Issue #10
About The Torch: A monthly series, The Torch aims to help musicians of all ages and talent levels learn more about their respective instruments. Each issue features band members from around the world discussing their craft. They provide our readers with advice and insight towards their person experiences, as well as talking about the tool of their livelihood. Whether you’re an aspiring musician, beginner, fan, or expert, there’s something here for everyone. I truly believe it takes one generation to inspire another. With each issue, I hope we can motivate more and more readers to become the forces they admire.
Written & Produced by Meryl DeWitt | Edited by Rachel Rosell | Photos by Jamie Marie Imagery, Denise Meiskey Adams, Same Janoszek, RIP Photography, Carlos Delgado III, Jade Hernandez
Asylum Black is perfecting modern electronic horror, whereas Oshian is continuing a classic sound reminiscent of Iron Maiden. Today, we have the Texan skeleton of the former, Bones Horrorshow, and the Pennsylvania native shredding duo of the latter, Justin Adams and Dylan Maurer. At first listen, they may seem far apart, but I promise their music will get stuck in your head just the same. Without further ado, enjoy reading the string twisting ways of these rowdy boys.
Meryl "LJ" DeWitt: How old were you when you got your first guitar? What was your first guitar?
Ty "Bones" Horrorshow: The first time I had a guitar was when I was about 11 years old. It was a black First Act strat model but at the time I didn't really understand how the fuck to use it so it ended up being smashed to pieces in the alley behind my house later that year.
Justin Adams: I was 16 and I started out on a Fender Stratocaster.
Dylan Maurer: I first started playing when I was 13 and my first guitar was one of those crappy first act acoustics.
LJ: For anyone wanting to learn, what would you suggest as a good starter guitar?
Bones: Honestly it's hard to say, if it's for someone who wants to just "kind of" play I'd suggest a First Act model. If it's someone who has determination and really wants a reliable instrument I'd say go with a Fender Telecaster, they're one of the most versatile guitars in existence.
LJ: Through trial and error in your career, are there any of your mistakes you'd warn young guitarists to be cautious of?
Bones: Practice and TAKE CARE OF YOUR INSTRUMENT. Seriously, most people don't take it into consideration that a guitar is a living thing. Your guitar's neck is going to bend over time so make sure to get a truss rod adjustment from time to time and if you don't keep it clean your instrument will lose its tone.
Justin: I made the mistake of not playing to a click until maybe 5 to 6 years into my playing. Metronomes do help a lot!
Dylan: LEARN YOUR SCALES AND MODES EARLY. My biggest regret is that I didn't even attempt to learn them until a year or so back. It will save you so much headache! I know it can be boring, but if you learn them now, you will be set for success when you want to start composing really impressive songs.
LJ: What's the biggest stage nightmare you've ever had?
Bones: It's really hard to pick, I've had nights on tour where I'm starving to death and the venue we were supposed to be playing at is missing a PA system, but here's a recent nightmare. I was filling in on guitar for Torn Between Tides finishing off the tour opening up for Upon A Burning Body and none of the backtracks would work. We were playing with a new badass drummer though who cued us in very well, the main problem was that our set was cut short and the setlist had changed during the set. I was lost the whole time and I fucked up at the beginning of a few songs not to mention I had a cramp in my back the whole time. The greatest nightmare has to be forgetting to switch off the clean channel during a break down.
Justin: We opened for Vampires Everywhere at The Champ one time and my guitar stopped working in the middle of song and Dylan broke a string.
Dylan: The biggest one I can remember is when I broke a string on stage and wasn't prepared at all for that so we were staring at the crowd with a blank face while one of the other bands ran out to their car to get their guitar for us to use. And while that was nice, he had a connection problem with his guitar so it didn't sound right for the rest of our set.
LJ: What is your current equipment setup for playing live?
Bones: Currently I'm running my guitars straight into a Line 6 Spider IV head screaming through a 4x12 custom cab I built. I find that just using the Line 6 Spider IV is a safer route. I can dial in my sound and not have to worry about pedals or tubes, also if it catches fire or I toss it into a river I can get another one almost anywhere.
Justin: Blackstar Combo amp, Schecter C1- Demon with Seymour Duncan pickups, Metal Zone Boss pedal and Boss Noise Decimator.
Dylan: Currently my setup isn't the best, regarding my amp, because I play a Line Six Spider. I'm not a fan of line six at all, but I'm working on getting either a B52 head and cab or a Marshall Head and cab which will be soon. My guitar is a Jackson Dinky with my backup guitar being a Dean V!
LJ: What's the best guitar you've ever owned?
Bones: The best guitar I've ever owned is my Schecter Damien-7. I love that thing to death, it was in terrible shape when I bought it on Craigslist but now it's like new and I use it for recording because I'm too scared to accidentally wreck it on stage.
Justin: The one I own now for sure, the Schecter C1-Demon.
Dylan: I'd say the best guitar I've ever owned was my Megadeth Signature Dean V: United Abominations
LJ: What's the worst guitar you ever owned?
Bones: I don't believe in a terrible guitar. It depends on what you're using it for. I've used many shitty pawn shop guitars for various punk rock projects and they worked out perfectly for that sound.
LJ: What's your dream guitar to own one day? (Custom, collectors, etc.)
Bones: I'd really kill to get my hands on that fucking custom Ziltoid V Framus made for Devin Townsend. I mean come on, lasers, fog, that mirror finish, and the led fretboard? HELL YEAH!
Justin: A Schechter with EMG 180s, A tremolo bar, 11 gauge strings but man I'm almost there!
Dylan: Anything Jackson! I don't have anything in mind right now, but I pretty much only play Jacksons and Ibanez with the exception of some Dean V's.
LJ: Do you name your guitars? (If so, what are their names?)
Bones: Yes I do name my guitars, Pamela Sue Voorhees is a ESP m-17, Bela Lugosi is my Damien-7 and Damien is a Schecter Omen-7.
Justin: Dylan gave my Demon a name; "Ben."
Dylan: I do name my guitars, actually! My Jackson is named "Chazz", my Dean is named "Arthur" and this Ibanez I'm looking to buy I already named "Derrick."
LJ: What's the most extreme way a guitar of yours has met her fate? (Ex: smashing on stage, getting stolen, being set on fire...)
Bones: I had a First Act tele named Oscar that I smashed into ten fucking billion tiny little pieces. I hated that fucker. I rebuilt it twice, lit it on fire, tossed it across a venue and the final smashing into pieces. I fixed it one last time and gave it to a military veteran of mine.
LJ: Who's your personal guitarist hero?
Bones: That's such a hard question to answer, I've always been a fan of Dave Mustaine and Daron Malakian but most of all it's gonna be Devin Townsend. I relate to him more than any other artist.
Justin: Synyster Gates of Avenged Sevenfold. He can shred with the best, but he still can pull of the emotional melodic solos that just weep.
Dylan: Synyster Gates and Slash are 2 of my biggest heroes!
LJ: Finally, what is your favorite part of being a guitarist?
Bones: My favorite part of being a guitarist is entertaining people. I consider myself more of an entertainer than an artist or musician. It keeps me balanced, pisses off the general public, and makes people happy. That's all I honestly care about.
Justin: There's always something to learn. I love writing riffs, leads and solos it’s just a part of my soul.
Dylan: It's all worth it when you get that feeling of happiness when you play a lead, or you feel the power behind a riff. That feeling is who I have become today and is my reason for living.
LJ: Finally, what is your favorite part of being a guitarist?
Bones: My favorite part of being a guitarist is entertaining people. I consider myself more of an entertainer than an artist or musician. It keeps me balanced, pisses off the general public, and makes people happy. That's all I honestly care about.
Justin: There's always something to learn. I love writing riffs, leads and solos it’s just a part of my soul.
Dylan: It's all worth it when you get that feeling of happiness when you play a lead, or you feel the power behind a riff. That feeling is who I have become today and is my reason for living.
Oshian
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