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.  Perhaps you'll see in these upcoming entries the next Jimi Hendrix, Melissa Etheridge, or Duane Allman.  Or perhaps they'll become household names by doing what they do best--ripping a mean riff!

Clive Thompson is by no means a typical Guitar Hero (but then again, who is?) When I first decided to interview him for the site, I didn't know he had even picked up a guitar, let alone play one for 25 years. I wanted to interview him about his take on music and the video game scene.   Talk about the influence of technology on music and mention some of his major accomplishments, like writing for Wired.com and keeping up a hugely popular blog called Collision Detection. 

Of course, the musicians, teachers, critics, and aficianados that are interviewed on this site are all full of surprises and why should this one be any different. Wait, there's more.

Get this: Clive Thompson also plays banjo, ukulele, bass, and a bit of the keyboard,   Go figure. He loves video games and has a bit to say about the state of music in video games--and despite all this, I've still made him this week's Guitar Hero--well, because he's just that cool.

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.  Perhaps you'll see in these upcoming entries the next Jimi Hendrix, Melissa Etheridge, or Duane Allman.  Or perhaps they'll become household names by doing what they do best--ripping a mean riff!

Jemsite is experiencing a lot of firsts.  We just interviewed a company that has to do with mobile devices and the music industry but are not musicians, teachers, guitarists, or performers themselves.  Now, our first un-guitar Guitar Hero!

Let me explain. Pedro de Alcantara is not a guitarist.  What he IS is a musician that has coached other musicians (including guitarists) with a special technique that he has become an expert in.  

The Alexander Technique, according to Wikipedia, is an educational discipline focusing on bodily coordinatio, including psychological principles of awareness.  It helps to recover freedom of movement, mastery of performing arts, and general self-improvement affecting poise, impulse control, and attention.  Pedro now helps students use this technique to become better musicians.

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.  Perhaps you'll see in these upcoming entries the next Jimi Hendrix, Melissa Etheridge, or Duane Allman.  Or perhaps they'll become household names by doing what they do best--ripping a mean riff!

Another jazz guitarist in our midst.  But not just any jazz guitarist.  Steve Herberman is something special because he has a passion for his craft---and more then just that--he loves teaching it to others too! But it's even more then for Steve. He loves the little things about being a musician--the breaths taken, sharing it with a band and his fan, the chance to bring a new sound to a whole new audience, and the opportunity to continue doing what he loves.  

What more can one ask for? And that's why he's our next Guitar Hero!

Did you initially study jazz guitar or was that something you fell into after studying classical and/or electric?

I started playing rock guitar on an electric after a brief stint with the classical guitar only not playing classical music on it. It was the Beatles, Deep Purple, and Eagles, when I started playing at around 11 years old. 

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.  Perhaps you'll see in these upcoming entries the next Jimi Hendrix, Melissa Etheridge, or Duane Allman.  Or perhaps they'll become household names by doing what they do best--ripping a mean riff!

Who knew a Netherlands guitarist and jazz music could come together? Now they have! Despite the fact that Jens Larsen began his guitar playing skills studying classical guitar and later turned to electric to get out the Jim Hendrix he held inside, by the time Larsen moved to jazz guitar, he knew it was the right thing for him to do.

A Scandanavian musician who sees the beauty in jazz guitar? Now that's our Guitar Hero!

What’s your background in guitar and how did you decide to focus on jazz guitar in particular?

I started out having lessons in classical guitar when I was 12. Where I lived in Denmark you could not get lessons in any other kind of guitar at that time. I did not get an electric guitar before I was 17. And it was later when I moved to the city that I started lessons on electric guitar and playing in bands etc.

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.  Perhaps you'll see in these upcoming entries the next Jimi Hendrix, Melissa Etheridge, or Duane Allman.  Or perhaps they'll become household names by doing what they do best--ripping a mean riff!

Australia, too, can rock out with the best of them, and it holds some of the best guitarists on the planet! Chris Cheney...Tommy Emmanuel...Paul Dempsey...and then there's Peter Hodgson, who picked up guitar at age 7, counts David Bowie and Steve Vai as major guitar influences, writes consistently for his guitar blog I Heart Guitar, chats with John McLaughlin about fusion, and owns his dream guitar, which happens to be a JEM!

And so much more!

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.  Perhaps you'll see in these upcoming entries the next Jimi Hendrix, Melissa Etheridge, or Duane Allman.  Or perhaps they'll become household names by doing what they do best--ripping a mean riff!

Just call him the Talking Heart.  After all, guitarist Kraig Kenning certainly believes that his live performances are merely his heart talking out loud.  His music, a blend of wispy ballads, folk, and Americana, proves his passion for his craft and he'll be the first one to admit that he hopes it truliy comes through in his shows.