FIREWIND
Interview with Gus G (Guitar)
By Metal Mike
When I first saw the press release for a tour called the Frets of Fury tour, I was extremely excited to see who would be billed to be a part of the shred fest. Spearheaded by FIREWIND, ARSIS, WHITE WIZZARD, and NIGHTRAGE, the four bands united and embarked on a cross-country tour to show off their mind blowing chops. Hearing that the bands would be stopping by the city by the bay, me and Haag and Horns made our way out to meet Gus G, the legendary shredder currently playing for both FIREWIND and OZZY OSBOURNE. While shredding licks, the guitarist answered our questions about his plans for both FIREWIND and OZZY, his lack of free time, and how he could never flip burgers!
FIREWIND is currently on the Frets of Fury tour with ARSIS, NIGHTRAGE, and WHITE WIZZARD. How did this tour come about and how did it end up with such a name?
It was really our management’s idea to put this package together. The guy we work with here in the US was like why don’t we put together a sick guitar tour but with like diverse bands? You know you have FIREWIND headlining and you have a band like ARSIS who are super technical but killer guitar players and from there that’s how some of the lineup came together. For the rest I picked NIGHTRAGE because I love the band; they have a new album out and I also actually used to be in that band as well! Then we got WHITE WIZZARD on board, who are a lot like a BNWOHM band who are very cool. And that’s how it came about. It’s been a really good idea and it’s worked out real good.
Very cool, since you were a part of NIGHTRAGE on their first two albums, are you excited to be sharing the road with your old band mates?
Yeah man yeah. You know it’s the first time NIGHTRAGE and FIREWIND have shared a tour together, we’ve been talking about it for years to do it and I’m happy that we’re finally together on the road.
This has also been FIREWIND’s first headlining tour in the US, how are you guys liking it so far?
Yeah you know you have some good markets and you have some markets which are secondary or whatever, and there’s a lot of other shows going on right now so some shows have been better than others but other than that, the reception has been great for the level we’re at right now in America. We’re basically a young band here and I really wanted to do this really for our fans because you know we don’t really have a hot new album out now so I just wanted us to get out here and basically for once do a coast to coast tour to see who’s out there and basically take it from there. So it’s kind of like an introductory thing and I’m very happy that we did this and actually came out to do this.
On the new NIGHTRAGE album Insidious both you and Tomas Lindberg (AT THE GATES, LOCK UP, DISFEAR) make special appearances on a few tracks, how did that work out?
Well it was Mario’s idea and I mean Mario and I are like best friends, we live in the same town and he was like “hey wanna come down and play a couple songs?” and I was like “yea!”
With this tour wrapping up, what is the next step for FIREWIND?
Well we’re working on our new album right now, we’re gonna be recording in December and January so we hope to release it sometime in the spring or summer and then go back out on tour.
Solid, are you working on anything new with Ozzy?
Well we were working on some stuff while we were on the road, but you know now the tour’s over and I think he’s jamming with SABBATH these days so we have to wait and see what will happen. If SABBATH does go out next year there’s not going to be a new OZZY record until the year after that. But you never know, if it doesn’t work out Ozzy is probably going to go back to his thing and I’m just waiting to hear news from the camp. I’ve just doing my thing until they give me a call.
Is your creative process different between FIREWIND and Ozzy? Do you find that the two cross over ever?
I don’t think so, both are heavy metal but its basically very different stuff. I dunno, FIREWIND is a different sound and OZZY is Ozzy! So I don’t think there’s been any crossing over so far. I mean I’ve definitely been influenced by OZZY’s music, even more so since joining and being such a huge SABBATH fan; probably the next FIREWIND album might be much heavier than our previous releases. With me being in the OZZY camp for two years, I analyzed my guitar playing and analyzed all the other guitar players’ styles, so its helped me to become a much better player and maybe that will show itself on my playing in the new record. But you know, I really won’t know until we actually start writing it but I do feel like I’m changing in a good direction.
Over the years you have been in multiple bands at the same time and this trend continues today (OZZY, FIREWIND), do you ever find yourself with any down time?
*Laughs* No, I mean especially since I joined OZZY I haven’t really had any chance to relax. I mean it’s a good thing, these days you have to keep busy and these days in the music business, people’s attention spans aren’t that long so you really have to keep going out there and be in everybody’s face to get their attention. The exposure has been tremendous for me so far and I’ve been really grateful for that and to be able to do what I do for a living.
You recently won the “Best Shredder” award at Metal Hammer’s Golden Gods ceremony, how does it feel to be ranked amongst the best shredders?
It’s an honor. Especially coming from a magazine, especially one of the first heavy metal magazines ever and more so being voted by their readers. You know it doesn’t really make me feel like I’m better than anybody else; it’s more like a giant bonus for all the years of hard work.
You have definitely come a long way since leaving Greece for Berklee School of Music, if that trip hadn’t happened; do you think you still would have pursued music?
I definitely would have done music. I mean I went to Berklee but nothing happened when I spent all those months here in the US. I got my first break when I went to Sweden and started working with Fredrik Nordstrom in DREAM EVIL. I think every step that I took was important, it definitely brought me here today, but I definitely would have done music no matter what. There was no plan B anyways, I just would not accept to just flip burgers you know, nothing wrong with that but I really wanted to music. I just didn’t know what else to do.
Alright, well very cool, thanks for sparing us some of your time and good luck with all your FIREWIND and OZZY stuff in the future.
Thanks guys, I appreciate it.
