Here's the transcribed interview with Gus G. this is how it will appear on Pivotal Rage....
You wrapped up a tour with Arch Enemy where you played Ozzfest throughout the summer of 2006. How was that experience for you and what were some of the highlights?
Well, it was fun touring with those guys. I loved the experience of getting to tour extensively in The United States on such a large scale. It will be something that I will remember for the rest of my life and it is a highlight in my career.
Did Arch Enemy offer you the opportunity to stay on as the second guitarist?
Yes, they did but at this time I had to dedicate more time to Firewind. I had not given this band enough attention and now I felt like it was the right time to do so.
No regrets about passing up that gig?
Absolutely none, I think I made the right decision. I wish them well and I think they will be fine.
You and Firewind wrapped up a mini-tour across Europe and Asia how did that go? What was the audience’s reaction to Apollo?
Well it was a longer tour than you think. It was about a two and a half to three month tour. It went very well, I think we won over some people and gained many new fans. The reaction was great toward Apollo as our new singer. We will be going out again soon, I love playing live and being out on tour.
Was it your intention to have an all Greek line-up or did this happen by coincidence?
He's been a good friend of mine for years. I met him in Sweden. He is a native Greek, but he lives in Sweden. I had asked him to join the band a few years back, but the timing wasn’t right. When we were looking for a singer I gave him a call and this time he was available and we went to work. The addition of Apollo has added a different dimension to Firewind. A new voice will change the band's sound. It's something to be expected; he changed it for the better. His vocal is similar to our first singer's voice but, Apollo has an edgier vocal but still melodic.
With Apollo and Mark now in Firewind, would you consider yourselves a super group?
Well, it seems that way. While I wouldn’t, I can see how some people could see it that way being that the guys in the band have had other projects or been in other bands and have had success in their own right.
Why all the line up changes in Firewind and do you think you have the right group of guys finally?
The changes have been because as I stated I love to tour. The people that I had around me in previous incarnations of the band didn’t like it. It takes a certain kind of person to be in a band, you must be able to always be on the move, always going. I found over the years that some people aren’t able to do that and they leave or are asked to leave. This affects the band everyone has to be on the same page. I think the short answer it comes down to lifestyle.
Why did you leave Dream Evil? Was there something in this band that you weren’t getting in Dream Evil?
Well, it had gotten to a point where I felt I had done everything we could have with Dream Evil. I thought it was time to move forward. I had Firewind on hold because of Dream Evil and other things. I felt it was time to dedicate more time to Firewind and make that a full-time band, rather than a band that was always on hold and a band that got very little attention for whatever reason.
Gus have you had an opportunity to listen to the new Dream Evil album? Is it kind of odd that the band has carried on with the name despite being an entirely different band?
Well, it is a different band. I have heard the album, and I have to say that there are a handful of songs on the new album that are very good and others that I didn’t think were good at all. That is just my opinion of course.
When will there be a North American Tour?
We will be performing at Progpower USA this year and we’re looking at a possible tour in October of 2007. I’m actually in the states right now and I really like it here. I was at NAMM this year and ESP presented me with my guitar. It was great I got a chance to meet some great people while I was there.
Allegiance sold quite well in a number of countries, is he surprised by this?
There has been great response by both fans and critics alike. I didn't know what to expect to tell you the truth. I do like the fact that people like Allegiance. To me it seem like people are checking out more melodic heavy metal like we play. Like you said the reviews have been very good. I think we’re on the right track.
Have you ever considered making an album in the Greek language? Why or why not?
I wouldn’t be interested in this. I think heavy music, rock music sounds better when sung in English. I have heard music in sung in many languages and I think it just sounds better in English. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that it originated in America or something? I just prefer it in English.
People have referred to you as a virtuoso what do you think of that?
I’m honored that someone would call me a virtuoso, but honestly I don’t see myself in that light at all. I’m a musician and songwriter.
Have you ever consider releasing an instrumental album?
That’s something that may or may not happen. There are times when I feel like doing something like this, and then I change my mind. I don’t have any music for one, everything I write I use for a project that has a singer in mind. If I did an instrumental album I think I would model it after something like what Marty Friedman has done. I really like his work.
Thank You for your time Gus. I hope to catch you on tour later this fall and is there anything you’d like to say to the readers of Pivotal Rage?
Well, I would like to thank all the fans that came up to greet me at NAMM and I can’t wait to take the stage at Progpower USA this fall and hopefully tour America. Thank you very much for your support.
There you have it Gus G. will be at this year’s Progpower USA @ The ATL. Thanks Again to Gus for taking the time out of his busy schedule and also a big thank you to George @ Century Media for setting this up. And Gus forgot to plug his sites so here they are:
www.gus-g.com
www.firewind.gr/index.asp
www.myspace.com/firewind
Ruben
You wrapped up a tour with Arch Enemy where you played Ozzfest throughout the summer of 2006. How was that experience for you and what were some of the highlights?
Well, it was fun touring with those guys. I loved the experience of getting to tour extensively in The United States on such a large scale. It will be something that I will remember for the rest of my life and it is a highlight in my career.
Did Arch Enemy offer you the opportunity to stay on as the second guitarist?
Yes, they did but at this time I had to dedicate more time to Firewind. I had not given this band enough attention and now I felt like it was the right time to do so.
No regrets about passing up that gig?
Absolutely none, I think I made the right decision. I wish them well and I think they will be fine.
You and Firewind wrapped up a mini-tour across Europe and Asia how did that go? What was the audience’s reaction to Apollo?
Well it was a longer tour than you think. It was about a two and a half to three month tour. It went very well, I think we won over some people and gained many new fans. The reaction was great toward Apollo as our new singer. We will be going out again soon, I love playing live and being out on tour.
Was it your intention to have an all Greek line-up or did this happen by coincidence?
He's been a good friend of mine for years. I met him in Sweden. He is a native Greek, but he lives in Sweden. I had asked him to join the band a few years back, but the timing wasn’t right. When we were looking for a singer I gave him a call and this time he was available and we went to work. The addition of Apollo has added a different dimension to Firewind. A new voice will change the band's sound. It's something to be expected; he changed it for the better. His vocal is similar to our first singer's voice but, Apollo has an edgier vocal but still melodic.
With Apollo and Mark now in Firewind, would you consider yourselves a super group?
Well, it seems that way. While I wouldn’t, I can see how some people could see it that way being that the guys in the band have had other projects or been in other bands and have had success in their own right.
Why all the line up changes in Firewind and do you think you have the right group of guys finally?
The changes have been because as I stated I love to tour. The people that I had around me in previous incarnations of the band didn’t like it. It takes a certain kind of person to be in a band, you must be able to always be on the move, always going. I found over the years that some people aren’t able to do that and they leave or are asked to leave. This affects the band everyone has to be on the same page. I think the short answer it comes down to lifestyle.
Why did you leave Dream Evil? Was there something in this band that you weren’t getting in Dream Evil?
Well, it had gotten to a point where I felt I had done everything we could have with Dream Evil. I thought it was time to move forward. I had Firewind on hold because of Dream Evil and other things. I felt it was time to dedicate more time to Firewind and make that a full-time band, rather than a band that was always on hold and a band that got very little attention for whatever reason.
Gus have you had an opportunity to listen to the new Dream Evil album? Is it kind of odd that the band has carried on with the name despite being an entirely different band?
Well, it is a different band. I have heard the album, and I have to say that there are a handful of songs on the new album that are very good and others that I didn’t think were good at all. That is just my opinion of course.
When will there be a North American Tour?
We will be performing at Progpower USA this year and we’re looking at a possible tour in October of 2007. I’m actually in the states right now and I really like it here. I was at NAMM this year and ESP presented me with my guitar. It was great I got a chance to meet some great people while I was there.
Allegiance sold quite well in a number of countries, is he surprised by this?
There has been great response by both fans and critics alike. I didn't know what to expect to tell you the truth. I do like the fact that people like Allegiance. To me it seem like people are checking out more melodic heavy metal like we play. Like you said the reviews have been very good. I think we’re on the right track.
Have you ever considered making an album in the Greek language? Why or why not?
I wouldn’t be interested in this. I think heavy music, rock music sounds better when sung in English. I have heard music in sung in many languages and I think it just sounds better in English. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that it originated in America or something? I just prefer it in English.
People have referred to you as a virtuoso what do you think of that?
I’m honored that someone would call me a virtuoso, but honestly I don’t see myself in that light at all. I’m a musician and songwriter.
Have you ever consider releasing an instrumental album?
That’s something that may or may not happen. There are times when I feel like doing something like this, and then I change my mind. I don’t have any music for one, everything I write I use for a project that has a singer in mind. If I did an instrumental album I think I would model it after something like what Marty Friedman has done. I really like his work.
Thank You for your time Gus. I hope to catch you on tour later this fall and is there anything you’d like to say to the readers of Pivotal Rage?
Well, I would like to thank all the fans that came up to greet me at NAMM and I can’t wait to take the stage at Progpower USA this fall and hopefully tour America. Thank you very much for your support.
There you have it Gus G. will be at this year’s Progpower USA @ The ATL. Thanks Again to Gus for taking the time out of his busy schedule and also a big thank you to George @ Century Media for setting this up. And Gus forgot to plug his sites so here they are:
www.gus-g.com
www.firewind.gr/index.asp
www.myspace.com/firewind
Ruben
Thanks for posting it for us to read.
