Entrevista con - Patrick DeCoste

GL - Mr. Patrick DeCoste, thanks for your time!
PD - Thank you! It's a pleasure to be part of your site surrounded by such great guitarists!

GL - Please tell us about your personal history and background for the fans at Mexico.
PD - I've been playing guitar since 1993. I started out learning some basic Rock stuff but became obsessed with Randy Rhoads so took a few classical lessons as well. Being fortunate enough to live in Boston and so close to Berklee College of Music, I enrolled in their summer programs for 2 years and am still trying to catch up on everything they taught me! In 1996, I went to college and stopped playing for a few years but upon graduating, I've since picked the guitar back up and have been writing, performing, teaching and recording ever since.

GL - What motivated you to want to learn to play the guitar?
PD - I grew up at a time when 'guitar rock' was reaching its peak. From Guns N' Roses to Extreme to Van Halen, I was a huge fan of that type of genre and saw a lot of people around me trying to play guitar so I decided to try it out as well. Players like Randy Rhoads, the Edge, David Gilmore and Eric Johnson have keep me wanting to play more and more and keep me focused on what's important which isn't necessarily over-the-top playing but the music itself.

GL - What style do you like to play ?
PD - I consider myself a Rock guitarist. Although I can play various styles, I'm most comfortable performing Rock (whether it be acoustic or electric).

GL - Tell us about your technique and how you developed it?
PD - My technique is varied. I've studied the styles of 80s rock bands, the instrumental guitarists, as well as anything I can get my hands on and take the elements that move me and incorporate it into my particular style. Because most of the instrumental music out there is based around single line melodies, the untrained ear may mistake the songs for being one long guitar solo so I try to incorporate chord melodies and interesting movement to my songs to keep it interesting. Sometimes it's even hard for me to differentiate between the chorus/ verse/ solo sections of some instrumentals! Hopefully by using chord forms and layering harmonies, fans of this type of music and those who are unfamiliar with it can hear the different sections and relate to the song structure.

GL - Who are your main influences?
PD - For guitarists, I admire such players as Eric Johnson, Randy Rhoads, Joe Satriani, John Mayer, Shawn Lane, Vernon Reid, SRV, Slash, and John Petrucci... the list can go on and on! Other musicians I listen to include Peter Gabriel, Tupac Shakur, Smokey Robinson, Mozart, Joe Cocker, Miles Davis, Phil Collins, Brian McKnight and Flickerstick. By not limiting myself to only guitar-related music but all different styles/ genres, I hope to take the different elements from them and expand my repertoire in the process.

GL - Who is your favorite guitar player?
PD - My favorite guitarist is Eric Johnson. For me, he epitomizes what elements a great guitarist should possess. He can shred with the best of them but also knows when to lay back and let the song develop itself. His tone, touch and technique are second to none. He can improvise, play any style, and let's his fingers do the talking!

GL - What projects are you currently working on?
PD - My main concentration right now is focusing on my solo instrumental career. Because this style not for everybody, there's always resistance from club owners, the media, and your "average" fan to take the time to listen to your material. My goal is to break down that barrier and show people that there is a market for instrumentalists and that people should listen. Aside from the solo project, I do some session work, teach and am also involved in playing on an Adult Contemporary album which my producer is putting together. Lastly, I write columns and lessons for similar guitar websites and am hoping to compile enough material to put together an instructional book by year's end.

GL - Do you love doing live performances?
PD - There's no better rush than doing live performances. The best part about playing live is watching people's heads turn and hearing complete silence during your set... without ever saying anything! Because I'm equally comfortable playing electric as I am acoustic, it's great to see people coming to your shows not knowing whether they're going to hear some crazy electric stuff or more laid back acoustic material and knowing that they're leaving the venue getting their money's worth and then some.

GL - Let's move on your incoming "debut album" . When it will be ready and what can we expect from it?
PD - The debut album was expected to be finished by the new year but due to the holidays and the weather we've had out here in Boston, things got pushed back a bit. I have taken the month of February off from gigging and everything else to focus on finishing the CD for a March release. I would like to think that the CD would change the way people look at music and, in particular, instrumental guitar. As mentioned earlier, I feel as though my style is new, original and modern. Unlike a Satriani or Vai CD, the majority of it will be chord melodies and very effects oriented. Each song will be different from the next but they'll all have the same style. There's some great acoustic stuff on there as well. Hopefully musicians will listen to it and learn from my ideas and vision and non-musicians will enjoy it for its musical value. I don't want to give too much away but there will be a 10+ minute finale that will definitely wake people up!

GL - What´s the meaning of this record to you?
PD - This record is all about respect for me. It's about patience, hard work, discipline and attitude. I realize I may have only one shot to make a great impact so everything's been so methodical and every detail has been looked over. I really do think that if given the opportunity, this CD could change the face of not only instrumental music but the industry as well.

GL - What´s your favorite song from the ones you have online as your demo?
PD - My favorite song has to be "Love In Misery." That was the 3rd instrumental I ever wrote and it took me months to write! You can hear all the different sections within the song and it was just a matter of getting all the parts to flow smoothly. The verses have some of the most lyrical lines I've ever written and the choruses and outro have the chord melody lines that were discussed earlier. The story behind the song is about going through some hard times but knowing that at the end of the day, everything's going to work itself out.

GL - What are your thoughts on the state of instrumental guitar these days?
PD - It's sad to see where instrumental guitar is today. There are so many great players out there but the industry seems to care more about the look than the music. Fortunately, there are sites like Guitar Lords to turn people onto new players.

GL - Thanks Patrick!, What do you think about the new crop of talented Guitar player's that are currently out there making music?
PD - There are a lot of great guitar players in the industry today and they're pushing the boundaries of what music is all about. Tom Morello is one of those players who is definitely reinventing the wheel. I can't figure out why I only hear about Neil Zaza through the internet and nowhere else. Derek Trucks is doing some great things with the Allman Brothers as well as his solo stuff. Unfortunately, the most talented players are probably undiscovered and just trying to survive in a market that won't accept music without lyrics.

GL - When all is said and done, years from now, how would you want people to remember Patrick DeCoste?
PD - Ideally, I would want people to remember me as someone who pushed musical boundaries and who made music that matters.

GL - What will be next for Patrick DeCoste?
PD - Upon the release of the CD, the sky's the limit. The goal is to reach as many people as possible as soon as possible. Although, at this point, seeing myself on the cover of every magazine and TV show seems unlikely, it won't stop me from sharing my experiences through music with the world.

GL - And can we expect to see you in Mexico any time soon?
PD - Your best bet at catching up with me is through the website (http://www.decosteonline.com). My schedule at the moment only allows me to play throughout northeastern part of the United States. However, I did play a show that was broadcast on the internet and available to watch not only in North America but worldwide. All you need to do is go to "http://www.evolvingartist.com," sign in and go to the "Archives" section. The live performance was on January 13, 2004. Let me know what you think!

GL - Is there anything else you would like to share with us that I have not asked?
PD - I would just like to thank everyone involved with Guitar Lords. There are some amazing guitarists out there and it's people like you who help bridge the gap for those who don't know where to look to hear amazing guitarists do what they do best. Thank you for all your support and I look forward to hearing more great things about Guitar Lords!

GL - Once again, thanks for your time Patrick, we really appreciated it!, our best wishes to you!!

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