Guthrie Govan: The Captain Meets - Guthrie Govan 2016

The Captain Meets - Guthrie Govan

This video features Lee 'The Captain' Anderton interviewing the virtuoso guitarist Guthrie Govan. The conversation covers Guthrie's musical journey, his influences, his philosophy on technique and theory, and his various professional experiences.
Key Highlights:

Early Influences & Development (2:36 - 18:35): Guthrie discusses growing up in a musical household and his formative years. He recalls discovering heavier music and guitar virtuosos like Steve Vai, Eddie Van Halen, and Frank Zappa in his early teens, which expanded his musical vocabulary.
Philosophy on Theory & Technique (21:00 - 25:47): He shares his perspective on balancing technical proficiency with musical expression. He emphasizes that theory and technique should be tools that are fully internalized so they can support, rather than dictate, the music one hears in their head.
Career Path & Defining Projects:Academic Shift: He recounts his time at Oxford University and his subsequent decision to pursue music full-time (27:07 - 28:58).
Session Work & Asia (34:35 - 37:44): Guthrie discusses his session work, including his time touring and recording with the band Asia.
Erotic Cakes (29:26 - 31:47): The creation of his iconic solo album, Erotic Cakes, which he notes was a collaborative effort with Paul Cornford.
Pop & Grime Collaborations (44:29 - 49:23): He explains his involvement in mainstream projects, including working with Dizzee Rascal, noting his appreciation for the "Zen" challenge of playing different musical styles.
The Aristocrats (49:57 - 55:10): Guthrie describes the formation of The Aristocrats as a "telepathic" connection with his bandmates and a place to explore "forbidden music" and playfulness.
Steven Wilson (55:11 - 59:52): He discusses the creative differences and the darker, more somber tone of working with Steven Wilson, while praising the high-level musicianship involved.
Gear & Amplification (1:10:23 - 1:17:15): The two discuss the ongoing debate between digital modeling (like Kemper) and real valve amplifiers. Guthrie notes that while modeling technology is excellent for utility, he feels a more visceral, inspiring connection to traditional valve amps.
The conversation concludes with a look ahead to 2017, focusing on more touring with The Aristocrats and a desire to record new music (1:18:22).