“My goal became to make rock musicians play as technically well as jazz guitarists. And, with my lessons, I think I'm helping rock musicians improve their playing.”
“My goal became to make rock musicians play as technically well as jazz guitarists. And, with my lessons, I think I'm helping rock musicians improve their playing.”
(Michael Angelo Batio)
Text and interview by Eduardo Simões
I remember the first time I met guitarist Michael Angelo Batio. His technique was unbelievable. Fast, clean, and precise. He also repeated riffs, phrases, and arpeggios with his hand over the fretboard. But, as if he were having fun humiliating us, he did the same thing playing left-handed ( see this example ).
Then came the photos with the four-necked guitar, the CD from his band Nitro, and the establishment of his name as one of the most popular for lessons and workshops around the world.
In January I was with him at NAMM, the music instrument trade show held in Los Angeles. He was especially busy: one interview after another, several appearances at shows, autographs at the Dean guitar stand, photos with guitarists. After this marathon, the musician was going to return to the studio to continue recording the Nitro CD, which, in addition to Michael and the original vocalist, Jim Gillette, will feature drummer Chris Adler (Lamb of God) and will be produced by Grammy winner Josh Wilbur (Lamb of God, Avenged Sevenfold, Korn, Megadeth, Hatebreed).
He welcomed us to the Dean booth for an exclusive interview, in which he talked about Brazil, Nitro's return, his technique, and revealed exclusively and for the first time who will be playing bass on Nitro's CD.
WIKIMETAL: Thank you for the interview.
MICHAEL ANGELO BATIO: Thank you for your time.
WIKIMETAL: First, tell me about 2017, especially about Nitro's return.
MICHAEL ANGELO BATIO: We're back! The original vocalist, Jim Gillette, and I are joined by drummer Chris Adler (Lamb of God) and Grammy-winning producer Josh Wilbur, who worked with Lamb of God for 10 years. The album is very heavy. I use 7-string guitar in many places. Jim Gillette has a very good guttural vocal, but it still sounds like him. And we'll also have the high screams, like in the old days. His voice is intact, even after so many years. He can, for example, sing the song Freight Train just like he did back then. He's an athlete and a singing teacher. We're always studying and improving. It's very heavy, but it still sounds like Nitro. Everything is tailored around the songs. The compositions will stand out because of Josh Wilbur's production.
WIKIMETAL: You mentioned the ability to reproduce the screams from the first CD, even after 27 years. But those notes are really very high.
MICHAEL ANGELO BATIO: Yes, but he can still sing like that. He was 19 at the time, but he always used the screams selectively. Like Rob Halford, he didn't scream all the time, only when it fit the composition. And he always did it with great technique.
WIKIMETAL: I watched all your videos, as all guitarists should. And you mention that, even playing for years, you never had tendinitis because of your technique. That might explain Jim's voice. It seems like you guys study before doing things.
MICHAEL ANGELO BATIO: Exactly! We always prepare before doing things.
My teacher dismissed me when I turned 13. He told me: 'You already play better than me, cleaner and faster. I have nothing more to teach you.'
My teacher dismissed me when I turned 13. He told me: 'You already play better than me, cleaner and faster. I have nothing more to teach you.'
WIKIMETAL: I know that despite being very well known for your work as a Hard Rock and Heavy Metal guitarist, you also studied Jazz. I'm going to ask a difficult question: when was the last time you heard something and couldn't play it on the guitar?
MICHAEL ANGELO BATIO: It's been a long, long time. The reason is simple: when I heard something I couldn't play immediately, I studied and learned to play that song. Today my technique gives me the versatility I need to play everything I need to play. I think my videos are so famous for that reason: I don't say that one technique is better than another, but that you should learn them all and use them according to what the music needs. I'm good with my fingers, alternate picking, sweep picking … I know how to use the technique that allows me to play what the music needs. That's the goal: to have a technique that allows you to perform the music that's in your head.
WIKIMETAL: You recently recorded Hard Rock classics like Deep Purple and Van Halen, but always adding something of your own. Tell us a little about your favorite bands, influences, and what inspired you to play guitar.
MICHAEL ANGELO BATIO: When I was a kid I played with Fender picks, which are big and I didn't like them. That bothered me and I thought some things needed to change. In my first lesson, at age 10, my teacher taught me four chords and I turned them into a composition right then and there. I had that, I'd hear something on the radio and know what was being played. My teacher "dismissed" me when I turned 13. He told me: "You already play better than me, cleaner and faster. I have nothing more to teach you." I studied all the great guitarists. I love Rock, but sometimes I didn't like the way Rock guitarists played. I know it sounds strange. I love Eddie Van Halen, Hendrix and many others. But I didn't want to copy anyone. My style would be closer to a musician who plays violin in an orchestra. I listened a lot to Al Di Meola, John MacLaughlin. These great jazz musicians were a big influence. And I tried to do what they did in rock. My goal became to make rock musicians play as technically well as jazz guitarists. And you talk to great guitarists like John Petrucci, Herman Li, Dimebag, the guitarists from Trivium, they all watched my videos. Brazilian guitarists are excellent. Kiko is excellent. And I know they studied my lessons over there. So I think I achieved my goal.
WIKIMETAL: I had never thought about that.
MICHAEL ANGELO BATIO: In all styles, the composition was as good as the execution. But in Rock, the compositions were much better. And we changed that, because so many people saw my videos.
WIKIMETAL: I think every guitarist has watched it.
MICHAEL ANGELO BATIO: They're very popular.
WIKIMETAL: They helped a lot technically.
MICHAEL ANGELO BATIO: That's the intention. The guitar technique in the early days doesn't compare to today's. The musicianship of the original rock bands is sensational! It's impossible to compose something better than The Beatles or Led Zeppelin. It's impossible to compose something better than Stairway to Heaven . It can't be done. Maybe you can do something just as good in another style, but in that style it's unsurpassed. But I thought we should evolve in the way we perform those compositions. And, with my lessons, I think I've contributed to rock musicians improving their performance.
WIKIMETAL: On your solo albums you always have guests. And on the Nitro album we have three celebrated musicians, but… Who will play bass?
MICHAEL ANGELO BATIO: Laughs.
WIKIMETAL: I see it can't be revealed yet.
MICHAEL ANGELO BATIO: I'll tell you… We talked to Victor Wooten. He said he'll record the bass!
WIKIMETAL: Wow!
MICHAEL ANGELO BATIO: As you know, he's a great jazz musician and we haven't put anything on paper yet, but he told us he'll record. Chris, Jim and I work well together and we'll see if it works with Victor. He's a monster, but he plays jazz, and the record is very heavy.
WIKIMETAL: Tell me about your work with the Dean guitar brand. We're at the NAMM booth and I saw many guitars with your name on them. If I had to steal one, which would be the best choice?
MICHAEL ANGELO BATIO: Dean guitars are all excellent. But the Dean Michael Angelo Batio – Armored Flame guitar is probably my favorite. It's a sensational instrument and very affordable. There are many good female guitarists, but Dean guitars are amazing! I always wanted to innovate. I don't like to copy others. I invented the double-neck, different techniques. I don't say I'm better, but I'm different, as I always wanted to be. And with Dean I had the freedom to create new models. I live for the guitar community! I donated my technique and I live for it. And I always say: be yourself. Yngwie uses one of my techniques, passing his hand over the guitar, but I don't use his techniques. I always wanted to be original. I don't throw the guitar over my shoulder like Blackmore. When I say I want to be like my heroes, I don't mean doing what they do, but being original like them. Many people use Fender, many people use Ibanez, and I don't see why I should be like them. Dean has ties to Chicago, which is my city. And we end up thinking similarly, always trying to innovate. Take, for example, Dimebag's guitars; they have a design that only existed at Dean, but today you see Gus G playing with Ozzy with a similar body, made by Jackson. That's why I love Dean: they are excellent and innovative. And I've always wanted to innovate.
WIKIMETAL: I know you don't like amplifier distortion.
ANSWER: Exactly.
I'm happy with the world today. It's an excellent era. It's exciting to see where music is going. In the '80s there was a lot of competition. They talked about me, Paul Gilbert, Yngwie… Everyone wanting to outdo everyone else. Today we're all friends.
I'm happy with the world today. It's an excellent era. It's exciting to see where music is going. In the '80s there was a lot of competition. They talked about me, Paul Gilbert, Yngwie… Everyone wanting to outdo everyone else. Today we're all friends.
WIKIMETAL: Tell me a little about your equipment. What would you find in your setup at a show?
MICHAEL ANGELO BATIO: I developed a pedal with Tom's Line Engineering. They're reasonably priced and excellent. I use DV Mark amplifiers. I've used Marshalls and Mesa Boogies. I've discovered that I like the current modeling techniques. There's a lot of good stuff. What I do is adjust the amplifier sound as if I were playing blues. It's not distorted, but it's not entirely clean either. And when I turn on the overdrive, the sound grows and takes on that Heavy Metal characteristic. The sound becomes "just right," heavy, and you can hear all the notes. It's a simple setup, what I told you with a 320 millisecond delay and a chorus, which I occasionally use in rhythm parts. I don't use wah-wah much. In my humble opinion, some guitarists use wah-wah too much, even because it disguises some imperfections in their technique.
WIKIMETAL: I think in some cases the sound becomes uninteresting, lacking definition. I can think of some names that overuse wah-wah…
MICHAEL ANGELO BATIO: I agree. I'm not saying I don't like wah-wah, but that sound with too much wah-wah isn't for me. I use it rarely. I like a certain type of sound. It's important not to have too much amplifier distortion, to be able to control the sound well. I have three sounds. A more rock sound, reminiscent of Aerosmith. If I lower the volume on the potentiometer it becomes clean, if I step on the overdrive it becomes heavy metal.
WIKIMETAL: Let's talk about Rock and Pop music. What do you think of today's pop?
MICHAEL ANGELO BATIO: The level of execution has never been higher. And I think there is quality Pop music. The problem is that a lot of it is made with computers and lacks quality. I don't like everything, but there is good stuff. Listen to Michael Jackson in the 80s. He was surrounded by good musicians. Our producer said that today Metal is an exact science, just like Pop. We have the models, formats, beats, good musicians… I don't like all the music, but the level of execution is high.
WIKIMETAL: I think sometimes they surround themselves with too many resources like auto-tune , etc.
MICHAEL ANGELO BATIO: In many cases, yes, but most pop artists today surround themselves with excellent musicians. I'm happy with the world today. It's an excellent era. It's exciting to see where music is going. In the '80s there was a lot of songwriting. They talked about me, Paul Gilbert, Yngwie… Everyone wanting to outdo everyone else. Today we're all friends.
WIKIMETAL: You've been to Brazil. Tell me about your impression of the country.
MICHAEL ANGELO BATIO: And I have a 10-year visa! So nothing prevents me from going back and spending a few months there. Your country is beautiful, it has beautiful women, beautiful beaches and excellent musicians. The level of the musicians is excellent. Another excellent thing is the way they support Heavy Metal. The music is rich, with bossa nova and names like Antônio Carlos Jobim. I know his music. Take Sepultura as an example, they don't copy English bands, but they do something original and excellent. I have the impression that Brazilian musicians know all the chords, and not just the traditional basic Heavy Metal chords. Like me, who studied jazz. Anyway, the guitarists are very good.
WIKIMETAL: You've been to Brazil and you frequently travel to Asian countries to conduct workshops. Have you ever had problems with your cases?
MICHAEL ANGELO BATIO: My double guitar can be disassembled. The case is very small. Each guitar weighs 3kg and the complete case, with the guitars, shouldn't weigh more than 8 or 10kg.
WIKIMETAL: Another reason for you to come back to Brazil this year.
MICHAEL ANGELO BATIO: That would be excellent! Especially with Nitro releasing a new album.
WIKIMETAL: Thank you very much for your time. I would love to see a Nitro show in Brazil.
MICHAEL ANGELO BATIO: Thank you. I enjoyed our conversation. It was an excellent interview and I hope to see you in Brazil soon.
