Interviews
Interview: Kiko Loureiro
It is all about the music, which can be similar to some people, but for me, it's really different. Also, the attention of the crowd is different. The trio format demands more from each musician as well.
Interview: Livio Lamonea
To be a musician, especially in countries like Italy where music is not treated like it deserves, it's a hard job. Every day you have to wake up and learn, you have to be prepared, you need to be professional.
Interview: Stef Burns
I love live performances. If they come out well, they capture the beauty of improvisation. That is one of the things that I love about music and this band, the moments of improvisation that change from gig to gig are wonderful.
Interview: Andy Timmons
I'm more interested in songs than in players. I love the last Coldplay album, because there's great melody. There's new guys like Derek Trucks and Joe Bonamassa, who really play well and say something emotional.
Interview: Ciro Manna
I think that the song itself is the most important thing, because what we remember after the listening of a track is not a shred phrase but the central theme.
Interview: Michael Knight
I thought it would be easier with a band with vocals, to push and sell it. It wasn't any easier. I'm still selling more instrumental CDs than Skulgrinder CDs.
Interview: Roger Staffelbach
My favorite album is "Phoenix Rising". The expectations after the success of "Into The Eye Of The Storm" were high, but everyone was highly motivated and we really put everything into it.
Interview: Simone Fiorletta
I like to compose instrumental songs, without the use of words, to communicate my emotions and my way of life. I'm not a singer, but I'm a guitarist, so I try "to speak" with my guitar.
Interview: Scott Allen
It was really important to me that all of the crazy shred guitar on the record be song driven and not the other way around. As a listener, I want to hear songs, not a brief melodic section and then eight minutes of jamming.
Interview: Andy James
My main aim with this album was to write songs that had really strong melodies and structure and that would be appreciated by a wide range of listeners other than just guitar players.
Interview: Frank Caruso
I advise to all those who can, to work in their own recording studio, so you can be free from conditions such as timetables and costs! I opened my studio in 1996 when I worked doing TV spots and was tired of spending money and time at other recording studios.
Interview: Massimo Izzizzari
With this album I attempted to express all my musical influences throughout the years. I expected the album to go straight to the listener without being too simple.
Interview: Edward Box
I've never had a specific practice routine other than practicing everything out there! When I'm writing I tend to focus on any problems a song throws up, and I put a lot of work into melody and solo construction.
Interview: Daniel Palmqvist
I like to listen to players who take you on a journey and have a clear direction and build-up to their solos. Kind of like a composition within the composition.
Interview: Allen Kave
Since instrumental guitar music isn't a big seller, it gets short changed quite often. As a matter of fact, finding the Guitar Nine website was a revelation to me. I didn't realize there were so many musicians doing instrumental music.
Interview: Fabrizio Leo
I don't care if things could go wrong because the most important thing is that someone like Mike Varney believes in me and in my music.
Interview: Andy Timmons
Having Steve Vai's name associated with my project helped my credibility in the guitar community. I have a lot of respect for Steve, not only as a musician but as a businessman. I knew I could learn a lot - and I have!
Interview: Greg Howe
You know, what's really weird about me is that I'm an artist, I consider myself as an artist and musician first, and a guitar player secondly, you know, guitar is not the thing that motivates me. Music is.
Interview: Dan McAvinchey
I want to make it as easy as possible for instrumental guitar fans to find the music they really want, and that means constantly improving the site, a little bit every week and every month.
Interview: Terry Syrek
Music is one of the deepest forms of communication and when you stop focusing on trying to impress people and focus on trying to communicate with them, it goes to an entirely new level.
Interview: Tony De Gruttola
I listen to all types of music, which helps me to keep up with the times, above all rock-fusion jazz, blues, and some Italian bands like Negramaro and Neutra.
Interview: Stef Burns
Keep playing, keep trying new things as well as listening to and learning the old ones. Try to listen and play with your heart. Play with other musicians as much as possible and when you are getting good enough, be heard in public as much as you can.
Interview: Gianni Rojatti
When I turned 19 I realized that I was in love with guitar and I wasn't doing anything else but practicing all day. Only then I understood that nothing could make me any happier than music!
Interview: Jill Yan
That's the beauty of instrumental music, when listening to it, you can imagine or feel whatever you want.
Interview: Johnny A.
I started to get calls from different record labels, they had interest in me, but at the end of the day the didn't know what to do with me, because it's not really jazz, although it's jazzy, it's not really blues, but bluesy.
Interview: John 5
Instrumental music kind of reminds me of little orchestra or classical pieces, because there's so much information going on. It's a challenge to do, it's really hard to do that stuff.
Interview: Jason Sadites
I just love instrumental guitar music. There is something great about hearing somebody write music that will keep people's interest without having the vocal to rely on.
Interview: Patrick Rondat
On every album I try to compose songs that fit together and record the album using a wide range of emotions and atmospheres. If I have enough speed/technique songs, I'll work on an atmospheric one, or an acoustic number.
Interview: Eric Mantel
Being your own record label eliminates having to sell your soul. You also have full control over the creative aspects of your music, you own 100% of your publishing, you don't put yourself in debt, and you call all the shots.
Interview: Jay Geils
I do any interview I can arrange to promote the CD. My partner has been marketing all over the internet and working in conjunction with our record company to keep getting press and putting the word out about my CD.
Interview: Bumblefoot
Guitar music isn't for everybody. Can't expect to sell as much as pop vocal music, and that's OK. Guitar music is for those who enjoy it, and it's great that Guitar Nine Records gives us a place where we can easily get it.
Interview: Randy McStine
I have many goals and options, but I'll take it day by day. It's kinda scary to think what could happen in five years. I hope to accomplish something really special by that time.
Interview: Francesco Fareri
I have a lot of experience thanks to my debut album. In fact, for "Suspension" I did everything by myself - production, distribution, promotion - so I know what to do. I know which magazines will be interested and which will not.
Interview: Kiko Loureiro
Music is the highest form of art. It is the most abstract art, while being the one that reaches deep emotions in all of us. Instrumental music is Pure Music. It gives to the listener only vibrations to get inspired and emotional.
Interview: Rob Balducci
This is one of the great things about being an artist on Favored Nations. I am in control of my art. When I write songs, I never think about how long a song is - my songs and arrangements are done the way I envision it.
Interview: Al Estrada
The advantages to working with a label is the feedback you get while writing. On my previous CDs I was pretty much on my own so it was nice to get some feedback for a change.