Originally published in HeavyRiff No.38. You can download the magazine in PDF or chek it out online.
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Technically speaking, in which moment of your career comes this album?
This my 11th solo record (not counting compilations and obscure digital only stuff). Between my solo career and the various bands I play with (HolyHell, Joe Stump`s Reign of Terror and Exorcism) I’ve done well over 20 records. I`m very pleased with how the new record came out, it`s my best work to date.
When did you begin to compose this album? How hard was recording the songs? Was there any kind of trouble?
I`m always playing, practicing and composing so the tracks were written at various points over the last few years. Some of the material was very technically challenging but I`m always on top of things playing-wise and preparation-wise so tracking the stuff was no problem.
How the songs were born? Did you write something before or just picked up the guitar?
Everything happens when I pick up the guitar, I just start playing and things come to me. It could be a melody, a riff or an intense classically influenced technical section. Sometimes I have a part of a track composed and laying around for a while then weeks or sometimes months later I come up with something that marries perfectly to it. Other times a full tune just comes together all at once. I never force anything it`s always very organic.
Did you leave stuff that you composed out of this album?
I had a few other composed I left off, I`m sure they`ll surface on a future recording.
For your last album you recorded the guitars in your home studio, right? Did you do the same for this new one?
Yeah same deal in my modest home studio, I really like recording guitars at home. If the inspiration is flowing then I work for hours and if it`s not I just let it go and come back to it another day. I don`t miss the big, plush fancy studio experience at all. Plus I`m getting a killer tone at home these days so no reason to go elsewhere.
I found interesting that Fernando Palomo participated on your album. He is known here for his work with Cristal y Acero.
Francisco Palomo plays with me in the symphonic power metal band HolyHell so I`ve worked with him for quite a while. We`ve done quite a few things together and in addition to the new record he`s played keys on my last 2 solo albums as well (Virtuosic Vendetta and Revenge Of The Shredlord)
How did you meet him? And how was your experience playing with him?
As I always say Francisco is the best musician I know and it`s a great pleasure playing with him, plus we`re also close friends so it`s always nice when you get along well with the players you work with. I can`t say enough good things about his tremendous talent and the high caliber of his musicianship.
For those who are reading us now, which songs can you tell them to listen to first when they get into The Dark Lord Rises?
The record kind of has 3 distinctly different batches of tracks, first off you have the meaner, heavier more in your face metal material like Hostile Takeover, Out for Blood and Starring into the Abyss. Then you`ve got the older school heavily Blackmore inspired The Black Knight Returns and Stratomaster also the Gary Moore/Blackmore inspired ballad Tortured Soul. Then of course there`s the highly technical neo-classical stuff that’s a constant on all my solo efforts like The Dark Lord`s Allegro, Neo Classical Shredfest No 4, Battle Tested, Concerto in B flat Minor. So to the listener I`d say it really depends on what best suits their personal tastes or maybe pick one from each and start there. Either way if you love guitar and enjoy metal you won`t be disappointed.
Is The Dark Lord Rises some kind of statement that represents you? How did you come up with the title?
The record is very dark and heavy some of the melodies are haunting and somewhat evil sounding so I thought the cover imagery and the title fit well together with the music. Plus The Dark Lord Rises sounds much cooler than The Shredlord Rises so that factored into my choice as well. That and all of my solo record titles have to have a bad ass cool sounding title it`s become somewhat of a tradition for me.
In your opinion, have you reached your maximum technical skill? How do you manage to keep improving after all these years?
I never let up I`m playing all the time and everyday is filled with guitar, I`m extremely dedicated to the instrument and my craft, it`s a good thing I love to play because I really have no choice as that highly technical aspect of guitar is how I make my living so I have to play at a high skill level. Also I always want to strive and continue to improve in all aspects of my playing. In the last 6 or 7 years I`ve done quite a bit of live playing and touring and to me there`s nothing better for your playing so I`m sure that`s contributed as well. But as the new record proves I`ve never played better as aspects of everything I do are up a few notches.
Last February you came here to Mexico. What are your thoughts of that visit? What do you remember the most? How would you describe the experience?
It`s always great when I come to Mexico the people are wonderfully nice and the fans are awesome, the shows are always rocking and well attended and I can`t wait to come back in 2016 and play a bunch of the new record.
Tell me about your early days. How hard was to practice without the nowadays resources? I mean, back in those days there was no instructional DVDs or even Shred Guitar Schools, am I right? How did you manage to learn all those thing?
I did it the old school way by learning from my heroes whether it be Blackmore, Yngwie, Gary Moore, Michael Schenker, and Uli Jon Roth. And since I also read music learning things by classical composers helped out as well. And early on some higher speed shred players that really impacted me were Michael Angelo Batio and Chris Impellitteri , in addition to absorbing their playing both Chris and Mike had instructional VHS cassettes out so those helped out .
As a Berklee professor, what is the difference between being a good guitar player and being a good guitar teacher? Is there any?
Sure you could easily be one and not the other, in my case I have to be both as the reason players want to study with me is because of my reputation and the fact that I play at a high level with a ton of technique. Over my many years of teaching I have a huge library built of killer instructional material so providing students with many things to work on that`ll help their playing is of course no problem. I`d say the most important thing to remember is that every player is an individual and they all comprehend and understand things differently so it`s really a matter of figuring that out and presenting things to them in a way that clicks so they get the most out of it.
How do you manage to keep the soul in your style? I mean, how can you avoid that your music becomes only a very hard guitar exercise?
I play and compose music not guitar exercises all that fancy guitar stuff is meaningless if it`s not showcased inside real music, while many of the things on my solo records are intensely technical they always have soul and are very musical. I write killer heavy riffs and strong melodies, my shit rocks and has a ton of balls and attitude. Also since all of my heroes and main influences are all older school real deal players there`s plenty of soulful substance to it as their influence and impact are quite evident.
Are you planning some tour supporting this new album?
Yeah I`m playing live all the time these days in the states and there`s quite a few things in the pipes for next year so lots more live stuff coming up in the future.
After all these years of shred, will we ever see an acoustic album?
No I don`t think so, I do enjoy playing nylon string stuff as well as classical pieces but not enough to devote an entire record to it. I had a bunch of nylon string work on Revenge of the Shredlord but nothing on the new record.
As a Blackmore’s hardcore fan, what’s your opinion now that he (Blackmore) has decided to play some rock concerts again?
I`m thrilled I`ve got tickets to both of the German festival dates and wasn’t gonna miss this. I`ve been over to Europe touring many times for many years now and this will be the first time I`d be going over there as a spectator. I might see if I can arrange a few clinic dates during my stay before the Blackmore shows. In the states I have my band Black Knight`s Castle which is a Blackmore tribute thing that plays mostly Rainbow and a few Purple things as well as some of my Blackmore inspired solo stuff . I also play in Stormbringer which is a Deep Purple tribute. Between the 2 bands and some solo shows mixed in I`m always out playing so you can`t beat that. So I`ve been immersed in the whole Blackmore thing now for quite a while and it really comes across on the new record.
Sometimes I see a shred guitar player as an athlete. He must be very well disciplined about his craft. Which are the main things that a shred guitar player must be aware of?
That`s a very accurate analogy, you do have to disciplined, highly dedicated and committed to doing it everyday. That`s the thing ,that constant consistent dedication to getting up and doing it day in and day out, never letting up or slacking off, there`s no place for that. You don’t all of a sudden become a killer player then decide cool now I don`t have to play and practice as much, you`ve got to love it because the guitar`s in your hands for hours everyday. I`m sure if you asked Yngwie, Michael Angelo Batio or any of the other highly accomplished shred guitar legends they`d tell you they all still play anywhere from 3- 5 or 6 hours a day, myself included.
What else exist in Joe Stump’s life beside the guitar? What are you up to when you are not playing?
Since I`m fairly consumed with what I do I don`t have a ton of hobby`s or anything. I like to go on vacation and travel. Also I`ve got 2 corvettes so I got into the car thing a few years ago and became somewhat of a corvette enthusiast. I have a great mechanic so it`s not like I`m out there working on them but do I enjoy driving and maintaining them. But like I said my life`s filled with guitar so I don`t spend a ton of time on much else.
Thanks a lot for this great chance to have you here in the magazine. Is there any final comment you would like to share for all the readers?
Just a very sincere thanks to all of the fans that have supported my stuff throughout the years I really appreciate it. And to those of you not familiar with my music I strongly urge you to check out the new record if you love guitar as well as metal you certainly won’t be disappointed.