Growing up, my uncle Clyde would give me a record every time I visited his house, so around 7 years of age I was already listening to Carlos Santana and Frank Zappa heavily. As I mentioned above KISS was my first guitar related inspiration. I probably spent more time jumping around and posing like Paul, Gene and Ace then practicing at first LOL! Later I got heavy into Iron Maiden.

I was always looking for heavier music to listen to but there wasn't a lot around in those days. I listened to Killers by Maiden day and night and learned aver solos both harmony parts and all. Next I got deep into Judas Priest - Sad Wings Of Destiny and did that same thing. I had a two track recorder and I would record my own version of "The Island Of Domination" jamming and singing on it (Owch). To this day Rob Halford is STILL my favorite singer. After my metal years I started listening to ALL kinds of music, blues, melodic stuff, classical and that helped me grow as a musician, but always keeping the Metal in my heart! 

Never thought about playing another instrument?

I love playing bass every chance I get. When we're writing in the studio, I'll come up with a guitar riff, or James will. Then I'll get on Bass and we'll work out all the arrangements with Brian sitting in on drums three piece. Later after all of the rhythm beds are recorded I'll come along and lay down the guitar solos. 

Did you ever played in other bands before?

One of my most memorable bands was a semi Glam Metal ( I know) band in the 80's called Air Raid, we were kind of like Iron Maiden meets WASP. The band came close to getting signed a few times but then it fizzled out. I have played in top-40 bands up the wazzoo over the years and have done everything from Rapp and R&B, to top-40 covers. I think its a great experience, even for a Metal head, to get out there and play in a top-40 band.

When your playing other peoples music, you get to get inside their heads and see the way they write. Then when you come back to your own songs, it helps you approach them from a different perspective. The best advise my father ever gave me was, "Son, I know your into metal, but listen to all types of music to broaden your horizons". And he was right! Its has expanded my musical horizons greatly. 

Who are the other guys in the band? Some more info about theseguys would be good to know.

Glad you asked, even though the band is called by my name "Tommy Merry", it's really a group effort that makes the sound come together. If I did not have such fantastic musicians backing me, I would be S.O.L. I see my band like a wave. They're a big behemoth wave and I'm riding the crest of that wave when I'm soloing. That gives me the freedom to stretch out and take chances stylistically On Drums is Brian Shearn, my brother in law.

Brian is a monster, relentless, aggressive, progressive but at the same time solid which is what I love to hear from Drummers. Brian played in a thrash metal band for years called Choke-n-Gagger. When I married his wife's sister, we became the best of friends and finally ended up jamming together and we've been musical partners ever since.

James Beard is the second guitarist in the band, but he does WAY more than rhythm, on the new CD were working on (Our 3rd) James and I are playing tons of double leads getting back to our early Maiden and Thin Lizzy roots on many songs. James used to be one of my best guitar students. He got so good on guitar that I asked him to join my band.

James is a great soloist in his own right. Besides guitar I play the Bass tracks on the CD's, but live, we have different bass players that perform with us. I am blessed to have such a dedicated band of brothers!

As written on your website: "Working on several screenplays that will be made into films". Can you tell me more about that?

Sure, I have always been interested in making films and over the last several years I acquired some High-end digital cameras, a video editing suite (Final cut pro III), and professional Arri lighting setup. After reading mountains of books on filmmaking, cinematography, lighting, and directing, I studied filmmaking and graduated with honorable mention under the tutelage of Professor  Yuri Makino (UCLA).

A Form of Guilt - is my first screenplay that I wrote and directed. Although resources were minimal for this first film, my goal is to meet actors and technicians that will become friends and allies and, eventually, lifelong collaborators for future productions with larger budgets. The film just finished playing at a Bay Area Theater for the month of September, which was a great birthday present for me =) I'm working on two more short films and then I'll shoot my first feature film. It's great fun because not only do I get to write all the score for the film, but also slip my bands music into the soundtrack too.

Your debut album is a fact, right? Tell me something regarding the style, production and stuff like that?

No, actually "Drawing Down the Moon" is our second CD. The first one (As Above, So Below) is currently out of print had a couple of Metal Crunchers on it you would have loved Stefan. I'll try to dig you up a copy. My production style is to try and capture the Live sound of the band in the studio. I don't like to do a lot of layering tracks because it can make the album sound too slick. This third CD of ours is going to be really stripped down for the most part.



Also, we just switched to a ProTools system, so while a lot of digital manipulation is possible, we're treating it pretty much the way we did back in the day of reel to reel 24 tracks decks. As far as how we record the tracks themselves, I try to have fun with it and approach each song in a different way. Sometimes Bass and drums first, some times guitars and drums first, sometimes laying down the solo along with the drums before all the rhythm tracks are recorded. We try to let the song dictate to us, the best way to record it. 

Please, tell me about the developing of new songs? Can you describe the process of making new material?

Well, I like variety, so sometimes I'll write the entire song, bring it to the band and let them do their own arrangement with what I came up with. Other times we sit and Jam as a band and come up with rhythms that I record on a cheap tape deck that I take home and I write leads for latter. After writing some of the leads, I usually end up coming back to the studio and rearranging some of the parts to let the guitar "Speak" a little better.

I try to treat my solos the way someone would a vocal track. While there are parts of each song that I like to totally shred on, the rest of the leads are more structured and I try to use my phrasing and dynamics to let the guitar literally breath and take on a human vocal characteristic. 

Every song has a different character I suppose. A singer expresses himself with words, you do it while shredding the strings of your guitar? What's the difference actually?

For me the difference is non existent. I approach each song like a singer would. I do a verse and chorus, another verse and chorus then a "Solo". While in actuality the whole song could be considered a guitar solo; The solo section for me is where I bust loose let them fingers fly and the mind go wild.

Anything goes in the solo section. Then after the solo I do one more verse and chorus and the outro... While all of our songs are structured a bit differently, if you listen to our songs carefully, you can see that they do have some type o formula and structure to all of them that mirror the way vocal songs are arranged. 

Can you give me the meaning of a few songs Tommy?

Sure. The song *Drawing Down the Moon* is based on an ancient Pagan ritual in which a high Priestess invokes the Goddess to embody her. Sometimes this can be just for communion with the Goddess, other times to help raise energy for a spell. Each movement of our song symbolizes a different aspect of this magic ritual.In the song you can hear me whisper the word "Release", which is again symbolic of letting the raised energy be directed outwards. In my case, that would be representative of the "Solo" section I mentioned previously.

*Plasma Vortex* is about my theory of how Crop Circles are formed. The words kind of came to me, like being channeled, I didn't spend more that a few minutes on the them, they wrote themselves for the most part. *Witches Hammer* is a sad song about the Malleus Maleficarum, a book of lies commissioned by Pope Innocent VIII, that gave church inquisitors license to trial and torture innocent Witches in the name of Christ. This is another holocaust that many people are still not aware of. While exact records were not kept of all the Witches executed or burned alive at the stake, historians say that on the lower end 100,000 were executed, while many others believe it was as high as 9,000,000! 

As above, So Below* is a ancient axiom / riddle that explores how we can create our own positive or negative realities on this earth.  I study a lot of ancient religions and belief systems. And while I love living in the "present here and now" on mother earth, I am equally motivated in exploring the shadowy and unknown regions of our minds and spirituality. I try to reflect this outwardly in the music I write. 

Hey man, I saw you've shared the stage in the past with greats like: Armored Saint, Michael Schenker, Joe Satriani, Testament, Y and T and so on. Tell me about your live experiences so far Tommy?

The Testament/Satriani shows was quite memorable. We had a lot of fun playing the show and got to spend some time hanging out with all the bands afterwards. At big concerts the food backstage is off-the-hook and I did my share of damage to the buffet tables. As you can see by the photos on my site of the Concord Pavilion show, I was about 95 pounds heavier back then.

At the time we also had a side project that was a Satriani Tribute Band. We had put the side project together to play a few benefit shows the around USA 9/11 disaster. Anyway, a local DJ (Steven Seaweed) in our town introduced me to Satriani. He said, "You know Joe, besides doing his original music project which opened the concert today, Tommy also has a Satriani tribute band." Joe got a puzzled look in his eye and all was silent for a moment. Then Joe said "hmmm, well then I'll have to write you guys some more songs." 

It was a classic moment and everyone around us died laughing. Satriani is not only a superb guitarist but a great person too.  Also I had grown up in the same town as Chuck Billy from Testament and it was nice seeing him again and talking briefly about the old days. From my understanding It was the first show he has played since recovering from and surviving cancer, and he and the band kicked butt. Good to have you back Chuck! 

What's the story of The Guitarist Of The Year contest?

There is a great organization in the California Bay Area run by Pete Schaaphok called Bands4Bands. They're a support organization that puts on shows and helps bands grow through solidarity. Our band was an honorary member and I was fortunate enough to receive Best guitarist of the year award three years in a row at their yearly awards ceremony. While we no longer have time to be actively involved with the organization, we have the highest regard for them and their goals! 

How many hours a day do you practice playing guitar?

The first 15 years or so of my playing I practiced days and nights. Now I don't often pick up the guitar to practice. I spend more time practicing in my mind or by listening to new music and really studying it. I can let my guitar sit untouched for weeks sometimes, then pick it up, and because of my mental traninging/studying I'll reach a new threshold of dexterity or understanding of the instrument. It's kind of heard to explain. Great melodies when being written aren't based on scales, they're based on tapping into your heart, your mind and the Universal Conscious.

Don't get me wrong, because I think that young guitar players that have been playing for less than ten years need to put in a few hours of scale and theory study each day without fail. But later in the game, we all need to realize great guitar players are not playing with their fingers, they are playing by using their minds, and that is the KEY. Developing your mind. This can be done by studying new kinds of music that you wouldn't normally listen to, and/or by reading books that are outside of your regular area of interest.

Continuing to use your mind all through your life in new ways develops new neural pathways (connections) in your brain and guess what?? When you go to play your guitar, those pathways are there waiting, like open uncharted highways, just waiting for you to explore them.

Who's your all time favourite axeman? Why?

Sorry I can't just name one.

1. Ace Frehley -  for the incentive.

2. Dave Meniketti (Y&T) - for helping me find my way back to the blues through his soulful solos.

3. Neil Schon (Journey) and Peter Frampton for the melodic inspiration and showing me that a guitar doesn't

need to be approached by playing scales alone.

4. Alec Lifeson (Rush) for opening my mind to new Chordal possibilities.

5. Satriani - for opening doorways that other Instrumental players like myself could step through =) 

What about the near future Tommy? Any plans confirmed or not?

First off were going to finish our 3rd CD. Were probably about 4 months away from doing so.

It's going to Rip and will contain tons of double lead work,  neoclassical shredding, a real heavy progressive number and also my usual melodic type of solos. I believe the 3rd CD will surpass or last CD 10 fold!

After that, my wonderful wife and family and I will just take a breath of air and relax as soon

as the new albums finished.  Then I'll be back out their playing live and supporting the new CD

release! I'm also working on video guitar lessons that will be available on my website in mid 2006. And soon after that another new film release. 

One of your dreams, you wanna see come true is...
 

Dreams, hmmm..I would love to see street gang violence stop once and for all!  Put down your weapons and fight like a old school days, one on one. Back in the day, if you got in a fight you didn't need a gang of friends to have your back. You either kicked some ass, or got your ass kicked.  Either way you learned a lesson and moved on. No need to run home and grab a gun, no need to get revenge...just move on.

Oh, and I wouldn't mind signing with a Major Label for a 8 figure record deal (Tee hee) 

Well, keep up the great works Tommy! Don't look back, just straight forward and see what's coming on in front of you. All the best brother and if you wanna throw some last words to our readers, go ahead. Thanx for yor time!

Thanks so much for YOUR time and your great site Stefan, keep up the excellent reviews and website and I hope to tour to your country someday and meet you in person. As for the readers, follow your dreams and don't ever give up!!!

Best in all you do!!

-Tommy Merry

http://www.tommymerry.com