Rock of Nations with Dave Kinchen & Shane McEachern · Rock of Nations with Dave Kinc

#347 Guitar Virtuoso #AndyTimmons - The Interview

·30 min·2 clips

Andy Timmons shares how addiction and social media struggles shaped his album Recovery's deeply personal theme.

Guitarist Andy Timmons joins hosts Dave Kinchen and Shane McEachern to discuss his new album "Recovery" and his extensive career. Timmons is a respected instrumental guitarist known for his work with Danger Danger and as Olivia Newton-John's musical director. The conversation explores his creative process, personal inspirations, and upcoming projects. The album "Recovery" is described as a personal passion project with tracks ranging from rock to bluesy, jazzy tones. Timmons explains the title refers to healing from various issues, including past substance use and the addictive nature of social media. He recounts how the album was conceived with producer Josh Smith following a near-miss car accident on the way to a barbecue restaurant. Timmons details his recording band, featuring Lamar Carter on drums and Travis Carlton on bass, which is the same group from his prior "Electric Truth" album. He shares the story behind his song "The Boy From Beckenham," a tribute to Peter Frampton that features a solo from Frampton himself. Timmons also mentions working on a new album with his long-time Andy Timmons Band, which includes bassist Mike Daane and drummer Rob Avsharian. Timmons reveals his earliest musical memory was the guitar solo in The Beatles' "I Saw Her Standing There," which drew him to instrumental music. He describes his tone-seeking process as a lifelong effort, influenced by heroes like Jeff Beck, Eric Johnson, and Pat Metheny. A surprising moment for him was seeing online covers of his song "Electric Gypsy," which made him realize the technical detail in his playing was greater than he had consciously intended. He discusses the challenge and reward of teaching his techniques through his website, GuitarExperience.net, noting it often leads to personal rediscovery of his own ideas. Timmons reflects on his 15-year collaboration with Olivia Newton-John, remembering her kindness and her impact on cancer awareness, which he credits with helping save his life as a survivor. The interview covers his instrumental tribute to The Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," a project suggested by a promoter after his arrangement of "Strawberry Fields Forever" was a live hit. He recalls an upcoming recording session in New York with musicians Omar Hakim, Mike Garson, and vocalist Gail Ann Dorsey for a Pink Floyd tribute project. Timmons confirms his band's upcoming performance at the Dallas Guitar Show on May 4th, following a tour in Southeast Asia. The tone is conversational, relaxed, and deeply reflective, focusing on artistic philosophy and personal anecdotes. The style is educational, offering insights into guitar technique and the life of a working musician. Guitarists and fans of instrumental rock will love this episode for its technical insights and stories about legendary players. Listeners seeking high-energy debate or a critical music review might find the pace too contemplative.

As heard by us

A guitar-focused interview about Recovery, teaching, and the Peter Frampton tribute.

Andy Timmons comes across as both player and teacher, and the conversation stays close to the work: Recovery, the studio gear behind the sound, and the way years of playing turn into something he can explain plainly. The craft talk is what gives it shape.

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Why you'd press play

You want a conversational guitar hang that still gets into tone and picking.

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