Gus G (Ozzy Osbourne / Firewind) Plays His Favorite Riffs
Gus G. has become one of metal's more respected players, earning the coveted guitarist spot in Ozzy Osbourne's touring band for a stint during the last decade. But how did Gus become a master guitarist? He tells The Music Experience's Squiggy all about it in this episode of Loudwire's Gear Factor.
"I wanted to learn how to play lead guitar and not just the riffs and that’s when all the heavy practicing came into play. I was basically the kid who locked myself in my room for two or three years until I had all this stuff mastered,” says Gus.
The guitarist credits his father's musical selection of Frampton Comes Alive! for first inspiring his interest. “I remember I heard that and he had the talk box effect making the guitar talk. I was like 9 years old and I was blown away. Whoa. What is this? It didn’t take long after until I went up to my dad and I was like, ‘I want to do this. This is my mission in life.’”
Once picking up the guitar, he found Black Sabbath and that became one of his first riffs. “For me, it was real easy to pick up on Black Sabbath. I loved it because it was so heavy, but so easy to play to as well. You didn’t have to have amazing technique to play something like ‘Iron Man,’ you know. When you’re a kid it’s the coolest thing ever. Even now it’s the coolest thing ever.” Gus then rocks a little "Iron Man" and "Paranoid," sharing some respect for Lord Iommi.
When asked about his first solo, Gus recalls, “I think it was Metallica’s ‘Nothing Else Matters’ or something like that. It was also very easy to play. This was probably the first solo where I was like, ‘Whoa, I can fucking shred.’”
As for his own music, Gus plays some of the track "Fire and the Fury," telling Squiggy it's the song he finds most representative of his style.
When put on the spot about what three riffs every youngster should learn when picking up the guitar, Gus offered a variety of options. “I would suggest anything off of Priest or Maiden, Megadeth or Metallica or Sabbath. Sabbath is always good to start with. It doesn’t matter what era we’re in, it’s timeless. Kids should listen to Sabbath or let them discover Sabbath on their own. They will dig it I’m pretty sure.”
Gus G.'s most recent solo album is 2018's Fearless. You can pick it up here and be sure to check out the full Gus G. Gear Factor episode in the player above.
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