Q: Where can I get a copy of The Magician?
A: As far as we're aware, The Magician is now obsolete on CD but readily available as an MP3 download. Some Japanese import CD are available from time to time, often appearing on Ebay.
Q: Are any of your early demos available?
A: No, demos are just that - demonstrative recordings. I am aware that numerous demos and live bootleg recordings of me are in circulation...
Q: Do you teach guitar?
A: No, but if you catch up with me at a gig, etc; I'm usually able to run through some techniques and licks.
Q: Are there any transcriptions available of your music?
A: Yes, see the 'Transcripts/Tablature' pages and Online Store.
Q: Who were your biggest influences?
A: Like most other musicians, I have numerous influences. I would no doubt fill a page full of guitarists and other musicians' names if I were to list them all. My biggest influence is probably Al di Meola, and other early prominent guitar influences were Edward Van Halen, Mathias Jabs and Rudolph Shenker.
I would often listen to classical music that my Mother had around the house (mostly Bach, Schubert and Beethoven) and copy the violin or piano lines. During my early teens I listened to a lot of Paganini and Mozart and began experimenting with arpeggios.
Q: Which equipment do you use?
A: My main guitar now is a transparent blue Washburn X50 PRO. It's a thru-neck design made from mahogany with a quilted maple top. It has a fixed bridge and the Buzz Feiten tuning system. It's equipped with Seymour Duncan pickups, a 'Custom Custom' in the bridge and a ''59' in the neck. I use D'Addario XL's 9 - 42 strings on all my electric guitars.
My old custom guitar 'The Ripper' is now enjoying retirement after years of studio/live abuse and travel. It was built by Ibanez in Japan in 1992. It's a black 'Saber' type body made from mahogany, with a 24 fret neck and 'Lo-Pro Edge' locking tremolo. The pickup configuration is humbucker-single-humbucker, with DiMarzio 'Paf Pro' humbuckers and a vintage-type single.
My nylon-string guitar is a Crafter CE15-N (koa wood back & sides), I use D'Addario Pro-Arte hard tension strings on this guitar.
My steel-string guitar is an Ovation with a maple top. I use Ernie Ball Earthwood 'Light' 011 gauge strings on this guitar.
I use Peavey 6505 heads with straight cabs (some open backed) and usually use a Peavey Classic 30 combo in the studio. 99.% of Entranced was recorded with the Classic 30.
I use my own signature picks with a pointed tip, heavy gauge 1.50 mm. The picks are available for sale in the Online Store.
The only pedals I use are a Boss DS-1 Distortion and a Boss CS-3 Compressor. My live rack is quite simple and consists of a Lexicon reverb, a T.C. Electronic M-One unit for additional reverb, delay and chorus and a Rocktron Hush to keep my rig clean and noise free.
