INTRO INTERVIEW
Aminute’s all it takes to discover what makes a great guitarist tick. Before he jumped into his limo for the airport, we grabbed a quick chat with the guitarist from north England’s classic to modern rock band, ATLAS.
GT: Do you have atype of pick that you can’t live without?
HL: I pretty much exclusively use a Dunlop Jazz III. When I first discovered them in my late teens, it felt like my playing elevated overnight. I keep a Jazz III in all my guitar cases and even my wallet. You never know when a guitar might appear in front of you!
GT: If you had to give up all your pedals but three, what would they be?
HL: I gave up with pedal boards quite a few years ago. I got sick of the dreaded tap dance every time I had a guitar solo coming up. I use a rack mounted Fractal Axe FX at the minute, where I regularly have pedals in my signal chain. If I went back to physical pedals, I would absolutely be putting an Ibanez TS9 in there, ideally the TS808 version. They tighten the bottom end up so well, which is great when using seven-strings which I use live for most ATLAS tracks.
GT: Do you play another instrument well enough to do so in a band, and if so have you ever done it?
HL: I don’t. I have always fancied giving the drums a go though. I’m always tapping away on the steering wheel when driving, which drives my girlfriend crazy.
GT: If a music chart were put in front of you, could you read it?
HL: I could, but I certainly couldn’t sight read. I did music at A level for a year before I realised that college wasn’t for me.
GT: Do guitar cables really make a difference? What make are yours?
HL: I think it depends on the scenario. But in general, yes, I do believe they make a difference. I think you should always use the shortest cable you can get away with or you will start losing some of the top end. I don’t really have a go-to brand when it comes to guitar cables, as most brands make good premium ones. I would always opt for gold connections though.
GT: Is there anyone’s playing (past or present) that you’re slightly jealous of?
HL: Absolutely! Even now when I listen to Paul Gilbert when he’s going full ham, I am so jealous. His pick attack and accuracy is just something else. I’m also quite a big Petrucci fanboy, so yeah, he’s the G.O.A.T. for me. At the minute I am really in awe of the amazing legato players such as Tom Quayle and Rick Graham. They just make these hard, complex legato lines sound so smooth and buttery, while making it look incredibly easy.
GT: Your house/studio is burning down: which guitar do you salvage?
HL: I have an Iban
