Q1) What do you think about the market of instrumental album these days?

Joe) To tell you the truth I`m not really sure as I really don`t listen to a ton of instrumental stuff guitar-wise outside of my favorite players and heroes. I know it`s always been a very niche oriented type of market which I think is extremely cool .I mean trends tend to come and go but there`s always going to be an audience out here that wants to hear someone that can play the shit out of their instrument and showcase that ability in the context of cool tunes.

Q2) Do you think the trend has changed a lot since 80s regarding Metal?

Joe) Metal has taken on many different forms and sub-genres since it`s heyday in the 80`s, some good , some bad and some really and some really fucking stupid. For while the trend was that if you had a killer chops and could solo it wasn`t cool.
I`m not sure which moron decided that years ago in the height of the grunge and new metal/mall metal/false metal period but I`d imagine it was some type of conspiracy put together by guys that couldn`t play. Nowadays order is being restored and people are embracing great technical playing and more intelligent forms of hard rock and metal again and that of course is a very good thing.

Q3) What inspired you to become a neo-classical guitarist?

Joe) It was a natural progression,obviously the term neo-classical started when Yngwie made his mark and more or less invented the genre as most people know it. But I stared out being deep into the guys who laid the groundwork for what he did. I love and still listen to Ritchie Blackmore (both the Purple and Rainbow periods), Uli Jon Roth (Scorpios and solo) Michael Schenker as well as many of the great classical masters-Bach, Vivaldi, Paganini, Mozart, Beethoven. So when Yngwie came out he was right up my alley as I was already entrenched in neo-classical playing and he insprired me to take it up tothe next level both playing and compositionally.

Joe Stump

Q4) Tell us something about your equipment?

Joe) Guitar-wise I play ESP custom shop strats, I`ve been an endorsee for over 10 years now. They`re all made to my specs and they`re killer guitars.
They have reverse headstocks, locking tuners, graphtech nuts, dunlop jumbo 6000 frets, scalloped fretboards, alder bodies, dimarzio pickups (YJM,HS-3, Virtual Vintage solo, fast track) some have Fender vintage style tremelos, one with a Wilkenson vinatge replacemet bridge and one with a Floyd Rose locking system. Amp-wise it`s always Marshall, I have many old heads some early 70`s 50 watt mark 2`s with no master volume, some later 70`s 50 watters with the master volume, large logo and white piping also a cool early 70`s 100 watter thats modded Blackmore style. I also have an Engl Ritchie Blackmore signature model and a Rhino Yngwie Malmsteen model as well both are great amps and sound killer. I also have an early 70`s non master 50 watt Marshall that used to belong to Yngwie himself.

Effects-wise I use an old grey DOD 250 overdrive, a DOD YJM 308 yngwie overdrive, a Dunlop Cry Baby, Dunlop Rotvibe, and some Boss stuff-chorus, phase shifter, flanger, octave box and DD3 digital delay. I also have a copy of an old Hornsby Skewes treble booster modded by Ritchie Blackmore`s old guitar tech Dawk Stillwell to sound like Blackmore`s old one from the Purple and Rainbow days, treat box.

Q5) What are you working on these days?

Joe) I did a new instructional dvd for a UK based company called the Shred Academy this one entitled Advanced Hard Rock/Metal Soloing techniques.
I`ve done several with them , this is my 6th dvd overall. I also just finished an audio instructional program for them as well The power metal band I play with called HolyHell is featured on the new Magic Circle Festival dvd that`ll be out before the year`s end .

I also just recorded and speed metal version of Tchaikovsky`s Enchanted Lake for a company called Magic Maestro Music. They do books/cds for children and adults with the book based on a famous classical work. The London Philharmonic play all the classical pieces on the cd and on each disc they take a track for the work and present it in a non tradtional classical format. So on this disc that was my rendition of Swan Lake, it came out great and it`s quite and honor to be on a cd with the famed London Philharmonic. After the holidays I`ll start recording my next solo album and I `ve already tracked all the guitars on the upcoming HolyHell album , both of those will be out next year.

Q6) How much music scene has changed since your first album?

Joe) So many trends have come and gone, but I certainly can`t complain as 13 records later I`m still at it and doing better than ever. Things are much different now as he retail end of the record biz is drastically different. Now many people purchase music digitally and even individual tunes as opposed to entire cds.The cool thing about the instrumental thing is that regardless of the trend of the day the core audience for that is always going to be there, during different time periods it might expand or reduce but it`ll always be there. The same with metal, it doesn`t matter what`s hip and hot in the marketplace metal`s never going anywhere.

Q7) What your dream band lineup would be?

Joe) Cozy Powell on drums, Phil Lynott on bass, Jon Lord on keyboards and on vocals of course Ronnie James Dio.

Q8) With which artist you enjoyed working the most?

Joe) Since I mainly do my own thing with my own band I rarely work outside of what I`m involved with. On my solo albums and on a couple of my Reign of Terror albums (my own power metal vocal project I head)I had the pleasure of working with ex-Malmsteen keyboard player Mats Olausson, he`s a killer player and a great overall musician. Also in the Reign of Terror I worked ex-Malmsteen/Loudness/Obsession vocalist Michael Vescera , Mike`s also extremely talented, a great set of pipes, he writes cool lyrics and we had a very cool lead vocalist/ guitarist relationship. The 2 of us together was a strong combination like a Dio/Blackmore thing. I `ve also worked with Manowar bassist/power metal Kingpin Joey DeMaio. Joey produced both the HolyHell ep which was released in March this past year and the HolyHell full length album that`ll be out in 2008. As a producer he`s meticulous, he`s got a great ears and really knows how to draw the most out of you when you`re working with him. He`s also a tremendous overall musician and when it comes to metal he`s got great vision. I mean the guy helped invent the power metal genre, so when he speaks I listen intently.

Q9) What is your most important achievement so far?

Joe) That`s tough to answer, no one thing sticks out in particular. As far as touring goes I`ve been all over the world. I`ve played clubs for 100 people and some of the biggest concert halls in Europe for over 10,000 people. For me it`s all the same as I really love to play. Clinics, concerts, tours, master classes, lessons,whatever as long as the thing`s in my hands I couldn`t be happier. Another highlight for me was when I was first in a bunch of the guitar magazines. I always wanted to be a guitar hero, play my ass off and be in the mags that I read so obsessively about my heroes in. When Guitar World reviewed my 2nd record Night of the Living Shred and called it one of the best neo-classical records since the 1st Yngwie album back in 94/95 I was beyond thrilled.

But I still love it to this day,I`m always excited about an upcoming tour and a new record, for me it never gets old or routine.

Q10) Any special tip you want to give to young guitarist who want to shred like you?

Joe) If you want to play at a very high level technically and aspire to be a virtuoso then youhad better be living, eating , sleeping and breathing the fucking guitar.If you don`t have that type of drive, dedication and commitment then it`s not gonna happen. One thing I tell everyone is to play because you love it, that`s why I do it. I didn`t get into to playing to be cool, meet chicks or be famous. I did it because I love music, the guitar and I love to play and that`s why I still do it. If you dedicate yourself,find your own direction and work your ass off , good things will come of it.

Q11) Any special message you would like to give to your fans through Infernal Scream?

Joe) Just a sincere thanks to those of you that have supported my past efforts and those of you that aren`t familar with my stuff I encourage you to check it out . If you`re a fan of intense guitar work and European influenced hard rock and speed/power metal you`d certainly enjoy it.