that my man right here Alex Skolnick start this next song alright you know
start this next song alright you know
start this next song alright you know him best from his days with Testament
him best from his days with Testament
him best from his days with Testament trans-siberian Orchestra and his
trans-siberian Orchestra and his
trans-siberian Orchestra and his self-titled jazz trio
hi I’m Rebecca Brayton and welcome to
hi I’m Rebecca Brayton and welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re speaking
watchmojo.com and today we’re speaking
watchmojo.com and today we’re speaking with Alex Skolnick about his career
you’ve been in a lot of groups bands
you’ve been in a lot of groups bands ensembles how would you say each one
ensembles how would you say each one
ensembles how would you say each one effects your creative process and what
effects your creative process and what
effects your creative process and what does each one represent in your career I
does each one represent in your career I
does each one represent in your career I think each each situation has been very
think each each situation has been very
think each each situation has been very different there’s all been learning
different there’s all been learning
different there’s all been learning experiences Testament is probably the
experiences Testament is probably the
experiences Testament is probably the you know the most obviously the most
you know the most obviously the most
you know the most obviously the most well-known one it’s also the most
well-known one it’s also the most
well-known one it’s also the most interesting one because yeah I really
interesting one because yeah I really
interesting one because yeah I really just watch the band from the ground up
just watch the band from the ground up
just watch the band from the ground up and I’m really making a lot of mistakes
and I’m really making a lot of mistakes
and I’m really making a lot of mistakes but but getting through while other
but but getting through while other
but but getting through while other bands in the same scene made more
bands in the same scene made more
bands in the same scene made more mistakes I didn’t learn from
with Testament was definitely this
with Testament was definitely this experience you know going into the
experience you know going into the
experience you know going into the studio the first time learning how all
studio the first time learning how all
studio the first time learning how all these things that I didn’t know how do
these things that I didn’t know how do
these things that I didn’t know how do you interact in the studio on a tour
you interact in the studio on a tour
you interact in the studio on a tour what is the process how to interact with
what is the process how to interact with
what is the process how to interact with people on tour we were all very
people on tour we were all very
people on tour we were all very sheltered we’ve come all come from these
sheltered we’ve come all come from these
sheltered we’ve come all come from these suburbs and the San Francisco Bay Area
suburbs and the San Francisco Bay Area
suburbs and the San Francisco Bay Area so to suddenly be thrown out into the
so to suddenly be thrown out into the
so to suddenly be thrown out into the world doing this tour was you know when
world doing this tour was you know when
world doing this tour was you know when I was 18 when we did our first tour that
I was 18 when we did our first tour that
I was 18 when we did our first tour that was quite the learning experience
with the other projects I’m most well
with the other projects I’m most well known for with my yeah my trio
known for with my yeah my trio
known for with my yeah my trio I really learned how to be a band leader
I really learned how to be a band leader
I really learned how to be a band leader how to be a decision maker how to make
how to be a decision maker how to make
how to be a decision maker how to make difficult decisions sometimes I had to
difficult decisions sometimes I had to
difficult decisions sometimes I had to fire a couple people that’s no fun but
fire a couple people that’s no fun but
fire a couple people that’s no fun but you know what it hat it has to happen
you know what it hat it has to happen
you know what it hat it has to happen sometimes it sucks
you get to these points where especially
you get to these points where especially when there’s friendships and walls you
when there’s friendships and walls you
when there’s friendships and walls you have to look and say okay well I could
have to look and say okay well I could
have to look and say okay well I could just you know keep my buddy in the band
just you know keep my buddy in the band
just you know keep my buddy in the band but you know realize the musical
but you know realize the musical
but you know realize the musical limitations or I can really try to do it
limitations or I can really try to do it
limitations or I can really try to do it again what’s best for the music the
other project I’m really well known for
other project I’m really well known for his chance I hear an orchestra that was
his chance I hear an orchestra that was
his chance I hear an orchestra that was fascinating because then this is a
fascinating because then this is a
fascinating because then this is a situation where I really got plugged
situation where I really got plugged
situation where I really got plugged into something where it’s actually run
into something where it’s actually run
into something where it’s actually run by a core creative team that are more
by a core creative team that are more
by a core creative team that are more business people than musicians but
business people than musicians but
business people than musicians but effective business people and creative
effective business people and creative
effective business people and creative people
it was sort of like stepping into a
it was sort of like stepping into a situation where you have arena rock
situation where you have arena rock
situation where you have arena rock production you have this whole program
production you have this whole program
production you have this whole program that you need to follow and that you do
that you need to follow and that you do
that you need to follow and that you do have some input it was a big learning
have some input it was a big learning
have some input it was a big learning experience I really developed some stage
experience I really developed some stage
experience I really developed some stage presence doing that in ways that I
presence doing that in ways that I
presence doing that in ways that I wouldn’t have otherwise with that show
wouldn’t have otherwise with that show
wouldn’t have otherwise with that show we would have occasional special guests
we would have occasional special guests
we would have occasional special guests I’d say the most famous special guests
I’d say the most famous special guests
I’d say the most famous special guests we had were Steven Tyler linear and
we had were Steven Tyler linear and
we had were Steven Tyler linear and Roger Daltrey and for me the most
Roger Daltrey and for me the most
Roger Daltrey and for me the most intimidating was John Anderson of yes or
intimidating was John Anderson of yes or
intimidating was John Anderson of yes or you know I had to play I had to play the
you know I had to play I had to play the
you know I had to play I had to play the acoustic intro to roundabout with him
acoustic intro to roundabout with him
acoustic intro to roundabout with him standing next to me you know in front of
standing next to me you know in front of
standing next to me you know in front of 14,000 people and we have the head of
14,000 people and we have the head of
14,000 people and we have the head of the creator of the show Paul in the L am
the creator of the show Paul in the L am
the creator of the show Paul in the L am wishing me luck and telling me don’t
wishing me luck and telling me don’t
wishing me luck and telling me don’t screw it up
so you know experiences like that you
so you know experiences like that you really really learn from but I also
really really learn from but I also
really really learn from but I also learned that I like to be creative
learned that I like to be creative
learned that I like to be creative person so as great as that was and I did
person so as great as that was and I did
person so as great as that was and I did that for many years ultimately I need to
that for many years ultimately I need to
that for many years ultimately I need to be one of the creative people I don’t
be one of the creative people I don’t
be one of the creative people I don’t take direction that well
great thank you very much are you
great thank you very much are you welcome my pleasure
”
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