One of the most talented, engaging and versatile musicians in the world of hard rock and metal music, Gus G has carved out an enviable career as a top-flight guitar player and prodigious songwriter with a burgeoning legion of fans worldwide.
The former Ozzy Osbourne sideman, and co-founder of the acclaimed metal band Firewind returned with his latest outpouring of creative excellence – his new solo album Fearless, released in April on AFM Records.
A prolific songwriter, Gus G has bounced back and forth between a variety of projects over his two-decade long career as a guitar wizard and songwriter. Since 2002 he has been the leading creative light for the melodic power metal band Firewind, which has released 10 albums, including 2017s powerfully compelling Immortals. He contributed greatly to Ozzy Osbourne’s last studio album, Scream, which came out in 2010, and was nominally still considered to be part of his band until the current No More Tours lineup was announced and the metal legend was reunited with his long-time axe slinger Zakk Wylde.
Gus has also recorded with the bands Dream Evil, Mystic Prophecy and Nightrage and guested on many other recordings by the likes of Kamelot, Arch Enemy, In This Moment and Doro, among others.
Looking for a vehicle to record a variation of his power metal sound and seeking a way to collaborate with a number of different artists, he decided to release music under his own name. The first Gus G album, I Am the Fire came out in 2014, followed a year later by Brand New Revolution in 2015.
Fearless is thus his third solo release and sees the talented Greek metal maestro issuing forth a powerful collection of songs that drift a little closer to the tone and tenor of the music he has created over the past decade and a half with Firewind.
“With Firewind, the idea is to make this sort of Euro power metal sound. We didn’t really aim to be that kind of band, but we were kind of tagged with it, so we finally embraced it on the last record, Immortals. Since we were seen as a power metal band, we might as well just go full on and be one and make a really epic record. With my first solo record, I was aiming at doing like a radio-friendly rock radio kind of record but that didn’t work out. I ended up not having any hits. So, for this new record I said, ‘you know what, what do people know me for? They know me for playing heavy metal and being a guitar player. They want to hear me shred and they want to hear me play heavy riffs,” he explained from his home in Greece.
“So, I kind of went back to form. Sometimes there’s a fine line between Firewind and the solo stuff, but I think whenever I do something where I don’t think it would sit quite well on a Firewind record, or it’s a bit too modern or a bit too retro, I will just save it for another solo album.
“And another thing about releasing this under my own name is that I don’t have to commit to any steady lineup. And you know how it is, after a couple of records people can get attached to the members and it can really hurt the fans and the band if somebody leaves or whatever. That has happened to Firewind a few times in our career. Whereas with a solo record I have total freedom to just work with whoever is available and interested. It’s just basically being able to work with friends and being more independent and not really operating under a brand name band.”
Gus has found a kindred songwriting spirit in Dennis Ward, a veteran songwriter/producer best known for his work with Cream 69 and Unisonic. The pair previously collaborated closely on Firewind’s lauded last album, Immortals, which came out in 2017. The pair just kept on writing and the fruit of their continued creative labours are the exceptional tracks on Fearless.
“I think we sort of complete each other as songwriters. He got to a point where he needed input because he was kind of stuck in the studio doing all this production and writing with other people as well as his own band. He was doing a lot of it by himself and he was kind of missing that creative input from someone from outside,” said Gus.
“And then I was at a point in my career where I needed a solid co-writing partner. And that’s because I can do the music and all the arrangements; I am pretty content with that, and it’s something I can manage. But I was never really good at doing lyrics. I have ideas for vocal lines and stuff, but it’s always better when the person really singing the songs deals with that. I am a bit more traditional in my thinking when it comes to that.
“We sat down a couple of years ago to try to write a few songs and we did the Immortals record and that’s how we clicked, and why there is such chemistry. I think we sort of met and came into each other’s lives at the right time when we both needed another co-writing partner to sort of move and grow. And when we did that, all these cool songs started coming out. We made these last two records pretty fast and we both felt inspired and it’s been great.”
For the recordings for Fearless, Gus brought in noted veteran skin bashed Will Hunt (Evanescence, Black Label Society) to lay down some seriously heavy and bombastic drum parts.
“Will, obviously, is one of the best drummers in the business. He has an amazing style. I love the big rock swing that he has. He really elevated the songs and took them to another level with his playing. He came in well prepared. I pretty much did finished demos with grooves and everything, so he knew all the parts. He knew exactly what to do,” Gus said.
“And he has an amazing style and it really made a difference to have such a great player on this record. It really gave the songs a different vibe. He is very busy with Evanescence this year, so I don’t think he will be able to join us on the road. We are discussing having him join us for some dates in September. We will see what happens.”
Even though Gus G has been in a number of bands since becoming a touring and recording professional at the precocious age of 17 (more than 20 years ago!!) he has never played in a power trio format. Now he said he likes the unique challenge it presents as an alternative to the more traditional four and five-piece outfits he is used to.
“It definitely was a different thing for me. I have never been in a power trio before. But Dennis told me it as his dream to be part of a power trio band. And he mentioned all the classic power trio lineups like Cream and Rush and Motorhead, and even ZZ Top – there’s always a certain type of energy and chemistry that works in those bands and that’s what makes them special. For us, the trio was a trial thing. We were just trying it out briefly on tour last year in the States when we did a few shows with Vinnie Moore. To me it was a strange thing to be on stage without a frontman,” he said.
“You have Dennis playing his ass off and singing every night, but he is very static because he has to be on one side of the stage doing all that stuff. All of a sudden, I have this freedom on stage to do my thing. In this case it works out well with the solo band format. I don’t know how it would work if it was my regular band. But with me being a solo artist, I think it’s cool and it separates me from what I am doing with Firewind. It also gives me all the space to step out there in the front and be like the front figure for this thing. And I guess as a solo artist that’s supposed to be the main focus.”
He said it was actually Ward’s idea to first record as a trio, which led to performing live in the power trio structure.
“The first two solo records were more experimental, and I worked with different co-writers, different producers, musicians and singers. And this time I just kept writing with the same guy and it all happened really fast. I didn’t want to do another collaboration because for the recording I would have meant making a list and seeing who was available and figuring out the scheduling. The songs were already written, and I kept wondering would this song fit this guy’s voice or that guy’s voice and that kind of thing,” Gus explained.
“In the end Dennis came up and said, ‘man we can just do this as a power trio and I can play bass and sing on the record.’ And I started thinking about it and thought it was crazy at first, but it’s a very different idea and very fresh and would be something unique that I haven’t done before. I said I would do it if he would commit to go out on tour with us and he did, so that’s what we did.
“I really wanted to have a voice on the record that I could also have with me on tour and could commit to me to do a year-long tour. So that’s why the idea of the power trio came about with Dennis being the bass player and singer.”
With so much artistic output over the last number of years, it’s actually refreshing to report that Gus G doesn’t spend the entirety of his life hunched over his guitar or soundboard in the studio. Especially when writing music, he incorporates it into his regular life routines when he is not on the road – something that many musicians find difficult. Live/work balance is important to him.
“The last few years it seems like I have been doing my writing in bits and pieces here and there between tours. I try to not put too strict timelines and deadlines on my schedule when it comes to creating new music. I like to go into the studio whenever I feel I have 10 or 12 really good songs. I never really sit down and say, ‘okay, I am going to do a writing session for two or four solid weeks.’ I keep writing stuff and piling it up on my hard drive and then at some point during the year I will go back and listen to it all and see what I have,” he explained.
“To me, I don’t want to stress about that stuff, even though I am probably supposed to be writing for another Firewind album because after this cycle for Fearless I should go right into a new Firewind record, but right now I am just collecting ideas. I really like to take it easy when I am home. I play lots of guitar, have fun and put down ideas if they happen and revisit them later.
“I don’t isolate myself when I am writing. I like to spend time with my family and see friends. And if I feel inspired I may jam on an acoustic and if I come up with something record it really quickly and move to the next idea. I like operating like that, just having it as a natural part of my life and not really focusing al my time on it. The good ideas will happen, at least that’s the way it has been for me.”
The Gus G band, with a drummer yet to be determined, will be hitting the road in September for a short jaunt in the U.S., before returning for and extensive tour of Europe and the UK to take him to the end of the year. Dates in Canada are expected to come sometime in early 2019, he said.
“I am doing the big Monsters of Rock Cruise next year and I said to my agent that we should do a Canadian tour next year right before or right after the cruise. So that’s something we’re looking at because I haven’t played Canada for a while and I know there are a lot of great fans there. I really want to come back and play there. The last time I did a couple of shows, one was in Ottawa at the Brass Monkey and the other at The Rockpile in Toronto and those were both good shows. So, yes, I would love to come back and do more Canadian shows,” he said.
For more information on tour dates and Fearless, visit http://gusgofficial.com.
- Jim Barber is a veteran award-winning journalist and author based in Napanee, ON, who has been writing about music and musicians for a quarter of a century. Besides his journalistic endeavours, he now works as a communications and marketing specialist. Contact him at jimbarberwritingservices@gmail.com.
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