by Dimitris Zacharopoulos

What does the electric guitar mean to you personally? Is it more than an instrument?

Absolutely. For me, the electric guitar is a way of expressing things that I sometimes cannot put into words. It’s a voice, an extension of my personality, and a way to communicate with people. I’ve always believed that music can say things that words simply cannot. The guitar has been part of my life for so long that I don’t really see it as a separate thing from who I am.

Do you remember the first guitarist who made you want to pick up a guitar and play? In your opinion, are there any new guitarists that stand out? Name three of them please!

Stevie Ray Vaughan was the guitarist who really made me want to pick up a guitar and play. There was something incredibly powerful about his playing. The tone, the attack, the phrasing, the emotion — everything felt so raw and honest. He showed me that the guitar could be much more than an instrument. His influence on me goes beyond the notes he played. It’s about the way he made you feel every single one of them.

As for today’s guitarists, I’d mention Eric Gales, Kingfish and this guy, Ariel Posen. They all have very different approaches, but what I appreciate about them is that they have their own identity. That’s what excites me most about a guitarist.

Stefanos, Sakis, Babis, you all participate in Guitar Experience vol. 4. What do you think connects the three of you as guitarists?

I think what connects us is our love for the instrument and the need to express ourselves through it. Of course, we all kinda have different musical backgrounds, influences, and approaches, and that’s exactly what makes an event like this interesting. We’re there to share our individual musical worlds with the audience. At the end of the day, the guitar is the common language, but everyone has their own story to tell.

How has your relationship with the guitar changed since you first started playing?

When I started, I was fascinated by the instrument itself and by the guitarists I admired. I wanted to learn, improve, and discover what the guitar could do. Over the years, my priorities have changed. Today, I’m less interested in what I can play and more interested in what I have to say through my playing. You learn that sometimes one note can be more powerful than a hundred. The journey is never-ending, but the older I get, the more I value simplicity, honesty, and personality.

Blues, rock, funk, jazz, instrumental music, all meet in your musical worlds. How important is it for you to keep experimenting instead of staying inside one genre?

It’s extremely important. I’ve always loved blues and rock, and they’re a huge part of my musical identity, but I don’t want to put limits on myself. Music has no borders, and I get excited when different influences come together naturally. You can take the raw emotion of the blues, the energy of rock, the groove of funk, and the harmonic possibilities of jazz, and create something that feels completely your own. I’m not interested in mixing genres just for the sake of it. I want everything I play to feel honest and natural, whatever the influences may be.

You have all played with many different musicians and in very different environments. What have other musicians taught you about playing the guitar that you could never have learned alone?

Playing with other musicians teaches you to listen. You can spend hours practicing alone, but you can’t fully learn interaction, chemistry, timing, and the ability to react to another musician until you’re actually playing together. You learn when to lead, when to support, and when to leave space for someone else. Some of the best musical moments happen spontaneously, when nobody is trying to control everything. Those experiences have taught me that being a good guitarist isn’t just about what you play — it’s also about what you make possible for the other musicians around you.

How different is playing guitar on stage in front of an audience from playing in the studio? Which one brings out the best in you?

They’re two very different experiences, and I love both for different reasons. In the studio, you have the opportunity to explore details, experiment with sounds, and work on the smallest aspects of a performance. On stage, everything becomes more immediate. There’s energy coming from the audience, and every night is different. You have to trust your instincts and embrace the moment. If I had to choose, I’d definitely go with live performance. There’s something unique about the energy exchange between the musicians and the audience that you simply cannot recreate in the studio. I love the spontaneity, the freedom, and the fact that anything can happen in the moment. That’s where I feel most connected to the music, and I believe that’s where I express myself best as a guitarist.

You will share the same stage at Guitar Experience 2026. What are you personally looking forward to hearing from the other two guitarists that night?

For me, these kinds of gatherings are always like a masterclass. No matter how long you’ve been playing or how much experience you have, there’s always something to learn from other musicians. Everyone has a different approach, a different sound, and a different way of expressing themselves through the instrument. I’m really looking forward to hearing Stefanos and Babis, discovering their musical worlds, and sharing that experience together. I believe that when musicians with different personalities come together, everyone walks away with something new. And that’s one of the most beautiful things about music — you’re always learning.

Why should Greek fans not miss the Guitar Experience vol. 4 event? Send a message to them!

Because this is a chance to experience the electric guitar up close, through three different musical personalities, each with a different story, sound, and approach. It’s not just about technique or guitar solos. It’s about energy, expression, creativity, and the connection between musicians and the audience.

If you love the guitar, rock, blues, or simply live music played with passion, come and be part of it. Bring your ears, your energy, and your love for music. We’re looking forward to sharing a great night with you. See you there!

Το άρθρο GUITAR EXPERIENCE VOL. 4: SAKIS DOVOLIS – LET THERE BE GUITAR (interview) εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Myth Of Rock.

by Dimitris Zacharopoulos

Do you believe a guitarist needs great technical skills to create something that really moves people?

I don’t believe so. One can master all the techniques, but as you touch another human soul, be just another human soul. What we are as people is what moves people.

How important are your personal experiences, emotions and memories when you write or improvise music?

Most important. Our music can be nothing more and nothing less than what we are as people.

Blues, rock, funk, jazz, instrumental music, all meet in your musical worlds. How important is it for you to keep experimenting instead of staying inside one genre?

Music is alive and therefore does not fit into labels which serve mainly as marketing plots anyway. Trying to stay in one genre is like thinking about how you are going to name the baby while you are making love.

What makes a great guitar solo for you? Is it technique, tone, feeling, melody or something completely different?

A clear incentive to express ‘the imponderables’ with sincerity and abandon.

You have all played with many different musicians and in very different environments. What have other musicians taught you about playing the guitar that you could never have learned alone?

Everything really.

Gear is obviously an important part of the guitarist’s world. How much does the right guitar, amplifier or effects setup affect your creativity and your playing?

Truth be told, not much. It is usually our ego getting in the way, not the gear. Coltrane once said you can play a shoestring if you are sincere.

If the three of you had to create one song together, what would you like it to sound like? Would it be blues, rock, funk, something completely different—or all of these together? Hopefully we’ll get to create something together on the 8th of November. I have no idea how it will sound like but I can’t wait to hear it.

Why should Greek fans not miss the Guitar Experience vol. 4 event? Send a message to them!

If nothing else, gifts will be drawn!

Το άρθρο GUITAR EXPERIENCE VOL. 4: BABIS TYROPOULOS – LET THERE BE GUITAR (interview) εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Myth Of Rock.

by Dimitris Zacharopoulos

What does the electric guitar mean to you personally? Is it more than an instrument?

The sound of the electric guitar has always drawn me in. There’s something about the way it can express emotion without a single word that I love, and that’s a big part of why instrumental guitar music means so much to me. It’s also a very personal escape. Whatever is on my mind, the moment I pick up the guitar and touch the strings, I feel the stress start to fade. I become absorbed in playing, and everything else feels a little further away. So yes, for me it’s much more than an instrument.

Do you remember the first guitarist who made you want to pick up a guitar and play? In your opinion, are there any new guitarists that stand out? Name three of them please!

Iron Maiden were the first band that really drew me deeper into guitar music. Watching Adrian Smith, especially playing “The Trooper,” made me want to pick up a guitar and learn to play. His playing made a huge impression on me. Three guitarists I really love today are Andy Timmons, Nick Johnston and Lari Basilio. They each have such a distinct musical voice,

Stefanos, Sakis, Babis, you all participate in Guitar Experience vol. 4. What do you think   connects the three of you as guitarists?

I think what connects the three of us is our love for music. We each have our own style and approach to the guitar, but that shared love is more than enough to bring us together.

How has your relationship with the guitar changed since you first started playing?

My relationship with the guitar keeps evolving, but my hunger to learn hasn’t changed at all. There’s always something new to discover, practise or explore, no matter how long you’ve been playing. That curiosity is what keeps me coming back to it.

Do you believe a guitarist needs great technical skills to create something that really moves people?

No, I don’t think you need exceptional technical skills to create music that moves people. A simple melody, played with feeling, can say a lot. Of course, the more comfortable you are with the instrument and the stronger your technique becomes, the easier it is to express what you hear in your head. For me, that’s the purpose of technique: to help you communicate your musical ideas.

How important are your personal experiences, emotions and memories when you write or improvise music?

They’re at the heart of the music I write. The guitar gives me a way to express feelings that I sometimes find difficult to put into words. My new EP, “Para Siempre”, is very personal. “Bianca” was written for my sister, while “Farewell” and “Ultima Vuelta” are connected to Layla, our dog who passed away last year. The title track is about the people we want to keep in our lives forever. Those experiences guide the melodies, the phrasing and the mood of each piece. When I improvise, it’s a similar feeling: I try to follow what I’m feeling in that moment and let it come through in the playing.

Blues, rock, funk, jazz, instrumental music, all meet in your musical worlds. How important is it for you to keep experimenting instead of staying inside one genre?

I think it’s important to stay open-minded, because every genre has something to offer. It might be the phrasing in blues, the energy of rock, the groove of funk or the harmonies in jazz. Listening to different styles gives you new ideas and helps you grow as a musician. I like exploring whatever catches my ear and letting those influences find their way naturally into my own music.

What makes a great guitar solo for you? Is it technique, tone, feeling, melody or something completely different?

Melody, definitely. I love a solo that stays with you—something you can sing in your head even when the song isn’t playing. The solo in “Bohemian Rhapsody” is a great example. As soon as I think of it, I can hear and sing the melody. For me, that’s a real achievement, because it feels written to serve the song. Technique, tone and feeling all play a part, but what matters most is how the solo fits the music and what it leaves with the listener.

You have all played with many different musicians and in very different environments.What have other musicians taught you about playing the guitar that you could never have learned alone?

Playing with other musicians has taught me that you often don’t need even half of what you think you should play! Less is more, haha. When you’re playing alone, it’s easy to fill every space. In a band, you learn to listen, leave room for the others and understand what the music actually needs. Sometimes a few well-chosen notes—or simply knowing when to stop playing—make the biggest difference.

How different is playing guitar on stage in front of an audience from playing in the studio? Which one brings out the best in you?

Each has its own appeal. In the studio, you have time to follow your imagination, experiment with different sounds and explore ideas until you find what works for the music. On stage, there’s definitely some nervousness at first, but as you settle in and connect with the audience, the feeling is incredible. Their energy becomes part of the performance and can bring something unexpected out of your playing. I wouldn’t choose one over the other. They bring out different sides of me, and I love both.

Gear is obviously an important part of the guitarist’s world. How much does the right guitar, amplifier or effects setup affect your creativity and your playing?

You definitely want gear that feels comfortable and doesn’t make your life difficult. A guitar that plays well and a sound you enjoy can help you relax and get creative. Beyond that, so much of your sound comes from your fingers—your touch, phrasing and dynamics. Whether a pedal costs €30 or €300, you can usually find a way to make it work for you. I enjoy gear, but the price tag doesn’t determine how much music you can make with it.

Is there a particular song or guitar performance that you have written or recorded that still gives you goosebumps, when you hear it today?

Definitely the solo in “Inner Fight,” from my first EP. Even now, when I listen back to it, it still gives me goosebumps. There’s something about that particular performance that stays with me.

You will share the same stage at Guitar Experience 2026. What are you personally looking forward to hearing from the other two guitarists that night?

I’m looking forward to enjoying both sets and hearing what Sakis and Babis bring to the stage. They’re both great players, and I’m sure there’ll be a few moments that make me think, “OK, I need to go home and practice!” Haha.

If the three of you had to create one song together, what would you like it to sound like? Would it be blues, rock, funk, something completely different—or all of these together?

Probably a bit of everything! With Babis leaning towards blues and jazz, Sakis bringing the blues, and me adding some rock and fusion, I think we’d have plenty of ideas to work with. I’d be happy to start with a good groove and see what happens.

Why should Greek fans not miss the Guitar Experience vol. 4 event? Send a message to them!

It’s a chance to hear three different approaches to the guitar in one night, enjoy some live music and catch up with friends. I’ve attended Guitar Experience as a fan over the years, so being on stage this time means a lot to me. Come join us on November 8 at Temple Athens! We’ve got plenty of music to share, and I’d love to see you there and have a chat after the show.

Το άρθρο GUITAR EXPERIENCE VOL. 4: STEFANOS ANDRITSIOS – LET THERE BE GUITAR (interview) εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Myth Of Rock.

For the fourth consecutive year, we are getting ready for an evening dedicated to BLUES and ROCK guitar. This year’s explosive lineup features three outstanding guitarists: Sakis Dovolis, Babis Tyropoulos and Stefanos Andritsios. Each artist, together with his own band, will perform original compositions and songs from their personal discographies, joined on stage by exceptional guest musicians and vocalists.

As has now become a tradition, our musical giveaways will follow immediately after the event. We will be giving away one Axiom guitar equipped with Gas pickups, courtesy of Music Accessories, as well as one Tune ShredMaster amplifier, courtesy of Zaranikas Music Store.

Come and experience the incredible performances of these talented artists, and let’s all inspire each other through the power of music and the guitar!

November 8, 2026 at Black Temple, Iakchou 17, Athens
Guitar Experience 2026

Doors: 8:30 p.m.
Show starts: 9:15 p.m.

Ticket prices: €12 (presale) / €15 (at the door)

Presale cometogether.live
https://www.facebook.com/templeliveclub
https://www.instagram.com/templeathens

Sponsors:
Prova Music Studios
Guitarspot
Spirtokouto
Telesound
Zaranikas
Kagmakis – Music Accessories
Gas Pickups
Manos Backline

Το άρθρο GUITAR EXPERIENCE VOL. 4 IS GETTING CLOSER εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Myth Of Rock.

♦ 8,5/10

Frost and Fire

Το άρθρο GUS G. – “STEEL BURNER” (2026, METAL DEPARTMENT) εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Myth Of Rock.

by Dimitris Zacharopoulos

photos by Iro Kalligeri (@irokalligeriphotography)

There was no opening act, but Satriani and Vai didn’t need one, since the audience had a common purpose—only one thing in mind: to experience the joint performance of two of the greatest guitarists in the history of rock ‘n’ roll. Mission accomplished!

Before getting into the concert review, I would like to mention that the show was originally scheduled to take place at Lycabettus Theater but was moved to Terra Vibe. I don’t know why—there were surely some inconveniences caused, yet in the end, everyone found their seat in front of the big stage …

… which soon hosted the two legendary guitarists, Satriani and Vai, who, accompanied by Pete Thorn (guitar), Marco Mendoza (bass), and Kenny Aronoff (drums), took the stage and began their set! They both looked (and sounded!) in excellent form and in a very positive mood, playing their guitars like gods! What we saw and heard was otherworldly. They gave lessons in guitar playing, shocking and mesmerizing the audience, who watched these guitar clinics in awe, unable to believe their eyes and ears. Satriani and Vai seemed to come from outer space to show us how the guitar is truly played, in the context of a live show that felt like a seminar. It’s unbelievable to watch these two guys play guitar—an immersive experience that makes you want to pick one up yourself! With the solid backbone of the rhythm section, Satriani and Vai did unbelievable things with their guitars and left us breathless!

They performed not only as SatchVai but also separately, allowing us to enjoy fantastic live renditions of each one’s classic songs. Taking turns was a wise decision, as it satisfied everyone—both the two guitarists and their fans! We were treated to all-time favorites like “For the Love of God”, “Teeth of the Hydra”, “Flying in a Blue Dream” and “Surfing with the Alien”. The two protagonists showed their passion and excitement, clearly enjoying playing together. And the crowd watched with mouths wide open—especially when Vai brought onstage a custom three-guitar machine and began improvising with it!

Of course, this fantastic show culminated in the encore, when Vai and Satriani invited another guitar hero, Gus G, to the stage! Vai, Satriani, Gus G, and Thorn jammed on “Born to Be Wild” by Steppenwolf, and they were all fascinating. Seeing all these guitarists on stage together gave me shivers down my spine! We were all amazed—and enchanted. What a live moment!

That way, this guitar manifesto came to a glorious end. It was a magical live show—a concert that will never be forgotten! The marvelous meeting of Vai and Satriani was something phenomenal, already carved into the history book of rock ‘n’ roll. Of course, it was a small taste of a G3 concert! Awesome!

Το άρθρο ROCKWAVE FESTIVAL: SATCHVAI BAND (JOE SATRIANI, STEVE VAI) – TERRA VIBE, MALAKASA, GREECE – 28/07/2025 εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Myth Of Rock.

Guitar icons Joe Satriani, Eric Johnson, and Steve Vai – the original line-up behind the G3 touring concept – returned to the road in 2024 for a series of sold-out concerts in the US.

The just-released “G3 Reunion Live” album (available worldwide on earMUSIC) captures the full live experience – a full set from each artist and their own band followed by a superstar G3 encore jam.

From that jam now comes the official visualizer for their cover of Steppenwolf’s “heavy metal thunder” biker anthem “Born to be Wild.”

Το άρθρο JOE SATRIANI, ERIC JOHNSON AND STEVE VAI – “G3: BORN TO BE WILD” εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Myth Of Rock.

♦ 9/10
Dimitris Zacharopoulos

Το άρθρο XAVIER BOSCHER – “STARSEEDS IV” (2024) εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Myth Of Rock.