Gus G

Biography

Early life

Gus was born on 12 September 1980 in Thessaloniki. His father was a part-time singer who sang Greek folk music at bars and taverns. He was also a fan of rock music. He was introduced to bands like Pink Floyd, Santana and the Eagles by his father's album collections. Gus G was inspired to start playing guitar after listening to his father's copy of Peter Frampton's album Frampton Comes Alive. Gus has stated, "Frampton Comes Alive, specifically, was the reason why I picked up the guitar and started playing." He was drawn in particular by Frampton's use of the Talkbox. Gus stated, "I was like 8 or 9 years old and my dad had the vinyl at home and was playing that song 'Do You Feel Like We Do,' and when he was doing all that talkbox effects and making the guitar talk...I somehow thought it was a robot talking...I was just amazed by it. It was one of those epiphanies we get in life." At the age of 10, Gus asked his dad for a guitar. His father bought him a classical guitar and he started to take lessons from a local music school. When he finally received his first electric guitar at the age of 14, he got heavily into practicing and took lessons from a rock guitar teacher at a local conservatory.

Career

At the age of 18 he left Greece to enroll in the Berklee College of Music, but left after only a few weeks and began working on making a name on the metal scene. During his brief time at Berklee, Gus came into contact with Joe Stump, who he credits as a great influence on his career. In 1998, Gus G decided to record a demo with some close musician friends in the United States. The project was entitled Firewind, and was used as a showcase for Gus's guitar skills in an attempt to earn a professional recording deal. The demo attracted the attention of Leviathan Records, but activity was put on hold when Gus was hired by Nightrage, Dream Evil, and Mystic Prophecy. After the release of these bands' debut albums, Gus's attention returned to his band, Firewind. The band has released seven studio albums to date and has gone through many lineup changes. Gus G was declared third of the three best guitar players all over the world in 2003 by the Japanese magazine BURRN!.

In 2009, Gus was sent an email invitation from Ozzy Osbourne's management to learn several songs and take a flight to Los Angeles to audition for the role of guitarist in Ozzy Osbourne's backing band. After jamming with the band, Gus was "asked on the spot to come back and perform a concert with Ozzy a couple of months later". Soon thereafter it was announced that Gus G would be taking the place of lead guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne. Ozzy had decided to part ways with longtime guitarist Zakk Wylde, because he thought his music was beginning to sound too much like Zakk's band Black Label Society. Gus's first live appearance with Ozzy was at the BlizzCon 2009.

In 2010 Gus G appeared alongside Firewind in Issue 3 of the Eternal Descent Comic Book which is an epic comic series that features characters of several of ESP Guitars' most popular artists.

In the summer of 2012 he toured with Ozzy Osbourne as part of the Ozzy & Friends European Tour. The line-up featured special guests Slash, Zakk Wylde, and Geezer Butler. He then returned to his band Firewind, and they released their 7th studio album "Few Against Many". The world tour that followed took them all over Europe, UK, North America, Asia and Australia. In the midst of the tour, Firewind's longtime singer, Apollo Papathanasio, quit the band. Firewind vowed to continue with a replacement singer. At the end of the world tour in December 2013, Firewind decided to go on an indefinite hiatus and Gus G launched his solo career with the release of his debut album, "I Am The Fire". The album was released in March 2014 and features many guest musicians including Jacob Bunton, Mats Levén, Jeff Scott Soto, Michael Starr of Steel Panther, Alexia Rodriguez of Eyes Set To Kill, Devour the Day and many more.

Musical influences

Gus G's first influences began with Peter Frampton and his work "Frampton Comes Alive". When asked about Uli Jon Roth, Gus G stated, "'He's a guy that I took my band's name (Firewind) from. If you listen to Uli Jon Roth, what he was doing back in the 70s with the Scorpions, and of course, with Electric Sun, you'll see, "Ohh, now I know where all the 80s shredders like Yngwie and all those guys got their inspiration from. He's an original for me. He's like a true original like Blackmore. He's a mentor, a friend, and a guitar idol of mine." Gus also cites Al Di Meola, Joe Stump, John Norum, Steve Vai, John Petrucci, Yngwie Malmsteen, George Lynch,

Uli Jon Roth, Michael Schenker, Paul Gilbert, Marty Friedman, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Gary Moore, The Beatles, The Doors, Black Sabbath, Metallica, Iron Maiden, Joe Satriani and many others as his influences.

Equipment

In 2005, Gus teamed up with ESP Guitars to make two custom model guitars to his specifications, the "Gus G. FR" and the "Gus G. NT". The 'NT' was used in the videos for "Falling to Pieces", "Breaking the Silence" and "Tyranny". The 'FR' is featured along with the NT model in the video for "Falling to Pieces" and "Head Up High" and was discontinued in 2009 for North America, being replaced by the 'NT'. In a 2009 video of Gus playing backstage at Musikmesse Frankfurt with his new T2 amplifier, he is seen with a white ESP Gus model with a black Firewind logo on the front. Before using ESP, he was endorsed by Washburn, playing a Culprit with a chrome pickguard, and before using a Fender Floyd Stratocaster.

Recently Gus has released 2 new signature series guitars in Japan the ESP GUS G. NT-II which is a white version of his normal signature guitars with the Firewind symbol on the neck at 1–15 frets, and also in black on the body. And ESP GUS G. FM-NT which is the same as the GUS G. NT ESP, the only change made is to the frets who are now the same as at the ESP GUS G. NT-II. In March 2010 ESP announced a new Gus G guitar the EC Revolver, it has a custom graphic finish, 22 frets, a 25.5-inch scale, and Seymour Duncan Blackouts active pickups.

While playing with Ozzy Osbourne during the BlizzCon 2009 closing ceremony, he could be seen playing two ESP Eclipse II guitars, one in Amber Cherry Sunburst tuned to Standard D, and another one in Vintage Black, tuned to Dropped C.

In terms of picks and strings, he used Elixir Strings early in Firewind, then switched to DR, using 10-56. Currently he uses DR Dragon Skins 10-14-18-32-42-56. He currently uses Dunlop Jazz III XL 1.5mm guitar picks.

Gus has used various amps in the past including Randall T2 and V2 Amplifiers.

Gus briefly had a signature Randall amp designed by him and based on the T2 head named Heaven and Hell. It featured 2 channels, each using independent gain and tone controls. Gus G here performs with Ozzy using 10 of his Signature Randall T2HH amps and cabs.

In January 2010, he teamed up and was featured on the Blackstar Amplification website using the Series One 200 head and matching cab.