Guitar Interactive Magazine | 2 months ago

For almost four decades, Paul Gilbert has been setting fretboards ablaze with his virtuosic guitar playing. Far more than just a shredding machine, Gilbert's longevity has stemmed from his unique voice on the instrument, his songwriting prowess, and above all, his continued desire to evolve as an artist with every new release. As Mr. Big reaches the end of the road with the release of 'Ten,' — out now via Frontiers Records — Gi's Jonathan Graham chats exclusively with Paul Gilbert about the band that made him a household name, the final album, his evolving approach to guitar playing, and the possibilities of a Racer X reunion.

0:00 - Interview start
0:17 - The end of Mr Big? The final run, the final album? Say it ain't so, Paul?
0:26 - How's the tour coming along so far?
2:26 - What led to the decision to make 'Ten' the final release, and when did the writing process for the new album begin?
3:21 - Do you remember the first track that came together during the 'Ten' sessions?
4:28 - Can you talk us through the process of crafting a solo like the one on "Courageous"?
6:52 - Is this how you've always approached solos in Mr. Big or even your solo work?
8:04 - You've been expanding your sound over the years—incorporating slide guitar, for instance. What's been the secret to consistently evolving as a player?
12:01 - There's a new wave of guitarists coming through that, although highly melodic and creative, ignore some traditional playing techniques. Are you a fan of this approach?
13:17 - Speaking of that era, am I picking up some Hendrix or Brian May influences on tracks like "Who We Are" or "Up On You"?
17:56 - Going back to the early days of Mr. Big, what was the first track you and Eric worked on together?
19:00 - How early into working with Eric, Billy, and Pat did you realize that Mr. Big could be as big as it became?
20:00 - Do you have any memory of the band's first live show?
22:08 - Can you talk a bit about 'Lean Into It'? Did you feel there was something special happening during those recording sessions?
22:21 - Was there any downside to having such a massive hit with "To Be with You"?
23:55 - How has your second stint with Mr. Big compared to the early days? Has it been more fun this time?
24:34 - Could you give us the definitive story of the origin of the Ibanez PGM? What's the real story?
30:38 - Do you still have some of those early guitars like the BC Rich, the Charvel model, or any of the early Ibanez guitars?
35:09 - Anything new found its way onto your pedalboard recently?
36:52 - You mentioned experimenting with pick thicknesses recently. What's inspired that?
38:42 - And I noticed you're drilling holes in the picks now—how's that working out?
39:38 - Speaking of technique, what's the key to managing tension when playing fast?
40:18 - When can we expect a new solo record from you?
41:55 - Before I let you go, one final quick question—Could we ever see a Racer X reunion down the line?

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