In today’s music world, it is not a rare thing to find musicians who wear many hats. Brian Kahanek is no exception. His work as a session musician as well as mixing for albums by high profile artists gives him a unique perspective of both sides of the studio glass. Furthermore his work with “Guitar Hero” has put him on a level that many guitar players can only dream of. Brian recently released his third solo album “One True Thing”, where he was once again able to put his distinctive experience into action. We recently had the opportunity to talk with Brian about his new album, as well as gain some insight into his flourishing career.



Gary: Can you tell us a little about how you became a contributor for “Guitar Hero”?

Brian: I was doing demos for the then VHT amps (now Fryette) at winter NAMM a few years ago when I met Marcus Schefer and Marcus Henderson. Schefer was VHT’s sales rep at the time and had been long time friends with Henderson. Schefer gave Henderson a little room at their booth to set up a kiosk for Guitar Hero I, which had just come out. We all hit it off big! Henderson said that he had heard me playing and wanted to spin my debut record “Real Life”. Fast forward to the following spring... Henderson called me while I was on my way back to LA from a show. He said that they had chosen “Gemini” to represent the blues rock genre as an "unlock" track. That unique opportunity certainly has been a defining moment in my career and was a great outlet for my music.

Gary: I understand that your minor was in music and your major was in audio engineering. Did your major in audio engineering play a key role in your work with “Guitar Hero”, and if so, how?

Brian: Actually, I majored in music for two years at UNT, but switched midway to graduate with a degree in economics and a minor in music. That gave me more time to devote to playing sessions and gigs. Being a music major at The University of North Texas is VERY demanding and didn’t give me time to get real world experience out in the clubs and studios. The course load in the business school was much more manageable with my after-hour musical activities. And besides, I was still getting what I needed from the school of music by switching it to my minor. As far as engineering, that is something that I didn't formally study. I got my first four track recorder from my parents as a Christmas gift while I was in high school and it has grown into a real passion alongside music. I found early on that I could pay bills a lot easier if I could work both sides of the microphone. I prefer to have the guitar in my hands but really enjoy audio production and mixing as well. It forces me to take myself / ego out of the equation and to see and hear the music from a bird’s eye view. In addition to getting that "third person" take, the technical side brings real understanding about tone, frequency, phase etc.. that is cool in it's own right but when you combine that knowledge with playing an instrument, it adds a deeper level of connection to the music. As far as my experience with Guitar Hero goes, they approached me strictly on an artist level.

Gary: In addition to your work with Guitar Hero, I understand that you recently signed a deal with “Rock Band”. What can you tell us about that, and will the work you do be basically the same as it has been for “Guitar Hero”?

Brian: Electric Flannel approached me about licensing “Gemini” and two songs from my new record “One True Thing” for the Rockband network. They have been super easy to work with and I am very excited to have my tunes in this format. These games have become the main conduit for turning young people onto rock music. Something needs to because the radio is a corporate music wasteland.

Gary: There has been a lot of discussion in the musical instruments industry about the effect of musical games. Some believe it hurts the industry because many people find the games easier and will never buy and learn a real instrument. Others believe that it is helpful because it makes people want to learn to play real instruments. What are your thoughts on this?

Brian: As I alluded to in the previous question, gamers are exposed to some great music via these rhythm-based games. They are either going to hear the call to learn to play or not. It's the music itself that lights the spark and these games being as interactive as they are only serves to deepen the connection to the music. So I say, what’s not to like! The guitar has really had a renaissance and I believe it’s because of these games. Lets just hope they don’t do Boy Band Hero ;)

Gary: Are there any differences in the way you prepare for the studio when recording a solo album, as opposed to when you create your contributions for “Guitar Hero”?

Brian: I only approach my music from an artist perspective and haven’t been in the position where they have asked me to create a track specifically for the game or franchise. Marcus Henderson was the talent behind re-recording all those hits they used on the first two installments. I keep the music I write for my solo records sacred in the sense that the motivation behind each song has to be free and clear of expectation of where it will be marketed or played. So by the time I hit the studio I have worked through how I want to present them production-wise. This certainly isn't to say when I am asked to write for a certain project or artist I don't bring my best, It just means that the creative process is channeled by the feeling I get from the nature of the project.




Gary: Your newest release “One True Thing” is an incredible combination of musical influences combined into one great album. When I listen to it I can hear flavorings from many different guitarists from Clapton to SRV, as well as some of the great country players, yet your sound and style is unique. What players would you credit as your biggest influences in your guitar playing journey?

Brian: Thanks! Well, SRV and Clapton are VERY high on that long list of influences. As for country players: Albert Lee, Jerry Reed, Chet Atkins, and Vince Gill are some real favorites. Then you get to Hendrix. He is the one who really cemented the drive in me to do my own thing and find my own voice. Jimi’s humanity was his key ingredient and is something that captured me on a spiritual level. That emotional touchstone drives everything I do on the instrument. Recently, I have been listening to a lot of Jeff Beck. He is truly one with the guitar and such a huge inspiration for me. He has never settled or let the grass grow around his playing. He pushes the limits and proves that the drive to learn new things is the fountain of youth.

Gary: In the pictures I have seen of you, you are usually holding a Gibson Les Paul, but I understand that you are a true gear fanatic. Can you tell us about your current setup, and what equipment you chose to use on “One True Thing”?

Brian: Ha! Yeah, I've had a bit of gear in my time ;) Part of the fun of this thing is experimenting with the noise makers that catch my attention. You just never know when you are going to find something new that can take it all to the next level. In regards to “One True Thing”, it is very Gibson centric from the guitar standpoint. I used my Tobacco and Lemon Drop 59 reissues for the Les Paul tones. For other humbucker flavors, I played my ’61 Reissue SG with trem and Melancon Custom Artist T. That SG is really hard to beat on mic. I did however have a great ’69 Fender Custom Shop Strat for 63 Candles Live, Fireflies and Sunshine Man. Also, I used a reissue Danelectro Baritone for the melody and solo guitar on “Tears of Joy” and an Ohau Lap Steel and LsL T-Bone Tele for selected other backing and solo tracks. In the acoustic department, I have a True Vintage Hummingbird and J45 that recorded the entire record. The National Duco Delphi that I recorded a few tracks with, unfortunately didn’t make the record. I decided that I wanted to save that sound for future releases.

Amp-wise, it was my Marshall JTM45 Bluesbreaker, 50watt 1976 JMP, 100 watt reissue Plexi, Fender Blues Junior and Custom Vibrolux reverb along with a Vox AC4TV. I ran all those into a Ultimate Attenuator then to a 2x12 cab loaded with Celestion Alnico Gold 12 inch speakers. I mic’d it all up with a good old SM57 (that I've had for 15 years) and into a Joe Meek VC1Q (the old Fletcher version) mic pre. For my voice and acoustic guitars, I used an ADK TC tube condenser into a Avalon 737sp mic pre. I've had experience with a ton of mics working in the LA studio trenches and the ADK has it all for the right price. My guitar pickups are just about all Sheptone except the SG. Jeff makes great stuff and I love my signature set he makes, they are key to my sound.

Pedals I used were a Fulltone Fulldrive 2 Mosfet, G2D Creamtone, Lovepedal COT50, Voodoo Labs Micro Vibe, EH Small Stone Phaser, Roland Pedal Space Echo, Line 6 Echo Park, Solid Cables Silicon Fuzz, a Prescription Electronics - Experience Fuzz (which is a must have pedal), Stock Dunlop Crybaby Wah and a Fulltone Supa-Trem. Last, but certainly not least, is cabling. Before I started recording, I got together with Nial @ Solid Cables and he rewired my entire studio along with my guitar rig. The difference it made was night and day in clarity and dimension. He makes the best cables out there as far as I am concerned. Phew!… I think that about covers it ☺



Gary: One song that I particularly enjoy from “One True Thing” is “Starlight”. The dynamic way that the acoustic and electric guitars create the haunting melody and then build into a powerful emotional sound is remarkable. What was your inspiration on this song, and what did you use to achieve the electric guitar tone?

Brian: Thanks! That is one of my favs on the record as well. I was sitting around on a random Sunday afternoon and wrote the chord progression for that song in about an hour. (Love it when that happens!) I usually try to use the guitar I write the song with on the recording, so the acoustic on "Starlight" is the Hummingbird. The electric tones are my LsL T-Bone Tele into the Vox AC4TV for the supporting electric and my Tobacco 59 RI Les Paul “Grandpa” straight into the Blues Junior with the “fat” button in for the solo tone. Production-wise I wanted to take the listener to the place I go when I’m camping and sitting by the fire staring up at the stars. I tried to imagine floating through space and time without a care in the world. Dave Concor’s contributions to the mix on Starlight really hit the nail on the head and helped take it to that place.

Gary: Your work in the studio as both a session player and mixer boasts many high profile artists as well as movie credits. Do you find that you are more critical of your work on a solo album compared to when you are working on a project for another artist?

Brian: Good question. The short answer is no. The biggest difference between the approach with my stuff and someone else’s usually has to do with the time I have to complete it. When I am thinking about making a solo record I try not to place hard time constraints and that gives me space to be patient and wait until the song tells me it’s done. I wish I had that luxury with other sessions and contract work but usually the budget dictates the flow which translates to less experimentation and getting to that place of satisfaction with the sound faster.

Gary: I met Eric Heatherly several years ago, and he told me that he had to make a decision on whether to go on a world tour as Shania Twain’s lead guitarist, or to do his own tour to promote his new “Swimming in Champagne” album. He decided to do his own tour and told me that there was nothing that compared to holding the reigns of his project. Is this similar to how you feel about your own work?

Brian: It is. I got off the road as a sideman in 2001 and told myself that if I go back out again, it would be in support of my own music. I had a great time doing the touring but in the end I wasn't invested financially and artistically in the supporting role and feel that that work can only take me so far creatively. I have been offered some very tempting gigs since but have chosen to stay home and work on my thing until the right opportunity takes me out of the studio.




Gary: I recently watched a video on your website where you did a slide lesson on a resonator. Is teaching something you enjoy, and will there be more lessons in the future?

Brian: I do enjoy teaching. Before I moved to LA in 1998, I was teaching guitar at The Dallas School of Music. That was a great opportunity for me because in the end I probably learned more than my students did. I think to teach you have to examine what you do and really break it down to understand it enough to pass it on to someone else. I haven’t had students in quite sometime as my schedule is just too packed. If I do end up teaching again, I want it to be more of an open kind of thing where I get with players that are ready to take it to the next level and find their own voice.

Gary: Are there any plans for a tour or video to promote the “One True Thing” album?

Brian: No tour plans yet as we are still putting the pieces of that puzzle together. The truth of the matter is that it is very expensive to tour and it needs to make sense in the financial realm to do it. I spent many years playing the club scene here in LA and don’t particularly want to throw my head up against that wall anymore. So perhaps a move to Austin is in my future. The music community there is so much more open and nurturing than it is here and people really support live music. Video-wise I am talking with a production company about doing something with “Sunshine Man”. It sounds like big fun.

Gary: If you could share one piece of advice with guitar players who may be just starting out on their own journey, what would it be?

Brian: The first thing I would tell them is to make sure you LOVE it. In this business the word “deserve” has nothing to do with it and you must be prepared to eat rejection for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Don’t get me wrong, that one time in a hundred where things actually go your way can fuel the fire for a good long time or even make a career. The trick is to keep reminding yourself along the way that in the end it’s about making music and being true to yourself and your muse.