So, I just got off the phone with Paul Gilbert...

[RichieP]

That was certainly one of the more bizarre and totally cool evenings I've had - having just spent an hour interviewing Paul Gilbert!

Background - aside from being a lover of all things 80s/early 90s (and an ardent fan of Charvel stratheads), I am one of the founders of Dream Theater's official UK fanclub. We do a quarterly magazine and consequently I've done plenty of interviews with DT members over the last few years. However a while back it occurred to me it might be cool to talk to Paul as he has taken part in the four cover bands Mike Portnoy has done (covering The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Rush and The Who) to get a different perspective to what we've normally done. Also, I figured it would be good to talk about PG's new album (which I've had on repeat for days - the first instrumental album in a decade that's totally sucked me in).

Tonight saw that idea come to fruition! Paul was a great, really communicative and friendly guy who gave an absolute wealth of insights into not just the cover stuff with Mike but lots about his taste in music, his motivations in doing the new album and his recording of it.

Funniest/coolest points:
- he thought that the one cover thing he'd like to see done would be for Elvis Costello to do some Enuff Z'Nuff songs - he thought their styles would mesh really well!

- he is convinced that James Hetfield got his vocal style from Yosemite Sam;

- the track "Hurry Up" off Get Out of My Yard is called that because it is a homage to Rush!

- He knew most of the songs he did in the four covers projects before - but mainly as air guitar from when he was a kid before he learnt to play - the covers shows made him actually learn the notes he'd always been promising to get around to learning!

- the heaviest his music taste gets and the definition of true metal to him are bands like Accept and Saxon!

- his guitar collection is currently down to ONLY 85 guitars - but he's always watching eBay!

I've been a longtime lurker on this site (not having a Charvel yet has kept me from getting really stuck in) but I thought I'd share this with you guys as I figured there might be some people who'd understand my excitement! I told a couple of people at the office about this and they (predictably) didn't understand the gravity of the situation!!!

Getting an opportunity to just call up and have a chat with one of your all-time favorite guitar heroes for an hour doesn't exactly happen often!

[Ben Johnson]

That's all I have to say.

And that the Yosemite Sam/Hetfield thing is the funniest thing I've heard all day. How does a conversation lead up to that?

[Razor]

Now that is cool! Congrats.

[VitaminG]

I told a couple of people at the office about this and they (predictably) didn't understand the gravity of the situation!!!

don't you just hate that?

thanks for telling us about it, Richie. A very cool experience for you and nice of you to share it.

[dg]

Awesome! I'd love to read the interview. Don't let the lack of having a J/C guitar keep you off the board. Plenty of folks here don't have one. Cool people with something interesting to say are always welcome here!

[Reverend Timmy]

Thanks for sharing that.PG is a awesome player and I like the way he approaches the guitar.He seems to look at it from a slightly different view....

[Sinistas]

I've never had a J/C. Don't let it stop you from posting, this is the only guitar forum I'll ever need!

[neilli]

Very cool - he does seem like a decent guy, and by all accounts he does his own 'communications' stuff, like responding to questions from the website etc....

[Erez]

Thanks for posting this, I found it very interesting to read

[RichieP]

That's all I have to say.

And that the Yosemite Sam/Hetfield thing is the funniest thing I've heard all day. How does a conversation lead up to that?

That topic came up as we have a running feature in the magazine based on 50 random and often bizarre "A or B" type questions that were submitted by fanclub members. Its a fun thing to do and often confuses the hell out of the interviewees!! Paul answered it after the main interview. The Hetfield/Yosemite Sam thing popped into his mind because two of the questions were "Metallica or Megadeth" (he said neither - remember, Accept is METAL) and "Disney or Warner Brothers"!

[Davey]

only 85 guitars..

haha..

and that is pretty much all of the most rarest ibanez guitars on the planet..

and that one Gilbert les paul HAHA

[Racerx2k]

Thanks for chiming in about one of my favorite players, and kind of a hometown hero, in my eyes, to boot. I still listen to Racer X, almost every day. My daughter hates it, cause she says he shows off, but she's the first one to blaze away on the paino, first chance she gets! hehe.

[kmanick]

Cool! Gilbert is one of my favs!
he seems like a real down to earth type of guy.

[MBreinin]

He is hilarious....and VERY bright.

I bet he is a serious practical joker.

His site is pure hilarity.

Mike

[Special-K]