New York, NY (Top40 Charts) It�s a question every artist has to grapple with: if you�re not pushing yourself creatively, how can you grow? And that�s exactly what acclaimed guitar maestro PAUL GILBERT tackles with fervor on his 17th solo album, I CAN DESTROY, set for release May 27 via The Orchard. As an added bonus, fans who pre-order the album will receive an automatic download of the title track, �I Can Destroy.�
�My guitar playing was born from playing in my teenage heavy rock bands,� GILBERT explains. �After playing for 40 years, I�ve been able to evolve the way that I see the fretboard, and how I hear the guitar in my head. This opens up my soloing, and also my writing. I couldn�t have written this music when I was a kid. I couldn�t have written these lyrics either. I needed time to live�to experience joy, and anger, and love, and frustration at people who don�t use their turn signals.�
It�s no accident that I CAN DESTROY cuts a wide swath of styles and textures, from the full-frontal assault of �Everybody Use Your Goddamn Turn Signal� to the jazz-blues lament of �One Woman Too Many� (which also features GILBERT�s patented four-pick Makita drill-bit riffery) to the radio-friendly balladeering of �Love We Had� to the smoking-hot gut/heart punch of �I Am Not the One (Who Wants To Be With You),� the latter track�s title a playful reference to the ubiquitous #1 hit GILBERT enjoyed as part of his gig as lead guitarist for the still-going-strong Mr. Big.
GILBERT knew that I CAN DESTROY producer
Kevin Shirley (Led Zeppelin, Iron Maiden, Rush, Joe Bonamassa), whom he previously collaborated with on Mr. Big�s 2011 release WHAT IF, would push him to do his best from the get-go. �One thing I knew about working with
Kevin as a solo artist is that there weren�t going to be that many overdubs on the record � not that many takes, and not many fixes,� he reports. �As a musician, that puts the fear into you. It�s a good fear, and it made me want to prepare in a pretty healthy way.�
With Shirley onboard to get behind the board, GILBERT next had to cull together some top-drawer musicians to bring into the studio. �On drums, we�ve got
Thomas Lang, who�s somewhat of a drumming legend, and on bass is
Kevin Chown,� details Gilbert. �He was the only guy I�d never worked with before, and he was great. He played all the right stuff. He�s played with everybody from
Chuck Berry and
Little Richard to
Sebastian Bach.�
Ultimately, the joy GILBERT expresses all throughout I CAN DESTROY celebrates the freedom and creativity he enjoys as a solo artist. �I do my best. It�s pretty incredible to have been living the dream and putting food on the table by banging it all out on an electric guitar,� he concludes. �This is actually my 30th year as a recording artist, and I still enjoy the search. I like looking around, trying to find things I haven�t done yet, and then seeing if I can do them.�
In other news, PAUL GILBERT recently announced details for his Great Guitar Escape 3.0 which is being held July 25-29 at the Cambria Pines Lodge in Cambria, CA. Packages are available at the event�s official site, www.GREATGUITARESCAPE.com.
For the camp�s third year, the legendary shredder went all out and invited a few iconic friends to join him as guest instructors. These include Megadeth�s Kiko Loureiro and Dave Ellefson as well as former Guns N� Roses guitarist Ron �Bumblefoot� Thal [Art of Anarchy], Andy Timmons [Danger Danger], and Bruce Bouillet [Racer X, The Scream]. This all-star lineup will be hosting workshops, reflecting their signature sounds and styles and offering an immersive experience for 75 campers. Moreover, they�ll be jamming, performing, and hanging with you 24/7. About the Great Guitar Escape 3.0, GILBERT comments, �I really feel like we got the best lineup possible for version 3.0. Each instructor brings something extremely unique to the table. You�re going to learn, feel inspired, and most of all have a great time. This is four days of complete and total guitar immersion. We can�t wait. Get ready!�
If I CAN DESTROY is any indication, Gilbert is on the right path to continue creating material that�s clearly built to last.
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