George Lynch – Guitarist for Lynch Mob, Souls of We, ex Dokken

1. Tell us how you recaptured that classic Lynch Mob "Wicked Sensation" sound on the new album "Smoke and Mirrors"?

GEORGE: Well it wasn’t like we went in trying to recapture any type of sound but once we turned into a band after working with each other for several months, between Oni Logan and myself, we subconsciously knew that "Wicked Sensation" was what we were going for. But…we went into the right studio and used the right equipment to make this the proper follow up to "Wicked Sensation".

2. Does it feel like a classic Lynch Mob album to you?

GEORGE: Yeah…it does, but evolved, older, wiser, you know. We were just much more efficient with our time and money this time. Between the writing, the mixing, recording, it was stretched out over some time. If you squeeze it all together it was about six weeks. But the writing was really spread out over several months because we would play some shows, come home and write, go back out on the road again. But the actually recording was done in four days, guitars, bass and drums. The vocals took some more time.

3. Did you use any of the same equipment used for the recording of "Wicked Sensation"?

GEORGE: No I didn’t, I have a Lynch Mob module that’s very close to a Soldano 100 ‘87-88 amp that I used on the "Wicked Sensation" album, which is tweaked to be very very similar to the original Soldano. For guitars, I used everything a little bit but primarily for the rhythms I used a Super V an old ESP prototype mahogany, and the ESP custom Lynch/Paul it looks like a ’59 flame top, I used the Tiger guitar, and the ’59 Esquire.

4. Who is in the band and will this be the same band you will be touring with?

GEORGE: Yeah, same band who recorded "Smoke and Mirrors", Oni Logan on vocals, myself, Marco Mendoza on bass, the only thing that will change will be the drummer. For now its Scott Cougan but Fred Coury from Cinderella may help us out. Problem is Scott plays with Ace Frehley and we are doing shows with Ace in Australia and Japan and he can’t be in both bands. So right now it’s a revolving door for drummers.

5. How much of the music and lyrics do you write?

GEORGE: Depending on the band, for "Smoke and Mirrors" I wrote very little lyrics, I wrote the music. But the lyrics are handled by Oni and London LeGrand for my band Souls of We, they are the poets. I can’t do it better than them. Like on the Souls of We record I had quite an input on the lyrics, its something I am getting better at over the years, haha.

6. Why the title "Smoke and Mirrors"?

GEORGE: Just something that hit me. For me a record is like a brand, it has to be catchy and easy to remember, but it also has implications on different levels. Like in a political framework, things are not what they seem. On a musical level you can say on one hand maybe if your listening to something and you know what went into the process its not what it seems either and there’s a lot that goes into it. Like by listening to the music you may think I am a really good guitar player but when you listen to the recoding of the tracks its not true, hahaha, no I’m just kidding. No, but it was a pretty honest record, like the solo for ‘Let the Music Be Your Master’ was all done in one take. I mean there are some punches here and there on the album but really not too much smoke and mirrors.

7. Did you do anything different with the music on "Smoke and Mirrors"?

GEORGE: Well the earlier Lynch Mob records were more focused with more continuity musically. And that can be good and bad. But this one doesn’t quite have one flavor its more adventurous, like ‘Smoke and Mirrors’ the songs gets a little swampier southernesque, and we dabbled a little more on the commercial side with ‘When I Close My Eyes’ that’s one for the chicks, nothing wrong with a good song. ‘Time Keeper’ is a little more progressive, and aggressive. But you know we have been waiting 17 years to do the record so we’re allowed to be a bit adventurous, hahaha.

8. How many of your guitars do you still own from your days in Dokken?

GEORGE: Well I have the bulk of them, I have my original Tiger, the original green one I built, my original Hoggie, serpent guitar. A lot of good stuff.

9. How about the skeleton guitar?

GEORGE: That was sold to the Hard Rock Café, I don’t know where it is they move those things around. But I have the second one built which was an ESP. It’s much more playable.

10. Do you have a favorite guitar and why?

GEORGE: Well it changes but last year the GL 56 was indispensible to me, I mean I move around all the time. Right now we are the road with Souls of We and I like ESP Relix Strat. I also started using some of my custom ESPs, the Headhunter guitars you can check em out online (http://georgelynch.ning.com/page/mr-scary-custom-guitars), I built those myself. Totally customized, distressed all the metal, carvings and all that. We start off with ESP wood necks and just tear em apart.

11. How many of your signature guitars are on the market?

GEORGE: I’d say about 6, they are all ESPs. I’ve been with them for about 25 years now. We do some variations on some models, high and lower end ones. I did some clinics for SamAsh and didn’t even bring a guitar and I just pulled a lower priced Tiger guitar off the wall and started playing and it was great. Felt as good as my original.

12. Are there any Lynch Mob shows professionally recorded that may be released on DVD?

GEORGE: Well I think there is plenty of good stuff on YouTube, we haven’t had an eye for putting anything out commercially yet but its something we’re thinking about. We are doing this Loud Park festival in Japan and I’m sure we are gonna compile some live stuff.

Also, Souls of We is just finishing a video for the song ‘Skeleton Key’, I hope its finished in a couple weeks. Hopefully MTV Europe, YouTube, a Canadian and Japan outlet will be playing it.

13. Do you have a favorite piece of music you have composed and why?

GEORGE: Actually some of my favorite stuff was never really finished or released, like there was a song called ‘Dusk’ done with baritone and acoustic guitars and amplified it with some effects. It created a kind of lush landscape in sound. I recorded it myself and never released it yet but I may record an instrumental album next year and may revisit that song. So I think the unknown pieces may have the potential to be the most gratifying one.

14. I of course have to ask this, what are the chances of a Dokken reunion with you and Jeff Pilson (bassist) involved?

GEORGE: There is a chance, I’ve been talking to Don, there are a lot of obstacles, lets see.

15. You have previously mentioned in an interview that there is talk of Dokken and Lynch Mob touring together.

GEORGE: Well I shouldn’t have mentioned it, Don came up and did a song with us at a Souls of We show, but there are many things to work out. I’m hoping it will happen.

16. Touring plans for both Lynch Mob and Souls of We?

GEORGE: Souls of We are on the road as we speak in the U.S., Lynch Mob will be going to Japan (actually playing with Dokken) at the Loud Park fest, going to Australia with Ace Frehley, then maybe a Dio tour in Europe but nothing in stone yet. Souls of We will be going back to Japan in January for about five shows. If the Dokken thing works out it will be for the States.

17. I have a question about the song Dokken ‘Back For The Attack’. Why was it only released as the B side to the single for A Nightmare on Elm St. Part 3 and not on the actual album?

GEORGE: You know I don’t remember, maybe it was a case of at the time we really didn’t think the songs made the cut for the record, but in retrospect I think it’s a really good song.

*INTERRUPTION* as a cop is reprimanding the driver.

GEORGE: Yeah put that in the interview, that was cool.

18. Do you know if any of the Dokken back catalogue will be remastered or re released? If so how about putting the song ‘Back for the Attack’ on that album?

GEORGE: Well you know that’s a great idea but I’m not currently in Dokken so I don’t know.

19. Involved in any other projects?

GEORGE: Well I would like to do a instrumental record with Jordan Masconi from As I Lie Dying, that’s an if. I’m also doing my Mr. Scary customized guitar line, I also am doing some art pieces which you can find out about and see pictures of on my site http://georgelynch.ning.com/page/art-installations. I’ve got my Dojo Guitar Academy which is an online guitar school http://georgelynch.ning.com/dojo that’s been running for five years

Doing some session work, outside playing, doing a Bach Rock classical thing in the fall, I can’t remember what its called right now. I also played all the guitars on a song for Christen W called ‘Be Alright’, some pop thing that’s on the Dance Charts right now.

Official website: http://georgelynch.ning.com