This interview is a total treat! I wrote Brad Gillis an email back in 2003, and he graciously responded and even gave me a poster from the Speak of the Devil tour. A total stand up guy that will go out of his way to give you info and insight into playing. Amazing. Thanks for the post!
This guy is so underrated as a guitarist. Back in the day when he first made it big with Night Ranger I never realised just how good he really was til' I saw his UA-cam videos of him touring onstage holding his end up with Ozzy.
I've met Brad a couple times at Guitar Center in Concord, CA.........he is a wicked cool dude and likes to talk to other guitar players about themselves and what got them to play guitar. The first time I met him was backstage at The Omni in Oakland where the new band "Mr. Big" was playing for the first time and that night Michael Martin announced the name of this new band with you know who members.
Im a fan of Mr Gillis,I have uploaded some of his Japan Live work with Ozzy.I too use metal picks since 1987.They are great and am used to the secure feel.BTW that trem there looks like a standard Fender I think.Some of the original style Floyds firstcame out on early kramer guitars.I like em cause they are not as bulky as the kind everybody uses now.If you stretch the hell out of your strings you shouldnt have a problem with tuning.
Good to see you buddy. 1 your sinus socks(sinuns?) 2 Very good guitar player ( I saw Brad 3 times in Puerto Rico (Caribbean) ) 3 Ages got us all (I loved my long hair, now it is same short hair) 4 You said it Brad, You went away.Jack asked you to be toguether.
I met him in person at a club when he was touring with his own project. I told him that I saw him at Texas Jam with NR and the first thing he asked me was did you see Ted Nugent? We both talked about the show. Class act all the way. He killed it on "Speak Of The Devil".
I have always though he is so tastefully and fluid in his playing just always seem to play the right note he'll I learned how to play crazy train the way he played it I had a live recording of Brad instead of Randy
That pretty laughable Brad throws that joke out about Ted Nugent and not wanting to learn anything from him. In his wildest dreams will Brad ever be as good as Uncle Ted on a guitar, and 'Stranglehold' will go down in history as one of rocks anthem songs. Brad is a gimmick player who relies on a pitch bar to get noticed and is a footnote in the 80s hair-band era and hasnt done anything before or since. Hell guys like Vito Bratta and Rik Emmett are more noteworthy than Brad will ever be.
Brads tone on the Speak of the Devil Album is still one of the best live guitar tones I've heard.
This interview is a total treat! I wrote Brad Gillis an email back in 2003, and he graciously responded and even gave me a poster from the Speak of the Devil tour. A total stand up guy that will go out of his way to give you info and insight into playing. Amazing. Thanks for the post!
Brad Gillis is one of the GOATS.
What a great interview! He is such a great storyteller and gives such great advice for future guitarists. What a nice guy!
Brad is the man! His homework that he had to do on speak of the devil was incredible! He smoked it!
I saw him with Ozzy, he did a damn good job.
Wow great interview!! Wow love the history!
I have been a fan of Brad's since the early 1980s. He's one of my favorites. He's the whammy bar king! :-D
Brad makes an excellent point about creating your own style on guitar. He's right... when they hear Brad's guitar on a recording, you know it's him.
This guy is so underrated as a guitarist.
Back in the day when he first made it big with Night Ranger
I never realised just how good he really was til' I saw his UA-cam
videos of him touring onstage holding his end up with Ozzy.
This is GREAT....I am a huge Randy Rhoads and Brad Gillis Fan.....Great VID
This is very interesting.
I'm a big fan of Brad Gillis.
I've met Brad a couple times at Guitar Center in Concord, CA.........he is a wicked cool dude and likes to talk to other guitar players about themselves and what got them to play guitar. The first time I met him was backstage at The Omni in Oakland where the new band "Mr. Big" was playing for the first time and that night Michael Martin announced the name of this new band with you know who members.
i love this dude
Im a fan of Mr Gillis,I have uploaded some of his Japan Live work with Ozzy.I too use metal picks since 1987.They are great and am used to the secure feel.BTW that trem there looks like a standard Fender I think.Some of the original style Floyds firstcame out on early kramer guitars.I like em cause they are not as bulky as the kind everybody uses now.If you stretch the hell out of your strings you shouldnt have a problem with tuning.
Maybe this is where Dimebag was inspired to do those harmonic squeals? Like pulling the whammy bar up!
he's awesome
Great Player....Smart Dude !!!
Good to see you buddy. 1 your sinus socks(sinuns?) 2 Very good guitar player ( I saw Brad 3 times in Puerto Rico (Caribbean) ) 3 Ages got us all (I loved my long hair, now it is same short hair) 4 You said it Brad, You went away.Jack asked you to be toguether.
Most strat players play a very thin tone, Brad plays a strat as thick in tone as a Les Paul yet more clear, it's really an incredible tone he plays.
He certainly has a really nice manner about him.
Would love to know what kind of pickups in that blue Strat.
I met him in person at a club when he was touring with his own project. I told him that I saw him at Texas Jam with NR and the first thing he asked me was did you see Ted Nugent? We both talked about the show. Class act all the way. He killed it on "Speak Of The Devil".
Good stuff...although he totally blew me off at a japanese restaurant in the hometown we share.Alameda Ca
I wouldn't call them "tricks". It's his style, and it still takes a great deal of skill to play like that.
I have always though he is so tastefully and fluid in his playing just always seem to play the right note he'll I learned how to play crazy train the way he played it I had a live recording of Brad instead of Randy
Guod frand
"I'm not going to go hunting" LOL! Haha, haha, ha ha ...
Brad Rules!
How does he keep the guitar in tune with the whammy bar tricks? It looks like a standard Strat tremolo with no locking nut?
I have a giant Brad Gillis pic he tossed out to the crowd and I grabbed it off the floor.
how does that strat stay in tune without a locking nut? my mind is extremley confused about this.
grease the nut, and make sure the strings are broken in. Good tuners are key as well...
how is the strat staying in tune without a locking nut? I am extremely confused about this!!!
anyone know what the first song is, comes in at the 5 second mark for all of 3 seconds?
KING OF THE WHAMMY!
That pretty laughable Brad throws that joke out about Ted Nugent and not wanting to learn anything from him. In his wildest dreams will Brad ever be as good as Uncle Ted on a guitar, and 'Stranglehold' will go down in history as one of rocks anthem songs. Brad is a gimmick player who relies on a pitch bar to get noticed and is a footnote in the 80s hair-band era and hasnt done anything before or since. Hell guys like Vito Bratta and Rik Emmett are more noteworthy than Brad will ever be.
Bobby Boykin your a complete dumbass