From left to right: Brian Marshall, Myles Kennedy, Scott Phillips, and Mark Tremonti together form a supergroup bolstered by Tremonti and Kennedy's fierce guitar playing and Phillips and Marshall's powerful rhythm section.
Photo by Chuck Brueckmann
Tremonti, Marshall, and Phillips are also founding members of Creed, one of the biggest rock bands of the past few decades. Kennedy is the singer for Slash’s solo band. And, Kennedy and Tremonti have also been enjoying successful solo careers: Tremonti just released Tremonti Sings Frank Sinatra, recorded with Ol’ Blue Eyes’ surviving bandmembers and benefitting the National Down Syndrome Society.
Alter Bridge - Holiday (Official Video)
Clearly, Tremonti and Kennedy have their creative engines in high gear. “It’s an addiction,” Tremonti explains. “You write that song that makes your hair stand up, and you want to do it again. It’s the same with anything creative, whether writing a song or book, or painting a picture. It is like a drug.”
As Kennedy points out, the trick is balancing that addiction with the signature sound they’ve created for the past 20 years. “We’re nearly two decades in, and we have a good understanding of what boxes to check and what our fan base wants to hear. It’s that delicate dance of making sure that they’re content and that we’re also still pushing ourselves.”
“I started as a guitar player. Lead, in particular, was my big passion growing up.”—Myles Kennedy
For many fans, Alter Bridge’s second release, Blackbird, defined the band’s sound. It took everything they loved about the first record, One Day Remains, and made it bigger, darker, and more complex—epic, in a word. The title track clocks in at over 7 minutes long and pits Kennedy and Tremonti against each other in one of the best guitar duels in recent rock history. Since then, each Alter Bridge record has kept on this path, piling on more and more heavy, melodic elements. But there is a limit, and on Pawns & Kings, the band was ready to make a change.
“If you listen to some of the prior records, there were a lot of textures and elements weaving through,” explains Kennedy. “The other day, I was reviewing one of the songs from [2016’s] The Last Hero. I was listening on headphones and was like, ‘I didn’t even know that keyboard part was in there!’ We pulled all that out of this record. ‘Less is more’ was the motto.”
Tremonti adds, “We decided, ‘Let’s get back to our old way of doing things.’ We want it to be more just the guys playing their instruments. No orchestration underneath. No pads. Just us. It gives it more depth, and everything else has more room to breathe.”Alter Bridge - Pawns & Kings (Official Video)
That choice worked out in their favor, and on Pawns & Kings, Alter Bridge’s songwriting, musicianship, and crushing guitar tones are more in your face than ever. The band’s longtime producer Michael “Elvis” Baskette—who has also worked with Creed, Mammoth WVH, Sevendust, and Slash—was crucial to the creative process.
“[Elvis is] such an important element,” says Kennedy. “He’s an incredible producer. He can get great tones, and he has a really great arrangement ability. More than anything, he understands the psychology of making records. That’s so much of what this process is about.”
Baskette, who’s manned the board for Alter Bridge since Blackbird, knows exactly what the guys are capable of, and he had them dig deep. “I think it’s our densest record by far,” says Tremonti. “It’s a lot to take in on first listen.”
Kennedy adds that “we’ve integrated more of a demoing process, where each guy will go to his corner and spend time on the ideas that he feels strongest about before presenting them to the band.” He names the new track “Sin After Sin” as an example of this recent dynamic. “It was this musical bed that Mark had, and then I came up with some lyrics, melodies, and whatnot.”
“Usually, when it’s the heavy, chunky stuff, I’ll track that first, and then Myles will track a lot of his atmospheric, effected stuff.” —Mark Tremonti
Although both musicians have a similar writing process, how their diverging styles meet creates the band’s trademark sound. For Tremonti, a die-hard metalhead, it’s about exercising those tendencies outside the band while opening the floodgates for Alter Bridge. “Usually, when I write for Tremonti [the name of his solo project], I try to put on my speed-metal hat. That’s when I get to pull out all my childhood metal influences. I love that stuff, so it’s always fun. Other than that, I like to write whatever comes out.”
Kennedy tends to follow a more traditional singer-songwriter approach, as heard on Alter Bridge’s acoustic staple, “Watch Over You,” from Blackbird. But he’s not afraid to branch out, even lacing his debut solo album, The Year of the Tiger, around gritty resonator-guitar blues. But this time, one song, “Holiday,” with its old-school rock vibe, seemed like a step too far.
“I almost didn’t even present it to the band,” he admits. “I played the demo to our producer, and he’s like, ‘Oh, that’s going on the record! It’s got that swing and that swagger.’ I’m glad he helped.”Mark Tremonti's Gear
Tremonti digs into one of his PRS signature guitars, which are made from mahogany with a flamed maple top, have a thin set neck, medium jumbo frets, and PRS Tremonti Humbuckers.
Photo by Chuck Brueckmann
Guitars
- PRS Mark Tremonti Signature
- PRS Custom Baritone
- Martin acoustics
- Taylor acoustics
- Ramirez classical
Amps
- PRS MT 100 Signature prototype
- PRS MT 15 Signature
- Dumble Overdrive Special
- Cornford RK100
- Mesa/Boogie Oversize 4x12s
Effects
- Morley Mark Tremonti Wah
- Ibanez TS808HW Handwired Tube Screamer
- MXR Uni-Vibe Chorus/Vibrato
- Boss OC-5 Octave
- MXR Smart Gate Noise Gate
Picks and Strings
- Dunlop Flow 1.3 mm
- D’Addario (.011–.052)
The guitarists trade leads on tracks like “Dead Among the Living” and “Last Man Standing,” and Tremonti says they take very different approaches to the stage and studio. “I was never one of those guys who likes to stay up late at night, break out a million pedals, and experiment with tones. So, usually, when it’s the heavy, chunky stuff, I’ll track that first, and then Myles will track a lot of his atmospheric, effected stuff.”
With Tremonti and Kennedy at the top of their game as guitarists and vocalists, one constantly pushes the other, elevating the band. “Stay” stands out as an example, “because it’s a major key, it’s very anthemic, and you have Mark singing,” relates Kennedy. “He was insecure about his vocal, and I remember telling him to stop that nonsense [laughs]. His voice is great, and because I’m more of a tenor, there’s a nice blend there.
“I started as a guitar player,” Kennedy continues. “Lead, in particular, was my big passion growing up. The only reason I ever started singing was that it was easier to sing [my own songs] once I started writing them. When Mark discovered that I played lead guitar, he always pushed it. It’s the same nudging I did with him and his vocals.”
For their latest album, Alter Bridge scrapped their usual textured approach for a stripped-down-but-strong framework. “We want it to be more just the guys playing their instruments,” Tremonti declares.
"I know that everything I throw at Myles, he's capable of doing," Tremonti adds, "and he's going to fill a different sound. He's got a signature sound. It adds another layer for the band."
Guitar tone is a big deal in Alter Bridge. Tremonti was Paul Reed Smith’s second signature artist and helps design every piece of gear that bears his name. Although his PRS Mark Tremonti Signature rarely leaves his hands, a different PRS delivered Pawns & Kings’ heaviest moments. “I have a baritone that we used almost all the time,” Tremonti says. “Anything tuned low is that guitar. When I brought it into the studio, Elvis was like, ‘No shit! I used that when I recorded Limp Bizkit.’ Then, I was doing a show with Limp Bizkit, and Wes [Borland, Limp Bizkit guitarist] came over. He’s like, ‘Is that what I think it is? Is that the baritone? Shit, that’s a great guitar!’” Tremonti and PRS have also collaborated on the MT 15 amplifier. The lunchbox-style head is a favorite for its percussive high gain and clean channels. Pawns & Kings also offers the first hearing of the upcoming PRS MT 100, a 100-watt signature version that even dethroned Tremonti’s beloved Mesa/Boogie Rectifiers for the sessions.
Myles Kennedy's Gear
Myles Kennedy is a double threat: a great rock vocalist who can also shred like a maniac when called upon to do so.
Photo by Chuck Brueckmann
Guitars
- PRS SC245
- PRS Custom Singlecut
Amps
- Diezel VH4
- Diezel Herbert
- Dumble Overdrive Special
- Diezel 4x12
Effects
- Custom Audio Electronics Wah
- EHX Micro POG
- Boss RV-6
- Foxrox Octron3
- Reeves Klon clone
- Line 6 MM4 Modulation Modeler
Picks and Strings
- Dunlop Ultex 1.14 mm
- D’Addario (.011–.052)
“I just approved the final version,” Tremonti says. “The clean channel, to me, is the ultimate clean channel. I pulled out all my Fender Twins, played through them one by one, and found my favorites. But when I played them back-to-back with the MT 100, I preferred the MT 100. The third channel is the overdrive channel, and it’s badass. I wanted it to be all I’d ever want at my home, studio, and on tour. And I made the middle channel an overdriven Dumble-ish kind of thing."
Kennedy is also a PRS devotee, and has leaned on his trusty tobacco burst SC245 for years. While he did experiment with a Fender Telecaster for Alter Bridge’s 2019 Walk the Sky album sessions and tour, he’s replaced that instrument with another PRS. “There’s this one-off PRS made me last year,” he says. “It does a lot of the things I wanted it to do in the Tele realm. It’s a black Singlecut, and that is what I played on 80 percent of this record.”
“We decided, ‘Let’s get back to our old way of doing things.’ No orchestration underneath. No pads. Just us.” —Mark Tremonti
Kennedy is also passionate about his amps, and chose to go with Diezel Herberts and VH4s long ago. “It was really challenging to find a setup that worked with Mark’s,” he says. “There’s a wide amount of frequencies being used. It was a matter of finding a nice middle ground that complemented what he did.”
Kennedy and Tremonti remain unabashed high-powered-tube-amplifier fans. “Mark and I still want those tubes to be working,” Kennedy says. “We’re kind of old school in that sense. Our manager, I’m sure, would love us to switch to Kempers to save a ton of money. But we’re kind of bullheaded. We’ll keep flying the flag, man.”
Rig Rundown - Alter Bridge's Mark Tremonti & Myles Kennedy
Tremonti also notes, “I did half of a tour with a Kemper at one point, just to try it out. I never found the right lead setting that made me comfortable. I always felt some digital weirdness in there. When I switched to my MT 100, I wouldn’t go back. So, on the road, it’s just the one MT 100 now.”
All in all, Alter Bridge are still decidedly old-school in their business strategies: record, tour, work hard, repeat. “It was hard enough once people stopped buying physical copies of records, and then you add the way the world’s changing,” Kennedy says. “Being a musician … you got to work hard. But we’re in Munich right now, and it’s like, ‘So far, so good.’ It’s kind of blowing our minds that people are showing up. It’s been great!”
From left to right: Scott Phillips, Mark Tremonti, Myles Kennedy, and Brian Marshall make for a powerhouse collective that shows no sign of relenting in their epic delivery of hard rock.
Photo by Chuck Brueckmann
But does that kind of work ethic have a breaking point? “To be totally candid, there was a period when I was afraid that could happen,” admits Kennedy. “I was like, ‘You know what, I did three records back-to-back-to-back. I’ve got to shut this down for a little while and let the well refill’—which is weird for me. Usually, once a record’s done, I’m already on to the next one.”
Tremonti hasn’t stopped long enough to think about it. “I remember watching an interview with Carl Verheyen,” who was a member of Supertramp and has recorded with Dolly Parton, the Bee Gees, and a host of others. “He’s like, ‘I’m a professional guitar player. I don’t go a handful of days a year without playing the guitar.’ That struck me. Now, I try to make sure that when I’m gone from home, I’m working all the time. Every day I’m practicing for the next Sinatra shows. I’ve got two coming up after this tour, and I have another one in March. I’m trying to book as many as I can. I’m also writing a book, which is taking up most of my time at the moment. Then, I’m writing songs for whatever happens next, trying to stay ahead of things.”Alter Bridge Blackbird Live From Amsterdam
This version of Alter Bridge’s classic “Blackbird” features solos from both Mark Tremonti and Myles Kennedy, who make their PRS models work hard for their living.
Mark Tremonti is a man of many bands, and a man of many PRS guitars. But this charcoal-burst single-cut is his absolute favorite. “I use that on anything tuned a half-step down or in standard tuning,” he says.
Photo by Atlas Icons / Steve Legato
Tremonti’s restless nature was the impetus for his latest venture. Back in 2011, Alter Bridge singer and guitarist Myles Kennedy was booked for a three-month tour fronting Slash’s band (later rechristened Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators), so Tremonti, flush with songs, rounded up rhythm guitarist Eric Friedman, drummer Garrett Whitlock, and longtime producing pal Michael “Elvis” Baskette to cut All I Was. The album marks Tremonti’s debut as a lead vocalist.
The bass slot in Tremonti’s band has been a bit of a sticking point until recently. For those keeping score at home, it goes something like this: Friedman played bass on All I Was, and Creed/Alter Bridge bassist Brian Marshall performed with the group briefly on tour. When Marshall had to bow out, Tremonti’s good friend Wolfgang Van Halen replaced him, becoming a full-fledged band member in 2013.
“Working with alternate tunings has been my creative savior. Whenever I hit a wall, I just find a new tuning, and suddenly I’ve got a whole new world of possibilities.”
Van Halen plays bass on Tremonti’s just-released follow-up, the altogether robust Cauterize, as well as on the upcoming Dust, due later this year. But as it goes with this gang of multitasking musicians, Van Halen had to forgo touring with Tremonti to hit the road with that arena-filling group his father leads. Tanner Keegan is filling in as Tremonti’s live bassist.
“It was definitely a bummer when we found out that Wolfgang couldn’t tour with us,” Tremonti says, “but we always knew that might come up. Van Halen is, obviously, his priority, and we understand that. There will be other opportunities down the line to have him play live with us, and we can’t wait for that to happen.”
We spoke with Tremonti about his two new albums, working with Wolfgang, his foray into fingerpicking, and whether Creed will ever return to action.
The first album was you, Eric, and Garrett, with Eric overdubbing bass. Did it feel more like a band this time with you, Eric, Garrett, and Wolfgang?
Absolutely. Having all of us together makes a big difference, especially when you’re piecing song ideas together with all the guys playing at the same time. When you don’t hear that bass guitar filling those frequency ranges, you don’t feel that low end and you’re just hoping for the best in the end. This time, we heard that low end right away, and I think it helped the songs, the vibe, everything.
Wolfie really locks in great with Garrett. This music is quite different from what he plays
in Van Halen. Did it take him a while to get used to working with another drummer?
No, not at all. He’s a master at what he does. He just comes in and owns it. He’s a very gifted musician, and it only takes him moments to get a grasp of riffs and ideas. He’s definitely one of the best bass players I’ve encountered.
What’s it like knowing that, because of Wolfgang, Eddie Van Halen is going to hear your guitar playing?
I don’t really think about that too much. We’re just buds hanging out and being excited about our music. Sure, it’s awesome knowing that Eddie Van Helen is eventually going to hear your records, but it’s not something we’re constantly talking about. When Wolfgang is around, he’s just Wolfgang. We don’t really think of the Van Halen thing because we’re not around it. The only time that happens is when we play L.A., and his dad comes to a show. Then it’s like, “Oh, man…” and you remember, “This is Eddie Van Halen.”
Are there still things that you can’t do on guitar, but want to?
Oh, absolutely. I’m always trying to challenge myself and learn new things, so when the next record comes out I’m not just repeating myself. On the last few records I tried not to do some of my favorite lead tricks, just because I’ve done them before. I need to come up with new ideas, techniques, tunings, and just new ways to express myself. Working with alternate tunings has been my creative savior. Whenever I hit a wall, I just find a new tuning, and suddenly I’ve got a whole new world of possibilities.
The newest member of Tremonti is Wolfgang Van Halen, who played on both Cauterize and Dust. “He’s definitely one of the best bass players I’ve encountered,” says Tremonti.
What kinds of lead tricks were you trying not to repeat?
There are certain patterns I love and gravitate toward. If I’ve done them three or four times in my career, I try to be aware of that and change things up. I always want to come up with something that pushes me in another direction.
Is it ever awkward working with Brian Marshall? He was in Tremonti originally and left the band, yet you still play together in Alter Bridge.
No, not at all, because he never was really in Tremonti—he was just filling in on the live side. He didn’t play on the record, and I think he only played three or four dates with us.He had the opportunity to be in the band, but he had personal stuff going on and had to step out to deal with some things. We had to find a replacement, and that’s how we got Wolfgang.
You wrote 25 songs for Cauterize. When did you know it would yield another record?
Not until a little later. I talked with Elvis, and I said, “I’ve got a ton of material I want to get out. Let’s make the most of your time.” We decided to do 20 of the 25 songs I wrote—we narrowed them down in preproduction. Then we went ahead and recorded everything, not knowing how we’d release it all. When it came down to almost the mixing stage, I looked at the whole package and decided, “I grew up with records that had eight songs on them. That’s how I see this.”
“My fingers are killing me today, because I went full blast at it the other night on an acoustic guitar.”
Records with eight or 10 songs are very digestible. When I was a kid, that’s how many songs were on records, and they’re some of my favorite albums ever. They never seemed short. Now when bands put out 15 or 16 songs on records, I get lost—it’s too much stuff.
Doing two shorter records with as many dynamics as possible feels right to me. There are slower songs, heavier songs—both albums have pretty similar flows. I’m glad I split them up because I want people to be hungry for the next record. I want them to know this record inside and out before the next one comes out. If it was a really long record, they might have too much to sift through.
What’s the ratio of riffs you keep to ones you ditch?
The older I get, the looser I get with just erasing ideas. Back in the day, I used to horde ideas. If something was decent, I’d keep it. Nowadays I go through what I have, and if something doesn’t excite me, I immediately get rid of it. [Pause.] Well, not always. If something’s decent, I’ll let it live for a little bit before I erase it. I let it give me a few opportunities to impress me or just to bore me.
A lot of times I write and don’t look back at what I’ve done for a good month or so. That way something will be completely fresh—I’ll have that first impression again. So yeah, things can float to the top of the pile like that sometimes.
Mark Tremonti's Gear
Guitars
PRS Mark Tremonti Signature Model, SE, SE Custom Mark Tremonti Signature Model
Amps
Mesa/Boogie Triple Rectifier
Bogner Uberschall
PRS Archon
Cornford RK100
Van Weelden Twinkleland
Effects
Morley Mark Tremonti Wah
Ibanez TS 808HW Tube Screamer
T-Rex Mark Tremonti Phase Shifter
Dunlop Uni-Vibe
T-Rex Octavius
Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plu
Voodoo Lab Ground Control and GCX Switcher
Radial Tonebone
Strings and Picks
D’Addario strings (bottom three strings from an .011 set, top three from a .010 set)
Dunlop 1 mm nylon picks
How do you and Eric divvy up guitar parts in the studio?
I just have my parts and I play them. Then Eric puts whatever he wants on top of them. In this band, I’m not some dictator telling everybody how to play their parts. I just come up with the original ideas. Whatever anybody puts on it is up to them, unless it’s completely distracting, which never happens. Everybody’s so talented in this band— that’s why I partnered up with them.
What were your main guitars on Cauterize?
My signature model—that’s all I used. For this album, my brother called PRS and got them to send us 12 guitars, and we tracked 12 of the
songs with those individual guitars. Those are the guitars that fans were able to get. Twelve of the songs we tracked with different signature models.
Now, which signature model are we talking here? You have more than one.
Yeah, I have three versions. There’s an SE, SE Custom, and the American-made signature model, which I used on the record. The other guitars are made in Korea.
What about the other eight songs you recorded?
I just picked my favorite two guitars. I have a charcoal-burst single-cut, which is my absolute favorite PRS. I use that on anything tuned a half step down or in standard tuning. Anything below that, I would use one of my six single-cuts.
What amps did you use?
I brought in my Mesa/Boogie Rectifier, my Bogner Uberschall, my Cornford RK100, and the PRS Archon for all the lead and rhythm stuff. Depending on the sound, we’d mix and match amps. For some of the cleaner or half-dirty stuff, I used the Van Weelden Twinkleland. I brought in a ton of amps, but those are the ones that made the cut.
What about effects?
We’re fans of the [Electro-Harmonix] Micro Synth. That thing has definitely showed its face on a lot of Alter Bridge and Tremonti records. There’s this Foxx overdrive that Elvis loves—we use that. Of course, I use a [signature] Morley Power Wah. But in both Tremonti and Alter Bridge, it’s Miles or Eric who really run with the effects to make all the atmospheric stuff on top of the rhythms. I’m more of a straightforward kind of guy—my tone is very direct and dry. I don’t really like anything other than just a slight delay on my stuff. Every now and then if I’m feeling moody, I’ll put a Uni-Vibe on. I like the T-Rex Octavius pedal, too, but I hardly ever use it.
Tremonti is releasing two albums this year and planning one with his other band, Alter Bridge, for 2016. As for Creed? “You never say never,” says the guitarist. Photo by Atlas Icons / Steve Legato.
Let’s talk about some of the songs on Cauterize. On “Arm Yourself,” the solo is very languid, and you play some country-sounding double-stop bends.
I like the opportunity to do a solo that’s a little untypical of me. Playing a fingerstyle thing made it different from the rest of the album. I like giving myself a challenge like that. I’ve been getting into fingerstyle stuff recently. Actually, my fingers are killing me today, because I went full blast at it the other night on an acoustic guitar. It just about tore up my three fingers because they’re not used to it. Maybe there will be more fingerstyle on the next record. Who knows?
“Dark Trip” is a very somber song, but you offset the overall sound with a screaming solo.
I’m glad you pointed that one out. The “Dark Trip” solo could be one of my favorites on both the records. It was one I wanted to put a ton of emotion into. It’s not too much flash, but it’s got just the right amount of notes. I wanted it to be powerful, but also something that would just sing.
“Fall Again” is a strange track—in a good way. Did you always have that ominous reverse delay intro and outro?
I did, yeah. When Creed was breaking up and I was putting Alter Bridge together, I bought a studio and took some engineering courses. I bought a Pro Tools rig and recorded about 10 songs. “Fall Again” was one of them. That intro was me doing volume swells with my guitar. I found this really great preset on a plugin called Atmosphere—it sounds incredible—so I used that for the intro and outro. Actually, what you hear is from a demo I did in 2001 or 2002. We tried to recreate it, but the original demo sounded great, so we just kept it.
“When bands put out 15 or 16 songs on records, I get lost—
it’s too much stuff.”
it’s too much stuff.”
In the outro to the song “Cauterize,” you play a delicate fingerstyle version of the chorus. Is that how you first came up with the song?
That was actually the whole origin of the song. I was playing that part and really liked the melody, so I started singing over it, and I thought it was a great chorus. The fingerpicked part got kicked to the curb, but I didn’t want to let it go to waste, so I brought it back for the outro. I play that kind of thing at home. I sit down to write and I float around on some fingerstyle stuff, and before I know it a melody comes out, which I have to chase down. I get a lot of ideas that way.
You’ve worked with Elvis for quite a while. How does he push you creatively?
I just trust him. I know that when the album’s done, it’s going to sound amazing, and it’ll be the best it can be. In preproduction, he becomes the fifth band member in terms of arrangements and transitions. When we put together the 25 songs I wrote for these records, we worked up arrangements as quickly as possible, knowing that we were going to go back in and tear the arrangements apart during pre-production. Elvis becomes another crucial decision-maker in things like, “Hey, how can we make this transition better?” He’s just great with the flow of songs.
But do you ever lock horns? Sometimes a strong dissenting opinion can be a good kick in the pants.
We rarely butt heads like that. The only disagreement we had on this record was when he said that “Arm Yourself” was his least-favorite song, which took us all by surprise. We were all like, “Wow, that’s one of our favorites.” It’s probably the heaviest song on the record. By the time we recorded it and it was time for me to do vocals, he was like, “You know, this is a really fun song.” I was like, “See? I told you.”
YouTube It
This live clip gives a up-close look at Mark Tremonti annihilating his fretboard on the title track to his new album, “Cauterize,” including a cool fingerpicked outro.
First impressions are always tough. That’s the toughest thing about being a producer: Bands have lived with stuff for months or years, and you’re just hearing their material for the first time. Not everything is an instant listen. With “Arm Yourself,” I think that song just took him a minute to figure out.
Are there any plans to do a Creed record or tour? Obviously, Scott Stapp has had some issues recently …
We don’t have any plans right now. I’ve got so much going on at the moment that I’m happy with, so it’d be tough to fit in anything else right now. But you never say never. We just haven’t had anybody approach us and say, “These people want you for a tour,” or “So-and-so is interested in a record.” And like I said, I’ve got two records that have to come out this year, and I’ve got an Alter Bridge record next year. My plate’s pretty full at the moment. It’s all good. PG