By Andrew Catania
I caught up with George Lynch to discuss the new Lynch Mob album, any potential Dokken reunion, and his future 2018 plans.
Congratulations on the new Lynch Mob Album The Brotherhood. Personally, this is my second favorite Lynch Mob album as the first Lynch Mob is my favorite. A classic!
GL: Well thank you. That’s saying something.
What is your favorite song on the new record?
GL: Miles Away is a beautiful song it’s Pink Floyd’ish. It’s intense, and that came out of soundcheck rehearsals when we’re on tour, and there was this typical thing you kept quiet, and we got to the point where we were playing it as sort of an interlude piece in between other songs. We did it quite a few times probably a dozen times, or more words become a song, and we developed this song by jamming it live in front of audiences which is interesting so yes, but it’s just I did that stand out.
One of the standout tracks is Main Offender who was the first single primarily written by the drummer Jimmy D’Anda. And although we all handed him some parts and things like that; we got good things from Jimmy in the end. So it was some fresh blood, and then I say Dr. Jekyll Mr. Hyde which is another song interestingly which was created while we were on the road just jamming at sound check. We never jam the song live in front of the audience. The bones of it were built on the road, and then we brought in the studio and developed it from there. And that’s the second video that’s coming out. It’s a trippy video.
The main feature of the song that I love is just that trance-like hypnotic groove at the end that goes and goes up.
Chris Collier produced The Brotherhood. He also did the KXM albums?
GL: Yeah I mean the band produced. The producer is a tricky word I get you to know when I was in more prominent groups in the 80s we’d have producers who did a lot less than Chris Collier did. Who could maybe be listed as an engineer, so it’s tricky? I would say to be fair that any record that Chris has been involved in with me whether it’s KXM or Lynch Mob or others. It’s pretty reasonable to say he’s a co-producer because we use him as a sounding board for ideas and a multi-instrumentalist. He does it all like Jeff Pilson in that respect. Chris is kind of a utility guy I’m excellent at a lot of things, but Chris is very knowledgeable, with music theory and music history from engineered to mixing mastering. Chris could get up there and help with background vocals or help Oni flesh out the vocal melody with words. He gets his hands involved in all areas of the music that we’re creating.
Have you thought about producing Lynch Mob Records yourself?
GL: I’m not much of a producer. I used to produce stuff years ago. Zakk Wylde doesn’t live far for me he lives up the street. We were talking at one point a few years ago, and I tried to be really honest with him, and it was a bit different to be objective I said without hurting feelings or anything, and I mean Zakk’s in a way better place than I am in the marketplace and so it’s a very widely recognized and a fantastic musician.
What I thought was his records don’t do him justice you know. I mean I feel that he could present himself in a lot better way with the right team or producer or writers. But you know what I’m just expressing my opinion, I suggested to him why don’t we get together, and you don’t even have to put my name on it. You don’t even have to pay me. But we live right down the street from each other, and maybe we’ll work on songs together in crafting some songs that are a little more memorable, with bigger hooks sonically a little bit more sophisticated. He’s such an amazing musician because of so many different things I j know how well directed it is. And that’s just my humble opinion.
Of course, that never happened. So my point is I’d say to your question of whether I would ever consider producing it could be possible in a particular situation that was tailor-made to what I can do.
Are you considering doing a solo album?
GL: I’m considering doing an instrumental solo album next year, but I have many projects going on. I’ve Never done one. I thought if I do it I figured I need to bring in somebody complete an objective outside influence that takes control. And so you know I’ve done records on my own now for the past 40 years. So maybe I need some fresh ears and eyeballs and new thinking. You know somebody they’ll take me in a whole different direction I’ve never thought of it. I’d love to have Daniel Lanois produce it.
You’re considered one of the top shredders of all time.
GL: I wouldn’t consider myself a shredder by any means. I was practicing last night. I read somewhere somebody said gee I think that I don’t know what they’re referring to but they said something about me and I don’t think I ever heard there was the first time I ever heard George attempt it’s like sweeping. I don’t sweep. Any time I sweep is when my wife asks me to grab a broom and clean up. That’s as close I get to sweeping. I’m not that guy. I have no interest in it. I think at one point it starts looking silly.
I always try to elevate my abilities to a certain point. I’m not a woodshed guy that sits there and practices you know 10 hours a day or anything like that.
I don’t think I want to get complacent in my in my place and my style. I like to push myself. You know I’m not going to transform myself. It’s not super secret or anything, so shredder is not a term that applies to me.
Which guitars of yours did you use in The Brotherhood?
GL: The rhythms were one of my ESP’s I can’t remember which one like the Tiger or the Kamakazi.
George Lynch Les Paul I’ve built it the specs of the 59 or 58 standard, and then I’ve got a beautiful couple of Teles a couple ESP Tele’s, and I’ve got a Linhof tele, and sometimes I’ll throw those on the second track when I want something with more spunk. For solos, I guess I mix it up. I’ve got to get a kamikaze with great sustain. On some of the tracks where I want that infinite like Steve Vai sustaining kind of the thing. My Kamikaze is probably the bulk of the soloing and when I do ear candy for atmospheric stuff at the very end of the recording process who knows what I’ll bring.
What’s your guitar neck sizes and ratios?
GL: I have necks that can go from seven and a half radius to no radius. My necks are a 16-inch radius.
What does the rest of 2017 and the beginning of 2018 have in store for you?
GL: I’ve recorded seven albums in the last two years. So I’ve got to Lynch Mob Brotherhood coming out on September 8th. Next step is we have Sweet and Lynch’s second album coming out in November of this year. Then we have the Ultrasonics record which is finished, and that is coming out January 2018. A team with Corey Glover and guys from War and Tower of Power. That’s our second record. Then we’ve got a Dokken Live DVD and album with new studio tracks coming out sometime early next year as well as a Lynch Mob Live DVD/CD next year. Then I have a project called The Banishment. Tommy Victor from Prong that I’ve been working on for about five years, and we’re hoping to get that out later, the music’s all been made it’s just a slow process getting the vocals finished, and that will come out at some point, and I might even be missing a project here.
Are you going to rejoin Dokken for another reunion?
GL: No there’s nothing. I’m pushing for it. But you know unless all parties are or wanted to happen it’s not going to happen. For various political and economic reasons, there’s there are reasons why it won’t happen. I think those are pretty strong arguments that it won’t. But you know what. Having said that I think there might be a couple of one-offs here and there but I’m not sure I’m interested in doing that.