Dave Martone

If you thought that Canadian rock or metal only deals with bands like ANNIHILATOR , RUSH, and TRIUMPH, you may have to think again. Canadian guitar shredder, DAVE MARTONE has something more to say about that. Just to name some of DAVE 's achievements, you must know that he has a recording Engineering degree plus a degree from Berklee College of Music. He has performed in Florida, Seattle, Nashville, Boston, Toronto, Los Angeles New York and Vancouver plus has experience of many clinics and teaching done for Berklee College of Music and the National Guitar Workshop. His performances and clinics include colaboration with YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, STEVE MORSE (DEEP PURPLE), PAUL GILBERT (MR. BIG), JON FINN GROUP, CHESTER THOMPSON (FRANK ZAPPA), GREG BISSONET (JOE SATRIANI), MARTY FRIEDMAN (MEGADETH) and MIKE PORTNEY (DREAM THEATER). Have you had enough? Well the rest belong to DAVE. Enjoy!

By Panagiotis Koutsompogeras

• April 20, 2007

Hello Dave and congratulations for your When the Aliens Come album! How has the reaction of people been towards it?

Thanks! The reaction has been quite overwhelming! I know it has taken some time for this album but I hope it was worth the wait. For the most part people are grasping onto what my concept was for this album. There are a few tracks that are not so out there like Flatulation Farm and Angel, and the people that are not into the concept really seem to like these songs. For the ones that can handle it, they love the rest!

I see that you have a keen interest in your current album about aliens and stuff like that. Do you enjoy dealing with subjects such astronomy or extraterrestrial quests?

Yes, astronomy has always been a large interest of mine. I always thought that I would like to get into that somehow. I guess the only way at this point is through music! If we wonder what, why, how, when, etc.. in regards to our existence, the thought of many things including aliens come in to play in my mind. I guess I was really in this train of thought for the last years.

Suppose that some aliens had kidnapped you and they wanted you to play them some really interesting stuff in order to set you free. What songs would you play to them?

Damn!!! That is a fricken wicked question!!!! Possibly I would not want to be set free and hang for a while to see what they had going on musically and trade ideas with their head brain so to speak! If that did not work and I was blasted into a puddle of goo..... I might try and play a new one called DINKY PINKY!

I noticed that you had some serious techno-like background in almost all of your new songs. Do you particularly enjoy playing or listening that kind of music?

The only really techno stuff I thought was in Techno Beez. The rest have certain types of loops that helped the production along. I can say I like the trance type feeling that techno can add, but really don't own any of that style of music. When I put a song together, I feel what it needs in my head and try and reproduce that sonically. Anything goes in that case!

Which are your favourite songs from this album? Would you care to tell us the reasons why?

I like all of them! Each one has a purpose and a certain reason it is there. Starz Scarz because it just reaches out and grabs your face while smashing it into the speakers!Flatulation Farm because of it's main melodic theme and farting sounds! The 4 horsemen because of its hypnotic groove. Really Now because of the interesting tapping lick. Mike Crow's Mailbox of Doom because of it's dark ominous setting. Pung Yao because of it's improvised nature. Angel because of it's chorus melody. Oh My God I'm Swelling because of it's weird combination and the middle swelling section. Double FF's because it could possibly be my favorite!Maneemanaw because I did not write it! Techno Beez because of the solo section and When the Aliens come because it is just whacked with the interesting soundscape!

Since you are a musician and music surrounds you all the time, what stuff do you like to listen to when you feel like hearing somebody else apart from you?

Honestly, I listen to silence when it is time to listen. At this point I work out different ideas in my head and also try and create new ones.

Your current record has been issued by Lion music, which deals with many guitarists. Who is the one that you really enjoy listening to and who do you think is one of the brightest flame for the future?

In no particular order: TONY MACALPINE, CHRIS POLAND, RUSTY COOLEY and pretty much all the rest on the roster!!! They are there for a reason and all have something cool to say!

Do you also teach the guitar or just record your frenzied ideas? If you do so, do you enjoy teaching and do you have any famous pupils, just like Satriani had Vai?

I do also teach. It is a great way to stay sharp! Some people that have asked for input would be MIKE KRUGER from NICKELBACK, CHRIS HENDERSON from 3 DOORS DOWN and KAI that used to play with TOMMY LEE's band METHODS OF MAYHEM.

What kind of people do you think that mostly listen to instrumental guitar records? Six string freaks only or a wider range possibly?

Well, mostly guitar players and that is a problem. I am trying to attract a wider demographic and audience by the music being created. It is not about playing as fast as possible, but about a groove/feeling. I think more people can relate to that. It is great to cross over with this style. I know that drummers also listen to this music for the awesome chops of DANIEL ADAIR.

What other guitarists have influenced you and with who else would you like to tour with?

I will give a list of influences in no particular order. TONY IOMMI, EDDIE VAN HALEN, GREG HOWE, SRV, GARY MOORE, LOS INDIOS TABARHARS, STRUNZ AND FARAH, SATCH, GEORGE WINSTON (piano) and ALAN HOLDSWORTH. Who would I like to tour with? Hell! With almost anybody since there is always something new being brought to the table. If they are touring they are there for a reason. It would be cool to be in a larger band where being the guitarist is not main focus and let the lead singer do their thing!

Since you are mostly Canadian based, who are your favourite Canadian artists?

I like a guy named IAN THORNLEY. Very wicked music! NICKELBACK since they have killer pop songs and DANIEL also plays with them! STRAPPING YOUNG LAD!!! Man, those guys are just f*cking awesome!!!!!!

What would you say that is your craziest dream concerning the guitar?

My craziest dream concerning the guitar is to create the newest most inventive way of the future for the guitar! There are still things that are locked in this instrument that have not been found yet!!! I do dream about them somehow! I am wondering at the moment a certain thought. We can hear, feel, touch music but cannot taste it yet!!! How the hell would that be to taste some music!!! Hmmm...

Which are your immediate plans for after the release of When the Aliens Come. Any tour schedule?

I have a clinic schedule starting in a few weeks. Then the summer is booked with NGW and Berklee. In-between we are recording another album with a guest artist. Half of the drums are already done and all of the songs have been written. There is talk of a fall tour across Canada ending in Montreal at the Drum Festival in November.

Since we are an on-line magazine we have to ask you this. What is your relationship with the Internet and what do you think about it as a way of communication?

If I did not have the internet, I do not think half as many people would know who I am. A lot of it is being out there playing, doing clinics, teaching master classes which I do, but the other is the internet and connecting with your fans. I make sure I do this as much as possible!!!

Thanx for the interview and for your time man! Is there anything as a conclusion you'd like to say to the people of Metal Temple?

Yeah, I would like to say first of all, please visit the new www.davemartone.com. I think you will love it! Second, is thanks for asking me some cool questions!!! And above all......STAY WEIRD!!!

Share on Facebook

Share via Email