THE LINEUP
A monthly look at must-hear artists from all corners of the guitar world, from the roots of their sound to the tracks that matter most
James Frankland has made a name for himself as an instrumental guitar player who’s able to bring intricate layers into his music, as we see on his latest release, Fate’s Right Hand. However, he didn’t find an immediate connection to music. “I first started playing when I was seven, but I didn’t like it for about six years,” he says. “Then when I was about 13 there were YouTube and Ultimate Guitar tabs, so I could access Joe Satriani and Guns N’ Roses lessons. It was a good time for learning.”
Challenging Players
James explores a range of moods across Fate’s Right Hand, from the aggressively charged Stalemate to piano-accompanied slowy InThe Depths. It displays an ability that has been honed through much listening and playing. “Guns N’ Roses was definitely the one that got me into guitar,” he says. “After that probably Alter Bridge, but more Myles Kennedy’s playing, rather than Mark Tremonti. Myles goes for the gross notes; he’ll hammer in the b5 and he gets away with some nasty notes, which I really like. Another one is Jeff Beck – it’s an acquired taste, but once I got my head around it I thought he was untouchable. I managed to see him before he passed away. That was a cool concert.”
When Classical Meets Rock
Like many instrumental guitarists before him, James found classical music entering the mix. “I wanted to push the piano and guitar accompaniment on this one,” he explains. “When I was writing I was listening to a lot of music, but a big one was Rachmaninoff and his classical piano stuff because he has some really moody chord progressions. It made it quite a challenge – the sound takes up a big frequency spectrum. There’s super low and high there, but all of the ideas began on the electric guitar. There are so many instrumental rock albums, I really wanted to find something that hadn’t been done so much, like the piano accompaniments.”
Audience Participation
When it comes to performing live, James likes the idea of a more interactive show, where the audience can engage with the artist. “I’d like to do some clinic dates,” he says. “I’ve always liked those and it’s partly what drew me to the instrumental side of music and gear demos. The clinic shows give the audience the opportunity to get to know the performers a bit more; they get to learn why they write the way they do and use the gear they use.
“It’s a
