Page 16 - Black Velvet Issue 88

BV88 pg14,15,16,17 Tremonti_BV88 pg16 01/04/2016 22:40 Page 3

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hile on the subject of substance rock band out there, record sales have pretty would do clinics and I’d always say ‘No, I don’t
Wabuse, we touch on the candid letter much gone, touring numbers aren’t as big as want to do clinics, it’s just not my thing. I don’t
Scott Weiland’s ex-wife Mary Forsberg Weiland they used to be, you know, ten, fifteen years ago want to talk, I just want to play.’” After a while
wrote following Scott’s untimely death in Decem- and every week there’s some new streaming Mark finally gave into the idea with the proviso
ber last year. One of the paragraphs that struck services like Apple Music or Spotify that comes that there were only 10 people maximum per
us read, ‘At some point, someone needs to step and it just takes away even more sales. You see session. “When I went to go and see guitar clin-
up and point out that yes, this will happen again bands just struggling to survive out there. I ad- ics it was at a guitar store and there’s like forty
– because as a society we almost encourage it. mire all these other bands that are continuing to people there. I like to be more personal where I
We read awful show reviews, watch videos of do it right now because it’s so much harder than can talk to somebody and ask them specifically
artists falling down, unable what they want to learn.
to recall their lyrics stream- I love to see how happy
ing on a teleprompter just a it makes some of these
few feet away. And then we people who get to sit
click "add to cart" because down, play guitar and go
what actually belongs in a from being nervous to
hospital is now considered being happy and having
art.’ We ask Mark whether a good time. I see a lot
he thinks she makes a fair of guitar clinics where
point. “Yeah, she makes a people just get up there
very fair point,” Mark an- and show off and just
swers. “The problem with kind of rip over stuff and
that situation is there are so say, ‘See you next time.’
many people that show all I try to really teach
these warning signs, but everybody and go at a
these people aren’t willing pace where everybody
to change themselves; you can understand and get
either lock them up in a something out of it. I
mental institution for the have starters to great
rest of their lives or you just players but if there’s a
let them do what they’re beginner I’ll put my fin-
going to do. You can throw gers on their fret and
all the love in the world at help them through it.
them and all the different You can feel the excite-
rehabilitation centres, but ment with some people
some people just can’t and I really try my best
bounce back. I’ve seen it to make them better, you
happen to close friends of know, to teach them
mine. We’re all wired differ- something. I think some
ent, some people are just of the beginners just
not strong enough to stay want to be part of it and
straight and Scott Weiland have a good time any-
was definitely one of those way by just kind of
people. I don’t know if there watching everybody.”
was anything anybody The sessions are bene-
could’ve done to change fitting Mark too. “Now I
what happened with Scott love it,” Mark smiles, “it
Weiland. Watching the keeps me practising
signs and seeing it happen, every day and I think it
it’s not like fans and every- makes me a better
body else can step up and player.”
be like ‘let’s help him’, be- This year will see
cause he has probably the return of Alter
been helped so many Bridge. Work has begun
times, he just refuses it and on the band’s fifth studio
he’s just… Like I said, I’ve album and with plans to
seen it with lots of people, head out on tour to sup-
there are hundreds of port the release, Mark
friends trying to steer them has another busy year
in a direction but they have ahead of him. What will
to make the decision them- this mean for Tremonti
selves; it falls on them.” though? Well, the good
When we look at our news is that Tremonti
favourite musicians we will not be brushed to
don’t always consider the one side. Thinking
darker side of their seemingly glamorous it was when we first started out.” ahead of the game, during the two and a half
lifestyles. “From the outside looking in I think a Making a living as a musician may be month stint in the recording studio working on
lot of people would see somebody like myself or tougher now, but there are still plenty of people ‘Cauterize’, the band recorded 20 songs. Not
somebody in a position like mine and say, who have a passion for music. Throughout the keen on the idea of releasing a double album,
‘They’ve had their success and they do what tour members of Tremonti inspired and nurtured they split the songs up to form two albums. The
they love, life is just ducky.’ They don’t see all future musicians through a series of artist ses- second instalment is titled ‘Dust’ and is due for
the things that happen, the fights and the strug- sions. Mark has received numerous accolades release in April. Whether there will be a window
gle it is to keep out there.” Although chasing his for his guitar playing and fans eager to learn the of opportunity to do a full scale tour to support
dream hasn’t been easy and he’s taken many craft of playing guitar had the opportunity to be this album is not yet clear, but if ‘Cauterize’ is
knocks during his career, Mark has never given taught by Mark himself at pre-show guitar ses- anything to go by then ‘Dust’ is something our
up. “This was always my passion and I’ve just sions, while drummer Garrett Whitlock hosted ears will look forward to hearing.
worked as hard as I possibly can to keep chas- hour-long drum sessions. It is something that Visit www.marktremonti.com for more info.
ing it. I’ve had great moments and I’ve had bad Mark has been enjoying, despite his initial reser-
moments but I always try and chase down what vations. “My brother Dan convinced me to do an Words By Sam & Penny Gower
I felt as a kid would be my utopia. Right now instructional DVD in the first place, then he
though, it’s just the toughest it’s ever been for a wanted me to start doing artist sessions where I Photos on Page 16 & 17 By Sam Gower

TREMONTI