By Steve Newton
A coupla days ago I called guitar hero Tosin Abasi up at his home in L.A. to chat about the upcoming album by his prog-metal trio, Animals as Leaders, which plays Vancouver’s Commodore Ballroom on November 16.
The first time I’d ever seen Abasi in the flesh was back in April when the Generation Axe tour played Vancouver’s Queen E. Theatre, but unfortunately I got there late and missed his opening set. I did, however, get to see him rip up the frets in the set-closing jam on “Highway Star”, which also featured tourmates Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen, Zakk Wylde, and Nuno Bettencourt.
Dude was smokin’.
He told me he had an amazing time on the 27-date tour, which kicked off April 5 in Seattle and ended May 9 in New Jersey.
Have a listen:
At one point in the interview I asked Abasi which of the Gen Axe guitarists he enjoyed listening to the most, and he talked a bit about Vai and Malmsteen.
Have a listen to that too:
For more from Tosin Abasi, stay tuned.