Alex Skolnick is a world renowned guitar virtuoso most well-known for playing in the thrash metal band Testament from the age of 16. He has also played in Savatage, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and his jazz outfit Alex Skolnick Trio. I spoke to him ahead of his appearance with metal supergroup Metal Allegiance for their 10th Anniversary Show on September 6th at Starland Ballroom.
Alex spoke about a number of topics, including:
- how Metal Allegiance formed, the several dozen special guests on their albums, and what to expect at their 10th Anniversary show.
- his time in Testament and his decisions on leaving and returning to the band.
- growing up in the Bay Area thrash scene, memories of Cliff Burton, and the biggest band to never make it from that scene (with a bonus Les Claypool story).
- joining Savatage after Criss Oliva's passing for Handful of Rain and the quirks of recording that album.
- how he joined Trans-Siberian Orchestra, how studying jazz has improved his ability as a guitarist, and his memories of Joe Satriani as his guitar instructor.
- a healthy discussion of KISS and other bands with longevity, plus much more!
Alex remains a soloing force in Testament, and is still involved in numerous other projects, metal and otherwise. It's hard to tell what he will get involved in next. Enjoy!
Episode 4: Alex Skolnick (Testament, Savatage, Trans Siberian Orchestra)
Podcast Episode · Where Did Mary Go? · 09/12/2024 · 1h 9m
