2019.01.26 - Gretsch at NAMM - Q&A with Richard

Transcript of relevant parts:

[...]

Richard: No, I wouldn't do a solo album. Who would buy it? No plans to do that. I like working with other people. I am producing the new Psychedelic Furs right now. And then also I got this record with the Guns N' Roses guys that we will hopefully will get out soon.

Someone: How soon?

Richard: That's a good question, "How soon?"

[...]

Moderator: The question is, "Do you have a favorite riff of a Guns N' Roses song?"

Richard: You know, it varies.... Rocket Queen on this last tour was a lot of fun, it was a lot of fun to play. Yeah, Slash makes it cool.

[...]

Moderator: The question is, "How does it feel to be playing with the original, Slash-"

Richard: Because I was playing with them before when it was non-original. It is beyond my wildest expectations, just because we relate as people and musicians. I mean, it's like a dream band and not because of their history but because of who they are as musicians.

[...]

Audience: When you're on tour, what's your favorite song to watch the band [?]?

Richard: Sweet Child. Watching people on Sweet Child is pretty awesome.

[...]

Audience: What solo do you like most to play?

Richard: Wish You Were Here. That's the highlight of my night every night. That's my favorite thing to play.

[...]

Excerpts from Blabbermouth:
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During a question-and-answer session at the Gretsch booth at last month's NAMM show in Anaheim, California, Guns N' Roses guitarist Richard Fortus was asked what advice he would give to an up-and-coming band trying to get noticed. He responded (see video below): "That's a good one, because it's a very different landscape right now to when I was your age. When I was a kid, you put up flyers, you played everywhere you could and you did everything you could to get your name out. You kept pushing further and further. I grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. So we kept pushing further and further. We'd go to Columbia, we'd go to Chicago, we'd go to Kansas City, and you spread. Every time you go back — hopefully, if you're doing it right — then there'll be more people there. I think that's very relevant now. I think that's a great way to do it now. Even though people don't support live music as much as they used to, grassroots is where it's gotta build from. And now there aren't any labels to get in the way. It's not so imperative that you have a label. When I was a kid, you had to have a record label, and then you made it — except you didn't… [Bands releasing music independently now is] great, because it levels the playing field. It also makes it harder. You've just gotta work harder."

https://blabbermouth.net/news/guns-n-roses-guitarist-richard-fortus-offers-advice-to-new-bands-youve-just-gotta-work-harder

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