Andy Gillion: shards of narsil

I've know Andy Gillion for a number of years so it's a great pleasure for me to feature Andy on my blog. He's 100% dedicated and focused to the art of guitar. Compositional and music production are areas on which he is is currently focussed. Check out his MySpace and say hello, mention Truth In Shredding and you get an extra bonus point! http://www.myspace.com/andygillion

Andy Gillion Neoclassical Shred 2009


Background:
Andy Gillion says:

I would describe the majority of my music as epic, progressive metal. I try to write as colourfully, diversely and complex as I can. From the age of 5 the first music I'd play on the piano was classical music, which has given my song writing a neo-classical edge. I pretty much despise 99% of modern music and find it hard to accept that we could go from Mozart and Beethoven to the minimalist nonesense of what you hear on the radio today. My main problem is the lack of thought process going into songs. There doesn't seem to be an ounce of passion in the pop music culture and songs these days all seem to fit a generic template of which songwriters are affraid to let go.

I think the most important thing about writing a song is the choice of notes and how each note in sequence affects the one which follows it. I'm heavily into the science of music and why different sequences of notes can evoke emotions in us. For example why does moving the middle note in a major third down to a minor third give us a feeling of sadness?

I often compose music in other genres when my metal writing starts to emotionally drain me but I always keep the same philosophy. Music should be passionate, emotional and have meaning to you. It's escapism and should take you to another world when you listen to it.

I've had some problems with my wrists over the past few years. Tendons inflamed apparently which has been pretty much one of the most frustrating things I've had to deal with before. I stopped playing guitar for 3 months at a time but this didnt seem to settle the problem. I've had every treatment under the sun including physiotherapy, untrasound treatment (it made little sense to me also), having my muscles tied to a machine that the nurse described as "being like an electric fence", I even had acupuncture until I realised I was pretty much paying the acupuncturist's mortgage for her. As it stands now, I don't play as much as I'd like to. It's hard to savour myself and only play an hour or so a day but it's definitely improved the situation and I'm keeping it under control at the moment. Just a big come-down from spending my entire childhood/teen years playing guitar all day everyday...Should have got a girlfriend really...Nevermind.

I've just joined a band called "Shadow Law" so go check them out. Their music is being impregnated with my musical sperm as we speak.