Road Crew Magazine
Music Magazine with News, Reviews, Photos and Video

Music is the ultimate magic, allowing you to be entranced with a single note from a guitar.  Although we may have never heard of a particular artist or band, all it takes is one note, one lyric to magically transform our lives, transporting us from our reality to that of the musician(s) in question. 

This is what happened to me when I was first told about the opportunity I was given to interview Exit the Ride guitarist Bill Peck.  Here was a band and a musician that I had never heard of before, and it is very intimidating to try to come up with interview questions for someone you know nothing about.  Thus, the homework began.  I started checking out different websites with interviews and information and of course Bill's myspace where I was able to experience the magic of his guitar playing for the first time.  It was through this project that I was able to discover for myself and pass onto you, never stop looking for new bands and musicians to immerse yourself in.  Don't wait for someone else to say "have you heard this band?", step up, discover the bands for yourself and then you be the one to share them with others.

It is an honor to be able to feature Bill in this issue of Grinding the Axe, for he is truly worthy to be called an incredible axe grinder, and in my personal opinion, that is providing too modest of a description of such a stellar guitarist.

Road Crew:  Please tell our readers a little about yourself.

Bill:  I was born in Orlando, FL and I have lived here all of my life. I have been lucky and have been able to travel to different parts of the world being involved in the entertainment industry. I’ve performed with several music groups, solo, many times as a guest with Michael Angelo Batio for Dean Guitars, and appeared in instructional videos. Currently I am working with my band Exit The Ride performing often and gearing up for the release of several new guest appearances on CD and DVD.

Road Crew:  How long have you been playing guitar?

Bill:  I got my first guitar when I was 14 years old. It was an inexpensive acoustic guitar that my mother found in the classified section of the newspaper. I took a few lessons with the guitar and the teacher wanted to work on one string melodies like Mary Had a Little Lamb and I wanted to learn rock songs. So I made very little advancement as a player until I got my first electric at 15. I worked odd jobs for my father for $5 an hour and eventually saved up enough for a guitar and got a Washburn at a pawn shop and a Crate amp with a 12 inch speaker. I am 30 now so about 16 years!

Road Crew:  Who would you say is your greatest influence?
 
Bill:  Steve Vai was easily my greatest influence when I first started to develop more advanced guitar technique. I always liked his sound the most and his style to me seemed unique. Early on in playing days I was probably a little too influenced guitar wise and over the years I have tried to originate my own guitar style. I love Vai’s sound when he taps and plays in a legato style. I loved Van Halen and Randy Rhoads but Steve Vai challenged me to be more advanced with it.

Road Crew:  How did you hook up with Dean Guitars?

Bill:  Michael Angelo Batio first introduced me to the company and specifically the owner Elliot Rubinson. I had become friends with Michael thru meeting him with Mark Tremonti at NAMM in 2004. I was doing guitar things that were moving in the right direction at the time and was set to appear on his first Hand’s Without Shadows album. I live in Orlando so dealing with a company in Tampa was very appealing. I drove over and played a Vendetta model at their headquarters and liked the look and sound. There was not a whammy bar and I am a player that always plays with one. Elliot liked the idea to build one with a Floyd Rose and so they made me a black guitar. We replaced the pickups from the stock model and added the zebra style Michael Schenker pickups. I liked the guitar a lot but the neck was too thick for my wrist to be comfortable when playing a lot of notes. Elliot got me a few others with very thin V style necks and they are great guitars that I love. My favorite guitar from them is my white Vendetta that I used in the Mark Tremonti Fret 12 instructional DVD. I am very lucky to have a great relationship with a guitar company like Dean.

Road Crew:  You have been described as "a legato, tapping and whammy bar master."  How would you describe your playing style?

Bill:  That sound’s pretty good! Haha! I just try and play what I think are cool guitar licks and ideas and hope other people think so too. I have really tried to push my technique as much as I can and do new things with the guitar. I think that tapping with 3 with fingers while holding the pick and then integrating sweep picking at the same time is awesome. 2 handed legato harmonies are really cool too. The area of my playing that I have had the most advancement in recent years is hybrid picking and I am pleased that I made the effort to get proficient at that.

Road Crew:  How long has Exit the Ride been together and how did the band come together?

Bill:  Sam Stone and I have been working on Exit The Ride for about 5 years together and we have had a few different members on bass and drums. The current line up is really the first time that we have had things completely together member wise and our live show is finally where it needs to be. I am having a lot of fun with the band right now.

Road Crew:  How does the band's songwriting process work?

Bill:  Sam has really developed his songwriting skills over the years and has really grown in that area. Lots of ETR songs have started with a riff idea I have or Sam has brought in almost fully structured song ideas. When that happens, I work out guitar parts that are similar but more my own. I like having a guitar solo in every song. To me that is the style and era when rock music was at it’s best. We always communicate on where the solo is and try and make them fit in the song.

Road Crew:  Do you have any new projects in the work, with the band or solo?

Bill:  As a band we are trying to finish recording our first full length album and have it for sale. Getting a great quality recording that fully represents what you want your sound to be is tough and expensive. We are really close to finishing it and I am proud of the songs that are done. I have an appearance on Michael Angelo Batio’s new record Hand’s Without Shadow’s II and the track also features Mark Tremonti. I am obviously excited about this and it is an honor to have guitar buddies like them. I just had a few successful performances with Michael for Dean Guitars and those were thrilling. One other project that will be coming out from Fret12 is Troy Stetina’s Instructional DVD and I have a spot on it. Mark, Michael, Eric Friedman, and I do guest spots and Troy is a great teacher and player so it will be cool.

Road Crew:  When you are not playing or on the road, what do you like to do with your time?

Bill:  I enjoy spending time with my friends and family. I have a twin brother that I am very close with who lives in the condo community next to the one that I live in. We cook out and party in the Florida sunshine at the pool and lake where he lives and it is very relaxing. I go to Orlando Magic games a lot and am lucky to have a friend Larry Nieves that brings me and I sit courtside a lot. That is the best and it is like watching the NBA on a playground. I sat on the court for the NBA Finals Game 3 and that was totally surreal. I have part of a season ticket package with 2 friends also so I go a lot.

Road Crew:  What advice do you have for up and coming guitarists?

Bill:  Any guitarist should do everything they can to get better and be the best individual they can be. The music business is not the same as being an advanced player in your bedroom or friend’s house. Performing often and trying to earn a living at it is very tough. So have modest expectations financially and play for the art and enjoyment of it. If your lucky, it will reward you financially.

Road Crew:  What is something that you would like our readers to know about you that you haven't been asked before.

Bill:  What is it like to finish an Economics degree? Not a lot of fun! I am a musician that wants to be a well rounded individual so I am very much in favor of having other talents and interests. I feel lucky to have had parents that paid for my college tuition and I made the most of it. I feel more financially savvy than most musicians and money is important so that is a great thing.

As in the last segment of Grinding the Axe with Mark Briody of Jag Panzer, I decided to do another round of word association.

Music – my own guitar playing because when you have practiced and played an instrument as much as I have it is pretty ingrained

Sports – Michael Jordan, a true hero on the court

Art- inspiring

Speed- going fast riding in my friend’s Lamborghini or Ferrari

Food - Steak

Touring- the attention from girls J

Videos- almost anything Will Ferrell

Family – Feeling lucky to have them and that I have some that live close

Pet- Baxter or Ziggy…The 2 little dogs I helped raise and now don’t live with either

Reading – Politics or finance on the internet almost everyday