Post by Gilby Admirer on Sept 18, 2002 13:54:45 GMT -5
www.gibson.com/magazines/amplifier/1997/12/Gilby.html
Headline Feature by Brett Ratner
If there is a common thread between guitarists who enjoy long and varied careers, it's that they consistently expound upon the virtues of "playing for the song."
Gilby Clarke certainly falls into that category. Since the early '80s, his high-energy, but tasteful, LA-style rock guitar has earned him record deals in bands such as Candy and Kill For Thrills as well as two solo albums. That's not to mention the coveted slot alongside Slash in Guns n' Roses and Slash's Snakepit. Like his music, Clarke's musical philosophy is simple.
"My goal is to make records that I would buy," Clarke said. "I like rock and roll. There's a soul about it, a feeling when it's right."
To make it "feel right," Clarke has a simple but effective formula.
"I like to build a sound around a good riff," Clarke said. "I like the loud guitars of the Stones, the melodies of the Beatles but with a punk rock attitude."
This formula is put into good practice on his second solo release on Paradigm Records, The Hangover.
"When Snakepit dissolved, I looked around town to see if anything was going on and decided it was time to do another solo record," he said, adding that taking a straight-ahead rock and roll approach was natural, despite the fact that "alternative" is still in vogue. "I want to play music that people want to hear, but music changes. It has to change or else it gets ugly. [In Techno music] even non-musicians are able to make music, but there will always be an outlet for guitar music. I think people should always experiment, but do what you're best at. I'm best at standing on a stage and playing loud."
Clark is quick to point out that all that volume is useless if the song isn't there.
"The bands that I grew up listening to were more songwriter-oriented than musician-oriented," Clarke said, citing David Bowie as another strong influence. "Because of that, I started writing songs immediately instead of playing covers necessarily all the time."
In developing a guitar style that enhances the song, Clarke suggests learning the ins and outs of a simple form of music.
"If you're playing a guitar, you've gotta start with the basic blues," Clarke said. "Then go where you want to go."
Wherever you go, however, Clarke thinks it's best to go there on a Gibson.
"I've been with Gibson since 1984, Candy had a Gibson endorsement," he said. "I've always only played black Les Pauls. I've got a lot of Les Pauls.
Clarke, who has a 1977 Deluxe (with full-size humbucking pickups) and two Classic models, learned first hand from his road tech on the Guns n' Roses tour how not to treat a Les Paul.
"I also have a tobacco sunburst Classic, It was the best sounding guitar I had," Clarke said. "But I didn't like to play it because I thought it looked too new. It wasn't beat up enough. Then one day, my tech comes up to me saying 'Check out what I did to your guitar.' He lit the top up with lighter fluid. Now it's my main ax on the road."
Headline Feature by Brett Ratner
If there is a common thread between guitarists who enjoy long and varied careers, it's that they consistently expound upon the virtues of "playing for the song."
Gilby Clarke certainly falls into that category. Since the early '80s, his high-energy, but tasteful, LA-style rock guitar has earned him record deals in bands such as Candy and Kill For Thrills as well as two solo albums. That's not to mention the coveted slot alongside Slash in Guns n' Roses and Slash's Snakepit. Like his music, Clarke's musical philosophy is simple.
"My goal is to make records that I would buy," Clarke said. "I like rock and roll. There's a soul about it, a feeling when it's right."
To make it "feel right," Clarke has a simple but effective formula.
"I like to build a sound around a good riff," Clarke said. "I like the loud guitars of the Stones, the melodies of the Beatles but with a punk rock attitude."
This formula is put into good practice on his second solo release on Paradigm Records, The Hangover.
"When Snakepit dissolved, I looked around town to see if anything was going on and decided it was time to do another solo record," he said, adding that taking a straight-ahead rock and roll approach was natural, despite the fact that "alternative" is still in vogue. "I want to play music that people want to hear, but music changes. It has to change or else it gets ugly. [In Techno music] even non-musicians are able to make music, but there will always be an outlet for guitar music. I think people should always experiment, but do what you're best at. I'm best at standing on a stage and playing loud."
Clark is quick to point out that all that volume is useless if the song isn't there.
"The bands that I grew up listening to were more songwriter-oriented than musician-oriented," Clarke said, citing David Bowie as another strong influence. "Because of that, I started writing songs immediately instead of playing covers necessarily all the time."
In developing a guitar style that enhances the song, Clarke suggests learning the ins and outs of a simple form of music.
"If you're playing a guitar, you've gotta start with the basic blues," Clarke said. "Then go where you want to go."
Wherever you go, however, Clarke thinks it's best to go there on a Gibson.
"I've been with Gibson since 1984, Candy had a Gibson endorsement," he said. "I've always only played black Les Pauls. I've got a lot of Les Pauls.
Clarke, who has a 1977 Deluxe (with full-size humbucking pickups) and two Classic models, learned first hand from his road tech on the Guns n' Roses tour how not to treat a Les Paul.
"I also have a tobacco sunburst Classic, It was the best sounding guitar I had," Clarke said. "But I didn't like to play it because I thought it looked too new. It wasn't beat up enough. Then one day, my tech comes up to me saying 'Check out what I did to your guitar.' He lit the top up with lighter fluid. Now it's my main ax on the road."
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