Shred legend Phil X built his reputation on YouTube, showcasing his astounding chops on a range of killer vintage guitars for Fretted Americana. As a direct result of that exposure, he was spotted by John Shanks, the longtime writing partner of Jon Bon Jovi.
When Bon Jovi’s longtime guitar partner Richie Sambora missed a handful of shows in 2011, Shanks suggested Phil as a temporary replacement. Fast forward two years, and X became a full-time member of the band, a position he’s held ever since.
Phil has also continued to record with his own outfit, Phil X & the Drills, who have just released POW! Right in the Kisser, a hook-filled, hard-hitting rock album that showcases X’s vocal and songwriting chops alongside his extraordinary six-string skills.
Many guitarists with your shred credentials would make albums with wall-to-wall soloing, but for you the song is clearly king.
“Yes, absolutely; I’m glad you noticed that. It’s always very much about the song for me. I never want to be gratuitous with my guitar playing.
“I do have my own unique style and I’m happy to utilize it where the song calls for it, but if you’re shredding all the time, it loses its impact. The solo has to take the song to another level.”
There are great tones all over the record. What were your go-to guitars and amps?
“I recorded the album over a really long period, so there are tracks from when I was with Yamaha and Framus and using their signature models; the more recent tracks were all done with a variety of Gibsons. The main amp at the core of my sound is my Friedman Phil X Signature head through a variety of different cabinets.”
Is there a Gibson signature guitar in the pipeline?
“It’s on the way – we’re working on it. [The delay is] my fault, as I keep changing things all the time. I think it will have two pickups, although I’m strongly associated with one-pickup guitars. That’s based on a realistic commercial perspective, as I think people would probably prefer to have the option. It’s going to be modeled on the look of an SG, and it’ll have 24 frets.”
One of your unique sonic signatures is your use of dissonance. It can be tricky to pull off sometimes, can’t it?
What can sound cool at speed can sound a little bizarre when it’s slowed down, a bit like two cats fighting in a bag
“Yeah, but I love it. I love throwing weird notes in there. It adds tension, but tempo is very important. What can sound cool at speed can sound a little bizarre when it’s slowed down, a bit like two cats fighting in a bag. I like to think I’m approaching the line of jazz without crossing it. [Laughs]”
Besides the obvious size of the venues, what are the key differences between going on the road with the Drills and Bon Jovi?
“I warm up differently before the shows. With the Drills I’ll run through the solos on Sunny Days and I Wish My Beer Was as Cold as Your Heart just to make sure those crazy riffs are working. For Bon Jovi, I run through the big, thematic solos. You really don’t want to mess those moments up. It’s the simple stuff that’ll kill you – especially when everyone’s recording it on their cell to put on YouTube. One bad moment will be there forever. [Laughs]”
- Pow! Right in the Kisser is out now via Frontiers
- This article first appeared in Guitar World. Subscribe and save.
