We interview a guitarist for whom combining technique and passion simply comes naturally. Throughout our conversation, Andy talks about humanity, modesty, and treating everyone as an equal. We can vouch that he really does. In our last issue we ran a feature called “Delusions of Grandeur,” about the nonsense that takes hold of some pseudo-artists when they think they’re important. Andy Timmons once again confirms that, as a rule, the more talented and accomplished an artist is, the more humble and approachable he turns out to be.
We want to especially thank him for his kindness, his dedication, and his wise words. Don’t miss this interview; every word is worth reading.
Andy Timmons, musician and guitarist
It sounds obvious: if you’re a guitarist, you’re a musician. That could use some nuance, though, since a guitarist can be a performer, a composer, an instrumentalist, or a complete artist. The last one is precisely the case with the musician we’re featuring today. We dug into topics that concern us and that we often talk about: virtuosity versus expressiveness. In our eyes, Andy Timmons is the perfect example to lead those players who masterfully blend technique (speed and command of the instrument) with the delivery of a message. For ears attuned to art and emotion, it’s almost impossible to listen to him without getting goosebumps. We love this guitarist. We’re passionate about him.
The Interview
Hi Andy. It’s a great honor to have you in our conversations among musicians, a space we devote to talking with people who are truly committed to music, beyond the commercial side of things. It’s a real pleasure to have one of our favorite guitarists on the world stage. We’re sure ISP readers will make the most of every one of your words.
Many musicians are forced to work as hired guns or to collaborate with various bands in order to make a living from music. How and when are you ready to make the decision to leave bands behind and build a solo career as a guitarist? Was it hard for you?
All of this happened without my thinking much about it. By the age of 15 I realized it was very important for me to learn all musical styles if I wanted to work as a studio musician. I was hugely inspired by Guitar Player magazine and its stories about the studio sessions of Tommy Tedesco, Larry Carlton, and Steve Lukather. Since I was five, I’d been playing and learning entirely by ear, and I started out playing rock pretty well (Ted Nugent, Kiss, Rush, and so on), but I knew that to play in a studio I had to be able to read music and play any style, so I got help from a guitar teacher in Evansville, Indiana, where I grew up. His name is Ron Pritchett, and he began by teaching me the basics of reading music, as well as jazz. He’s a huge fan of Barney Kessel and Joe Pass; he’d play me their records and turn the chords into jazz standards for me to learn. It was a very important period of growth for me!
When it was time to go to college, I went to the local one, which offered classical guitar. For two years I studied classical guitar with Renato Buturri, kept taking jazz lessons with Ron, and played three or four nights a week in my rock band, The Taylor Bay Band. From there I moved to the University of Miami, where I studied jazz guitar. It was the best possible situation: in class all day studying, then gigs six nights a week. I had the chance to apply everything I was learning in a real musical context, which is a key factor in truly absorbing what you’re being taught. Yes, Charlie Parker’s music can sound great in a Madonna song, ha, ha, ha! From there I moved to Denton, Texas, and formed a band called Brinker with drummer Ray Brinker and bassist Steve Bailey. That lasted several years and eventually led me to form the Andy Timmons Band, with drummer Mitch Marine and Mike Daane, in 1988. In 1989 I got an offer from Epic Records to join the band Danger Danger, and that was my first foray onto the international music scene. While I was in that band, I kept going back to Texas to play and record with my group whenever I had time. My first solo CD, Ear x-tacy, was recorded during those years. Since then, I’ve managed to balance touring and recording with other artists (Simon Phillips, LeeAnn Rimes, and Olivia Newton-John) with playing and recording with my own band. I love both equally but, of course, they can be very different musical situations. Fortunately, my solo career keeps developing and more and more opportunities keep coming my way.
What matters more to you: talent or learning?
Obviously, they’re inseparable. If you have natural talent but don’t work hard, you won’t grow, either as a person or as a musician. Conversely, if someone has no natural ability but works very hard, they can reach a great level. The greatest guitarists of all time (Hendrix, Vaughan, Beck, Johnson, Metheny, and so on) all seem to have been born with a gift, but then they dedicated themselves completely to music and to their instrument. Personally, I feel like I’ve only scratched the surface, and I need to work a lot harder to reach my goals as a person and as a musician.
Among guitarists there’s a debate that seems to be eternal, pitting virtuosity against expression. Some guitarists devote their efforts to playing faster than anyone else, or to pulling off truly complex performances. In your case, from our point of view and as you can read on many internet forums, people especially value the richness of your musical language combined with your expressive ability. The feeling, your guitar coming straight from the heart. Is that innate, or can it be cultivated?
What great questions, ha, ha, ha! Just because a guitarist plays slowly doesn’t mean he plays with soul. Likewise, the fact that a guitarist plays at great speed doesn’t make him a virtuoso. I firmly believe that virtuosity is expressiveness, whether or not there’s speed in the playing. In my opinion, Yngwie is as expressive as Jim Hall. Two very different approaches, but equally effective. The way I’ve always looked at it is that I’m painting from a big palette of colors, so to speak. If playing fast is red, and all you do is play fast, you’ll end up with a very red painting! Speed works best when it’s used as something that thrills, not as a “look at everything I can do” technique.
By the way, virtuosity or expressiveness?
Listen to Jeff Beck’s new CD, Emotion and Commotion. The way he plays on it is the perfect example of how virtuosity and expressiveness can be combined in the most beautiful way.
Your music is sincere; you manage to convey your feelings when you play. How do you do that?
First of all, thanks for the compliment! This is a very hard question to answer because these are things I don’t usually think about; they just happen. What I do know is that it’s always better when I play something that comes naturally to me, rather than what I think people want to hear. That way, you’ll sound honest. And the audience always notices the difference!
Who is Andy Timmons, and what defines him?
I think someone else should answer this one! I guess the short version is that I’m someone who tries to live a good life, always putting others first. Treating everyone equally, with respect and compassion. I’m very human. I feel things very deeply and I have a lot of ups and downs. It’s actually a little hard to live that way, but I wouldn’t change a thing. I express all of these experiences through my music.
How can you cultivate a style of your own? Is there a formula?
I think each of us is the result of everything we absorb and experience over the course of our lives. Eric Clapton lived the blues, Stevie Ray absorbed the blues and Hendrix and combined them in his own way. I think the key to developing your own style is to listen to a wide variety of artists. If you focus on just one, you’ll end up becoming a mere shadow of the original. Learn as many songs as you can from different musical genres. I’ve played a lot of jazz over the years, and that has influenced the way I play every other style enormously.
Age tends to affect the final result of records, perhaps because of experience. How has your career evolved? Where are you right now?
I feel my career keeps growing, although I have to admit it’s something I didn’t pay much attention to for many years. After my years in Danger Danger I realized the music business wasn’t really for me. I only wanted the music part, and I decided to do only what interested me musically so I could be artistically happy and not worry about all the little traps of the business. That has probably kept me from becoming very famous, but I’m very proud of my work. I didn’t start playing guitar to become famous. I play it because I love it and because it’s my greatest form of expression. In spite of all this, things keep getting better and better. I’m amazed at how many people seem to connect with my music, and very excited about the new records I’m working on.
Many musicians think the real challenge is playing guitar without too many effects: the guitar, the amp, and you. That’s what some flamenco players in Spain call “playing very true.” What do you think?
I agree with that up to a point. However, I don’t think The Edge’s music is any less relevant because he uses a lot of effects. I think it’s a bigger challenge to play with less gear, and lately I’ve been playing that way more. But I still love my Echoplexes!
Do you prefer the studio or playing live?
I have no preference. Both are equally rewarding.
How important is your gear in stamping your personality on your playing? What does a guitar have to give you to make you feel comfortable? And an amp?
I’ve found that my guitar is the key element in my comfort. Amplifiers come second, and effects last. I absolutely have to have my AT100 to bring out my best!
There’s a rumor on the World Wide Web that your guitars are usually tuned a half step below standard. The natural one. People say some guitarists do this to gain body and thickness in their sound. Do you really tune your instruments a half step down?
No, generally my guitars are in standard tuning. Although it’s true that a few songs on my first CD, Ear X-tacy, were tuned a half step down.
What part of you does your latest record reflect?
I hope every part! I’m very proud of Resolution musically, spiritually, and sonically.
Where can we find your tour dates? Are you planning to play in Europe?
At andytimmons.com we always have information about upcoming shows.
Finally, we’re leaving this space open for you to freely express your opinion. The music world is almost always tough, and many who are starting out get discouraged by the rough patches along the way. What is your advice for learning, not giving up, and becoming a great musician?
I’ve already mentioned some keys to keep going: Play because you love to. If you always keep that in mind, you’ll enjoy playing and never see it as a job. Play what’s in your heart. Learn as many songs by ear as you can, to develop your ability to translate what you hear onto the strings of the guitar. Balance the time you spend practicing alone with the time you spend playing with other musicians. It’s all about application, about applying your ideas in a musical situation.
With our deepest admiration and respect, we’d like to thank you on behalf of all ISP Música readers, and let you know that you stir up great emotions in us when we listen to you. You’re a giant. Thank you so much, Andy, and see you soon.
Thank you, guys! I really appreciate your interest in my music!
Andy uses: Ibanez guitars - Mesa Boogie amplification - D’Addario strings - Dunlop - DiMarzio
