Tommy Shaw
Tommy Shaw
Tommy Roland Shawis an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, and performer best known for his work with the rock band Styx. In between his stints with Styx, he has played with other groups including Damn Yankees, Shaw Blades as well as released several solo albums and he is not just a rhythm guitarist, but also a capable lead guitarist...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionGuitarist
Date of Birth11 September 1953
CityMontgomery, AL
CountryUnited States of America
Make sure you know what you are signing when you sign a recording contract.
I love the idea of stepping out of the band situation into a solo world with no boundaries, no expectations, where nothing is out of bounds
Success is fickle, but creativity is a gift.
We're kind of defined by our mistakes
By the time I did that third solo album, I'd finally learned how to do it, but I'd also learned that I liked being in a band
When I was a kid, I liked the newer music that was coming out. I have never really felt confined by any style of music. I would play in bands that were soul bands or that played standards - any kind of music that I enjoyed playing.
If I have an idea, I write it down, although I usually carry a little dictation machine with me because I'm too lazy to write
I have always been a sucker for the big, upbeat chorus.
There were some older guitarists on my side of town, and I got to know many of them
If music became extinct now, I dont know what Id be good for.
I've always stuck with Gibsons. I've had Guilds and Fenders, too, but I always wind up going back to Gibsons.
Songwriting is the other weight on the opposite side of the scale from touring. They balance me out creatively.
I'm not the kind of guy who deserves to play a vintage guitar because I'm too rough on instruments.
Around '75 when the recession hit, club owners started going to disco because it was cheaper for them to just buy a sound system than it was to hire a band.