Interview to..... Horst Luksch

Interview by Roberto Guarnieri

A brief story of your career!

"At the age of 16 I got my first guitar and I loved "her" from the first touch.I practised on my own night and day, and 6 months later I played in a band.For 4 years I had been playing in various blues and rock bands till I succeeded in becoming a professional guitar player. For 10 years I was live on tour with a famous German big band and I played on radio and TV. I gained a lot of experience in recording and arranging music for several bands and projects.At the age of 29 - after 5 years of hard practising and learning - I examinated in classical guitar at the College of Music in Munich. During my studies of classical guitar I had a lot of concerts in Germany and Austria.Since this time I work as a teacher at the College of Music in Hohenlohe/Baden-Württemberg. (I teach almost every style of guitar music like Flamenco, classic, rock, funk, blues, etc. ).In 1995 I took my teacher´s diploma in Rock, Pop and Jazz music at the College of Music in Remscheid/Westfalen. I never really had a teacher for the general education in music.
Since 1993 I work as a lecturer offering guitar workshops for other teachers and guitarists at the college. Since 1996 I pursue my own career and my own music projects.In 06/1999 my first CD was released: "Guitar Highway". In 09/1999 I found my own band with two other professional and internationally working musicians. Horst Luksch & Band was born. Since then we have been live on stage together. In 2001 I recorded my second CD, which was released in 02/2002, named "Movimiento".Our next big live tour will probably be in China in August 2002"

Hearing "Last Minute" I have noticed a lot of influence from the 80's sound.....

"I think in every piece of my music you will find sounds and influences from 30 years of experience and educational background in music. Indeed, great guitarists like van Halen, Satriani or Vai have influenced my work. I study all their music very closely to get new impulses for my own work. In 1995 when I took my diploma in Remscheid I wrote a final paper including an analyses of Joe Satriani's song "Surfing with the Alien".But there are many more musicians who have influenced my work. My roots can be found in the 60's. I listened to the Yarbirds, Cream, John Mayall, Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix. And I wanted to play guitar like they did.During the years when I studied classical guitar I played pieces of Villa Lobos, Bach and Paganini. I wanted to play like Manuel Barrueco and Pepe Romero. And I got to know Flamenco with Cameron de la Isla and Paco de Lucia. In Jazz I am fascinated by all those wonderful musicians like Al di Meola , George Benson, etc.
All my life I have needed all those influences of musicians and composers to take reflection on my own work"

What do you think about the guitar scene in Germany?

"Germany has quite a lot of very good and famous guitarists like Peter Wölpl (Jazz, Rock), Michael Sagmeister (Jazz), Uli Roth, Michael Schenker, Axel Rudi Pell (Rock, Metal) etc.
But I think there are just a few guitarists who are focusing on instrumental rock music. I must say I really don't know anybody in Germany who plays such a kind of instrumental rock music like I do. But should that musical shade be left to American guitarists only? In Germany guitar music certainly has a good potential. There are a lot of young people who love playing the guitar and who want to make themselves heard"

Your opinion about Axel Rudi Pell?

"Axel belongs to this small number of German rock musicians who are on the advance. But every one of us is following his own track. That's o. k. In this scene there`s a big challenge for us all. Keep on rockin' Axel"

Horst, please tell me some secrets about your technique!

"Well, definitely I use all kinds of technique, things which are requested in today's international rock scene. I use economy picking, legato, bendings, harmonics, arps, tapping and all types of scales relevant in rock music. On the whole I prefer to use minor scales like aeolian, dorian, phrygian. A very good example for a phrygian composition is my song "Movimiento". Here I use this mode throughout the piece. In "Movimiento" I pulled out all the stops: just to mention a few technical elements like chromatic lines, arps and trills played with the edge of the pick.But you have to know, for me technique is not an end in itself. Without a good technique you are not able to express yourself in music very well. This could be compared with a foreign language you cannot speak quite well. But the more words you know the more feeling and understanding can be expressed. Musical ideas very often force me - so to speak - to use such various technical stylistics.But sometimes it is also the other way round. While practising some tappings
I got the melodious idea for "Hurry up". By the way, I was watching TV at the same time. You must know, I practise the guitar very often watching TV. Such mechanical sequences as tapping, arps or certain scales can be studied more or less on the side. Because of that you can easily save time and you will easily retain and memorize such mechanical movements.How your wife would react to this? I don't know. Let's not talk about this now (smile).By the way, have you noticed that there are two pieces on my record played with two-hand-tapping?! I really love this technique. With this I have the chance to play intervals which normally could not be played, because the fingers are too short.We could talk about technique for hours and hours. But for today that's enough, I think. Let's better talk about music again"

Your style is not too based on Technique but you show a lot of feeling.....

"Thank you Roberto, it's like a compliment to hear such a sentence. Yes indeed, my music is a good mix of power and emotion or let me better call it a mix of rock and blues.As I told you before, I grew up with Eric Clapton, John Mayall etc. So I inherited the blues from them. But the most important element for me is simply rock music.In my music I want to approach instrumental music as melodies sung on the guitar, backed by tight and logical arrangements. I use my technical skills like a scientist to create modern sounds and experiment with new forms of expression. As I told you before, technique for me is not an end in itself. Technical prowess helps me to express and transport my musical ideas. You have to master your instrument like a pilot has to control his aeroplane. The feelings and the moods you can hear in my songs emerge from the deepest parts of my soul and that's the way I play my guitar"

Are you more interested in rock or neo classical?

"Rock is the most important thing in my songs, because I am a rock musician.My music has explosive, rapid and wild parts but there are also neo-classical elements integrated. There are many different influences to be found in my work and that's good"

Tell me something about "Heya, Heya"....

"Maybe you know this song from the 60's (I have been telling you about my roots). A little Indian song, which was quite famous at that time but is never heard nowadays. I wanted to do something funny, something which was quite different from the rest of my CD. And we also had a lot of fun, playing and recording this song and singing: "....smoking driftwood, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, yeah ...." .
To have fun is one message I want to spread with my record. The desired effect, if you listen to pieces like "Hurry Up", "One Night Boogie" or "Be cool", is to transfer a positive mood and atmosphere to the audience. Don't take things too seriously"

What about your band?

"Looking for musicians in the well-known magazine "Gitarre und Bass" in Germany, I found J. P. Stables (bass) and O. K. Simpson (drums), two really great musicians, but also partners and friends. They wanted to support my project and we complement one another very well. Thanks for playing with me, guys!"

The best solo you have recorded for "MOVIMIENTO" ?

"Oh Roberto, that's a difficult question, because I love them all (smile)!

1. Maybe "Insanity" is a big challenge. 4 minutes of solo without a pause makes me feel like a marathon man.
2. The blistering solo parts of "Movimiento".
3. The groovy solo parts of "Heya Heya"
4. Those interesting two-hand tapping pieces "Just a Little Vamp" and "Hurry Up"
... sorry, I really can't decide it"

Have you listened to the new acoustic record of Michael Schenker already?

"Sorry, no, I didn't. But I appreciate his music. Michael belongs to the very few German guitar players who could establish themselves in the international scene"

Your plans for the future?

"To explore and to claim new territory in guitar music all over the world. We are just planning a concert tour in China. Please keep your fingers crossed that the tour will be held - a big, developing market for music. I am very keen on playing in Italy as well"

Your instruments (guitars, effects, amps)...

"The guitars I prefer at the moment are:
Framus "Diabolo" guitar and Framus "Panthera" guitar; two fantastic
instruments made in Germany. Beside those instruments I play Ibanez
guitars, models of Steve Vai and Joe Satriani.

My Amps are:
Framus Dragon and Fender Concert

Effects are:
Digital Pre Amp 2112 by Digitech
Morley Wah "Bad Horsie"
Danefektro Fuzz. "Daddy O"
Boss Fuzz. "MT-2"
Boss-Compressor and Sustainer
Ibanez Tube-Screamer
and more........ "