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 This month’s installment of Guitar Star of the Month features one of the most talented guitarist on the face of the planet - Richie Kotzen. Seriously, we should change the name of this feature to Guitar MONSTER of the Month, because that is exactly what Kotzen is. He’s a big six-string shredding rock n’ roll beast. Since the age of 18, Kotzen has been regarded as one of the most innovative and fastest guitar players in rock. At 21 years of age, he was hired to replace CC Deville in Poison. He recorded one CD with the band “Native Tongue” and toured with them in 1993. He also caught the eye of Billy Sheehan and replaced Paul Gilbert in Mr. Big. Kotzen was with Mr. Big for four years and performed in some of the biggest stadiums in Japan. Currently, Kotzen is focused on his solo career. His most recently released CD “Into the Black” is a modern rock magnum opus and features some of Kotzen’s best work yet. Check out the fucking track “You Can’t Save Me” on his homepage www.richiekotzen.com You see what I mean. Anyways, here’s what Kotzen had to say when we asked him about Guitars, Gigs and Gear.
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How many guitars do you own?
TO BE HONEST I’M NOT SURE. I WOULD THINK LESS THAN 100 BUT MORE THAN 50. MOSTLY FENDERS. I’VE GOT A LOT OF TELE’S AND STRAT’S
What was your very first guitar?
A GIBSON MAURADER. THEN THE FOLLOWING YEAR I GOT A YAMAHA SBG 2000 FOR CHRISTMAS. THAT WAS MY MAIN GUITAR FOR A LONG TIME
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What is your most favorite guitar that you have ever owned and what makes it so great?
EVEN THOUGH I DON'T PLAY IT ALL THE TIME I WOULD SAY THE TOBACCO SUNBURST TELE THAT I USED ON THE POISON RECORD IS MY FAVORITE. IT WAS THE FIRST GUITAR FENDER GAVE ME AND IT IS ALSO THE GUITAR THAT MY FENDER SIGNATURE MODEL TELE IS BASED ON.
I ALSO HAVE A WHITE STRAT THAT I PLAY ALL THE TIME. THAT GUITAR IS ALSO THE BASIS FOR MY SIGNATURE MODEL STRAT THAT FENDER SELLS
What kind of Petals and effects do you use when playing live?
WHEN I DO MY SOLO STUFF I DON'T USE ANY PEDALS AT ALL. I DO HAVE A BOSS FLOOR TUNER BUT THAT IS IT…
What kind of amp do you use?
I HAVE A SIGNATURE MODEL GUITAR AMP. IT IS MADE BY A SMALL COMPANY IN ENGLAND CALLED “CORNFORD”. IT’S CALLED RK100
THE HEAD IS VERY SIMPLE… ONE CHANNEL, BUT IT IS VERY VERSITILE.
IT'S A 100 WATT HEAD AND IS TOTALLY HAND MADE FROM THE GROUND UP. FAIRLY EXPENSIVE BUT IT SOUNDS AMAZING AND ALWAYS WORKS
At what age did you start playing guitar?
7 YEARS OLD
What inspired you to start?
A KISS POSTER
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How long do you use to practice when you first started?
I PLAYED ALL DAY LONG. I DON'T LIKE SAYING PRACTICE BECAUSE I REALLY JUST PLAYED ALL DAY LONG. I WOULD PRACTICE MY LESSONS FOR AN HOUR OR SO BUT THEN I WOULD CONTINUE TO PLAY AROUND AND TRY STUFF. I ACTUALLY WOULD FALL ASLEEP WITH THE GUITAR IN MY HANDS
And what did you practice?
I’D PRACTICE WHATEVER MY TEACHER GAVE ME, BUT THEN I WOULD JUST PLAY AROUND AND TRY DIFFERENT THINGS. ONCE I GOT BETTER I’D LISTEN TO RECORDS AND TRY TO LEARN SONGS. I GUESS THAT'S WHAT EVERY KID DOES WHEN HE GETS INTO THE GUITAR
Do you still practice often, if so how often and what do you play when practicing?
I PRETTY MUCH JUST PLAY NOW. SOMETIMES I’LL HEAR SOMETHING IN MY HEAD AND I CAN’T TOTALLY PLAY IT. AT THAT POINT I’LL PRACTICE THAT PARTICULAR THING UNTIL I CAN PLAY IT
Who were some of your favorite guitarist?
WHEN I WAS A KID VAN HALEN WAS ALWAYS NUMBER ONE. THEN STEVE VAI. ALSO STEVE MORSE AND HIS BAND THE DIXIE DREGS. I USED TO LISTEN TO A LOT OF DREGS WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER.
ALSO LOVED HENDRIX AND STEVIE RAY AS WELL AS JEFF BECK
What gave you the greatest degree of difficultly when learning the guitar?
IT’S USUALLY DIFFICULT TO LEARN OTHER PLAYERS LICKS BECAUSE THEY ARE UNIQUE TO THAT PLAYER…. ONCE I HIT MY TEENS I STARTED DEVELOPING SOME THINGS THAT BECAME UNIQUE TO THE WAY I PLAY.
I LOST INTEREST IN LEARNING OTHER PEOPLES STUFF AND FOCUSED ON MAKING MY OWN MUSIC… I THINK THIS IS A PRETTY COMMON PROGRESSION FOR DEVELOPING MUSICIANS
Did you learn how to read music? If no, can you read music now?
I DID LEARN HOW TO READ MUSIC BUT UNFORTUNATELY I DO NOT READ ANYMORE
At one point where you able to play by ear?
VERY EARLY ON, WITHIN THE FIRST FEW YEARS I WAS LISTENING TO RECORDS AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT SONGS
What advice would you give someone who is struggling playing by ear?
WELL… I THINK FIRST YOU NEED TO DEVELOP SOME LEVEL OF CONTROL OF THE INSTRUMENT… YOU NEED TO KNOW WHERE NOTES ARE AND HOW THEY ARE LAYED OUT ACROSS THE INSTRUMENT… ONCE YOU HAVE THAT THEN IT’S REALLY UP TO THE INDIVIDUAL TO FIGURE IT OUT
How do you go about composing a solo for a song?
I DON'T COMPOSE SOLOS FOR A SONG… I NEVER THOUGHT LIKE THAT…
I ATTEMPT TO PLAY A SOLO AND SOMETIMES I MAKE MISTAKES OR PLAY THINGS I DON'T LIKE BUT OFTEN TIMES IM INSPIRED AND I PLAY SOMETHING THAT IS TRUE AND FITS THE MUSIC… IN THE EVENT THAT I PLAY SOMETHING I DON'T LIKE I’LL OFTEN TIMES REPLACE THE BAD BITS
I SUPPOSE THAT IS A FORM OF WRITING BUT ITS WRITING ON THE SPOT…
I NEVER PRE PLAN A SOLO AND THEN PLAY IT…I PREFER TO BE INSPIRED BY THE TRACK AND DELIVER AN INSPIRED PERFORMANCE
Do you ever write in different tunings?
SOMETIMES, BUT NOT TOO OFTEN… A LOT OF DROP D STUFF BUT I DON'T THINK THAT REALLY COUNTS AS A DIFFERENT TUNING
What other styles of music are you competent in?
WELL I’VE BEEN IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT SITUATIONS… I THINK I’VE GOT A PRETTY WIDE SCOPE… FOR A GUY TO BE IN A BAND LIKE POISON AND THEN BE IN STANLEY CLARKE’S BAND SOUNDS CRAZY BUT THAT'S WHAT I DID…I SUPPOSE IM COVERING A LOT OF GROUND
What other instruments can you play?
WELL, I WOULD SAY IM JUST AS COMFORTABLE SINGING AS I AM PLAYING THE GUITAR… FROM THERE I WOULD SAY BASS GUITAR…
I CAN PLAY KEYS ENOUGH TO WRITE AND SOMETIMES ON SOME OF MY RECORDS I PLAY DRUMS
When playing live if you hit the wrong note, what do you do?
IF I CAN FIX IT I DO… IN OTHER WORDS THE RIGHT NOTE IS ONLY A HALF STEP AWAY EITHER UP OR DOWN
Gigs
Tell us about playing with the following bands/performers
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MR BIG
VERY COOL THING FOR ME… MR BIG WAS VERY POPULAIR IN JAPAN… MY FIRST SHOW WITH THE BAND WAS IN THE OSAKA DOME FOR ABOUT 50,000 PEOPLE… I WAS IN THE BAND FOR 4 YEARS… IT WAS GREAT TO BE IN A BAND WITH BILLY SHEEHAN…I ALSO ALWAYS THOUGHT ERIC WAS A GREAT SINGER SO THAT WAS COOL AS WELL
POISON
I GUESS THIS WAS MY FIRST BIG BREAK IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS…UP UNTIL THEN I WAS MAKING INDIE RECORDS FOR SHRAPNEL… I HAD A LOT OF PRESS BUT NOTHING LIKE POISON. IT WAS FUNNY BECAUSE MY RECORDS WERE DONE ON SHOE STRING BUDGETS SO WHEN I GOT TO THE STUDIO WITH POISON EVERYONE WAS HANGING AROUND PLAYING PING PONG AND WATCHING SPORTS ON TV. AND WE WERE IN A BIG STUDIO… I WAS NOT SURE WHAT TO MAKE OF IT.
I HAD A GREAT TIME WORKING ON THAT RECORD AND I THINK WE MADE A VERY COOL RECORD…OVER ALL IT WAS A GREAT THING FOR ME TO HAVE DONE
Stanley Clarke
THIS WAS MORE OF AN EDUCATION FOR ME… I HAD MADE SOME SONGS IN THE PAST THAT WERE ALONG THE LINES OF WHAT STANLEY DOES BUT NOW I WAS WITH THE REAL DEAL… A LEGEND…. I PRETTY MUCH LISTENED TO EVERYTHING HE SAID AND TOOK IT IN… I DON'T THINK MY BEST PLAYING IS ON THAT CD BUT I DID LEARN A LOT ABOUT MUSIC IN GENERAL FROM PLAYING IN THAT BAND
Also tell us about the time you opened for the Rolling Stones in Japan?
OPENING FOR THE STONES WAS LIKE BEING IN A MOVE. I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS REAL ESPECIALLY SINCE I WAS DOING IT AS A SOLO ARTIST.
I OPENED FOR AEROSMITH AS A MEMBER OF MR BIG BUT NOW I WAS OPENING FOR THE BIGGEST ROCK BAND IN THE WORLD AS A SOLO ARTIST. I SPENT 3 WEEKS ON THE ROAD WITH THEM AND DID 5 STADIUM SHOWS. FUNNY THING WAS THEY WERE THE EASIEST SHOWS I’VE EVER DONE. JUST STEPPED OUT ON STAGE AND PLAYED… THE SOUND WAS GREAT, THE CROWD RESPONDED GREAT AND THERE WAS NO DRAMA ON ANY LEVEL WHAT SO EVER…I WAS ABLE TO MEET EVERYONE IN THE BAND. WE DID A GROUP PHOTO AT THE END OF THE TOUR WHICH IS SOMETHING THE STONES DO WITH ALL THE OPENING ACTS.
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