Alex Skolnick on being a student of Joe Satriani, his focus on diverse music, and more - Cosmo Music

Alex Skolnick sat down and talked to Neil Shukla about learning from Joe Satriani, focusing on playing diverse music, and how people who don't like The Beatles are simply wrong.
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[@rebelmind3439]

My absolute favorite thrash metal guitarists are Alex and Marty. Awesome to hear him mention Marty and the fact that they're friends. Makes musical sense though.

[@craigkowald3055]

It would be cool to have a Skolnick/Friedman collaboration. Maybe explore their diverse musical styles.

[@rebelmind3439]

@@craigkowald3055 Would be awesome indeed. They both have this unique academic approach to music plus the heavy/thrash elements. Would be interesting to hear what would come out of such collaboration

[@Helldorado72]

"I'm still learning"... that's the best quote an up and coming guitar player can hear.

[@jpmcmullan8666]

Hellz72 I don’t think so. It makes me feel empty almost as if I’m chasing something that doesn’t exist. Very nihilistic

[@Helldorado72]

@@jpmcmullan8666 imo it depends on how badly you want to learn. For myself to see that someone thats quite established says he's still learning lets me know that remaining teachable is essential. ..

[@69Curtdog]

Skolnick is top notch !

[@llongone2]

Two of my favorite guitarists are Alex Skolnick and George Lynch...so to hear Alex say he is friends with George and likes his playing made me smile. It would be sweet if they recorded something together.

[@danielbrown1724]

Same here Add Warren DiMartini to that list and I’m smiling even more

[@garysanders3193]

I absolutely love Alex Skolnick! Definitely one of my favorites of all time!

[@TheNaqoyqatZ]

The most underrated guitarist ever.

[@darkphoenix8814]

That would be Jeff Waters

[@virtuosooo]

Criss Oliva. Which Alex had the opportunity to play his role in savatage after he parted from this world to play in the great gig in the sky.

[@TheNaqoyqatZ]

@Weaver Cattle Company And still underrated! ;)

[@johnmcminn8288]

I like how Alex has constantly improved on guitar, and he is just a good sounding metal player, he always sounds good playing leads and rhythm

[@donneedano3948]

NO DOUBT... one of MY FAVORITE GUITARISTS of ALL TIME!!! Seeing THIS interview, ONLY SOLIDIFIES THAT VIEW!!! As I've said, I interviewed Testament on their tour bus in Poughkeepsie NY back in 1990, and Alex was the ONLY ONE, not drinking after the show. TRUE to his craft, ALEX is AWESOME!! Honest, down to earth, there to just.... PLAY! Satriani IS AWESOME, don't get me wrong.... but Joe, I'm sure, could learn from Alex as well.

[@A.D.D.O.C.D.T]

All the best studied with Joe by the looks of it. Alex is a beast ,love testament !

[@orejotus]

i met sholnick in florida, he sign my guitar and he was cool, i admired him always, i dont know why the media dont take him serious, he also play jazz and been a super guitar player !!!

[@SteveKaynan]

Great, great interview with Alex! Always wanted to hear about his lessons with Joe!

[@TheRbruin10]

Great interview! The young interviewer did an awesome job asking great questions and I learned a lot about Alex that I did not know before.

[@melvinwillis8869]

So glad to learn more about my most influential and favorite guitar player! Thank you Alex!

[@jule77]

One of the best musicians out there

[@edwardscissorhands5264]

Steve, Kirk, and Alex have told that Joe was a very discipline teacher, even a bit intimidating 😁...makes me imagine how did he teach these legends? How charismatic is this guy?

[@CosmoMusicTube]

Charisma comes easier than breathing to him!

[@st0mp-ee5.]

Why Kirk?

[@drlq7577]

Was and still is my favorite thrash metal guitar player since “Practice what you preach”

[@jimmyttkacz2006]

old news shit... Alex S. one of my favorite players!!! Bay Area

[@00govan00]

Evolution is part of his charisma, it's endearing and human and natural.

[@sonusworld5357]

Lord Skolnick 🤘🤘

[@orionrock9206]

Musical Death is a masterpiece

[@user-fk5rf6zb8w]

Yesss

[@pinud354]

Also, Alex's solo on 'Return to Serenity' ... It always gives me mellow feeling

[@lstarrtna4288]

Nice

[@alexsaucedo8032]

GUITAR GOD. ALEX SKOLNICK 🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘 TESTAMENT. 4. . LIFE.

[@Daneiladams555]

Alex was my first bass teacher He was 18 I was 15

[@thorpenator9148]

Neil Zaza was a teacher in my hometown...really wish I would of taken advantage of his genius.

[@A.D.D.O.C.D.T]

Fretboard Burner Why do people like you exist ? What a sad carnt bro. It’s the internet not a spelling bee.

[@thorpenator9148]

@Fretboard Burner Who are you, a weekend warrior pos. I am in magazines with my band...alongside Iron Maiden and Kiss. My band has also been interviewed oversees, and has played many headlined gigs. F.off.

[@hinjurock]

@Fretboard Burner Trolling douchebag.

[@amirphoenix2327]

@@thorpenator9148 can you tell me name of band

[@thorpenator9148]

@@amirphoenix2327 Called Zaza

[@orejotus]

to study with satriani you have to been like a shaolin monk with a student all day practice, you see the final product, vai, sholnick, hammett been guitar gods too...

[@francistherrien]

I wonder how he feels about Greg Christian's departure.

[@SuttonSantiniPaulo]

Weird af that 2 of my fav guitarists look almost identical, alex skolnick and adam jones

[@ColtraneTaylor]

Is the rest of his hair still dark?

[@Diggerdog2nd]

Been a fan since the 80's. Never knew Alex was a student of Satch. Only famous names I've heard were Steve Vai & Kirk Hammet & I think Ler Lalond from Primus.

[@CrazyCalabrese78]

Diggerdog2nd and Geoff Tyson from T-Ride

[@ryanmcneila1957]

Frank R. Whoever they are, they blow.

[@comment.highlighted]

As a fan, I’m surprised you didn’t know Alex Skolnick was a student of Satriani. I guess, us guitar players knew because it was mentioned a lot in guitar magazines.

[@julioocasioalbino551]

The Best melodic trash metal guitar player,ever

[@g4macdad]

"diverse taste" which is why Alex stands out among metal players. He is not some "drugged out rock dude". He is a musician.

[@M.S-Music]

Well said, and an important note to those youngster musician running after 8 string guitars and super technical shit, change course listen to different music styles and learn and implement them, you´ll soon realize how limited short viewed you have been....

[@bcbitchkkv]

Playing metal is the best - gives such a rush, playing some nice riffs and shredding on top of groovy sections. But learning songs from other genres by ear is a fun excercise as well!

[@g4macdad]

@@M.S-Music Yeah, but metal is the least technical. It is a gimmick. That was my point about Alex TBH. He is more than just a gimmick, and that is why he stands out. Sticking to one source of inspiration, will make you boring and stale.

[@ununseptium7961]

@@g4macdad What the hell do you listen to when you say that metal isn't technical? Based on this thread, I can tell you have a very narrow view and need exposed to a wider range of bands. I am sorry if I sound hostile.

[@g4macdad]

@@ununseptium7961 No thanks. I listened to "metal" when I was a teen. You know, similar to Alex... LOL

[@dineguitarist2148]

Man watching this im learning just from listening to Alex skolnick crazy

[@lstarrtna4288]

She loves you yeah yeah yeah with a love like that

[@leddygee1896]

I grew up with the Beatles, but Led Zeppelin was in no way Influenced by the Beatles... Imho, of course.

[@mikeralston777]

Wasn't Skolnick the first guitarist to (try to) replace Criss Oliva?

[@rmp3648]

Ahh not really. He was asked by Jon Oliva to play the leads on the Handful Of Rain album, because Jon said Alex was one of Criss' fave players. Then he toured that album with Savatage. But he never set out to "replace" Criss by his own admision.

[@virtuosooo]

No one can truly replace criss. While al pitrelli and Chris caffery have done well in their attempts to fill his shoes, there is no way to really replace him. His playing was phenomenal. He's one of those few players that when you hear his solos, you KNOW it's criss. He wrote some of the most killer metal riffs, (a couple favorites of mine are the unholy and necrophilia, love those riffs), but his ability to just totally shred, and at the same time play such awesome melodies that made every solo so memorable, with so much feeling... No one does it like criss. Not saying there aren't other super talented guitarists out there. There's a million of them. But criss was definitely one of the special ones that really stood out with his own style.

[@johnmcminn8288]

that's true , my granmother used to say I was into that Beatles and Elvis , but really it was Kiss and ed witBlack Sabbath lol my mother used to say it all started with Sinatra and the Beatles which I found out later Bossa Nova was a Sinatra discovery, he kind of "exploited" AC Jobim, which got a lot of ppl like EVH and Neil Schon started on scales, a simple form of jazz. My mother took me to see Beatlemainia, at the Winter garden Theater in NYC and i remember thinking , where is the Pyro? no explosions? I went home and lit off a pack of firecrackers

[@vanguard4065]

John McMinn wtf lol

[@beatmet2355]

I love Alex, but he’s taking credit for what was already a facet of thrash before testament released any albums. Dave Mustaine was a very technical player, as was Kirk Hammett who also studied under Satch. Alex was hardly the first to introduce a more technical style of playing to thrash.

[@mimicry88]

I respect the Beatles, but I'll always be a Stones guy.

[@edlubitz2968]

Testement was ok but not enough melody...

[@DJRushX1]

Kid....learn how to interview. Sit back and LISTEN. You do not have to reply to everything he says. The "Yea's" and the "uh huhs" made me turn this interview off. Even Alex gave you a couple of looks that should have told you what you are saying is not cool. It makes it seem as if you want to get your words in over his.