Paul is one of the most underrated guitarists out there. Not just when it comes to the technical stuff, but as a writer as well. I would put his composition skill next to anyone else, not just in metal, but in almost any genre.
His self awareness as a musician is what puts him at the top in my book. I’ve listened to them since I first heard Mordecai. His quote about translating the music in his head to a guitar is exactly how I feel. Such a great band.
Amazing guitarist. Been a fan since old school Tribunal Records and hearing Paul with Prayer For Cleansing. I still have all those old CDs. The Tragedy EP is still my favorite. All 3 songs on that really struck a chord with me because a friend of mine went the same way. We both had matching BTBAM orchids tatted on our arms too. I think of my friend and the music that brought us together every time I see it.
How Paul writes initial ideas is exactly how I write. I can't just sit at the drums or guitar and start writing. It just pops up in random moments throughout my day when I'm no where even near an instrument.
Interesting how Paul's story of how he came up with the opening riff to Selkies reminds me of Alaska. I find that the line between awake and sleep (as in Alaska) can allow for a lot of creativity.
so interesting when he talks about how he has more trouble being creative if hes plugged in or when he has a guitar in front of him. I've always felt like this, and it annoys me sometimes that i get ideas at times when i can't remember them or don't have a guitar to voice them
That’s nuts, I always thought the selkies riff was written on a keyboard, just because of the way the notes are, it’s certainly a lot easier to play on keys than on a guitar.
One thing i wish he'd talk about is staying relevant in the progressive metal scene using a six string as opposed to a 7 string. Extended range guitars are everywhere and becoming the standard, what was impetus for staying with 6 as opposed to using a 7 string
The thing is he tunes down anyways so he's close to a standard tuned 7 string. I do like that he talks so much about developing his own unique style of playing.
I think staying in the same tuning has helped BTBAM to broaden their horizons by forcing them to work harder within the same parameters. To take something familiar and make something new from it. More strings doesn't equal better or more progressive. Most of these 7, 8, 9 string bands honestly sound pretty fucking boring, and nearly identical. I can't stand listening to about 90% of new metal bands.
I do the same when it comes to writing music. Sometimes you’re at a store and a thought comes so you use the voice recorder and mimic the riff with your mouth. Then just recreate it on guitar. Fun stuff.
I completely related to how he's talking about feeling most musical and coming up with most ideas away from the guitar, and also about Weezer! Rivers was absolutely my biggest influence as a young guitarist. I'm pretty sure The Blue Album is the only album I've ever bother to learn to play all the though. Fantastic for learning some catchy tunes and simple, yet skill very musical solos!
Wagoner be looking like the guitar shop owner on the corner. Can't believe I've been listening to these guys going on a decade and a half. Almost as long as I've been with the Black Dahlia.
I freaking LOVE this band. I’ve seen them 3 times in the last 2 years. I have no complaints about them, but I sometimes wonder what they would sound like if they attempted a more “conventional” album eschewing the more nutty progressive stuff (that I love, btw).
I know exactly what he means about writing and ideas coming to when not playing. Happens with me all the time. I'll be writing and having a hard time figuring out a following part so I'll walk away and hear different ideas. The guitar right in your hands can create tunnel vision at times.
One of the best, not necessarily influential. Paul isn’t a pioneer that has done things that nobody else has, he just does it better than everybody else.
Is there tabs for what Paul’s playing in this video , cause it’s not the same on songster , it’s pretty but it doesn’t have the higher parts hes playing
Ryan Kennedy yes you can tell that Tommy is heavily influenced my Mr. Bungle which is as wonky as it gets. Everybody in this band is creative as fuck and talented enough to pull it off. I can’t comprehend how artists of this caliber have all gotten together to create this amazing music.
Tell Sumerian to stop Copyright striking videos so other people won't be afraid to react to Between the Buried and me songs.The world needs to hear your music.
Reghardt van Rensburg It's a way to enlighten people and see their first reactions to "real music" that isn't "Radio".In an internet world,kids need to hear music that streches the boundaries.That's all.
This isn’t scene music. The only thing that makes them look scene, is the long ass name. A scene kid’s attention span is way to short, to listen to progressive music.
your pov is the kind of gatekeeping i wish to prevent - we should never discourage more people embracing BTBAM. i want more people to listen so they get to tour more and have more people come out to shows and even possibly put pressure on program directors to play their songs on the airwaves
I love BTBAM and they are absolutely incredible live. I've seen them about 7 times now and I they have made mistakes every time I've seen them live. This last show, the Automata 1 warm up tour before the festival tour they screwed up an entire section of coma machine. They are super tight live, but every band makes mistakes live. Every band. I don't know where they get the distinction of being perfect live...they never are. However, when you are playing a million notes per song, missing a few isn't as bad as flubbing 2 notes in a 5 notes song.
There's a mistake on colors, intro to Ants of the Sky. I've been practicing and slowing down the bits, and there's a mistake there. Just goes to show the best make mistakes, and even in their magnum opus, so don't be too hard on yourself too!
You have to know the rules, to break them. Every musician should learn music theory, so they can create something super creative. Also, whacky time signifiers are good to learn. 4/4 gets boring after hearing it so much. You don’t hear a lot of cut time, unless listening to marches. So, maybe somebody will do that, and become the next big thing.
Trevor Ramey as strange as it may seem, I find creating riffs in 4/4 hard for me. I listen to a lot of prog so 6/8 just seems easier to write. Just makes more sense
4/4 and 6/8 (or 3/4) are the easiest time signatures to write in because they're the easiest to groove to. Odd time signatures are fun to write, but they're harder to jam with and constructively build on because they're much harder to groove to.
redskullz124 7/8 and 5/8 are fun to groove to as well. And, I cannot deny what you’re saying is true. I am a huge sucker for 6/8 time. It has such a nice feel.
Trevor Ramey i disagree with the first statement. Learning to adhere to the 'rules' (which are little more that analysis of past and present commonalities more than guidelines) is much more restrictive than just learning to flow on an instrument. How does one do that? By listening and playing with others and forming ideas and opinions from what you hear around you. Analyzing common performance tropes and stylistic constructs. Theory is no where near as big a deal nor does it have quite as much of a use as alot of people think. If you spend all the time learning from the book, you end up playing like a book. Creativity, as this video makes evident, isnt a switch you activate, it's a mode of living. A lifestyle.
Controversial take: I prefer the music that he did back when he was trying to make sense (as he put it). The first two Between the Buried and Me albums are the best, to me. They sounded cool, whereas in their latter material they sound more nerdy to me. I'm not into Dream Theater, but they sound like a more-metal Dream Theater these days. That said, they're presumably bigger today than they've ever been, so more power to them. I won't be enjoying much of their new music, but that's fine of course. I prefer their old Cannibal-Corpse-inspired stuff.
@@WillieG1016 its funny cause there is a divide in the fanbase of the people who like the old stuff more and people who like the new stuff more. I'm in the middle. I like Colors and Great Misdirect the most lol
he is no nowhere near one of the most influential guitarists of all time. rather, he is one of the biggest influences on some of the best (primarily rock and metal-adjacent) guitarists of the modern age. He is himself also influenced by Petrucci in a very clear way imo.
Hopefully these guys keep making music for a long time, I don't know what I would do without them.
Start listening to Frank Zappa.
I personally feel exactly like you. This band means everything to me.
Galaxy Drift3r Same here man. They’ve been my favorite for 11 years. Everything they do just fucking floors me.
I’m on the same boat fam. These guys are my absolute favorite. I hope my kid gets to see them live some day if he’s a metal head as well!
None of us know what we wouldve done without them. BTBAM shaped my playing style since the dawn of my musical interest.
Waggoner is so damn good. One of my favorites. I can completely relate to coming up w/ song ideas at the randomest times, even when not playing
Joseph Bastidas He has an incredible mind for melody and such a humble approach to the instrument.
He's my favorite guitarist, ants of the sky is fucking great and so is selkies
Specially when not playing hahaha
@@Eric-eq3jx ants of the sky!!!!^^^^
chicken permission lmao I just got done listening to colors when I saw this comment, rock on my dude!
Paul sweeps so clean you'd think he was a janitor
Paul is one of the most underrated guitarists out there. Not just when it comes to the technical stuff, but as a writer as well. I would put his composition skill next to anyone else, not just in metal, but in almost any genre.
Him and Dustie is a damn powerhouse of a guitar duo. Unrivalled, really.
When he started playing Blot, I felt that. Amazing songwriting
His self awareness as a musician is what puts him at the top in my book. I’ve listened to them since I first heard Mordecai. His quote about translating the music in his head to a guitar is exactly how I feel. Such a great band.
Amazing guitarist. Been a fan since old school Tribunal Records and hearing Paul with Prayer For Cleansing. I still have all those old CDs. The Tragedy EP is still my favorite. All 3 songs on that really struck a chord with me because a friend of mine went the same way. We both had matching BTBAM orchids tatted on our arms too. I think of my friend and the music that brought us together every time I see it.
That man is a reason I started playing guitar 20 years ago and he is still to this day my hero
How Paul writes initial ideas is exactly how I write. I can't just sit at the drums or guitar and start writing. It just pops up in random moments throughout my day when I'm no where even near an instrument.
Just watched this interview while sitting on the toilet… and feel weirdly connected now
Fantastic Songwriter, Great Creativity, Taste and Techniques!.
I would love to hear a solo album from Paul
My absolute favorite guitarist all time!
0:43 = Compuuuuteeer Simulation Complete
I've heard blot every day for the last few months. Cannot get enough.
Me too mate :) i wish, i could play guitar again, because the riff at 4:08 is still sooo good
Interesting how Paul's story of how he came up with the opening riff to Selkies reminds me of Alaska. I find that the line between awake and sleep (as in Alaska) can allow for a lot of creativity.
and don't forget: Rivers Cuomo was his first guitar idol xD I never thought, it would be one of the Weezer guys^^
Alaska the state or the album? Cuz you're comment is right about both
I love you Paul!
Blake @3:36 😄
Haha his unforgetable laugh xD
It's funny how that chord he plays at 7:51 to me sounds like the most BTBAM-y chord of all time but he traces it back to his earliest influences.
Pretty sure a voicing of that chord plays in the beginning of Turn on the Darkness :)
The last two notes is the start to mirrors!
Legendary guitarist right here.
This is very inspiring.
great name great band great guy
He looks like a good guitar player... hope he gets noticed.
That transition at 00:46 was saucy
u rock bro! andas tranqui ;)
Big talent
so interesting when he talks about how he has more trouble being creative if hes plugged in or when he has a guitar in front of him. I've always felt like this, and it annoys me sometimes that i get ideas at times when i can't remember them or don't have a guitar to voice them
I would absolutely love to see PW and Guthrie Govan collaborate jam. it would be amazing!
That’s nuts, I always thought the selkies riff was written on a keyboard, just because of the way the notes are, it’s certainly a lot easier to play on keys than on a guitar.
He looks exactly like David Cross in this interview
Hahaha not exactly, but yes similar!
One thing i wish he'd talk about is staying relevant in the progressive metal scene using a six string as opposed to a 7 string. Extended range guitars are everywhere and becoming the standard, what was impetus for staying with 6 as opposed to using a 7 string
I completely disagree, it all comes down to the music, doesn't matter what you use, a guitar, a 10 string guitar, or a xylophone
Giovanni Gobbi That’s an incredibly interesting question. What are your thoughts on it? Do you like the 7 string sound?
The thing is he tunes down anyways so he's close to a standard tuned 7 string. I do like that he talks so much about developing his own unique style of playing.
I think staying in the same tuning has helped BTBAM to broaden their horizons by forcing them to work harder within the same parameters. To take something familiar and make something new from it.
More strings doesn't equal better or more progressive. Most of these 7, 8, 9 string bands honestly sound pretty fucking boring, and nearly identical. I can't stand listening to about 90% of new metal bands.
Seven strings seems to get in the way for me. And eight stings is a completely different instrument altogether.
I do the same when it comes to writing music. Sometimes you’re at a store and a thought comes so you use the voice recorder and mimic the riff with your mouth. Then just recreate it on guitar. Fun stuff.
I identify so much with his philosophy towards music, I just wish I had his talent!
I completely related to how he's talking about feeling most musical and coming up with most ideas away from the guitar, and also about Weezer! Rivers was absolutely my biggest influence as a young guitarist. I'm pretty sure The Blue Album is the only album I've ever bother to learn to play all the though. Fantastic for learning some catchy tunes and simple, yet skill very musical solos!
can someone please tell me where that intro riff is from? been tearing my hair out skippin' thru tracks to recall!
found it, in case anyone else is asking: ua-cam.com/video/Eb-wl5E8PH8/v-deo.html
i love BTBAM but prayer for cleansing is my favorite band, so glad to see Paul still making incredible music and having a great career
I saw Coma Ecliptic live in its entirety and he didn’t miss a single note from my perception.
Randy Bobandy so does during they filmed future sequence live
Wagoner be looking like the guitar shop owner on the corner. Can't believe I've been listening to these guys going on a decade and a half. Almost as long as I've been with the Black Dahlia.
I freaking LOVE this band. I’ve seen them 3 times in the last 2 years.
I have no complaints about them, but I sometimes wonder what they would sound like if they attempted a more “conventional” album eschewing the more nutty progressive stuff (that I love, btw).
Such a genius!
Blake in the back at 7:40 after playing the chords. "wooooww.." 🤣🤣
I know exactly what he means about writing and ideas coming to when not playing. Happens with me all the time. I'll be writing and having a hard time figuring out a following part so I'll walk away and hear different ideas. The guitar right in your hands can create tunnel vision at times.
Paul is one of the most influential guitarists of all time
Logan Finn you just can't let it BTBAM fan have his hyperbole can you? And yes it's clearly hyperbole.
One of the best, not necessarily influential. Paul isn’t a pioneer that has done things that nobody else has, he just does it better than everybody else.
What a great guy.
What's this riff he's playing in the begining?
Is this a BTBAM song?
Yes, it's called "Blot".
What I’ve mostly learned is that regular and intense pooping will lead to fantastic music. Fiber will now be my performance enhancing drug!
Is there tabs for what Paul’s playing in this video , cause it’s not the same on songster , it’s pretty but it doesn’t have the higher parts hes playing
we need to hang out sometime dude!!!
Ric Ocasek deserves a lot of credit for how awesome Weezer's Blue Album sounded. (and the Green Album)
I know right? What's with these homies?
Why do they gotta front?
I love Paul, but I'd love to hear Dan's thoughts on this topic as well! I feel like he's the one that comes up with all the wonky shit in their music!
John Stanton if you haven’t yet, listen to Tommy’s solo projects! He hits the absolute definition of wonky
Ryan Kennedy yes you can tell that Tommy is heavily influenced my Mr. Bungle which is as wonky as it gets. Everybody in this band is creative as fuck and talented enough to pull it off. I can’t comprehend how artists of this caliber have all gotten together to create this amazing music.
Tell Sumerian to stop Copyright striking videos so other people won't be afraid to react to Between the Buried and me songs.The world needs to hear your music.
Hating me is conforming reaction videos need to stop. More power to them
Reghardt van Rensburg It's a way to enlighten people and see their first reactions to "real music" that isn't "Radio".In an internet world,kids need to hear music that streches the boundaries.That's all.
I don't know what's worse, people making reaction videos or people making ASMR videos. Maybe you should try doing an ASMR video of BTBAM albums
Sumerian records blows. Reaction videos are cool as you get to watch people's genuine reactions to new music. Get with the times baby boomers.
City of Shoes youre a fucking idiot
I wish more scene kids embraced BTBAM
are there still scene kids? they stopped existing where i live
o00thunderhawk00o - as long as Alternative Press covers Falling In Reverse, there will ALWAYS be scene kids
This isn’t scene music. The only thing that makes them look scene, is the long ass name. A scene kid’s attention span is way to short, to listen to progressive music.
They couldn't handle it
your pov is the kind of gatekeeping i wish to prevent - we should never discourage more people embracing BTBAM. i want more people to listen so they get to tour more and have more people come out to shows and even possibly put pressure on program directors to play their songs on the airwaves
He probably doze off while listening to Crimson King's Frame by Frame when he came up with Selkies
David Cross in da house
That piece of single hair hanging out of Paul's beanie the entire video was driving me fucking insane. I wanted to pull it out.
BTBAM proudly brought to you by pooping
I would love Paul to try out some crazy stuff like Robert Stetson's style.
what model of ibanez rg is that? its beautiful
His signature S series. PWM 100 or 10.
What's the first song he plays on the clean setting?
Blot
That one strand of hair though...
man i gotta burn through scales with a metronome
I’m the bastard who mashed up “silent flight parliament” with “Locked out of Heaven” by Bruno Mars, btw. 😁
It’s on UA-cam if you are curious.
I mashed up Selkies with Dancing queen by abba which is on my memepage extreme.uncle
I wanna scream in a band you write riffs for.
That guitar tho!
How could he talk about his early years as a guitarist and not mention Prayer For Cleansing? How?!
Paul started off on the exact music I did, yet I know I will NEVER hit his level of play
Does anyone but me hear strong bob fripp influence in waggoner style? At least chord progressions sound very close to king crimson to me
As a kid my god was EVH as I got older this man has taken the throne. He makes sweeping look too easy!
Playing Weezer in c# standard was sick .
You can totally hear the Weezer influence in BTBAM lol 6:29
Paul is the bee's knees.
I wonder if he still hates the nickname Paultrucci?
This is the most mistakes I’ve ever heard from him.
It's funny because he nails all the hard riffs and messes up the easy ones. Usually the entire band plays flawlessly
Even if they made mistakes, it'll probably sound amazing anyway.
I love BTBAM and they are absolutely incredible live. I've seen them about 7 times now and I they have made mistakes every time I've seen them live. This last show, the Automata 1 warm up tour before the festival tour they screwed up an entire section of coma machine. They are super tight live, but every band makes mistakes live. Every band. I don't know where they get the distinction of being perfect live...they never are. However, when you are playing a million notes per song, missing a few isn't as bad as flubbing 2 notes in a 5 notes song.
There's a mistake on colors, intro to Ants of the Sky. I've been practicing and slowing down the bits, and there's a mistake there.
Just goes to show the best make mistakes, and even in their magnum opus, so don't be too hard on yourself too!
11:04
F^*%# yesssss!!!!
Metal David Cross
You have to know the rules, to break them. Every musician should learn music theory, so they can create something super creative. Also, whacky time signifiers are good to learn. 4/4 gets boring after hearing it so much. You don’t hear a lot of cut time, unless listening to marches. So, maybe somebody will do that, and become the next big thing.
Trevor Ramey as strange as it may seem, I find creating riffs in 4/4 hard for me. I listen to a lot of prog so 6/8 just seems easier to write. Just makes more sense
4/4 and 6/8 (or 3/4) are the easiest time signatures to write in because they're the easiest to groove to. Odd time signatures are fun to write, but they're harder to jam with and constructively build on because they're much harder to groove to.
redskullz124 7/8 and 5/8 are fun to groove to as well. And, I cannot deny what you’re saying is true. I am a huge sucker for 6/8 time. It has such a nice feel.
Trevor Ramey i disagree with the first statement. Learning to adhere to the 'rules' (which are little more that analysis of past and present commonalities more than guidelines) is much more restrictive than just learning to flow on an instrument. How does one do that? By listening and playing with others and forming ideas and opinions from what you hear around you. Analyzing common performance tropes and stylistic constructs. Theory is no where near as big a deal nor does it have quite as much of a use as alot of people think. If you spend all the time learning from the book, you end up playing like a book. Creativity, as this video makes evident, isnt a switch you activate, it's a mode of living. A lifestyle.
Joseph Foreman To each their own.
Did you guys try to get the shittiest amp you could find for him?
how does he get all of that hair to fit in that hat? lol
That single hair is DESTROYING MY LIFE
:D
BTBAM is the BTBest, yeah I made that dumb joke, BAM fight me!
Bloody biscuits
How the fuck is he not mentioning Dream Theater? Petrucci has to be a major influence.
Dude seems to write a lot of music on the shitter.
Controversial take: I prefer the music that he did back when he was trying to make sense (as he put it). The first two Between the Buried and Me albums are the best, to me. They sounded cool, whereas in their latter material they sound more nerdy to me. I'm not into Dream Theater, but they sound like a more-metal Dream Theater these days. That said, they're presumably bigger today than they've ever been, so more power to them. I won't be enjoying much of their new music, but that's fine of course. I prefer their old Cannibal-Corpse-inspired stuff.
I agree actually. I’m not a huge fan of self titled but the silent circus and Alaska are their two best IMO.
@@WillieG1016 its funny cause there is a divide in the fanbase of the people who like the old stuff more and people who like the new stuff more. I'm in the middle. I like Colors and Great Misdirect the most lol
5 dudes are mad because they're afraid to admit they like Weezer
I’m gonna have to make myself poo more often so I can become a better musician.
Fret Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
As much as I love what he's saying, that random hair hanging onto his beard is super distracting
Paul is one of the most influential guitarists of all time
Who has he influenced?
he is no nowhere near one of the most influential guitarists of all time. rather, he is one of the biggest influences on some of the best (primarily rock and metal-adjacent) guitarists of the modern age. He is himself also influenced by Petrucci in a very clear way imo.