“Visions and Dreams”
Nucleus Prog. / Argentina / presents
By Sergio Vilar
Hello
Atanas. How were you interested in the progressive music?
First,
I want to thank you because of the interview and the interest to
my music.
Regarding the progressive – yes, it’s one of my favourite
styles. More than 12 years I’ve listened many prog bands like Dream
Teather, Planet X, Aghora, Gordian Knot,
but the most favourite perhaps is the band called Liquid Tension
Experiment / Tony Levin + Petrucci & Co.
/. Anyway, except the progressive I like all instrumental styles
– fusion, jazz, rock, shred etc.
And
which is your essence how musician?
Before
14 years I have taken private lessons by classical guitar. In
the same time I was impressed of rock and shred music. Later I
stop with the classical lessons and joined in a hard’n heavy
band. My further important instructional sources were the guitar
lessons of Vinnie
Moore,
Tony Macalpine,
Greg Howe,
Paul Gilbert
and many more. It was very difficult before to find books, tabs
or lessons of any famous guitar hero. Now it’s very easier
trough Internet to find whatever about every guitar player.
I want to advise the young guitarists – “you have to find a good teacher, but don’t remember – the magic is in your hands!”
How
has it gone varying your relationship with the musical creation,
that is to say like you faced that aspect in your beginnings and
now?
In
the beginning I was very influenced from my idols, so my earlier
works were in style shred/rock/neoclassical, the tunes were full
of shredding and endless running solos.I’ll be honest – my
first projects are very similar to the music of Tony
Macalpine and Vinnie Moore.
My playing and music have been started to change when I began to
explore many fusion / jazz players.
I’m trying to learn something from every album and player.
The most important for me is to create my own individual style
of playing and of course beautiful music!
So, the last result is my CD “Flying Colours”!
What
do feelings or ideas want to express through the music?
I
want to express my own “visions and dreams”, my personal
world using the guitar. I express a mix of feelings and ideas.
Of course, I have to develope my guitar concepts, basically for
the music, but when I compose the melodies and runs, I always
use my feelings. Without the feeling music should be very
mechanical and synthetic.
At
level of influences, what artist has he had a bigger impact in
your work?
It’s very
difficult to answer of this questions, because I must to write
the names of a tousands players. Anyway, I’ll try to note the
most importants names influenced me through the years :
Earlier influences – Tony Macalpine, Vinnie Moore,
Joe Satriani, Steve Morse, Paul Gilbert, Steve
Vai…
Later – I got to know whit the creativity of many jazz-fusion
players – Allan Holdsworth, Frank Gambale, Scott
Henderson, Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin, Brett
Garsed…and many more.
But my favorite guitarist is Greg Howe
- I love all of his albums. Greg’s musicianship
and guitar concepts are really amazing,incorporates many
different styles.
Expect the above mentioned world famous names there are many
rising guitar talents that I appreciate – such as Derryl
Gabel, Dave Martone, Joel Hoekstra, Rusty
Cooley, Francesco Fareri…
I’m really happy , because I have the opportunity to communicate with a lot of them through Internet.
What
does it happen today, with you as musician? Are you working in a
new disk? If it is this way, what can you be ahead?
I
have many plans and hope to do more of them. I’m working above
an instructional website with my lessons, tabs, advices to the
beginners. Of course, I’ve recorded a few new pieces for my
new album. In meantime I’ll searching for a label for a future
collaboration.
Will
it continue inside the thematic one habitual or will it have a
different focus?
I’m
always open for new experiments. My wish is to collaborate with
another guitar player – I have a vision about it, but it’s a
secret for this moment.
What
surprise do you have us prepared with the new material?
Except
the electric album, I’ve planned to record an acoustic one –
before 5 years I recorded the project
“The Long Road”,
but it was very long as compositions and time – approx 2
hours.So I decided to re-record this album with new sound and
playing. I hope the fans will be nice surprised…I love very
much the acoustic guitar – the sound and the touch is very
natural!
A
last question, Atanas. Where do you want to arrive with the
music, what dreams do you have?
I
make the music because of the music. This is my vision of life
and I’ll continue to love the music and the guitar. Yes,would
be great to sign a deal with any famous label as Shrapnel
Records
or other. My biggest dream is some day to have the opportunity
to play together with Greg
Howe!
Thank
you to respond us. Do you want to add something?
I
want to thank you again for the interview. I wish to Nucleus
all the best – keep working to provide the best information to
your visitors!