I wish I had known about Angus Clark. If I had, I would have made him a Guitar Hero! He has all the characteristics of the typical Guitar Hero, as JemSite has been broadcasting in past posts.
The Guitar Hero series on Jemsite features interviews with guitarists and musicians who may not have star status YET, but their current situations have shaped them to be who they are--determined, fond of their craft, and heroes in their own right.
Angus Clark is the man!
Zack from Guitar Vibe got to him first, but I'm glad, because he put together a wonderful interview with the super shredder.
Angus Clark may not be as well known as some of the super shredders out there, but he's built a career with his powerful and expressive style of rock guitar. From his early days playing in local bands to breaking out with Kitaro and his eight year holiday tour with Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Clark has always had lot going on. He's got a new instrumental album "Your Last Battlefield" available on iTunes, CD Baby and Amazon and will be teaching a workshop at the National Guitar Workshop (NGW) June 27 in McLean, Virginia.
Angus took some time out of his schedule to give us a rundown of how he got started in music, the importance of quality footwear on stage and other good advice for aspiring musicians.
Here's my favorite question and answer from the interview:
You've managed to carve out a career in a pretty tough genre. How did you manage to stand out compared to your peers?
Angus: I think I'm cross-genre actually, cause I did spend five years playing New Age music, and now I play symphonic Rock and Hard Rock/Metal. The stuff that pushed my career along always came from me putting myself "out there" in some way. You have to play gigs, stay open to whatever comes your way, and represent yourself well at all times, cause you never know who is gonna be there. And then when an opportunity comes up, go for it as hard as you can. I was back in NY after college and playing with a couple of different bands when I found out a local band (Naked Sun) that had a deal was auditioning guitarists. I learned the tunes for that audition front to back, solos and everything, showed up with boots on and made it my business to have that gig. Never wear sneakers to an audition. Always have some trendy shoes.
Angus was also asked about his experience teaching at the National Guitar Workshop (NGW) and for words of wisdom to other middle-age guitarists to help improve their playing despite not having professional motives.
I wish I had known about 
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