Nick Mason was
joined on stage by
Roger Waters when
Mason’s band
Saucerful Of Secrets
appeared at the
Beacon Theatre in
New York. It was the
first time the pair had
played together since- They performed
the Pink Floyd epic Set
The Controls For The
Heart Of The Sun.
Mason is to host
a new nine-part Open
University series on
the BBC World Service
later this year. Titled
A History Of Music In
Technology, it explores
“the world of
legendary artists,
producers, engineers
and inventors”.
Michael Anthony
reveals that the notion
of a Van Halen
reunion was
considered briefly
several months ago.
“I was contacted by
management last
October [but]
something went
wrong at their end,”
the bassist told US
radio personality
Howard Stern.
Anthony was replaced
in Van Halen by
Edward Van Halen’s
son Wolfgang in 2006.Hollywood Vampires,
featuring Alice Cooper
(pictured) Aerosmith
guitarist Joe Perry and
actor Johnny Depp
also on guitar, release
a second album on
June 21. Titled Rise, it
will be available via Ear
Music. It includes the
track Bushwackers
which features Jeff
Beck, and a cover of
Johnny Thunders’s Yo u
Can’t Put Your Arms
Around A Memory.Cats In Space have
appointed Mark
Pascall, of Devon-
based trio Departed,
as their new lead
singer. Pascall replaces
Paul Manzi, who has
joined The Sweet.FIRE
Could You Understand Me, 1973,
Kilroy Records, Netherlands. £280.
Could You
Understand Me, is
one of the most
uncompromising,
viciously raw
records of any
genre released
during the 70s.
Formed in the then
Yugoslavian (now Croatian) town of
Cakovec, Fire met as members of
a military marching band. Upon finishing
national service, they regrouped and
rehearsed solidly for a whole year, honing
their craft. Named after the Hendrix
song, Fire were clearly too wild for their
native rock audience to comprehend.
Having relocated to Germany they
played regularly, sharing stages with
major bands such as Guru Guru, Amon
Düül II, UFO and Birth Control, and
soon built up a respectable following
of their own.
Recorded in one night, Could You
Understand Me was released on the small
Dutch label Kilroy. Heavily influenced bythe classic power trio moves of Cream,
Blue Cheer, The Jimi Hendrix Experience
and others, Fire took psychedelic blues
rock to another level, the grinding fuzz
noise pretty much unparalleled.
The opening title track gives an
indication of what’s to come: loose, often
sloppy yet thoroughly accomplished and
convincing playing is par for the course.
Memory Of You is a mellower blues
number, proving there was more to Fire
than all-out visceral assault. However, it’s
only a slight diversion from the general
barrage of killer riffs, maniacal drum fills,
pissed-off vocals and skilful soling. The
album is a must for fans of primitive-
sounding, no-frills underground rock.Riches from the
rock underground‘A must for fans of
primitive-sounding
underground rock.”
As the former Mr. Big shredder’s biggest hit shows,
it’s not always speed, as well as size, that matters.Paul Gilbert
At the age of 19, Paul Gilbert was the
youngest ever tutor at the renowned
Guitar Institute Of Technology in
Hollywood. His virtuoso metal band
Racer X was one of the star turns on Mike
Varney’s shred label Shrapnel, and Gilbert
hit pay dirt in 1988 when he co-founded
the hugely successful Mr. Big. He has just
released his latest instrumental solo,
Behold Electric Guitar.There are some fun titles on the new
album: Sir, You Need To Calm Down,
I Love My Lawnmower.
What comes f irst,
the title or the tune?
I actually wrote
a vocal melody and
lyrics for most of these
tunes. The opening
track, Havin’ It, was:
‘Havin’ it don’t make me
stop wantin’ it/The back
of it just makes me want
to see the front of it.’ If I want to play
[guitar] like a singer, I need something
to sing. It gives you a musical and
emotional structure.You’ve toned down the shred in
favour of very lyrical playing. Was
that a conscious decision?
When I was a kid you’d still hear muzak,
elevator music, so for decades I thought if
an instrument plays a vocal line it’s going
to wreck it. But then I did the G3 tour with
Joe Satriani [in 2007]. He’s fantastic at
playing melodies on guitar, and I realised
it can sound good if done with care. One
of the most satisfying things a musician
can do is make that connection between
your hands and what you’re hearing
with your inner melodic generator.
This album’s been my most successful in
those terms.You’ve always had an off-the-wall
sense of humour. Has that helped or
hindered your career?
I’m doing the best I can with what I have.If I woke up one morning and looked as
amazing as David Coverdale I’d go for
it. In Racer X I had big hair and wore
eyeliner a bit, but other people had bigger
hair and looked cooler. You get a sense of
what’s working for you and what’s honest
and authentic.Teaching is in the toolbox, from GIT
to your online guitar school. Where
does that impulse come from?
I had some lessons, but I taught myself
a lot, and people just always came to me
to learn. My fantasy
was we’d get off the
tour bus and there’d
be all these beautiful
girls waiting for us.
The reality was it’d
be a bunch of guys
who wanted guitar
lessons. But it’s great.
Teaching keeps me
immersed in music,
it’s inspiring and I’m never bored.Will Mr. Big be back?
You never know. We did a lot of touring
these last couple of years and I got burned
out on playing the same great set every
night. I’ve got my own tour this year, and
I’m always trying to do something new.
It’s terrifying but interesting.There’s a pleasing paradox in that
your biggest hit, Mr. Big’s To B e Wi t h
Yo u, features your simplest solo.
I like that solo! Everybody who hears
what I do is an individual. People hearing
that in the pub, that’s probably the only
time they’re going to hear me play
anything. Those who come a masterclass
will know my deep cuts and will be angry
if I don’t play Scarified by Racer X. I’m just
fortunate and happy that anybody’s
paying attention. GMBehold Electric Guitar is out now via
Mascot/Music Theories Recordings.
Gilbert’s tour runs until June 21.GLE
Y/P
RES
S“I’m fortunate
and happy
that anybody’s
paying attention.”
16 CLASSICROCKMAGAZINE.COM