Over the last 50-odd years, a hell of a lot of great guitarists have come out of Texas. Stevie Ray and Jimmie Vaughan, Eric Johnson, Johnny Winter and Billy Gibbons come to mind – but ever-rocking blues bruiser Rocky Athas should never be far from top of the list. Having connections with SVR, Brian May, Glenn Hughes and John Mayall, Athas has seen it all since breaking ground in the ‘70s.
He’s also been a member of Black Oak Arkansas, covered Hendrix and Cream, and dropped nine records under his own name. What he’s learned is that it all comes down to one thing: “Tone – the elusive Ark of the Covenant,” he laughs. “Finding your tone is difficult to explain because tone is subjective.
What sounds good to me might sound offensive to you and your ears. “I know what pleases me when I hear it. I want the good round, rich, deep tone of a world-class operatic tenor like Pavarotti.
It has to sound great in every register and be effortless. My job as a lead guitarist is to sing my leads with great phrasing and make a statement.” With his new record , Athas has that dialed in.
“Every album is like a time capsule of who I am,” he says. “I’m always trying to learn something new, so my new album is the best representation of me. Not because it’s new, but because it backs up what I believe about playing leads that sing and say something memorable.
“Taking my time to find the right paint brushes to work with to fit a song’s mood and message is important to .
