INTERVIEW: Paul Gilbert Guitar Edge Magazine

Check out this interview with Paul Gilbert in the latest Guitar Edge Magazine:

From that and your huge body of work, it’s obvious that you’re very motivated. Where does your drive come from?

My motivation varies radically, depending on my environment and mindset. I have to thank my parents for always having good music playing on the stereo when I was a kid, and for creating an atmosphere that encouraged creativity in general. I saw some great concerts when I was a kid, too: Van Halen, Ozzy with Randy Rhoads, Pat Travers, UFO, Cheap Trick, Judas Priest, Def Leppard, Saxon, and others. These all inspired me enormously. And now I have live shows and recording deadlines to inspire me. Plus, watching this one video of Gary Moore on YouTube—search for “Gary Moore Lesson,” it will blow your mind. The tour I did with G3 was very motivating, as well. Overall, though, as much as I fancy myself a staunch individualist, my strongest motivation comes from knowing I’ll be having some kind of interaction with other human beings. It can be teaching one student, playing for an audience of 10,000, or anything in between. Book a gig, and you will be motivated!