Tony MacAlpine’s “Autumn Lords” - Lesson 9 (

[@labontetrevor]

So cool, going to have to shed this a lot, it’s so intricate. More complex than any other ‘shredder’ of the day. When I got to meet Tony after his show at The Dirty Dog, I complimented him on his intervals and note choices and said I thought he was the most musical of his shredder peers. A year or two later I got invited to hang out with his touring band in their hotel room to watch a boxing match. I pictured Tony being there but he wasn’t. The band was staying in a really crummy room at La Quinta right on I-35. Emil Werstler was there and also Ryan from Black Dahlia Murder. They were really nice guys. I’m a bit of a road dog myself, having played country gigs all over Texas to pay my rent, so I saw they were at the same level I had been, in terms of accommodations and meals. We crossed the highway overpass on foot and the band members selected their very underwhelming evening meal from 7Eleven, a pre-made soggy tuna fish sandwich with wilted lettuce. Anyway George thanks for the great videos and accurate transcriptions. Just wanted to share my T-Mac encounter stories with you. I also once ran into George Lynch before a Lynch Mob show at the Dirty Dog. He was next door, at Bobalu Cigar Company, smoking a Marlboro light and drinking an entire half gallon of Silk brand soy milk right from the carton. I was too scared to talk to him. I hope you find this information useful! Ha.

[@labontetrevor]

The first time I saw Tony play was at The Saxon Pub, and it was the night after the band’s trailer got broken into. I think it was parked right outside their rooms at the Ramada, and the thieves had cleaned it out completely. They played the entire show on borrowed gear. I don’t know if their stuff was ever tracked down. I had hoped to meet Tony after the show, but I could see he was on his cell phone, busy trying to find all his tens of thousands of dollars worth of gear, keyboard, amps. I wanted to meet him so I could ask if it was true he wrote most of the Joey Tafolla ‘Out of the Sun’ album, but I already knew he did. Not long after that night, Tony was diagnosed with colon cancer but thankfully he beat that and is still jamming and his albums keep getting better and better. I want to try to take a Zoom lesson with him, have you ever done that? Sorry for rambling so much.

[@gbalulis]

Great stories, Trev. Always appreciate them. Tony’s a class act. He’s been kind and humble both times I’ve met him. Upon seeing him on the anniversary tour for Max, I told him about seeing him on the “Eyes of the World” tour. He’d invite a handful of us into the tour trailer in Springfield, VA. KNow what he responded with? “It’s good to see you again”. I actually got one of his Clayton picks that long ago evening. To me, at that time, it may have well as been Thor’s hammer! I’ve met George Lynch a couple times. Very good guy. Once drove him 30 min from his hotel to my shop where he was doing an in-store appearance. Told me he’d never forget my name. Saw him a year after he said that - only for him to say that he remembered my face, but not my name! Can’t hold that against him. Glad you are enjoying the videos. I have put LOADS of work into this tune over the course of a couple decades at this point. It’s important to me to try to get them completely accurate. Always great hearing from you. G

[@labontetrevor]

@@gbalulis wow, thanks so much for taking the time to share those two stories about two of the coolest guitar slingers ever! I saw a YT interview recently where George told some very strange stories about recording with T-Mac and meeting Racer X and Mike Varney. I’m sure you saw? Apparently Mike had a lot of his artists doing slave labor on a big orchard of his. He drove a gold Cadillac or Roller or something like that, and Racer X was filthy and sweaty from working the orchard, and Mike threw them a box of stale donuts and they descended on it like ravenous vultures. It was a shred sweatshop he was running, fueled by slave labor.

[@gbalulis]

I’ve never heard those stories! Whoah! If that’s true, it would be both sad and despicable.

[@hotinvegas8259]

🔥

[@gbalulis]

😎👍🏻🎸