FUSION AND JAZZ/ROCK MASTER GUITARIST TOM QUAYLE
Tom is a British fusion guitarist, a finalist of Guitar Idol 2008 and picked as 2nd place by Greg Howe in the 2008 Play For Me competition.
Tom is judgeing a few competitions himself now , The Truthinshredding.com Bret Garsed/Dimarzio Shred this III and GuitarNoize.com BlueNoise Competitions are both hosting Tom as a Judge along with other greats like Bret Garsed and Rick Graham who we have interviews with here on shredknowledge.com very soon ..
Here are a few quotes from other player regarding Tom
"Tom, love your playing man!" Derryl Gabel
"Very impressive dude, you have a beautiful phrasing!!! Marco" Marco Sfogli
"In the end it came down to only two players. Tom Quayle and Andy James!" Greg Howe - about his Play For Me 2008 competition
"I too am a fan of yours! Great playing!" Prashant Aswani
"Hey Tom. I keep having to watch your vids cos they are so inspiring. They really make me want to play. You have incredible fluidity and damn those lines are tasty too man!" Rick Graham - check this guy out! AMAZING guitarist!
"I must say your playing is great. Excellent player! It could be great to collaborate in the future." Alex Argento
"you're amazing, you are one of the best players I've ever seen." Silvio Gazquez
"I checked out some of the clips. I am honestly blown away." Daniel at Port City Amps (Greg Howe is an endorsee!)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SK INTERVIEW
Tom , I first saw you on guitar idol, and loved your jazz style in comparison to all the metal that was being played, did guitar idol help your art?
Guitar Idol was a very good thing for my career. Before doing the competition I’d just got myself a Macbook with a half decent webcam and had ventured into the dark arts of Youtube videos. I had a small following on Myspace who were watching my existing videos but as soon as I uploaded my improvisation for the competition the views went through the roof. I think it was the first time my videos had been embedded on another site and people were being attracted to my stuff from elsewhere on the internet. I think I was in a good position within the competition as my entry was quite different from the others – I’m not a metal player at all and struggle to play rock convincingly (I let my good buddy George Marios handle that!) so I stuck to my guns and it worked in the end! The contacts and exposure the competition gave me have led to a number of important things in my career so thanks to the Guitar Idol boys for that!
I know a lot of people have problems with the idea of a competition based around an art form such as music, which I can totally understand, but I think in the age of the internet and it’s ability to expose your music to the whole world, they are a fantastic way to promote yourself in an over-crowded industry.
You have a Jazz degree is that true? what other stuff you got that would impress the ladies LOL
It is true – you’ve found me out! I went to Leeds College of Music back in 1999 and graduated with a Ba (hons) in Jazz Studies in 2002. It was great and I learnt a great deal, becoming obsessed with harmony and being able to play over any scary changes placed in front of me. Music college is great as you learn a huge amount from the other guys you’re studying with and get more time to practice than you’ll ever get in your life again. I’d recommend it to everyone who wants to be a serious musician.
I also have a bizarre knowledge of light bulbs and lighting design after working, as a very poor jazz musician, in a lighting shop. The ladies love that particular skill!
Your inspirations are not all jazz are they?
No. This is a funny one as I used to constantly be battling with my own influences and trying to justify some of things I listened to. Whilst at music college you constantly come across a snobbery looking down on anything that’s not jazz. You kind of get sucked into this mind set eventually and for a long time I felt really bad about listening to any ‘non-jazz’ musicians or any less ‘intellectual’ music. I completely stopped listening to any shred or fusion players and totally abandoned my earlier influences like Brett Garsed, Greg Howe, Steve Vai and Dream Theater etc. It wasn’t until I left college and realised how unhappy I was trying to be a pure jazz guitarist that I re-discovered my earlier influences and really enjoyed playing again. Hence the fusion playing and legato technique I do today.
I also love many, many singer songwriters from many genres. My particular favourites are Imogen Heap (I’m in love with her!), John Mayer, Thomas Dybdahl, Ed Harcourt and I can’t get enough Ravel and Sibelius.
What was the first song that inspired you ?
When I first started guitar I loved the Wildhearts and remember learning lots of riffs but not any particular full songs. The first song I heard that truly inspired me to play properly was ‘Under a Glass Moon’ by Dream Theater. A friend of mine had the album and played me that song. I stole the album and still have his copy to this day – I should really give it back! That track sounded like nothing I’d ever heard and I used to play it to everyone who came round to the house convinced that everyone needed to hear this incredible music I’d just discovered! I learnt the whole thing from Guthrie Govan’s Guitar Techniques transcription – all the mistakes too – he’d transcribed it by ear and a few of the phrases were a little off. I used to play that with the CD over and over and over again as a 16 year old. Haha!
Tom I found that GT Mag with under a glass moon in a second hand shop bonus hey?
Derryl gable did an interview with us and actually recomended you , what d'you think of that ?
Derryl is incredible and I’m totally honoured to be recommended by him. He is an unbelievable soloist and composer and his technique and approach to changes playing were very inspirational to me when I was making the change from straight ahead jazz playing to more fusion based ideas. I watch his youtube videos anytime I need an inspirational boost! Thanks Derryl!
Andy james is a guy you've played along side and was battling against in greg howes comp , Andy lives a mile up the road from me Tom, I found out when I bought his old Brian Moore axe, Ive just interviewed a fellow student of Shaun Baxter who said of him , "He could play all of passion and wafare note for note at 16" You and he are completely different in styles but tell us about that experience.
That was an interesting experience. It was weird as I had a strange feeling whilst the competition was running that this was my lucky one and I could actually win. I felt that Greg would identify with my playing as it was close to the style he played himself. I stayed up till about 3.30am on the day the competition results were announced and I must admit coming second after Greg said he deliberated for hours over his choice was quite gutting for me at the time. I was so into Greg’s playing that I really wanted to win his competition. In hindsight and knowing what an incredible monster of a player Andy is, I’m totally happy to come second to the great man! He’s a total shred beast!
It’s a very bizarre feeling knowing that Greg Howe knows my playing and liked it enough to deliberate over it for hours!
Sk's own Jeff Martin went on a a clinic with Greg and played in front of him, plus got a 1 to 1 lesson , who would you like to go back in time and meet?
Hmm..I’d love to go back in time and meet Bill Evans. I want to ask him how he came up with the changes and melody for Very Early. It’s one of the most beautiful standards I’ve ever heard. As I understand he wrote it whilst a student which is just mind blowing! A lesson on harmony from Mr. Evans would complete my life I think!
I'm a Christian Tom ,do you have any faith or religious belief ?
I’m not a religious guy. My parents were never religious so it’s not an aspect that has ever really featured in my life.
Well that was quick and painless mate LOL -
What would you advise anyone who wants to get some fusion into their rock playing?
I get asked this question on a daily basis on Youtube and I always have the same answer. Study harmony and jazz theory and apply it to the guitar and study/transcribe the phrasing of well known fusion players. There’s no quick fix for getting fusion into your playing – the fretboard knowledge and theory has to be there in order to access the vocabulary of the genre. Having a great time feel is probably the most important thing though. All the great fusion players have amazing time.
Oh well I guess its back to theory books and stuff for me then haha, Tom
what guitars Fx and amps are you using both live and studio.
I recently became a Suhr endorsee and received my Suhr Custom Standard back in July this year. It’s an incredible guitar, both beautiful and easy to play with a killer tone. I recently used it on it’s first full live gig with bass player Adam Nitti and it performed beautifully. I also own an Ibanez S prestige which is on some of my youtube videos, although it rarely gets out the case now.
I’m also endorsed by Toadworks USA for FX. I’m totally in love with their Redux delay, Texas Flood and Lil’ Leo pedals. I have a few video demos of them on youtube. Very nice boutique FX boxes with an awesome price point. I’m also using a BB preamp and a TC Electronics Repeater for Tap Tempo delays.
As far as amps go I have a couple of go to amps. The first is my Mesa Boogie Express Head which I use live and direct into the desk in the studio with Impulse Responses (a method of recording without using cabs and mics) and a Hughes and Kettner 20th Anniversary combo. I have a horrific case of GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) that my girlfriend has to watch very carefully or I’d spend all my money on gear!
I know that syndrome all to well as I trip over stuff constantly.
Tom what would you say to those bedroom shredders out there to encorage them in technique
Practice everything slowly with as much accuracy as you can. I’m not a metronome kind of guy where you practice the same phrase over and over again notching the click up by 5bpm over the course of a few weeks. How dull! I’m a believer in the idea that if you are accurate and relaxed at a slow tempo and practice this way enough, it shouldn’t be too much of an ask to play the same phrase at a higher tempo. I feel this is especially true with legato.
Practice very slowly with a drum groove or backing track trying to relax and get your time feel sounding great. Also try not to get too frustrated and always remember how far you’ve come. If you ever need reminding of this, try turning the guitar round and playing left handed to see just how hard the guitar was when you first started. Technique is never the be all and end all!
One more thing – drink lots of TEA WITH MILK!
Thats exellent advice Tom thanks, sowhat do you have planned for 2010?
This coming year is an exciting one for me with many things happening. I’m playing for Toadworks at NAMM in LA in January and will be jamming on the Suhr booth with a few monster players. If I can find Greg Howe, he’s getting cornered for a play too! I’ll be at Frankfurt Musikmesse again too so I’m looking forward to that.
I aim to have my debut album finished and released in 2010 too. I’m finding the writing process very slow at the moment as I’m swamped with teaching but I’m getting there. There’ll be some monster players on it too with the likes of Adam Nitti on Bass, Alex Argento on Keys and a few guest guitar solos from some well known players.
I’ve also been booked for Rob Chapper’s Monkey Fest due to take place on my birthday of all days! It runs at the end of August and features performances from awesome players and workshops from the likes of Matius Ekhlund and Eddie Kramer. Should be a whole lot of fun!
George Marios and I will be writing and recording the Tea for Two (T42) album this year too.
One word answer game Tom
Funk= Filth!
Rythm=Essential
tuna=smelly
acoustic=tricky
Bible=book
terrorist=fear
Leeds=home
Strings=elixer
pickups=singlecoil
wood=maple
scale=chord
pick=ultex
whammy=bar
guthrie govan=wrong
satriani=smooth
drugs=nope
Tv=xbox
Dogs=spaniel
Christmas=woo!
Thanks Tom it really was a pleasure
Thanks Mark, it was a pleasure! Have fun fusion fans!
Find out more on Tom Quayle here
http://www.facebook.com/#/pages/Tom-Quayle/73919582042?ref=ts
http://www.myspace.com/tomquayle
Tom is a British fusion guitarist, a finalist of Guitar Idol 2008 and picked as 2nd place by Greg Howe in the 2008 Play For Me competition.
Tom is judgeing a few competitions himself now , The Truthinshredding.com Bret Garsed/Dimarzio Shred this III and GuitarNoize.com BlueNoise Competitions are both hosting Tom as a Judge along with other greats like Bret Garsed and Rick Graham who we have interviews with here on shredknowledge.com very soon ..
Here are a few quotes from other player regarding Tom
"Tom, love your playing man!" Derryl Gabel
"Very impressive dude, you have a beautiful phrasing!!! Marco" Marco Sfogli
"In the end it came down to only two players. Tom Quayle and Andy James!" Greg Howe - about his Play For Me 2008 competition
"I too am a fan of yours! Great playing!" Prashant Aswani
"Hey Tom. I keep having to watch your vids cos they are so inspiring. They really make me want to play. You have incredible fluidity and damn those lines are tasty too man!" Rick Graham - check this guy out! AMAZING guitarist!
"I must say your playing is great. Excellent player! It could be great to collaborate in the future." Alex Argento
"you're amazing, you are one of the best players I've ever seen." Silvio Gazquez
"I checked out some of the clips. I am honestly blown away." Daniel at Port City Amps (Greg Howe is an endorsee!)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SK INTERVIEW
Tom , I first saw you on guitar idol, and loved your jazz style in comparison to all the metal that was being played, did guitar idol help your art?
Guitar Idol was a very good thing for my career. Before doing the competition I’d just got myself a Macbook with a half decent webcam and had ventured into the dark arts of Youtube videos. I had a small following on Myspace who were watching my existing videos but as soon as I uploaded my improvisation for the competition the views went through the roof. I think it was the first time my videos had been embedded on another site and people were being attracted to my stuff from elsewhere on the internet. I think I was in a good position within the competition as my entry was quite different from the others – I’m not a metal player at all and struggle to play rock convincingly (I let my good buddy George Marios handle that!) so I stuck to my guns and it worked in the end! The contacts and exposure the competition gave me have led to a number of important things in my career so thanks to the Guitar Idol boys for that!
I know a lot of people have problems with the idea of a competition based around an art form such as music, which I can totally understand, but I think in the age of the internet and it’s ability to expose your music to the whole world, they are a fantastic way to promote yourself in an over-crowded industry.
You have a Jazz degree is that true? what other stuff you got that would impress the ladies LOL
It is true – you’ve found me out! I went to Leeds College of Music back in 1999 and graduated with a Ba (hons) in Jazz Studies in 2002. It was great and I learnt a great deal, becoming obsessed with harmony and being able to play over any scary changes placed in front of me. Music college is great as you learn a huge amount from the other guys you’re studying with and get more time to practice than you’ll ever get in your life again. I’d recommend it to everyone who wants to be a serious musician.
I also have a bizarre knowledge of light bulbs and lighting design after working, as a very poor jazz musician, in a lighting shop. The ladies love that particular skill!
Your inspirations are not all jazz are they?
No. This is a funny one as I used to constantly be battling with my own influences and trying to justify some of things I listened to. Whilst at music college you constantly come across a snobbery looking down on anything that’s not jazz. You kind of get sucked into this mind set eventually and for a long time I felt really bad about listening to any ‘non-jazz’ musicians or any less ‘intellectual’ music. I completely stopped listening to any shred or fusion players and totally abandoned my earlier influences like Brett Garsed, Greg Howe, Steve Vai and Dream Theater etc. It wasn’t until I left college and realised how unhappy I was trying to be a pure jazz guitarist that I re-discovered my earlier influences and really enjoyed playing again. Hence the fusion playing and legato technique I do today.
I also love many, many singer songwriters from many genres. My particular favourites are Imogen Heap (I’m in love with her!), John Mayer, Thomas Dybdahl, Ed Harcourt and I can’t get enough Ravel and Sibelius.
What was the first song that inspired you ?
When I first started guitar I loved the Wildhearts and remember learning lots of riffs but not any particular full songs. The first song I heard that truly inspired me to play properly was ‘Under a Glass Moon’ by Dream Theater. A friend of mine had the album and played me that song. I stole the album and still have his copy to this day – I should really give it back! That track sounded like nothing I’d ever heard and I used to play it to everyone who came round to the house convinced that everyone needed to hear this incredible music I’d just discovered! I learnt the whole thing from Guthrie Govan’s Guitar Techniques transcription – all the mistakes too – he’d transcribed it by ear and a few of the phrases were a little off. I used to play that with the CD over and over and over again as a 16 year old. Haha!
Tom I found that GT Mag with under a glass moon in a second hand shop bonus hey?
Derryl gable did an interview with us and actually recomended you , what d'you think of that ?
Derryl is incredible and I’m totally honoured to be recommended by him. He is an unbelievable soloist and composer and his technique and approach to changes playing were very inspirational to me when I was making the change from straight ahead jazz playing to more fusion based ideas. I watch his youtube videos anytime I need an inspirational boost! Thanks Derryl!
Andy james is a guy you've played along side and was battling against in greg howes comp , Andy lives a mile up the road from me Tom, I found out when I bought his old Brian Moore axe, Ive just interviewed a fellow student of Shaun Baxter who said of him , "He could play all of passion and wafare note for note at 16" You and he are completely different in styles but tell us about that experience.
That was an interesting experience. It was weird as I had a strange feeling whilst the competition was running that this was my lucky one and I could actually win. I felt that Greg would identify with my playing as it was close to the style he played himself. I stayed up till about 3.30am on the day the competition results were announced and I must admit coming second after Greg said he deliberated for hours over his choice was quite gutting for me at the time. I was so into Greg’s playing that I really wanted to win his competition. In hindsight and knowing what an incredible monster of a player Andy is, I’m totally happy to come second to the great man! He’s a total shred beast!
It’s a very bizarre feeling knowing that Greg Howe knows my playing and liked it enough to deliberate over it for hours!
Sk's own Jeff Martin went on a a clinic with Greg and played in front of him, plus got a 1 to 1 lesson , who would you like to go back in time and meet?
Hmm..I’d love to go back in time and meet Bill Evans. I want to ask him how he came up with the changes and melody for Very Early. It’s one of the most beautiful standards I’ve ever heard. As I understand he wrote it whilst a student which is just mind blowing! A lesson on harmony from Mr. Evans would complete my life I think!
I'm a Christian Tom ,do you have any faith or religious belief ?
I’m not a religious guy. My parents were never religious so it’s not an aspect that has ever really featured in my life.
Well that was quick and painless mate LOL -
What would you advise anyone who wants to get some fusion into their rock playing?
I get asked this question on a daily basis on Youtube and I always have the same answer. Study harmony and jazz theory and apply it to the guitar and study/transcribe the phrasing of well known fusion players. There’s no quick fix for getting fusion into your playing – the fretboard knowledge and theory has to be there in order to access the vocabulary of the genre. Having a great time feel is probably the most important thing though. All the great fusion players have amazing time.
Oh well I guess its back to theory books and stuff for me then haha, Tom
what guitars Fx and amps are you using both live and studio.
I recently became a Suhr endorsee and received my Suhr Custom Standard back in July this year. It’s an incredible guitar, both beautiful and easy to play with a killer tone. I recently used it on it’s first full live gig with bass player Adam Nitti and it performed beautifully. I also own an Ibanez S prestige which is on some of my youtube videos, although it rarely gets out the case now.
I’m also endorsed by Toadworks USA for FX. I’m totally in love with their Redux delay, Texas Flood and Lil’ Leo pedals. I have a few video demos of them on youtube. Very nice boutique FX boxes with an awesome price point. I’m also using a BB preamp and a TC Electronics Repeater for Tap Tempo delays.
As far as amps go I have a couple of go to amps. The first is my Mesa Boogie Express Head which I use live and direct into the desk in the studio with Impulse Responses (a method of recording without using cabs and mics) and a Hughes and Kettner 20th Anniversary combo. I have a horrific case of GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) that my girlfriend has to watch very carefully or I’d spend all my money on gear!
I know that syndrome all to well as I trip over stuff constantly.
Tom what would you say to those bedroom shredders out there to encorage them in technique
Practice everything slowly with as much accuracy as you can. I’m not a metronome kind of guy where you practice the same phrase over and over again notching the click up by 5bpm over the course of a few weeks. How dull! I’m a believer in the idea that if you are accurate and relaxed at a slow tempo and practice this way enough, it shouldn’t be too much of an ask to play the same phrase at a higher tempo. I feel this is especially true with legato.
Practice very slowly with a drum groove or backing track trying to relax and get your time feel sounding great. Also try not to get too frustrated and always remember how far you’ve come. If you ever need reminding of this, try turning the guitar round and playing left handed to see just how hard the guitar was when you first started. Technique is never the be all and end all!
One more thing – drink lots of TEA WITH MILK!
Thats exellent advice Tom thanks, sowhat do you have planned for 2010?
This coming year is an exciting one for me with many things happening. I’m playing for Toadworks at NAMM in LA in January and will be jamming on the Suhr booth with a few monster players. If I can find Greg Howe, he’s getting cornered for a play too! I’ll be at Frankfurt Musikmesse again too so I’m looking forward to that.
I aim to have my debut album finished and released in 2010 too. I’m finding the writing process very slow at the moment as I’m swamped with teaching but I’m getting there. There’ll be some monster players on it too with the likes of Adam Nitti on Bass, Alex Argento on Keys and a few guest guitar solos from some well known players.
I’ve also been booked for Rob Chapper’s Monkey Fest due to take place on my birthday of all days! It runs at the end of August and features performances from awesome players and workshops from the likes of Matius Ekhlund and Eddie Kramer. Should be a whole lot of fun!
George Marios and I will be writing and recording the Tea for Two (T42) album this year too.
One word answer game Tom
Funk= Filth!
Rythm=Essential
tuna=smelly
acoustic=tricky
Bible=book
terrorist=fear
Leeds=home
Strings=elixer
pickups=singlecoil
wood=maple
scale=chord
pick=ultex
whammy=bar
guthrie govan=wrong
satriani=smooth
drugs=nope
Tv=xbox
Dogs=spaniel
Christmas=woo!
Thanks Tom it really was a pleasure
Thanks Mark, it was a pleasure! Have fun fusion fans!
Find out more on Tom Quayle here
http://www.facebook.com/#/pages/Tom-Quayle/73919582042?ref=ts
http://www.myspace.com/tomquayle