playing, exploring different styles...). Remember that thechnique is good and powerful, but its better allied is theory and harmony. Thechnique must serve the knowledge!!!!
Work hard, it will pay, results will come for sure!!!!

    Jaye Foucher      Femme Fatal     -By Matt Cafissi

Tell me about Guitarapalooza... very famous on the Web.

Guitarapalooza started in 1997 as a newsletter and website.  We had about 5 or 6 guitarists involved at the beginning and the idea was to share our fans & mailing lists by putting out one newsletter that featured all of us and mailing it to our fans.  That way we could market ourselves to a large group of guitar fans and share the costs.  It worked so well that lots of people wanted to join.  But it was getting too expensive to put out a paper version, and it would have been impossible to handle a lot of artists being involved, so we decided to make it just a website.  Since then we've grown enormously...I think we have about 30 guitarists involved now and more ask to join every week.  Frankly, I didn't even know there were that many guitarists out there doing instrumental music!!!  Last year we decided to put out a compilation CD featuring 16 of the Guitarapalooza artists, and that was released in January 2000.  We weren't able to sell the CD because of legal restrictions, but we gave out free copies at the NAMM show and at the Guitarapalooza Concert we had in Los Angeles in early February during the NAMM show, and Guitar 9's website gave away about 100 with purchases of Guitarapalooza artist CDs.  We've got a couple of copies left and we're using those for contest giveaways on the website right now.  But we're in the process of putting together a volume 2 of the compilation CD, with 16 more artists.  We're planning to do the same thing...offer them for free at the NAMM show and through Guitar 9's website, and give some away in contests on the website.

Do you live with music and with your fanzine? (Editor's note: I think the interviewer meant, 'Do you live FOR your music and your fanzine'?)

I'm not really sure what you're asking here.  Do I live in the same place that I practice and run the fanzine?  Yes.  The band actually rehearses at my drummer's house but everything else is done here where I live.  (Or are you asking something else?)

What are the next projects for your solo career and Guitarapalooza?

I'm working on writing new songs for another instrumental album.  I'd like to record that sometime next year, but a lot depends on how much I get written by then and when my producer is available.   As for Guitarapalooza, as I mentioned above we're working on releasing a second compilation CD and we're also planning a big concert out at the winter NAMM show in Anaheim California this coming January 2001.

    Mike Campese      Perfect Circle     -By Matt Cafissi

Mike , first of all your surname is Italian ...

Well my Dad was born in Calabria,Italy and  came to the US when he was 4 years old.I do have relatives in italy which i never get to see,Hopefully someday ill get a chance to go there and see them.

Tell me about your latest CD called "Full Circle".

My First Solo album is "Total Freedom" which is only available on cassette on my website right now.But "Full Circle" my Latest CD  is over 74 minutes long,With a variety of styles of music.Theres a Mixture of Rock,Jazz and Blues with Mostly Instrumentals,there are also some Vocal tracks as well.The Cd contains Acoustic and Electric guitar pieces. Alot of the  songs on the Cd i play  Most of the instruments And recorded half of it in  my  Home studio, I think this has helped me grow as a  Musician .This is all mixed together like a soup,Which i call "just Music"

Who are your musical influences?

My first musical Influence was Black Sabbath,i was totally Obsessed.I was into  Van Halen,Ozzy with Randy Rhoads, Led Zepplin.Jimi Hendrix is also a big influence on me.My brother  turned me on to ALDimeola ,Santana and Stevie Ray Vaughan when i was a Kid. Yngwie Malmsteen Became a big Influence, also Paganini and Holdsworth .My High school Days i was a speed freek.These days i listen to a Variety of Music Classical,Fusion.etc.  I like Eric Johnson, Steve Vai, Scott Henderson ,Also.im very open minded.Its make me more versatile as a player.

What do you think about the famous GIT Institute? Tell me about your experience.

I think GIT is a great sohool.Its probably one of the best years of my life.Theres so many Amazing players at that school.It made me aware of Many other styles of music. I had some great teachers. I really learned alot,I cant say enough about it.Alot of Great Memories.

Is a personal site web is very important for underground musicians like yourself? These days i think a website is nessasary.Because Anyone in the world can come to your site.Listen to your Music,Buy your cds,Find where your playing .Record labels can easily check you out.Its a whole nother world ,Its the way of the future.......... So Dont forget to check out my site

    Pat Thomi     Melody Control     -By Matt Cafissi

Pat, tell us about your latest CD entitled "Remote Control".

"Remote Control" is essentially a collection of tunes and songs that showcase the more guitaristic side of me. There is some pretty wild guitarstuff on this CD, but you have to look for it . The compositional aspect is still present. So it's not just a vehicle for guitar solos. A song like "Remote Control" is loaded with different parts and sounds. It is always important to me to create colors so that the listener can try to visualize his own impressions while he or she is listening to the music.

You are not very famous, but you have recorded three excellent solo CD's!

I have actually recorded 4 CDs . The one that I have not released yet is an orchestral work. Then there is also a CD with compositional excerpts that is only available on special request to television or film producers. My first album "Night of the Coral",  is essentially instrumental music, very much like "Remote Control", but not quite as aggressive at times. After that followed an ambient album called "Fairy tales" that featured acoustic guitars predominantly. Then earlier this year I released "Remote Control" and am now working on "Pyramids" another ambient album that should be finished by December this year. "Pyramids" has some pretty serious acoustic work, again hidden among sometimes complex sonic soundscapes and intriguing harmony.

What do you think about the world of 'Music Business on Internet'? This seems to be very important for many underground guitarists.

Essentially I like what's happening on the Internet. The problem I think is control over copywritten material that is floating around in cyberspace. Some new laws will have to be written before we can conduct fair business that is doing justice to all parties involved .

What do you think will be the new trends for the next guitar scene?

Talking about a new trend is difficult because as an artist one has the tendency to be subjective and not always objective . Most of us are trying to be original of course and so,  maybe create a new trend. A trend is a combination of either/or sociological and artistic needs. The consumer creates the need  for trends and in return music reinvents itself.

Who are your musical influences?

My musical influences range from classical music to jazz all the way to rock-and-roll and beyond. Artists that come to mind are for example Hector Berlioz, a 19th century composer, John McLaughlin , Frank Zappa, Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays and many others too numerous to mention .

Next projects in mind?

The project that i'm currently working on  is called "Pyramids" and is another ambiant CD. It features predominantly acoustic guitars. The CD should be finished by the end of the year. After that I am most likely going to start a vocal project, but it will still contain a fair amount of interesting guitar work.

    Torben Enevoldsen     European Rock Guitar     -By Guido Mercati

Torben, tell us about your main influences?

I am listening to a lot of different music , but at the moment , i'm especially big on Symphony X and dream Theater ! I am also listening to a lot of instrumental music , both heavy and fusion !

Are you involved in other projects?

No at the moment, no!

What do you think about the instrumental rock world in 2000?

I think that there's a lot of great music around and that the scene is very interesting and exciting !

You favorite 10 albums:

A very very difficult question , but here goes : 1-Boston "Boston" , 2-Saga "Worlds Apart" , 3-Toto "Turn Back" , 4-Van Halen "1" , 5-Jetro Tull "Live:Bursting Out" , 6-Allan Holdsworth "I.O.U." , 7-Joe Satriani "Not Of This earth" , 8-Riot "Fire Down Under" , 9-Dream Theater "Images & Words" , 10-Symphony X "Twilight In Olympus" .

How about the Lynch Mob and Badlands?

I like both bands , especially their debut albums ! George lynch and Jake E.Lee are both amazing guitarists !

Do you like the new Mr. Big album with Kotzen? what do you think about him ?

I have only heard the 3 first songs of that album , but they all sound great ! I will definitely buy it sometime ! I think that Mr Big is a really great . Richie Kotzen is another amazing guitarist . Very versatile . The stuff he has done with greg Howe , as well as solo , is really great !

Could you describe your equipment in detail?

My main guitar is an Ibanez RG-620 which i am very fond of ! The heart in my set-up is definitely my X-99 Soldano Preamp . It's Amazing !!! My Power Amp is the Marshall 9200 . I'm using a Korg DTR-2 for tuning and the Digitech Quadro Verb 2 for effects . I have two Marshall Cabs , each with 4*12 Speakers . I'm using my Morley Bad Horsie for wah effects and that's pretty much it as i like to keep things simple !!!

Torben, thanx so much for your time !

Thank you! Take care and all the best.