What sort of things are you studying these days ?
[ John ] So I think it ’ s like what you said , my student mentality hasn ’ t really gone away . It ’ s exciting . It ’ s really cool . Even within Dream Theater , when we ’ re backstage , on the tour bus , or at sound check , we ’ re constantly sharing ideas , picking each other ’ s brains on how you do things . Whether Jordan says , “ Check this out !” or Mike has some crazy rhythmic thing , it ’ s just a constant state of mind .
I constantly try to expand my horizons on the guitar and get some new influences . Jazz always comes into play . Some of the Gypsy Jazz stuff is unbelievable and has really drawn me in . But you never know what it ’ s going to be , you know ? Sometimes it ’ s the players that are gonna be at this camp . I go on their YouTube channels and listen to their music . I hear something photo by Nidhal Marzouk and my mind immediately goes , “ What are they doing ? How do you kind of music , whether it was Al DiMeola , do it ?”
Steve Morse , or Allan Holdsworth really got my attention . I would sit there and learn the [ CG ] In a number of ways Progressive music solos , even violin solos , and try to really expand is kind of like a heavier version of some of the my ability . It was really cool and it definitely seminal Fusion bands . Do you feel a kindred influenced the way I wrote because it turned spirit with the Mahavishnu Orchestra , Return to me on to more harmonic possibilities . Like you Forever , or the Dixie Dregs ? said , Dream Theater definitely goes in a heavier direction . That has to do with my age , the music [ John ] Absolutely ! Out of those that you that was on the radio growing up on Long mentioned , the Dixie Dregs is the biggest Island , and being turned on to Iron Maiden and influence on me as far as that kind of music . Metallica and all that stuff . It just felt like a very Discovering Steve Morse when I was young , natural thing to combine the Progressive stuff getting all of those albums , absorbing and with Metal . learning all of that stuff , I can ’ t even describe the kind of impact that had on me . Same with [ CG ] Last year you showed up incognito at Return to Forever because I was a really big fan Joe Satriani ’ s camp the day Steve Vai was of Al DiMeola . Hearing the kind of music they there . That must have been kind of a cool played together and what he did with Chick homecoming for the three of you ! Corea was mind-blowing ! As a young player , as you start to get better on the instrument [ John ] Absolutely . Our friendship has grown and have some facility , you want to hear things over the years from doing so many tours and and try things that are more challenging . That spending so much time on the road together .
We ’ re three Italian guys from Long Island who play guitar that were able to have careers in music . There ’ s definitely a kindred spirit thing there .
The other thing about visiting the facility where Joe was doing his event , and where we ’ re having the Guitar Universe , is that it ’ s not too far from where I live and where I grew up . It ’ s a bit further West from me on Long Island , but it ’ s on the same coast , the North Shore where Dream Theater has recorded several albums . When we record , we move into a studio and we live there in that town . For me , I get to commute , but the other guys have to pack up and stay there in that town , so we know Glen Cove really , really well . In fact , the Glen Cove Mansion where the camp was being held was one of the hotels that we used when the band was recording there . I am intimately familiar with Long Island , the area and the culture . The history and importance of Glen Cove as it relates to Dream Theater is even more special .
[ CG ] Let ’ s talk about the Majesty . The angled headstock , stainless steel frets , neck-through body , mahogany neck with basswood wings , and maple top make for a very unique feature set – it ’ s an amazing piece of technology . From the point of design to having played it for several years now , what ’ s that experience been like for you and what continues to resonate most with you about this instrument ?
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22 May � Jun 2017 CollectibleGuitar . com